Cango Week 2 Video Analysis

CanGo Analysis Report Consultants BUSN 460-Team 1 CanGo Analysis Report Let me say first thank you for giving us the opportunity to evaluate your company’s operational process. It has been a tremendous experience to be in a company that started out small and grew to one of the leading businesses in the industry. CanGo does have a promising future ahead. During our evaluation over the past two weeks, we have noticed a few things that will be a problem in the future if not resolved. It seems that the company has been profitable by chance not because of planning. At this point we feel the need to work on the planning aspect and all that it entails. There are six key issues and recommendations that we have made that we know would help improve CanGo. Mission Statement The first issue is to have a mission statement for the company. This statement is the back bone of the company. Every employee will strive day after day with the main purpose of the company. Can-Go’s purpose is to provide a somewhat all inclusive service to entertainment needs via books, CDs, DVDs, and its new prospect online gaming. There seems to be no set direction for the employees to reference. Goals There are goals that Can-Go is going towards, but everyone isn’t on the same page. Unity among the employees is one of the most important aspects that you need to resolve. We witnesses during the management meeting about the online gaming idea, which no one seemed to be able to force their opinion or have an open decision to if the company should go forth with the idea. Andrew was very excited with the idea, but tried to almost push the company into the new market. You can’t go into a new market without seeing what is really involved in proceeding with the new move. SWOT Analysis One key thing that was missing when we observed CanGo is that Liz should have created a SWOT Analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats by conducting this analysis Liz would be able to see where the business was at in the current marketplace. It would also allow her to see where she could make changes in the company to increase profitability. A SWOT analysis allows you to view the internal and external factors of a company. The strengths should be a list of what makes CanGo better than the competitors. Liz made a great choice by giving her customers a $10 gift certificate and free shipping on the next order when they didn’t receive their orders in time for the holiday or received the incorrect order. They offer books and audio/visual entertainment online which is exactly where things are headed. They grew much faster than expected. By purchasing Webjouster they were opening up the door for online gaming. The download time for books and audio is fast. There are quite a few weaknesses that have been observed there seems to be a huge problem with organizational skills. There is no set vision for the company. The company as a whole could use a course on professionalism. When Warren delegated the responsibility to Nick for the online gaming being that this was a very important task it should have been handled better. He should have sat down with Nick and went over the goal and the timeframe that he had to get it done versus being vague about it saying they had weeks to get it done. CanGo also needs to improve their technology in order to offer the online gaming. There needs to be improvement in the Human Resource Department because there are people in positions that cannot meet the expectations necessary to fulfill their job requirements. The new opportunity they are faced with is being able to open up to online gaming. People have laptops, notebooks, and mobile phones with them at all times being able to entertain themselves with electronics is now a way of life. If the weaknesses are not addressed they will be threats because the competitors will be able to get in on the profits because of how unorganized CanGo is when it comes to handling business. I think there is room for CanGo to expand if they make the necessary changes to the company in order to stay on the track they are currently on. Short-term Objectives Liz failed to have a list of short-term objectives. By making this list she would be able to evaluate the progress her company is making. These short-term goals should cover the different functions of the company. These objectives should be SMART. That means they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed. They should sit down as a team and develop premeditated plans to meet these objectives. Feedback Loop As a company you are also missing the feedback loop. This is an important part of the strategic management process. It allows you to monitor the execution of every part of the strategic management process. It helps you know which goals and objectives are being met. Liz should sit down with her staff and make a list of short-term objectives and long-term goals. These goals and objectives should be evaluated after a set period of time to see how they are coming along with meeting their objectives and goals. After the goals and objectives are reviewed if they are not being met the process is reviewed and any necessary changes are made at that point. Teamwork There is a big organization problem that Nick has when dealing with getting a projection report for the new online gaming. Warren didn’t give him much to grow on. There were no questions by Nick to get more clarification. Nick’s reaction towards this great opportunity showed that he was impressed for this chance. Gail was not too convinced that he could do it. There seems to be a little rivalry between to the two, but working together as a team will only make the process go smoother. Warren didn’t divide the work load with the entire team. He should have known that it could be too much for only one person to handle. He didn’t make this new venture a joint effort by doing so he could have utilized everyone’s talents. He also didn’t give him a timeline on when this will need to be taken care of. Nick’s organization techniques are very poor. He didn’t even know how to prioritize the task that needed to be done. Pride shouldn’t stop you for asking for help. We were pleased that Debbie took the necessary time to help Nick produce a Gantt chart to help organize the tasks. This is what we like to see with all of your employees. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. Conclusion We would like to thank you for this opportunity to work with you. It has been a pleasure being able to be a part of the future of such a magnificent company. We can’t wait to work hand in hand with you to begin implementing these changes.

Bon-a-Matic

Also, the firms that buy adhesive are often small firms and there appears to be no correlation with firm size and the amount of adhesive to buy, so devising a marketing plan with production numbers and targeting specific customers will be difficult. Although the systems division had designed both Bond-A-Matins, they doubted they had the capacity to quickly manufacture large quantities. Further, the systems division was worried that it would be overwhelmed with calls for help for the new dispenser.If the company launched Bond-A-Mantic and could not then adequately service or provide the product, the company's brand would be tarnished. 72% of purchasers from distributors and manufacturers said that technical service was important in their choice of instant adhesive supplier. Also, the current sales force may not be as interested In learning about and selling the Bond-A-Mantic as It does not traditionally sell equipment. But the bottom line is that a sales call for the sole purpose of s elling the Bond-A-Mantic Is not cost effective so only existing customers can be targeted through the sales force.Further, they may not have the time during the call to push the Bond-A-Metal or more importantly, it may get substituted. Should the product fall, the similarity of the name between Suborned and Bond-A-Metal may ruin the existing brand recognition. Also, Fox's advertising target Is an Industry group that currently uses less than 273501b of adhesive with total growth potential about 15. 2-18% In user establishments. And only 3% of users purchased directly from manufacturers and 2% of users purchased from distributors. So distributors would have to be convinced to stock Bond-A-Metal.Given the small size of the target market and revenue potential, the risks of launching the Bond-A-Metal far outweigh the potential benefits. Bon-a-Mantic By sandalwood Also, the current sales force may not be as interested in learning about and selling the Bond-A-Mantic as it does not traditio nally sell equipment. But the bottom line is that a sales call for the sole purpose of selling the Bond-A-Mantic is not cost hey may not have the time during the call to push the Bond-A-Mantic or more importantly, it may get substituted.Should the product fail, the similarity of the name between Suborned and Bond-A-Mantic may ruin the existing brand Also, Fox's advertising target is an industry group that currently uses less than 27,Bibb of adhesive with total growth potential about 15. 2-18% in user convinced to stock Bond-A-Mantic. Given the small size of the target market and revenue potential, the risks of launching the Bond-A-Mantic far outweigh the potential

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Apple - Essay Example These strategies are adopted by the firm to achieve better performance help the firm to deliver a better than average performance. Cost leadership A business firm following cost leadership strategy aims at beating its competitors by producing at the lowest cost in the entire industry. The producer can now produce at a large scale and at a very low cost, thereby, enjoying huge economies of scale. The producer exploits the economies of scale which allows the company to maintain competitive pricing (Richardson & Dennis, 2003). Differentiation Under differentiation strategy the company focuses on the products that it offers for sale. It aims at making the products unique by identifying specific product dimensions, which are found to be most valued by its customers. The company develops its marketing strategies in such a manner that it would be able to satisfy the demand of its customers to the most desired level and therefore receive premium price due to the uniqueness of these products (Thompson & Martin, 2010). Focus Focus strategy is followed by a firm when selects one or multiple segments within the single in industry in which it operates (Dinitzen, 2010). The company aims at optimizing its product and marketing strategies to cater to these segments in the most efficient way, such that, it might gain competitive advantage over all other firms that competes with the particular firm. Focus strategy can be applied by the firm by following either of the following strategies; creation of cost advantage within a targeted segment (cost focus) or development of a differentiation strategy within a targeted segment (differentiation). ... follows the differentiation strategy in order to achieve competitive advantage over its competitors in the technology service industry. Differentiation makes its products (or services) unique. By following this strategy, Apple can make its products different from the products or service offerings of its competitors and makes the products of this company highly appealing to its customer base. However, the fact that the company has become one of the most successful companies in the world and that the customer preference for this company is significantly high compared to the rest of the companies in this market, is established by a number of internal and external factors. Performance of the company with regard to these factors has led it to the current level of success. These factors are environment of the industry, customer service, market segmentation and nature of products or services offered to the target market and its global presence. The company’s innovativeness makes its products as well as technology services shine among the crowd of modern technology industry. There are certain negative sides or risks of following the differentiation strategy. Companies that pursue differentiation strategy can command a price that is higher than the prices of similar products offered in the market by other firms. The differentiation factor allows the firm to command this premium price. It eventually increases per unit sales for the company and also improves loyalty of the buyer. Differentiation is the right strategy to follow only when the target market segment has customers with specific needs, but, are not adequately served. Also, the differentiation strategy focuses on bringing premium price for the firm. This implies that the strategy would be

Critically analyse and discuss in depth aspects of enterprise Essay

Critically analyse and discuss in depth aspects of enterprise - Essay Example The tough rules and regulations for starting a business have been liberalized by many countries in order to boost the domestic business as well as for attracting foreign direct investment. Business start ups have positive impacts on economical, political and social aspects and hence the business start ups are normally encouraged by many governments. Without the development of industry no country can able to develop. The yield from agriculture alone may not be sufficient enough for strengthening the economy. Moreover the agricultural yields depend on so many natural parameters and hence nobody can ensure a fixed income from agricultural yields. On the other hand industrial development or business development may help a nation in achieving economic targets and thereby a nation can stabilize the economic growth. â€Å"According to an EU study, benchmarking the then EU 15 Member States, in 2001 the average time to start-up a company in the EU 15 was 22 days and the cost â‚ ¬ 827. At the base of this process lays the fact that countries with lesser administrative burdens in the procedures required to create a company (cheaper and faster start-ups) have greater numbers of business start-ups.† (Start-up procedures - An overview, n.d) An average business can be set up within short time span if the rules and regulations of the country are liberalized. Most of the countries who previously administered strict rules for starting a business have liberalized their norms, realizing the importance of business in the development of economy. Through business, whatever the available resources in a country can be utilized effectively. The economy of a country develops only when all the resources of the country utilized in a positive manner. For example, India is a country having over a billion populations. Most of the youths in India are unemployed though they have good education.

Reponses to article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Reponses to article - Essay Example This framework has four examines credibility of a web page from four angles. For a site to be credible it should progressively meet the four types of credibility – presumed, reputed, surface, and earned credibility. Presumed credibility: makes use of general assumptions. The credibility is simply formed because of what the site declares. For instance, a site may claim to be the official site for a given event. The site may also claim that it is using information from a reputed institution. The claims that a site makes may make a site appear credible however it is warned that more should be done to ascertain such credibility. Reputed credibility: this credibility is obtained when we are referred to it by a person we know for instance out instructors, other students or parents. The assumption here is that they used the site and found it to be quite useful and that is why they are making referrals. However, even with such a referral a site needs to be personally tested for credibility. This credibility can be used as a way of getting to the most credible sites in the shorted time possible without necessary wasting much time browsing around. Surface credibility: this is viewed as the most important credibility of the three. It is this credibility determines if a person will use a web page or not. If on looking at a site the first impression is negative then there is a likelihood that the site will be left. Surface credibility is based on quick evaluations. I will consider a number of factors in assessing the article that is the subject of this question (I will consider the site appearance, source of the article)†¦.I will simply try to apply Fogg’s credibility framework to the site and see the results The article to be assessed appeared in The Gulf Times on Thursday April 4th. The assessment is to be made in the light of a human rights watch report that has already been read. The main task is to

Market Efficiency and its implications for Macroeconomic Behaviour Essay

Market Efficiency and its implications for Macroeconomic Behaviour - Essay Example This paper studies all aspects of market efficiency and its implications for macroeconomic behavior. The behavioral economics challenged market efficiency hypothesis, which supposedly incorporates all information rationally, and instantly. The argument is based on that markets are not rational, but are driven by fear and greed. There were a lot of research in the cognitive neurosciences, which suggests that these two perspectives are opposite to each other. When money is put into the market, it is done with the aim of generating a return on the capital. Many investors try not only to make a profit but also to outperform, or beat, the market. According to the EMH, no investor has an advantage in predicting a return on a stock price . In order for a market to become efficient, investors must perceive that a market is inefficient and possible to beat. Investment strategies intended to take advantage of inefficiencies are actually keeping market efficient. Investment strategies intended to take advantage of inefficiencies are actually the fuel that keeps a market efficient. There are three identified classifications of the EMH: strong efficiency, semi-strong efficiency, and weak efficiency. The random walk theory asserts that price movements will not follow any patterns or trends and that past price movements cannot be used to predict future price movements. The debate about efficient markets has resulted in many empirical studies attempting to determine whether specific markets are in fact "efficient" and if so to what degree.

The economical journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The economical journal - Essay Example In this empirical analysis, I focus on discussing the major roles of micro and macroeconomics, and their effect on the economy. Classical theory suggests that free mobility of factors of production among diverse regions tends to level the relevant and supreme prices of prolific services in the different regions. The shift of labor from a region of high population to a lower populated region results in a drop in wage rates in the less populated region, relative to its land rates and commodities. At the same time, the high-populated region’s land rates would drop relative to real wages, which would rise. Equilibrium of complete and relation factors prices would lead to the cease of labor migration. In the Ohlin analysis, he compares two countries, Europe and America, with land and labor being immobile. Food and clothing are mobile and obey the production theory of productions; as a result, diminishing returns change the proportional unit relevant to changes in land and labor, af fects the marginal productivity. His analysis of proportional change in factors explains the difference in comparative advantage that occurs and assumes the resulting series of production and specialization. Ohlin attributes the food production in America, and land exhaustive industry to the point that the unit of American land is a lot to provide the needed labor force. In comparison, Europe has greater labor in relation to land, which alternately results in lower lands rents thus lead to the high production of clothing. This explains that each country would adapt the theory that favors their areas of specialization by using the abundant factor of production that is efficient to them. The neo-classical appearance of proportional gain In the figure below, the production-possibility curve in the American economy increases as labor and land shifts in an optimal manner compared to food production. This is possible since the proportion land and labors statistically proves the theory, wh ile keeping the marginal ratios of land and labor the same, and market wages to rent. In figure b, the production–curve for Europe is higher in clothing than food since labor is abundant, and it determines the output production unit. The steep slope for Europe's production curve confirms this theory relatively. Conclusion The study of microeconomics prepare the learner cope with numerous understanding of the economy, the mobility factors that are involved in production, like labor, and also the shift land rates relative to rent, which maximizes the output production unit. In my view, the subject is a fundamental basis for any student willing to major in economics INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FACTOR MOBILITY Introduction It is great achievement to come up with an economic structure that gives a framework of understand and examining major economic outcome of the day and future. In the early 1950s, the government actively regulated cross-border financial transaction. A study of the b ondage among international capital community, domestic trade and international trade is vast in today’s economy. International aspect mobility acts surrogate for trade in a different sense in (H-O-S) model, this is causes a decline in the degree of trade, as the volume of factors of production increases substantially. Theoretical works have proven that diverging models with standards H-O-S

Saving Private Ryan Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saving Private Ryan - Movie Review Example George Marshall has ordered Captain Miller to save the last Ryan alive. The team composed of 8 men headed by Captain Miller. Not sure of the whereabouts of Ryan, the team of Captain Miller moved from one place to another looking for Ryan. Until one day they met someone who saw Ryan guarding the town of Ramelle in France, to prevent the German from taking the people of the town. Captain Miller tries to convince Ryan to come with them but instead of coming he makes a deal with Miller that if they help him protect the city then he will go with them. Miller agrees with him and fought with the German. During the encounter with the German, Miller got hurt but was able to bring home Ryan alive. At the end of the story, the old man in the beginning of the movie was James Ryan and the grave belongs to Captain Miller. Saving Private Ryan is an epic movie that features how the US troops were able to save the only survivor among four brothers who were held captive by the Germans. Private James R yan played by Matt Damon is the only survivor among the four brothers; three of his brothers were killed in action. Captain John Miller played by Tom Hanks was the one designated to bring to safety Private James Ryan. The movie received several good reviews from a different part of the world. Veterans of the World War II who have seen the movie relived their memories during the war. Although the movie was done in England, Ireland, and France, the movie seems to make it look like they are on the battlefield. The characters in the story are fictional but the story was adopted in the life of the Niland Brothers. They are also from the military two died during the battle one held captive and the other is missing. The movie made a good selection of characters to make this movie realistic. The character of both Captain Miller and James Ryan are very appealing to the viewers. Since they are both a good actor they have portrayed their character very well. Although the places and other chara cters are fictional the actors still were able to do justice in their different role.   In the Battlefield the warships and combat outfit are very much similar to the one that the US army is wearing during the 1940 war. Based on the review done by several observers, the one making this picture really is the movement of the camera. The camera in the first part of the story on the Omaha Beach brought the viewer on the battlefield. The agony and pain were felt during the shot taken by the camera. Added to the realism of the story are the make-up, costumes, and the effectiveness of the portrayal of the characters. The battleship used is the same replica in the 1940 war that can be seen in the museum and other historical websites. The movie really brings out the story behind the battle. The location was James Ryan found were fictional but added the spies in the story. This American soldier has dedicated his life to serving not only his country but also those who need his service.   T he weapons, machine gun nests, bunkers, and vehicles add elements that engage us easily into the narrative. During the search for James Francis Ryan of Iowa the locations and set design shows accuracy. Bombed houses, splintered planks everywhere, and rubble-strewn streets resemble photographs of real battle scenes. And the costumes are correct. The canvas belts, the jackets, the occasional puttees laced around the calves -- these are the outfits of 1944.

Economics Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics - Term Paper Example In various means, advertising and customer researchers continuously encounter the test of making images that depict respondents to marketing-related stimuli, this represents as a data for purposes of analysis. This data will incarcerate the fundamental nature of significant utilization practices; that will be communicated to research findings for interested audiences; or play a role in executing the pictorial components of marketing stratagem (Morris, 1997). Generic advertising was the common methodology used in enticing consumers to purchase a product or avail a certain service. This method captures the public attention in an instant, but this will not sustain if the advertisement is boring and dry. The generic approach is very important in preparing advertising messages that concentrates on the customer benefits that apply to all brands in a product category, as opposed to benefits that are unique to specific brands. Rather than being generic, companies and advertising agencies are finding effective means and faster communication of messages to the direct consumers. In the new millennium, the internet-based technology has played a key role in expanding a wide array of consumers in a small span of time worldwide. The potential of the World Wide Web on the Internet as a commercial medium and market has been widely documented in a variety of media. However, a critical examination of its commercial development has received little attention (Ricciuti, 1995). In this fast-paced environment, technology was always an important tool in spreading the good news and to easily communicate with direct customers. The development of internet-based technologies opened endless possibilities for Marketers. Marketing research can be carried out subtly by actively archiving the procedures that each individual undertakes on the Web, through Web tracking software (Culnan, 1999). When we make a whole new set of variables available to the marketer, the

The Judgment of leaders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Judgment of leaders - Assignment Example Both the internal and external societal contexts also plays a major role where organizations notably the corporate world and civil leadership are increasingly fragmented, and acknowledging equivocal and this has resulted into modification and change in various conventional concepts in regard to followership and leadership. The key specific conventional factors include the rise of organizational crisis, ethical issues, social issues, motivation effects and corporate scandals. These factors have created uneasiness, leadership desired and inadequacies and emphasis on the search of meaning. Therefore the practical challenges underlying leadership as a business and social practice has elicited various perspective of judgment from the followers. These conventional perspectives are notably centered on the followers thus taking person-centered thus the underlying judgment rely on stereotyping and heroic leadership. Thus the judgmental influence of the followers is unidirectional flowing from the leaders to their followers representing specific perspective which reconstructs the hierarchical subject-object relations. The leader follower relationship represents widely the interactions and mechanisms between the independent individuals. Followership and its judgmental on the leadership are important because the latter cannot exist without the other. Therefore it is important to determine the leader-centric focus and how the followers judge and understanding interdependence of leadership and its active fellowship. The bottom line on how followers judge leaders is how leadership is shared and the leader’s judgment on his or her followers. Leader-Follower centrality Relational qualities uniting leadership-followership notably have significant influence on Followership judgment on their leaders. This begins with the leadership perception to his or her relative followers and to himself. This forms the foundation in which the followers judge the leaders because the self other perception influences greatly the followers perception. Notably in regard to this are the follower’s judgments that favor leaders’ power and authority over them. This is common where the followers exhibit dominant motif and in this case the followers look compliant and can be easily manipulated even at the extreme ends (Oddenino, 2003). In organizations and corporate world subordinates within dominance motif feel abused but they cannot do anything. The managers and CEOs say that leadership is when pain inflicted is demonstrated for effectiveness to be achieved. The subordinates within dominance motif judge their supervisors and managers with the assumption of mutual dependency idea in their organizations as well as the value of maintaining personal dignity (Weibler, 2011). The subordinates are cowed in their judgments therefore leaders are likely to get deprived of accurate and honesty information. This fuels self-absorption and self-deception resulting in the fa ll of arbitrary power. GROUPTHINK According to Ladkin (2010) in his study on organizational leadership provides that Groupthink is adopted by most followers in judging their leaders. This is where there agreement and consensus is far much important than the solution, in this case followers adopt possible alternative courses of action in their judgments (Ladkin, 2010). This is common in organizations and

Law & Ethics Essay Example for Free

Law Ethics Essay BB General Partnership Dracca is able to seek recover from Silva Gray individually on the judgment for BB partnership because the partnership has not been incorporated. In a general partnership each individual can be sued for the full amount of the business debt. The partners cannot have personal interest within the partnership (Bagley Savage, 2009 p. 729). If one partner incurs all of the debt, they can then sue the other partners for their parts of the debt. Within a Limited Liability Partnership these three items would differ from the general partnership. 1. Limited partners do not play an active role in the business 2. Limited partners are not personally liable 3. Limited partners face slightly different tax rules (NOLO) BB is not a formalized company under the laws of corporation and taxation, so in turn each individual can be held liable for the debt legally. However, Dracca should not have gone after Ms. Grey solely on a tip of her wealth. Business Judgment Rule The Business Judgment Rule states that as long as the board members have acted in good faith and meet the basic standards, there should not be a fear of prosecution when making decisions (Bagley Savage, 2009 p. 801). To insure that the board of directors did not fault their duty of care and the Business Judgment Rule several items must be analyzed. 1. â€Å"Were the directors interested in the transaction?2. Did the directors act in good faith? 3. Did the directors act in a manner that cannot be attributed to a rational purpose? 4. Did the directors reach the decision by a negligent process?† (Bagley Savage, 2009 p.801). The board must also consider their duty of care and duty of loyalty. Duty of care requires people involved in the company to make informed and reasonable decisions for the business. Duty of loyalty requires employees to act in good faith and in good interest of the company (Bagley Savage, 2009 p. 799). In the case of Dracca vs. BB, the board did not act in good duty of care, duty of loyalty or use the Business Judgment Rule appropriately. The overall concept to obtain the debt from BB was an action of duty or care and loyalty to the company. However, the way the board of directors went about the retrieval of the debt was not the best method. By pursuing Ms. Gray off a ‘tip’ the fund backfired and the company incurred a lot of fees that might not of occurred if the pursue was planned correctly. The process of pursuing the money was neglected, fault number three in the Business Judgment rule. Employment Discrimination The accounting manager for Dracca overseeing the BB account, Martin Long had his pay and responsibilities decreased by Accounting Director Mary Smith. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was developed to help employees against discrimination of age, sex, race, gender, national origin, disability, and religion (Bagley Savage, 2009 p.466). In Martin Long’s case he left the company because Ms. Smith’s visual and vocal opinions. The opinions turned into harassment and eventually Long left the Firm. By vocalizing and placing visual signs Ms. Smith was creating a harsh work environment for employees. Long will be able to sue Dracca for employment discrimination and argue constructive discharge because there must be evidence of unpleasant working condition that it forces the employee to resign and the employer has not taken care of the complaint within 15 days of being informed of the issues. The harassment must be worse than Title VII (Runkel, n.d.). Dracca is responsible for Ms. Smith’s actions/discrimination against Long. Kate was fired after reporting to the EEOC the harassment from Ms. Smith. Kate should not of been fired for reporting the discrimination. Due to Dracca’s action upon firing Kate, the company seems to approve of Ms. Smith’s actions. The EEOC Compliance Manual states that the person filing the complaint is â€Å"protected against retaliation by a respondent for participating in the statutory complaint proceedings even if that complaint involved a different covered entity† (Igasaki, 1998). From the EEOC, Dracca would be held liable for Hernandez’s actions within the court system. Hernandez violated the EEOC Title VII discriminatory actions. The Title VII makes two theories clear to businesses. 1. The theory of disparate treatment and 2. The theory of disparate impact. Disparate treatment means that the plaintiff has to prove that the employer intentionally discriminated against him/her denying a benefit of employment (Bagley Savage, 2009 p.471). Disparate impact is when employers make employment decisions based on selection, making employers complete test and evaluations. BFOQ stands for Bona Fide Occupational that an employer must prove that the type of person is not able to perform the job position. In this case, women with children were hired in order to sell the product. Dracca would have to prove that men were not able to perform the job. The BFOQ cannot be used as a defense when there is a preferred gender within the company. The following also apply. Usually BFOQ is not based on color and gender will not qualify when the 1. â€Å"Assumptions of the comparative employment characteristics of women in general, 2. Stereotyped characteristics of the sexes, and 3. The preferences of coworkers, employers or customers for one gender or the other (Bagley Savage, 2009 p. 485). Conclusion After reviewing the case, I recommend the following 1. Dracca hire new board members with a focus on the business, and not a focus on money. The Board of Directors should be compiled of people that are business savvy and care about the firm and about the financials in a legal and ethical manner. By the Board leaning on a tip and not fact, the business incurred a lot of debt that could have been spent somewhere else within the firm. 2. Dracca should have a firmer hiring process where the prospects are asked to observe and manage for a day, or write out a list of goals, or how to hire people for certain positions. This could show some speculation to discrimination. Also, Dracca should be stricter on company policy regarding religion, politics, and harassment. If need be the company can have classes on what is and is not harassment within the workplace. In this case, it seems that Dracca turned a blind eye on Mr. Long. References Bagley, Savage (2009 Feb. 5). Managers and the Legal Environment: Strategies for the 21st Century, Retrieved from: http://online.vitalsource.com/books/1111439885/S3.2/25 Igasaki, P., (1998), The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC Directives Transmittal, Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/retal.htm Runkel, R. (n.d.), Constructive Discharge #9, Law Memo: First in Employment Law. Retrieved from: http://www.lawmemo.com/101/2005/12/constructive_di.html

Islamophobia in the Media

Islamophobia in the Media The media is a means of communication which is usually made through television, radio, newspapers and other outlets that influence a wide amount of people. Moreover, the media causes moral panics of crime and fear of crime, this including the media’s role in the social construction of crime and media amplification of crime. The relationship between crime and the media has been debated historically particularly in relation to public fears about the harmful effects of the media. It is common observation that crisis such as wars, share markets, scandals often drive the public policy making process. Crisis reveals the problems and public consensus emerges that policymakers must do something about it. These crisis reveal broadcasters important role in community crisis information Saider 2006:1) choosing negative names for people or groups that powerful policymakers dislikes using positive names for describing wildly acts are part of media tricks. Numerous media campaigns are going on against Islam and Muslims. Multiple channels trying to show a rough picture of Islam to their public. At the same time muslims groups through various media are trying to convey their messages but in comparison to the global dominance of the western media their effects are somehow in vain. The media has responsibility of reporting fair and unbiased news stories. However, media are now blamed for overlooking the ethical issues when it comes to Islam. Although Islam is the fastest growing religion in the west, the west has many stereotypes and misconceptions about Islam that are due to the media, prejudice and ignorance. Islam is often looked upon the extremist terrorist fundamental religion. In contrast to what many westerners think of Islam is a peaceful religion, which does not promote any forms of uncalled violence or terrorist actions. A major factor which contributes to Islamic stereotyping in the west due to the medias selection of their words that describe Muslims. Some common name heard or seen in the news about Muslims are extremist or terrorist. These words are misleading any mainly are anti-Islamic. The media rarely use more words such as revivalist or progressive. Media reports about Muslims and Islam negatively. A great misconception that exists the truth about Jihad which means â€Å"the struggle in the path of God†. However, the media abuses the meaning of Jihad by referring to it as a war in which Muslims unreasonably kill non-believers. But the fact is that Jihad can mean a numbers of things that a Muslims does for the sake of God. The media used this kind of a definition in their reports. The media often takes the word Jihad out of context to propagate negative views on Muslims. Media using the most relevant example of the 9/11 event was to capitalise its political gain. The media depicts Islam as fundamentalism, extremist and radicalised religion. In a world were the role of the media is control; the image of reality can be manipulated by the author. The media tried to represent Muslims as terrorists posing a threat to security of countries. The way the media writes about Muslims being terrorists and the way they portray them on TV, documentaries and many others it raises many questions for policy-makers and for general public like, what the cause of global terrorism is, whether all the Muslims are terrorists including children, women and why all Muslim people hate British people and many others. These types of questions create public panic around the Muslim communities and terrorist threats. However, a research by Whitaker (2002) suggested that Muslims are intolerant, violent and cruel. It also suggested that Muslims are reported mainly when they cause a t rouble though negative stories that often come from other countries. They obviously have some effect on readers perceptions of Muslims in Britain. By doing so they try to justify the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This led to the emergence of Islamophobia. However, little effort has been made to respond to their negative campaigns. On the contrary the act of terrorist groups who kill people especially western hostages help their media to show that they are collectively victims of terrorism. The medias poor representations of Islam are due to poor language translations, the absence of developed news agencies which interactional networks and native reporters and biased reporting by reporters. The public is often misinformed about the Muslims through the images on television, radio, comic stories in newspapers which promote strong message to the public. Reporters often say Muslims are terrorist. This becomes the common image to the general persons that all the Muslims are terrorists (Edwards Saids book, covering Islam 1997). The representation of muslims in the media relate to the lack of acceptances of differences. Media creates moral panics around terrorist threat. As one scholar said the war on terrorism is a war of images and the most effective images are those of terrorists victims. But other side we see discrimination associated with Islamophobia. This represents that the muslims are threat to security. Negative coverage of muslims has led to the production of anti-Islamic films like â€Å"Fitna† by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders. After 9/11 attacks most experts has talked about security issues but everyone sees to forget the other causes of attacks such as social and political. In Iraq war economic, social and political causes were forgotten. The representations on muslims in the media has to change. To improve the image of Islam and muslims it requires a strong effort from muslim communities. These efforts should include a comprehensive process of reforms. Muslims will never be able t o improve their image in the world if they fail to appear as a nation of culture and civilisation. Some other alternatives should be undertaken to educate other people about Islam, peace and tolerance and to clarify the incorrect views of Islam held by some people. Dr. Mona Amer, a psychologist conducted a research about the mental health of Muslims and Arab Americans in 2006, it shows us that after 9/11 attacks many Muslims and Arabs suffer from anxiety, depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder. Although the majority of participants in the study reported feeling safe to extremely safe to pre 9/11, more than 82% reported feeling unsafe post 9/11. Dr Amer noted that feeling unsafe is a predictor of post traumatic stress disorder. However this study ended up as a target of hate and discrimination after Dr. Amer research was reported in USA Today. Dr. Amer received death threats from strangers this also was mentioned in an article â€Å"Muslims in America, post 9/11†, by Rebecca Clay whose research shows that the negative attitude towards Muslims has not decreased. Muslims receive constant negative messages through media about their religion and culture. Clearly it shows that Muslims often treated really badly even though its been 13 years of 9/11 attacks. On the other hand, sometimes the media seems to be biased against Muslim communities. When the media distorts the image of Islam and Muslims, the general public tend to believe it because the media is a major source of information that the public gets about Islam and Muslims. Whereas, it can be argued that Muslims in Britain and across the western sphere, have voiced their worries about the way Islam is portrayed in the media. Aside from the action in accuracies and negativity prevented in media discourse they feel that people and their perceptions of faith and beliefs are adversely affected by such representation. Ahmed, (1992) conducted a study which highlighted that the way some people see Islam and Muslims through media is one of the factors potentially contributing to social discrimination and disadvantage amongst Muslim minorities. A report by the Guardian suggested that Muslim people in western media is typically stereotypical and negative. The report also suggested that the way the media talks and writes about Muslims would not be acceptable if the reference were to other minorities such as Jewish, Black and others. These studies showed that media shapes public opinion and covers reality by their censorship. It also demonstrated that TV, News, documentaries have the strongest influence on people’s views of Islam. Based on these arguments it could be argued that the way media covers terrorist attacks, the way portray the image of a Muslim who has been arrested or seen as suspected or general newspaper articles might have interpreted wrongly so it can increase the tension within Muslims and non-Muslims. Effect of these types of media Britain might feel threatened as they can believe that all the terrorist incidents happened they are all planned and conducted by Muslim people, in future they can plan othe r attacks on Britain to take revenge. Thus creating create moral panics as they misinformed the public which then result in Muslim communities being seen as terrorists and a threat to the UK. However, these reports could raise an awareness for general public to not to believe every news has been reported as the editor or author of that news coverage might have interpreted differently to exactly what happened to sell the copies of their newspapers, raise awareness of TV channels in order to make money. An internet survey of 1,360 people was carried out by global market insight, Muslims voice UK Queens University of Liverpool UK Muslims blame Islamphobia on the portrayal of their religion in media. Survey revealed that 40% Muslims blamed ant6i-Islamic feelings on Media, 74% non-Muslims blamed on 9/11 attacks. Non-Muslims are concerned about extremism, the lack of integration Muslims not being proud to be British and the lack oft tolerance by Muslims. However, the biggest threat to good Muslims and non-slip community is the misinformation on Islam in the media. The one of the most surprising media stories to come out after the years of 9/11 attack was â€Å"international Burn a Quran Day†, which was organised by Pastor Terry Joneson in Florida. This event on social media sites such as Facebook, twitter received thousands of likes and was covered greatly across the United States with Pastor was involved onto on CNN for an interview. However, muslims were rarely offered air time to express their opinions on the matters of how majority of the society is evidently anti-muslim. On the other hands, an news article by Akbar Ahmed (Burn Quran Day, an outrage to muslims, August, 20, 2010) suggests that burning a Quran has caused alarm in the muslim world and burning will have symbolic significance to the muslim world already feeling under attack by US. It also suggest that Gen.David Petraeus, the head of American forces in Afghanistan, has repeatedly expressed the need for winning the hearts of local people by treating them with dignity and r espect. So when muslims will see their holy Quran book being burned it will create riots and that will put US troops at further risk. There will be similar riots in Pakistan and Iran. It will inflame the entire Muslim world and fuel the acts of terrorism. Therefore, it can be argued that media only fuelled the hatred that Americans felt towards all muslims which then leads them to burn the Holy Quran book. Only small number of people was responsible for 9/11 so we cant blame on all muslims but due to media representations all muslims gets the blame for 9/11. An article in magazine (muslims life in united states , post 9/11 portrayal and representation, 8/12,2014) shows us that 9/11 attacks was not start of negative portrayals on Muslims in West. A paper published in 2010 by a sociology professor Nurrullah of Alberta University analyses the Hollywood series â€Å"24†. the analyses suggest that show portrays stereotypical images of muslims which led to increase in discrimination towards muslims. This paper also suggest that tensions between the West and Muslims are not new its phenomenon. Islam and Muslims are historically look down upon the west. The negative portrays of muslims in the media it began after the second world war with the development of technology. There is no doubt that negative media influence by the West after 9/11attacks were portrayed worldwide muslims and Islam in an even darker picture but 9/11 aside, the negative portrayal of muslims were already set in stone with some westerners. To conclude, in the media Muslims are often portrayed through stereotypical representations and discourses in which they have no voice. Basically the media is the main reason of enlarging the gap between west and east. It keeps on pressing on the west and filling their minds with pictures, movies, news against Muslims which arent true. Since 9/11 attacks media keep portraying Muslim in negative way such as terrorists and killer who attack innocent people without any reason and posing a threat to the security of countries. This creating a moral panic as they misinform the public by reporting that Muslims are intolerant, violent and cruel which then result in Muslim communities being seen as terrorists and a threat to the UK.

The Structure And Function Of Antibodies

The Structure And Function Of Antibodies There is a type of white blood cell called plasma cells which are produced in the bone marrow as B cells then mature into plasma cells, these produce antibodies. Antibodies are either attached to cell surface membranes or secreted as soluble glycoproteins. Antibodies are large Y-shaped proteins which the immune system uses to neutralise and lead to the elimination of foreign bodies. Antibodies are glycoproteins, due to carbohydrates binding to amino acid residues on the polypeptides; these are composed of four polypeptide chains, of which, two heavy chains and two light chains to form the complete antibody. There are small regions at the tip of the antibody called the antigen binding sites; this region is hugely diverse due to random genetic mutations leading to amino acid chain variations causing a hyper variable region that allows it to bind to many different antigens. Adaptive immunity is the immune response that involves antibodies. It is undeveloped at birth, and is the response of the lymphocytes to specific antigens. Antibodies are heavy globular plasma proteins that belong to the family of proteins, immunoglobins. They have sugar chains attached to some of their amino acids making them glycoproteins. Each of their heavy chains has two regions; the constant region (carboxyl-terminal end) for biological effector functions and the variable region (amino-terminal end) for antigen recognition. The light and heavy chains forming the antibody have inter and intra chain disulphide bridges which hold the chains together, the quantity of bonds varies between different antibody molecules. They have a hinge region where the arms of the antibody molecule form a Y-shape; it is named the hinge region due to segmental flexibility at this point. Antibodies have a massively variable antigen binding site due to the different heavy and light chain amino acid configurations. After birth the only antibodies present in the body are the ones passed over by passive immunization from the mother. Early active immune system antibodies develop in the first few years of life. The main function of each antibody is to specifically bind to one or few similar antigens (foreign molecules). The structure of antibodies relates to the three main functions; activity, versatility and specificity. Antibodies prevent pathogens from damaging or entering cells by binding to them. Antibodies stimulate macrophages to engage in the removal of pathogens and also stimulate other immune responses. They bind to various cells such as phagocytes, lymphocytes, platelets etc. this binding leads to the activation of these cells to perform immune functions such as antibody production and phagocytosis. Antibodies can also bind together when theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re bound to pathogens, linking them together and stopping the pathogens from moving or causing damage. The function of an antibody binding to an antigen is provided by the structure of the variable region which has the antigen-binding site (known as the Fragment antigen-binding fragment made from one constant and one variable region); the variable amino acid configuration allows a diverse possibility of specific antibodies to bind with antigens found on foreign bodies. The Fragment crystallisable region at the base of the antibody triggers the appropriate immune response for the situation, for example clumping together (where the Fab fragment joins with the Fc region of another antibody) or triggering the release of histamine in an allergic reaction. There are five different antibody isotypes in humans; IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. IgG is the main antibody in the blood however it can move throughout the bodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tissue. It forms the majority of the active immune antibody response to pathogens. It is also able to cross the placenta during pregnancy, passing on passive immunisation from the mother to the developing foetus. IgA is present in bodily fluids in entrances to the body, such as tears, breast milk, and saliva and also in the respiratory tract, urogenital tract and digestive tract, and its function is to prevent colonisation from pathogens. IgM is either present on B cell surfaces or in a soluble secreted form (in which is the largest antibody due to its pentamer form) in the blood and it is involved in the early immune response and can kill pathogens. IgD is the antigen receptor on B cells not already exposed to antigens. IgE is involved in the allergic response to foreign bodies and releases histamine when bound to allergens. The B cell will produce these various isotypes at different stages of its development. Antibodies are secreted by a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Antibodies can occur in two physical forms, a soluble form that is secreted from the cell, and a membrane-bound form that is attached to the surface of a B cell and is referred to as the B cell receptor (BCR). The BCR is only found on the surface of B cells and facilitates the activation of these cells and their subsequent differentiation into either antibody factories called plasma cells, or memory B cells that will survive in the body and remember that same antigen so the B cells can respond faster upon future exposure.[4] In most cases, interaction of the B cell with a T helper cell is necessary to produce full activation of the B cell and, therefore, antibody generation following antigen binding.[5] Soluble antibodies are released into the blood and tissue fluids, as well as many secretions to continue to survey for invading microorganisms.

Young Goodman Brown :: Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

In the story "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne uses a dream to illustrate a young man’s loss of innocence, understanding of religion and his community. Through this dream, the main character Young Goodman realizes that the people that he surrounds himself with are not who he believes them to be. The story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† focuses on the unconscious mind. The characters in this short-story are able to represent the struggle of Young Goodman’s superego, ego, and id. Representing the superego is Young Goodman’s wife Faith. Her name becomes a multi-layered metaphor. Hawthorne writes, "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons on her caps while she called to Goodman Brown" (Kelly, 190). This statement suggests that Brown's wife’s name is symbolic. Faith is condensed to represent innocence, the Puritan religion and Brown’s consciousness. Since, young girls are often equated with pink. The pink ribbons in her hair serve to symbolize her innocence. When Brown meets the man in the woods he says, "Faith kept me back awhile" (Kelly, 191). In this case Faith represents the Puritan religion. The next character is Young Goodman Brown himself. His name also becomes a multilayered metaphor. Being known as â€Å"young† represents Goodman Browns innocence and virtue. He is also condensed to represent his own consciousness. But, by leaving his wife, Faith, Young Goodman Brown is giving into the unconscious. "He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind" (Kelly, 191). Taking this path that closes behind him represents Young Goodman’s decent into the unconscious and his loss of innocence. On this journey he soon meets a man who is a condensation of several different factors. The man represents the devil, as well as Brown unconscious mind. The next character is the man who Brown meets up with in the woods. This man is described as, "one who knew the world, and who would not have felt abashed at the governor's dinner table or in King William's court" (Kelly, 191). This man can be seen as the devil. He possesses features that illustrate him as the devil. For example his walking staff is described as having "the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent" (Kelly, 191-192).

Russian History Essay -- Vladimir Lenin, Peter the Great

The Soviet Union has had numerous leaders throughout it’s existence as a country. However, there are a few leaders that will forever be in Russian history books and lectures. Among those leaders who have had the largest influence on the Soviet Union are; Vladimir Lenin, Peter the Great, Alexander Kerensky, and Joseph Stalin to name a few. While all of the leaders are interesting and have influence on Russia, this research paper will specifically focus on Joseph Stalin. Joseph Stalin lead the Soviet Union for over 20 years and he certainly had a unique way of doing so. While Stalin did contribute to turning Russia into a world superpower, he was a murderous dictator who is among many things, responsible for millions of innocent lives, genocides, and famines. While Stalin’s birthday is printed in different places as two different dates, Iosiph Vissarionovich Djugashvili was born on December 21, 1879 in Gori, Georgia (Montefiore 2004). Stalin was born to â€Å"illiterate peasant parents†, Vissarion and Ekaterina, and his father is said to be the cause of his ruthless soul. According to the Jewish Library, he was undeservingly beaten by his father and this was reason for him to have revengeful feelings towards everyone who had power over him (Jewish Virtual Library 2011). He eventually would chang his name to Joseph Stalin, which means â€Å"Man of Steel†. Some sources say that Lenin is referenced in his name change (stal + Lenin = Stalin) (Jewish Virtual Library 2011). When Stalin was just seven years old his face was permanently scared after he acquired a case of smallpox. Iosiph attended church school when he was young and would also do so later under the preference of his mother (Radzinsky 1996). Stalin was involved in two ac... ... of tyrant reign, millions of innocent Soviet people were enduring murders, false imprisonments, famines, brainwashing, and terror. They feared constantly that they be subjected to unjustified arrest or execution. They feared for the lives of their friends and family and also for the future of their children and the future of Russia. Stalin died on March 19, 1962 in Kazan where he was banished to. It is thought that he had help, like his father, in dying. I’m sure that the Soviet people breathed a sigh of relief, they no longer had to live in such an intense fear and anxiety. However terrible he was many Russians still believed him to be a great leader. Stalin was a murderous dictator who is among many things, responsible for millions of innocent lives, genocides, and famines however, Russia has Stalin to thank for turning the country into a world superpower.

The Importance of The Bill of Rights in Society Today Essay -- The Bill

When the Second Constitutional Convention wrote the Constitution in 1787, there was a controversy between the federalists and the anti-federalists surrounding whether or not to have a Bill of Rights. The anti-federalists claimed that a bill of rights was needed that listed the guaranteed rights that the government could never take away from a person i.e. â€Å"inalienable rights.† A Bill of Rights was eventually deemed necessary, and has worked for over 210 years. There are many reasons why the ten amendments are still valid to this day, and the best examples are the First Amendment, concerning the freedom of religion, the Fifth Amendment, and the Sixth Amendment. The Amendment I of the Bill of Rights is often called â€Å"the freedom of speech.† It provides a multitude of freedoms: of religion, of speech, of the press, to peacefully assemble, to petition the government. Religious freedom is vitally important to this day because it eliminates the problem of religious conflicts. Historically, many people died for their beliefs because their government only allowed and permitted one religion. T...

Review of rahomomn

‘Rashomon' directed by Kurosawa is considered one of the most highly ranked foreign films. This film was made in the early 50's and was one of the first films to introduce the element of flashbacks. The film is entirely based on the concept of flashback with 3 witnesses; all giving their accounts on the murder that had taken place. All 3 take the blame upon them and confess to have been the culprits. There is a build up of confusion at this point and constant questions are raised as to who is the real culprit?And who has wronged whom? Rashomon' portrays flashbacks unlike any other, and explains how flashbacks are about both the truth and the false. The truth is presented through the events the witnesses think took place or experienced. The false aspect however, comes in as Kurosawa explains how human beings are wired in a way that they can never tell stories involving them without using manipulation. The other thing that is absolutely hard to miss is the phenomenal skill of the actors in the film.For someone who is alien to the language of the film, it usually becomes ard to understand what is really going on, however in ‘Rashomon', despite it being in Japanese and the subtitles being off, it is relatively easy to understand what is going on because of the exaggerated acting of the actors. The acting is so expressive and it may not necessarily explain every detail of the plot, but one can say that language is no longer a great barrier. Also, the film was more or less silent and based on the actions and emotions rather than the dialogues.This is similar to a silent film, and for this reason it is easier for an alien viewer to comprehend too. The setting also plays an extremely important role in portraying the behavior of the characters and to get a better understanding of the plot! In my opinion there are two distinct settings, that of the wilderness and that of the temple. There is a clear difference in the behavior of the characters in the wilderne ss and that in the temple. I find that since the rape and the murder both take place in the forest too, it throws light on the fact that the behavior in the wilderness is not controlled, and rather savage.Whereas the behavior in the temple is more composed and sane. This leads me to my next point, which is that often our surrounding has a great impact on us and almost has a direct effect on our environment. The behavior of the two men fghting in the forest reminded me of savages. It was as though all their emotions and feelings had touched the surface and they were no longer in any state to behave in a composed manner. This is very similar to another film I had watched, called â€Å"Heart of darkness† by Joseph Conrad. Just like in that film, ‘Rashomon' too, reveals layers of human behavior.There are also humorous moments intertwined in the film to break the serious mood, almost acting like a comic relief. The entire film is shot in black and white, which serves as a gl oomy atmosphere, but also highlights the darkness of the events that take place in the movie. The director nas paid attention to every small detail in movie, be it the setting, the use of dialogues, the importance of the seasons etc. For instance, the movie opens with the scene of heavy rainfall; this may or may not be foreboding and suggestive of the darkness of the events that may take place.

Essay on Macbeth comparing to current events Essay

On March 16, 1988, Saddam Hussein launched an attack on people in his own country. 5,000 Kurds were dead, and 7,000 were either injured or had long-term illnesses. The attack was in Iraq’s city of Halabja and President Hussein only attacked because the Kurds did not support him, and he was retaliating. This ruthless destruction of innocent people proves that still in the world today there are people who are greedy, have ruthless ambition, and do not care how many lives they destroy, only if they can end up on top. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character was described as a greedy, heartless, and ambitious individual who was swayed into evil and let his ambition take control of his life. Even thought that Macbeth was written over 400 years ago, people today such as Martha Stewart, Jeff Skilling, and Saddam Hussein compare with the character Macbeth in many ways. â€Å"I have given suck, and know tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from its boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.† (1.7.55-60) This quote from Macbeth shows how ruthless the character Lady Macbeth was and how she could murder her child if she swore she would. This compares with the brutality of Saddam Hussein and his attacks on his own Kurdish people. Only because the Kurds did not agree nor support Saddam and his regime, he said he would take measures to destroy them and he did. He launched chemical and biological weapons in the city of Halabja and the city along with its people are still trying to recover from this massacre. In Shakespeare’s play, the character Macbeth killed King Duncan and Fleance because those were the two people in Macbeth’s way, and prevented him from becoming King of Scotland. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein killed all of the people who opposed him and made himself the only person running for president because he scared everyone else. If someone else was thinking of running, or tried to, Saddam made him suddenly â€Å"disappear† and won the next election. This verifies that Macbeth relates to the current world; by having people still stop at nothing, destroying everything in their path, to achieve their goals. â€Å"Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t.† (1.5.65-66) This quotation is when Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth to pretend to be a  nice and heartwarming host, but underneath he is a nasty beast. This compares with Martha Stewart in the present day. She appears to be a nice and perfect role model for all people, but underneath is a villainous serpent. For example, Martha Stewart bought almost all of the flowers from one small business owner, and promised to pay him back. Weeks passed along with the months. Eventually the business had to declare bankruptcy because Stewart never wrote down that she was going to pay the owner back, and ran out of money. This establishes that Martha Stewart is a horrible person who cares for no one but herself. In Macbeth, this relates because Macbeth killed his best friend Banquo because he knew too much information, and Macbeth thought he was a threat, and had him killed. Even though that Banquo was a friend to Macbeth his entire life, Macbeth thought that he was a little pest and just had him killed in the blink of an eye. This validates that Macbeth relates to the current world, by having greedy people who think only about themselves rise up in the world and surpass their goals, but leaving all their friends and everyone they loved behind in a bloody trail of death. â€Å"The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ the sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.† (4.2.150-153) This quote is right before his henchmen go to kill Macduff’s innocent child and wife. Macduff was the person Macbeth wanted to kill. Macbeth had nothing against Macduff’s wife and child, and Macbeth only wanted to kill them to make Macduff angry. Jeff Skilling, the CEO of ENRON is also guilty of destroying the lives of people under him. He was charged with insider trading, wire fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy, and making false statements. As compared the Macbeth, Skilling took the pensions away from hard-workers who were looking forward to big pensions after they retired. Many people lost their jobs and lots of money when Skilling was CEO of ENRON. Skilling could stop at nothing, even though he had millions of dollars, his ambition could never be satisfied. Both Macb eth and Jeff Skilling are the same in respect to they both do not care about people, and their ambitions are never satisfied. Overall, Martha Stewart, Jeff Skilling, and Saddam Hussein all relate to the  plat Macbeth because they all were ruthless individuals. Greed, hatred, and driving ambition were all contributing factors that Macbeth shared with the three people. The thirst for having unlimited power and stopping at nothing to achieve that goal was a trait for both Macbeth and Saddam Hussein. The greed and complete disregard to others equally compares Macbeth with Martha Stewart. The driving and unrelenting ambition was a quality that both Macbeth and Jeff Skilling shared. Many people believe that William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is one of the greatest books of all times. This is because no matter what time period, the ideas represented in this play are still common traits in the current world.

Symptoms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Medical history has been filled with an array of diseases and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some are easily treatable and others can be terminal, but some of the worst are those that still remain without a cure; one such disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative disease affecting the human nervous system. It is a deadly disease that cripples and kills its victims due to a breakdown in the body's motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brainstem and spinal cord that control muscle contractions. In ALS, these neurons deteriorate to a point that all movement, including breathing, halts. Muscle weakness first develops in the muscles of body parts distant from the brain, such as the hands, and subsequently spreads through other muscle groups closer to the brain. Such early symptoms as this, however, can hardly be noticed. Early symptoms of ALS are very slight and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as tripping or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is completely taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared. Where and how this deadly disease originated is unknown, but it was first identified in 1869, by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. ALS is not contagious, but research is still vague on the cause of the disease. Today, there are three recognized forms of ALS: genetic, sporadic, and Guamanian. The genetic form of ALS appears to be inherited or passed down within a family, and about ten percent of ALS patients have a family history of the disease. An abnormal gene has been located in about half these families, but the cause of the remaining half is still unknown. The next, most common form, is sporadic ALS. These patients have no family history of disease, and the cause of their coming down with ALS is a mystery. Finally, is Guamanian ALS, called this because a high percentage of cases occur in the Pacific Islands near Guam. One major reason ALS is such a frightening disease is because no cure has been established. Although no effective treatment has been developed, a number of drug trials have been conducted, and there are some devices designed to help ALS patients maintain independence as well as safety as the disease progresses. These devices include ankle or foot braces, cervical collars, and reclining chairs. Since there is no cure, however, the primary treatment is for management of symptoms. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also a difficult disease to diagnose, primarily because no one test can definitely establish if the disease is present. A diagnosis includes most, if not all, of the following procedures: electrodiagnostic tests, blood and urinary study, thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels, spinal tap and imaging, and muscular or nerve biopsy. Most who develop ALS are between the ages of forty and seventy years of age, although cases have been reported of victims in their twenties and thirties. It was once thought to be a rare disease, but studies have shown that about 5,000 people in the United States are newly-diagnosed with ALS each year–about 13 new cases a day! It isn estimated that about 100,000 people who are apparently well in the country today will die with ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also popularly known as Lou Gehrig disease. Lou Gehrig was a famous baseball player in the 1930's for the New York Yankees. Once known as baseball's â€Å"Ironman†, Lou Gehrig was truly a sports legend. His promising career came to a screeching halt, however, when he was diagnosed with ALS. The disease not only took away his career in baseball, but his life; Lou Gehrig died at the young age of thirty-eight. In conclusion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a deadly and frightening disease; its victims cannot be saved. Someday, hopefully, a cure will be developed, and the suffering this disease is causing will be stopped.

Michael Graves Essay

Art Appreciation Michael Graves Michael Graves is a post-modern architect born in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 9th 1934. He graduated from Broad Ripple High School; he then attended and got his bachelor degree at the University of Cincinnati. After getting his bachelors, he went to Harvard where he got his masters in Interior design. After college he started career as an architect, it was in 1968 when he designed and built the Hanselmann House in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He built houses for about 10 years until he started building all kinds of buildings. He built anything from the Dolphin Resort at Disney world from the Denver Public Library. Graves has been designing buildings of all types since 1968 very rapidly, some years designing four or more buildings a year. One of Graves’s most famous buildings is the Portland building in Oregon. This building was made in 1980 and is unique because of how he surprised everyone with the exterior design. He used a pair of classical columns that have no structural function. He made these columns stand out by setting them in a reflecting pool. The Portland public says the building is both formal and playful, governor Ivancie says that most big city building were beginning to be built to simple with Just glass outsides. He says the Portland building doesn’t lack design features like other big city buildings. Some did criticize the design but most were thrilled by the uniqueness of the new building. People say there is type of humor to his designs and buildings. â€Å"Graves has become an opponent of modern works who uses humor as an integral part of his architecture† (1). Graves uses designs from the past and puts his own twist on them. â€Å"Graves re-interpreted the rational style that had been introduced by Le Corbusier in the 1920s into a neoclassical style† (1). Michael Graves has many building that are very famous, but his design on the Humana Building in Louisville, Kentucky is maybe his best design he’s had. His design on this building got him in the time magazine. â€Å"TIME Magazine listed it as one of the 10 best buildings of the decade† (2). The building looks different from every side. Many say it is one of the most unique and distinctive skyscrapers in America. Critics say it is a textbook example of Postmodernism. Grave’s Humana building is said to have its fair share of flaws but the brilliant design more than counteracts the flaws. â€Å"While the building has undeniable flaws, they are easily outweighed by its attributes, hich have only grown stronger with time†(3). http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/house/ http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/technology_internetcritic/ https://books.google.com.ua/books?id=JwhZCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA225&lpg=PA225&dq=http://featuresblogs.+chicagotribune.+com/t&source=bl&ots=CwG3pAKd5l&sig=5KrPfyo2wN90yu3ZXrsblMPOpew&hl=uk&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjy0NvQhoPUAhVKD5oKHUzSCe8Q6AEIRDAE#v=onepage&q=http%3A%2F%2Ffeaturesblogs.%20chicagotribune.%20com%2Ft&f=false https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humana_Building Humana Humana - Michael Graves Architecture & Design window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/11\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/11\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/www.michaelgraves.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=4.9.8"}}; !function(a,b,c){function d(a,b){var c=String.fromCharCode;l.clearRect(0,0,k.width,k.height),l.fillText(c.apply(this,a),0,0);var d=k.toDataURL();l.clearRect(0,0,k.width,k.height),l.fillText(c.apply(this,b),0,0);var e=k.toDataURL();return d===e}function e(a){var b;if(!l||!l.fillText)return!1;switch(l.textBaseline="top",l.font="600 32px Arial",a){case"flag":return!(b=d([55356,56826,55356,56819],[55356,56826,8203,55356,56819]))&&(b=d([55356,57332,56128,56423,56128,56418,56128,56421,56128,56430,56128,56423,56128,56447],[55356,57332,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56418,8203,56128,56421,8203,56128,56430,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56447]),!b);case"emoji":return b=d([55358,56760,9792,65039],[55358,56760,8203,9792,65039]),!b}return!1}function f(a){var c=b.createElement("script");c.src=a,c.defer=c.type="text/javascript",b.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(c)}var g,h,i,j,k=b.createElement("canvas"),l=k.getContext&&k.getContext("2d");for(j=Array("flag","emoji"),c.supports={everything: !0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},i=0;i

Movie Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Movie Summary - Essay Example he main purpose of occurrence of the Civil War was eradication of racism from the American society, the amenities and privileges given to the white soldiers have been conventionally denied to the black soldiers. Although the black soldiers were given the most demeaning tasks, yet none of them decided to quit when they were provided with a chance to. Shaw realized that his unit was only being used to do manual labor. Another salient feature of the movie is the fact that it speaks about the bravery and courage of Shaw that is evident from his confrontation of the commanding officers after he finds that the officers are profiting from the war. Shaw threatens the commanding officers that he would notify their corruption to the War Department if his unit is not provided with a chance to combat. When granted an opportunity, the regiment takes part in a battle that happens in South California. In this battle, the regiment puts down a Confederate attack. After that, Shaw directs the regiment to lead an attack upon the Fort Wagner. The men are led in charge on the fort after the nightfall. In his attempt to unite the men forward, Shaw loses his life along with several other soldiers including Thomas, Trip, and Forbes. This movie brings the memories of those courageous black soldiers alive, thus paying a tribute to

Being and Nothingness according to Jean-Paul Sartre Essay

Being and Nothingness according to Jean-Paul Sartre - Essay Example Sartre explains that our perception of the external world is absolute and pure. He also suggests that our perception of objects is of finite nature, and our self perceives them with the help of the senses. He is of the idea that what we see in the outside world is what we know and what we get. In his philosophical theory argues that the being – in –itself and being- for- itself are distinct aspects of this real world. Here being – in –itself are the unconscious beings and being- for -itself is the conscious being. As per Jean-Paul Sartre, being –in -itself is stable and isn’t aware of its existence, whereas being – for- itself is aware of its own consciousness. These both beings are distinct from each other and constitute the existence of the universe.Being – in– itself cannot change its form with its own will as it does not have will or consciousness. However being – for – itself has free will, awareness an d chooses to act right or wrong. Anyway, Jean-Paul Sartre sees the being – for –itself as incomplete and indefinite, as it can go to any limit with its dynamic consciousness. This is what makes a man undetermined, indefinable and conscious creature. Since for – itself or a man in other terms is absent of a predetermined essence, it is intimidated or forced to create itself from nothingness or voidness. According to Sartre voidness or nothingness is the very explainable characteristic of a human being.For example, a rock is a rock and can do nothing to change its shape or form. But in case of being – for – itself can change its shape, form and even decide what he wants to do or not do. A man has the power to act in this world, and also can interact with physical objects which are being – in – itself. We can see that a man is not simply being here in this world, but also is actuating himself with the power of consciousness and awareness . A man or a self can create a whole dynamic world of himself by perceiving the objects of the universe. His consciousness is of infinite power and this gives him the ability to perceive being – in – itself in a dynamic way.

Old Operating Theatre in London Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Old Operating Theatre in London - Essay Example The essay "Old Operating Theatre in London" explores historically significant Old Operating Theatre in London and gives a review of Pierre Nora’s theory of ‘sites of memory’ and postmodernism. â€Å"Architectural phenomenologists have been particularly active in advocating a born-again power of places, which includes their symbolic and memorial functions†. Tensions characterize the transitions in the last twenty years, related to the Postmodernist renaissance of monuments, and are evident in the preface to the first volume of Pierre Nora’s seminal Les Lieux de Memoire translated as ‘sites of memory’, which envisioned a collection of ‘memory places’ ranging from concrete structures to abstract intellectual constructions. On the other hand, in the last volume of Nora’s series written eight years later, the author complains that his formula ‘memory places’ has not been comprehended as the dematerialization o f ‘places’ intended as symbolic instruments. Nora’s memory places were conceptualized as places within the mind, as in the conventional and Renaissance art of memory. These ‘sites of memory’ have displaced real environments of memory or Milieux de Memoire. ‘The Old Operating Theatre’ in London dating back to 1822 has been preserved in the form of an unusual museum. â€Å"It is the oldest in Europe and found in a unique space in the Herb Garret of St. Thomas Church, and was a part of old St. Thomas Hospital. The consciousness of a break with the past is linked to the quintessence of memory.

Strategy in action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategy in action - Essay Example Despite the challenge, interventions have been developed to help in organization of knowledge especially based on new technologies. Knowledge management systems have been embraced by many organizations in an effort to ensure that the dynamics of knowledge are controlled. Researchers have developed divergent views concerning knowledge management. They attribute it to performance, market share, competitive advantage, market positioning, and sustainability of the organization. Despite all these benefits, knowledge management is seen as a thorn in the flesh of large and complex organizations. Large and complex organizations depict complexities and bureaucracy in the management of knowledge. The management of knowledge in large and complex organizations is a tedious process that involves a number of processes, usually involving several people. The involvements of many people in the process create a scenario where knowledge does not reach on time or is corrupted in the process. In order for any knowledge to be approved from the lower cadres to the management of an organization, there is likelihood of conflicts based on the influence of decisions made. According to Franz et al (2002), knowledge ‘islands’ are inevitable in large organizations where there are parities in the knowledge that is embraced by a given group based on common aspects such as being in the same office, department or team. It is noteworthy that the organization has to share common goals; hence, the knowledge at their disposal should ideally be similar. However, complex organizations may serv e different purposes, which may require them to adopt some knowledge that varies from the other teams. The management of knowledge in large organizations is cumbersome based on the view that knowledge can occur in various forms. As well put by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995, p.9) in their model, there are two types of knowledge.

Post-Partum Depression in Latin American Women in the South Bronx Research Paper

Post-Partum Depression in Latin American Women in the South Bronx (Ages 20-25) - Research Paper Example South Bronx is an area well known in United States that was heavily crashed by the Second World War. The war affected all sectors of life, economic, social, political, and cultural and employment. Due to the impact of the war, people in this area live in great poverty and under poor conditions (Sierra, 2008). Q. 2. Since many centuries back, there was a relationship between depression and childbirth. Nowadays, researches have been done and clear evidence that many depression and other mental conditions are as a result of pregnancy. This is in accordance with Latin American Researchers who found out that mood turmoil in women especially depression are related to pregnancy. South Bronx is the poorest district in the United States. Additionally, it is the district that reports many cases of women ailing postpartum depression. Of the total population, 256,544 which represent 38% live below the poverty line. This is in accordance with a report issued by US census Bureau (Sierra, 2008). Re ports show that approximately 61% of women experience anxiety after birth and later reduces during the fifth week after childbirth. An average of 13% of women experience PPD which may last for months after delivery Chances of a woman experiencing PPD vary depending with age, background, level of education, history of depression among others. ... Many people living in South America are Latin and black Americans. Majority of Latinos’ and black Americans live in South Bronx, a district known to be lived by people with no prospect of employment (Sierra, 2008). A large population of people has low income while the rest are unemployed. In 2005, 205,000 middle age women were treated with PPD in the United States. The cause of the high rise of postpartum depression in this area in young women is due to lack of financial support, unexpected pregnancies and abandonment (Sierra, 2008). Many young women in south Bronx engage in illegal activities like prostitution, drug trafficking, alcoholism and robbery to earn a living. These are some of the risk factors causing depression which is the cause of PPD. Additionally, poor health conditions is another factor leading to postpartum depression in Latin Americans living in south Bronx. Due to poverty, many women do not receive health assistance during pregnancy and after birth. For tho se who seek medical assistance, chances are that they receive low quality services due to lack of enough finances. It is normal that during the first few weeks many women experience moody feelings, lose appetite, hopelessness, difficulty in sleeping due to hormonal changes during pregnancy and after birth (Rosenfield, 2006). These feelings are called baby blues which are normal feeling to almost 80% of new mothers. In some cases, these feelings can be persistence leading to serious mental disorders like postpartum depression (PPD) or postpartum psychosis. This condition may affect women in their early years (20-30) of reproduction than during the late years. The main reason is unwanted pregnancies, poverty, abortion, complications during

My Developing Role as a Mental Health Nurse with my Schizophrenic Essay

My Developing Role as a Mental Health Nurse with my Schizophrenic Patient - Essay Example My client, Greg, had all of these in varying degrees at different times. According to Javitt & Coyle (2004), "Scientists have long viewed schizophrenia as arising out of a disturbance in which brain cells communicate using a signalling chemical, or neurotransmitter, called dopamine" Schizophrenia is fundamentally a physical disease of the brain like Alzheimer's. With schizophrenia, people experience a slow continuing deterioration as they get older, like Alzheimer's, but it is more commonly thought of as a neuro-developmental illness, present at birth, affecting neurological development, and becoming manifest in late adolescence (Javitt & Coyle, 2004). For many individuals, schizophrenia is a severe and enduring illness. While nurses need to understand the symptoms of the illness in order to provide specific care and treatment, it also is important to find out how people with schizophrenia embody the illness. Capturing this knowledge will help nurses to provide more appropriate care to these individuals. Assessment. Greg is the son of a wealthy businessman well-known in the community. He has two sisters but many half-brothers and half-sisters. The problem of Greg is that he is not on the legitimate side of the family. His mother happened to be the former housemaid of the Don. When Greg was young, he had heard all the stories about his father, but everything is hazy now. He had tasted of the good life that some fortune was able to bring just after the Don died. He now has no father but just his mother and two sisters who briefly had enjoyed all the money could bring. Still, their mother would take some trips to the wealthy side of the family and ask for help, but there is a time giving had to stop. While the first family was kind to them, the differences in not being legitimate made early marks in the mind of Greg and his sisters. But it was Greg who tried to work hard to be acceptable as the Don's son. Skinny and sickly as he was, he did everything worthy to be counted. He learned music, did much reading, engaged in philanthropic pursuits, and did some advanced schooling. Greg had worked his way to college and was able to have his name engraved in the school's board for having topped the national teacher's board exam for the year. One of his sisters found her own way through life by holding on to odd jobs, just as the mother did. The other sister became stricken with chronic lapses of schizophrenia much earlier than Greg, and clearly refused to make her own way through life. To her, she is the Don's daughter who needed never to work very hard. After taking his bachelor's degree, Greg had enrolled in a masters' program, then finally to a doctorate degree. There was no stopping with his climbing socially to improve himself. However, he was not able to finish this last degree. It was when he could not anymore stay sane with all the responsibilities. He was stricken hard with schizophrenia - one that came and went but never away. It seemed that he had it all the time, while trying to go to school. Meanwhile, her schizophrenic sister had died. Nursing Diagnosis. One critical fact of schizophrenia to realize is that it interferes with self

Human computer interaction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human computer interaction - Assignment Example This made me to access outdated and irrelevant source of ideas that lowered my knowledge and competence levels. Equally, there were cases in which hackers and introduction of malware made accessing the sites impossible hence completely blocking my access to the sites. The major contributing factors to the problems were unprofessional management of the sites plus poor site designs. The site hosts assumed that the sites operated perfectly despite the poor maintenance approaches provided. Progress is achievable through improved maintenance and constant updating of the sites ensuring stable site access throughout the year. Future designs of these sites need to factor in issues of proper site maintenance with regular upgrades to avoid inconvenience to all the users. Question 2 HCL is supposed to offer quick solutions in an effective and comprehensive way without compromising the quality of products and services in question. The use of mobile technology to get solutions for common problems is one of the great samples. Many present day scanners use heuristic signatures for virus and malware detection in an efficient and faster means. This is sustainable model for handling the problems with a properly designed tool and framework without compromising of the status of data under threat. ... Therefore, it offers a sustainable and manageable solution to lives and property. The essence of Berkun apply to HCL since the algorithms in HCL are quite compressive and user friendly that they are able to offer solutions to most common problems in technology use and academic endeavours of people presently. In gaming and social media application of this technology has enriched and fastened the use of this services.HCL applies the search of task through search trees accomplishing it effectively .The amount of information and games in the internet is quite high therefore it offers efficiency due to its selectiveness and specialization. Instead of giving all the possible solution branches, it provides the branch most likely possible to the necessary outcomes in relation to other branches and options. From experiences in using this technology its specific in selection of information and materials at the points of need. Question 3 Connection with technology challenges the status quo thro ugh offering various opportunities and possibilities to human connection rather than the physical communication. The examples and real applications presented by Sherry Turckle represent an illustration of what is going on in the world of technology today. The society expects much from technology in relation to what we receive and expect from humans. It has provided an opportunity and illusion of companionship without friendship hence no cost and incurred within the companionship model provided by technology. Parents and the children fail to provide one another with companionship and attention as witnessed in cases where parents get busy with emailing and texting to colleagues during meals instead of

Assianment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assianment - Assignment Example No Man’s Land focuses our sights on the human side of the war as the men of Newfoundland Regiment reminisce the time when they saw the war as an adventure and an opportunity to seek glory for themselves and their country. They were told that the war would last only for a year and they would be coming home just in time for Christmas. They were proud volunteers then as many other soldiers were. The memories of their march past cheering crowds through the streets of St. Johns and into the transport Florizel was all fresh to them. War for them was an adventure. That view changed ever since the news of McWhirter’s death, the first Newfoundland man killed, was made known. Now, Second Lieutenant Alan Hayward, Martin and the rest of the men find themselves anxiously waiting for the moment when they would step out of the trenches and assault the enemy. They cower under the protection of their makeshift bunkers as the enemy artillery barrage pummels their position. All of them knew that at any time they could end up dead or dying. The men longed for home and were frustrated by the lack of knowledge of what lies ahead of them but in spite of these, they stand resolutely on the fire steps glancing at their pocket watches and waiting for the zero hour. In reading the book, we become enticed with how Kevin Major effectively portrayed the unnatural quiet before the storm. Major was also equally effective in portraying the camaraderie as the men on Newfoundland Regiment fight to make it through the barbed wire, deadly sweep of machine-gun bullets and grenades. In spite of their heroic efforts, the area known to be as no man’s land proved to be the graveyard for two hundred and seventy-two young men from the Newfoundland Regiment. It was the greatest casualty for any other unit in the battlefield. On that morning of July 1, 1916, the communities in Newfoundland lost many of its men who would have been their future leaders. The attempt to drive the enemy