Mercury Athletic Case Essay

West Coast Fashions, Inc. (WCF), a large designer and marketer of men’s and women’s branded apparel recently announced plans for a strategic reorganization. Active Gear, Inc. (AG), a privately held footwear company, was contemplating an acquisition opportunity. John Liedtke, the head of business development for AG, was interested in a WCF subsidiary. The subsidiary that Liedtke and AG intended to acquire was Mercury Athletic (MA), a footwear company. Liedtke thought acquiring Mercury would roughly double AG’s revenue, increase its leverage with contract manufacturers and expand its presence with key retailers and distributors. In order to provide a solid recommendation to Liedtke, further analysis must be performed. Market Overview The apparel or footwear industry is highly competitive with low growth. The market is influenced by fashion trends, price, quality and style. Companies can reduce risk factors by not following fashion trends which equates to efficient and effective inventory management and missed profit opportunities. Active Gear AG is a relatively small athletic and casual footwear company. It has annual revenues of $470.3M (42% of revenues came from athletic shoes), and $60.4M of operating income. Casting a shadow over these numbers are AG’s typical competitors. AG’s typical competitor has annual sales over $1.0B. Because of Chinese manufacturing contract consolidations, AG’s size was becoming a disadvantage due to low buying power vs. competitors. AG’s initial focus was to produce and market high-quality specialty shoes for golf and tennis players. AG was among the first companies to offer fashionable, walking, hiking and boating footwear. Over the years, the firm’s athletic shoes had evolved from high-performance footwear to athletic fashion wear with a  classic image. The firm’s traditional casual shoes also offered classic styling, but were aimed at a broader, more mainstream market. AG’s target demographic was urban and suburbanites, ranging from 25-45 in age. AG’s distribution channels consisted of independent retailers, departmental stores, and wholesalers. AG excluded big box retailers and discount stores. AG focused on products that didn’t follow fashion trends, resulting in a lengthened product lifecycle. This business model led to more efficient and effective supply chain and operating management. However, because they opted for the safe route it halted the company’s sales and growth opportunity. Mercury Athletic Mercury Athletic was purchased by WCF from its founder Daniel Fiore. Fiore was forced to sell the company after running it for over 35 years, due to health problems. Due to a strategic reorganization, the plan called for the divestiture of MA and other â€Å"non-core† WCF assets. MA had revenues of $431.1M and an EBITDA of $51.8M Products were distributed to departmental and discount stores It had two product lines- athletic and casual footwear Target market of both men and women Shoes popularity grew in the extreme sports market MA developed an operating infrastructure, allowing management to quickly adapt to changes in customer tastes with product specifications. 1. Is Mercury an appropriate target for AG? Why or why not? Let me walk you through some qualitative considerations before making my recommendation. Strategic considerations: AG and MA are both competing in the athletic and casual footwear industry. Acquiring MA could lead to economies of scale and scope through manufacturing and distribution networks, respectively. Acquiring MA- AG would be less affected by the Chinese manufacturing contract consolidation, due to increased buying powers. AG could potentially revive and profit from acquiring Mercury’s women’s product line. Acquiring MA will double AG’s  annual revenue. Counter arguments- AG and MA target demographics could not produce company synergies MA is fashion trendy, therefore prone to risks outside of AG’s steady business model Company cultures could not match 2. Review the projections by Liedtke. Are they appropriate? How would you recommend modifying them? In order to find if the projections are reasonable, you need a starting point. Using projected growth rates and EBIT should indicate if Liedtke’s data is solid. Referencing the Free Cash Flow and Terminal Value tables (found below), I will be able to generate an opinion of Liedtke’s projections. Year to year growth rates are extremely volatile, normalizing in 2010. The negative rate could signify that in 2007 they are projecting to discontinue a product line. The swing back to a positive growth rate could be indication of AG leveraging its economies of scale and scope, while distributing their product lines through big box retailers. EBIT has been projected to gradually increase, which looks to be on par with industry norms. It is reasonable to say that Liedtke’s projections properly reflect AG’s business model, post-acquisition. 3. See tables and calculations below 4. Do you regard the value you obtained as conservative or aggressive? Why? From my analysis, the value I obtained seemed to be aggressive against the information provided. Referencing the tables below: Terminal or Enterprise Value is High Synergies are excluded from financial analysis Declining revenue growth 5. How would you analyze possible synergies or other sources of value not reflected in Liedtke’s base assumption? In order to analyze possible synergies, I would look at both companies’ operations. Starting from where they source their materials to distributing their final product are all possibilities of operational synergies (buying power, distribution channels, inventory management, etc†¦). Financial synergies would include combining revenues and cost benefits, which translate to increasing bottom line. Company culture matching could also become problematic. Quantitative Analysis Net Working Capital Free Cash Flow WACC Terminal Value Valuation NPV, IRR and Payback Period Conclusion Net present value of future cash flows equates to a positive $0.2M. Internal rate of return or IRR is the interest rate at which the net present value of all the cash flows from a project or investment equal zero. The IRR of this acquisition is 28%. Having a positive NPV and an IRR that considerably outweighs the discount and risk free rate- suggests that this acquisition should be pursued. In conclusion, AG should acquire MA.

Marion Sparg

Marion sparg Marion Sparg was one of the few white women to join Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress during South Africa's apartheid era. A Sunday Times journalist, she was prompted into action after 32 ANC members and 19 civilians were killed by the South African Defence Force in an attack on Maseru, Lesotho.She would spend the years between 1981 and 1986 in exile where she received training in guerrilla warfare and worked in the ANC's Communication Department on a publication named Voice of Women and thereafter joined the Special Operations Division of Umkhonto We Sizwe In 1986 she was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment on charges of treason, arson and attempted arson. Pleading guilty to all charges, she admitted planting and exploding limpet mines at Johannesburg's notorious police headquarters, John Vorster Square, and also at Cambridge Police Station in East LondonFollowing the unbanning of the ANC, she was released in 1991 at the same time a s fellow treason prisoners Damian de Lange and Iain Robertson, shortly after which she was nominated to the ANC delegation that participated in an early round of CODESA, the multiparty negotiations that led to South Africa's first multi-racial elections in 1994. In the same year, at the age of 34, she was appointed deputy executive director of the Constitutional Assembly, the body that would draft South Africa's groundbreaking 1996 constitution. 1996 she was appointed Town Clerk of the Eastern Metropolitan sub-structure of the Lekoa- Vaal-metropole. [7] Three years later she became the Secretary to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and in 2000 joined the office of Bulelani Ngcuka where she became Chief Executive Officer of the National Prosecuting Authority and the accounting officer of the Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions.In 2003, amidst a public spat between the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Jacob Zuma, South Africa's then-disgra ced deputy president, anonymous letters were sent to the Public Service Commission (PSC) accusing Sparg, her deputy Beryl Simelane and integrity unit head Dipuo Mvelase (also Deputy Chairperson of the South African Communist Party) of tender-rigging, corruption and nepotism. The Commission found no criminal wrongdoing and referred the matter to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development – the parent body of the NPA.The Department head instituted 30 charges against the three women. South Africa's Financial Mail would describe the allegations as ‘bizarre' after the charges were withdrawn at the formal disciplinary hearing, only to be reinstated two days later. They would be officially dropped in early 2007. In June 2007 she resigned from the NPA to take up employment in the private sector. Marion has since joined Draftfcb Social Marketing, a division of Draftfcb SA.

Sumerian Language

Sumerians Contribution Have you ever thought of where math, writing, and governments were invented? The Sumerians invented math, science, writing, and astronomy. The Sumerians were the first civilization on earth. Around 4,000 B. C. E the people called Sumerians moved into Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East. The Sumerians built massive city walls, Ziggurats (similar to pyramids but used for worshipping), canals, etc. Many people don’t know about how greatly the Sumerians have contributed to our society.Looking at math, writing, and governments we will see how the Sumerians have influenced today’s society. First of all, Sumerians were the first to invent math. The Sumerians used a â€Å"sexagesimal system,† which basically means that everything based on the number 60 (Krupp). The mathematician Duncan J. Melville from St. Lawrence University said that â€Å"the system is striking for its originality and simplicity. â₠¬  The reasons why the Sumerians picked 60 as their base remains unknown; however, the idea was developed from an earlier, â€Å"More complex system known from 3200 B. C. n which the positions in a number alternated between 6 and 10 as bases. For a system that might seem even more deranged, if it weren’t so familiar, consider this way of measuring length with four entirely different bases: 12 little units, called inches, make a foot, 3 feet make a yard, and 1,760 yards make a mile. Over a thousand years, the Sumerian alternating-base method was simplified into the sexagesimal system, with the same symbol standing for 1 or 60 or 3,600, depending on its place in the number, [†¦] just as 1 in the decimal system denotes 1, 10 or 100, depending on its place† (Wade).Then later on Babylonians adopted the system and used it to calculate time: the â€Å"1:12:33† on a computer clock means 1 (x 60 squared) seconds + 12 (x 60) seconds + 33 seconds, which we still use today. This is the reason why modern day civilization measures an hour in 60 minutes and 1 minute in 60 seconds. The sexagesimal system enabled the Sumerians to calculate roots, multiply into millions, and use fractions. Modern-day math still uses aspects of this system (Wade).Next, according to the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, writing emerged in many different cultures throughout the ancient world, it wasn’t the creation of one people; however, the Sumerians are credited with inventing the earliest form of writing around 3,500 B. C. E. The Sumerians writings on stone tablets started off as just simple pictures and pictograms that represented objects or ideas (see Figure 1). Soon after the Sumerians simplified the pictograms into wedge-shaped signs which is called cuneiform writing (â€Å"Ancient Mesopotamia: The Invention of Writing†). The invention of writing was the dawn of the information revolution. This great technological advance allowed news and ideas to be carried to distant places without having to rely on a messenger's memory. Like all inventions, writing emerged because there was a need for it. In Mesopotamia, it was developed as a record-keeping vehicle for commercial transactions or administrative procedures. There are also texts that served as â€Å"copy books† for the education of future scribes.Eventually, cuneiform script was used to produce some of the greatest literary works in recorded history† (â€Å"Ancient Mesopotamia: The Invention of Writing†). We got the alphabet that we used today because after the Sumerians in Mesopotamia started writing, it spread to Egypt, and by 1500 B. C. E. it spread to China, and from then on people were â€Å"scribbling, sketching, and telling [the] world about their culture in a very permanent way† (Whipps). As writing spread, people developed their own styles, forms, and way of writing.Another invention that we still use today is government. I le arned from studying world history that the Sumerians needed a way to maintain order, organize work forces, and keep crimes from happening because Mesopotamia was a very large city with many artifacts and valuables. The Sumerians were able to build large defensive walls, roads, canals, ditches, and dikes that ran throughout Mesopotamia because of the organized labor, which was possible because they had a government. â€Å"Now, government is what keeps the world from becoming a place of anarchy and chaos† (â€Å"government†).Government affects us now because we elect officials that represent out beliefs on how the United States should be run. America would be nothing without a government. We can thank the Sumerians because with a government America is a superpower and prosperous (â€Å"government†). In conclusion, without the inventions of math, writing, government, and many more we would have a chaotic world. Sumerians invented arithmetic, a number system, cuneif orm writing that many have adopted and changed, and a government to keep the Empire together.Without the inventions of the Sumerians we would be set back a couple thousand years today. Citations â€Å"Ancient Mesopotamia: The Invention of Writing. †Ã‚  The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. N. p.. Web. 13 Dec 2012. ;http://oi. uchicago. edu/OI/MUS/ED/TRC/MESO/writing. html;. â€Å"Government. †Ã‚  The World History Hall of Fame. N. p.. Web. 13 Dec 2012. ;http://worldhistoryfame. tripod. com/id8. html;. Krupp, E. C. â€Å"Going Like Sixty. †Ã‚  Sky ; Telescope. 2007: n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? [email  protected];vid=1;hid=28;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ== Wade, Nicholas. â€Å"An Exhibition That Gets to the (Square) Root of Sumerian Math. †Ã‚  New York Times. 22 2010: n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. nytimes. com/2010/11/23/science/23babylon. html? _r=0;. Whipps, Heather. â€Å"How Writing Changed the World. â€Å"LiveScience. 10 2008: n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. livescience. com/2283-writing-changed-world. html;. Figure 1: Sumerian Tablets With Semi-Pictographic Writing

Knowledge Management and Organizational Competencies Dissertation

Knowledge Management and Organizational Competencies - Dissertation Example This research is planned to be carried out from the perspective of our school, The Commonwealth Secondary School Singapore. Given that this is an educational institution, knowledge management forms the key business system for the school in delivering against learning & development objectives of the students of the school. The school has multiple knowledge elements – Teacher’s notes, modules & class lessons, books & journals, past researches & dissertations by ex-students, white papers, essays, etc. It would be very interesting to evaluate how they have been organized in the school’s library system and how useful the knowledge management system has been to the students of all levels taking various courses and also for the teachers for their reference material in preparing for the classes. An old theory by Jeremy Hope & Tony Hope presented the three waves of Economic Change - agriculture wave that strengthened global economies based on the green revolution, industr ial wave that strengthened global economies based on the industrial revolution and the Information wave (modern wave) that is in the process of strengthening the global economies based on knowledge revolution. In order to achieve the best of the third wave, organizations need to implement a management system for conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit and then sanitize, organize and present them for the benefits of the business. Conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit requires overcoming of cultural barriers.

Can Values and Morality have Different Meanings Essay

Can Values and Morality have Different Meanings - Essay Example Even though Henri claimed to be French he was not so in reality. In other words, Henri is described as cunning character in this novel. Steinbeck tells us that Mack and the boys can be viewed as antisocial elements by a society; but in reality these antisocial elements also hold some positive elements. Society may consider them as "sons of bitches", but Steinbeck likes to labels them as "the Virtues, the Graces, and the Beauties of the hurried mangled craziness of Monterey" (Steinbeck p.18). Steinbeck tries to judge them based on what they truly are rather than what they do. In his opinion, what they do cannot be taken as a measure to label them as antisocial elements since they are not doing any immoral activities intentionally. Steinbeck blames society for the making of Mack and the boys as antisocial elements. In his opinion, when people are deprived of freedom and virtue, they may engage in antisocial behaviors. Doc is portrayed as a loveable character in this novel. Even aggress ive people like Mack and his company were very much attracted by the personal behaviors of Doc. In the novel, Cannery Row, Mack and his friends are trying to do something nice to their loyal friend Doc, who actually demanded nothing from them. The intentions of Mack and his friends were positive; but the Thank you party organized by Mack and his allies ended up in a disaster because of their own fault. In other words, Mack and his friends tried to demonstrate the value of friendship; however, they failed to demonstrate in an ethical manner. Steinbeck reminds us that even successful people in this world may have both bad health and bad souls because they "tear themselves to pieces with ambition, nervousness, and covetousness"(Steinbeck, 133). In his opinion, it is better to live naturally rather than artificially. In other words, keeping something in the mind and doing something exactly opposite to that cannot be labeled as a moral activity. Of course by doing so, a person can uphold the integrity of values publicly, but it should be remembered that he is doing something opposite to his instincts. For example, in our society we can see so many people who admire celebrities publicly and criticize them privately. Such activities cannot be labeled as moral activities even though it can be perceived as valuable activities. According to Steinbeck, the essence of humanity is living naturally based on instincts. In that sense, Mack and the boys can be considered as successful men, since they tried to live naturally. â€Å"Henri loves boats, but he is afraid of the oceans"(Steinbeck, p.37). Steinbeck tries to ridicule the attitudes of the public through these words. A boat is intended to use in oceans. If it stays on land, it may become useless. The utility of the boat can be exploited only if it is used in water or ocean. Steinbeck compares people who are living unnaturally to a boat staying on land. There are many people who try to live in accordance with the social norms even though their instincts are against it. For example, there are many people who like to have more than one wife at the same time. But the social norm is to have only one wife at a time. Even though, people like to have more than one wife, they forced to live with one wife alone. Such things are upholding social values, but it cannot be

Management Society and new forms of work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Society and new forms of work - Essay Example Analysis The author draws on the real subsumption notion of Marxism. This argument claims that the capitalistic regime will eventually be hard pressed to absorb all the labour it produces. The author claims that the phenomena in the digital/new economy whereby internet users become active participants in the development of content and/or software (Terranova 2004). The argument here is that many difficulties arise from this relationship. While the difficulties may present a problem, under close inspection, this argument collapses in view of Adam Smith’s contention that man is driven by his own desire to better his/her lot and society becomes better as a result (Raphael 1985). It can thus be argued that the content developing users of the internet are only striving to make the sites better off for them and in the process benefitting all of us. This is a significant improvement in innovativeness that has been brought about by the interconnectivity in the new business environments . The traditional organization structures are changing. With the emergence of new thoughts and bold maverick entrepreneurs emerging to experiment with new structures and often emerging successful, more and more companies are bond to pick up the trend. Andrew Ross’s study of the ‘silicon valley’ analyzed companies like Razorfish which had open managements and was able to induce over enthusiasm in its workers and increase production (Ross 1988). These advances redefine management and employer employee relations and have succeeded in making workers feel ownership more than traditional setups. This is a direct rebuttal by the innovative capitalists to its opponents of the sixties who argued that labour in capitalist states was repetitive and dull. With the new age of information technology, one does not even require to have met their boss; a company can outsource certain functions across continents without anybody having left the office. This has resulted in more fle xible and stimulating working experiences and the productivity of all parties becomes markedly enhanced. Influences of the management theory reform movement have informed most of the new economy’s decisions. The emphasis on the value of giving workers more liberty in driving the production process through new management structure has paid off. Decentralized institutions and ones which delegate a lot has proved to be more productive in the long run. Arguably, this draws from the ‘biological turn’ discovery. The argument that it is possible to contain and direct human effort and the creativity of the masses has considerable promise, elective and moderate application of pressure is the means to achieving this. It is highly possible to harness production from workforces without necessarily having the congregated at a particular territory. As such even the office as we know it today is bound to change. With this in mind, it can also be said that the Bionomic view of t he economy as a chaotic but self organizing ecology and organizations intelligent and social beings and that the ultimate boost to the bottom line will come from organizational learning. Looking at the internet as an example of this, a lot of truth in the view is evidenced. The internet expands and mutates without the control of any planners, managers, and in essence not a single person in charge. This can be a reference for any company that favors bottom

The Trusted Traveler Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Trusted Traveler Program - Essay Example The â€Å"Trusted Traveler" program in essence was made to facilitate the frequent flyers that could include all the business entrepreneurs, government officials and employees as well as other selected individuals who could get their easy way off as regards to airport security checks. The Trusted Traveler program is undoubtedly a good idea when we literally think about it in the first go, but it is also a source of problems on the part of the security people who are present at the airports and are responsible for everything as they are at the helm of affairs when we talk about security and its long checks. This program can have its disadvantages if say for instance a terrorist gets hold of a Trusted Traveler card, would he or she still be unstoppable. The same goes true if he or she is carrying some explosives or weapons on board, would the person be allowed to board the flight? There are serious questions that can be posed with respect to the Trusted Traveler program. The â€Å"Trusted Traveler† program is in the process of being studied thoroughly by the American Senate and would soon, hopefully is put into practice so that American flyers could get extra privileges when they think of security and ease of actions at the airport and within the flights. The reason why this program has not been approved as yet owes to the fact that there are a number of glitches and loopholes through which terrorists and criminals can run off scotch free, thus delaying the whole process. Once these problems are addressed in the broader context of the airline security and with meticulous attention paid to the ease of the passengers, this program would pretty surely be in place for one and all to enjoy and witness at the airports, in the coming times. As regards to passenger authentication, it usually entails the corroboration of passenger ID, which includes from his beginning as a passenger is transited through the airport and

The Last Mountain Movie (Mountain top removal) Essay

The Last Mountain Movie (Mountain top removal) - Essay Example The process results in both air and water pollution, which is not just local but also has the potential to spread across states. Huge amounts of coal sludge is generated, which when spilled, pollute local rivers. Local wells and springs are contaminated with heavy metals. Moreover, freshwater fish from water bodies around such locations are unsafe for consumption due to the risk of mercury poising. The process also damages the homes of local residents by causing floods as the natural drains such as waterways and streams have been buried in the process. The process also results in the depletion of forest cover, which would have otherwise existed on the mountains. The use of explosives for blasting the mountain tops leaves behind vast amounts of toxic wastes, and the resultant rubble along with silica dust or fly ash often finds its way into people’s homes as the wastes are dumped down the valley. Thus, the ecological balance and safety of the local environment is affected in a very adverse way. The local people have been affected in terms of both health and economy. The pollution caused during the process of mountain top removal and coal mining results in innumerable adverse effects on human health. Common health complications include brain damage, breathing disorders and cancers. As pointed out in Bill Haney’s The Last Mountain, every year in the US, emissions from the coal plants result in more than 10 million cases of asthma, 600,000 cases of brain damage in newborn children, apart from 43,000 premature deaths. Brain tumors and autism are common in such localities. The homes of the local residents undergo destruction because of flooding and rubble dumped into the valley. A large number of people lose their jobs due to increasing mechanization of coal mining. As big coal companies have replaced manual labor and jobs with machines, the number of local jobs has been brought down significantly.

Created or intended identity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Created or intended identity - Coursework Example The aim of this research was to determine how women form their identities in today's modern atmosphere, to understand how these identities shift and change over time and with age and finally to discover the positive or negative effects of changes on a woman's perception of herself as a result of the world's perception of her. Sociological imagination is the way in which we stratify ourselves within our society and plays a large role in how we create our own identity. By linking our own personal experience with the collective understanding of what that represents, we classify not only ourselves but others within specific social groups. Three aspects of the sociological imagination include class, race and gender. Class is based upon a variety of factors including profession, income levels and educational attainment. People with a high level of education are typically seen as holding higher level professional positions which typically pay at higher rates than more commonly educated individuals. This is, of course, not always the case, but remains one of the ways in which we determine our rank in association with those around us. While class is, to some extent, quite flexible, race and gender remain relatively constant and difficult to change. Race is determined based primarily upon physical characteristics, but can also be influenced by ethnic concerns. Generally, ethnicity is considered to refer to your national origin, language, religion, dietary practices or common historical heritage. While race is inherited through a person's genes, ethnicity is inherited through the process of socialization from one generation to the next. Similarly, gender is a learned identification with a particular biological sex - male or female - while sexuality refers to the way in which people organize their world based on sexual identity. Using the sociological imagination, it can be seen that before identity can be fully determined, one must have an understanding of where they stand in the world, which typically depends upon an understanding of some element of society as the lowest or inferior. Throughout recent history, white males have held most of the power in society, first because the more technologically advanced countries were predominantly peopled by white people and controlled by white men and later, because of their subjugation of other nations thanks to their advanced tools and weapons. By withholding education and opportunity from people with color and from women, white men were able to retain their power and establish a system in which women and people of color were seen to be socially inferior. By setting those with color socially below white people, even the lower class was able to feel superior to someone. Through the same channels, men managed to dominate over women. Women were socially constrained within homes, legally oppressed and deprived of an education throughout a great deal of history, thus keeping them at low levels of the social scale. These social stratifications help the individual to place themselves within the greater world just as the various behaviours the individual participates in help to define

Oscar Wilde was the fashion critic and editor of the magazine the Essay - 1

Oscar Wilde was the fashion critic and editor of the magazine the woman's world(1887-1889). Analize this contribution to fashion criticism - Essay Example Grundy’s play is one among many artistic works that depicted the woman’s position in the society. Another evidence of womens inferiority in the 18th century portrayed through the manner in which the â€Å"lady’s world† magazine was edited before Oscar Wilde came took over the editorship (Tusan 2005, P.68). Oscar Wilde claims that the magazine had no motivational content that concerned women because content mostly contained gossips, music, art, fashion, and other common issues. Nevertheless, things changed when Oscar Wilde joined the publishing company as the editor of the magazine. The content and the appearance of the magazine never made much sense to him and that is why he transformed every bit of the magazine including its name (Schaffer 2000, p. 9). The name changed from â€Å"the lady’s world† to the â€Å"woman’s world†. Additionally, the magazine acquired a better appealing look that contained fancy pictures of modernized fashionable women. The magazine also changed its contents by including empowerment issues that aimed at uplifting women, which included women’s need for progressive education, women’s indulgence in politics, women’s involvement in the businesses of society and above all women’s equal share in dominating the world (Fortunato 2012, p. 30). This meant that the magazine transformed from its usual boring article into an empowering and informative article shunning the usual fashion content (Böker 2002, p. 44). Though critics base their critics on the fact that Wilde transformed the magazine by erasing the fashion issue, which is not the case because Oscar Wilde did not completely erase the fashion issue but rather refined it by adding more content, because evidently, he only reduced the fashion section from four to two. Prior to Wilde reducing past issues in the magazine and adding up empowering content, Wilde also incorporated women authors who greatly contributed in writing the magazine (Tusan 2005, P.68). Generally,

Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest - Essay Example The major cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is large-scale cattle ranching. Conversion of forestland to grassland in order to pave way for cattle production is widespread. The leather derived from cattle is exported to other countries while the beef is sold locally and within the highly populated urban markets. The environmentalists have pushed the government. Consequently, they have set stricter compliance regulations for cattle owners and slaughterhouses (Barbosa 2000 p. 34). Another cause of deforestation in the region is commercial agriculture and logging. The emergence of the soybean resulted into major deforestation in the Amazon. The soybean impact drove farmers deeper into the forest. In addition, rice and sugar cane farmers have also invaded the forest. Illegal logging in the forest is also widespread (Andersen 2002 p. 56). Other causes of deforestation are clearance of forest cover for hydroelectric power and mining of mineral, oil and gas. Furthermore, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. Its high population, rampant rate of urbanization and economic growth has made farmers invade the Amazon. Recent studies reveal that the destruction of the Amazon in every minute is an area equal to 50 football pitches (Carrington 2013 p. 1). Environmentalists fear that if this trend continues, approximately 20% of the forests tree cover will be lost in the next twenty years resulting into the crumble of the forests’

Holiday Sales May Be Frightful Essay Example for Free

Holiday Sales May Be Frightful Essay The article â€Å"Holiday Sales May Be Frightful, But Discounts Will Be Delightful† discusses tough holiday season for retailers because Christmas sales are expected to increased up to 4%. Nevertheless, the season is claimed to be soft and sluggish. This season is, actually, slower compared with sales of the previous year. The decrease in sales is explained by macroeconomic problems as, for example, house slump and credit crunches which negatively affect customers. The author cites Niemira who argues that â€Å"a huge worry facing the holiday season is that the home-price decline and housing wealth decline will cut into consumer spending broadly†. I think the article is informative and provides up-to-date information as practically all people are interested in making purchases. It is known that one of the most popular leisure activities in American consumer is shopping. People are ready to spend money on things they are willing to possess, but housing problems make it less affordable for many citizens. All aspects of consumerism are paid thorough attention by marketing workers and economic analysts. I think the author is very logical and unbiased as the author firstly defines the problem and then explains what reasons have led to it. Credit crunch and housing problem, in my opinion, are two the most serious problems. For example, the author says: â€Å"the credit crunch makes it harder for all households, especially low-income families, to refinance and get other credit†. Apparently, the poor have been disproportionately hurt by high fuel prices. I think that the author does sense in his argument and suggestions. Moreover, all his ideas are properly supported by evidence and explanations of analysis and economists.

Travel Writers Perspectives on India

Travel Writers Perspectives on India CONCLUSION To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries. Aldous Huxley The quote by Aldous Huxley stands relevant for all the travel writers, and it is not done consciously. While representing another country, the travel writer is actually reproducing his own ideas and perspective through series of events and encounters. These ideas can no way be separated from presumptions and prejudices. However, the travel writer does not every time tend to exhibit his prejudices but human psychology is not created over a year or so, but the ideologies are set in a course of centuries. These ideologies works as a steering force for the traveller. At the time of imperialism, India was represented by English authors with a need of authenticating their rule; moreover, it was the representation of ruled by the ruler. Hence, the early English travel writings exhibit conscious reproduction of the prejudices. With the change of time, India ceased to be the imperial colony and so ceases the need of deliberately contesting and detesting, everything and anything present in Ind ian society and Indian culture. Though, the travel writings witnessed a shift, still, India was represented under a guided rule of ‘imperial nostalgia’. English society kept on looking at the subcontinent through imperial eyes. The separate identity of India was never set up. By the time the travellers moved in 21st century, things changed drastically, there was an upheaval in critical theories and economies of all the countries. This changed the travellers’ outlook towards the british colonies. The travellers could now be divided into two categories; one is that of historians and anthropologists, the other is that of creative writers. William Dalyrymple, can be put in the first category, and this category viewed India not only through their perspective but through the well researched facts and events. Dalyrymple witnesses India as the history buried in ruins and his travel writings showcase his attitude of making sense of present in the light of past through rui ns. The second category caters to their needs of creative writings, they present India through the series of stories, and the authenticity of these stories can always be contested. Both Naipaul and Theroux come under this category and both of them present India through series of stories either encountered by them while travelling or told to them by the natives. None of their narratives produce the proof any authentication to the details as actual encounters or the concocted story to give life to some effect. Moreover, the traveller is always aware of his ideas and the theme of his writing; he is well acquainted with the writing to come, and the narrative to construct. This somehow encourages the traveller to look for, and gather the events and encounters under the heading of one general truth. It is unquestionable fact that the travel writer’s vision is already objective. He is well aware about the story and the effect his book is going to produce and in taking up one goal or theme for the work, he obviously take care of so many things like the market and readers, and his stories, events and encounters are centralized to produce a book for his market. Therefore, much of the travel books ends up making a countable encounters and affects, the clichà ©s of their book. It is always that the projected narrative structures the very process of his travelling and not the vice versa. However, it cannot be denied that the narrative produced by the travel writer is not merely the representation by the author of his encounters but the writer himself is very much available throughout the narrative. It becomes his representation also, his personality, his tastes and ideologies could be seen through his travel narratives. For instance, Darlymple’s references to various literary and non – literary sources prove him as a â€Å"New Historicist† who intentionally chases the principles of ‘New Historicism†, a theory initiated by Stephen Gr eenblatt. Darlymple’s narrative skills demonstrate him as an exact delegate of new critical theory. Though he plays a dual role in exposing British towards Indians, he tries to bring the real history at every touch. It appears as if he believes that a striking event or anecdote has the effect of arousing skepticism about grand historical narratives or essentializing descriptions of a historical period. So he has taken into consideration countless views without neglecting any micro details. He tries to comprehend the present in the rocks and records of past. His simplicity at confering both the physical temporal spaces of the capital of India makes him an ideal guide to its past and present. Concisely, one can attribute him as the true follower of the concept of ‘New Historicism’ with no second thoughts. It is through colonial nostalgia that western travel writers of the postcolonial era perpetuate the colonial ideology of British benevolence and superiority. Though British Empire has retreated from its former colonies since long, the stereotypical and derogatory representation of India in Western travel writings still exist. Although contemporary travel writers attempt to undermine the colonial discourse, they cannot help adopting a superior approach while describing their former colonies and people. This can be prominently seen in the travel narratives of V.S Naipaul and Paul Theroux. William Dalrymple, whose account is delightful narration of Indian history through the ruins of monuments and Indian tradition, his writings on India are no exception to it. He presents hijras as ruins of historical eunuchs in City of Djinns. Through this, Dalyrymple could be seen representing the country as exotic and technologically backward to that of European countries. He claims that, â€Å"Yet today eunuchs have apparently died out everywhere except in the subcontinent†¦ In all there are thought to be some three-quarters of a million of them are surviving† (Djinns 170) presents the country as unchanging and mysterious despite globalization. He narrates the story of Indian backwardness and European advancements in technology through his unconscious comparison; he quotes such eunuchs â€Å".have full sex change. But in India the technology for this does not exist† (Djinns 180). Such representations reflect the ideology where West is viewed as innovative, modernized, followed and superior to the East and this western consumerism is seen as a weakness of the non-western people. This establishes a fact that no one can totally snap out the relation with his past. Countries are travelled, interpreted and represented through the comparisons with more powerful and this immediately puts the weaker country at a place of neglect and ignorance. This however, does not mean that the representations are always wrong or myths. The biggest reality and hard luck of the subcontinent is the faulty Indian bureaucracy and the administration, this finds high ranking in the list of negatives in all the travel writings about India. The travellers could see the faults more prominently than any development or the fight for identity by the Indian subcontinent, could be explained through the following quote. The profound hypocrisy and inherent barbarism of bourgeois civilization lies unveiled before our eyes, turning from its home, where it assumes respectable forms, to the colonies, where it goes naked. Did they not, in India, to borrow an expression of that great robber, Lord Clive himself, resort to atrocious extortion, when simple corruption could not keep pace with their rapacity? While they prated in Europe about the inviolable sanctity of the national debt, did they not confiscate in India the dividends of the rajahs, who had invested their private savings in the Company’s own funds? While they combated the French revolution under the pretext of defending â€Å"our holy religion,† did they not forbid, at the same time, Christianity to be propagated in India, and did they not, in order to make money out of the pilgrims streaming to the temples of Orissa and Bengal, take up the trade in the murder and prostitution perpetrated in the temple of the Juggernaut? These are the men of â€Å"Property, Order, Family, and Religion.† Karl Marx, The New-York Daily Tribune. 22 July, 1853 The hypocrisy of west has been an important part of their rhetoric. It is through this hypocrisy that they have succeeded in establishing an ideal face back home while being atrocious and ignorant about the rest of the world. They have established themselves as superiors and the role has now transformed with time from that of rulers to the helpers still maintain the supremacy and travel narratives has ever played a vital role in doing that. No doubt with time the prejudiced side of the travel writers has eventually faded out giving birth to new unbiased travel writers like William Dalyrymple but still the imperial nostalgia could be sensed guiding their writings. The problem actually does not lie in the representations but the tag of non-fiction given to them, a reader immediately tends to consider the narrative as something which has actually happened with the authors and thus the book becomes an authentic representation of the visited society by a person of high intellect and the f irst hand experiences. The reader starts looking at the narrative as the fact file about the place. This is evident in the travel narratives about India, all the three writers’ repeat almost similar events and problems in the country hence emblematising them for the nation. Failure of beauracracy, traffic rules, might is right, VVIP system everything is given a due importance in the representations. However, not everyone has encountered these problems, Theroux has seen India through the window of train and on the platforms and there only he starts comparing the caste division in Indian society with the class system in trains. All the three writers can be seen witnessing what actually they wanted to see. William Dalyrymple, being a historian sees history everywhere in Delhi and he turns up as an admirer of the city as he goes into depth of the roots of the city. Despite of the fact that all three represents almost the same scenarios but the show amplified gap between the persp ectives and the observations made by a historian, which is William Dalyrymple, an Indian Diasporic writer, V.S. Naipaul and a western writer, Paul Theroux. India is seen through different perspectives by different authors, hence represented differently. Their exist a between cultural translations and the representational fallacies of contact zones. Cultural translations are done while writing a travel narrative and the motive behind them is the key to understand these fallacies which may be understood as misrepresentations or missed representations. It is true that certain factors about the nation can be so generalized by the natives that they go un-noticed by them but are immediately caught by the foreign observer. However, this is to be understood that there are certain factors which are missed by these travellers also, reason may be any. Dalyrymple’s books City of Djinns and The Age of Kali both mentions the problems he has faced while living in India, as a developing country. The problems range from water, electricity, traffic jams to hassles at the passport office, but his books does not concentrate only on these problems. Along with this he unfailingly states about the prospects in this country, he talks about the rich history whereas, Naipaul states it as a country without any history. Theroux rely on his own western knowledge about the subcontinent imbibed by him through books and friends like Naipaul. This becomes an evident truth when Theroux fails to touch even the edges of his detailed studies. Dalrymple agrees that there will always be certain things which he as a writer will not be able to understand but then his curiosity to understand them makes him even a keener observer of his surroundings and a sharp researcher. William Dalyrymple visited India when he was very young in January 1984 and since then, never left India rather he is reluctant to live anywhere else. In an interview he said, â€Å"I’ve never looked back†¦ never really left India,’’ and that, â€Å"I am obsessed with the country and just cannot think of living anywhere else,’’ The India which seems to be a place of degradation to Naipaul and vulnerable place for westerner to Paul, for Dakyrymple, it has been a country rich of past and enthusiastic towards future. He said , â€Å"Living in India has been so enriching. If I had maybe five more lives I’d want to live in India and I’d find more and more stories to write about.’’ No, there are millions of Indias. Everybody has their own India and I think it’s a nonsense construction, â€Å"a real India†. The real India might be the India of the villages and certainly there’s a lot to be said of the fact that India’s heart lies in its villages.interview These lines spoken by Dalyrymple in an interview provides the conclusion, that India is such a vast country, with huge diversity that it would be nonsense to state that one person knows everything about the subcontinent. Despite of regular and untiring researches, still something somewhere will always be left worth mentioning. Moreover, the truth of one generation has to become a myth for the next generation and due to this, the travel writings can never be considered authentic for long period of time. Thus, Travel books start losing their authenticity with time, most trustworthy account will turn as a lie or at least will appear as biased representation. All the three writers, detest their own observations on their re-arrival in the subcontinent. Though they give the name of development or change to it, still it points out to the fact that no representation can ever be said ‘true’ or ‘fact’. Moreover, the fictitious character of these non-fictions is define d by these authors themselves. â€Å"Travel writing is the lowest form of literary self-indulgence: dishonest complaining, creative mendacity, pointless heroics, and chronic posturing, much of it distorted with Munchausen syndrome† (Ghost Train to the Eastern Star 1) As far as India is concerned, all the three writers represent it according to their need and necessity, V.S. Naipaul’s quest of finding his ties with the subcontinent and finally declaring himself, the man of nation, owing to his alienness to the place, Theroux observations through the window of trains, platforms and railway bazaars, and Dalytymple’s insight in the history of mughal India through its ruins and the colonial nostalgia, could be seen clearly through their works. The development of the subcontinent holds different meaning, therefore different representation for all of them, Naipaul see it as degradation, as the end of Gandhian India, Theroux see it as mimicry of west and Naipaul finds it as change of historical era, with history turning into ruins and new face of India, ignorant of the history, coming forward. All the three authors see India according to their own perspectives which definitely are guided by their cultural, national and scholarly background. None of them could see the subcontinent in isolation, hence unbiased. India has sometimes represented, sometimes misrepresented and majority of the time, it is the victim of missed representations. Things are missed due to either lack of research, over generalisation of the facts and sometimes the traveller could not see some facts ordinarily available around, due to his intensive comparison of the subcontinent to the west. Through these travel writings India has undergone a process of emblematization , certain features have been made the emblem for India like poverty, squatters, filth, dirt and corruption. It is not to say that these things are not present but the argument is there are certain other things too that need a mention. The details about India represented in these narratives were the result of previously chalked out plan of travelling and representing. Each writer has represented exactly what they had decided to represent and this has been demonstrated through the analy sis of the texts and titles. India has been translated by the authors and not represented; no country can ever be represented as there are numerous interfering forces which can never allow the representation to be unbiased and accurate. Thus, the narratives are translation as they provide actual translation of whatever is understood by them, word to word, event to event, with no reference to the past and present of the events. They see waters in temples stagnating and they translate this fact as observed by them without even considering the reasons for the stagnation when the sanctity still holds. If it would have been a representation, it would have been a bigger project of finding the roots for this massive shift, from sanctity to stagnation. However, whatever is produced by them has to be taken as true account, â€Å"As Greenblatt reminds us, the eyewitness, real or not, functions rhetorical strategy to persuade the reader of the â€Å"authenticity† of what is reported† (Holland and Huggan 16). Through the reading of these texts one thing that comes as a prominent feature of the study, that there actually are no contact zones available, yes there can be domination zones but the idea of contact zones is itself a myth. The representation fallacies of these contact zones argue for the tag of nonfiction to be changed. India appears to be a country of shift and transformation, though the transformation according to Naipaul and Theroux is much of the mimicry of west. Still all the three authors authenticate the development, positive or negative, through their observations and translations. The conclusion of the study can be demonstrated through the figure below: Each of the author exhibits the high prejudiced approach towards the country but to elaborative affect of their previous knowledge about the subcontinent and over the course of time, when the number of visits increases this interference of their previous knowledge is reduced due to their own personal observations and this reaches a threshold after which the perspective of historian is developed. William Dalyrymple could develop a broader perspective and could see a lot which remains unrecognised by Naipaul and Theroux, owes a lot to his scholarly background of being a historian. One or two visits can never be sufficient for understanding the culture and tradition of any country. It requires an intensive acquaintance with the dynamics of myths and lores of the nation to witness and reproduce the society of one country. The present can never exist in isolation; it is always guided by the past, the belief, religions, lores and the tradition. To understand, the present one need to unders tand the past and the complete architectonics of the forming forces of the past, this does not only include the major personalities and societies but the small tribes and the people who otherwise seem to be unimportant. There exist a relation between visits and prejudices and this relation is inversely proportional. Therefore, scribbling on the paper whatever is seen can no way be authentic representation, as few months of stay in any country cannot be sufficient in reaching the threshold. This point towards the major fault of translations and that is, these translations are made after giving an ariel view to the people and their society. Representations, somehow needs much extensive and intensive digging of the past for making sense of present.

Strategies for Discrimination in Adult Community Care

Strategies for Discrimination in Adult Community Care Identify and reflect on potential strategies for addressing oppression  and unfair discrimination encountered in community care for adults. Examine the implications of this process for a social worker value base. The Audit Commission report of 1986 and the Griffiths report 1988 emphasised the need for care to become consumer-led; traditionally state run services were quickly contracted out to private and voluntary sector providers. Value-for-money became key, and community care became the favoured option over and above residential care (Blakemore, 2003). Some argued that social work values became secondary to resource-led decision-making (Banks, 1995). Negative discrimination can be defined as the attribution of negative traits or features with regard to an individual, or a group of people (Thompson 2003). Generally negative discrimination relates to social and biological constructs and can be based upon a multitude of characteristics, such as gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, class, age and so on. Negative discrimination creates situations that can lead to oppressive practices, which is defined by Thompson (2001) as: â€Å"Inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; hardship and injustice brought about by one group or another; the negative and demeaning exercise of power† (pg 34) The core principle of the NHS Community Care Act 1990 was to give people the choice, where possible, being cared for in their own home (Blackmore, 2003), and the social care field was opened to market forces; services users became consumers. However, the purchasing power of service users is disparate, dependant upon social, economic and individual variables. Adults partaking in community care are particularly vulnerable to oppression where there is an imbalance in the distribution of financial or other material resources; economic status can create real disparities in the standard of care received. Service users will often find their financial resources are controlled by their carers, placing the carer in a powerful position and disempowering the service user. This can be countered by being very open with the service user and avoiding â€Å"closed† decision-making and mystery (Topps, 2001). The service user should be involved at all levels of decision-making regarding resourc es. The Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 is encouraging as it allows local authorities to make direct payments to service users, enabling them to arrange and pay for their own care package. This is a positive step forward in empowering community care service users. It is also important for practitioners and carers to consider their use of language and its potential effects. Dehumanizing and medicalised language can result in a loss of esteem and a sense of disempowerment for the any service user, particularly those with intellectual impairments who maybe less able to understand medical terms. This can be prevented by avoiding jargon and providing lots of opportunities for questions and open discussion. Carers and social services staff should continually check themselves for use of infantilising language and ensure they engage in mature, adult discourse with service users. An example of dehumanizing language that is still used regularly in care setting is the term â€Å"manual handling†. Many physically impaired service users have reported this term as degrading (Elder-Woodward, 2001), as the implication is that the person is an object to be handled. The term â€Å"moving and assisting† is more widely accepted now. We should also consider the power that is implied through the assumption that â€Å"professionals† have superior medical knowledge, skills and expertise in relation to the community care service user. Often, care plans are based upon the medical model; the impairment is seen as the problem and the service users dependence is emphasized (Adams et al, 2002). Thompson (2001) says social work should take a â€Å"demedicalised† stance and look past the pathology, utilizing the social model of disability as described by Adams et al (2002). The social model suggests the service users needs should be considered in a much wider context, ensuring their social and mental health are given equal consideration to their medical needs. Viewing societal constraints as the problem, and not the individual, creates the frame of mind to consider how to remove barriers to mainstream social, political and economic life. Social workers should liase with service users and look towards a solutio n-focused (not impairment-focused) care plan whereby barriers are identified and solutions sought collaboratively, utilizing strengths. Social workers are trained to critically reflect on their practice to ensure they continually monitoring their reactions to, and engagement with, service users. Critically reflective practice is crucial in anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory work. Until recently, community carers were not trained in such practice and therefore were more likely to repeat oppressive practices over and over as they maybe not be aware of the implicit discriminatory messages of some behaviours. The issue is tackled by new regulations, which require all paid carers to hold an NVQ qualification. The NVQ requires carers to consider issues of discrimination and oppression, and look at significant elements of their own identity. It is important this training is followed up by regular supervision and support (Thompson 2003). Care can be stressful, and it is crucial that steps are taken to minimise pressure, where possible, and for managers/social workers to take the opportunity to debrief with carers as nec essary. The ability to identify and promote non-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice and procedure is a focal point of the social work value base (Training Organisation for Personal Social Services, 1989). Social workers must maintain awareness of the value base by using a variety of strategies to ensure service users are not discriminated against. The aforementioned strategies mean the social work value base is referred to, and reflected upon on a regular basis; it makes it a working, â€Å"live† document. All of the aforementioned strategies are referred to within the value base as issued raised by service users. Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices are once again key focus areas for social workers and carers alike. It is encouraging that all workers are required to consider such issues within their training and as part of their value base, and steps are being taken to empower service users by facilitating the co-ordination and funding of their own care package. It remains the case that many care-receivers live with friends/family, who ultimately are in a position of considerable power over the service user, which can lead to oppression and discrimination. References Adams, Robert et al (eds) 2002 Critical Practice in Social Work. Basingstoke, Palgrave. Banks, S (1995) Ethics and Values in Social Work. Macmillan Press LTD, London Blackmore, k (2003) Social Policy: An Introduction. 2nd Ed. Buckingham, Open University Press Elder-Woodward, J (2001) Making Sense of Community Care Recent Initiatives: A service users perspective; or, Farewell to Welfare The perspective of  an ungrateful bastard. Retrieved 16th August 2005 from: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/elderwood/CCPS paper3 (Times12).pdf Thompson, Neil (2001) Anti-discriminatory Practice 3rd Ed. Basingstoke, Palgrave. Thompson, Neil (2003) Promoting Equality: Challenging Discrimination and Oppression 2nd Ed. New York, Palgrave Training Organisation for Personal Social Services (2001) National Occupational Standards for Social Work. Topps, Leeds

Limitation :: Essays Papers

Limitation END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR MICROSOFT SOFTWARE IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY: This Microsoft End-User License Agreement (EULA) is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and Microsoft Corporation for the Microsoft software which may include online or electronic documentation ("Software") provided in the Electronic Arts software game you have acquired. By installing, copying, or otherwise using the Software you agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA. If you do not agree to the terms of this Agreement, you are not authorized to use the Software. The Software is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. The Software is licensed, not sold. 1. GRANT OF LICENSE. This EULA grants you the following rights: Microsoft grants to you the right to use copies of the Software only as part of the Electronic Arts software game that such Software was included, and only in conjunction with validly licensed copies of Microsoft operating system products [e.g., Windows ® 95; Windows NT ®]. 2. RESTRICTIONS. --You must maintain all copyright notices on all copies of the Software.--You may not distribute copies of the Software to third parties. --You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation. --You may not rent, lease, or lend the Software. --You may permanently transfer all of your rights under this EULA only in conjunction with a permanent transfer of your copy of the Electronic Arts software game in which the Software was included. 3. TERMINATION. Your rights under this EULA terminate upon the termination of your Microsoft operating system EULA, or without prejudice to any other rights, Microsoft may terminate this EULA if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of this EULA. In such event, you must destroy all copies of the Software. 4. COPYRIGHT. All title and copyrights in and to the Software and any copies thereof are owned by Microsoft or its suppliers. 5. U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. The Software is provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19, as applicable.

Duffy Little Red Cap poem :: Free Essay Writer

Duffy Little Red Cap poem In â€Å"Little Red Cap† discuss the use of imagery, syntax and structure. Plan: Introduction to the collection of poems Similarities and differences between this poem and original fairytale Imagery – how has Duffy used the words used to create pictures in the reader’s head? Syntax – word order. Why has she written sentences the way she has? Emphasis on a particular word. Structure – length of stanzas â€Å"Little Red Cap† is written by Carol Ann Duffy found in a collection of poems called â€Å"The world’s wife†, where she has given a voice to the women (fantasy characters and real people) who have generally been silent or their thoughts made clear through the voices of their husband’s or partner’s. Firstly, the title of the poem grabs your attention and reminds you of ‘Red Riding Hood’, a children’s story. This is clever, as it sets the readers mind to thinking about the story, which means that the reader can connect all of the similarities in the poem to the children’s story, for example; â€Å"What big eyes he had! What teeth!† The poem â€Å"Little red cap† is among others where Duffy has based this poem on a fairytale story, in this case, little red riding hood. However, this poem has a few differences to the original version of the story. For example, this poem uses imagery to create a very sexual feeling, where as the original fairytale was not in any way sexual, but had a more simplistic idea of ‘good – little red riding hood’ and ‘bad – the sly wolf’. The wolf in this poem is portrayed to the reader as a ‘good’ character, and Little Red Cap as the ‘sly’ one who appears to know what she is doing in order to get what she wants. In the first stanza of the poem, Duffy starts off with the metaphor â€Å"At childhood’s end†. This portrays that childhood is so powerful it has been described as a physical place. The reader can picture this place clearly because of they way she has continued to describe the â€Å"houses petered out into playing fields† â€Å"†¦till you came at last to the edge of the woods†. This makes the reader think that she is no longer an innocent child, she is independent and is now an adult. However, we find out in the second stanza that she is still only â€Å"sweet sixteen† which makes us wonder if she is really as grown-up as we first thought.

How to Be a Porn Star

We might all watch porn, but wanting to star in it is a different story — for some of us at least. While the majority of the porn-watching population would rather keep their â€Å"sexploits† hidden between the sheets, there are the rare few who want to share their unclothed talents with the world. And this fantasy isn’t so hard to achieve, thanks to the advice of porn stars Ashlynn Brooke and Shane Diesel who tell all you aspiring â€Å"performers† everything you need to know about how to audition for a porn and get your foot (amongst other things) in the door. AppearanceWhat kind of shape do you have to be in to audition for porn? Ashlynn: Fortunately, being that sex is the most natural thing in the world and everyone enjoys it, this also means that people are naturally attracted to all different body shapes, sizes, etc. I think as long as you love your body and take care of yourself, there's a certain amount of confidence and sexuality that shows through , and that will set you up for success. Be confident in your own skin! Shane: For a male it's better to be fit, athletic and well-groomed; if you look like you're fit, you most likely exercise.This carries over into your performance as far as endurance and stamina go; you don't have to look like a bodybuilder, you just need to posses a nice, fit package no matter what age you are. Performance Are you expected to perform on the spot when you audition for a porn? If so, are you expected to demonstrate the stamina/skills of a seasoned performer? Ashlynn: Yes, you’re expected to put forth a performance. Although the sex will be enjoyable, and everyone will have a great time, it isn't â€Å"home sex. † There is a level of professionalism and eroticism needed to make the scene a good one.Shane: Yes! If you have the nerves to try to be in the adult biz, then you should be able to perform like a seasoned vet. Sure, it takes time to learn everything, but you have to remember yo u have a whole crew that's depending on you. Whatever the director orders you to do, try your best to give him or her as much time and open positions as they want in order to have a great scene. Are performance supplements accepted in the industry? Ashlynn: Most of the time, supplements aren't needed. Being that I'm a girl, I definitely never use them.However, there are times when the situation isn't exactly ideal for the performers (i. e. , a scene in the desert that starts at 4 p. m. when the temperature is a smothering 95 degrees†¦ and it’s lasting until 9 p. m. when the temperature has dropped to 40 degrees). To sum it up, they're not very common, but aren't looked down upon. Shane: Supplements — yes, such as yohimbe, vitamin E, amino acids, ginseng, L-arginine, and saw palmetto. That’s a few, but there are many others that work well for other performers.If you are talking about Viagra or Cialis, then that’s something that’s not encouraged on sets, but if you need them, then you take them at your own risk and it's not provided for you. Audition Tips Ron Jeremy told us that a man's only hope of getting past the audition phase is to go with a girl. Is this true? Ashlynn: That is actually true to an extent. It's very helpful if the guy is requested by a girl/girls. It's a really good way for them to learn the way of the set, and it helps if they know the girl, making it a much easier experience for the â€Å"break† into the business.Shane: That’s pretty much true; he is dead-on about that. She's your way in the door and your comfort zone. If she is your girlfriend, then you are more comfortable working with her, plus she knows the right buttons to push to take you over the top and she will help you keep that edge. It looks great walking into any room with a hot chick on your arm. Shane and Ashlynn keep dishing on how to audition for a porn†¦ Next Page >> AskMen's Free Weekly Newsletter VIDEOS YOU MIGH T LIKE Get Six-Pack Abs With No Crunches Ben Wheatley's Tips For Cracking The F†¦ Promoted Put Some Clothes On Tha†¦ Madame NoirePromoted 30 Of The Hottest Female Athlete†¦ Rant Sports < |12| > by Taboola 67 BY ASHLYNN BROOKE & SHANE DIESEL Ashlynn Brooke & Shane Diesel LIFESTYLE CORRESPONDENTS LICENSE THIS ARTICLE Share Email Print RSS Pages: 1 2 GUYS WHO READ THIS ALSO READ Highest Paying Jobs In The U. S. (AskMen) Porno Industry (AskMen) You Need To Relax (AskMen) Promoted How to Make a Career Change Without Starting Over (Levo League) Promoted P&O Cruises' Spectacular Entertainment Both Aboard†¦ (P Cruises) [? ] HAVE YOUR SAY Read more: http://uk. askmen. com/money/how_to_400/436_how_to. html#ixzz2DdGAUGXU

Differences in Programming Language

  Answer: The significance of the programming knowledge for the company is very great since the correct choice will ensure proper connectivity, accessibility, ease of maintenance and the complexity of the software (Vine, 2005). Certain broad requirements can be obtained from the transcript of the conversation between Hugh McBride of McBride Financial Services and Abram LaBelle of Smith Systems Consulting who discussed the computer network needed for McBride’s planned offices. By programming language, we mean the set of instructions that are written and called a program and the computer processor carries out the instructions. The significance of the programming is felt on the development and maintenance cost, ease of use, easy availability of the application from different points, speed of access, features that can be provided in the application.A programming language such as Visual Basic is quite easy to learn and implement but the language does not allows for complex comput ations such as forecasting, gathering information, creating reports, etc. To perform complex operations, algorithms would have to be used and programming languages such as C++, C#, and others are very much suited. But the cost of development and maintenance would be significantly higher. These languages are called as OOPS – Object Oriented Programming Languages and they write the code around the data that has to be processed. In a majority of the cases, OOPS applications run on dedicated Intranets or WANs.The other set of programming languages are the web based languages such as Java, .NET, HTML, PHP, etc. These languages allow the application to be web based and the software used is usually freely downloadable. Another set of programming languages are centred around Unix and Linux operating systems. These are usually open source but very complex and requires a dedicated teams of developers and maintenance personnel (O'Brien, et all, 2005).2. Differences in Web Based and WANà ¢â‚¬â„¢s programming languages.Answer: There are two broad requirements, one is the website that customers, sales staff and brokers would be using and the other is the backend application that the staff would be using to complete their accounting and other tasks. The first possibilities is having a WAN that will have dedicated terminals, which can be placed in all the required areas. The terminal will be directly connected to a central server and since it is dedicated, only the Intranet of McBride Financial Services can be accessed. This kind of a system can be seen in ATMs’ and would require the application to be written in C++, have the user interface written in Delphi or other front end languages.The system would be connected to a powerful database that would be able to handle hundreds of connection requests. Systems written in C++ are very stable, crashing of the system is very rare, system response is very fast and most important since it is a dedicated Intranet, hacking is not possible and can be immediately detected. But the development cost of such systems is huge, it becomes very complex, in house software programmers are required and software programming is not a core business area of McBride Financial Services. Another alternative is to have a web based system that is written in Java or .NET. These systems also requires expensive programming but after the software is implemented, it can be easily maintained by lesser expensive teams who are not skilled enough for programming but can set right small bugs and maintain the database.The case also requires a powerful database into which information can be uploaded and downloaded as required. In both possibilities, the database would remain same and only the call procedures would be different. Since security is a major concern, very strict authentication should be forced. For each connection request, the IP number of the computer should be verified and this can be done through web-based languages. Cookies should not be stored in the client computer and this prevents the possibility of another person getting information from public computers (Turban, et all, 2002).  3. Recommendation for the applicationAnswer: A web-based system is recommended since such a system can be accessed from anywhere in the world. A system written in Java or .NET can be implemented. Such programming languages can be easily maintained and less expensive and the work of maintenance can be outsourced as per the standard industry practice where back office operations are outsourced to reliable parties at lower costs. The database can be either Oracle or IBM WebSphere since both have connectivity to the Internet and are web servers. Such servers have the optimum speed and there are lesser instances of slow speeds. Customers can access the application from cyber cafes, K Mart and other department stores and view the choices for financial plans.An online calculator can be provided that will calculate the a mount, premium, interest rates, etc. and customers can also provide their personal information. By using 128 bit encryption for authentication as used by PayPal, the chances of hackers getting into the system are very remote and this system can be stored in a central server. Employees will log into another server which will fetch data from the customers server and carry out their tasks. A robust gateway can be provided between the two servers and this further reduces hacking possibilities.To prevent the chances of crashes and data loss, it is recommended that day to day records be cached in mirror servers and this data can be written either dynamically or once in 12 hours. In the case of system crashes, data can be recovered from the mirror servers. To further prevent data loss, tape backups can be taken periodically and stored in Storage Area Networks. By providing such a system, customers and even staff can access the system from anywhere and use secure login and authentication. I f there is an unusually high suspicious activity in the network, then this can be seen as a hacking attempt and the system can be stopped either manually or through programs. Web based application will ensure that all the requirements are met (Olson, 2006).   

Case Digest Aglipay vs Ruiz

Facts: In May 1936, the Director of Posts announced in the dailies of Manila that he would order the issuance of postage stamps commemorating the celebration in the City of Manila of the 33rd International Eucharistic Congress, organized by the Roman Catholic Church. The petitioner, Mons. Gregorio Aglipay, Supreme Head of the Philippine Independent Church, in the fulfillment of what he considers to be a civic duty, requested Vicente Sotto, Esq. member of the Philippine Bar, to denounce the matter to the President of the Philippines. In spite of the protest of the petitioner’s attorney, the Director of Posts publicly announced having sent to the United States the designs of the postage for printing. The said stamps were actually issued and sold though the greater part thereof remained unsold. The further sale of the stamps was sought to be prevented by the petitioner.Issue: Whether the issuance of the postage stamps was in violation of the Constitution. Held: Religious freedom as a constitutional mandate is not inhibition of profound reverence for religion and is not a denial of its influence in human affairs. Religion as a profession of faith to an active power that binds and elevates man to his Creator is recognized. And, in so far as it instills into the minds the purest principles of morality, its influence is deeply felt and highly appreciated.When the Filipino people, in the preamble of their Constitution, implored â€Å"the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a government that shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the patrimony of the nation, promote the general welfare, and secure to themselves and their posterity the blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty and democracy,† they thereby manifested their intense religious nature and placed unfaltering reliance upon Him who guides the destinies of men and nations.The elevating influence of religion in human society is recognized here as elsewhere. Act 4052 contemplates no religious purpose in view. What it gives the Director of Posts is the discretionary power to determine when the issuance of special postage stamps would be â€Å"advantageous to the Government. † Of course, the phrase â€Å"advantageous to the Government† does not authorize the violation of the Constitution; i. e. o appropriate, use or apply of public money or property for the use, benefit or support of a particular sect or church. In the case at bar, the issuance of the postage stamps was not inspired by any sectarian feeling to favor a particular church or religious denominations. The stamps were not issued and sold for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Church, nor were money derived from the sale of the stamps given to that church.The purpose of the issuing of the stamps was to take advantage of an event considered of international importance to give publicity to the Philippines and its people and attract more tourists to the country. Thus, ins tead of showing a Catholic chalice, the stamp contained a map of the Philippines, the location of the City of Manila, and an inscription that reads â€Å"Seat XXXIII International Eucharistic Congress, Feb. 3-7, 1937. † The Supreme Court denied the petition for a writ of prohibition, without pronouncement as to costs.

Renaissance and Reformation

Renaissance and Reformation Test Humanism- Classical texts from the Greek and Roman culture lead to humanism. Humanism focused on human potential and achievements. People stopped worrying about Christian teachings. Influenced artists and architects. History, Literature, and Philosophy are humanities subjects. Secular- People became concerned with the here and now Predestination- Calling's book/doctrine; Institutes of the Christian Religion states that everyone is sinful by nature and God has known from the beginning who he will save. Council of Trend- Pope Paul Ill 4th step toward reform was to call a great council of hurt leaders to Trend.Catholic Bishops and Cardinals agreed on several doctrines: 1) Church interpretation of the bible was final anyone who substituted there ideas was a heretic 2) Christians need faith and good works for salvation 3) The Bible and church traditions were both as powerful for guidance 4)luncheons were valid expressions of faith Annul- Divorce was not al lowed however the pope could annul the mirage which meaner to find proof that the mirage was never legal in the first place Recant-to take back a statement you made about something Indulgence- you pay money for an indulgence and it will take away our sin Patron-Popes who beautified the cities by spending large amounts of money 95 thesis- Luther wrote 95 theses that he thought the church should change which lead to reformation- a movement for religious reform. His teaching had 3 main ideas: 1) People could win salvation by ONLY with faith in god, the church taught that faith and â€Å"good workers† were needed for salvation 2) All church teachings should be based on the bible.The pope and church traditions were false authorities 3) All people with faith were equal therefore people didn't need priests to interpret the bible for them Edict of Worms- King Charles declared Luther of an outlaw and heretic, no one was supposed to give him food or shelter and his books were to be bur ned. However Prince Frederick gave him shelter in a castle and people began to follow his sayings; priests wore regular clothes and called themselves misters, led service in German not Latin and some ministers married, which created a new religious group called the Lutheran instead of seeking reforms against the Catholic Church.Protestant- A Christian who is not Catholic Peace of Suburbs- German princes decided if there state would be catholic or rottenest Act of Supremacy- English act of Parliament that recognized Henry VIII as the â€Å"Supreme Head† of the Church of England not the pope Anabaptist- Believed that people shouldn't be baptized into the Christian faith as children because they were not old enough to decide if they wanted to be Christian; taught that the church and the state should be separate, and they refused to fight wars.Viewing Anabaptists as radicals who threatened society both Catholics and Protestants persecuted them Peasants Revolt-peasants were excite d by Lather's revolutionary ideas and demanded an end to serfdom. The revolt horrified Luther so Luther wrote a pamphlet urging the German Princes to show no mercy, the army crushed the revolt massacring over 100,000 people. Feeling betrayed by Luther many peasants rejected his religious leadership.However through his writings he remained influential People Igniting of Loyola- Catholic reformer, wrote the Spiritual Exercises that laid out a day by day plan of meditation, prayer, and study. The pope made Igniting a religious order called the Society of Jesus Members were called Jesuits- concentrated on 3 ideas: 1) Founded schools throughout Europe. 2) Convert non-Christians toCatholicism 2) Stop Protestantism from spreading Johann Gutenberg- Reinvented movable type and the printing press- machine that presses paper against a tray full of inked movable type created the first completed bible called the Gutenberg Bible Johann Tested- Was raising money to rebuild SST. Pewter's Cathedral in Rome, he did this by selling indulgences, he gave the impression that by buying indulgences you could buy your way to heaven Martin Luther: Against Tested for selling indulgences Wrote 95 thesis attacking â€Å"Pardon Merchants† Believed you can only win salvation through faith and forgiveness of GodExcommunicated by Pope Leo X Charles V issued the Edict of Worms declaring Luther as a heretic, but Prince Frederick sheltered him in a castle Translated the New Testament to German Lutheran were his followers John Calvin: Wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion which expressed ideas about God, salvation, and human nature Called the few people that God chooses to save the â€Å"elect†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ God has known since the beginning of time who will be saved-predestination Calvinist Ruled Geneva, Switzerland with theocracy (government ruled by religious leaders) Geneva was a city of high moral because of how strict he wasHenry VIII: Married to Catherine of Argon and has a dau ghter named Mary but wants a divorce so he can have a son to be the heir to the throne Pope refused to annul his marriage so he called together a session with the reformation Parliament and asked to pass a set of laws that ended the pope's power in England Act of Supremacy made the king the head of the Church of England, not the pope Closed monasteries and increased total power Anne had a daughter named Elizabeth so he imprisoned her in a tower and beheaded her 3rd wife gave him his son, Edward Erasmus:Christian humanist from Holland who wrote The Praise of Folly which made fun of greedy merchants, heartsick lovers, quarrelsome scholars, and pompous priests Believes in Christianity of the heart Wrote in Latin In order to improve society, all people should study the Bible Catherine of Argon- Married to Henry VII never had a boy so Henry wanted to annul the marriage at first the pope said no because she did not want to offend the Holy Roman Empire Charles V but later after Henry VII p ut in the Act of Supremacy- Made the English King the head of church not the pope the marriage was annulled Pope Leo X- excommunicated Luther after 95 thesis Artists: Donated- Made sculptures more realistic by carving natural postures and expressions carved the statue David Leonardo De Vinci- Artistic scientist, painted Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, A True â€Å"Renaissance Man† Raphael- Learned from Leonardo De Vinci and Michelangelo, Painted the walls of Julius II Library, Painted School of Athens, conveys the classical literature of the Renaissance and shows classical and Renaissance figures together Michelangelo- Sculpted David second, glorified the human body and explored Renaissance theme of human potential, minted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Scientific artist, true â€Å"Renaissance man† Jan Van Check- Italian Renaissance, Oil-based Paintings very realistic Writers: Machiavelli- Wrote The Prince which said a prince must be strong as a lion and shrewd as a fox, he might have to trick his enemy's and even his own people for the good of the state, he was not concerned with the morally right but with the politically effective Castigation-published The Courtier with the help of Aviators Cologne Sir Thomas Moore- Christian Humanists, he was concerned with society's flaws, wrote Utopia about an imaginary land inhabited by a peace-loving people.In Greek Utopia meaner â€Å"no place† but in English it has come to mean ideal place because of Mores book Vocal Perspective- AD art Vernacular- Native language Anglican- Anglican Church= only legal Church of England Elizabeth was head of Church Presbyterian-Followers of John Knox; he was a preacher from Scotland whom spread the teaching of John Calvin and made Calvinist Scotland official religion Catholic Reformation- Helping Catholics remain loyal to the church Questions: The Renaissance began in Italy because of thriving cities, a wealthy merchant class, and the classical heritage of Gree ce and Rome. England lagged behind because of the bubonic plague and the 100 years' war.A perfect Renaissance Man- Charming, witty, well-educated, Dance, sing, play music, write poetry, skilled rider, wrestler, swordsman, self-controlled Northern vs.. Southern Renaissance Art: Northern: Focused only on Religion; about landscapes and the lifestyles of people Southern: more secular; Greek and Roman mythologies, about gods and goddesses Catholic Reformation took steps like having the Society of Jesus, Jesuits, and the Council of Trend to address the Protestant Reformation 4 movements that made up the Reformation: . 3. 4. What changes did this bring to Europe? Of Prohibited books- Institutes of Christian Religion- Index Sarandon- Patriarch- Velasquez- What city was the center of the Renaissance? Florence, Italy What type of art was the focus of the Renaissance?Realism (sometimes using Biblical scenes) The merchant family named Renaissance. Medici was important at the beginning of the Wh o led the split away from the Catholic Church in England? Henry VIII Why did England split from the church? The King wanted a male heir so he needed to divorce his wife What country did the Protestant reformation start in? Germany (Martin Luther in Wattenberg) How was the printing press crucial to Martin Luther? He could spread his beliefs more efficiently This movement resulted from the Protestant Reformation. It was an attempt to change the Catholic Church to better meet the needs of its followers. Catholic Reformation 1 .Reasons that the Renaissance originated on the Italian peninsula include all of the following EXCEPT the peninsula's A. Geographic location B. Political organization C. Religion D. Social structure E. Economic structure 2. Which of the following is NOT a Renaissance value? A. Mastery of ancient languages B. Derogate of the arts C. Scholarly achievement D. Proficiency in the military arts E. Civic duty 3. Renaissance humanism A. Devalued mastery of ancient languag es B. Urged the development of a single talent to perfection C. Valued ancient philosophers as the final authorities on all matters D. Denied the existence of God E. Valued scholarship for its own sake and for the glory it brought the city-state 4.The belief that by cultivating the finest qualities of their beings, human beings could commune with God was a conclusion of A. Guileless B. Manipulations C. The lay piety movement D. The Catholic Church in Renaissance Italy E. The doge 5. Which of the following was NOT a factor that contributed to the Renaissance artistic achievement? A. The patronage of the pope B. The invasion of Italy by the French C. The competitive spirit of competing elites D. The apprentice system E. The lack of separation between artistic and commercial aspects of the Renaissance art world 6. Which of the following did NOT enable the spread of the Renaissance? A. The Treaty of Load B.Manila's invitation to Charles VIII to bring troops to Italy C. The printing pres s D. Students and teachers migrating in and out of the Italian peninsula E. The lay piety pavement 7. Renaissance art A. Was characterized by the severe specialization of its artists B. Was characterized by religious subject matter C. Abandoned painting in favor of sculpture D. Was characterized by its concern for the human form E. Did not require patrons 8. Northern humanism A. Was less secular than Italian humanism B. Linked scholarship and learning with religious piety C. Criticized the notion that priests were required to understand the Bible D. Contributed to the Reformation E. All of the above 1 .

Care at the end of life Essay

It is a fact that humans are born to die. What was once considered a natural part of life has changed to an experience that may be more painful for the patient, family, and caregivers due to the advances in medical care. New procedures have allowed life to be extended longer than ever before. The question is: has the dying experience improved? This paper will include a review of death and dying from the perspectives of the patient and caregivers. An unfortunate case will be discussed, and the organizational structure, culture, and governance that led to this situation will be reviewed. Recommendations for the changes necessary to prevent such cases in the future will be included. Ms. Smith was a 66 -year -old female with breast cancer that had metastasized to her lungs and liver. She had two adult daughters who lived in her home town and one of them had a young child. Mr. Smith was a 70- year-old retired factory worker. Ms. Smith had gone through lengthy chemotherapy and radiation treatments that had left her weak and debilitated. She developed pneumonia and experienced a respiratory arrest. She was placed on a ventilator and was weaned off the ventilator after two weeks. She remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Her family stayed with her as much as the ICU visiting hours allowed, but she was often alone and told her family that she was in pain and wanted to die. The nurses were  concerned about her pain needs, but were also worried that too much medication could cause another respiratory arrest. Ms. Smith languished in the ICU for two months until she did have another respiratory arrest and died without her family at her side. She and her family had agreed that she would not go back on the ventilator, and the physicians had written a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. They had planned to move her from the ICU, but they hesitated to place her on a regular floor. Everyone involved in the case believed that it was not handled well, and a team was assembled to determine how to improve the care of the dying. A review of the literature found that this institution was not alone with their concerns that the care of the dying needed to improve. Autonomy is one of the core bioethical principles that focuses on the right of every individual to make choices regarding health care decisions. Providers and caregivers spend a great deal of time instructing and coaxing patients to take control of their own health. But these providers are often surprised and upset when patients with life-limiting illnesses express a desire to control the timing and circumstances of their end-of-life experience (Volker, Kahn, & Penticuff, 2004). In their study, they found that people with advanced cancer expressed a wide variety of preferences for personal control and comfort, and that many wanted to remain as involved as possible in their daily lives for as long as possible. Organizations can play a key role in policy changes to support the needs of these individuals. Providers are trained to see death as the enemy, and sometimes forget that death is a natural part of the human experience. Joe Cantlupe’s story in Health Leaders stated that â€Å"we don’t always deal with the issues of death and dying very well in our culture† (p. 14, 2013). The Institute of Medicine published a report that concluded that many patients die in pain, are not referred to hospice in a timely manner, and the improvements in care have not led to improvements in care at the end of life. Fortunately, there have been efforts to study the patient’s perspective of death and dying as well as the perspectives of nurses and physicians. These studies are leading to a better understanding of the experience and the methods needed to improve the quality of end of life care (Cantlupe, 2013). It may seem strange to consider quality about end of life care, but it is recognized as an ethical obligation of health care providers and organizations. Singer, Martin, and Kelner studied 126 patients on dialysis, diagnosed with AIDS, or residents of long-term care facilities, to determine their views on end-of-life issues. Their results identified five domains of quality care at the end-of-life. These were â€Å"adequate pain and symptom management, avoiding inappropriate prolongation of dying, achieving a sense of control, relieving burden, and strengthening relationships with loved ones† (p. 163, 1999). The participants expressed fear of lingering or kept alive when they could no longer enjoy their lives. Many stated that they would not wish to go on life support if they were not going to improve or have a chance to live a normal life again. Several mentioned that being placed on life support was the same as being a guinea pig. There were conflicting reports on the choice of dying at home or in a hospital. Some wanted to be at home, but others felt that was a burden on the family (Singer, Martin, & Kelner, 1999). Another study by Gourdji, McVey, & Purden in 2009 interviewed palliative care patients about the meaning of quality of life at this stage of their illness, and the factors that would improve their quality of life. They found that several factors, including their approach to life, their approach to their illness, and their ideal of quality of life shaped their end-of-life experiences. These patients stressed that they most wanted to continue what they had been doing for most of their lives for as long as possible. They also wanted to help others when possible and live in a caring environment. They often mentioned the use of humor and a positive attitude in the environment. When they discussed their illnesses, they expressed frustration with their physical limitations, and hopelessness when the disease reoccurred. As providers began to understand the gap between their traditional training and the needs of patients, researchers began to evaluate the skills needed to provide a better quality of end-of-life care. Nursing had long considered the choices made about artificial nutrition or hydration, palliative treatment, or symptom control to be in the medical domain, and the nursing role was often unclear. Nursing is involved in the end-of-life care. They are with the inpatient on a 24-hour basis, they use a  patient-centered approach to care, and they have experience and expertise in caring for dying patients and their families. Case studies have found that the nurses’ involvement in end-of-life care is not only about the technical decisions in the care process, but also that the daily interactions that nurses have with patient’s vulnerabilities make them ethically sensitive to the needs of the patient and family (Gastman, 2012). The International Council of Nurses (ICN) developed a code of ethics that stated that nurses are responsible to alleviate suffering as well as promoting health and preventing illness. By expanding the scope of end-of-life care beyond the narrow medical definitions, and aligning the code of ethics with a broader definition of end-of-life care to expand beyond the hospital setting, nursing can become more involved in end-of-life care (Shigeko, Nague, Sakuai, & Imamura, 2012). The role of the primary care provider in end-of-life care has also been studied, and these studies have found that despite the continuity and comprehensiveness of primary care, few Americans die under the care of their familiar provider. Many patients have reported feeling abandoned by their primary care provider at the time of death. Care at home by primary care providers benefits many patients and the health care system overburdened by hospitalization cost (Silveira, & Forman, 2012). On the other side of the care spectrum, the role of the intensive care provider also can be improved. White and Curtis (2005) studied the need and the impact of shared decision- making on critically ill ICU patients. They found that while involving families in end-of-life decisions is a complex task that requires excellent communication skills, the more time spent with families discussing and explain the issues, the higher the family satisfaction. The hospital where Ms. Smith died was the average institution with an organizational structure that included a Chief Medical Officer and Medical Directors of each specialty area. There was a Chief Nursing Officer as well as Nursing Administrators responsible for the care of patients. They had been very focused on treating illness, and considered themselves successful. The review by the improvement team helped them to see that they needed to change their perspective and consider less paternalistic alternatives to caring for patients at the e nd-of-life. These alternatives usually save cost as well as providing better care at end-of-life. The reimbursement for palliative care programs has been slow, and this has  prompted many hospitals to team up with local hospice programs or nursing facilities to decrease cost. Palliative care has been shown to extend the life of patients, reduce cost, and be more satisfying to the patient and family. Multidisciplinary teams that include physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and spiritual counselors, work together to relieve the suffering, pain, depression, and stress that is often a part of chronic illness. These teams may also include nutritionists and therapist when needed by the individual patient. These programs listen to even the simple requests of patients and families. They work with the patient to get them to the best environment for them and to allow them dignity and control at the end of life. These teams are also moving to the outpatient area to prevent or decrease hospi tal admission and improve quality of life (Cantlupe, 2013). Conclusion Ms. Smith’s hospital should implement a multidisciplinary palliative care team. They should also add education to the program so that the patients and families are better informed about the results of care decisions such as ventilation, hydration, and nutrition. The hospital personnel need to be trained about palliative care and shift their paternalistic approach to a patient-centered approach. It is doubtful that Ms. Smith would have remained in the ICU for two months if there had been a palliative care program in place. She may have been able to transfer to an inpatient hospice center where her family could stay with her, and she would not have died alone and in pain. References Cantlupe, J. (2013, September). A fresh look at end-of-life care. Health Leaders, 12-22. Gastman, C. (2012, September). Nursing ethics perspective on end-of-life care. Nursing Ethics, 19(5), 603-604. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/1041054841 Gourdji, Iris. McVey, L., & Purden, M. (2009, Spring). A quality end of life from a palliative care patient’s perspective. Journal of Palliative Care, 25(1), 40-50. Izumi, S., Nagae, H., Sakurai, C., & Imamura, E. (2012, September). Defining end-of-life care from perspectives of nursing ethics. Nursing Ethics, 19(5), 608-616.