Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Road to the Ocean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Road to the Ocean - Essay Example â€Å"You’re too young to drive,† her mom said. â€Å"The road is not for kids, I mean, teens,† her dad added. When Leah’s face fell and her eyes moistened, her mother came toward her, only to be met by the â€Å"hands off† hand gesture. In other words, the gesture said: â€Å"Talk to the hand that would never hold you again for a million years.† Leah felt betrayed. She expected her father to back her up, to say yes to her favorite and only daughter. She knew her mom would say no. Mothers created the word â€Å"paranoia.† But fathers, no, fathers were supposed to be a lot cooler, a lot more trusting. She knew that her father would knock on her door and explain himself. She wanted to turn him away. But she never could. Her father was a military official and when he was there, she knew how precious time was. When Lt. Col. James Madison knocked on his daughter’s door, Leah said: â€Å"You know it’s open.† She could im agine him sighing. His bulky frame covered the whole door. He was massive and scary-looking. But for Leah, he was only her father. Her Daddy. He was the best father in the whole world, up until that moment when he betrayed her and did not let her drive. It was not even his car. And that thought made her angrier. She did not want to turn to him. She wanted him to see her straight and angry back, as she read her book, which she was not reading. But again, she failed. She glanced at him and there he was, 200 pounds of lean flesh, looking like a torn puppy. She imagined him whimper and she understood why her mother loved him so much. He was the biggest and most tender man ever. He loved them so fiercely. He would kill anyone who would deliberately hurt his wife and daughter. â€Å"Sorry Leah. I mean. I am not sorry, because I know what the streets are nowadays. I am just sorry I hurt your feelings and trust in me. One day†¦Oh, you know what I mean.† â€Å"No, I don’t . I’m a year shy of sixteen. What’s wrong with driving? I mean, learning to drive? It’s not like I’ll go off and have some random sex with any guy I meet at a club and get pregnant because of a stupid one-night stand.† â€Å"You know I trust you.† â€Å"It’s the world you don’t trust. I get it. But I don’t get it. Just please leave me alone. I want to go to another place, while staying here in my room.† â€Å"Oh, Leah. Okay, good night sweetie.† He waited. â€Å"Good night. Good night Daddy.† And she stood up to kiss him at the cheek. She had to tip toe to do it. She embraced him quickly. So much for her rebellious daughter act. She just could not stand being angry with her dad. Sunday, the next morning, Dad and Mom left Leah to Aunt Millie. They had second thoughts, because Millie was not exactly a very responsible adult. At the age of 31, she was still single and a party bug. But no one else was ava ilable, and Dad wanted to bring Mom somewhere special, because he was leaving for an overseas mission in a few days. They wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary in advance. They left with creases on their foreheads. Before their SUV drove away, they both made the sign of the cross, praying that Millie would miraculously be an adult for just twelve hours of her life. Leah did not feel excited. She used to enjoy Millie’s companionship. But she was now sore and bitter, or more like sore from being bitter. Millie asked her what she wanted to do, and she said nothing. Millie promised her that they could do anything she wanted. Leah said she wanted to learn to

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Business Management and Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Management and Strategies - Essay Example Some models mean the same thing but are given different names by their creators. With the evolution of the internet, many new models have emerged. At the same time, some do not stay long and have gone. Rappa (no date) identifies nine generic forms of business models, including the brokerage model, advertising model, infomediary model, merchant model, manufacturer model, affiliate model, community model, subscription model, and utility model. Timmers (1998) classifies business models by positioning them along the two dimensions of the degree of innovation and functional integration. In Novak and Hoffman (2001)'s customer-centric framework, for any business model to be successful, it must integrate customer models, value models, and revenue models. In this paper, the customer-centric framework of Novak and Hoffman (2001) will be adopted as each of the three subsidiary model answers questions such as who are the communities or customers served by the firm, how the firm attracts target a udience, and where does the revenue for the firm come from respectively. A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: NOVAK AND HOFFMAN'S CUSTOMER-CENTRIC BUSINESS MODEL According to Novak and Hoffman (2001)'s customer-centric framework, a successful business model consists of customer models, value models, and revenue models. A customer model is a segmentation of the users of the electronic business. The four groups of users are businesses, consumers, agents, and employees. Each customer model consists of two groups of users. The most common type of customer model seen on the internet today would be businesses to consumers. Businesses to businesses and consumers to consumers are not uncommon as well. Therefore, fourteen segmentations of customer models are possible, as shown by Figure 1. Figure 1 Customer Models Business (B) Consumer (C) Agent (A) Employee (E) Business (B) B:B B:C B:A B:E Consumer (C) C:B C:C C:A C:E Agent (A) A:B A:C A:A A:E Employee (E) E:B E:C E:A E:E Novak and Hoffman, 2001 The value model of Novak and Hoffman (2001)'s framework seeks to address how firms can attract target audience by providing them value. The twelve possibilities of how the web can create value are by offering brokerage service, content, search tools, incentives, freeware, communication, control, outsourcing, entertainment, transactions, affiliate opportunities, and communities. Of course, any model would not have commercial feasibility if it does not generate revenue for the firm. The revenue model identifies the revenue stream of the firm conducting electronic business. The seventeen revenue models are transaction fees, hosting fees, referral fees, subscription fees, license fees, pay-per-view, pay-per-performance, micropayment, advertising, sponsorships, ransom model, margin on sales of goods or services, sale of customer data, offline customer response, efficiency and effectiveness gains, value-added services (linux model), and virtual real estate. Various value models and revenu e models can be created

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media

Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media The research focuses on two important areas, Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media. However, before reviewing them, it is vital to understand the concepts behind Media and Marketing Communication in general. This would lay a foundation for understanding both the areas covered in the research. Then the real issues: Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media will be covered. 2.1.1 Media According to Harper (2001), the term media in communication can be defined as: The storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data. It is often referred to as synonymous with mass media or news media, but may refer to a single medium used to communicate any data for any purpose. Thus, any information transmission channels or tools used for delivering marketing messages to the audience can be referred to as media. Media is synonymously used with mass media or mass communication, which Dijk (2006) depicts as a type of communication using media to distribute sound, text, and images among an audience. Mass media is an old terminology, but starting from a single medium that is print in 1500s it has grown to incorporate vast types of mediums. Caspi (1993, cited in Wilzig Avagdor, 2004) provides a four stage model of media development: 1) Inauguration where the new medium is given much public attention; 2) Institutionalization where there is widespread public adoption and routinization of the new medium; 3) Defensiveness where the power is threatened by a new medium; and 4) Adaptation the fine line differentiating between old and new medium. Since the inception of first mass media, each new media has gone through these stages and has developed its place in the media environment. With every new emerging media, the previous mediums had to co-exist with the new one at the end. In his research on mass media, Ahonen (2008) specifies a 7th mass media which is mobile. This idea was proposed in 2006. Various media content like music, videogames, tv, news, social networking, internet services and above all advertising is migrating to mobile which is making it a dominant mass media. While discussing the previous mass mediums, Ahonen regards the initial five mass mediums as unidirectional and states that it was only after internet arrived that it acted as inherent threat to all previous mass mediums. This was because internet had certain features that its predecessors did not have like interactivity, search capability, and social networking (discussed in detail later in report) and it could offer all that its predecessors offered. Therefore, cannibalization started occurring with internet. Similarly with the advent of mobile, this medium too can offer what its six predecessors could offer: one can read news, magazines, listen to radio and podcasts, watch TV, movies, play video games and above all consume all content available on internet. To a greater extent it supercedes the interactivity of the web with email and instant messaging (IM). Therefore, mobile would inherently threaten the internet. The idea of mobile being the 7th mass media is supported by Moore (2007), where he states that the historic technology revolution is setting grounds for mobile as a mass media which supports greater reach. Unlike other mass mediums, which are losing their audiences and revenues, mobile like internet is interactive; enabling it to fully capitalize on social networking and digital communities. According to Moore, mobile is the only mass media that is carried by the owner at all times and therefore 100% accuracy is possible in measuring the audience. Therefore the above researches claim that the mass media of 2000s is mobile and as with every new media that erupts, it has the power to cannibalize but not replace the previous ones. 2.1.2 Marketing Communication Engel et. al., (1994 cited in Koekemoer Bird, 2004) defines marketing communication as: the collective activities, materials and media used by a marketer to inform or remind prospective customers about a particular product offering, and to attempt to persuade them to purchase or use it. Marketing communication is the use of the media to target customers and interact with them and the basic aim of this interaction is to deliver brand and marketing messages by the use of the most effective medium. There are various marketing communication tools available to a marketer. These include: selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship, exhibitions, packaging, point of sale and merchandising, word of mouth, e-marketing and corporate identity (Smith Taylor, 2004). The marketers may use different blends of these communication mix elements depending on the strategy they want to use, but the most effective communication happens when all the tools are used appropriately and synergistically (Koekemoer Bird, 2004). Moreover, it is important to note that marketing communication has over the years changed from being unidirectional to two-way, with the consumers being more demanding and conscious of choices (Koekomoer Bird, 2004). Therefore, it can be inferred that media is the channel and marketing communication is the use of these channels to direct marketing messages efficiently to target customers. The next sections would build on to these concepts and explain the two major areas of interest, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and Social Media. 2.2 Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Social media is one of the many mediums that are used as IMC tools/components in designing any marketing mix. This section aims to describe the concept of IMC, its emergence and the changing trends in IMC composition (or the communication mix). 2.2.1. Defining IMC As per Kerr Patti (2002) Kerr et. al., (2008), IMC has been one of the most controversial areas of marketing education during the past decade. While many definitions of IMC have been put forth, agreement on the disciplines constructs remains unresolved. This is because IMC is a concept that still lacks rigorous theory according to IMC authors Cornelissen Lock (Kerr, et. al., 2008). One of the much agreed definitions of IMC and the one to be used/ assumed for this research would include that given by one of the first advocates of IMC concept, Don Schultz (2004, cited in Kerr, et. al., 2008): IMC is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive brand communication programmes over time with consumers, customers, prospects, and other targeted, relevant external and internal audiences. The key difference in this definition of IMC from that of simple Marketing Communication is highlighted by use of three words: i) strategic, ii) evaluate and iii) measurable. In essence, IMC enforces use of marketing communication mix in such a way that it is strategically designed to achieve certain objectives and is also measurable to enforce accountability over marketers. These elements are also stressed on by various IMC authors (Schultz, 1996; Duncan Caywood, 1996, cited in Kerr et. al., 2008), who believe that although concept of IMC is not new, but the fact that previously marketing communication was not coordinated strategically and strategy is now deemed critical, gives this concept a new look. Another definition of IMC given by a well known author on IMC literature, Kliatchko (2005, cited in Kerr, et. al., 2008) reflects the same concept. As per the author: IMC is the concept and process of strategically managing audience-focused, channel-centered and results-driven brand communication programmes over time. This definition is a bit more specific and along with strategy and accountability it emphasis specifically on communication being channel-centered and audience-focused. The common point, however, in almost every definition of IMC is the fact that it enforces accountability over marketers and hence more and more marketers feel the need of using mediums that offer better measures of performance. Also different modes of communication are now used strategically to compliment each other. Managing and coordinating the integration of companys communication across different media and channels is an important aspect of IMC. IMC does involve a process/plan aimed at providing cons istency and impact through integration of communication via different mediums (Larich Lynagh, 2009). Moreover, Kitchen and Schultz (1997, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) believe that integrated marketing communications has significant value for the organization, specifically in lowering costs and having greater control over the marketing communications program. This is supported by Duncan and Everett (1993, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) who extend the benefits to include gaining competitive advantage through IMC. It can be generalized that the idea of IMC used in above theories/definitions revolve around a 360 degree marketing communication programs for any of the brand that is strategically designed to achieve desired objectives. Hence, it would be fair to say that IMC includes all kind of communication programs that targeted for the same objective, regardless of the medium used, be it TV, Print, Radio, Street Marketing, Social Marketing, Internet Marketing, PR, Green Marketing, or any other thing. 2.2.2. Emergence of IMC and transformation by Marketing Agencies The world-renowned management guru Peter Drucker (1955, cited in Smith Taylor, 2004) believed that any business has only two basic functions: marketing and innovation. Even though it was said more than half a century ago, but it still applies in todays world; that all marketers should be mindful of the need to measure the effectiveness of all marketing activities. The world of marketing communication has moved from big budgets and little accountability to a more demanding marketing environment where every action has to be justified with proper quantification of benefits of the actions. Earlier, the various tools of marketing communication were regarded as separate functions and were handled by experts in the relevant area. This resulted in overall marketing communications being uncoordinated and inconsistent (Koekomore Bird, 2004). This was then solved with the move towards IMC in 1980s which emphasized coordination of all tools of marketing communication (Belch Belch, 2004). Before the emergence of IMC concept, marketing communications were a lot concentrated on very few mediums of communication but then it was evolution of media management structures in agencies that brought forward the segregation of media agency experience into a) Traditional Media b) New Media. Traditional media includes mediums like television, radio, magazine, newspaper, and other options that agencies had expertise on prior the media revolution in 1980s and 1990s. On the other hand, new media comprised of other mediums like interactive, buzz street marketing, direct response, electronic, and other areas that were adopted by agencies during 1980s and 1990s to make the communication a lot more competitive (Sasser, et. al., 2007). Many companies are now realizing that effectively communicating with customers and other stakeholders involves more than traditional marketing communication tools. Marketers as well as advertising agencies are using the IMC approach and have adopted a complete marketing communication solution, which includes use of both traditional and new media. This is because with the emergence of more technological formats, the audience is being less responsive to traditional methods and the traditional formats too have become fragmented and have started targe ting specific audience (Belch Belch, 2004). Lately one of the greatest influences of this change on media has been that of Information technology. This idea is supported by Kitchen (1999) who believes that it is only with more reliance on electronic technology that concepts like interaction and integration in marketing communication has become more main stream. This transformation over the years has been described by classification of marketplaces in three categories by Schultz (1998), who is a well known author on the area of IMC. According to him these categories are: a) Historical Marketplace, b) Current Marketplace; c) 21st Century Marketplace. In Historical Marketplace marketing organization mostly had information technology, in sense of having IT departments within the organizations. In the Current Marketplace (also the second marketplace), the Channel actually became a dominant force. This was because information technology, in the form of point-of-sale systems, scanners, retail data gathering resources and the like, had given the Channel more and greater information about the consumer and the marketplace than it was available to the Marketer. The third marketplace (the 21st Century Marketplace), are those of some organizations today, but mostly it is the marketplace of the future. It is, however, the 21st Century Marketplace that is expected to bring about the greatest changes. The first two marketplaces were focused on outbound communication systems, such is, not the case with 21st Century marketplace. The communication here would be interactive. These communications would not be controlled by marketer or communication agency but by the customer. Schultz (1996, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) warned that communication technology and wider technological evolution would continue to drive integrated marketing communication and the old models of communication like homogeneity must be rethought. Its worth noticing that almost all of the new media introduced after 1980s has been digital, e.g. Internet, Mobile, Podcasts etc. This is one good reason why New Media is often used interchangeably with Digital Media in theories. New Media is associated with characteristics like interactivity and electronic (Manovich, 2002 cited in Wardrip-Fruin Montfont, 2002) which actually imply digital technology. To sum up, it can be argued that change in media management structures and move towards 360 degree integrated communication is a result of more strategic and measurable approach by companies which is nothing but the adoption of IMC. Also the advent of new media has increased the challenge for marketers, giving them more options with limited budgets and yet enforcing accountability. But have these additional options made an impact or have changed the trends in overall composition of marketing communication? The next section attempts to explore the same. 2.2.3 IMC composition Changing trends Media has undergone an extensive phase of development in the last ten years. Marketers were previously focusing on promoting their product/service through traditional mediums like TV, Radio, Newspapers, however, now the future of marketers appears to be digital as technology has become an important part of daily lives (Pall McGrath, 2009). Concepts like convergence have come in to bring more versatility in the communication mediums being used. As per Jenkins (2006) who is a renowned author on the topic of media convergence, the term convergence is defined as: Convergence represents a paradigm shift a move from medium-specific content toward content that flows across multiple media channels, toward the increased interdependence of communications systems, toward multiple ways of accessing media content, and toward ever more complex relations between top-down corporate media and bottom-up participatory culture. The concept certainly talks about making the communication mix interdependent bringing in more integration and moving towards having multiple ways of accessing media, i.e. bringing in more versatility in the marketing mix by using a mix of traditional and new media. Moreover, it refers to the behavior of media audience as being migratory, i.e. shifting to the media that can provide them their desired experience. In such an environment, consumers are actively involved in seeking new information and make connections among dispersed media content. Convergence has played its parts in shifting the trends. In the 1990s the digital media revolution paradigm suggested that new media would push aside traditional media and that internet would displace television, and by convergence it was meant that old media would be absorbed fully in emerging new media. However, the convergence paradigm proposes that old and new media would interact in ever more complex ways. New media has paved way for convergence as it has broken barriers that were separating different mediums. Since the beginning, each old medium is forced to co-exist with the emerging media. The concept of convergence indicates that the old media is not being displaced, rather their functions and status are being changed with new media options (Jenkins, 2006). Media convergence is more than simply a technological shift altering the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets and audiences. The cell phone being a telecommunication device; also allows its users to play games, download information from the internet and receive and send photographs or text messages. These functions can be performed through other media appliances too. For instance; one can listen to The Dixie Chicks through a DVD player, car radio, walkman, computer MP3 files, a web radio station or a music cable channel (Jenkins, 2004). Convergence has brought dramatic changes in the media ownership and has increased media concentration. One such example is when News Corp, owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch made its first internet purchase and bought MySpace in 2005 (BBC News, 2005). This was because it had realized that significant amount of advertising dollars were being moved from traditional to internet. Yahoo bought social networking sites Flickr, Upcoming.org and del.icio.us to enable content sharing with friends and family (PWC, 2006). Similarly, Walt Disney has become a multimedia giant since last two decades and has acquired various different media companies. It now has several film studios, printing companies, magazines, radio stations, television networks, publishing companies, and cable TV networks. This is one of the classic examples of convergence by a media company (Folkerts Stephen, 2006). Focus of marketers towards concepts like convergence and IMC have already made an impact on consumption of traditional media. More worrisome for traditional operators, however, it is the fact that an entirely new media sector has emerged over the past decade with countless new players who are both unregulated and well-funded (Therier Eskelsen, 2008). Hence, some media agencies have witnessed a trend whereby new media is becoming regular part of communication mix. According to Nielsen Wire (2009), one of the top media trends for 2010 would be that companies would have to make optimization of media convergence their top priority. Therefore, it is vital that media companies become a part of this new paradigm shift where converging old mediums with new would be required for greater returns on their investment. 2.2.4. Factors that influence IMC composition There is certainly a change in the trend of IMC composition. This section tries to explore what are some of the possible factors that may influence the composition of IMC. Study by Sonia Livingstone and Moira Bovill (1999), answers the potential reasons for evolution of digital media over the years and these factors certainly impact the composition of marketing mix too. These include: Parental fear for outdoor activities: The parents and children often explicitly link restrictions on the childs access to the world outside to increase media use within the home. A lot of parents dont want their children to go out much and then this time is spent watching TV or surfing over the internet. Income lifestyle: The usage of media is directly linked to the income level of household and their lifestyle. Working women are likely to have children who will be media-rich users. Children in reconstituted families are particularly likely to have screen entertainment media (TVlinked games machines, gameboys, PCs and television sets) that are not to be found elsewhere in the house. Children from one-parent families are more likely to have less expensive items such as books, walkmans and radios. The rise of bedroom culture: This trend evolved in the early 1980s from the European countries, significantly booming the media-rich users, where children were given access to their private TVs, computers and other media. Absence of leisure activities boredom: People that do not have a lot of social activities, engage themselves with media. Also loners are more likely than all other groups to turn to television, videos and interactive media when they are in need of excitement. Appeal of enhanced experience: The technology is becoming more interactive with each passing year. Interactivity incorporates several dimensions which characterize the changing modes of involvement with media: the exchange of roles involved in a two-way interaction; the degree of user control and management of content and timing of the interaction; thus enhancing the experience. The factors described above focus on youth by and large and this is due to the fact that technology adoption has proven to start from youngsters, because they tend to be accustomed to the new trends and are the early adopters. 2.3 Social Media

Friday, October 25, 2019

T.S. Eliots The Wasteland Essay -- Eliot Wasteland Survival Essays

T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland Cooperation is the key to human survival, and over time humans have been known to group together to survive. This strategy has allowed humans to develop massive cities and countries of immense power. Without the natural instinct to cling to one another, humans would not be as advanced as they are today, and may not have even made it out of the caves. Many authors display our natural instinct to cooperate in their works, allowing the characters to become more real to the readers. T.S Eliot’s The Wasteland displays our natural instinct to cooperate with each other as a key to our survival. As we struggle to survive when our world begins to fall apart, our basic instinct to cooperate with each other kicks in and we cling to each other for comfort. This concept is brought up in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. And again W.B. Yeats’s says in one of his poems, "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold." In either case the concept of clinging to one another and cooperating when things fall apart is displayed as a basic instinct that is the key to our success as humans. The Wasteland describes how humans cling together as the world falls apart by depicting a world from a much different point of view then we are used to. Instead of seeing the world in a positive view, Eliot depicts the world in despair. As this world falls apart, humans cling together and cooperate to get through the bad times. Lines 139-172 depict a scene in a pub that illustrates how we cling to one another even though we may not be supportive of each other. In this scene, Albert tells his wife how he thinks she is ugly and can’t fulfill what he desires of her. As he goes on, she makes excuses about why she is ugly and can’t... ...Org: Public Affairs on the Web. 13 Dec. 2000: 24 Jan. 2001. http://www.c-span.org/campaign2000/bushspeech.asp. Brooks, David. Bobos in Paradise : The New Upper Class and How They Got There. New York: Simon, 2000. Eliot, T.S. The Waste Land, Prufrock and Other Poems. New York: Dover, 1998. Gore, Albert Jr., Concession Speech. C-Span.Org: Public Affairs on the Web. 13 Dec. 2000: 24 Jan. 2001. http://www.c-span.org/campaign2000/gorespeech.asp. Jin, Ha. Waiting. New York: Vintage, 2000. Maddy, Yulisa Amadu. No Past No Present No Future. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann- Reed, 1996. Tanksley, Charlie. Speech on the Proposed New Flag. Ajc.com. 30 Jan. 2001. < http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/flag/tankspeech.html>. Taylor, Mark. Remarks on the New Flag. Ajc.com. 30 Jan. 2001. http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/flag/taylor0130.html.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Legal Environment of Business Management

Case Questions1. Many states prohibit their lottery tickets from being sold out of the state, so Pic-A-State would have it agent buy lottery tickets in various states and hold them there; someone in Pennsylvania would buy a claim on the tickets held in the other states. Congress passed a law prohibiting interstate transmission of lottery ticket information to be used for lottery ticket sales. Pic-A-State, which was being put out of business, challenged the law as unconstitutional. Was this correct? Pic-A-State Inc. s challenge stating that the law Congress passed prohibiting interstate transmission of lottery ticket information to be used for lottery ticket sale was unconstitutional is not correct. As per out text, the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution provides that â€Å"Congress shall have Power†¦ To regulate commerce with foreign Nations, and amount the several states†¦ † Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce that includes transmis sion of information by computer for purchasing lottery tickets.Although Pic-A-State did not transport actual lottery tickets across state lines, but only sold interest in lottery tickets via computer, their activity may still be regulated by Congress. Congress has acted under their constitutional exercise and power to legislate under the Commerce Clause. This law has protected the state lottery revenues, and preserving state sovereignty in the regulation of lotteries and interstate gambling.2. Plaistow, New Hampshire, passed an ordinance prohibiting truck traffic during late-night hours at a truck terminal loading and unloading facility.It did so to reduce noise and fumes for the benefit of town residents. The truck terminal had been in operation several years. Most of the trucks came five miles from an interstate highway to change loads. The truckers contested the regulation as a restriction on interstate commerce and maintained that regulating an area (interstate trucking) subject to federal regulations was illegal. Were the truckers right? I believe that the truckers were correct, stating that the regulation was a restriction on interstate commerce. As a person, I can understand the importance of regulating and restricting noise and fumes for the town residents.However, this terminal had been in operation for several years and poses a very important role for truckers as it allows them to pick up and drop of loads of many different products that need to be received in a timely manner by their purchasers. By regulating and restricting the operating hours of these truckers, they were imposing burden on interstate commerce. Only Congress can burden interstate commerce, and since Plaistow, New Hampshire as a state did not get approval from congress, this would be an unconstitutional regulation that imposes on interstate commerce.3. The state of Iowa has a statute limiting to 55 feet the length of trucks on it highways. This made it illegal for commonly use doubl e-trailer trucks 65 feet long to use Iowa highways. The shippers had to either use shorter truckers or go around the state. Iowa justified the regulation on the basis of safety on the highways, and because the bigger trucks caused more damage to it highways. Was this regulation constitutional? No, this regulation is not constitutional Iowa’s law substantially burdens interstate commerce as it uses regulations out of step with all of its neighboring State’s regulations.Moreover, Iowa discriminates against out-of-state interests by providing Iowan’s exemptions that are not extended to out-of-state interests. The safety benefits are not enough to be greater than the national interest in keeping interstate commerce free from interference, and this regulation was completely hindering the interstate commerce.11. A church owned land in a rural area that it used as a recreation area for disabled children. A fire in the area-destroyed vegetation, allowing flooding to occ ur. To protect public safety, the county adopted an ordinance prohibiting any new building in the area until it determined what to do.The church requested to rebuild was denied for six years while the county pondered what the building code, if any, should be for the area. The church sued for loss of use of the land. Could it recover under the just compensation clause of the Fifth Amendment? Yes, the church can recover it loss. The Fifth Amendment provides that â€Å"private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation. † The Fifth Amendment does not prevent the government from taking property from private individuals, but does require that just compensation be paid.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Exam Question and Answer on Market Segmentation

QUESTION AND ANSWER ON MARKET SEGMENTATION Salim Brommer is the Marketing Director of Ashkol Furniture Supplies, a medium-sized company which specializes in manufacturing office furniture. The company makes its products in India, so benefiting from relatively low labour costs. However, it has recently experienced intense competition from suppliers who have even lower cost bases. Salim has decided that his company will benefit if he focuses on those customers who can provide higher profit margins. He has decided to target domestic customers in Europe.Increasingly, private households, particularly those with computers, are converting spare rooms into office-style areas. Additionally there has been a noticeable trend towards working from home. This saves employers incurring the costs of office provision, and also employees save on travel and can also work at times convenient to themselves. However, Ashkol has no experience of dealing with these types of customers. The company now needs to develop a suitable marketing strategy to succeed in this new area and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.Required: a. Using a suitable model of your choice, develop a marketing approach which Salim might use to enter this new market. b. Explain how Salim could select appropriate target markets and position his products so as to create and sustain competitive advantage. Suggested Answer Salim needs to develop a marketing strategy for entry into the domestic market in Europe. This can be achieved by looking at the factors that make up the marketing mix: product, price, place and promotion. Choosing a marketing mixThe design of the marketing mix should be decided on the basis of management intuition and judgment, together with information provided by market research. Elements in the marketing mix partly act as substitutes for each other and they must be integrated. The product needs to be positioned to appeal to the target customer. For example, Ashkol would struggle to de velop a luxury brand image if they set price at a low, penetration level. Product The physical product needs to be appropriate for the private household market.Office furniture may have a very different style to household furniture, so a different approach may need to be taken to the design of the product in order to make it appealing for the domestic buyer. A customer will only buy one of Salim’s products if they get a better deal from buying it than from buying any of the alternatives. This highlights that the nature of the products in the new range will need to meet the demands of the new target market. Areas to consider here are design (size, shape) and features. For example, it may need to be smaller and made of better quality material.The space available in domestic accommodation is likely to be quite restricted, so some standard items may not sell well simply because they are too large. Multi-purpose items, such as desks that incorporate filing drawers and PC monitor s tands may be required. Place Place deals with how the product is distributed, and how it reaches its customers. Establishing a suitable distribution system is going to be one of Salim’s largest tasks. His products are bulky and will therefore have to be transported by ship from India to Europe, probably in freight containers, which will impose a minimum economic scale of shipment.Distribution Channels Serious consideration will have to be given to how customers will be able to view, order and receive delivery of the products. Furniture showrooms are necessarily large areas and need to be in areas where customers will be attracted. Even if selling is by direct mail or over the Internet, there will be probably have to be a warehouse to receive bulk shipments from India, break them down and dispatch individual orders. All this has major cost implications perhaps offsetting the cost savings from cheaper labour.These considerations alone may push Salim towards a co-operative ventu re with a European agent who knows the market and is prepared to take on the selling and distribution task. Promotion involves arousing attention, generating interest, inspiring desire and initiating action. Marketing communication involved in this could be advertising, public relations, direct selling or sales promotion. A furniture showroom would be part of this but a wider approach will be needed. The target market is people working from home and the promotional methods used should be appropriate to this market.Types of promotion * Direct promotion via mailing lists may be appropriate, although because Salim has no experience in this market, he would probably have to buy the list which may make this an expensive option. * There are numerous home style magazines in which adverts can be placed. * The Internet is a vital part of the life of people working from home and its potential for promotion should be fully utilized, perhaps by setting up a dedicated website. Organising and des igning the marketing communication effort will almost certainly require input from someone familiar with the European market.Price is the final element of the marketing mix and is an important signal to customers about the product. It is important that the price should be competitive so Salim should investigate the prices being charged by competitors who have similar product ranges. Price should also indicate the quality of the product so Salim will need to decide if he wants to produce a deluxe range or a more basic model. Discounts and payment terms need to be considered as a potential way of attracting customers especially in the initial start up phase of the new product line. Part (b)Because of limited resources, competition and large markets, organisations are not usually able to sell with equal efficiency and success to every market segment. It is necessary to select target markets. A target market is a particularly attractive segment that will be served with a distinct market ing mix. While Salim’s products may have some application for commercial users, he intends to sell then to customers, who will view them as shopping goods. These goods have a higher unit value than convenience goods and are bought less frequently, usually after some thought and consideration have been expended.Salim should try to specify the segment of the customer market into which he wishes to sell his products with some care, since this will influence important decisions about all the elements of the marketing mix, including such things as product design, marketing communications, price and distribution methods. Kotler identified six steps: Step 1- Identify segmentation variables and segment the market Step 2- Develop segment profiles Steps 1 and 2 are in segmentation Step 3- Evaluate that attractiveness of each segment Step 4- Select the target segment(s)Steps 3 and 4 are in targeting Step 5- Identify positioning concepts for each target segment Step 6 – Select dev elop and communicate the chosen concept Steps 5 and 6 are in positioning Segmentation variables fall into a small number of categories. Geographical segmentation is very simple, but can usefully be combined with socio-demographic segmentation. Psychographic segmentation is not based on objective data so much as how people see themselves and their subjective feelings and attitudes towards a particular product or service, or towards life in general.The behavioural approach segments buyers into groups based on their attitudes to and use of the product, and the benefits they expect to receive. Both of these methods are most useful for convenience goods and are not, therefore likely to be very useful to Salim. Probably, the best segmentation approach for Salim is socio-demographic segmentation, which is based on social, economic and demographic variables such as education, income, occupation, family size and social class.Much work has already been done on this approach, in the ACORN syst em, for example, and Salim would be able to buy in the basic information he needs. Segment Validity A market segment will only be valid if it is worth designing and developing a unique marketing mix for that specific segment. Salim will have to be sure of several things about his chosen target market: Is it large enough to be profitable? Does this segment respond differently in the marketing mix than another segment? Can he reach the potential customers? Can the segment be reached profitably?Is the segment stable enough to justify resources being spent on it? Will it enable him to build on the company’s strengths? Internal Analysis It is important to assess company strengths when evaluating attractiveness and targeting a market. This can help determine the appropriate strategy; because once the attractiveness of each identified segment has been assessed it can be considered along with relative strengths to determine the potential advantages the organization would have. In thi s way, preferred segments can be targeted. Product PositioningIt is unlikely that Salim will be able to identify a market segment where there is no direct competitor, so it will be necessary to position the product line in such a way as to create of some form of product differentiation. The aim is to make the customer perceive the product as different from its competitors. An aid to this is to try to identify gaps in the market by considering the mix of the product attributes such as price, applications, users, occasions for use and specific aspects of quality may be drawn to refine knowledge of product position.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The eNotes Blog 3 Tips for TeachingReading

3 Tips for TeachingReading For many students, reading comes naturally. It’s possible your students probably don’t think about how they read- they just do it. So for those who speak and read English proficiently, taking extra time to teach them reading skills may seem redundant. However, all students of English- from those who grew up with the language to those who have acquired it as anotherneed the same skills to read effectively. All too often, these skills are either not established or not reviewed. Lets make sure were supporting all of our students by looking at three tips on how to integrate these reading skills into your lessons. Teach Students to Notice Their Reading When approaching a new text, most students read using two general skills: they rely on information exclusively in the text, or they draw on their own background knowledge. However, neglecting one in favor of the other results in students missing out on the full experience of the reading. Ideally, a student will be able to know when she needs to take information directly from the text or when she needs to rely on background knowledge to comprehend what she is reading. For example, here are two exercises Ive tried to help students notice their own reading: First, I give my students a series of sentences to analyze, such as: Marvin is an engineer, but he likes to paint and draw. He goes out walking, and finds a nice spot, and sits and paints all day. He sometimes meets his friend, Anna. She is a dog walker, and always has dogs with her while walking through the park. There are several elements in the above sentences. While reading through them, I ask my students entirely text-based questions, focusing on pronouns and other grammatical markers: Who is he? What does he do? Who is she? What does she do? While asking these questions, I remind my students that they are actively connecting these ideas in the text. Since they have understood what theyve read, they can answer these questions. In the case that students don’t understand the sentences, give students a visual of the reading process on the whiteboard or through a projector. For example, I usually circle pronouns and draw lines back to what the pronoun stands for, or underline actions and draw those back to the person making them. Tell your students to think about what connections they are making while reading. Second, I find a short poem that has an ambiguous meaning. For instance, I like to use â€Å"One Art† by Elizabeth Bishop. Read out the poem to your students. From there, I begin with the reading comprehension questions above, and then I move into contextual knowledge-based questions like these: Who is the audience? What do you think the narrator means by†¦ What is the overall lesson the narrator is trying to convey? In order to answer these questions, students need to rely on information that is not distinctly present in the text. Make sure to research beforehand the author’s intent of the poem so you can compare and contrast student’s interpretations with the intended meaning. It is very likely that you will get many different answers. When students give different interpretations of the poem, point out that they are using their own background knowledge to understand something. Sometimes, a student may not interpret a poem or a reading correctly, because they lack information. Ask your students to pay attention to when they are placing their opinion and background knowledge onto a reading. This will help them understand when it’s time to do some extra research. Teach Students to Use Reading Strategies The life of a student is filled with huge amounts of reading material. Beyond reading for general comprehension, students often have to analyze, criticize, or memorize- or a mixture of all three! Your students likely know that they need to read a textbook differently from how they would read a magazine or a social media post. To build on this, Ive shared some basic strategies with my students to help them become successful readers. Goal Setting Make sure your students know why they are reading something and what they need to get from the reading. Before starting a reading, I have my students answer the why and what so they know what to expect. Strategic Highlighting Highlighting while reading is a useful strategy- if students know what to highlight. Tell your students to only highlight important facts, keywords, and definitions. I tell them that I even do this myself; the goal is to be able to go back and find exactly what I need to know just by looking at the highlights. There are other levels to highlighting and marking up a text, too. Have your students develop symbols and abbreviations to write in the sidelines to help them easily find things when looking back. For example, I use a circle to show â€Å"an interesting fact,† an X to show â€Å"I don’t understand,† and â€Å"Def.† to point out the definition of a key term. Strategic Note-taking Teach your students note-taking skills such as writing down the page number and paragraph an idea or definition was found in. You may have to battle their dislike of marking up books. To help with this, emphasize how much it helps, and have your students develop their own shorthand, or abbreviations, for keywords that they can use when taking notes. I like to share my own shorthand so they can see how I’ve personally developed a system. Create a Successful Reading Environment Many of us face the challenge of teaching in front of 25, 30, or even larger numbers of students in our classrooms. We know that its difficult to not only make sure they are getting the best experience but also that they’re listening and reading well. How can we help them feel motivated and confident in their reading skills? When it comes to having students read (especially challenging texts), their interest and effort may wane. To counter this, here are some strategies Ive tried. 1. Establish a fun and relaxing reading atmosphere. There are many ways to achieve this, but consider these: Establish an environment where mistakes while reading are OK. When your students feel comfortable making mistakes, they will be more willing to participate in class, read aloud, or share their answers. Make sure that students realize reading is not a race, especially after being given assignments or handouts. Keep tasks organized and clear; this allows your students to better set reading goals when they know exactly what you expect of them. 2. Encourage students to read through open-ended homework assignments. Open-ended homework gives your students a chance to take charge of their own homework, manage their own topics, and read things that they have a personal interest in. When students can read things that they choose, their desire to read may increase. For example, I typically assign tasks that allow students to conduct research on their own topic of choice. I use a prompt similar to this: Think about a topic that you are interested in. Find three articles related to the topic, and write a short summary of your findings. However, if your students need more help finding a topic, have a class discussion to brainstorm research topics beforehand. Another important support activity that I do is help my students establish research skills and a knowledge base of trustworthy online resources that they can draw from. 3. Observation of your student’s reading and comprehension Observing your students’ quirks, issues, and successes with reading is an important skill. When you are able to see patterns with particular students or the whole class, you will better be able to help them succeed. Look for how your students approach assignments, whether or not they take initiative, or if they seem to be struggling with reading certain things. Sometimes, the only thing a student may need when it comes to reading successfully is a pair of glasses! Its important to remember that our students are moving and changeable people. Understanding who they are and how they see themselves in relation to learning is a sure way towards giving them a good classroom experience. Whats more, teaching students how to monitor themselves and to create their own reading strategies gives them autonomy. After teaching these reading skills to my students, they felt more motivated and happy in class.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Pyramids Essays - Giza Plateau, Khafra, African Architecture

Pyramids Essays - Giza Plateau, Khafra, African Architecture Pyramids The Egyptians believed that their kings were gods. Even after they had died, the rulers continued to affect daily life through their supernatural powers. In his new life in the underworld, the king would need everything he needed while alive, and he needed his home to last for eternity. While alive, Egyptian kings lived in palace of mud-brick, wore linen roves, and slept in wooden beds. In their gentle climate, more substantial comforts were not needed. But eternity last a whole lot longer than life. So the tombs of the kings needed to be durable and well-supplied. The tombs also needed to protect the body and its supplies and gifts from thieves. They also were the focus of the Egyptian religion and so needed to be extremely visible. The massive stone pyramid met all these criteria. However, there was still the problem of supplying the king with essentials. Since entombing a never-ending supply of food and servants was not very practical, the Egyptians decided on the principal of "substitution by means of a representation." Since the dead king now existed in spirit, rather than physical form, he was not bound by physical limitations. A picture or word could feed him as well as a real slab of meat. Servants did not have to be killed and laid around his tomb; statues could take their place. Because the king was a god to his people, they needed to be able to come and worship him. But if his body were accessible to the whole nation, the king and his treasures would be too accessible to robbers. So, instead they built a statue resembling the king which they placed in a temple open to the public. His ka, or spirit could leave the tomb and come live in his statue for awhile. This way, the people's prayers and gifts could still be delivered while keeping him safe. 2 Herodotus, a Greek who wrote about the building of the pyramids long after they had been built, claimed that the Great Pyramid took tens of thousands of men and in just twenty years to make. But even if those figures are not accurate, the construction of the pyramids was an amazing feat. The Egyptians had not learned to use the wheel or the pulley and so lifted all of the stones using ramps. The cut stone was edged along the ramps on rollers, lubricated by only milk or water. We do not know how many people died as laborers for the pyramids, but we do know that most Egyptians would have been eager to participate in the building: because the king would become a god who could bless or curse their lives; they wanted to make sure he was comfortable and cared for and able to come back and help them. On the rocky plateau of Giza, ten miles southwest of the center of Cairo, stands the Great Pyramid, the most majestic and most mysterious monument ever erected by the hand of man (Adams). The Great Pyramid is the largest stone building on earth, and the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. Its base covers just over thirteen acres, and it is composed of some 2.3 million blocks of granite and limestone, weighing from 2.5 to seventy tons apiece, which rise in two hundred and three layers to the height of a forty- story building. The Pyramid was originally covered with twenty one acres of polished, marble-like casing stones, which, shining resplendently beneath the sun's rays, earned for it the ancient title "The Light." The Pyramid is an unrivaled feat of engineering and craftsmanship. It is aligned with the four cardinal points more accurately than any contemporary structure, including the Meridian Building at Greenwich Observatory in London. The three hundred and fifty foot long descending passage is so straight that it deviates from a central axis by less than a quarter of an inch from side to side and only one tenth of an inch up and down. The casing stones, some of which weighed over sixteen tons, are so perfectly shaped and 3 squared that the mortar-filled joint between them is just one fiftieth of an inch. Egyptologist Sir Flinders Petrie described such phenomenal precision as the "finest opticians work on a scale of acres"; work of this caliber is beyond the capabilities of modern technology. The casing stones show no tool marks and the corners are not even slightly chipped. The granite coffer in the King's Chamber is

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Mothers Day Celebrations Around the World

Mothers Day Celebrations Around the World Although the idea of honoring mothers on a special day was known as far back as ancient Greece, today Mothers Day is celebrated in many countries, in many different ways, and on different dates. Where Did Mothers Day Originate? The credit for the American Mothers Day observance goes to three women. In 1872 Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), who also wrote the lyrics for The Battle Hymn of the Republic, proposed a Mothers Day observance dedicated to peace in the years following the Civil War. Such annual observances were held in Boston in the late 1800s. In 1907 Anna Marie Jarvis (1864-1948), a Philadelphia teacher originally from Grafton, West Virginia, began her own efforts to establish a national Mothers Day. She also wished to honor her own mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis (1832-1905), who had first promoted the Mothers Work Days in 1858 as a way to improve the sanitary conditions in her town. She later worked to relieve suffering during and after the Civil War. With the support of churches, business people, and politicians, Mothers Day came to be observed on the second Sunday in May in most U.S. states within several years of Ann Jarvis campaign. The national Mothers Day holiday became official on May 8, 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution, but it was more of a patriotic day on which flags were flown in honor of mom. Ironically, Anna Jarvis, who later tried in vain to combat the increasing commercialization of the holiday, never became a mother herself. Mothers Day in Europe Englands Mothers Day observance goes back to the 13th century when Mothering Sunday was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent (because it was originally for Mary, mother of Christ). Later, in the 17th century, servants were given a free day on Mothering Sunday to return home and visit their mothers, often bringing along a sweet treat known as the mothering cake that was to be kept until Easter. In the UK, Mothering Sunday is still observed during Lent, in March or early April. In Austria, Germany, and Switzerland Muttertag is observed on the second Sunday in May, just as in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Italy, Japan, and many other countries. During the First World War, Switzerland was one the first European countries to introduce Mothers Day (in 1917). Germanys first Muttertag observance took place in 1922, Austrias in 1926 (or 1924, depending on the source). Muttertag was first declared an official German holiday in 1933 (the second Sunday in May) and took on a special significance as part of the Nazi motherhood cult under the Hitler regime. There was even a medal- das Mutterkreuz- in bronze, silver, and gold (eight or more Kinder!), awarded to mothers who produced children for the Vaterland. (The medal had the popular nickname of Karnickelorden, the Order of the Rabbit.) After World War II the German holiday became a more unofficial one that took on the cards-and-flowers elements of the U.S. Mothers Day. In Germany, if Mothers Day happens to fall on Pfin gstsonntag (Pentecost), the holiday is moved to the first Sunday in May. Mothers Day in Latin America International Mothers Day is observed on May 11. In Mexico and much of Latin America Mothers Day is on May 10. In France and Sweden Mothers Day falls on the last Sunday in May. Spring in Argentina comes in October, which may explain why their Mothers Day observance is on the second Sunday in October rather than May. In Spain and Portugal Mothers Day is Dec. 8 and is more of a religious holiday than most Mothers Day celebrations around the world, although the English Mothering Sunday actually began under Henry III in the 1200s as a celebration of the Mother Church. German poet and philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Von Vater hab ich die Statur, des Lebens ernstes FÃ ¼hren, von MÃ ¼tterchen die Frohnatur und Lust zu fabulieren.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The California Gold Rush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The California Gold Rush - Essay Example On January 24, 1848, Marshall was testing the mill wheel. As usual, the water running over it carried some sand and light gravel. But this time Marshall saw something sparkling in the sand. He picked out some small, odd-shaped beads of yellow metal. (p. 6) As the beads were tested and turned out to be gold, Sutter and Marshall tried to keep the discovery quiet for fear that the plan of an agricultural empire would be ruined when people start pouring to mine. Word gradually spread about the discovery until a San Francisco newspaper run a series of stories declaring the discovery of gold – at first as news fillers and later as headlines which naturally fuelled the furor. Sam Brannan owned this newspaper called the California Star. According to Judy Monroe (2002) at first, he did not believe the news about gold either but soon he became convinced and that on April 1, 1848, he ran six pages of articles about how easy it was to find and collect California gold. (p. 16) The news then spread like wildfire and thousands flocked to California from the West in that same year alone. While people came to California in droves, their bulk came only from the neighboring states such as Tennessee. It was after the farewell speech of the then President James Polk that finally launched the California Gold Rush. In a calm explanation of the situation in California, Polk validated the future of those who already came and those multitudes who will go to find the riches in California. His exact words were: The accounts of the abundance of gold in that territory are of such an extraordinary character as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authentic reports of officers in the public service who have visited the mineral district and derived facts which they detail from personal observation†¦ The explorations already made warrant the belief that the supply is very large and that gold is found at various places in an extensive district

Friday, October 18, 2019

E. Coli Bacteria Engineered to Eat Switchgrass and Make Transportation Research Paper

E. Coli Bacteria Engineered to Eat Switchgrass and Make Transportation Fuels - Research Paper Example Q2.Why did the scientists conduct the study? This study was driven by the fact that these compounds are dangerous in nature and therefore, extremely risky to both man and other animals. Due this reason, the need arose to come up with a mechanism which can help in the breakdown of this compound will be very useful. Successful identification of proteins that can break down these molecules mean a positive progress towards finding a solution to this problem which have persisted for several years now (Chen, 2011). From this point, it will be very easy for researchers to develop special bacteria in the laboratory which can destroy this compound and render them harmless. Being that phosphonic acid is very stable would mean that these compounds cannot be broken down with ease. It is surprising that bacteria can break down these bonds with ease in other linked or related molecules. It is worth noting that simple sugars in corn grain, the cellulose and hemicelluloses in plant biomass are diffi cult to take out because the tough, woody material known as lignin around them. After extraction, it is, therefore necessary that the complex sugars get hydrolyzed into simpler sugar molecules and finally synthesized into fuels (Chen, 2011). Q3.How the study was done? The study involved pre-treating switchgrass biomass in ionic liquid with engineered E.coli. The significance of this pretreatment is to make the biomass readily digestible by the bacteria. The study started by, identification of complex proteins which are capable of digesting or breaking up of the key bonds. An estimate found out that exceeding numbers of phosphonic acids get released into the environment each year especially in the western countries. Being that it cannot be broken down with ease would mean that most of it will end up as pollutant to the underground water. This has resulted into concern of this contamination to the human health and aquatic ecosystem which will impact on the water dependent lives (Chen, 2011). Q4.What did the study find? Following this revelation, researcher at the U.S department of Energy (DOE) have come up with the first strains of bacteria E.coli that can breakdown switchgrass and synthesize its sugar component into all the important transportation fuels i.e. gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. This study is considered a milestone as the thriving fuel crisis can be combated through its realization. In addition, this kind of fuel is regarded clean, green and renewable. The process of making this kind of fuel is very easy as there is no enzyme additives needed in order for the bacteria to synthesize these compound to produce the fuel. The study found out that most demanding part of bio-fuel production is the addition of enzymes. This challenge is eliminated through this type of bio-fuel production. The essence of this addition is to depolymerize cellulose and hemicelluloses sugars which are fermented into sugar with a final yield of fuels. It is evident that the thre e advance bio-fuels can be synthesized from ionic liquid treated switchgrass using laboratory engineered E.coli

The history and perceptions of the secession crisis Research Paper

The history and perceptions of the secession crisis - Research Paper Example The conflict between Northern and Southern politicians was brought about by the massive western territories acquired by the United States in 1848 through the peace agreement with Mexico (Bartkus 1999).Southerners petitioned for the freedom to bring slavery into the newly acquired territories if the circumstances allowed lucrative ventures; Northerners demanded slavery clearly and completely abolished (Reynolds 1970). As stated by Huston (2000), the dispute had been raised by David Wilmot in 1846, yet it only reached an agreement in 1850 when the different sections of the Compromise of 1850 were ratified in Congress. Following the congressional resolution is the electoral affirmation that this agreement was definitely amenable (Crofts 1989). The congressional elections in the 1850 spurred Democratic wins of the compromise procedures in the North, which were eventually clearly reconfirmed in the 1852 presidential election (Wakelyn 1996). The reaction of the South to the Compromise was dissimilar. States in the upper South, namely, Delaware, Missouri, Maryland, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, willingly agreed to the actions taken by Congress; however, states in the lower South, namely, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina initiated a large-scale controversy about secession (Barnwell 1982). In 1850, particularly in the gubernatorial and congressional elections as well as in state conventions, the Southern states that agreed to the Compromise of 1850 largely succeed ... rther, according to Huston (2000), for a number of historians, the major concern, and hence the core of their interest, was the secession debate, not the debate over union, and the common assumption has been that the cotton-dependent Southerners refuted secession as a remedy to the suspected Northern incursions on the constitutional rights of the South. Few recognize the attempt of Southern unionists to mitigate the secession conflict in 1850 (Wakelyn 1996). The Southern States Rights, those supporting either provisional or immediate secession, have gained most of the attention. The victors of the elections in the state of the Deep South, the Constitutional Unionists or the unionists, have been given very little emphasis (Wakelyn 1996). It is not occasionally claimed, specifically by scholars of the nineteenth century, that the winners did not only enjoy the rewards, they also gained much of the historians’ interest (Barnwell 1982), and history is thus presented from the stand point of the victors. Basically, fury over the compromise stemmed mostly from Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. South Carolina, in particular, was willing to secede but demanded for the secession of the other states as well (Coppieters & Sakwa 2003). Governor Whitemarsh Seabrook had been given advise that other states harbor low judgments of the emotional security and intentions of South Carolina policymakers that if the state decided to act prematurely, other states would refuse to follow (Wakelyn 1996). George W. Towns, the governor of Georgia, requested to the state legislature in September 1850 the permission for a special election to commission representatives to a state conference to give opinion on the Compromise procedures (Huston 2000). John A. Quitman, the expansionist

Problem Solving Activities Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Problem Solving Activities - Assignment Example If interested in business, then the course to take is entrepreneurship. This course can lead one to be economic developer, small business executive, consultant, commercial banker and venture capitalist. Other courses such as public administration are equally good and often lead to career positions such as, administrative officers, budget analysts, financial examiners and field examiner. Real estate courses prepare one to become commercial property managers, residential financer, real estate agent or broker and land use planner. Urban and regional planning majors may lead student to become Architectural review, construction management, development consultant, and city planner (Howell, 94). For student choosing Political science major, may become political advisors, congress aid, urban and regional planning, government service and business and lobbyist. In summary, the above mentioned majors are really exciting and good for students. It is therefore, upon the student to choose the right major to pursue. Student aiming to become politicians must learn about politics and not just inherit from other politicians. Generally, the entire above mentioned course leads to better rewards depending with the one you are interested with. You can decide to either choose one or pursue all of

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Autism Spectrum Disorder - Essay Example The difficulty with ASD with regard to diagnosis is that there are no markers from biology to identify the condition, and so clinical interviews are the primary means of diagnosis (Skafidas et al. 2012). Moreover, as with other mental health conditions, the definition of the condition has been shifting, leading to changes as well in the way some of the conditions associated with ASD are viewed, diagnosed, and treated (Carey 2012; Wallace 2012). Be that as it may, there are universally accepted key markers for autism in general and for ASD in particular, including an inability to function well in social settings, due to shortcomings in skills tied to communication and general social skills (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013).   Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and r eacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations,   sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact.... Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and reacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations, sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact, difficulties in making friends, aversion to touch, and ill-timed and mismatching emotional reactions (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013). Another set of literature meanwhile focuses likewise on the inability of childr en with ASD to develop imagination in the social sense, such as an inability to participate in what is known as pretend play or social play (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013; The National Autistic Society 2013). Then too, there are aspects of ASD associated with children regressing in terms of the skill sets identified above, from a point of prior more advanced proficiency or level of development (National Institutes of Health 2013). III. Teaching Strategies The literature describes many teaching strategies and interventions that have been known to be effective in improving learning and life outcomes for children with ASD, developed over

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 49

Personal Statement Example I am suitable for the course given I have studied other health related courses, which has equipped me with various skills pertaining to medicine. I can make informed decisions when conduction radiography. I have proper communication and interpersonal skills that can create an atmosphere conducive for diagnosing patients. My previous courses: health promotion and public health, relate to the course. They are concerned with human medicine. Public health enables me to understand the major environmental causes of diseases, how they can be prevented and the necessary steps to undertake in case of an infection or infliction. Since I have always wanted to help suffering and diseased people, I believe Diagnostic Radiography would allow me establish the problems of patients as a crucial step toward helping them. My final year dissertation was based on breast cancer screening and I have worked for a care home center where I have conducted health promotion such as ‘stop smoking’ campaigns. I gained experience while working at the community center and adopted qualities such as examining patients, bonding with them and maintaining positive communication. I had researched on reasons for low uptake of breast screening among other cultures on the U.K. In the research, I shadowed radiographer at breast cancer clinic, where I discovered diagnostic radiography. My hobbies, interests and social activities include socializing, researching, studying and traveling. They contribute to my personality as a person who is always in pursuit of knowledge, which has equipped me with the knowledge I possess at the moment. Acute knowledge is required for my course of interest and through study and research, I will be able meet the demands of the course and adequately care for the patients. I have studied in English and I have participated in activities and researched in English. I would prefer to study

Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Autism Spectrum Disorder - Essay Example The difficulty with ASD with regard to diagnosis is that there are no markers from biology to identify the condition, and so clinical interviews are the primary means of diagnosis (Skafidas et al. 2012). Moreover, as with other mental health conditions, the definition of the condition has been shifting, leading to changes as well in the way some of the conditions associated with ASD are viewed, diagnosed, and treated (Carey 2012; Wallace 2012). Be that as it may, there are universally accepted key markers for autism in general and for ASD in particular, including an inability to function well in social settings, due to shortcomings in skills tied to communication and general social skills (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013).   Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and r eacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations,   sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact.... Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and reacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations, sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact, difficulties in making friends, aversion to touch, and ill-timed and mismatching emotional reactions (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013). Another set of literature meanwhile focuses likewise on the inability of childr en with ASD to develop imagination in the social sense, such as an inability to participate in what is known as pretend play or social play (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013; The National Autistic Society 2013). Then too, there are aspects of ASD associated with children regressing in terms of the skill sets identified above, from a point of prior more advanced proficiency or level of development (National Institutes of Health 2013). III. Teaching Strategies The literature describes many teaching strategies and interventions that have been known to be effective in improving learning and life outcomes for children with ASD, developed over

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Seven Ancient Wonders Of The World Essay Example for Free

Seven Ancient Wonders Of The World Essay Man fears Time, yet Time fears the PyramidsThe Great Pyramid of Giza lies next to Cairo. It is today in greater Cairo. According to the wonders of the ancient world, the pyramid of Khufu is the only pyramid included in the list of the wonders. The other two of the pyramids of Giza are excluded from the list. This is the only monument of the seven wonders to survive till today in perfect condition and managing mere escapes from fires, earthquakes and other common disasters that hold a threat to anything other large artifact stands on earth. It today is in perfect condition despite its loss of height and its unperfected preservation of outside rock smoothness and quality. It was constructed by the Egyptian pharaoh: Khufu of the fourth dynasty. It held its purpose as his tomb, and a few years later its purpose came into use. It is the only surviving ancient wonder. The Hanging gardens of Babylon was located on the east coast of the river Euphrates. It is currently located 50 kms south of Baghdad in Iraq. These hanging gardens were built in the Babylonian empire at the time of the neo-Babylonian dynasty and built by the famous king Naboplashars son: Nebuchadnezzar II. Its purpose was to please the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, whom liked mountain, surrounded areas. The only remains of the gardens were the foundations excavated in more recent archaeological projects in Iraq. However the gardens were accurately reconstructed with many positive and negative arguments about the artificial structure. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were very well renowned for its system of water fountains, pipes and irrigation structures, which take care of the garden leaving the grass permanently green and the trees and bushes regularly watered. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was located in the ancient town of Olympia, on the modern map; the monument is located on the west coast of Greece, approximately 150 km west of Athens. The construction of the statue was completed in 450 BC. It was built in honor of the god Zeus. As the importance of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece became more demanding, important, and cultural, the Greeks needed a temple that was new, large, one worthy of the king of the gods. Thus they built the statue of Zeus. It was made a wonder of the ancient world due to its magnificent interior statue. It is well renowned for the statues sandals and robes which were made of gold and the temples Doric styled design. As the years passed, several natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and floods did immense damage to the structure. Later on, the inner statue of Zeus was transported to Constantinople. There it suffered from a fire and today the only remains of this temple are rocks and debris. The Ancient temple of Artemis is located in the ancient city of Ephesus near the modern city of Selcuk 50kms south of Izmir in Turkey. It was built in honour of the divinities of hunting, wild nature and fertility: the goddess Artemis. The structure was believed to be the most beautiful structure on Earth and was built around 550BC. The temple was both a market place and a religious institution. It was a temple built of the greatest marble and consisted of bronze statues of the goddesses. The temple was later on burned to the ground by Herostratus who wanted to immortalize his name under the name of history and existence and he was very successful. Then a law had been created that whoever spoke of him shall be executed. It was a coincidence that Alexander the great was born on the same night of destruction of the temple, and the goddess Artemis was too busy taking care of the birth of Alexander to save her temple. Though the temple was rebuilt and now named temple E, the temple which was actually the wonder is now nothing but foundations and rock. The mausoleum at Halicarnassus is located in the city of Bodrum (Halicarnassus) on the Aegean Sea in south west Turkey. It was built as a tomb for the king of the empire Caria. It was well renowned for its extreme beauty and the finest marble of which it was built with.it is also known for its beautiful inner statues. Later on in the early 16 century, the structure faced an end. The knights of st John built a massive crusading castle and decided to fortify it. Thus they used the mausoleum to supply their  material. They displaced every block from the mausoleum to build their walls. By 1522, the mausoleums foundations were also incomplete, it had been cleared. The Colossus of Rhodes was located at entrance of a harbor in the Mediterranean island of Rhodes at Greece. In 304BC, after the people of Rhodes came to a peace agreement with the Antigonids, they collected their leftover weapons from outside their territory where the Antigonids have been trying to siege Rhodes in order to break their alliance with Ptolemy I from Egypt. They sold the weapons and collected the money and built the statue in symbol of their freedom. It took 12 years to construct the structure, and it lived for only a mere 56 years. It was broken by an earthquake at its weakest point, its knees. Around AD654, it was sold to a Jew. The statue was well known for its amazing shape of it standing on two pieces of land which were joined the major island. Each mini peninsula had a leg on it and the statue lifting a torch into the sky. The statue was a divinity: the sun god of Rhodes-Helios. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was located on the island of pharos currently in Alexandria in Egypt. It was built in honor of the savior gods. It was necessary that they built that lighthouse because of the dangerous and rough rocked coastline of Alexandria. So they built it to save the ships from danger. It was very well renowned for its mirrors which could reflect light for over 50 miles. It was the only wonder of the seven wonders of the ancient world that had a purpose that would serve several people with an additional purpose other than religion. It was the most important of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. The list of the seven wonders of the ancient world was originally compiled around 200BC.many suggestions, arguments and changes have been made to the list when finally during the middle ages the list was recompiled, even though most of the monuments didnt even co-exist. For the ancient people and workers who built and saw the wonders being built to them was a celebration of either religion, peace, burial or afterlife ceremonies, freedom or simply the beauty of the structure like the hanging Gardens of  Babylon. others had a more important and divers purposes such as the Lighthouse of Alexandria which was built in honor of the savior gods and was built to help the ancient sailors to a peaceful trip back or to the harbor. Some structures like the Great Pyramid of Giza were spectacular and complicated structures with several passageways, corridors, traps and escape shafts to confuse tomb raiders. However, every single wonder was truly spectacular and the ancient world wouldnt have bee n able to support its massive reputation without these structures. Bibliography http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/pyramid.htmlhttp://www.unmuseum.org/ztemp.htmhttp://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/zeus.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9705/seven.wonders/http://www.crystalinks.com/seven.html

Monday, October 14, 2019

A Sound Of Thunder Essay

A Sound Of Thunder Essay Everything in life has a certain cause and effect whether it is good or bad there is always going to be a reaction to anything one does. This can be used to describe the Butterfly effect, which is a somewhat accepted theory. Ray Bradburys sharp imagination and knowledge helped to develop his story and portray his message that anything, big or small can and will have consequences in the end even if it is millions of years later. Ray Bradburys demeanor and philosophy had a lot to do with how he wrote his stories. When asked if patience was the reason he preferred short stories to novels he replied, Turn a liability into an asset. My attention is not there. So, I write what I can write: short stories (Weller). Most of Ray Bradburys work was in fact short stories. He preferred them over novels due to his lack of attention. When asked if his sense of optimism was important to his career he replied, I dont believe in optimism. I believe in optimal behavior. Thats a different thing. If you behave every day of your life to the top of your genetics, what can you do? Test it. Find out. You dont know-you havent done it yet. You must live life at the top of your voice! At the top of your lungs shout and listen to the echoes (Weller). Bradburys outlook on life certainly affected his way of writing, he was very positive and believed in achieving ones own dreams and goals. His intelligence is much reflected in his writing . Mr. Bradbury himselfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦saw the strange and miraculous everywhere, and mastered the art of spinning them into enduring yarns (Machiko). Bradburys attitude and personality had a major effect on his style of writing. Science fiction being his forte his persona and his literature went hand in hand. Bradburys self-education and positive, inspiring outlook played a huge role in the way his writing was perceived. The known Butterfly effect plays a big role in this short story. It is evident that The term The Butterfly Effect is often connected to Bradburys story (Faye). The butterfly effect is a theory that supports the idea that one small change in time could alter reality forever. The role that the butterfly effect plays in the story portrays the main theme. Its an interesting coincidence that Bradbury chose a butterfly to symbolize the chaotic effect multiplied over time (Taylor). Although the butterfly effect was not discussed in the story, it is obvious this is what Bradbury is referring to due to the series of events. This is true because in the story a trivial event such as crushing a butterfly could change the sequence of events in the future, which is the essence of the butterfly effect. His illustration of a ripple effect on the timeline caused by a seemingly unrelated events over a long period of time Is not only demonstrated by the climax of the story but it is also explained in t he context of the story (Taylor). The ripple effect and the butterfly effect are essentially the same theory, the ripple effect having more to do with the consequences. Both of these theories mirror the central theme in the story. Both the butterfly and ripple effect set up the big idea or message behind the story. Time travel also plays a substantial role in A Sound of Thunder. Bradburys tale serves not only to entertain but also to speculate on the dangers of time travel (Taylor). In the short story the crushing of the butterfly happens when a hunter goes back in the distant past to kill a tyrannosaurus. This shows that said time travel can be dangerous if it has the potential to alter and affect reality later down the road. The encounter with the tyrannosaurus forms the heart of the story with Bradburys eloquent prose transporting the reader along with the hunting expedition sixty-million years into the past (Taylor). The hunting trip sets up the rising action in the story which leads to the climatic event later on. Time travel obviously created a clear and present danger in the context of the story. In the intervening 60 years, physicists have reconsidered our understanding of time and the plausibility of Bradburys classic tale (Faye). Although Bradbury does talk about time travel and it is relevant in the context of the story, it is a fictional aspect of the story. I think Bradbury was focused more on the message and theme he was trying to get across rather than the fictional or non-fictional aspects of it. Needless to say Bradburys take on time travel did incite many questions from many people. Bradburys story is based on a very relevant and knowledgeable topic. Faye states that The story is interesting because of the whole concept of changing history, and that tiny change in the past could have enormous repercussions in the future (Faye). Many positive outlooks have been inferred from this story. One message that this story could possibly send is that everything that is done will have some kind of outcome or consequence. Faye observes that In Bradburys story tweaking reality 65 million years ago would either have no effect, or the ripples would have grown so large that all civilization would be different, or perhaps humanity wouldnt have evolved at all (Faye). This portrays the big idea of the future being altered due to one small event or change in time. The belief is that anything that is done will either produce a positive or negative outcome. An inference that can be drawn from the story is stated by Faye in saying that The questions Bradbury raised about time remain u nsolved. And so a sound of thunder remains provocative and influential, and its impact will send ripples through time for decades to come (Faye). This story definitely requires a higher level of thinking to thoroughly comprehend due to the very complex ideas and theories that are involved within it. The story is a complicated piece of literature that can and has produce many different responses on the topic discussed. A Sound of Thunder showcased Ray Bradburys un-paralleled knowledge on time and the butterfly effect. Ray Bradbury was a self-educated, positive man. He never went to college or had any higher education but instead educated himself by visiting the library multiple times a week for over 10 years, through this; he developed a very keen understanding and skill for writing science fiction. His philosophy and message he portrayed in his writing and through the kind of person he was is that of an inspiring and intelligent one. Bradbury cared about the industry and line of work he was in and worried about the future of it. All of Bradburys writings all carry a message that requires an open mind and a positive outlook to fully understand and appreciate. A sound of thunder is a well thought out short story that addresses an event that humans engage in everyday, which is just action. The message that the whole story tries to accomplish is to think about an action before it is done, because no matter how small one might think that action is, the consequences could be enormous and have either po sitive or negative effects later on. Bradbury does a magnificent job of portraying this style of thought and outlook which is why he had a huge response to this short story by many different types of people and why he is a literary giant and a personal favorite to many who prefer reading intriguing, complex short stories.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation -- Essay Liberation Marcuse

Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation We know that the economic evolution of the contemporary world refutes a certain number of the postulates of Marx. If the revolution is to occur at the end of two parallel movements, the unlimited shrinking of capital and the unlimited expansion of the proletariat, it will not occur or ought not to have occurred. Capital and proletariat have both been equally unfaithful to Marx. - Albert Camus, 1953 The validity of Marxist political theory has been seriously challenged by the realities of European civilization, both during the inter-war years and especially after WWII. The threat has been two-fold; on the one hand, was the refusal of capitalism to fail, a failure that Marxists had been predicting as immanent ever since the mid-twentieth century; on the other, was the failure of the Soviet Union to build a successful or humane society. Marxists living in the West, beyond the reach of Soviet suppression, have attempted to develop a comprehensive theory more in tune with the complexities of contemporary society than Classical Marxism. Most prominent among these â€Å"Western Marxists† is a group known as the Frankfurt School. An eclectic group of bright intellectuals who fled Germany in the 1930s, they have sought to develop a â€Å"critical theory† that blends Freud and Weber (among others) with Marx. Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation is an example of how they have attempted to keep their social and revolutionary theories relevant and vital. It deals with an increasingly complex society in an increasingly sophisticated manner. This effort creates an interesting historical tension within Marcuse’s work because the complexity of his analysis makes it impossible to adhere t... ...an potential to achieve a balance between the spiritual (world of the mind) and the material (the objective world). Marcuse mentions Kant, but this section of his work borrows most heavily from Friedrich Schiller’s The Aesthetic Education of Man. Bibliography All quotations and references are from Herbert Marcuse, An Essay on Liberation. Boston: Beacon, 1969. Although no secondary works were used to prepare this paper, the following books provided the necessary background for my interpretation. Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents, trans. James Strachey. New York: Norton, 1961. Schiller, Friedrich. The Aesthetic Education of Man. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1967. Tucker, Robert, ed. The Marx Engels Reader, 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1978. Weber, Max. Essays in Sociology, eds. Gerth and Mills. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1946. Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation -- Essay Liberation Marcuse Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation We know that the economic evolution of the contemporary world refutes a certain number of the postulates of Marx. If the revolution is to occur at the end of two parallel movements, the unlimited shrinking of capital and the unlimited expansion of the proletariat, it will not occur or ought not to have occurred. Capital and proletariat have both been equally unfaithful to Marx. - Albert Camus, 1953 The validity of Marxist political theory has been seriously challenged by the realities of European civilization, both during the inter-war years and especially after WWII. The threat has been two-fold; on the one hand, was the refusal of capitalism to fail, a failure that Marxists had been predicting as immanent ever since the mid-twentieth century; on the other, was the failure of the Soviet Union to build a successful or humane society. Marxists living in the West, beyond the reach of Soviet suppression, have attempted to develop a comprehensive theory more in tune with the complexities of contemporary society than Classical Marxism. Most prominent among these â€Å"Western Marxists† is a group known as the Frankfurt School. An eclectic group of bright intellectuals who fled Germany in the 1930s, they have sought to develop a â€Å"critical theory† that blends Freud and Weber (among others) with Marx. Herbert Marcuse’s An Essay on Liberation is an example of how they have attempted to keep their social and revolutionary theories relevant and vital. It deals with an increasingly complex society in an increasingly sophisticated manner. This effort creates an interesting historical tension within Marcuse’s work because the complexity of his analysis makes it impossible to adhere t... ...an potential to achieve a balance between the spiritual (world of the mind) and the material (the objective world). Marcuse mentions Kant, but this section of his work borrows most heavily from Friedrich Schiller’s The Aesthetic Education of Man. Bibliography All quotations and references are from Herbert Marcuse, An Essay on Liberation. Boston: Beacon, 1969. Although no secondary works were used to prepare this paper, the following books provided the necessary background for my interpretation. Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents, trans. James Strachey. New York: Norton, 1961. Schiller, Friedrich. The Aesthetic Education of Man. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1967. Tucker, Robert, ed. The Marx Engels Reader, 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1978. Weber, Max. Essays in Sociology, eds. Gerth and Mills. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1946.