Planet Essays - , Term Papers, Research Papers

Planet Earth Buried lost within my sleep, I am illusioned by a dream. Confused by the situation, I hear sirens and flashes of light, rigorously delivering discomfort. Perplexed by the ordeal, I twist and turn and suddenly I awaken. Breathing heavily I take a sigh of relief realizing that distorted sounds of the sirens were only that of my alarm. As I get up of my bed, I draw back the blinds and slide across my fogged window. I find nothing but pure blackness, and the flurry of the morning chill. I am discouraged but I know that this day will grow to be the most beautiful things on earth. As I stare up overhead at a moonlit sky surrounded by the thousand "pinpoint", I smell coolness of eucalyptus extracted from the giant trees, and the fresh scent of air, so pristine and untouched by mankind. All I can hear is the blackness of the atmosphere. There is no life, and the world is at peace, it is at rest. Then suddenly, the slumber is ceased, and the day awakens. The stars begin to fade and the first light of day appears. The eyes of the earth slowly opens and elegance of the sun gradually emerges above the horizon from the far east, painting vivid patches of red, orange, and blue. Suddenly I see flocks of birds flying from nowhere in a disfigured "V" formation as I hear the wake up call of the rooster somewhere across the dew and mist of the morning air. Although so soft, I hear trickling from the trees drenched by the cleansing morning rain clashing with the sweet songs of the birds within them. As every single second goes by, the sun rises higher and higher, warming up the earth and lighting the sky. The earth has awakened. Comforted by the tranquility, I lay back to rest and contemplate on whether this gracefulness will last. Relaxed, I once again fall into a deep sleep. Taking each breath as it comes. All I felt was the warmth's of my blanket, and all I could see was the pitch-blackness induced by the closure of my eyelids. Unexpectedly, a furious flash of light ignites, and the violent sounds of the siren develop, I scream but I can not hear myself cry. I faintly see my mother. She lays peacefully on a tar ruined lane, I run to her, but every step seems to convey me further away from her. I hear her cry, but her cry stops, she calls for my help. She calls my name. "Peter!" I hear. Sounding so terribly real, and agitated by the situation, I twist and turn and suddenly I awaken to the kind touch of my mother's hand. "Are you okay Peter?" mother asked. All I could do was hug her and tell her "I loved you!" My heavy breathing transforms into drips of tears but they dry before my mother could see. I reflect on the dream, and consider that maybe the dream had a meaning. Am I taking my mother for granted? As I peacefully sit out on the front porch, I am struck by the powerful radiance of sun. It demonstrates all its intensity and solar power. Like on a desert island, I can feel the unbearable heat burning my skin but it is constantly soother by the friendly greeting of a southern wind. The trees dance from to right, rustling their leaves together making the sound as one might do with their hands on a cold day. The heavens above looking also much like the earth itself, with the vast baby blue oceans encompassing the floating white islands with silver shorelines. After few hours of contemplating, I looked up once more, and all I saw was the tiredness of the earth, accompanied by a rich red. The earth is tired and weary, and I guess it must rest. Howling winds are sent once again to cool the earth. The birds far above fleet to where they once originated. As they fly across the warm horizon, the sun falls beyond them into a land far west. Like the dawn of day, the sky is once again filled with the magnificent array of colour. Showing a red heat near the sun, but a blue coolness away in the east. Darker and darker the world becomes, but moonlit sky accompanied by the glittering stars overcomes the fear of darkness. The magnificence and beauty of the cycle day only left us with the heavens to

Great Gatsby - Summary of Chapter V essays

Great Gatsby - Summary of Chapter V essays In the night Nick comes home from the meeting with Jordan. Gatsby passes by and asks Nick if he wants to go swimming in his pool. But Nick refuses the offering because he is too tired. In their short conversation they talk also about the invitation of Daisy. They agree on the day after tomorrow. Nick invites Daisy for tea the following day and asks her to come alone. At the day of the meeting Gatsbys gardener cuts Nicks lawn and a greenhouse delivers flowers. At three oclock Gatsby comes over looking exhausted and pale. Nick and Gatsby talk a bit and Gatsby is about to go home as Daisy arrives at four oclock. Entering the living room with Daisy Nick notices that Gatsby is gone. Gatsby knocks a few moments later on the front door and is lead in the room by Nick. Daisy and Gatsby are embarrassed by the presence of each other and they dont really start a conversation. After a tea in a tense atmosphere Nick leaves them alone. When he comes back both are in a happy mood but Daisy seems to have been in a sad mood before. They decide to go over to Gatsbys house, because Gatsby wants to show her his enormous house. Ending up in the bed room Gatsby tells them that he has got a man in England who buys him clothes. Daisy is very fascinated by his great collection of shirts. Gatsby urges Klipspringer to play the piano. According to Nick Gatsby finds out that Daisy does not come up to his dreams. ...

Breastfeeding Is Better Than Formula Feeding

Breastfeeding has existed since humans have inhabited the earth. Depending on the time period you lived, it could have also been considered either good or bad to breastfeed. Throughout history there have been three primary ways to feed an infant; breastfeeding, bottle and formula and wet nursing. Breastfeeding through time has remained the medically preferred method of infant feeding. (1) For as long as breastfeeding has been around, bottle feeding has been in existence as well. 4000 years old clay†¦ Feeding a new life Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed a baby. Typically breastfeeding is done in the early years of childhood, after the mother gives birth, her breast begin to produce breastmilk. It provides babies with the necessary nutrients. â€Å"While breastfeeding may not seem like the right choice for every parent it is the best choice for every baby.† (Amy Spangler). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life†¦ breast-feed or formula-feed their babies. Breast feeding dates back to eighteen hundred BC in Greek culture where wet nurses came about as women hired to feed another woman’s child. Formula feeding did not come to light until two hundred years after which then led to a â€Å"refined and hygienic† bottle in the industrial ages (Stevens). While both have advantages and disadvantages, breastfeeding has shown to be more beneficial for mother and child. Although some may argue the contrary, breastfeeding is an overall†¦ Breastfeeding v. Formula Feeding Mothers have been breastfeeding their children for hundreds of years. In these times bottle feeding is being looked at as a more convenient and easier way to feed the baby. Bottle Feeding is neglecting a child of the important vitamins and nutrients it takes to thrive in the world. Breastfeeding is the best natural choice for mothers to do for their babies. They need to proteins in the milk that helps them form a defense against the diseases that plague this†¦ Before I begin with my explicit thoughts on breastfeeding, I must be blunt and state that it is my opinion that all women should have the right to choose what is right for them, their family, and their lifestyle when it comes to breastfeeding or bottle feeding. I believe that this is a very personal decision that has no â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† answer. As long as your baby is gaining weight, healthy, and happy, I think that whatever you are doing is perfectly acceptable. First, I will begin with what†¦ Breast Feeding, Better then Formula A woman is sitting at her house trying to watch television, with one of her breast exposed, and a pair of lips sucking on the nipple. While many people may view these words as sexual in nature, reminiscent of some long ago date, it is actually describing something innocent and natural for humans to do, the breastfeeding of an infant. The NRDC or Natural Resources Defense Council states in their online article Benefits of Breastfeeding that babies are â€Å"delicate†¦ on discussing the differences between breastfeeding and the formula. I also wanted to go over briefly about the discussion we had about understanding that any punishment from the parent will not change a child’s behavior. To begin with, there are a few things you should consider before you jump and decide to go right ahead and feed your baby using formula. First, let’s begin with the facts about breastfeeding. The emotional bond, while you are breastfeeding your child is very imperative. There is†¦ Breastfeeding vs. Formula Bottle-feeding Every mother of a newborn baby must make a very personal decision when it comes to how they are going to feed their infant. I was faced with that decision 3 years ago when I had my first son who I named Ethen. It was one of the very hardest decisions I had to make. I had to consider all the good benefits of breast feeding as well as the benefits of formula bottle-feeding, but the good benefits of breastfeeding outnumbered the bottle feeding ones. I finally†¦ society, there has been an ongoing controversy towards breastfeeding verses bottle feeding. Acker (2009) reports that, through recent public health efforts contemporary mothers in the United States have learned the slogan â€Å"Breast is Best.† A preponderance of medical literature finds that breastfeeding is a cost-effective way to improve the health of infants and children. These beliefs have also lead to some believing; everyone knows that breastfeeding is the only way to feed an infant. Imagine you are†¦ In the past mothers depend greatly on breastmilk as the best way of feeding babies. With the advancement in technology and daily hassles, mothers turn to either breastfeed for a couple of months, then formula feed their babies. Every mother has the right to decide whether to breastfeed or bottle feed, this personal right will be supported no matter the decision. However, exclusive breastfeeding is the best thing a mother can give to her baby for the first six month of the baby’s life. This is because†¦

The SWOT analysis of Head & Shoulders Research Paper

The SWOT analysis of Head & Shoulders - Research Paper Example In relation to the study the company which has been selected is Head & Shoulders is one of the most popular brands of anti-dandruff shampoos in the world. It is produced and marketed by Procter & Gamble. The shampoo was introduced first in the US after a decade long of research. Head & Shoulders is the first to introduce pyithione zinc in shampoo. â€Å"Head & shoulders is rich in Zinc Pyrithione (ZPTO) which is highly effective at fighting and helping to prevent dandruff symptoms and itchy, flaky scalp.† The first part of the report will deal with the information of the manufacturer Procter & Gamble. It will deal basically with the size of the company, major products marketed by them, sales figures, etc. The next part of the report will make a detailed analysis of Head & Shoulders brand by performing a SWOT analysis. Along with the SWOT analysis, the product will also be compared with Garnier Fructis and Unilever Clear. This SWOT analysis will be the major tool for discussing the present situation of the brand. Next part of the report will make an analysis of the product in the light of marketing mix elements. This analysis is essential to arrive at the competitive position of the brand in the market. The latter part of the report will discuss the global activities of the brand in terms of sales and market share. Based on these analyses, a conclusion will arrive at the paper.be arrived at. Manufacturer The manufacturer of Head & Shoulders is Procter & Gamble, one of the world’s largest personal care products manufacturer. P&G has a brand portfolio of around 50 products which touches the day to day life of more than 85% of the people worldwide. The company claims that among the 50 products, 24 of them generate annual sales of more than one billion each. (P&G, 2011) It is the strong brand presence of these 50 products that help the company to sustain the market leader position in the industry. P&G generated total sales of $82.6 billion in 2011 compared to that of $78.9 billion in 2010. The sales have resulted in an operating cash flow of $13.2 billion in 2011. The product portfolio of P&G consists of beauty, grooming, health care, snacks and pet care, fabric care and homecare, and baby care and family care. Fabric and Home care is the largest contributor to the profit marking a 30% of the total net sales of the company. Beauty is the next contributor with 24% of the total net sales. It is followed by baby care and family care – 19%, health care – 14%, grooming – 9% and snacks and pet care – 4%. North America is the biggest market of P&G. 41% of the total sales is generated from North American markets. It is followed by Western Europe – 20%, Asia – 16%, Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa – 14% and Latin America – 9%. (P&G, 2012) P&G operates on the core principle of sustainability. The fact that the products of P&G are related to the everyday life of billions of people, the situation vests them with certain responsibility in terms of the quality of the products and process. Therefore, the company operates on the principle of sustainable development. Recently, the company is seemed be investing huge amount of resources in environmentally sustainable products and product development process. The company is using more of renewable and recyclable materials for the packaging of products. SWOT Analysis Strength The major strength of Head & Shoulders is the brand value. The company enjoys a brand value of both P&G as well as the Head & Shoulders brand. Over years, the company has developed itself a name which is name

Discuss critically the role of secured creditors in business Essay

Discuss critically the role of secured creditors in business insolvency - Essay Example The security grant provided to the creditors is entirely dependent upon the whether the debtor is able to conform to the loan covenants. In case, the debtor is not in default, the creditor does not have control on the security3. However, if the debtor is in default, the creditor has complete control on the collateral, subject to any limitations imposed by insolvency law. Additionally, the secured creditor gets priority at time of settlement from the sale of security compared to other creditors. If one sees it with a creditor’s point of view, the provision of collateral reduces the default risk of creditor and in return, the debtor expects some valuable terms of loan, which create flexibility for debtor in repayment. One of the valuable terms is less interest payment on secured credit than an unsecured credit4. The priority given to secured creditors in repayment create a less advantageous situation for unsecured creditors, which does not allow them to agree on flexible terms i n loan. This often leads to consensus on a higher interest rate in case of unsecured loan. If all these terms are seen with the eyes of a debtor, both secured and unsecured creditors try to reduce their risk by agreeing on particular terms of loan. In one case, there is a grant of security with a reduced interest on loan; in another, there is a higher rate of interest on compensating for no security and less priority. There has always been debate over this matter in the literature and it suggests the debtor not bother much while choosing between the two. History US federal bankruptcy law offers two choices for formal bankruptcy, which are Chapter 7 or Chapter 115. Chapter 7 involves the transfer of control of the firm to a creditor-appointed trustee. In Chapter 11, the debtor’s management usually remains in control of firm during the proceedings. Earlier, debtors had more control in the proceedings of insolvency, which the creditors noticed and did not prefer6. This later led creditors to come up with more strict contracts regarding provision of finance in Chapter 11, which shifted a significant control to the creditors from debtors. Despite this control, chapter 11 is weaker when compared to Recent UK Bankruptcy situations enjoyed by secured creditors. English insolvency law did not factually enforce a stay on the implementation of secured claims. This allowed a secured creditor having an all-encompassing security interest, commonly known in UK as a ‘floating charge’—to impose against the entireness of the debtor firm’s assets. In effect, the floating charge holder (FCH) led to a private liquidation, known as an ‘administrative receivership’ (or ‘receivership’ for short)7. When a company is financially distraught, a secured creditor or court takes the company into receivership. A company is in receivership when a secured creditor or a court appoints a receiver who can control all the assets of the co mpany. The appointment of receiver comes under the security of fixed charge such as land, plan, machinery, equipment etc. It also comes under the security of floating charge such as cash and stock. The receiver can also have right to manage the company matters subject to terms of

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay Example for Free

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay The Jesuits are not only indicative of the developments in Catholic faith and theology but they also made a significant contribution in the Counter Reformation movement. On a theological level, the Jesuits helped the Catholics to express their faith- a critical ingredient to Catholic revival. The Jesuits made the Church infinitely stronger and better equipped to face the future in 1600 than it had been half a century earlier. Spain, Italy and Portugal remained firmly Catholic while ground was recovered all over southern Germany and the Habsburg lands and eventually Poland and Rome were won back to Rome. Seeing as the Reformation was on a theological plane, the Catholic response also existed along a theological plane. The Jesuits were part of a wide movement in the Church that had existed since the fifteenth century where a high level of interest was place in meditative prayer and charitable works. When these two concepts overlapped, the notion emerged whereby spiritual satisfaction could be expressed in a methodical way of life. The Jesuits were a vehicle through which this could happen. After the Council of Trent the Catholic Church, armed with its Tridentine decrees, placed renewed emphasis on continuous prayer, self-control and improvement, and particularly charity. The Church was looking for a more practical religion where people could be actively involved, as argued by John Bossy. An organisation that was a manifestation of these developments were the Jesuits. By joining the Jesuits ones sense of spirituality was enhanced and such theological challenges that were desired would be provided. Norvegus was one such Jesuit who undertook the spiritual challenge were he did the challenging task successfully of persuading Scandinavian theology students in the 1580s to be Catholic. The Jesuits had great security in their faith, shown, for instance, by their willingness at one point to do charitable works in Hamburg only to be lynched. The Jesuits had such devout members for their methods of the four main stages of training, or weeks as they were knows, were totally unique. The Jesuit would take the individual and train them up to moral standard whereby they could be presented to the church at the end of the process as someone who was spiritually and ethically strong. The members of the Jesuits were thus indifferent to the world and its pleasures yet were equipped to work within it. The Church, to its great advantage, was thus equipped with members who were certain of their faith and in their knowledge of God. The Jesuits were important in a spiritual sense for through their spiritual exercises they emphasised the important theological issue derived from an Aristotelian idea where the mind is employed to contemplate suffering of Christ and God. Loyola takes this a stage further when he proposes that the mind can be used to motivate us into good and charitable apostolic action. From Loyolas contemplation for achieving love he outlines how you can meditate to understand, as suggested when he said, Take my freedom, my memory, my understanding and use me as you wish. The ultimate outcome is that individuals had increased understanding of God that it was possible to become totally servile. With such members, it was inevitable that the Catholic faith strengthened. The Jesuit theology was important in justifying Papal dominance. A great manifestation of the developments towards a more practical faith was the spiritual exercises. In theological terms, the spiritual exercises placed a great emphasis on Papal hierarchy. Hierarchy within the Church could now be justified by theology and this validation of this much disputed factor to Catholicism enabled the Church to produce a strong front. Such comments of Loyola as I will believe that the white object I see is black if that be the will of the hierarchal Church suggests the importance of obedience and hierarchy which the Jesuits so promoted. The Jesuits were part of the move towards Catholic revival not only through realising the importance of the Churchs abuses and poor administration but also through challenging the Lutherans. An essential role of the Jesuits to aiding the Catholic faith was the recovering of lost souls in Lutheran territory as well as persuading people out of Europe to convert to Catholicism. A fine example was set by Francis Xavier who became the best know Christian missionary of modern time. He tried to educate the people of the East, particularly in Japan and India on the values of Christianity. The conversion of non-Christians was Loyolas initial motivation in founding his Society and he realised its importance right back in the 1540s when the Jesuits were established. The Papacy also viewed the order as one where their principle function was converting individuals to Catholicism, but particularly those who were Lutheran. As shown by the title given by the Papacy, Regimi militantis ecclesiae, when the order was founded in 1542, they were viewed as an almost militant organisation who could counter the Lutherans with their total obedience to the Pope. The Jesuits would not have received the Papal Bull and this particular title if the Catholics did not realise there would be a spiritual armed struggle between the Jesuits and Luther.

The Controversial Subject of God Essay -- God Religion Theology Essays

The Controversial Subject of God The topic of god is a very controversial subject that has been argued about ever since the beginning of mankind. Because God is so controversial, many battles have been fought to preserve one’s own beliefs. I myself, have my own beliefs on what I think god is and how god was created. Many theologians have different beliefs of who god is and why he exists. But the most common answer you will receive is, â€Å"God exists because he has to exist.† They would argue that without God, nothing would exist, no us, no earth, no galaxy, no universe, nothing. Because how could anything besides God create such a perfect world. How could anything but a perfect being itself create something so perfect. And it can’t be just mere chance that this perfect world just happened to exist. So theologians would give reasons somewhat like this to prove that god exists because â€Å"God has to exists†. But there are also many pieces of evidence that work against the theory that God does exists. The first and most obvious fact that proves that religion does not exist is all of the religions that contradict each other. So if God wanted to make it obvious that he did exist then why would he show different ideas to different people, which in turn causes many wars resulting in many deaths. Which brings me to another argument, which many people stand by, which is if God is perfect and all knowing then why would he let humans kill each other, better yet why would he even let humans die? So if God already knows everybody’s path and what they will do in their life then why would God let humans commit such horrible acts. Why could God not create a world where humans freely choose make good decisions more often t... ...e discover god while going through hard times in their life. These are the key reasons why many people believe in God. I myself do believe in a God, but not any particular God, this is because I do not think it necessary to single out one and only God that is right to believe in. I believe that there is some type of higher power out there, because as I said before there must have been something that created this perfect world. But I believe that God would want me to act and live my life exactly how I’m living it right now. I do not believe that you will not go to heaven simply because you don’t worship God your whole life and you don’t repent your sins. A being so perfect that could create all this must certainly know what we are going to do in our lifetime, so how can he punish us for not doing what he wants us to, if he already knew what was going to happen.

Employment At Will Doctrine Essay

†¢Summarize the employment-at-will doctrine and evaluate each of the eight (8) scenarios described by determining: The employment-at-will doctrine states that an employee can be fired or released from a company for cause or no cause at all. The employee also has the right to quit a job for any reason. Under this legislation, neither the employer or employee incurs â€Å"adverse legal consequences† (NCSL, 2014). There are three exceptions that are observed by the law to include a dismissal that â€Å"violates a state’s public policy, where there is an implied contract for employment, or where there is an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing† (Muhl, 2001, p4). People cannot be fired based on the â€Å"individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p134). An individual can also not be fired based on a disability or due to filing a workman’s comp claim. Imagine you are a recently-hired Chief Operating Officer (COO) in a midsize company preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). You quickly discover multiple personnel problems that require your immediate attention. As an astute manager, you will need to analyze the employment-at-will doctrine and determine what, if any, exceptions and liabilities exist before taking any action. oWhether you can legally fire the employee; include an assessment of any pertinent exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine. oWhat action you should take to limit liability and impact on operations; specify which ethical theory best supports your decision. †¢John posted a rant on his Facebook page in which he criticized the company’s most important customer. John’s actions took place on his own time, and the information was posted on his personal site. The action from the company would depend on whether John made the post and none of his coworkers chimed in or agreed with him, or if someone did agree with him. Concerted activity is protected under the law but not grunts and groaning from one employee. According to Eidelson (2012), â€Å"concerted activity will take different forms for different workers†. Quite simply put, John’s post could cause a loss of business for the company or even a disgruntled customer, not to mention the company’s most important customer. The company would be protected in firing him. I made this decision based on the Ethics  of Care. John made a comment about our most important customer, and it is the company’s business to make sure the customer continues to be our most important customer. †¢Jim sent an email to other salespeople protesting a change in commission schedules and bonuses and suggesting everyone boycott the next sales meeting. Jim’s case is interesting. The answer to firing him is it depends. If Jim is disgruntled and just decided to send out an email to all of his coworkers to get them roweled up, then he could be fired legally. However, if he had been talking to other employees and then sent them an email to further talk about actions to take, he would be protected under the law as â€Å"protected concerted activity† (Eidelson, 2012). Also, the judge may look at Jim’s case to see if he talked with any of the upper management about concerns before trying to get others to boycott. The judge would check to see if Jim was part of a union as well. In one case where an employee sent an email, the judge ruled that her firing was legal, because her email â€Å"merely expressed an individual gripe rather than any shared concerns about w orking conditions† (Newby, 2013). Since this description did not say that other employees joined in with Jim, the judge would rule that his firing was legal. After firing Jim, I would call a meeting with the rest of the employees to make sure that Jim’s attitude towards the company had not spread to others and to try to find some solutions if it had. I made this decision based on the Virtue Ethics model. †¢Ellen started a blog to protest the CEO’s bonus, noting that no one below director has gotten a raise in two (2) years and portraying her bosses as â€Å"know-nothings† and â€Å"out-of-touch†. Ellen started a blog to protest the CEO’s bonus. The employer would need to make sure that Ellen’s post had not been commented on by other employees who were in agreement with her. The company should also look to its’ social media policy if it has one. The employer could be covered if the policy states that employees cannot speak derogatorily about their boss or coworkers online. The â€Å"National Labor Relations Act states that workers have the right to discuss their wages and conditions of employment†; however, â€Å"griping or ranting by a single employee is not protected† (Rogers, 2013). Ellen stepped across the line by criticizing the CEO of the company and calling him names. This could cause a rift in the company and lower morale. The company would be justified in firing Ellen. I would do this based on Deontology which focuses on rights and duties,  telling the truth and fairness (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p17). †¢Bill has been using his company-issued BlackBerry to run his own business on the side. Bill was given the company-issued BlackBerry to use for work. As I read in most articles, it is expected that in this digital age employees will use their employers’ equipment for some type of personal use. Most companies have policies on the use of company equipment. If Bill is a good employee, there is no loss of productivity, a nd the majority of his personal business is taking place during off-time, Bill should not be fired, and it would not be deemed legal, unless the company’s policy says something different. The company’s policy should be â€Å"clearly communicated to all employees and† and be â€Å"consistently enforced† as well (BizFilings, 2012). Bill should be aware that the employer †generally can monitor, listen in and record employee phone calls on employer owned phones† to include â€Å"voice mail and text messages† (Bussing, 2011). So if his employer found that he was exchanging insider information about the company through the company BlackBerry, they would be justified in firing him. I chose this course of action based on Virtue Ethics. If Bill feels his employer trusts him, he will most likely remain trustworthy and honest to the company. †¢The secretaries in the accounting department decided to dress in black-and-white stripes to protest a memo announcing that the company has installed keylogger software on all company computers. The secretaries could not be legally fired in this instance. The secretaries would also be covered under the National Labor Relations Act. They are silently protesting the keylogger software. There is more than one person involved in this silent protest and they have the right to discuss â€Å"conditions of employment† (Rogers, 2013). I chose this based on the Ethics of Care. The secretaries obviously do not agree with a new procedure in the workplace. The upper management should not come down on them for that. The secretaries are quietly organizing themselves, and they should have the right to disagree. †¢After being disciplined for criticizing a customer in an email (sent from his personal email account on a company computer), Joe threatens to sue the company for invasion of privacy. Company computers are company computers. The company has the right to information that is sent on its’ computers, especially during work hours. Joe should not be discussing work business through his personal emails. Joe would not be covered under the First  Amendment, because it â€Å"protects all of us from the government, not from private companies† (NOLO, 2014). I chose this action based on Free Market Ethics. This model focuses on what is good for the company. Joe cannot stay with the company while criticizing the customers, especially through his personal email at work. If the company keeps Joe around and the information gets out, it could lose more than it would by letting him go. †¢One of the department supervisors requests your approval to fire his secretary for insubordination. Since the secretary has always received glowing reviews, you call her into your office and determine that she has refused to prepare false expense reports for her boss. The secretary’s firing would not be justified in this situation. Although the secretary is an employee at will who could be fired for cause or no reason at all, it appears that the secretary is being retaliated against for refusing to prepare corrupt documents. The secretary’s reviews have always been great, so there is no presence of a developmental plan or previous violations of company policy. The company most likely has some type of policy for progressive discipline, so if the supervisor did not follow the plan to the letter, the firing would not be justified. I chose this action based on Deontology. The employer has the obligation to be honest and to remain steadfast â€Å"to universal princip les† (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p17). †¢Anna’s boss refused to sign her leave request for jury duty and now wants to fire her for being absent without permission. Anna’s boss could not legally fire her due to serving jury duty. â€Å"Most states prohibit employers from firing or disciplining employees called to serve on a juryâ€Å" and some states â€Å"prohibit employers from trying to discourage or intimidate employees from serving† (NOLO, 2014). Anna’s boss could be â€Å"held in contempt of court† if Anna did not show up to court because of her employer’s decision (Gordon, 2012). I chose this action based on Utilitarianism, because the choice of firing Anna due to attending jury duty may have a detrimental effect on the entire workplace. As you proceed with your investigation, you discover the company has no whistleblower policy. †¢Take a position on whether or not you would recommend to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) that the company adopt a whistleblower policy. Support the position. I would recommend to the CEO that the company adopt a whistleblower policy. It is important to have such a policy so that people know the proper steps to take when disclosing  information of wrongdoing in the workplace and know that they will be protected for sharing such information. In the situation between the supervisor and his secretary, a whistleblowing policy could have exposed the issue earlier. It seemed that the secretary did not tell anyone about the supervisor pressuring her to create false documents, until she was faced with losing her job. †¢Justify at least three (3) fundamental items that should be included in a whistleblower policy. Provide a rationale for your selection of each of the three (3) recommended items. The first item that should be included in a whistleblower policy is the â€Å"responsibility to disclose that information to appropriate parties inside the organization† (Barnett, 1992). The employees are the ones who are going to see the wrongdoing most likely. Without laying the responsibility on the employees, they may not know how important it is to the company and may not feel supported in their efforts to share information. This part of the policy should also include that the process will take place within the organization and that all information given should be done so â€Å"in good faith† (Barnett, 1992). The second item that should be included in a whistleblowing policy is a group of neutral people â€Å"outside the chain of command as complaint recipients† (Barnett, 199 2). This should make people feel more comfortable sharing violations, because they don’t have to worry about backlash from sharing information. It would make it much harder for an employee to disclose information to the group if he knew the person he was telling on was best friends with someone on the committee. Finally, the policy should outline the steps of the investigation process and give assurance to the whistleblower that there will be no â€Å"adverse employment consequences† (Barnett, 1992). The Whistleblower Acts should also be included in the employee handbook so that employees not only understand the policy within their current workplace, but as it is stated by the government. The employee will know what is covered and what is not. References Barnett, T. (1992). Why Your Company Should Have a Whistleblowing Policy.Retrieved May 4th, 2014, from http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu /old/12_00/basics/whistle/rst/wstlblo_policy.html BizFilings. (2012). Using Policies to Address Employees’ Personal Use of BusinessEquipment. Retrieved May 4th, 2014, from

Code-switching: The Effects for Students and Teachers

Introduction In the current global economic climate, the ability to speak English has become an important business tool. English has essentially become the â€Å"universal second language† of the international labour market, and the socio-economic significance of this cannot be overstated (Light, 2007: 9). It is now commonplace for many universities across the world to teach courses in English as well the native language of their country. One of the most apparent consequences of this has been the widespread use of code-switching, where multiple languages are spoken in everyday communication. As such, code-switching is often seen as a social as well as a linguistic medium. This paper will attempt to demonstrate the causes and effects of code-switching in bilingual classes. The Definition of Code-switching Code-switching involves the use of multiple languages, where speakers of additional languages incorporate alternate linguistic elements into their source language. As such, two or more languages may be spoken alternately during a conversation. Chan et al (2009) usefully describe code-switching as â€Å"the intra-sentential switching of two different languages in a spoken utterance† (Chan et al, 2009: 281). The Causes and Effects of Using of Code-switching in an Academic Context The academic use of code-switching involves a more complex and random effect than can be fully explained by a students ability to speak in a certain language. Recent (debatable) research has identified reasons behind the occurrence of code-switching and the extent to which the process of learning has been affected. A large number of situations are considered to be causes of code-switching, one of which is linked to gaps in students’ linguistic ability. As a result, students may engage in code-switching in order to overcome linguistic shortcomings; however this cause may be considered a weak justification. In other cases, a lack of one or more words in either language may lead to code-switching. That is to say, bilinguals make clear that they code-switch when they cannot find the correct expression or term. Often the target language simply does not have the exact word needed in order to maintain a discussion smoothly, and code-switching is necessary. In addition, code-switching can have a positive impact in an academic context. An important teaching skill is the ability to transfer knowledge to students in a clear and efficient manner, and so code-switching can be a useful tool in the classroom for both teachers and students (Bista, 2010: 1). Code-switching may also be used to emphasize a point, or to add more force to a phrase. On a psychological level, learners often code-switch when they feel tired or angry. For example when the speaker is in a good mood, the appropriate word or expression in their second language is easily identified. However if the speaker is distracted in any way, they may find it difficult to grasp the correct word. In a purely linguistic capacity, code-switching may be used to compliment a statement, where it can particularly reinforce an intention or meaning of the speaker. Although sometimes viewed as linguistic incompetence this is not always the case. Code-switching will often occur when the speaker wishes to compensate for a lack of a verbal equivalent in the second language. Baker (2007) describes this well: â€Å"Words or phrases in two languages may not correspond exactly, and the bilingual may switch to one language to express a concept that has no equivalent in the culture of the other language† (Baker, 2007:108). There are also personal and social reasons for code-switching in that one’s choice of words can represent an expression of their personality. Allatson (2007) suggests factors that can lead to code-switching as location, class, gender and age. In addition the relationship between the speakers; the formal or informal nature of the conversation and the social status of the speakers can also be factors (Allatson, 2007: 73). Another social explanation is that speakers tend to code switch to attract attention. In Saudi Arabia, for example, code-switching is often used among teenagers to draw the attention of their colleagues. Furthermore they switch from Arabic to English to show that they are confident about themselves. In general, code-switching effects are widely perceived as negative. Namely, there is a tendency to view code-switching as barrier to learning and as being disruptive to the learning environment. Accordingly, the practice has been considered as a sign of linguistic deficiency. Li (2008) notes that despite code-switching being commonplace in both the speech and writing of multilingual societies (often with English as the second language), it is usually frowned upon by multilingual speakers within these societies. (Li, 2008: 76). In an academic context, studies by Arrifin and Husin (2011) have observed that learners with a greater linguistic ability often see code-switching as and obstacle to becoming fluent in a second language. Their findings indicated that students with a degree of competence in English found it difficult to make progress in an environment of code-switching (Arrifin et al, 2011: 221). Other studies have reached similar conclusions. Bista (2010) conducted a study in the US which found that code-switching not only had a negative impact on the linguistic learning ability of students, but also highlighted lack of ability in the second language as a primary cause of code-switching (Bista, 2010: 1). Others have a different view however, in particular that code-switching may be perceived as ‘linguistic resourcefulness’. Baker (2007) argues that users of code-switching show impressive cognitive, linguistic, and social skills. In his view code-switchers may be preserving the meaning of their original statement by overcoming the lack of a suitable word in the second language (Baker, 2007: 56-57). Surveys of a number of English language students have reported that they view code-switching as having a considerable influence on the learning process. From their perspective, code-switching assists in understanding the more complex linguistic elements of the second language. It may also help in the translation from their first language to the target one. Conclusion It may apparently be concluded that the impression of code-switching as a barrier to learning seems to be the prevalent view amongst both learners and teachers, and that any positive effects of code-switching are not yet widely recognised. As a consequence of this, it would be reasonable to assume that the attitude of both teachers and students towards code-switching may have been somewhat influenced by this common viewpoint. In the near future however, signs are that code-switching may possibly be seen as a tool for learning. In that event, some restrictions on the use of code-switching must be established by teachers in the classroom, and learners should code-switch only when there is an in urgent case. Eventually, it might yet become a beneficial tool for both learners and teachers. References Allatson, P., 2007. Key terms in Latino/a cultural and literary studies, Oxford: Blackwell. Baker, C., 2007. A Parents’ and Teachers’ Guide to Bilingualism, Clevedon: MPG Books. Light, I., 2007. ‘Global Entrepreneurship and Transnationalism’. In Ed. L. Paul Dana. Handbook of Research on Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship: a Co-evolutionary View on Resource Management, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. pp.3-15. Arrifin, K. and M. Susanti Husin, 2011. ‘Code-switching and Code-mixing of English and Bahasa Malaysia in Content-Based Classrooms: Frequency and Attitudes’. The Linguistics Journal, June, pp.220-47. Bista, K., 2010. ‘Factors of Code Switching among Bilingual English Students In the University Classroom: A Survey’. English for Specific Purposes World, Volume 9, pp.1-19. Chan, J. Y. C., H. Cao, P. C. Ching, T. Lee, 2009. ‘Automatic Recognition of Cantonese-English Code-Mixing Speech’. Computational Linguistics and Chinese Language Processes, September, pp.281-304. Li, D. C. S., 2008. ‘Understanding Mixed Code and Classroom Code-Switching: Myths and Realities’. New Horizons in Education, December, pp.75-87.

History of Facebook Transformation

History of Facebook Transformation Analysis of Facebook Facebook remains an amazing success as a social network, but the company has not always been the main social network in the world. Even as it enjoys the reputation, Facebook has to change frequently to protect its business interest from the competition. More than 700 million people use the Facebook platform for business and personal reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Facebook Transformation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Facebook collects revenue mainly in the form of online ads. Moreover, the company has introduced many other services that are still in their development phase, but give indications of being revenue sources. Facebook started as â€Å"TheFacebook†. The company started with the mission of empowering people to share information. Porter value chain analysis In the Facebook line of business, access to social media services is free, and revenue comes from adver tising. Additional applications with payment options also bring in revenues. The company offers cost per click advertising and cost per one thousand impressions. It has focused on differentiation of its advertising program from its competitors. Facebook has also sought to make its offering the most affordable in the market; thus, it has gone ahead to target small businesses that have a limited budget for marketing. Differentiation is through specific Facebook interfaces, such as the timeline and its integration with other websites to collect usage data that helps in the matching of advertising. Value chain activities on Facebook include inbound logistics, production, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and services. The activities that are most significant to the customer are production and service. Production involves programming and development of new functionalities for Facebook, which are then used as the basis for offering social network features to users. The increase in the number of users becomes the product sold to advertisers. Service activities for Facebook are the management of user interaction and presentation of different features and designs, as well as delivery of the advertisements within the Facebook platform. Facebook does not do significant marketing and sales, except participating in industry-relevant activities and running web advertisements on other platforms on the Internet. The company uses workshops and other outreach options to ensure that advertisers are aware of all its offerings and have sufficient access to its platform. Marketing also includes product ideas, such as payment platforms tested to determine whether they can be a major source of revenue for the company.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mind mapping Facebook includes a web of activities and its mind map consists of fan pages, profile, groups, dea ls, tips, apps, stats, analytics, places, and development. Under each title, there are different product and customer options available to help grow the Facebook business. Advertising includes sponsored stories and Facebook ads. Breaking down stats leads to reports on user activity, reports on ad popularity, reports on the number of users on Facebook, and reports on specific actions that users are taking on the platform. Breaking down apps reveal the native apps on the platform, the third-party apps, apps that integrate with Facebook pages, apps that automatically create actions on the platform and apps that are for sale or offering payment features. Under the development features, there are social plugins and apps that offer different functionalities that are in current use or can be used to extend the functions of Facebook as a platform to aid clients’ business interests. Under usage, Facebook has groups, pages, and individual profiles. Each of these features offers differe nt functionalities and levels of privacy. Groups and pages are relevant for businesses that want to have more interaction with their customers, in addition to advertising on Facebook. Places include location-based information that populates the Facebook experience of its users and help to target advertising. Places can be on the Internet and within Facebook, as well as physical locations identified by the Facebook algorithms whenever users mention them on their profiles. Facebook had different functions and services in profiles. They include updates about personal network members, privacy settings, control of broadcasts and ad audiences, Facebook messages, photos and tagging, and management of followers and friends. Divergent convergent The acquisition and retention of talented human resources are challenging tasks for companies in high technology industries. Many of them are opting to acquire smaller companies to gain their human resources advantages. Facebook has been able to use this strategy in line with its expansion plans. The practice helps the company to address its competitive advantage needs. The company can preserve a startup team as a cohesive resource bundle. After acquiring a company, Facebook workers get special compensation packages to make them more willing to stay at the bigger company that acquired them. On the other hand, the acquiring company can preserve the dynamic capabilities of the acquired firm. It also gets the tacit knowledge that is embedded in the startups team dynamics.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Facebook Transformation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Facebook and other social media platforms continue to embrace the same functionalities for their customers and their users. Facebook has introduced some features that are inspired by its competition in the social media market. It originally started with a user profile that showed updates of friend s activities on Facebook. The company introduced the â€Å"Like† button, which allowed users to express satisfaction quickly without writing anything. Recently, Facebook introduced a â€Å"Follow† option, in addition to friendship. This matches the option of following another person’s profile that is available on Twitter. The company then introduced the blogging feature for its notes, which made it conform to the strategies provided by content management systems that host blogs such as the Google’s Blogger service and the WordPress.com service. Notably, Facebook has introduced â€Å"news feeds† and sponsored posts on its user feeds to match what Twitter is offering on its timelines. The company is targeting all audiences, as it tries to provide different functionalities that all its competitors provide to ensure that it keeps its large user base. Facebook also copied Google+ features of having circles. On its platform, users can categorize friendsh ips in terms of family, close friends, and other categories available by default or created by the user. Recently, Facebook launched its video platform, allowing users to upload videos and share them on its feeds. Meanwhile, it detached its Facebook Messenger platform, which it provides as a standalone app for mobile users, similar to Google’s Hangouts. The above convergence strategies by Facebook are part of the overall industry trend. They help the company to continue attracting a large user base and retain its appeal against the competitive onslaught from its rivals (Sloane 2012). Meanwhile, looking at the overall business processes and intentions of Facebook shows that the company has convergent thinking. Facebook has used all its avenues to bring users to its platform or enhance their experiences so that it can serve ads to the largest user base. The company can consolidate intelligence about users and direct them to view ads from its clients using apps, different platfo rms such as Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, while maintaining the users’ engagement in the respective platforms. The company has chosen to focus on mobile phone users as its avenue for growth. It even uses free internet access offers to different populations around the world to sustain its vision of having the largest number of people using the Facebook platform.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Prototyping process and repairing process Facebook tests new platforms or app integrations before making them mainstream features. It separated its messenger services from the mobile Facebook app. The company changed its user requirements for mobile messaging when there was significant uptake. Consequently, users had to use the app. Earlier on, the company asked users to use their real identities online, but it decided to step back from the decision and let users have alternative identities after facing resistance from users and fearing loss of its main user base. The rise of alternatives to Facebook has been a pressure point for the companys change in approach to new products or features (Bort 2014). The company also had a major redesign vision that changed midway after realizing that a personalized newspaper for its users would not be successful, and the move would alienate some of its users. The company tests its prototypes first before adopting them as mainstream practices. Face book uses developers and beta testers who have privilege access to its new services. The company also rolls out services to the public and retracts them when they are not received well (Kapko 2014). Entrepreneurial Skills Adaptability Facebook has purchased more than 50 startup companies and stopped the products and services that the startups were providing. The strategy allows the company in adapting to its environment, being equipped to take on new trends and having well-skilled staff members to inspire new approaches to business environment changes. Facebook started as a social media startup company and has grown to a giant company providing services to 2.5 million advertisers that target its 1.4 billion users (Digital Strategy Consulting 2015). It used app purchases as a revenue stream, and then picked on desktop advertising before launching into mobile advertising. Currently, the company is testing video advertising and targeting companies that would advertise on traditional te levision channels (Digital Strategy Consulting 2015). Facebook has also acquired other companies that have significant user bases and functionalities to expand its portfolio as a new media company. It acquired Instagram, WhatsApp, and TheFind as notable leaders in their respective markets to bring additional market intelligence and functionality. For example, the acquisition of TheFind allowed Facebook to have the largest expertise in product sourcing and leverage its more than 1 billion people on the platform (Bose 2015). The company has also been testing its payment services as it seeks to become an e-commerce platform, in addition to being a social media giant. It has also created new functionalities on its messenger platform to lure businesses and transform the Messenger into an e-commerce platform that will use its peer-to-peer payment service (Mac 2015). Managing cash effectively Facebook started with angle investor funds and eventually made a public offering that transformed it into a public company. The company today relies on strong mobile advertising business, which has helped the company to beat its earnings projections. Its mobile ads revenue has climbed to 90 percent of the company’s revenue. Other sources of funds for the company include desktop advertising and payments. The company has used revenues and investors’ funds to make acquisitions help it grow its advertising and e-commerce business. Focus on customers People use Facebook’s social media options to connect with an audience for business purposes. The Facebook users are its product while its customers are the entities seeking to reach out to the Facebook’s user base. Sometimes, the customers are also users of Facebook and are, therefore, products too. Facebook has been focusing on keeping its ad network clean and effective in leading relevant referrals to clients. It opted to introduce mobile ads, in addition to desktop ads as a way of responding to its clients demand for richer access to its user base. Facebooks customers are the advertisers on its platform. The company has been focusing on both small and large-scale advertisers. It has been making small innovations to its advertising program to allow small businesses to join and useful drive referrals to their businesses. Facebook realizes that many people expect it to deliver social results, but it is also keeping ahead with its business mandate of delivering business results (Abrams 2014). Facebook is allowing advertisers to place their content in the middle of a user’s news stream, such that they are hard to miss during typical Facebook usage. It also offers user data about preferences and associations so that advertisers get a better outcome of their market targeting. Facebook also gets revenues from direct payments for apps and in-app purchases that are on the Zynga platform. It has improved its advertising offerings to include video and partnered with TV rating firm Nielsen to help advertisers plan their campaigns on its platform in comparison to traditional media (Digital Strategy Consulting 2015). Humility Facebook has grown from humble origins, and its management is yet to become arrogant about the business success. The company retains its core leadership and treats its employees well. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the company, is noted for giving out perks and empowering employees. He has built Facebook workplaces to relaxing, and the company offers free lunches while allowing its employees to de-stress without having to leave their workplaces. The company has thousands of employees and remains adaptable to an individual level; being able to consider employee concerns and suggestions for improving the workplace relations and the environment. Humility has been a factor for management that allows the company to retain most of the workforce coming from the acquired companies (Kux 2014). The company’s head is deeply involved in activities that Fa cebook does to grow its business. He communicates frequently with the employees. The leaders can stay engaged in projects without micromanaging, which shows a great value of humility. Creating Managing Alliances Facebook prefers to acquire companies rather than form alliances with them. It has made more than 50 acquisitions since its formation. However, the company has also partnered with mobile telecom companies in the developing world to offer free access to Facebook for its users. It has also partnered with analytics firms like Nielsen to help it serve its customer advertising interests well. However, its alliances with telecom companies in the Middle East have been problematic as many of them complain of reduced revenues as a result of offering access to Facebook at subsided rates (Darwell 2013). Creativity Innovation Most social media services available on Facebook are available at no cost to the users. Nevertheless, the company has to make use of the collective resources it has as a business. The most innovative approaches have been the use of the mined data to present third party businesses with ideas on ways to reach target customers. Another business venture has been the use of the collected consumer intelligence as a product for sale. As Facebook grows, its level of innovation also reduces. However, its leadership has focused on making acquisitions of startup companies that are promising, which has led to improved creativity and innovation. The company has also ensured that it remains a great place to work. Employees can bring all their creativity and put up great projects that transform into commercial successes for the company (Eichenwald 2013). Optimism Inspiration The company continues to lead the transformation of social media and general internet usage. Facebook is showing advertisers new ways of reaching audiences. Moreover, it seeks to become the number one platform for internet advertising, especially for mobile advertising. The company r emains optimistic that more than one billion users will remain active on the platform as Facebook uses that number to entice advertisers to choose Facebook for their marketing campaigns. Facebook is inspired by the startup spirit and has been keen to acquire promising startups that help it to remain innovative. Reference List Abrams, R 2014, Strategies: Facebook entices small firms with mobile ads, usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/abrams/2014/08/01/small-business-facebook-ads/13401769/. Bort, J 2014, Mark Zuckerberg just backtracked on two of Facebooks guiding principles, but thats a good thing, businessinsider.com.au/mark-zuckerberg-backtracks-on-principals-2014-4. Bose, P 2015, The acquisition of TheFind by Facebook might soon result in high-voltage competition with other eCommerce platforms, http://dazeinfo.com/2015/04/01/facebook-acquistion-thefind-ecommerce-platform/. Darwell, B 2013, Facebook partners with mobile carriers to offer free data for Facebook messaging, adweek.com /socialtimes/facebook-partners-with-mobile-carriers-to-offer-free-data-for-facebook-messaging/290597. Digital Strategy Consulting 2015, Facebook takes on TV with new video ad buying tools, digitalstrategyconsulting.com/irntelligence/2015/09/facebook_takes_on_tv_with_new_video_ad_buying_tools.php. Eichenwald, K 2013, Facebook leans in, vanityfair.com/news/business/2013/05/facebook-future-mark-zuckerberg-sheryl-sandberg. Kapko, M 2014, Facebook backtracks big-time on major redesign vision, cio.com/article/2378082/social-media/facebook-backtracks-big-time-on-major-redesign-vision.html. Kux, S 2014, 10 reasons why 99% of Facebook employees love Mark Zuckerberg, lifehack.org/articles/work/10-reasons-why-99-facebook-employees-love-mark-zuckerberg.html. Mac, R 2015, Facebook goes all in on e-commerce by bringing businesses onto messenger, forbes.com/sites/ryanmac/2015/03/25/facebook-goes-all-in-on-e-commerce-by-bringing-businesses-onto-messenger/. Sloane, P 2012, Divergent and convergent t hinking, innovationexcellence.com/blog/2012/10/24/divergent-and-convergent-thinking/.

Research paper of Favorite Organism Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Of Favorite Organism - Research Paper Example Their physiological characteristics are different and interesting. In this essay various aspects of elephants will be discussed. Taxonomic classification The family to which elephant belongs is Elephantidae. It is the only family under the order Proboscidea. The domain is living, kingdom is Animalia, phylum is Chordata and class is Mammalia. Under the family Elephantidae, there are 2 genuses and they are Loxodonta or African Genus and Elephas or Asian genus. There are 2 species: africana or African species and maximus or Asian species. The subspecies in the former are africana and cyclotis and in the later are indicus, borneensis and sumatranus. Elephants are the only living members of the Proboscidea order (Fowler and Mikota, 2006). Description of the organism Elephants are mammals. The two main species are African elephant and Asian elephant. Extinct species of the order Proboscidea are mastodons and mammoths. Currently, elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals. A male elephant can reach a height of 4 m and can weight upto 7000 kg (Fowler and Mikota, 2006). African elephants have larger ears and backs that are concave. On the other hand, Asian elephants have smaller ears and backs that are convex. ... The Asian elephant is considered endangered and the African elephant is considered as vulnerable. These animals are poached for their tusks because of their ivory value. Elephants are also at threat because of habitat destruction and conflicts with people in the local region. In Asia, these animals are used for heavy work. They are also displayed in circuses and zoos. They are also featured in ceremonies and cultural events. Asian elephants have smoother skin, only one extension at the tip of the trunk and their abdomen is horizontal. The molars have narrower looped ridges in the Asian elephant when compared to African elephant which is diamond shaped (Shoshani, 2005). Other than these features, the Asian elephant has dorsal bumps on the head and also some depigmentation patches. Status of the organism The Asian elephant is on the crux of becoming endangered because of severe poaching on the animal for the purpose of tusk. Ivory can be derived from the tusk and it has a very good com mercial value. Ivory is used to make different ornaments and objects. The leather of the elephant is also used for several purposes. African elephant on the other hand is not endangered but is called vulnerable (Fowler and Mikota, 2006). Unique physiological characteristics The word elephant is derived from the Latin word "elephantus". Of all the terrestrial living animals, elephant is the largest. The height of an African elephant is about 3-4 meters and that of an Asian elephant is 2- 3.5 meters. The former weighs between 4000- 7000 kgs and the latter weighs between 3000- 5000 kgs. Males are larger than females. The skeleton of an elephant has 326- 351 bones (Fowler and Mikota, 2006). The flexibility of the backbone of an

Sociological factor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sociological factor - Essay Example They were housewives and their sole purpose in life was to please their man and do as he pleases. They essentially lacked basic rights and chained to the circumstances of their lives. They usually did not even get a say in who their husband is going to be, as their husband was chosen for them by their husband. A change has happened in the 20th century, when in the 1920s millions of people in the US migrated from the countryside to cities, where more modern views were held and practiced. This was a pre-step in getting more acknowledgement, freedom and equal treatment. Later on, in the 1930s and 1940s, as World War 2 raged on and resources and manpower were low, women were incorporated in the labor, preparations, assistance of the soldiers in the frontlines and at home. They were given primary positions which were very important to the remainder of the war. Their positions were mainly those of nurses, seamstresses, food suppliers and many other positions traditionally associated with women, but it was a big leap when they were incorporated in the war effort because until then it wasnt allowed. The totality of the war actually brought about their incorporation in the war, and sometimes even in crucial positions. After the war had ended, women realized that if they were good enough to help th e war effort and do their jobs just like men did, why shouldnt they be able to do these things and other things in their everyday lives? The movement of the liberation of women began to sprout. Women claimed that if they were good enough to participate in the war effort and do their jobs exactly like men, they should also be able to do any job in real life and be acknowledged as equal to men. They also stated that without their help, the soldiers wouldnt have their supplies, their clothing, their medical assistance and so on. This notion of gender equality continued