Thursday, November 28, 2019

Frankenstein free essay sample

A comparison of the film Frankenstein and the novel by Mary Shelley. (more)

Monday, November 25, 2019

Obesity in America Papers That Do Matter a Cost-Free Obesity Essay Sample

Obesity in America Papers That Do Matter a Cost-Free Obesity Essay Sample The American Obesity Association in partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 15.5 percent of adolescents aged 12-19 years and 15.3 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years are obese. OBESITY IS NOT A VERDICT Obesity is a rising global concern that has taken a toll on annual health costs across the country. Besides causing a huge health burden, the impact of obesity has contributed to decreased productivity and increased absenteeism among members of our society. It becomes necessary to sensitize the private and public sector partners, medical professionals as well as the public to adopt strategies that will make healthier choices easier to make. What Is Obesity? Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, usually over 20% of an individuals average body weight. It is associated with an enormous amount of health complications (high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2  diabetes, and cancer), disability and even death. Individuals with a Body Mass Index of more than 30 are considered to be obese and those with a BMI of 25-29.9 are deemed to be overweight. As the condition continues to become an increasing concern in the United States, individuals have developed an interest in a field of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of obesity otherwise known as bariatrics. Further, it is common fortudents to be asked to write argumentative essays (see How to write an argumentative essay) on obesity or other lifestyle issues during their academic career. You can sign up to buy your obesity essay online for an original, high-quality essay that is written from scratch by professional academic experts. Obesity Key Facts From a global perspective, the rise of obesity has been gradual but constant ever since 1980. The American Obesity Association in partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 15.5 percent of adolescents aged 12-19 years and 15.3 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years are obese. The condition has continued to increase over the years affecting 78.6 million people in the United States and more than 700 million people in the world. Among the 78.6 million people in the U.S, an estimated 112,000 deaths have been linked to obesity each year making it one of the leading preventable causes of death. As the cases of obesity continue to grow internationally, so are the annual medical costs for  an average of $147 billion being spent in the U.S. on the treatment of obesity and its related health problems. Why Do People Become Obese? The leading causes of obesity are overeating and lack of physical activity. When a person takes up more calories than he or she can consume (metabolize), the excess is converted to fats that pile up with time leading to weight gain. The imbalance between calorie intake and consumption is also influenced by age, gender, genes, psychological makeup, certain health conditions, socioeconomic and environmental factors. 1. Physical Inactivity.  Many Americans are not active and easily take in more calories than they can burn through physical exercise or normal daily activities. Some of the reasons that encourage inactivity include driving, fewer physical demands because of modern technology, longer TV viewing hours, etc. 2. Unhealthy diets.  Consumption of unhealthy meals containing high levels of calories like red meat, unhealthy fats, processed foods and sugary drinks plays a major role in obesity. People with eating disorders such as binge eating also develop obesity. 3. Lifestyle habits.  A sedentary lifestyle where people are stuck  in a routine of long working hours with little room for exercise, oversized food portions, inactivity, inaccessibility to healthy foods due to cost or advertising that sways people to buy high-calorie foods. 4. Genes.  The genetics of a person will determine if a person is likely to develop obesity. Genes play a significant role in metabolism efficiency, storage, and distribution of body fat. If one or both parents are obese, there is an increased risk of weight gain hence the need to maintain healthy lifestyles that can counteract these genetic effects. 5. Medical conditions.  Certain medical conditions such as Cushings syndrome, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) will contribute to obesity. Some medications are also linked to weight gain like some varieties of corticosteroids, antidepressants, and seizure medicines. Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is defined in terms of BMI (Body Mass Index), a formula that takes into account a childs age and sex-specific percentile to determine body fat, health risk, and well-being. Obesity in children and adolescents is considered as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. Obese children are more likely to have risk factors for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, depression, low self-esteem, and stigmatization. Childhood obesity often persists into adulthood and could be associated with numerous chronic illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, stroke, various types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Top 5 Most Obese Countries Countries that show the highest obesity problems in the world are most exclusively found in the Pacific Islands. American Samoa (74.6%), Nauru (71.1%) and Cook Islands (63.7%) top the list of countries reported to have the highest proportion of people viewed as obese. Other countries like Tokelau (63.4%) and Tonga (57.6%) follow closely with the U.S. ranking at 18th position with 33% and the UK at 43rd place with 27% of the population being obese. What Is Worse: Obesity or Anorexia? Eating disorders like anorexia and obesity have detrimental health effects that could lead to death. Both obesity and anorexia are complex neurobiological disorders with metabolic consequences that have strong genetic and environmental underpinnings. While anorexics intentionally starve themselves even to death and have a fear of gaining weight, obese people are incredibly overweight. Anorexia may be a fatal psychiatric disorder due to its ability to lead to other mental disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression that could cause one to commit suicide. This isnt to say that anorexia is a more dangerous problem than obesity as both conditions pose as deadly health risks. Life Without Obesity It is important for individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a steady body weight by eating healthy meals, engaging in physical exercise and making meaningful societal changes. Careful individualized treatment will often be required for individuals with overweight and obesity problems to help reverse the rising epidemic rates of these conditions. Reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight helps people to lower the risk of developing serious health concerns, boost ones self-confidence and gives more energy to enjoy life. Writing obesity research essays can be challenging for most students as it requires one to provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of nutrition and physical activity in tackling the obesity menace as well as analyzing the relationship between obesity and other health problems. Get a comprehensive obesity essay by placing an order with a professional essay writing service. Our knowledgeable writers offer top-notch quality service at affordable prices while providing a clear and concise response to your assignment instructions and requirements. If you need assistance with essay writing, feel free to contact our friendly support team or place an order and we will gladly help you.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Comparing a Past Decade with Todays Economy Research Paper

Comparing a Past Decade with Todays Economy - Research Paper Example At the same time, they face various types of barriers when they try to compete against other firms in the US marketplaces. 2000 is one of the decades that has created loss for employees and financial system of US. â€Å"The decade that just ended has been the worst for the U.S. economy in modern times by a wide range of data, with zero net job growth and the slowest rise in economic output since the 1930s. Many who stayed employed were hurt too, with middle-income families making less in 2008, when adjusted for inflation, than they did in 1999 — the first decade since the 1960s that median incomes have fallen† (Seitz-Wald para. 1). Recent financial data demonstrates that the poverty rate in US has grown the highest in the past 20 years. It is well recognized that the present financial climate in the US is not favorable. This pushes one to think on the subject of the level of economic growth over the last 10 years in the country. One thing to observe is the wide GDP alte rations that have occurred over the period. Considering the information from 2000 to 2011, the CPI representing the price of living has increased to 25.74% (January 2000 to September 2011). Individual income, deriving from interest, dividends, labor, and transfers made by government minus social security through the corresponding period rose up to 57.19%. 2) Relate that state to today’s economy based on those indicators. The US’ real GDP rate has increased annually by 2.5 % in the third quarter of 2011 (that is, from the second part to the third part) according to the "advance" estimation released by the agency of Economic study. In the second part, real GDP advanced to 1.3%. â€Å" †. (GDP United States 1). The increase in real GDP in the third part mainly reflected positive contributions from Individual Consumption Expenditures (ICE), exports, nonresidential fixed assets and federal administration spending that were partially counterbalanced by negative contri butions from private inventory investment as well as local and state government expenditure. Imports, which are a subtraction in the computation of GDP, have also been increased. â€Å"U.S. Inflation Rate Past Trend Present Value & Future Projection YoY Change in CPI. Percent. † (U.S. Inflation Rate Forecast para. 2). Recent financial Indicators published in November 08, 2011. Indicator Value of the indicator. Worldwide Stocks development, % 0.37 United State GDP development, % 2.45 United State Inflation, % 3.90 United State Unemployment rate % 9.00 Gold, $/oz 1,795.00 WTI Oil, $/bbl rate 96.89 US 10 Yr Treasuries, rate % 2.09 (US Inflation Rate Forecast) 3) Describe the state of the economy at the end of the decade: The US financial system is the world's biggest national economy. Its nominal GDP was anticipated to be almost $14.7 trillion in 2010, around a quarter of nominal worldwide GDP at buying power parity. The US economy also keeps a very high rate of production every year. In 2010, it was anticipated to have a per capita GDP of $46,844, the 7th maximum in the globe. The United State is the main trading country in the globe. Its three major trading partners at the end of the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Further research into religions. (Be sure to cite your sources) Essay

Further research into religions. (Be sure to cite your sources) - Essay Example Some practitioners normally refer to it as the eternal way or eternal law, or the Sanatana Dharma. The religion campaigns for duties such as mercy, purity, honesty and self- restraint among others (Foulston, Lynn, and Stuart 155). Scholars in the west normally regard Hinduism as a synthesis of Indian traditions and cultures with no single founder and diverse roots (Saraswati 68). The Hindu synthesis surfaced around the beginning of the Common Era. It later co- existed for many centuries with Buddhism to later achieve the upper hand in a majority of the royal circles in the 8th century. Hinduism came into broad use in the nineteenth century under the rule of western colonialism. It had asserted itself as an independent and coherent tradition. The common understanding of Hinduism is dominated by Hindu modernism (Saraswati 51). The understanding emphasizes on mysticism and the harmony of Hinduism. Hindu practices are inclusive of rituals such as annual festivals, recitations and pilgrimages (Bhalla 11). Hindus, more than any other religion accept instances of the nature of their traditions. The diversity is made possible by the widely shared Hindu view that reality and truth cannot e encapsulated in any perspective expressed in Hindu prayer. Hinduism therefore maintains that truth explored in several sources. Anyone’s perspective of truth is conditioned by gender, time, age and other factors. The several views promote a diverse perspective of religious truth, instead of minimising it. Hindus, therefore, have a strong tendency to affirm that tolerance is the most significant virtue in religion. Other Hindus, on the other hand, affirm that their religion has grown into a specific context of the Indian subcontinent (Foulston, Lynn, and Stuart 77). When Hindus speak of their identity as Sanatana dharma, they create emphasis on their continuous existence, and that it covers several traditions, obligations and beliefs. Hinduism is based on five pillars that

Monday, November 18, 2019

Professional vs training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional vs training - Essay Example Retrieved from http://tomakeaprairie.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/learning-vs-training-the-power-of-real- professional-development/ Many people go through several challenges in their professions and most likely in the times of gaining experience. This occurs mostly when an individual gets some job in a firm with less or different machineries from the ones he or she has learned leading to poor orientation. Poor training and monitoring of the work force during the orientation period is unprofessional. Companies should implement policies and procedures that expose all their employees to enough experience because much of the learned information or knowledge is lost if not put into practice. In the process of gaining experience, the interns should have mentors who are very knowledgeable in the same field to take them through the required procedures besides monitoring them. In gaining experience, interns go through a few practices whereby they gain the required knowledge in their professions. However, not all interns get the required or enough exposure in their fields of study. This is because the involved instructors or tutors may not be willing to take them through the process of gaining experience as required. Mostly, many interns get exposure to less than what they learned or to other things or machines besides their career. As a result, most of them feel demoralized besides this affects their learning process through losing interest in their profession and as well making them change their minds of furthering their studies in the same field. Professionalism In The Workplace. (2013). 2013 Professionalism In The Workplace. Retrieved 19 April 2014, from

Friday, November 15, 2019

Shell’s strategic position in the light of its external and internal environment

Shell’s strategic position in the light of its external and internal environment Shell Strategic Analysis The paper analyses Shells strategic position in the light of its external and internal environment and the key forces and pressures acting on it. The paper takes an overview and then uses PESTLE, SWOT and Value chain analysis to provide a strategic insight of the firm. PESTLE; SWOT; Value Chain Analysis Shell Strategic Analysis Introduction and Company Overview Shell Group provides energy and petrochemical services across the world. With its headquarters in Hague, the Netherlands, and largest subsidiary in the United States, its mission is to position its self as a global leader in the oil and gas sector with a superior competitive advantage in terms of meeting energy demand responsibly. Shell Group belongs to Royal Dutch Shell Plc, based in Wales and England (Shell, 2010 [online]). Its upstream strategy focuses on the exploration of new natural reserves of oil and gas and investing in projects to gauge technological and know-how value-added advantages. As for the downstream strategy, the company selects growth markets to invest in and uses existing assets to acquire consistently high cash returns (Shell, 2010 [online]). Performance focus, growth delivery and new project plans form its strategic framework with strong priority given to competitive performance, profitable growth and sharper delivery. The group operates in more than 90 countri es with over 100,000 employees and 44,000 service stations. Shell has the share of 2% in the global oil market and 3% in the gas sector. In 2009, its earnings were $12.7 billion which fell sharply from 2008s $27 billion figure (Shell, 2010 [online]). The paper will explore how the external and internal environments of the company are affecting its strategy and operations and overall success. Comprehensive PESTEL Analysis Political Forces As declared by EU and UN, carbon emissions are to be charged with penalties and taxes, oil and gas companies have been forced to settle government pressures through partnership agreements and alliances to support their operations by offering an incentive to the government in the form of the betterment of the economy. Oil has been found to gauge economic development of a country (BBC, 2010 [online]). Due to its intense demand, especially in the U.S, government tends to come under the pressure of the leading giants and ease strictness on them, though; they still raise questions regarding the environmental impacts but with the demand pressures from the customers, governments allow Shell and companies alike to find new reserves to meet the demands (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). However, these new means include bio-fuels which do not harm the environment. But Shell has strong reliance on oil and gas reserves and has no intention to venture into bio-fuels in future despite of all social an d political pressures. Shell has been engaged with the Climate Action Partnership with the US, as an attempt to gauge a positive image of the company in terms of a socially responsible business, while it actually uses highly carbon intensive production methods (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]).The partnership is focused towards reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, but while the government is going in that direction, Shell, using its strategic alliances with the government has lessened the regulatory control over its high carbon emitting fuel products. Shell has been forced to take on such diplomatic measures to ease political and regulatory pressures onto the company, when it faces a decline in the conventional natural oil reserves and has to find new alternative forms of oil reserves to meet the demand, which are more carbon intensive but allow it to stay profitable (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). In underdeveloped nations such as Nigeria, which craving for basic necessities, welcomes companies like Shell to bring in foreign direct investment and more job opportunities. Thus, despite of social pressures to reduce exploitation of workforce and gas flares that is destroying lives, the government gives ease to the multinationals in order to support the growth of the economy (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). Free trade agreements among the European and Americas allow Shell to more profitability engage in exports of oil. Russia is a hub of oil reserves and Shell took on the opportunity to exploit the reserves in Russia to meet the challenge of its growing demand, and its increasing lack of conventional oil reserves around the world. Russian government, previously had a high export duty on oil imports, has recently reduced it by 2.6%, which is benefiting Shell and other oil companies with their plants in Russia to export the oil products to their home countries and respective countries where they sell the fuels (Shell, 2010 [online]). Environmental Forces Conventional oil reserves are fast declining but Shell since 1995 has been engaged in finding new forms of oil reserves as oil sands in Canada to oil shale, but with the expense of environmental degradation (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). Research has shown that carbon emissions are much higher from the unconventional oil reserves being used in the manufacturing of fuel, and Shell having invested a large amount of capital in projects to extract oil from unconventional reserves has become the worlds most carbon intensive company (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). Social Forces Oil and gas companies harm not only the environment but to the workforces as well as there are various security and health issues to consider. 20 people were reported to have died due to severe working conditions in 2009 (Shell, 2010 [online]). In Nigeria, Shells operations have been causing gas flares consistently which has caught social attention but the company is reluctant to take action due to its cost reduction strategy (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). Globally, consumers are engaged in responsible consumption and the companies have been obliged to encourage responsible consumption (Dess, 2009). Shell took on the initiative in 2007 to advertise itself as a manufacturing facility that does not harm the environment but uses its waste (carbon dioxide) to cultivate flower growth (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). This encouraged consumers to develop a positive image of Shell but later on, news reports on the matter suggested a different story. Only one of the plants in Netherlands was engaged in the flower growth while the rest were heavily involved in carbon emissions (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). This hampered Shells image further as not only was its accused of destroying the environment but also of misleading the consumers. Technological Forces The oil and gas industry has been benefited greatly owing to technological advancements in drilling and extraction of oil and gas. Heavy capital investments are required to acquire the advance technological equipment to extract oil and gas from unconventional reserves. Shells biggest strength is its investment in smart technologies that allow it to make the most out of the oil and gas reserves (Shell, 2010 [online]). Economic Forces Oil prices have increased the world over, which has resulted from heavy taxations from the government due to which costs of production have risen (Shell, 2010 [online]). Using extensive, costly technology which requires heavy investments, further forces the companies to charge high prices for fuels (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). There is a growing demand for energy, which is expected to rise up by 57% in the next 20 years (Shell, 2010 [online]). This becomes a challenge when there are fewer natural reserves of oil and gas left to meet this demand. Shell has used its scenario planning efforts to invest in new projects to extract oil and gas from unconventional reserves to be able to meet the growing demand in future, but this also translates to higher prices for customers (Shell, 2010 [online]). Legal Forces Environmental safety and carbon emission regulations have increased for all oil and gas companies, including Shell (BBC, 2010 [online]). With the growing concerns all over the world over the drastic changes occurring in the environment due to global warming, the government raises strong questions against major companies responsible for global warming, the oil and gas companies. Shell and BP are quite on the main screen when such allegations are put forward. Oil and gas companies are enforced with strict employment safety and health regulations as the manufacturing plants are dangerous for human health. This has a heavy cost potential for companies (Hill, 2009). Comprehensive Porters 5 Forces Analysis Level of Competition There is a high level of competition in the industry but among few players. Shells major competitor is British Petroleum. British Petroleums strategy has also been focused on acquisitions, partnerships and alliances to build up a larger framework to meet growing demand. Currently BP has acquired contractual agreement with the government of Azerbaijan and Gulf of Mexico, while Shell gauged its success in 2009 in Iraq, Canada, and Australia and also in the Gulf of Mexico (BP, 2010 [online]). The competition among these two companies is intense due to their similar strategy to obtain cost reduction, performance focus and growth. While, BP has invested in solar energy, giving in to the political, social and environmental pressures, Shell is still glued to the oil and gas reserves to stay ahead in the game (Oil and Gas, 2010 [online]). While BP has lowered its stakes by investing in solar energy, Shell is playing a much risky game by perusing new oil reserves through heavy capital investments (BP, 2010 [online]). Threat of Substitutes With the advent of alternative energy sources, the threat of substitute products has risen, such as from bio fuels. Many companies are now investing in bio fuel technologies to respond to social, environmental and political pressures (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrants is low, as it requires a heavy capital investment to set up plants and use advance technology for extraction domestically and internationally to meet the demands. There are heavy fixed costs involved in the industry which can only be curbed once economies of scale are received (Oil and Gas, 2010 [online]). Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers is low. There are few suppliers in the industry. The industry is focused on low cost production and, thus, alternative energy sources are searched and invested in heavily, the suppliers of which are low, but under the influence of the manufacturers (Oil and Gas, 2010 [online]). Bargaining Power of Customers Bargaining power of customers is low as there are not many fuel companies available in the industry which offers conventional, alternative and bio mass fuels. Detailed SWOT Analysis Strengths Shell has obtained competitive edge in terms of technology. In 2009, it spent over $1.2 billion in research and development activities (Shell, 2010 [online]). Shell has obtained first mover advantages by using unconventional oil reserves which has given its cost benefits (Shell, 2010 [online]). The company has taken a much focused strategy for performance, which has allowed it to reduce costs by $1 billion by 2010 (Shell, 2010 [online]). Shell signed a joint venture with Cosan (S.A) Company to produce and sell ethanol and extract power from sugar cane in Brazil. The company sensed its cost benefits and its prospect to enhance its presence in the ethanol market (Shell, 2010 [online]). Shell has invested $ 1 billion in solar and wind energy which is part of Shell Renewables SBU (Shell, 2010 [online]). Shell has 20% brand preference which is the highest among its competitors (Shell, 2010 [online]). Weaknesses Shell currently has a severe lack of association with bio fuels, which are growing in demand There is also lack of substantial countering of the social pressures and the media exposures on part of Shell (Foe Europe, 2010 [online]). Opportunities Bio-fuel and low-carbon emission fuels sector is growing and is highly encouraged by the government, society and is healthy for the environment (The Guardian, 2010 [online]). Promoting a better health and safe environment in the plants is a good opportunity for Shell using commercials or public relations campaign. Threats Government and interest groups are taken strong actions against heavy carbon emitting fuel companies, like BP and Shell Heavy investments in unconventional gas reserves are full of stakes as these reserves allow for a large amount of carbon emission. This is potentially dangerous for the companys image and acceptance (Oil and Gas, 2010 [online]). Value Chain Analysis Primary Value Chain Activities Inbound Logistics Shell is currently in contract with Cosan, a Brazilian company to supply ethanol. Azherbaijan and Russian suppliers are also used to supply oil and gas reserves (Shell, 2010 [online]). Operations The performance strategy involved restructuring and reorganizing the operations of the company to upstream and downstream where priorities were towards performance focus, competitive growth and new project investments. The overall operational performance has also met with improvement as efficiency rates have rose. The reorganization will allow faster implementation of future growth strategies as well (Shell, 2010 [online]). Outbound Logistics Shell has an extensive global outbound logistics network which allows it to distribute the refined oil in the most cost efficient manner. It uses light transportation (Shell, 2010 [online]). Marketing and Sales Shell markets itself as the largest fuel provider, where its service centers are located in 90 countries worldwide. It adds the image of an innovation and quality-focused company which does not compromise on performance. Although, Shell has previously received an excellent amount of sales revenue, recently, there has been a decline, due to rise in oil prices, rising social exposure of the workforce exploitation and environmental degradation by the company (Shell, 2010 [online]). Service Shell uses its helpline service to address customer complaints and queries. Other than that, there is no extensive or special form of service that Shell offers to customers with regard to complaints and queries. Shell service stations have the direct interaction with the customers and the company makes sure that the employees address to customers appropriately and offer services in the standard way (Shell, 2010 [online]). Support Value Chain Activities Procurements Shell is now engaged in e-procurement, using the help of SAPs support systems to enhance its supply chain activities. SAPs support offers an ERP system that allows procurement to be done online (SAP, 2010 [online]). Technology Development Over $1.2 billion have recently been spent by Shell in research and development of new technologies to gauge the most benefit out of the reserves of oil and gas and find new opportunities for investments (Shell, 2010 [online]). Technological innovation development in extracting energy is a key strength of the company and it is continually engaged in investing in new technologies that would give it an edge over its competitors. Human Resource Management Human resource activities are the most challenging for Shell as it has to face several employment issues starting from health, and work environment to safety issues. These are true for factory workers who work in high danger zones (Shell, 2010 [online]). In Nigeria, a high rate of people dying in the factory has become common. As shell is a global competitive company, it seeks highly talented and experienced people who seek innovation and growth for the company for its management. Shell offers learning and development opportunities for its diverse workforce. It offers monetary and non-monetary forms of incentives to employees (Shell, 2010 [online]). The human resource management uses online application system for interested candidates and uses simulation based testing tools for hiring appropriate employees for middle management and senior management posts. Firm Infrastructure Shells infrastructure is heavily reliant on technological support, by means of ERP, data management, research and development, marketing, procurement, human resource management, extraction and production operations (SAP, 2010 [online]). This allows a strong network of coordination and communication to be maintained globally. Conclusion Shell Group with industry leadership in terms of cost, quality and technology, is faced with immense social, political, economic and legal challenges. Its strategy to focus on performance, new ventures to exploit unconventional oil and gas reserves and achieve profitable growth in return has met success, but the pace has slowed due to economic influences. for big oil giant like Shell, keeping diplomatic alliance with the governments of many countries has become common but this not something to rely on and to put heavy capital investments at stake like Shell is doing right now, by continuously investing in new plants for oil and gas extraction from unconventional reserves such oil sands and oil shale. Such attempts are increasingly causing environmental degradation and the government may go strictly against them in future once more drastic environmental changes become dominant. Clever strategy is to continue ethanol and solar and wind energy production and invest in more bio fuel ener gies to tap new opportunities.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

9/11 Photo Essay :: American America History

9/11 Photo Essay The day of 9/11 is a day that will be in the back of everybodys minds for lifetime. On that sorrowful day four passenger airplanes were highjacked and ultimately crashed. Two of the airplanes crashed into each of the Twin Towers located in New York City. After the buildings burned for around 20 minutes they fell to the ground bringing along millions of tons of debris that killed many workers from both towers. One of the other airplanes crashed into the Pentagon also killing many innocent people. The last airplane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after many believe that the passengers over powered the highjackers. Many people still morn the deaths of the victims from 9/11. From the second the planes crashed, people have tried to make money from this ordeal, making it one of the most advertised and talked about issue the US has ever seen. The photos that are being displayed are showing the emotions that the camera wants to show us. We only feel emotion from this tragedy because we ether have known someone that has been hurt, or we have seen the event happen so many times we just start to feel sad for just trying to imagine it. It was said once that a picture is worth a thousand words. Those thousand words are being manipulated by who has taken the picture. Every event can be made to look bad by a certain camera angle. Every picture and camera is biased to someone's certain point of view. That point of view could either be of a bad or good emotional state. The pictures from 911 are showing the emotions, that he American public wants to feel. In order for America to feel good about killing hundreds of Afghannies we have to see these bad images over and over again so that we can not feel the littlest sympathy for those of the families that we bomb everyday. Since thousands of Americans have died, we should show these ima ges that are all of sad emotions so we can get over this big mess. The pictures taken on 911 are all in sad and shocking mood. There is no way to make 911 happy in any way. Any picture taken from 911 is going to have a very sad and depressing mood to it. But this is the way that day should be looked at, a very sad and depressing mode.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Problems in Setting Up and Running a Business Unit Essay

A business unit, sometimes called a strategic business unit or SBU, is a segmented group or department within a company that focuses on reaching a specific market or client. It may also focus on achieving a specific goal for the organization. While some businesses find success with this strategy, there are concerns and potential problems to consider before trying it at your company. Finances In business, money is usually a problem. It can be good to make money, but when you are just getting started with a business, it can be easy to lose money quickly. Before you start your business, develop a comprehensive list of the things you will need to finance and how much money you will need to make it happen. Discuss your business with others who have experience to try to cover as many costs as you can. When you have developed your startup budget, add 20 percent to it to cover the costs that you have not yet accounted for. When it comes to financing a startup, it is better to plan for more than you will need than to find yourself deep in debt right away. Employees Your employees can be your greatest asset and your greatest expense. It costs money to hire, train and retain employees. Your company needs to provide some sort of benefits package that includes health insurance, paid vacation days and paid sick days to attract and retain employees, and even then, you will have competition from other companies that may be able to offer better. As you delegate responsibilities to your employees, you begin to rely on them for your company’s success. A key employee leaving your company can have an effect similar to losing a major account. Space It is common for a new business owner to try to keep his office and warehousing costs down. When your company first starts out, a small and affordable space may be adequate. As your company grows, you will need more space, and you may realize that the facility you signed the one-year lease for is no longer sufficient. Have a backup plan available for warehousing just in case you outgrow your current warehouse. Offer sales employees the option of telecommuting to reduce the amount of office space you need. Become creative with your space, or you may find yourself spending money to remedy a space problem to which you are contractually bound for years. Problems Meshing Ideas When you segment your company in this way, you may find it becomes more difficult to get units to combine and work together. Though the separate units have different purposes, there may come a time when they need to convene in order to accomplish a goal for the organization. If your employees become too familiar with working in segmented groups, they may have problems working on joint projects with other units. Expensive Establishing business units can also be expensive. For one, you may have to create separate physical departments within the company. You may also need to create separate websites, mailing addresses and, in some cases, entirely new sub-organizations to properly establish these units. Finding a balance between efficiency and cost when maintaining these units can be challenging. Time-Consuming Setting up and running business units is also time-consuming. When you establish one, you must create a separate mission statement, budget, marketing plan and general business proposal. You must also set up technology and tools to support the department. You must then evaluate the functionality of the department before repeating the process with another business unit. If you decide to start all of your units at the same time and then determine that the formula isn’t working, you’ll also spend a significant amount of time dismantling or updating all of them. Social Responsibility Small businesses can encounter several problems related to Corporate social responsibility due to characteristics inherent in their construction. Owners of small businesses often participate heavily in the day-to-day operations of their companies. This results in a lack of time for the owner to coordinate socially responsible efforts.[9] Additionally, a small business owner’s expertise often falls outside the realm of socially responsible practices contributing to a lack of participation. Small businesses also face a form of peer pressure from larger forces in their respective industries making it difficult to oppose and work against industry expectations.[9] Furthermore, small businesses undergo stress from shareholder expectations. Because small businesses have more personal relationships with their patrons and local shareholders they must also be prepared to withstand closer scrutiny if they want to share in the benefits of committing to socially responsible practices or no t.[9] Job Quality While small businesses employ over half the workforce [10] and have been established as a main driving force behind job creation [11] the quality of the jobs these businesses create has been called into question. Small businesses generally employ individuals from the Secondary labor market. As a result, in the U.S. wages are 49% higher for employees of large firms.[11] Additionally, many small businesses struggle or are unable to provide employees with benefits they would be given at larger firms. Research from the U.S. Small Business Administration indicates that employees of large firms are 17% more likely to receive benefits including salary, paid leave, paid holidays, bonuses, insurance, and retirement plans.[12] Both lower wages and fewer benefits combine to create a job turnover rate among U.S. small businesses that is 3 times higher than large firms.[11] Employees of small businesses also must adapt to the higher failure rate of small firms. In the U.S. 69% last at least 2 yea rs, but this percentage drops to 51% for firms reaching 5 years in operation.[10] he U.S. Small Business Administration counts companies with as much as $35.5 million in sales and 1,500 employees, depending on the industry. Outside government, companies with less than $7 million in sales and fewer than 500 employees are widely considered small businesses.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The eNotes Blog 21 Famous Authors and Their PenNames

21 Famous Authors and Their PenNames For centuries, writers have created pen names to publish their literary works. Adopting a pseudonym grants writers the ability to conceal their true identity for personal, political, and ethical reasons. Some of our literary world’s most beloved, bestselling authors have formulated their entire careers using alternative identities. Female writers, especially during the 19th century, have often used male pen names to combat sexism and prejudice in a traditionally male-dominated craft. Other reasons for using a nom de plume include privacy, avoiding overexposure, crossing into different genres, creating a sense of individuality, and even simplifying one’s birth name in hopes of making it more memorable. Whatever the case may be, choosing a pen name remains a personal choice that ultimately aids writers in their publishing pursuits. Here’s a list of 21 famous writers and their real names you might not have known until now! 1. Anne Rice Real Name: Howard Allen Frances OBrien Originally named after her father, the author of Vampire Chronicles changed her name to â€Å"Anne† upon her first day of school to avoid being bullied. After marrying her now deceased husband Stan Rice, she used her married name to publish the majority of her work. Rice adopted a couple other pen names including Anne Rampling and A.N Roquelaure when she published some erotic novels. 2. Dr. Seuss Real Name: Theodor Seuss Geisel Dr. Seuss, one of the more well-known pen names, was adopted from Geisel’s middle name once he started writing children’s books. He added the â€Å"Dr.† because his father had always wanted him to pursue a career in medicine. Some say that Geisel was saving his real name to one day publish his â€Å"great American novel†;  others suggest that Geisel simply felt more inclined to tell an â€Å"entertaining† story rather than a â€Å"true† one. 3. Mark Twain Real Name: Samuel Clemens While scholars have never been clear about the origin of Clemens’s pseudonym, the most recent investigations suggest that the name Mark Twain came from a short-lived, popular humor journal that he often read. Other stories indicate that Mark Twain had been used by Clemens’s former riverboat captain when he worked on the Mississippi river. If the man checking the depth called out â€Å"mark twain,† it meant a depth of twelve feet- meaning that the water was safe for riverboats that day. 4. Currer, Ellis, Acton Bell Real Names: Charlotte, Emily, Anne Brontà « In 19th-century England, women were not permitted to publish poetry, so the Brontà « sisters created the pen names of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Each male pseudonym matched the corresponding sisters’ names, helping them publish their first anthology of poetry in 1846. Initially, Emily’s Wuthering Heights and Charlotte’s Jane Eyre were both published under their male names. It wasn’t until the Brontà « sisters traveled to London to meet their publisher in person were their true identities revealed and, fortunately, they were given the credit they deserved. 5. Boz Real Name: Charles Dickens In the early stages of Dickens’s writing career, the author often published his work anonymously. It was not until one of Dickens’s earliest pieces of fiction titled â€Å"The Boarding House† featured an epithet that was signed by â€Å"The Inimitable Boz.† Boz was originally derived from the nickname Dickens had given his younger brother, Augustus. Dickens would call him Moses after a character in Oliver Goldsmiths The Vicar of Wakefield. Pronounced through the nose, the name became Boses, and was easily shortened to Boz. 6. A.M. Barnard Real Name: Louisa May Alcott Early in her writing career, Alcott used the pen name Flora Fairfield to publish her poems and short stories throughout the 1850s. A decade later, some of Alcott’s melodramas were produced in Boston theatre under the pseudonym, A.M. Barnard. Knowledge of Alcott’s alias did not surface until the 1970s when historians discovered letters from the author signing off with the androgynous pseudonym. Digging deeper, they were able to find other works published by Barnard in various periodicals. 7. C.S. Lewis Real Name: Clive Staple Lewis   Lewis published his first work titled Spirits in Bondage (1919) under the name, Clive Hamilton to avoid ruining his reputation as a tutor at Oxford University. The name was adapted from the author’s birth name and his mother’s maiden name. After Lewis’s wife passed away in 1960, he went on to publish a few more works under the name N.W. Clerk to again avoid being identified as the author. Eventually, Lewis published some of his greatest literary works under his abbreviated birth name. 8. Silence Dogood Real Name: Benjamin Franklin Franklin created several pseudonyms during his lifetime, each one possessing an ironically witty persona. His first pen name was Silence Dogood, a satirical middle-aged widower whom Franklin created when he was only fifteen years old. Some of his other pen names include Caelia Shortface, Martha Careful, Richard Saunders (Poor Richard’s Almanack), Busy Body, Anthony Afterwit, Polly Baker, and Benevolus. Franklin is one of the few male writers to take on a female alias- in fact, he often used his feminine personas to create a social critique of the patriarchy. 9. George Eliot Real Name:   Mary Ann Evans Like the majority of female writers in the 19th century, Mary Ann Evans used a male pseudonym so that her works would be taken more seriously. Her pen name, George Eliot, came around 1857 when Evans published her first short story titled Amos Barton. Evans took the name â€Å"George† from philosopher and her lover  George Henry Lewes to whom she never married but lived with until his death. Lewes oversaw Evans’s work and encouraged her to pursue her literary ambitions. Evans crafted her entire literary career and legacy under her pen name. 10. Lewis Caroll   Real Name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson Author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. As a scholar and instructor at Oxford, Dodgson valued his privacy- especially when it came to his literary works. He translated the first two parts of his name (Charles Lutwidge) into Latin, which gave him â€Å"Carolus Ludovicus.† He then reversed the order and translated the name back to English, which left him withâ€Å"Lewis Carroll.† 11. Mary Westmacott Real Name: Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller Christie Under the pen name Mary Westmacott, Agatha Christie was able to divert from her usual realm of writing mystery and crime novels. The alias allowed Christie to explore writing about human psychology and love without expectations from her already established mystery fan base. Agatha chose her new name by combining her middle name (Mary) and the family name of distant relatives (Westmacott). She successfully used the pseudonym for nearly twenty years without revealing her true identity. 12. Voltaire Real Name: Franà §ois†Marie Arouet With a literary career stretching over 60 years, Voltaire may be one of the most immortal pen names of literature. While the origins of Franà §ois†Marie Arouet’s pen name are unclear, it’s been suggested that the adoption of Voltaire was a result of rejecting Arounet’s family name due to a strained relationship with his father. The most popular theory remains that â€Å"Voltaire† was an anagram of a Latinized spelling of â€Å"Arouet,† but others claim it could have been Arouet’s nickname â€Å"Voluntaire† (French for volunteer), which may have been a sarcastic nod to the writer’s stubbornness. 13. George Orwell   Real Name: Eric Blair Before Animal Farm and 1984, Eric Blair published a memoir titled Down and Out in Paris and London in 1933. He adopted the name George Orwell so his family would not be embarrassed as he recounted his experiences growing up in poverty. Being a fan of English tradition, Blair also felt that Orwell sounded like a reputable British name. 14. Ayn Rand Real Name: Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum Author of bestselling books The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand is known for promoting her philosophy of Objectivism. Rand adopted her pen name when she moved to the United States to pursue a writing career. Because her family was still living in Soviet Russia, Rand did not want to risk putting her family in danger with her outspoken, and often critical, works. 15. Pablo Neruda Real Name: Ricardo Eliecer Neftalà ­ Reyes Basoalto A young Neruda adopted his pen name around 1920 when he started writing for the literary journal Selva Austral.† To avoid conflict with his family, who disapproved of his occupation, Neruda crafted his alias from the deceased Czechoslovak poet Jan Neruda. By 1946, Neruda legally changed his name to match and embrace the poetic and politically charged identity he had created for himself over the years. 16. Maya Angelou   Real Name: Marguerite Annie Johnson Now a household name, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in 1928. Married briefly to a Greek sailor named Tosh Angelos, the pen name Maya Angelou was created when the writer combined her nickname (Maya) with an alternative version of her ex-husband’s last name. 17. Richard Bachman Real Name: Stephen King The â€Å"King of Horror† has published seven novels under the alias Richard Bachman. Apparently, King came up with the name on a whim while on the phone with his publisher; with a Richard Stark book on his desk and a Bachman–Turner Overdrive song playing in the background, Richard Bachman was born. King concealed his true identity for about five years until a bookstore clerk named Steve Brown determined that the two authors were the same person. Once the secret was out, King retired Richard Bachman, crediting his death to the â€Å"cancer of the pseudonym.† 18. bell hooks Real Name: Gloria Jean Watkins   One of the most prominent feminist voices of our generation, Watkins derived her pen name from her maternal great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks. Watkins never capitalizes her pen name in order to preserve and honor the memory of her great-grandmother; a women she admired for her sharp opinions. Watkins established a reputation of a woman that â€Å"talked back†, for she was not afraid to speak up against the injustice she experienced in everyday life. She first used her pen name to publish a short book of poetry and made the grammatical decision to never capitalize the name in order to place the focus solely on her writing rather than the person behind it. 19. Lemony Snicket Real Name: Daniel Handler   Lemony Snicket is both the author and the narrator of Handler’s A Series of Unfortunate Events; essentially, Lemony Snicket is Handler’s alter ego. During public appearances, Handler will introduce himself as Snicket’s representative explaining to the audience that the real author could not be in attendance due to some unforeseen disaster. 20. J.K. Rowling Robert Galbrath Real Name: Joanne Rowling   The bestselling author of the Harry Potter series has adopted a few different pen names throughout the course of her career. Originally, publishers feared young boys would not be inclined to read her series once they saw it was published by a female author. Rowling, who has no middle name, took the â€Å"K† from her grandmother’s name, Kathleen. As a dynamic writer, Rowling ventured into writing crime fiction where she adopted the pseudonym Robert Galbraith to release new work without hype or expectation. In fact, no one had any idea Rowling was Galbraith until an investigation into forensic linguistics led by England’s Sunday Times revealed an extremely similar writing style between the author’s works. 21. E.L. James Real Name: Erika Leonard   The British author of the bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey series initially used the pen name â€Å"Snowqueens Icedragon† in an online Twilight fan-fiction forum where she first showcased an early version of Fifty Shades of Grey titled Master of the Universe. Once Leonards works started gaining popularity and she began transitioning to print, she adopted a new pen name that, in her opinion, was a little more professional. E.L. James was derived from Leonard’s family name (James) plus her first and middle initial. Ultimately, Leonard’s use of a pseudonym granted her the ability to keep her success as an erotic romance author separate from her soft-spoken, housewife reality. Choosing a pen name is sometimes more than just a marketing strategy, and there are many ways an author decides on a pen name to embody the essence of their chosen alias. As we’ve seen as well, the majority of writers adapt them from their birth names- using abbreviations, translations from foreign languages, or variations of nicknames- to mark a personal claim on their chosen pseudonym. Regardless of why or how writers choose their noms de plume, there is no right or wrong way to go about it, for the work is bound to speak for itself. There are several pen-name generators sprinkled about the internet that provide witty and humorous suggestions for contemporary writers. Tell us what your pen name would be! Do you want to learn more about these authors and their other literary works? Check out  Ã‚  to find detailed biographies of your favorite authors alongside full summaries and study guides!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Artistic Gladiator essays

The Artistic Gladiator essays Art is defined in the Webster Dictionary as human ability to make things; creativity of man as distinguished from the world of nature (Websters New World College Dictionary). Now when most people think of art or see a definition like that, they think of art that can be viewed in museums, such as: paintings, and sculptures, not the considering art in film. Film can be viewed as all other forms of art thrown together to create an all-encompassing work of art. Movies have ingredients from almost all forms of art. The dialogue, and the plot the actual story being conveyed can be considered form literature. In fact most ideas and story lines for movies come from novels and other publications. Another contribution from the art world to film is music. Full scores of music are made particularly to suit the mood of the movie, the desired feeling that is communicated to the audience by the use of music. And in some cases the movie can make a single, or a whole sound track into its own marketable venture. Also the photography or in this case the cinematography in the film, the settings, realistic action sequences take great skill. And last but not least the theatrical aspects that go into a movie, the way the actors or actresses visually express the telling of a story and show feelings is the most important part. One film that I chose for an example of this is Gladiator. This film was a major award winner in its year of showing on the big screen. I choose this movie because I felt that it has been one in recent years that has caught my attention as being a movie that will be one revered as a classic when its time comes. It also displays all of the previous aspects of art that I have already mentioned. Gladiator was made in 2000 staring Russell Crowe as an army general for the Roman Empire. He is sentenced to death by the new ruling dictator of Rome due to fear of his power with the armys loya ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

This is a media analysis assessment (report format). The assessment Assignment

This is a media analysis assessment (report format). The assessment topic will be sent by file .pdf - Assignment Example The country produces readily available fresh produce with most of the population residing along areas near or at the coast, such areas posses popular fish and seafood cuisines, in contrast with the other temperate regions of Australia that eat foods according to the season such as rhubarb, zucchini and asparagus commonly eaten during spring. For example Tetsuya restaurant rated as one of Australias best restaurant’s provides a difusion of Asian and western cuisines based on both Japanese and French preparation techniques served in its Japanese garden setting. In addition restaurants like Lagoon Seafood restaurant provide unforgettable seafood dining experienced of fresh sea foods like prawn and Queensland’s crabs. Australia has the third largest fishing zone in the world with plentiful access to seafood’s such as prawn, salmon, lobster and tuna and 60 other species. The Australian cuisine contains seafood varieties such as King George whiting, Jew fish and yabby. Fish and chips consisting of deep fried fish and chips are yet another popular fast food that originated from the United Kingdom and continues to remain popular. On top of seafood cuisines, tourists have the luxury of enjoying aqua marine based sports such as fish sporting of the Barramundi specie and Flathead fish that are popular sports and table fish all over Australia. Australias wine industry ranks as the fourth top global wine exporter contributing 760 million liters’ of wine to the global industry, every state in Australia produces wine mainly in the southern parts of the country like New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Famous wine districts like Hunter Valley with producers like Rosemount and Lindemans attracting local and international tourists in addition, beer is also popular with prominent brands like Fosters which is commanding global

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Installation Art as the Newest Form of Expression Essay

Installation Art as the Newest Form of Expression - Essay Example The essay "Installation Art as the Newest Form of Expression" analyzes the form of expression in contemporary art, the Installation Art. The sublime element is, by its very nature, shapeless and indefinable and therefore cannot be placed within a specific visual form, the visual form, by its very nature, must suggest some element of the sublime. Every visible form is capable of suggesting some deeper meaning to an audience at varying levels of meaning regardless of the intentions of the artist. This is because art is not the static element it was once perceived to be. Instead, it is a constant interaction between the artist and the viewer, between what the artist created on the canvas and how the viewer interprets these forms based on his or her own experiences, understandings and context. The postmodern movement, with its emphasis on illuminating the sublime, brought these ideas to the forefront leading eventually to today’s trend to engage more of the viewer’s senses in this interaction. â€Å"The political and the aesthetic are inseparable, simultaneously present, faces of the postmodern problematic. Understanding this concept of the eternal relationships between content and sublime, artist and audience, is essential to understanding today’s movement toward installation art through artists such as Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer and Sarah Lucas. One of the charges to today’s artists is to discover how to produce ‘incommunicable statements’ to modern society without resorting to the conformism.