Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Persuasive Speech For A Single Parent Adoption

Good evening, how are you? Today I am going to talk about single parent adoption. The first question that arises in our mind is, what is meant by single parent? A single parent is someone who bring up a child and look after all its need without a partner. Now we know who a single parent is. It started about six decades ago when people went for war and never came back . During that time, some people did not have childrens. Although, they wanted to have children but due to infertility could not have them and therefore felt more insecure which later on turned into depression. The rate of being single has increased since relationship became more complex. In regards to this, I believe the solution to this problem is that a single parent should†¦show more content†¦These children are in need of a permanent home. If these childrens have a home than they will have an opportunity to go to school and excel in life. Therefore, by adoption single parents can contribute to a better world. Secondly, single parents are often found to be sad and depressed. For instance suicide cases are mainly caused by depression and anxiety. According to a report by mental health institution, Living alone and being single both increase the risk of suicide. Adoption is associated with lower overall suicide rates; and divorced, separated and widowed people are more likely to commit suicide. The overall suicide rate for singles has stabilized at approximately 11 deaths per 100,000. Same is the case with the children in foster care as they have nobody to talk to about their problems, the anxiety inside them keeps on building and makes them face serious consequences. According to child welfare organization, 415,129 are currently living in foster care. This number continues to grow and many childrens lose the hope of being provided with a permanent shelter. Many single people give up on life because they think their death wont affect anybody. If they had a family they would have thought about them before taking th ese kind of serious actions. Lastly, adoption has a very positive influence on the countrys economy and therefore also helps to diminish childShow MoreRelatedAdvertising to Children Must Be Banned957 Words   |  4 Pagesback then I was targeted by big companies to beg my parents for things that I didn’t need or that wasn’t good for me in order to make money. Advertising today is affecting the health of today’s children because they eat the unhealthy foods advertised to them on: television, the internet, and even at school. Therefore, an impassioned discussion of possible solutions has been brewing. Advertising is the paid, impersonal, one-way marketing of persuasive information from an identified sponsor circulatedRead MoreAn Author of Two Worlds: Pearl S. Buck Essay1729 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans. After large success, she also became an active member of the civil rights movement and also had her own adoption agency. Persevering through opposition from Christians and Communists alike, the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winner Pearl S. Buck was one of the most influential women in United States history. On June twenty-sixth, 1892, Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker was born to parents Absalom and Caroline Sydenstricker. She was born on a trip to the United States, which was a short break from Absalom’sRead MorePersuasive Speech: Why You Should Oppose Same-Sex Marriage Essay examples1267 Words   |  6 PagesPersuasive Speech: Same sex marriages General Purpose: To persuade Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade the audience to agree that same-sex marriages should not be legal Central Idea: The audience will realize the vices and social disorders created by legalization of same sex marriages in order to preserve marital norms INTRODUCTION I. Same sex marriage is a trending topic if not a trendy one. Countries throughout the globe are pressured with the question of homosexuality beingRead MoreBoyer Dbq Teacher Guide10764 Words   |  44 PagesAdvanced Placement version of The Enduring Vision, 6th Edition, and to provide teachers with some information on each included document. The suggestions certainly do not exhaust the possibilities; students, no doubt, will create other valid and persuasive organizational patterns and document applications. Here, the documents are discussed in order to facilitate easy teacher reference. Students, of course, must link documents to their individual essay structures; they should not simply discuss themRead MoreTitle: Critical Perspectives On Inclusive Education: A4974 Words   |  20 PagesState Parties to realise a fully inclusive education system. As the CRPD is enshrined in law (Broderick, 2015), this raises questions about the future of special education, its provisions and the practical implications of moving to, and operating, a single inclusive education system. Currently, throughout the literature, there appears to be some disagreement surrounding how the concepts of inclusion, integration and segregation and exclusion are defined (Terzi, 2014), and there is also no specific guidanceRead MoreFreedom of Speech, Comparing Freedom of Expression in the Statutory Law and the Sharia Law19992 Words   |  80 PagesMohammad (PBUH) fourteen centuries ago. The same is the 100% authenticity of certain books of Hadith, i.e. Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim. Sunnah is included in the Hadith books. Definition of the Holy Qur’an Nooriddin Antar says: â€Å"Qur’an is the Speech of Allah (SWT) which was descended to His Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), written in the Mos’haf, reported from generation to another generation by credible groups, Allah is worshiped by It, and It is miraculous by the shortest of Its Sowar.† The Holy Qur’anRead MoreScribd Essay14644 Words   |  59 Pagesothers accurately.ii) Ones own characteristics affect the characteristics one is likely to see in other.iii) People who accept themselves are more likely to be able to see favourableaspects of other people.iv) Accuracy in perceiving others is not a single skill.These four characteristics greatly influence how a person perceives other int he environmental situation.2) Characteristics of the Target : Characteristics in the target that is being observedcan affect what is perceived. Physical appearanceRead MoreDell Company Analysis for E-Marketing12709 Words   |  51 Pagescustomers with similar needs. This allows their teams to understand the specific needs of specific customers without customer needs being translated by inefficient resellers and middlemen. Dell keeps things easy for our customers which make them the single point of accountability so that resources necessary to meet customer needs can be easily marshaled in support of complex challenges. Dell provides customers exactly what they want in their computer systems through easy custom configuration and orderingRead MoreMultiple Intelligences Seminar and Workshop14464 Words   |  58 Pagessome of the challenges I may face? 5. How do I assess students progress? 6. How does M.I. curriculum align with state and national standards? 7. How does technology complement the M.I. approach? 8. How do I work with my school, the parents, and the community? PART IV – Implementation 1. Key principles 2. Three types of implementation exercises 1. Learning centers 2. Simulations 3. Presentation 3. Step-by-step M.I. lesson plan guide 4. Wrap up PART VRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pages The most glaring example of his innovative translation is the word significate now usually translated by signified (signifià © in French)—which is used throughout the text. Langue and parole have increasingly been translated by language and speech, although this is not an ideal solution. Dà ©couper, translated by Taylor in a number of ways (break up, break down analysis, etc.), would more easily be translated by segmenting when used in the linguistic sense, and by dà ©coupage when used to

Monday, December 16, 2019

Example of Interview Protocol Free Essays

Interview Protocol: 1. How would you define biology? 2. How would you define life? 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Example of Interview Protocol or any similar topic only for you Order Now Give 5 examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. 4. What is the smallest unit of life? 5. Is soil alive? Why or why not? 6. Is air alive? Why or why not? 7. What body part makes us most alive? Why? Interview #1 Interviewer (LH): How would you define biology? Interviewee (BM): Um.. as a part of life LH: Okay, how would you define life? BM: Uh.. everything around you†¦from the sky to the grass LH: Can you give 5 examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. BM: Plants, because you need them to breathe oxygen, yourself, because you are you, animals, because they are part of the food chain (she flashed a thumbs up here because she was proud she recalled this information), the sun, because you need it to grow and not be moody, and water, water because everything needs water. LH: Nice.. what is the smallest unit of life? BM: Um†¦um.. um†¦I know this†¦ LH: I know you do†¦ (Another minute passed and never recalled despite looking around the room and looking directly at the cell poster) LH: Is soil alive? Why or why not? BM: Yes, because you can make it grow. LH: Is air alive? Why or why not? BM: Um†¦(about 30 second delay)†¦I am going to say no†¦ LH: Why not? BM: (she shrugs) LH: Okay, go back to how you defined life. How do you define life? What makes something alive to you? BM: It grows and survives. LH: Okay, so is air alive? BM: No, because it doesn’t grow. LH: One of your examples of life was the human body. What part of the human body makes you most alive and why? BM: Your heart because it makes everything move. Because you can live without a brain, can’t you? You can be brain dead. LH: But once your heart gives out then you are dead? BM: Yes, because you still can live†¦ LH: Without a brain but not without a heart? BM: You can live more without a brain then a heart. LH: Very nice, thank you for participating. Interview #2: Interviewer (LH): How would you define biology? Interviewee (YC): The study of life. LH: And†¦how do you define life? YC: Something that moving, breathing, functioning LH: Ok.. can you give me five examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. YC: Plants, cause they grow, humans, cause they move around, they function, they think and they also grow.. m.. wait†¦animals cause that’s like humans†¦. um.. LH: Two more YC: I really can’t think of two more. Those are the only ones I can think of right now. LH: Ok, so plants, animals and humans, what is the smallest unit of life? YC: The cell LH: And, is soil alive to you? Why or why not? YC: Um.. yeah because it makes things grow. LH: Okay.. is air alive to you ? Why or why not? YC: No, because in order to be alive you have to be, like, functioning, growing, moving and air is just two chemicals put together to make one chemical. LH: Okay, and what body part makes a human being most alive and why? YC: The heart because without your heart you can’t function, you can’t, because your heart makes your whole body function so without that you won’t be able to function. Because the heart is the one that produces the blood and the blood sends out to all of your†¦um.. cells and all your body parts. It also sends out reflexes. It also helps with your reflexes and everything. LH: Nice, thank you. Analysis: The most surprising part of the interview came after the interview when the two subjects started arguing about their answers. I invited two friends to come after school but interviewed them separately. After I was done with the second interview, the girls started discussing how they answered each question. Their focus was specifically on the last two questions: is air alive and what part of the body makes a human being alive? They started discussing molecules and molecular interactions in air that could create life or prevent life depending on the quality of air. In addition, they considered the importance of the brain in the human body and discussed the implications of being brain dead but still alive. After some discussion, the girls decided the brain is the coach and the heart is the player. Both students are basketball players so it helped them to process the information by relating to basketball. In other words, the coach gives direction but the players still have to execute the plays. Another point of interest was the correlation of grades with ease and accuracy of recall. My first subject is receiving a B in my class and the second subject an A. The first subject knew the concepts but had more difficulty with the exact definition. The first subject talked around topics demonstrating knowledge of content standards but had difficulty pinpointing her ideas. The second subject gave exact definitions and answers quickly. The comfort level was visible in the answers provided, both in accuracy and timing. In addition, despite discussing the characteristics of life, I realized both students still created a superficial definition of life. They summarized life as something that moves and grows and breathes, but they did not consider reproduction and they are made of cells and more technical aspects of the definition of life. The students also had trouble with their own definition when I started asking them about specific questions regarding living/non-living parts. Although it was interesting the second subject had a greater connection between her definition and her explanation of why a heart is the most critical organ for life. I also noticed when giving examples of life, both subjects focused on broad categories of life: plants, animals, humans and neglected specific examples of living things. I would be interested to see if a younger student would name specific living things or focus on broad categories. I suspect the broad categories come from the fact we are studying cells and just studied ecology and the focus is on plant versus nimal or consumer versus producer. After completing my interview I realized my questions were too narrow. I tried to predict what the students would say and create appropriate follow-up questions but the questions still had short answers. I need to reflect on how to write my questions to solicit longer responses with more detail to demonstrate feeling. The discrepancy between what I anticipated and what happened c ould be the result of the nature of the survey and the focus on content compared to my research survey that focuses on experiences and emotions. How to cite Example of Interview Protocol, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Competing with Determination free essay sample

My personality traits are like numbers on a number line. There are an infinite amount of traits stationed inside my body, each contributing to the development of my unique personality. Every trait I possess is essential to my overall character, including the ones that are overshadowed by more dominant or significant traits like my creativeness or compassion. These traits are like the whole numbers on a number line as they are prominent and are used very often. The smaller, less noticeable traits like my goofiness or shyness are like the numbers with decimals; they are overshadowed by my dominant traits, but they do hold significant value in certain situations. So when a person asks me to name a trait that describes me, I look at this person dumbfounded wondering if there is any sort of way to describe myself in only one word. I can list multitudinous words, but I cannot mention only one. We will write a custom essay sample on Competing with Determination or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although, when I do feel as though I should give the person one specific word or trait that describes myself regardless of how difficult it is, I typically tell them a hidden â€Å"decimal point number† trait: competitiveness. Competitiveness is a trait of mine that I express on a relatively frequent basis. However half the time I do not even realize I am evincing it, it just happens. Competitiveness in my opinion is more than just having a game face throughout an entire tennis match. It’s more than just having the best grades in one’s friend group. It’s more than just being nominated for Homecoming King or Queen at Minnechaug’s annual Homecoming dance. It’s about determination and passion in accomplishing personally meaningful activities. I tend to be competitive in the majority of the things I do. Whether it’s tennis or writing for my schools newspaper, or even keeping up with my social life in the halls of Minnechaug, competitiveness just comes naturally to me. Like I mentioned previously, sometimes I don’t know if I am actually being competitive because it in fact is a natural occurring trait. I however am not competitive in the â€Å"I have to beat everyone at everything because I have to be perfect† kind of way, but rather in the â€Å"I want to accomplish many things in my life and succeed at the things I do† kind of way. My competitiveness is most elevated when I am writing for the school newspaper, which I have been doing for all of high school, allows me to share my ideas with many other people. I learn so many techniques that I can apply to my life. I learn how to be precise. I learn how to be outgoing and talkative. And most importantly, I learn how to be competitive. Competitiveness and journalism are like pen and paper: neither will function in their intended fashion without the other. Journalism is a highly competitive field. There are multiple people who wish to contribute to the prosperity of newspapers, among other journalistic professions, who all strive to write the best articles. People want the best articles so that more people will read their writing. Not to mention the fact that there is also a much higher chance of the article appearing on the front page and who doesn’t want to see their name right on the front of the paper? I know I do. There have been some instances where I wished to write a particular article for the paper and somebody else had already gotten assigned to write it. I do get a little upset, especially when I see it land on the front page, but that’s journalism. It’s competitive. If I don’t speak up, then I won’t be assigned the article. That’s how it works. So if there is an article I particularly want to write, I need to speak up from the beginning. Competitiveness is a big part of who I am. I want to be the best I can be. In order to do that, I must be competitive. Competitiveness is what gets me further in life, particularly in my aspiring journalism career. It has taught me how to be precise and how to speak up for what I want. So even though it’s tough for me to answer the question, â€Å"What is one word to describe you,† because of the infinite amount of traits I possess, I can say however that one word can be competitiveness. Typically a â€Å"hidden decimal point† trait, competitiveness is just as important as my â€Å"whole number† traits like my compassion because it allows me to succeed so that I can get ahead in life. I need â€Å"hidden decimal point† traits. They may be small and foreshadowed by my â€Å"whole number† traits, but they hold a fire that burns brightly in my sole.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Why the H is Everything Censored Essay Example For Students

Why the H is Everything Censored Essay Have you ever sat down on a Wednesday night with a hot buttery bowl of popcorn and a cold soda to watch your favorite movie in its television debut? Watching closely with anticipation you prepare yourself for the great action and drama that captured your imagination when you originally saw it in the theater, only to find that every swear word and potentially offending scene has been dubbed over or removed. Dont you love it when badly mimicked mouth movements and the extraction of entire scenes have replaced all of the original thrill and suspense? Of courseeveryone does, dont they? Seriously thoughwhy does the government find it necessary to force television stations to edit and censor all of the programs that are aired? This editing and censoring may have been based on well-grounded ideas and morals, but it has come to the point where it is becoming ridiculous. The government interferes with public televisions broadcasts, but doesnt bother regulating magazine or book publications. W hy is this you ask? Good questionone that should be answered, but can never seem to be. The United States government claims that the filtering of public broadcasts is necessary to insure that programming remains educational and informational for the public. If television was only shown in schools and other educational facilities, censoring and editing could be completely justified. There really is no reason for programming in Americas schools to be anything but educational. This, however, is not the case. Television broadcasts are received nationwide, not only in schools, but in homes and businesses as well. When someone is relaxing in their private home, they should be able to watch whatever they please. There is absolutely no reason that someones personal tastes should be hindered or restricted by the government. This not only violates the first amendment rights of producers and directors, but also the first amendment rights of the viewers. The first amendment guarantees freedom o f speech to all free Americans. While this freedom of speech can be left open for interpretation, it definitely allows for the freedom of an individual to express themselves in the arts, and the freedom for an individual to watch, read or listen to these performances. Freedom of speech should definitely be limited if the actions or words of someone are physically or mentally abusive towards another. There is no logical argument that anyone can use to claim that swear words, violence and sex, when portrayed on television, is abusive towards anyone. These elements are most often not directed towards any specific person or group of people, and if they are, the offended parties have the option of changing the channel or turning off the TV. No one is forcing them to watch it. People watch television under their own free will, and just because some find the content offensive, does not justify depriving the rest of the population from viewing unedited programs. There could be some validity to the arguments of the Federal Government regarding censorship of the media if, and only if, they were even somewhat consistent with their laws and regulations. If theyre going to censor television, why dont they censor all of television? Does it seem right that in order to watch unedited programs and movies, you must pay an additional fee of thirty dollars per month to subscribe to the premium channels? That is basically saying that it is o.k. for anyone to view uncensored material as long as they can afford to pay a small fee. So now the situation shifts from no one being able to view unedited programs, to those who are willing to pay a nominal fee being able to view raw material. The government should never expect people to agree with the censorship of media, especially when they fail to even be consistent about it. .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .postImageUrl , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:hover , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:visited , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:active { border:0!important; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:active , .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98 .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u20db345ff4e7b5dad0e28ff1dd8faa98:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The life and Poetry of William Buttler Yeats Essay We will write a custom essay on Why the H is Everything Censored specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The main reason for censorship in television is to aid in sheltering the youth of America from possibly corruptive influences acquired from movies and programs. It is definitely in good intention for the government to try to protect the youth from violent and disrespectful behaviors, but the larger adult population should not be restricted in the same way. It should be up to the parents of these children to monitor what their children watch. It is time for the parents to stop blaming the artists for their free expressions, and to start blaming themselves for their lack of responsibility in raising their children. Parents in this day and age seem to be too busy to take time to sit down with their children to observe what theyre watching. It is time for parents to stop expecting the government to baby-sit their children. If they wont take the time to investigate the content of their childrens favorite shows, then they have no right to complain about lack of censorship in television. It is time for the majority of people to stop being punished for the lack of responsibility that some parents show in raising their children. It doesnt just stop with television though. Have you ever been flipping through the radio stations, and heard your favorite song? Of course you stop to listen to it, only to find that they have blurred out every possibly offensive and suggestive word. But why is it that some radio stations have analyzed and edited every word of every song, yet others play the original, unedited versions of songs? Once again, inconsistency in the system. It is very hard to justify censorship when it is questionable from one instance to the next. Musicians put those words and phrases in their songs for a reason so they can be heard. It just seems so unfair that unless you buy the album, you cant hear the original lyrics, the way they were intended to be heard. It seems like a recurring situation in that you can view or listen to uncensored material if you can pay for it. That is basically saying that its not about morals, its about money. That fact in itself is promoting bad ethics. Another problem th at may not be so obvious to U.S. citizens is that the government has such a chokehold on the media that they can control what flows in and out of it. That gives them an amazing ability to cover up their own dirty actions. The government regulates what we take in to try to keep us in good behavior, while they secretly cover up the innumerable amount of immoral and illegal activities of their own. Regulating what people can and cant see strikingly resembles a dictatorship. It seems like a Do as I say, not as I do scenario when it comes to the behavior of the government. Citizens should have the right to know about all the activities of their own government. After all, it was the citizens who put them in office. If people give their trust to individuals to run our country, then they should be aware of exactly how those individuals are running our country. It is ironic that the government censors the media to try to maintain a moral society, while at the same time; they use censorship to cover up and withhold all of their own immoral acts. Many of the actions of Americas government are far worse than anything they try to shelter the people from. Bibliography:

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Doom - Knee Deep in the Dead essays

Doom - Knee Deep in the Dead essays This story begins in Kefiristan which is in the northern extensions of the Karakoram range, right between Afghanistan and Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Where Fox Company is completing a mission when they see some hooded figures in the darkness around them. The leader of Fox Company ordered that they shoot them down because they are enemies, but Fly Taggart believes that they are just monks. The whole group argues over if they should shoot them or not. Eventually Fly runs up to the head marine and punches him in the face, making him fall to the ground. The shaded figures disappear behind the fog. Fly Taggart gets kicked off of Fox Company for hitting the commanding officer. He then is sent to from Earth to Mars as his punishment. While he was on Mars a distress signal was sent from Phobos (mars moon). Fly was sent on a transport with Fox Company to see what was the deal. When they landed on Phobos Fly was seperated from the rest of Fox Company, he had to stay with two security guards t ill further instructed. While he was being guarded by the two guards Fox Company radioed to the guards that they were under attack and that things were coming through the gate. Fly then knocks out the guards and takes their weapons and goes on a search to see what happened to them and to see if Arlene is still alright (his crush). On his journey he runs into a few things that were shooting at him, after he killed them he found out that they were zombies of some sort! Later he runs into more of these learning more about them by talking to them when they are incapacitated. Soon he finds out that all of the maps and radios are destroyed by something. Fly eventually finds the initials A.S. on a wall from what looks to be made out of crayon, along with these initials is an arrow. He believes that these markings are from Arlene because she was really into sci-fi movies and they watched one together, and this ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The History of Aluminum and Charles Martin Hall

The History of Aluminum and Charles Martin Hall Aluminum is the most abundant metal element in the earths crust, but it is always found in a compound rather than an easily-refined ore. Alum is one such compound. Scientists tried to tease the metal out of alum, but the process was costly until Charles Martin Hall patented an inexpensive method to produce aluminum in 1889. History of Aluminum Production Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish chemist, was the first to produce tiny amounts of aluminum in 1825, German chemist Friedrich Wà ¶hler developed a method that produced enough to study the metals basic properties in 1845. French chemist  Henri Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville finally developed a process that allowed commercial production of aluminum. However, the resulting metal still sold for $40 per kilogram in 1859. Pure aluminum was so rare at that time it was considered a precious metal.   Charles Martin Hall Discovers the Secret of Cheap Aluminum Production On April 2, 1889, Charles Martin Hall patented an inexpensive method for the production of aluminum, which brought the metal into wide commercial use. Charles Martin Hall had just graduated from Oberlin College (located in Oberlin, Ohio) in 1885 with a bachelors degree in chemistry  when he invented his method of manufacturing pure aluminum. Charles Martin Halls method of processing the metal ore was to pass an electric current through a non-metallic conductor (molten sodium fluoride compound was used) to separate the very conductive aluminum. In 1889, Charles Martin Hull was awarded U.S. patent number 400,666 for his process. His patent conflicted with that of Paul L.T. Heroult who arrived at the same process independently at practically the same time. Hall had enough evidence of the date of his discovery that the United States patent was award to him rather than Heroult. In 1888, together with financier Alfred E. Hunt, Charles Martin Hall founded the Pittsburgh Reduction Company now known as the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). By 1914, Charles Martin Hall had brought the cost of aluminum down to 18 cents a pound, and it was no longer considered a precious metal. His discovery made him a wealthy man. Hall obtained several more patents to improve the production of aluminum. He received the Perkin Medal in 1911 for outstanding achievement in applied chemistry. He was on the Board of Trustees for Oberlin College and left them $10 million for their endowment when he died in 1914. Aluminum from Bauxite Ore One other inventor needs to be noted, Karl Joseph Bayer, an Austrian chemist, developed a new process in 1888 that could cheaply obtain aluminum oxide from bauxite. Bauxite is an ore that contains a large amount of aluminum hydroxide (Al2O3 ·3H2O), along with other compounds. The Hall-Hà ©roult and Bayer methods are still used today to produce nearly all of the worlds aluminum. Aluminum Foil Metal foil has been around for centuries. Foil is solid metal that has been reduced to leaf-like thinness by beating or rolling. The first mass-produced and widely used foil was made from tin. Tin was later replaced by aluminum in 1910, when the first aluminum foil rolling plant â€Å"Dr. Lauber, Neher Cie., Emmishofen.† was opened in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland. The plant, owned by J.G. Neher Sons (aluminum manufacturers) started in 1886 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, at the foot of the Rhine Falls - capturing the falls’ energy to produce aluminum. Nehers sons together with Dr. Lauber discovered the endless rolling process and the use of aluminum foil as a protective barrier. From there began the wide use of aluminum foil in the packaging of chocolate bars and tobacco products. Processes evolved to include the use of print, color, lacquer, laminate and the embossing of the aluminum.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Mercosur and the Creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas Essay

Mercosur and the Creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas - Essay Example In this scenario, the bilateral relation between MERCUSOR and the United States takes a more significant stance (Lorenzo and Marcel). In order to understand creation of free trade in the Americas, it is vital to look at the economic incentives on private and social levels of distinct alternatives for trade liberalization. This implies that information is processed to comprehend the distinct negotiation process that is the bilateral as against plurilateral considering specific national interests in the region. The incorporation process includes many subjects such as intellectual property, harmonization of local policies on competition and labor and environmental standards. The main focus is aimed at looking at alterations in market access linked with the proposed trade liberalization, thus, opening ways for free movement of goods in America. The U.S population and pre-capital product are larger than that of the MERCOSUR countries; this gives the U.S an economic weight than the MERCUSO R countries. The United States has not ignored MERCOSUR countries as a tangible and valid voice in the FTAA negotiations; it has instead preferred to concentrate its efforts towards global ambit. Bilateralism could soon become the new aspect in bringing dynamism to the negotiation process. For instance, in 2003, there was accelerated trade negotiation between the United States with Caribbean and Central American countries. MERCOSUR was created in 1991 and since then, it has achieved regional integration as the fastest means of advancing the process of economic development in global arena. The process of creating free trade is an intricate process in that it includes unilateral opening, pluri-lateral preferential agreements, and multilateral negotiations. The main agenda for MERCOSUR was the establishment of free trade area for Americas (Lorenzo and Marcel 43). For instance, in South America, MERCOSUR has included Chile and Bolivia as associated nations and proposed establishment and creation of free trade area with States of the Andean community of Nations. In addition, MERCOSUR is focused in developing external negotiations because members states have demonstrated the potential to negotiate which increased their credibility. Despite the fact that MERCUSOR is focused in creating free trade in the region, these Nations have experienced internal tribulations that have eventually led to delays in completing their customs unions; this, in turn, has greatly damaged the regions or blocs credibility and negatively influenced its power to negotiate externally. As far as free trade area is concerned, the MERCOSUR is determined in accessing the U.S market and on ground that the free trade area will be beneficial if the U.S accepts access to its markets. At some point, MERCUSOR countries have demonstrated distinct degree of commitment to negotiations in the FTAA platform but their participation in these talks is inevitable because staying out from the negotiation is not a prudent idea since other nations are engaging in the negotiation. MERCOSUR members understand that the best and brilliant way is to work as a bloc or region since this strengthens their negotiating power (Lorenzo and Marcel 59-62). For regional or bloc countries, resolutions on matters of the old agenda such as agricultural rules,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Great Leader assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Great Leader assignment - Essay Example Lincoln was idealistic yet practical. Abraham Lincoln’s great skills in leadership showed in all his endeavors even as a member of the House of Representatives. As a great leader, Abraham Lincoln showed pure resolve when he decided that America should free all the slaves and save the Union. In the same way that America’s Founding Fathers did almost a hundred years before his time, Lincoln made a decision to free the people once more. In 1837, even before becoming president, Lincoln had already made it clear that he was against slavery. In 1856, he even expressed opposition towards former President Franklin Pierce when the latter allowed Nebraska and Kansas to choose for themselves whether or not to adopt slavery. His led the opposition to slavery even when he was still a member of the House of Representatives. Moreover, despite his strong involvement in the slavery issue, Lincoln helped to pass bills that modernized the economy in the Pre-Civil War era, with bills that promoted the constructions of canals, banks and railroads, and those that regulated tariffs (â€Å"Abraham Lincoln,† Biography.com, 2014). Although Lincoln was fighting against slavery when he was still a Congressman, he knew he would be more useful if he applied himself to practical aspects of the economy such as infrastructure. As a leader, Lincoln had the resolve and determination. When he became President, Lincoln’s skills in leadership were put to a great test and one which he passed with the victory of the Union during the Civil War. Even at the expense of around 24,000 American soldiers, Lincoln’s leadership showed in his great moral resolve to free the slaves at any cost. The election of Jefferson Davis to the newly founded Confederacy was the blatant response of the South to Lincoln’s election to the presidency. Thus, in order not only to free the slaves but to save the Union and the integrity of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

An explanation of the strain and cultural criminology theories and the criminal elements Essay Example for Free

An explanation of the strain and cultural criminology theories and the criminal elements Essay The fast-changing society is demanding improvement of the existing legal frameworks each and every day. Indisputably, this is considerably challenging the decisions made by policymakers and more especially the judiciary sector. The challenge is more intensified by the way we define the defendant, victim, and penalty imposed for any crime committed. The underlying problem is that there exist various cultural norms and natural law; which significantly differ with constitutional requirements. In other words, legal procedures are not sufficient in providing criminal facts that can help us clearly understand the criminal elements mentioned above. Nevertheless, many scholars in the field of criminology such as Robert K. Merton and Keith Hayward now believes we can rely upon the strain and cultural criminology theories. Inarguably, the relationship existing between the two theories goes beyond our expectation, more especially when analyzing any criminology case. In fact, many people have been convinced it would be appropriate if policymakers integrate some of the facts unrevealed by these theories when making or amending the criminal laws. The paper offers a detailed explanation of the two methods and more importantly, how they can be applied in the criminal case study of Mr. Heffernan convicted of the crime of cultivating cannabis plant which is an illegal plant and supply of the same plant products as drugs to the community. The case took place in the district court, New South Wales and has since sounded the trumpet over how the proceedings were unraveling the case that Mr. Heffernan was convicted with. This will be discusse d along with the criminal elements and criminal facts which were evident in the case. Strain theory argues that when an individual is pressurized by the community or by the factors in his environment, the pressure overwhelms him which forces him to satisfy his cultural inequalities and material requirements by engaging in crime as stated by (Agnew, 2001, p319) The crime, in this case, is a subject to the strain that oversees a high level of pressure that the victim cannot bear the burden of. There are numerous forms of stress best explained by GST. The diverse forms of strain do not exclude financial requirements. The fear may force one into committing a crime that he never intended. Merton in his strain theory argues that it is only a small margin of the people who face stress end up committing crimes. The group that is involved in offenses that emanate from the strain from external forces is seen as deviant since they view the world as if there exists no other solution for their problems. Morten argues that the group is then forced into crime despite the fact that it is against their will. Cultural criminology theory, however, presents a different view of such an instance. It argues that the individual rather enjoys the self-fulfilling feeling that comes about with being involved in criminal activity. The theory explains that when the personal gains the social requirements that he or she could have otherwise not achieved legally, they are left with a sense of insecurity while others feel self-fulfilled and okay when they have their requirements fulfilled. According to Presdee, (2003) Cultural criminology is distinctively conjectural, procedural and domineering slant that places criminals, cases and the control mechanism in the context of culture Linking the theory to the case of Heffernan to both methods, strain theory argues that the convicted was involved in the crime due to the strain that he was facing.   It is evident that he as the criminal was suffering from an extraordinarily high degree of anxiety that he could have otherwise avoided if he had a well-paying job if the parents were not sick if his wife had no medical complications and if he was not unwell. On the other hand, cultural criminology argues that the occurrence of the crime was purely projected from the nature of the community the offender comes from as stated by (Ferrell et al., 2004). This, therefore, makes the community to be viewed as the actual cause of the crime due because the factors that led to the offense against which Mr. Heffernan is convicted are subject to the same community. The offender presents various evidence to the jury that when analyzed helped, in coming up with a valid judgment. The case presented states that the offender is a vict im of the drugs misuse and trafficking laws which inhibit one from growing plants that are otherwise termed as illegal. It also prohibits the supply of the same to the community. Mr. Heffernan was caught with 32kgs of cannabis leaves that are more than the monetary amount which is said to be 25 kilograms as stated by (Cerdà ¡ et al., 2012, p22). He had surpassed a commercial margin which otherwise inevitably presents the idea of the sale of the same to the community. He was rather much more cooperative by taking the police to the ranch where he grew the plant. The evidence was based on the idea that the man was found in the hold of a few bags of the leaves, showed where he grew the leaves and accepted to be the only person involved with the same. Evidence presented before the jury was photographs of these bags of leaves and the plant as well as the $1400 that was in his custody. The offender argues that he has been working on a farm for over 33 years and in his work life, he has been a victim of many injuries which have presented themselves as a limiting factor to the type and the amount of work that he can be engaged in evidenced by the numerous medical rec ords submitted to the coat regarding the same. His wife’s letter also backs up the issue since its content explains how those injuries have impacted negatively on their lives and the lives of their kids. This is seen as one of the strains that the convicted is battling with that could have otherwise presented to be the cause of the crime as stated by (Agnew, 2007, p319). The offender also claims that his family has been haunted by a trail of illnesses beginning with his mother who is suffering from breast cancer and osteoarthritis. His father is also suffering from a heart disease and osteoarthritis. He has diabetes and has been needing insulin to survive bearing in mind that his wife also has health conditions that make Mr. Heffernan the only breadwinner. This trail of illnesses presents themselves as another form of strain that led to the unusual character of the victim. An aggregate of such issues may result in so much pressure that needs a person with an unyielding personality to handle. While this is seen as strain, the cultural criminology finds it as social factors which when linked caused the occurrence of the crime. This presents the social and the crime as distinctively of a parallel nature. He is also faced with some more pressure of taking care of their 14 years high school kid and the younger one in primary education. The family had just married a year ago which rather increases the commitments of the breadwinner. The offender’s family has been selling their property which was around $80000 and has now depreciated to around $60000. His house is also being mortgaged at $70000, and this would render the family homeless. He argues that it is due to this pressure that he decided to engage in this criminal act. The jury well understands the pressure that the offender is facing pointing out that an offender is a man of substance whose life has not been presented as a threat to any criminal record. The only criminal record that exists seems baseless to make an overall conclusion that the man is a criminal. Evidence presented by  Ã‚   Mr. P. Harper, the offender’s defendant. The evidence is full of commendations for the man. This evidence is based on the peopl e who know Mr. Heffernan stating that the individual’s behaviors have been outstanding, something that even the judge recognizes by saying that Mr. Heffernan is a man of excellent character in the argument number 11 0f the case. The case presents itself from a criminal act that has been catalyzed by the excessive pressure faced by the convicted by strain theory which recognizes the existence of such anomalies in individual’s life when faced with extreme pressure. The issue that revolves around the life of the convicted is a monetary issue. Money, in this case, could have been the solution to all his problems since if he had enough of it, he could have saved his parent’s property from being sold. He could also have been able to take care of his sick relatives, his sick wife and cater for the life of the kids who are still in school. He could also have not gone to the extent of growing and distributing cannabis which is the states laws and the drugs misuse and trafficking act of 1985. The judge recognizes all the burdens that the convicted has to bear in his life considering that he is 51 and has to take care of all this pressure. About GST and the reasons that the convicted gives regarding the c ase he has been charged with, there were a few goals that the convicted was unable to meet. His desire to cater to his family and his parents and the desires to have a well-paying job dragged him to committing this crime. The unfolding circumstances are in line with the arguments of strain theory. Cultural criminology which seeks to understand crime in the context of culture is inevitably applicable in the case. The crime was subject to subcultures which revolve around what the community around the offender does and the rules that exist governing this particular crime. The rules governing drug and substance abuse have given guidelines on the judgment against the convicted depending on the nature and the extent of the committed crime. In a nutshell, it is the society that leads to the development of the rules that exist against the offenses revolving around drug and substance abuse. The occupation of the offender and the circumstances revolving around his life which led him to commit the crime are part and puzzle of the culture and community. As strain theory argues that the crime that was committed was subjected to the pressure of the life of the convicted, cultural criminology sees it as just another culture of various subcultures that may have led to the crime. Growing of Cannabis and distributing it to the public is considered to be a crime since there are rules against it as stated by (Reuter, 2010). If the drug had to be distributed to the community, the general impact on the youths would have been dire since this is the most likely group to the issue. As such, the convicted is seen to have been an agent of community destruction since he was a man of age and a parent. He is seen to have not minded about the lives of the other kids in the community and committed the crime for monetary gain. The strain theory comes about to argue that withstanding the pressure of the life the convicted was facing needed him to have looked for an alternative way of getting money. The convicted argues that he had complications regarding his health and that he was nearing his retirement age. He was forced to grow cannabis after ordering seeds from the United Kingdom which he later planted. It is the same marijuana that was harvested and packed before it was confiscated by the police. The theory gives out a clear argument that the man had small means of supporting his family using whatever he was gaining. This case is brought out clearly by the fact that the convicted had no previous criminal records and that his life was clean therefore it is due to what seemed to be a sort of excessive pressure that led him to commit the crime. On the other hand, cultural criminology makes the mere mention of cannabis a criminal activity where any activity that is associated with the drug has been criminalized. With the building of a belief that this activity is already a crime, the theory argues that rules that forbid it are developed ensuring that those who are associated wi th cannabis are taken into justice without considering any argument or reasons behind the act. With all the associated facts and evidence having been presented, Mr. Harper claims that the case on which the offender has been convicted with is not a drug trafficking case since it was planned as a one-time business. The pressure under which the convicted was suffering from forcing him to establish a cannabis plantation which he prepared to sell only once and increase the value of the ranch. This was one of the strain factors that made him respond to the pressure by involving himself in the crime. The judge, however, argues that it is irresponsible for a man with a family to release cannabis of a monetary amount to the society which would impact negatively on the lives of the youths as stated by (Lowinson, 2005). The judgment against both crimes was supposed to be ten years for the crime of growing cannabis and 15 years for trafficking.   The judge at the end of it all understands the pressure that the convicted was facing and gives him a sentence of two and a half years. The strain theory gives out a sense of reasoning and weighing of matters such that the degree of pressure was duly recognized by the jury. The cultural criminology theory, on the other hand, views the crime generally as breaking the law that originated from the same issue. It argues that the moral standards of the community which harbors the roots of the law have declined. The argument here is that the community from which the convicted comes from and the crime that was committed is viewed as one and the same thing. With the weak empirical evidence in support of the strain theory, the presented arguments were not sufficient to ensure that the convicted was set free. Rather it just explains the problems that the law class individuals are facing without taking into consideration of the larger picture of the community and the white collar crimes as stated by (Aseltine et al., 2000, p256). Crimes in such levels are the ones that decapitate the community. The theory deals with individuals rather than the community on which the crime and the criminals thrive. These issues are well explained by the cultural criminology theory which does not only just present its arguments from a particular line or level of crimes. It digs into every crime be it white collar or any other sort of the offense. Conclusion The case presented above shows how strain can cause various crimes. The arguments put forward to show that some forms of tension can be so haunting such that the victim ends up being involved illegal activities that end up bringing peace to the life of the victim. The judge, however, takes into consideration the strain that the convicted is facing, and from this, a valid judgment is given. As the strain theory views this crime as a result of pressure, the cultural criminology sees it as the larger picture of the nature of the community from which the convicted comes from. However, the theories try to explain the kind of judgment that is passed as not usual from the rest since consideration depending on the prevailing circumstance is taken note of. Reference Agnew, R., 2001. Building on the foundation of general strain theory: Specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency. Journal of research in crime and delinquency, 38(4), pp.319-361. Agnew, R., 2007. Pressured into crime: An overview of general strain theory. Aseltine Jr, R.H., Gore, S. and Gordon, J., 2000. Life stress, anger and anxiety, and delinquency: An empirical test of general strain theory. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, pp.256-275. Cerdà ¡, M., Wall, M., Keyes, K.M., Galea, S. and Hasin, D., 2012. Medical marijuana laws in 50 state: investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use, abuse, and dependence. Drug and alcohol dependence, 120(1), pp.22-27. Chan, J.B., 1997. Changing police culture: Policing in a Multicultural Society. Cambridge University Press. Ferrell, J., Hayward, K., Morrison, W., and Presdee, M. eds., 2004. Cultural criminology unleashed. Routledge. Lowinson, J.H. ed., 2005. Substance abuse: A comprehensive textbook. Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Mazerolle, P., Piquero, A.R. and Capowich, G.E., 2003. Examining the links between strain, situational and dispositional anger, and crime further specifying and testing general strain theory. Youth Society, 35(2), pp.131-157. Presdee, M., 2003. Cultural criminology and the carnival of crime. Routledge. Reuter, P., 2010. Marijuana legalization: what can be learned from other countries. Baltimore, MD: RAND Drug Policy Research Center, University of Maryland.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Mary Catherine Batesons Improvisation In a Persian Garden, Annie Dilla

Mary Catherine Bateson's Improvisation In a Persian Garden, Annie Dillard's Seeing and Leslie Marmon Silko's Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination This paper will analyze Improvisation In a Persian Garden (Mary Catherine Bateson), Seeing (Annie Dillard), and Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination (Leslie Marmon Silko). Going through the Purpose, audience, context, ethics, and stance of each author’s piece. All three stories show the reader what each author sees. All three authors write of an event that took place in their individual lives. Both Dillard and Bateson go back and forth between the past and the present, while Silko talks of events that took place only in the past. In Seeing, Annie Dillard writes about the things people do not see, and the things people choose to see. Dillard does this to make the reader aware of what is around them. People have the attitude of â€Å"what you see is what you get.† (Dillard pg. 13) Dillard believes that people do not actually want to see what is really there. That people only want to see what makes them happy. Dillard goes on to discuss all the things we see and do not see, ending by stating â€Å"if we are blinded by darkness, we are also blinded by light†. (Dillard Pg.17) Dillard is saying that if you look hard enough there is always something to see. Improvisation in a Persian Garden Bateson wants the reader to see, how adults do not always see things better than children. The author (Bateson) is trying to explain the sacrifice of a sheep to her two-year-old daughter. The author wants other parents to have an idea, as to how to educate a young child in this sort of situation. Bateson begins to notice that she too is learning something for the first time â€Å"beca... ...ose to see, and start seeing what you are afraid to see. In Improvisation in a Persian Garden Bateson writes as herself twenty years earlier. Dillard takes a different view writing not as herself but as a child. Silko writes in the present state with memories of what was heard as a child. Each story is dealing with how people see different things and why. Bateson and Dillard are the most alike with Silko being the most different. The first two both describe everything around them. Silko describes what she hears not sees through his own eyes. Works Cited Anne Dillard, Seeing, A Sense of Place, Forbes Custom Publishing 1999 Leslie Marmon Silko, Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination, A Sense of Place, Forbes Custom Publishing 1999 Mary Catherine Bateson, Improvisation in a Persian Garden, A Sense of Place, Forbes Custom Publishing 1999

Monday, November 11, 2019

Middle Range Theory Essay

Cohen’s article (2010) addresses the fact that the transition from adolescence to adulthood no longer occurs at age 21. Starting in the 1970’s the U.S. economy changed from a manufacturing economy to a service-based economy. The results are evident today. This economically driven shift changed how people prepared for careers and life. The traditional timing of becoming an adult, marriage, career, children, and financial independence now occurs almost 10 years later than before. Erickson’s would research and create a new sequence of eight stages including of development from 10 years up until now. For each specific conflict at each stage, which allows an individual to develop successfully. Each conflict would have to be extended as a result of the change in the economy today. The effect of resolved conflicts are more appropriate as the result the change of adolescent to adulthood no longer occurring to prevent the transition to the next stage of development. Erickson The most profound life crisis occurs at the fifth stage of development, which can be characterized by rapid physical growth, sexual maturing, concern about the perception of us by others and search of professional calling. The final stage is also crucial, as people asses their life and their achievements. If a man looks back at his life with few regrets, and feels that it was worth living, it leads to a feeling of satisfaction. If, on the contrary, the person feels hopeless, reflects on his mistakes, it leads to a feeling of despair. According to Erickson, if a person achieves a sense of wholeness and self-identity, he will not be afraid of death, and this means that this person has reached the highest form of achievements. References: Cohen, P. (2010). Long road to adulthood is growing even longer. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/us/13generations.html?scp=1&sq=Long%20road%20to%20adulthood&st=cse&_r=0 on September 13, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/us/13generations.html?scp=1&sq=Long%20road%20to%20adulthood&st=cse

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Harlequin Enterprises: the Mira Decisions Essay

The primary issue facing Harlequin is the â€Å"steady loss of share in a growing women’s fiction market†, due to the growing popularity of single-title novels. With the volume sales dependence that is inherent in series publishing, the unit sales stalling that occurred in the late 80’s and early 90’s acted as a warning signal to Harlequin. A change in pricing strategies enabled revenues to continue to rise, but this was a short-term solution and Mira has the potential to become a long-term solution. However, there are a number of issues surrounding the launch of Mira. As the world’s largest publisher of romance fiction, Harlequin has a strong global foothold in series publishing with a presence in more than 100 international markets and 23 languages. Indeed, Harlequin has been able to create high barriers to entry in the series market through the development of brand loyalty and excellence in product quality and supply chain management. Brand loyalty comprises a strong readership base, which has been cultivated through brand recognition, trust, and long-term relationships. This is evidenced by the direct-to-reader Book Club, which currently provides 3/8 of US Sales at significantly higher margins than indirect sales. The low-price, consistent, high-quality product is well packaged and positioned ideally to take advantage of customer expectations, supported by a large and capable author/editor base. Standardization has enabled Harlequin to take advantage of significant economies of scale in printing, distribution and advertising; and simplifies retailers’ positioning and marketing strategies. While standing order distribution enables Harlequin to more accurately predict sales and returns, and therefore benefit from predictable cost-based accounting practices to achieve better margins. However, with limited diversification, Harlequin has little expertise in the broader realm of women’s fiction outside of the romance genre, which may limit their abilities to select and develop successful authors and titles, as was the case with the 1987 Worldwide Library failure. Although, the Worldwide experience gives Harlequin a true appreciation of their strengths and provides a strong foundation from which to avoid future mistakes. Harlequin’s inferior presence in traditional retail environments for single-title novels and limited advertising portfolio centred on print media somewhat restricts their sales to their existing, or stereotypical, customer base. Existing distribution partnerships are unlikely to resolve this issue and may force Harlequin to seek out new partnerships and/or mechanisms. According to the market research, â€Å"customers were reading as many single-title romance and women’s fiction books as series romances. This implies that there is significant overlap with other subject areas and market segments within Harlequin’s existing readership base and it should be possible for Harlequin to cultivate their customer loyalty and translate it to direct-to-reader sales in other genres. Mira also provides the opportunity for authors to develop beyond the series format without moving to another publisher, and still remain available to the Harlequin series genre. This promotes emp loyee loyalty and job satisfaction, while allowing Harlequin to invest in promoting individual authors and benefit from the cross-segment marketing. The overheads that Mira would incur, although substantial, would remain competitive with other publishers and would benefit from Harlequin’s global infrastructure. Foreign language markets, in particular, would be accessible to Mira through the use of existing translation services, distribution networks and retail relationships. Mira would also provide Harlequin the opportunity to create economies of scale through the centralization of rights acquisition activities already being undertaken in some international subsidiaries. Conversely, Mira represents an extremely high risk undertaking for Harlequin with significantly higher costs for production, distribution and marketing. A single-title novel is a unique product, which requires a publisher to generate higher per-unit sales volumes; create individual design, marketing and promotion campaigns; and provide higher returns to authors and third parties. Production changes, at least in terms of product dimensions, could have significant unforeseen impacts on the economies of scale currently enjoyed within the production and distribution supply chains. If Mira is to compete with existing single-title publishers, long-term author contracts, royalties and advances could put extreme financial pressure on Harlequin and represent a significant level of investment, which may or may not be realizable in the long-term. Therefore, the failure of a single-title novel to achieve break-even sales targets has far-reaching consequences; and can seriously damage reputations upon which future sales would depend. Nevertheless, the most significant threat to the success of Mira is its potential in the US market. The truce with Simon & Schuster achieved at the end of the Romance Wars may not be sustainable, if Harlequin launches Mira in direct competition with S&S in single-title publishing. This situation would be especially difficult given that Harlequin is entirely dependent on S&S for distribution of its series titles within the US market, and its lack of experience with mainstream retailing avenues. By pursuing Mira, Harlequin risks losing a highly efficient and profitable relationship with S&S and having to completely redevelop its distribution chain within the US. Upon consideration, Harlequin has the resources and capabilities it needs in order to succeed with Mira. Although the company currently has a different business model, it has the same basic components and critical resources necessary to create and manufacture the product. The author/editor base that Harlequin has at its disposal represents a considerable asset, and somewhat mitigates the risk of talent selection and development that can be associated with single-title novels. Historic market positioning and the reputation of Harlequin as a romance eries publisher may overshadow attempts to create the Mira brand; but Harlequin has reached the point where it must expand beyond the romance genre. The direct-to-reader sales, marketing and distribution mechanisms would require few adjustments or adaptations, and would provide Harlequin with an ideal test market from which to make the leap into the mainstream. Existing production and distribution expertise would sustain development of Mira , while Harlequin spends time putting mainstream distribution mechanisms and publicity expertise into place. It is conceivable that successful single-title authors who published their early works with Harlequin could be convinced to return to Harlequin, depending on the financial incentives; but, this is a long-term question, governed by authors’ contractual obligations and the success of Mira in the short-term. However, the back-list of novels created by successful authors who published their early works with Harlequin comprises an easily marketable, cost-effective and potentially profitable resource, that would enable Mira to capitalize on established reputations and in-direct publicity. The downside is that Mira may risk alienating or offending fans of established authors, by publishing works that did not meet reader expectations because of their quality or adherence to Harlequin conventions. Therefore, I would recommend that Harlequin perform a limited launch of Mira by re-developing titles in their back-list and generating direct-to-reader sales through the Book Club, while it explores global distribution and marketing relationships. References: Richard Ivey School of Business Case Harlequin Enterprises: The MIRA Decision #9B03M007

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Nonsense and Absurd Literature Essays

Nonsense and Absurd Literature Essays Nonsense and Absurd Literature Essay Nonsense and Absurd Literature Essay Essay Topic: Waiting for Godot Similarities between non-sense and absurd literature: challenge, deny and even deride reason, rationality and the quest for meaning. Differences: both existentialism and absurd literature is historically more recent in British culture, whereas non-sense is at least a century older and is a local tradition of British (L. Carrol, non-sense verse-limericks). Nonsense is mainly a comic genre, a form of humor, whereas existentialism and the absurd have a tragic extent to it, are depressive. Nonsense literature apparently constructs the same meaningless literature, but it is done while still preserving a concern for humanity, for a good-natured attitude. There is a sense of social criticism for turning them into caricatures. The excess imposed by the non-sense literature has a complex role: the tension of being British is released through non-sense literature: a form of excess accepted. The British eccentricity is another form of realizing this tension. Absurd literature has been greatly developed in the 20th-century British literature especially through plays, for example, â€Å"Waiting for Godot† by Samuel Beckett. Based on the ideas of existentialism, this play is characterized by a lack of coherence where characters are full of despair, anxiety, having no meaning or purpose in life. They are confused and they spend their time doing nothing. They have a circular life, repeating the same actions each day; there is a lack of communion. They suffer from amnesia: memory is also absent, which is one of the characteristics of the traditional theatre. Another difference between the absurd theatre and traditional theatre is represented by the structure of the play: the characters do not evolve; we have no climax and no conclusion. Time passes, but nothing happens and nobody comes. They do not know where they are or what they are waiting for. They do not know who is Godot or if he will certainly come (â€Å"He did not say for sure he’d come†) but

Monday, November 4, 2019

Apush Slavery Dbq

Both the free African Americans and enslaved confronted and endure the challenges they faced as they fought for rights and equality. The Revolutionary War was a major factor in the development of slavery during that period of time. During the early months of the war, the Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation was written which declared all slaves free if they took up arms against the American colonists. (Doc A) The British took advantage of the slaves’ desire for freedom to disrupt the American’s war efforts. Antislavery sentiments were circulating in the North due to the ideas of the war. However, in the South, the whites believed that they deserved to own the slaves and that it would secure the freedom that they were fighting for. After the Americans won the war, slavery was abolished in the North and further importation of slaves was prohibited. However, slavery was still ongoing in the southern and border states. Manumission, the act of freeing slaves, was soon occurring in the 1790’s because people started to feel that slavery was bad because it went against the ideals of the Revolutionary War. Venture Smith’s Narrative was an example of manumission as the slave paid for his freedom. (Doc F) This was a common act as many slaves were freed as such during the 1790’s. The Revolutionary War and the ideals revolving around it contributed to the increased number of free African Americans. Related article: Apush Taxation Without Representation Dbq However, even as more and more slaves were being freed, the institution of slavery was expanding too. The southern areas of the United States had an increasing number of slaves from 1790 to 1830. In 1790, only the southern states along the east coast and an area around the Ohio River had an overwhelming percent of slaves. This increased as in 1830, almost all the southern states up to the Mississippi River had a large group of slaves. (Doc C) A reason for such an increase in slaves was due to the invention of the cotton gin. This led to a revival in slavery due to the increase amount of cotton farms to accommodate the demands from England. Cotton ruined the farmland and this led to expansion west as the soil exhausted which explains the increasing trend of slaves in the southern states. During the same period, both free African Americans and enslaved ones faced challenges as they tried to gain rights and freedom. Free African Americans felt they had the right to vote and â€Å"no taxation without representation†. They felt that since they fought along with the colonists in the Revolutionary War for the same ideals then they should have the rights to it instead of it being imposed on them now. Doc B) Even though some African Americans were freed, they were not spared from discrimination and abuse. Free African Americans in Boston had to bear with daily insults and physical abuse on the streets. Images of African American’s deformity were also common placed in areas of cities and towns. (Doc I) David Walker was an abolitionist who called for blacks to take up arms and fight back against the whites. Walker b elieved that the blacks should be just as free as Americans and it will just end up hurting the Americans if the blacks have to obtain their freedom by fighting. Doc J) There have been frequent slave rebellions in hope of obtaining freedom. The Haitian Revolution led to an increase in slave revolts as slaves gain hope after seeing the successful revolution in Haiti. Both the freed and enslaved African Americans faced their challenges by enduring and taking up arms against the whites. Overall, the Revolutionary War and its ideals led to the manumission of many slaves. The cotton gin was a major factor of the revival of slavery in the south. Both the freed and enslaved African Americans fought for their equality and rights. Due to these changes, the African American’s role in society is reconsidered. Apush Slavery Dbq Both the free African Americans and enslaved confronted and endure the challenges they faced as they fought for rights and equality. The Revolutionary War was a major factor in the development of slavery during that period of time. During the early months of the war, the Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation was written which declared all slaves free if they took up arms against the American colonists. (Doc A) The British took advantage of the slaves’ desire for freedom to disrupt the American’s war efforts. Antislavery sentiments were circulating in the North due to the ideas of the war. However, in the South, the whites believed that they deserved to own the slaves and that it would secure the freedom that they were fighting for. After the Americans won the war, slavery was abolished in the North and further importation of slaves was prohibited. However, slavery was still ongoing in the southern and border states. Manumission, the act of freeing slaves, was soon occurring in the 1790’s because people started to feel that slavery was bad because it went against the ideals of the Revolutionary War. Venture Smith’s Narrative was an example of manumission as the slave paid for his freedom. (Doc F) This was a common act as many slaves were freed as such during the 1790’s. The Revolutionary War and the ideals revolving around it contributed to the increased number of free African Americans. Related article: Apush Taxation Without Representation Dbq However, even as more and more slaves were being freed, the institution of slavery was expanding too. The southern areas of the United States had an increasing number of slaves from 1790 to 1830. In 1790, only the southern states along the east coast and an area around the Ohio River had an overwhelming percent of slaves. This increased as in 1830, almost all the southern states up to the Mississippi River had a large group of slaves. (Doc C) A reason for such an increase in slaves was due to the invention of the cotton gin. This led to a revival in slavery due to the increase amount of cotton farms to accommodate the demands from England. Cotton ruined the farmland and this led to expansion west as the soil exhausted which explains the increasing trend of slaves in the southern states. During the same period, both free African Americans and enslaved ones faced challenges as they tried to gain rights and freedom. Free African Americans felt they had the right to vote and â€Å"no taxation without representation†. They felt that since they fought along with the colonists in the Revolutionary War for the same ideals then they should have the rights to it instead of it being imposed on them now. Doc B) Even though some African Americans were freed, they were not spared from discrimination and abuse. Free African Americans in Boston had to bear with daily insults and physical abuse on the streets. Images of African American’s deformity were also common placed in areas of cities and towns. (Doc I) David Walker was an abolitionist who called for blacks to take up arms and fight back against the whites. Walker b elieved that the blacks should be just as free as Americans and it will just end up hurting the Americans if the blacks have to obtain their freedom by fighting. Doc J) There have been frequent slave rebellions in hope of obtaining freedom. The Haitian Revolution led to an increase in slave revolts as slaves gain hope after seeing the successful revolution in Haiti. Both the freed and enslaved African Americans faced their challenges by enduring and taking up arms against the whites. Overall, the Revolutionary War and its ideals led to the manumission of many slaves. The cotton gin was a major factor of the revival of slavery in the south. Both the freed and enslaved African Americans fought for their equality and rights. Due to these changes, the African American’s role in society is reconsidered.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Learning how to learn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning how to learn - Essay Example When tasked with an assignment, the best way to tackle it is to identify a second party and share with them ideas regarding a particular task (Tucker and Singleton, 72). This approach to earning develops a strong mind and based on the creativity; I will be in a capacity to write a brief outline of how I will answer any forthcoming questions. From the response of my partner, I will be able to identify the proper structure of my ideas and organize them into a flowing document. As an auditory learner, this opportunity should be taken to discuss the subject matter or the documents that I am reading with other individuals (Walling, 103). Such an interactive process opens up arguments that lead to in depth analysis of the matter. At times, as a learner it is important to read certain educational material. The best way to internalize such material is to read out aloud the various topics on which I am focusing (Simon, 29). By reading aloud, it is easier to identify confusing sentences, common grammar mistakes and any other editing mistakes that may have been difficult to notice. During class sessions, lectures can be recorder for more in-depth understanding later on when at home. Instead of buying hard copy books, it would be better to get audio books and to note down the important ideas covered in a

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Personal Development Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal Development Planning - Coursework Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that personal development plan, according to Jackson, is â€Å"a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development†. Almost all rational persons, belonging to divergent ethnic-racial, regional and religious groups and communities, and belonging to different socioeconomic statuses as well as both the genders, draw out some plans in the light of their educational background, technical skills, professional experience and proficiencies, and resources, which turn out to be supportive in respect of determining their goals and making struggle in order to obtain the same. Like all other students, professionals and business personnel, I have also established my personal development plan, which would serve as a guiding star in respect of exercising my abilities towards a specific direction. My areas of interest, strengths, and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and action plan have been discussed in the following lines: I have developed keen aptitude in understanding the physical and social phenomena existing all around. For this, I have studied biological and social sciences, philosophy, literature, and law in order to obtain knowledge about the realities of universal explored by the scientists, philosophers, intellectuals, and writers by dint of their hard efforts in divergent fields and disciplines. I have studied the works of distinguished ancient Greek philosopher-scientist Aristotle, renowned ancient playwright Sophocles, medieval era Italian mathematician, biologist, physicist and astrologist Leonardo da Vinci, works produced by English authors including Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Bronte, Virginia Woolf and others, evolution theory of nineteenth-century biologist Charles Darwin and psychoanalytic theory articulated by Sigmund Freud. Moreover, the philosophies of twenti eth century great thinkers including Sir Bertrand Russell and Khalil Gibran have also captured my attention. In addition, the tremendous achievements made by contemporary era business tycoons including Sir Richard Branson and Bill Gates in the areas of IT and communications have also fascinated me to a great extent.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Public International Law Academic year 2010-2011 PROBLEM QUESTION Essay

Public International Law Academic year 2010-2011 PROBLEM QUESTION - Essay Example For one thing, this treaty came into force in the year 2000, that is, after the date of enforcement of Vienna Convention on January 27, 1980. Besides, it is also a written covenant and belongs to the genre of multilateral treaty having four different countries, A, B, C and D as signatories, whose governments would have, on the date of affirmation of contractual agreement in year 2000, agreed to be bound by the provisions of this economic covenant among these four countries for furthering mutual co-operation and accord. However, one aspect of this multilateral agreement stands out like a sore thumb, which is the aspect of peremptory norm. It is seen that under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, any covenant that is in direct confrontation with a peremptory law is void ab initio. However, it does delineate that the rule of force or coercion for gaining consent for multilateral treaties is not permissible. This aspect is also in direct conflict with the spirit of United Nations Organisation UNO) which prohibits the use of force or coercion in reaching global accords and contracts. In this case, it is believed that State D has decided to terminate its participation in the treaty, claiming that its ratification of the 2000 treaty was gained through coercion by the threat of economic sanctions by states A, B, and C. In the event that this contention is true, the agreement becomes void and in direct violation of Article 52 of Vienna Convention 1968, which states that â€Å"A treaty is void if its conclusion has been procured by the threat or use of force in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations.† (Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 18). However, it would be incumbent upon State D to prove that coercion has indeed taken place. However, the present government in State D

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Cost Analysis Within The Zara Company Marketing Essay

Cost Analysis Within The Zara Company Marketing Essay Describe how Zara uses technology to improve operational responsiveness to customer expectations, and at the same time to reduce costs in certain areas. Zaras main strategy is to give a quick answer to end consumer demands and anticipate consumer trends through information technology and human resources. It operates on the basis of heavy backward vertical integration, working its way from the end consumer all the way back to the manufacturing and distribution. It ensures a very tight control of production through simple and effective IT systems as well as a high tech distribution center (DC.) It realizes cost optimization on its basic items for production and also time optimization in terms of speed to market of its fashion items making use of technology. Zara adapted to trends and differences across markets by interacting regularly with the store managers using the PDA and phone systems to get updates on customer feedback, fashion sense etc. The Point of Sale system (POS) in the store computers also provided valuable sales data to the distribution center which had a mobile tracking system that docked hanging garments in appropriate bar coded areas. The various garments were given Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and orders were placed from the hand-held computers in the stores twice a week or more, to the distribution center where if particular items were in short supply, allocation decisions were made on the basis of historical sales levels and other considerations. After the orders were approved, the warehouse issued lists for delivery to the stores. Zara design teams tracked customer preferences and used sales information such as sales analysis, store trends and product life cycle information from the store managers, based on a consumption information system to transmit repeat orders and new designs to internal/external suppliers and the DC. The design teams thereby bridged merchandising and the backend of the production process and they developed the right products within the season to meet consumer demands. Zaras product development teams attended high fashion fares and exhibitions to translate the latest seaso nal trends into the designs. Hence, a super fast rate of operational responsiveness to customers was maintained and the DC was more of a place to merchandise than merely for storage. Technology also helped keep Zaras costs under control. By using the POS systems in store computers, handheld PDA devices for store managers and phone systems, accurate information regarding orders required were transmitted to the DC. The SKUs ensured accuracy in terms of which products needed to be produced and in what quantities and the DCs could use all this information and feedback from the design teams to make orders of the right quantity of each kind of product. Thus, inventory costs were very low, runs were limited and production costs were maintained at very manageable levels in spite of the large number of new items that are continuously produced. Zaras factories were also heavily automated, specialized by garment type and focused on the capital intensive parts of the production process, like pattern design and cutting as well as final finishing and inspection. A Just-in-time system was installed in collaboration with Toyota in these factories and this helped in faster comple tion of work and controlling of costs through continuous improvement processes. Management Information System technology plays a crucial role in Zaras customer responsiveness and cost control measures. From what you see in the case, does Zara price to market or on the basis of other factors? Zara always followed a market based pricing method. In each country, Zara always placed more focus on the market prices (local pricing levels) rather than on its own costs to forecast prices of items in particular markets. These forecasts were later overlaid on cost estimates that included all considerations such as distance, tariffs, and taxes and so on to see whether the potential market could achieve profitability in a year or two of opening the first store. Zara followed a different pricing strategy in each country, for example, in Italy and Paris the focus was more quality oriented and so the price of the same items were much higher, however, in Germany where consumers are price sensitive the items were lesser priced. This figured in the different marketing strategy followed in each country. Zara controlled its costs through its production and distribution processes and was positioned in many countries as high fashion at affordable prices which though were centrally determined, much lower than competitor prices for comparable products in its major markets. Percentage margins still held up, this was possible because of the direct efficiencies of short, vertically integrated supply chain, reduced advertising costs, and markdown requirements. Thus Zara competed at reasonable prices through a cost leadership strategy, completing Porters generic strategy through differentiated products and broad segmentation. Zaras customers in many countries bore the extra costs of supplying the items from Spain though the prices were market based, for example, prices were 40% higher in Northern Europe and 70% higher in the Americas than in Spain. This could be seen on the garments price tag which was an atlas to the customers. These higher prices outside Spain affected Zaras positioning overseas as high end instead of mid market range products to better validate the price differences. Like in Mexico where the target consumer base is narrow, it is geared towards the upper and middle class that knows fashion. Moreover, as in Europe, the artificial scarcity that Zara creates of its products in its stores urge the customers to pay the price and buy rather than wait it out. Markdowns are very low for Zara in Europe and elsewhere, 15-20% of its sales as compared to 30-40% for its European peers. Zara does not completely compete on basis of price as the usual Zara customer is not that price sensitive; instead, it competes on fashion and its quick response capability. Zara (2010) has just launched an on-line, e-retail distribution service.     For an apparel retailer what are the advantages and disadvantages of online distribution?   Can Zara make it work? Inditex has long used the internet to promote its various lines and corporate image and is also popular on Facebook, where it has 4.5m fans. Its Smartphone application, launched about a year ago, has been downloaded by 2m people. Zara can very easily make its online e-retail distribution service work successfully. Familiarity with the Zara stores thus provides name recognition for the online retail site, and the combination of customer data gathered by the store and the online retail site (through Google Analytics, for example) could lead to substantial personalized marketing efforts, using various channels. With Zaras policy of a lean advertising budget, an online retail portal will add greatly in terms of branding and awareness. Zara had initially decided not to sell clothes on the internet since the returns rates were too high. However, as of September 2010, Inditex put Zara branded products online for its customers, waiting for online demand to build. Customers can choose from the usual range of paying methods and opt either for a free store pick-up or paid-for postal delivery. The online return and exchange policy is identical to the store system, with shoppers given 30 days to change their minds. iPhone and iPad applications that allowed purchasing will soon be available and online sales will help Zara reach potential customers who have no easy access to physical stores. For an apparel retailer, the advantages of online distribution would be providing convenience to the shoppers to buy from the comfort of their home, save on travel time and costs and have easy access to the products. Customers will have 24 hour access to the shopping platform online and make better buying decisions through online chat and discussion. Researchers identify convenience as a fundamental objective related to online shopping (Schaupp Belanger, 2005). This is relevant to 72% of online shoppers claim that they would rather surf online than go to retail store to attain information about a product (Lokken et al., 2003). Costs on human resources (Vendors, shop assistants, managers) can be saved by the retailer and customers can make relaxed wise buy decisions without pressure from vendors. Infinite shelf space will be available in that, products available at all store locations and around the world without geographical boundaries, to the customers to choose from. Comparison sh opping in terms of styles and prices will be easier on the online portal than in the store for the consumer. Boston Consulting Group analysts Evans and Wurster theorize that the three main strategic draws of online retail are reach, affiliation and richness. Reach is defined as access and connection: how many customers a business can access and how many products it can offer. Moreover, a retailers range of product offerings was traditionally limited by the size of its stores and the cost of carrying inventory while online retailers as intermediaries between customers and suppliers need not necessarily have an inventory at all, only a catalog, often transparent to the customer. Affiliation refers to whose interests are represented by the online retailer who can treat the products from their various vendors more objectively, providing more objective information and better product comparisons for their customers. Richness refers to the depth and detail of information, about products and about customers. Evans and Wurster argue that traditional retailers still are at an advantage to supply expe rt information about products to their customers, and that they also are still in a better position to gather information about product sales and customer profiles and buying patterns. Online retailers are quickly catching up, however, gathering data about customer browsing behavior, purchasing history, and demographics. Online retailers are subsequently able to use this data to provide their customers with a fully customized online shopping environment, including individualized web pages, targeted ads and offers, and specific product suggestions, something traditional retailers cannot effectively do at their retail outlets. Some of the disadvantages of online retail would be the difficulty to gather trend information, product sales and customer suggestions. Zara could remedy this by using analytics and customer feedback forms online that are user friendly and attractive. The experience of shopping in a Zara store would be lost, but Zara would need to make its retail platform very interactive and spellbinding. Zaras prime store locations cost a lot of investment, and the advent of online shopping could mean cannibalization of its retail outlet sales and a waste of upkeep costs, this could put Zara into a fix. Customers will not be able to touch and try the product like they can in an actual store, [t]he likelihood of purchasing on the Internet decreases with increases in product risk (Bhatnagar, Misra, Rao, 20000, p. 100). Apparels in particular had negative rating in online shopping because of it is difficult to feel and see the texture of colour online that is incomparable to going to a retail store. The biggest drawback itself would be the concept of infinite shelf space that an online distribution will bring, for Zara. Being a company that thrives on the creation of artificial scarcity of its products, the online distribution channel will have to be very carefully controlled to ensure that customers buy the products with the same fervour as when they visit the store, knowing that it might not be available the following week. Zara can remedy this situation by advertising only a limited number of units of each product online so customers will know if the numbers are dwindling and that they need to act fast in order to acquire the product just as in the case of the actual store.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Federal Government and Medicinal Marijuana :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs should be commended for its report, "Marijuana: Its HealthHazards and Therapeutic Potential." Not only does the report outline evidence of marijuana's potential harms, but it distinguishes this concern from the legitimate issue of marijuana's important medical benefits. All too often the hysteria that attends public debate over marijuana's social abuse compromises a clear appreciation for this critical distinction. Since 1978, 32 states have abandoned the federal prohibition to recognize legislatively marijuana's important medical properties. Federal law, however, continues to define marijuana as a drug "with no accepted medical use," and federal agencies continue to prohibit physician-patient access to marijuana. This outdated federal prohibition is corrupting the intent of the state laws and depriving thousands of glaucoma and cancer patients of the medical care promised them by their state legislatures. This is an excerpt from a letter written in 1982 to the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Its author was a citizen concerned about the complete lack of rationality exhibited time and time again in the Federal Government's attempts to justify its ban on the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. It was no burnt-out ex-hippie who penned the letter. The concerned citizen was none other than the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. He was co-sponsoring a bill intended to end the Federal prohibition on marijuana as medicine. He has since abandoned support for such initiatives and begun to deal in the sort of hypocrisy and misinformation that is typical of the federal government's policy toward medicinal marijuana. Gingrich's bill failed despite overwhelming support from both the public and the facts. Legislators, pandering to a vocal minority, struck it down. Fourteen years later, the silent majority spoke. In a move that must have had Nixon spinning in his gr ave, the silent majority, it turns out, supports this drug use. In the Fall of 1996, two states passed referendums legalizing marijuana. Both California's "Compassionate Use Act" and Arizona's "Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act" passed wit h convincing margins despite well-funded opposition. Support for medical marijuana extends far beyond the traditionally libertarian Southwest. A recent survey of the American public by the American Civil Liberties Union showed that 85% of the American p ublic favors making marijuana legally available to the seriously ill. Unwilling to let the people have the final say, the Clinton Administration quickly moved to impose a de facto veto on these referendums.