Leaving You Essays - Grieve, Transport In Peru,

Leaving You i must leave you for a short while please do not grieve and shed wild tears and hug your sorrows to you through the years but start out bravely with a gallant smile and for my sake and in my name live on and do all things the same feed not your loneliness on empty days but fill each waking hour in useful ways reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer and i in return will comfort you and hold you dear and never, never be afraid to die for i am waiting for you in the sky!

Lotus Bakery, Case Study Essays

Lotus Bakery, Case Study Essays Lotus Bakery, Case Study Paper Lotus Bakery, Case Study Paper Lotus Bakeries NV International case study Bart Bauwens Director Export November 2010 Personal introduction Bart Bauwens – 1967 Master in Business Economics University of Ghent, Belgium – 1991 Master in Business Administration – National University of Singapore – 2008 Specialisation in Export Management University of Antwerp, Belgium 1/1/2000: Start with Lotus Bakeries Director Sales Marketing Lotus Bakeries Asia Pacific : 1/11/2003 – 31/07/2008 Since 1/08/2008: Director Export Aim of this lecture : Introduce you shortly to Lotus Bakeries, our products and our structure and link it to our export strategy Go over some very simple basic principles to take in consideration in export with focus on 4 P’s Case: introducing Lotus in China Challenge you to think beyond the known and see international business with different eyes Q A. Contents : 1) Who is Lotus Bakeries ? 1. History 2. Products 3. Organizati on 4. Results 5. Corporate Strategy 6. Realisation most important projects 2) Why exporting ? 3) How to start the export adventure ? 4) Case : Introduction of Lotus in China 5) QA 1) Who is Lotus Bakeries ? 1. History 932 1974 1988 2001 2006 2008 Foundation Lotus NV Merger with Corona IPO Lotus brand Acquisition of Koninklijke Peijnenburg (NL) Acquisition of Anna’s Pepparkakor (SE) 2. Products Caramelised biscuits Gingerbread Cakes Waffles Pepparkakor Caramelized biscuits Gingerbread Cakes Waffles Pepparkakor 3. Operational organisation Corporate headquarters in Lembeke 3. Operational organisation Corporate Executive Committee Group Management Team Northern Eastern Europe Belgium Netherlands France UK North America Export 3. Operational organisation Production plants Belgium: 4 France: 2 Netherlands: 3 Sweden: 1 Canada: 1 3. Operational organisation Production plants Canada: Calgary F: Comines Briec SE: Tyreso NL: Enkhuizen, Geldrop, Sintjohannesga B: Lembeke, Oostakker, Meise, Courcelles 3. Operational organisation Logistics centre Belgium – Central logistics centre in Lokeren for Belgium, France, Germany and export 3. Operational organisation Own sales organisations EUROPE San Francisco: USA Canada Singapore: Asia Pacific 3. Operational organisation Other export markets Export department in Belgium for Europe and Middle East Cooperation with specialized importers 4. Results 2009 Evolution of turnover – in mio EUR 300 280 260 240 220 200 180 160 140 120 100 56,7 224,5 179,3 152,3 261,1 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 4. Results 2009 EVOLUTION OF TURNOVER in millions of EUR Evolution of turnover 2009 – in mio EUR 275,0 250,0 225,0 200,0 175,0 150,0 125,0 100,0 75,0 50,0 25,0 0,0 1987 1994 1995 2001 2002 2009 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 4. Results 2009 To tal turnover 2009 261. 1 mio EUR Evolution Compared with 2008: + 1. 7% Like for like: stable evolution in 2009 versus 2008, taking in account: Takeover Anna’s Divestment Harry’s Benelux Falling sales Jaffa Cake Bars with expiry of the contract with Mc Vities Geographical turnover 2009 per area N-America 6,1% NE EU 8,1% UK 5,1% Export 5,1% Belgium 30,5% France 14,0% Netherlands 31,0% REBIT and REBITDA 2009 mio EUR 2009 2008 Evolution % Turnover Depreciation and amounts written off REBIT REBITDA 261. 1 (12. 1) 256. 7 (11. 0) + 1. 7 + 9. 8 34. 6 48. 2 34. 0 45. 7 + 1. 6 + 5. 5 REBIT and REBITDA 6 m 2010/ 6 m 2009 mio EUR Turnover Depreciation and amounts written off REBIT REBITDA 6 m 2010 6 m 2009 127. 2 (5. 6) 17. 5 24. 3 Evolution % 125. 9 (5. 5) 16. 1 22. 7 + 1. 1 + 3. 2 + 8. 8 + 7. 4 5. Lotus Bakeries growth strategy General theme of our strategic choices We focus our growth objectives on xpanding our best performing products†¦ †¦not on ‘fixing’ weaker performing products We believe that†¦ â€Å"The better a product is performing, the further it is away from its full potential† 5. Lotus Bakeries growth strategy Choices â€Å"To become the number 1 branded leader in our specialty bakery products by maintaining a clear superior taste experience. We want to achieve sales growth ahead of market growth to create room for more investments into the market. † Original Caramelised biscuits : drive to full potential Pepparkakor: become clear leader in Nordics and focus on US + Export to Japan. OCB spread: make the success sustainable in home countries Gingerbread: sharpen positioning and invest behind stars Waffles: develop star products with international potential Cakes: invest behind stars Private label: be very selective Specific growth objectives based on consumer insights (penetration, frequency, value) Strong trade marketing capabilities to win the war in the store Sharp communication on consumption moments linked with brand essence Format innovations to expand star products Maintained lean and flexible supply model to follow the stars and trade activation 5. Lotus Bakeries growth strategy TOP culture TEAMSPIRIT PASSION OPEN DIALOGUE We are using 3 main brands: Lotus, Peijnenburg and Anna’s: Lotus is the main international brand Home markets NL Speculoos BE/FR Nordics International Pepparkakor Spread Ginger bread Waffles Cakes 6. Realisation most important projects. 6. Realisation most important projects. 5. New corporate website 2) Why exporting ? Geographical objectives Caramelized biscuits: become a global player as market- and brandleader. Geographical objectives Gingerbread : become market- and brandleader in The Netherlands, Belgium, France Geographical objectives Cakes : originally regional. Market- and brandleader in the local market of each speciality. Geographical objectives Waffles: strong presence in countries with own sales office. Geographical objectives Annas Ginger Thins: maintain leading position in Scandinavia and introduce it world wide. Geographical objectives Diversification of the market Need for new turn over Competition in home market Demand from abroad Unique product to bring to the world Love to travel 3) How to start the Export adventure ? How to start the export adventure ? Analysis and home work SWOT – Analyse 5 Forces Model of Porter McKinsey 7S Model Go – No go Practical and start 4 P’s SWOT Analysis 5 Forces Model Porter What determines the average industry profitability ? 7S Model What are our core competences on Company level ? Go – No go Concentric approach Go ? Start 4P’s or 7 P’s 4 P’s More in production oriented industries Product Price Place Promotion 4P’s or 7 P’s 3 extra P’s More in a service industry People Process Physical Evidence 3. 1 Unique product and unique concept for export Some questions on the product The product for export is not the same as the product for your domestic market: Why? Some questions on the product Which products can I sell in export? Why should I export this product? Do I have to adapt the taste, shape, details of the products? What about the local rules in f. i. food safety? What about the local rules in packaging and labeling? What about the size, weight, colour,†¦ of my product? Is my packaging suitable for overseas export (transport, palletisation,†¦. ) Some questions on the product Do I have a story on my product or an unique concept? Does my product requires special production methodes, different from the methodes used for my domestic products? Do I need to do more indepth research? 3. 2 Price structure for export Bott om up calculation Cost price calculation: how much does my products cost basically? Raw materials, labour, overheads, internal transport, warehousing, General Administration costs, †¦ How much gross margin do I need – want ? Bottom up calculation Which Incoterm do we use? Ex Works - inside EU FOB - overseas Others: liability? (CF, CIF,†¦) Bottom up calculation Extra costs for export? Extra packaging extra labels Transport: refer or not? Special transport modus? Extra people involved? Extra documents (certificate of origin, health certificate, transport documents, †¦) Insurance Bottom up calculation Extra costs for marketing support overseas Sampling degustation Introduction Listing fees Actions and promotions Local sales team? Instore activities, publicity, advertising, †¦ Top down check Competition Who is it and what type of products do they sell What is their pricing level? Top down check Market How much spending power do peopl e have? What proportion of that power is spent to products like mine? Is the market price sensitive or not? Potential extra costs barriers Potential Extra Costs Import duties Exchange rate: cost of money Potential extra costs barriers Potential Barriers Tarrifs Import duties, Transit duties (India),†¦ Non-Tarrifs Rules, laws that change,†¦ F. i. closure of Chinese ports during Olympics 3. 3 Place : Local Distribution in export What kind of local distribution ? Different forms of partnership in distribution depending on how complex you want to go Agent : intermediair between you and potential clients. You sell to the local client, the agent gets a commission. Importer: you sell directly to him; he markets your product Importer wholesaler What kind of local distribution ? Different forms of partnership in distribution depending on how complex you want to go Representative office: check the market Sales office: part of own organisation Joint Venture: check the market Local production: own local company Be prepared Who is our local partner ? Checklist. General information: name, address, phone numbers,.. How is he structured? Who are his clients? Geographic structure: e. g. in China: is he all over the country? Own sales people? Logistics: does he has his own warehouse and trucks? How is he organised? What other products does he import – distribute – manufacture ? Be prepared Who is our local partner ? Checklist. Conditioning of the products locally: refrigerator or not, stock capacity, how will he handle our products? Is he a brand builder? Is he market leader? Exclusivity or not? Territorial protection? How to check? Via internet or own network etc Via banks, Chamber of Commerce, business Clubs,†¦ Via Embassy or FIT 3. 4 Promotion : Export marketing Export marketing Brand or Private label ? OEM ? What does our brand means in that country? What is our brand positioning? What is our target public there? Export marketing What actions ? Sampling and tastings How to measure the impact of actions? How to get the exact figures? Nielsen , GFK,†¦ Export marketing Local rules on advertising ? Any restrictions ? Anything we can’t do ? Export marketing Co st of marketing actions : How much budget do we need ? How much is paid by our local partner ? Cultural issues Cultural: position of men and women? Religious rules (written or non written) Language Colours Political issues: avoid . 5 People : Internal Structure Internal structure Do we have an export department ? Do we need an export manager? Who will do the back office? Can we be reached the whole day? Do we master the languages? Internal structure Export needs to be structured Focus leads to succes. Other departments Logistic department : Inter company transport Transport to harbour Export documents Other departments Quality management : What rules? How to use them in a commercial way Other departments IT department : Internet connections SAP Other departments Finance department : Export cost money Other departments General management : Everybody in the company must believe in export Communication with collegues and management: personal PR Take everybody with you in the story 3. 6 Process : Process Procedures, flows, processes etc. by which services are consumed : How does the supply chain go from our suppliers over our company all the way to the end consumer of our product or service? How do we manage and controle those processes? Audits? ISO? 3. 7. Physical Evidence : Physical evidence The ability and environment in which the service is performed What tools do we need to perform and deliver? How can we measure our clients needs and expectations ? How can we meet these expectations ? How to reach customers with other expectations ? 4. Case : Introduction of Lotus in China 4. 1. Prospection phase Prospection phase Since 2000 we started to follow the Chinese market and tried to get insights How is the market organised and structured Who are the local and international players in the market – production and sales ? How does the supply chain looks ? What type of consumers do we have and what is the segmentation we can do ? Prospection phase Partner selection : done by 2004 How do we want to enter the market ? No own production No own company No direct delivery to the retailers ? Via an importer They know the market They take ownership and responsability Prospection phase Partner selection : done by 2004 Who are the import companies? What is their strenght and potential ? What kind of contract do we have ? Analyse 2009 : Analyse of existing partner in view of challenges in growth and logistic power for world expo 2010 : new partner selected 4. 2. Start up phase Start up phase : Products : Only speculoos Focus on coffee + cookie concept Single wrapped packs and family packs Start up phase : Region : China is too big to be seen as one country Different languages Different cultures Different eating paterns †¦ Where do we start ? Shanghai Rest of China (e. g. Carrefour) 4. 3. Growth phase Sales marketing support 2010 : Sales are supported based on a marketing plan What action : sampling and tasting, TG/gondola, 2nd placement†¦ Cost of actions Estimated volume and sales Agreed by Lotus Bakeries Sales marketing support 2010 : Support : Mostly in free sampling goods, participation to exhibitons, tastings †¦ Pricing situation Mostly our price level in the trade is OK. We are cheaper priced then high end brands like Bahlsen, JDS etc†¦ and of course higher priced then local manufactured products. Positioning : sophisticated (from Europe), yet accessable. Brand salience in China Challenges : Need to translate our brand salience and visualise this link with coffee consumption at home. Brand salience in China Challenges : Consistency in our communication: Look and feel of new OCB packaging Sampling booth Website: www. lotusbakeries. cn Action and promotions Brand salience in China Challenges : Technical : how do we make publicity ? What kind of setting ? What kind of models ? Sampling in the basis Possible sampling places and moments ? World expo at Belgian Pavillion Retail in Shanghai during the expo period In atrium or shopping centra Street : sampling in Nanjing Lu, Huaihai Lu and other main shopping streets Bars, hotels†¦ during night events ? Exhibitions : Food Hotel China, Sweets China, at the entrance and corridors, in our booth†¦ Sampling @ Expo In 3 locations : at the entrance of the Belgian Pavillion, in coffee shop and in shop Lotus has developped the wrapper and will give 8. 00. 000 biscuits for free 1 biscuit per second Biggest sampling action for Lotus ever Sampling @ Expo The focus is on one pack : OCB 25X1 which is sold in the pavillion at the same price as downtown Shanghai (22 RMB) Local coordination by PAF trainee Sampling @ Expo Queuing for the Belgian Pavilion Queuing for the Belgian Pavilion sampling sampling sampling sampling sampling In the shop In the shop In the shop In the shop In the shop Questions ? Thank you for your attention www. lotusbakeries. com

Batting lineup against any one particular team Research Paper

Batting lineup against any one particular team - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that statistics are useful in almost any area of life. Consider the workplace, home, social organization, or sports arena. Statistical analysis enables us to consider where we have been, where we are going, and how effective we have been at both stages. It is a process that allows us to consider and realize trends, either positive or negative, and lead us to conclusions about what to do next. Owing to this reality, it is therefore important to consider the myriad of uses that statistics brings to everyday life. To accomplish this, this paper will examine a hypothetical problem and propose a research question that can be solved through statistical analysis. Consider the sport of baseball. Each team has a manager who bases many of his decisions on various pieces of statistics that are given to him. A team’s batting lineup, for example, often is a critical piece to the number of runs a team scores, and their ability to win games. It can be said, therefore, that a team’s batting lineup depends upon statistical analysis and affects their ability to score runs, hit off certain pitchers, and avoid putting hitters in situations where they are likely to fail. The problem in baseball, like many of life’s situations, is that basing a decision on wrong assumptions can be disastrous. The batting lineup in baseball is a critical component. All aspects of the hitter and the opposing team’s pitcher must be considered when making out the lineup.... Research Question The research question for this problem would be: What batting lineup will prove the most effective against any one particular team? Data Collection To answer this question, there is a plethora of data the collected in order to assist in the statistical analysis that will lead to the formation of an effective batting order. To begin, the manager would need to collect various components of a player’s batting average. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, the following items: 1) A hitters overall batting average, 2) A hitters average with runners in scoring position, 3) A hitters average against right handed pitchers, 4) A hitters average against left handed pitchers, and 5) A hitters average against the specific opposing pitcher assigned to any one particular game (Albright, 1993, p. 1178). The data to be collected can be gathered by taking a look at a player’s combined batting averages over the course of a season. In today’s day and age , this is usually simplified with the use of technology. It is important to collect the data from one season only, as a hitters performance tends to fluctuate season by season, so their performance in previous years may not reflect on this current ability, or inability, to hit well against a particular pitcher this year (Talsma, 1999, p. 738). When thinking about much how much data is needed to solve this problem, more is definitely better. The more data that can be covered, in as many relevant areas as possible, the more benefit the statistical analysis can be to provide a manager with the accurate picture they need to assess player performance as the season progresses. Data Analysis It is not enough to simply collect a bunch of data related to hitting in baseball. The data must then be analyzed

College of Business Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College of Business - Personal Statement Example As what the College of Business website admonishes its visitors to do - "explore our programs, our people and our ideas. Be part of a brilliant future" (University of Illinois). The wholistic approach towards business education which the University offers to its students will definitely help me achieve this. The school does not only prepare its students theoretically but it also gives opportunity to practical applications through its internship program as well as the faculty members who had ample experience in the field. This brand of education from the University will be my invincible weapon to survive the battle ground. Accordingly, in several occasions I have seen how a well-grounded education as well as deep appreciation of one's culture can help a person succeed not only personally and professionally but for the whole country as well. Summer of 2006, I had a chance to visit Japan. Even though I stayed there for just a short time, I was impressed with how passionate the Japanese people are over their continuing search for the latest skill such as electronic gadgets, animation, and fashion without taking for granted their own culture and respecting other people's culture. The Japanese continuously study and train to improve in their field. They even get their education and training from abroad after which they go back to their country to bring their learning back home. I humbly say that all these professionals form part of their human capital. Through the education of College of Business, I will be able to understand how the universal economy works and may be able to bring these gigantic influences to my home country, Korea. During a high school career fair, I met a woman who is a proud and successful graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with accounting degree. Her success brought her to South Korea to work for Samsung, one of the biggest companies in my home country. She shared her thoughts about Korean culture and doing business in my country. Importantly, she explained to me how Korean culture reflects the trend of Korea economy in subtle form. This short conversation with her led me to assure that I need to go into College of Business to study accounting and comprehend the business world of Asia. The woman's talk inspired me to follow her footsteps. In both instances (Japan and the woman from Samsung), I realized the huge potential of the Asian market in the world economy. Being an Asian myself who is studying in a Western country, I wish to explore this market more deeply and contribute further to transform Asia into an equally competitive market to the global world. Furthermore, I personally realized that the money really does control the world (comment: I though you didn't want to emphasize money, I suggest we delete this sentence). Through studying the accounting thoroughly, I wish to be part of the business world with fullness of experience and achieve the development of not only my own country but also the wholeness of Asia. Thus, getting a good education from an established school like the University of

Music and Social Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music and Social Change - Research Paper Example This paper will examine the reggae music genre, discussing its impact on society. Bob Marley, as well as other notable reggae artists, has a definite influence on the society as they advocate for social change through their music. During his brief life (1945-1981), Bob Marley rose from obscurity and poverty to international superstardom. Bob Marley remains the single third world artist to attain such worldwide acclaim. Bob Marley attained this status through charisma and ambition, and was it, not for these traits, reggae music would still be restricted to Jamaican ghettoes, which was its origin. Bob’s life changed when Haile Selassie visited Jamaica. Haile Selassie, the Ethiopian Emperor, was a cherished savior of Africans in Jamaica. Bob’s ideologies shifted after spending one year in America where he witnessed the evils of the free market, as well as the oppression of capitalism while working at a major corporation (Stephens 34). After returning to Jamaica, Bob established the Rastafarianism religion, which entailed wearing his hair in dreadlocks. Rastafarianism had a significant influence on Bob’s music as he sang about how the white race oppressed Africans. Bob’s main songs that speak to social change are Buffalo Soldier and Could You be Loved. Bob’s reputation transcended the controversy associated with his practice of Rastafarianism. He was regarded as a peacemaker, which is notable through his Smile Jamaica concert that sought to reduce tensions between rival gangs associated with two of the main national parties during an election period (White 124). Bob and his best friend Bunny wrote many songs that had a monumental impact on the Jamaican and global society. Bob used his music to send off messages of hope, love, and peace (Jah). At the end of all his songs, Bob Marley used the words â€Å"Jah Rastafari† to show his belief in Jah, i.e. peace and love.  

Purification of Immunoglobulin G by Ion-Exchange

Purification of Immunoglobulin G by Ion-Exchange Purification of Immunoglobulin G by Ion-Exchange Chromatography and Immunoelectropheresis William McTavish Joseph Zappa Introduction Immunoglobins or, Antibodies, are soluble proteins secreted from host differentiated plasma cells that target and eliminate specific antigens to protect the host from disease (Jakoby, 1971). There are five isotypes of immunoglobulin: IgM, IgD, IgA , IgE and IgG, with IgG being the most prominent antibody found in blood circulation of the host. The purification of specific antibodies has led to the development of techniques such as western blotting; where desired proteins can be targeted by monoclonal antibodies engineered for a specific affinity for that protein( Burnette, 1981). The basis of immunoglobulin purification can begin with a technique of â€Å"salting out†, used vastly for precipitating organic molecules and is the first step in protein purification (Tsutomu and Timasheff, 1984). Immunoglobins are small soluble proteins that can be found within serum that is removed from a blood sample taken from the host. Hydrophillic immunoglobins contain amino acids that are polar or possess an ionic charge. Counter ions in the serum of the host are attracted to these polar and ionic charges making the proteins soluble in the solvent. By destabilizing the intermolecular forces between the immunoglobins and the serum solvent there can be an induced precipitation of these proteins. Ammonium sulfate is a highly used compound in salting out procedures, for when ammonium sulfate dissociates, the large sulfate ions form hydrogen bonds between the polar molecules found in the serum (Tsutomu and Timasheff, 1984). The quenching effect of sulfate removes hydrogen bonds and intermolecular forces away from the protein molecules, forcing them to form bonds between one another. This forced intermolecular bonding between proteins causes an accumulation of aggregated proteins and eventually, at the right concentration of salt, precipitation out of solution (Tsutomu and Timasheff, 1984). Although the precipitation of immunoglobulin from host serum with Ammonium sulfate is an efficient procedure for isolating globin, it does not allow for the accurate determination of a specific isotype of immunoglobulin. Ion exchange chromatography is a prominent technique used to acquire a single desired protein, including a specific isotype of immunoglobins. All molecules, including immunoglobulin that have ionizable groups have a net surface charge that is highly dependent on the environmental pH in which that molecule is in. The pH of an environment can dictate the amount of charge present on a molecule, whether it is more positive or more negative, as well as neutral (Grodzki, and Berenstein, 2010). The neutral point, where all positive charges cancel out the negatives is expressed as the pI of the molecule (Grodzki, and Berenstein, 2010). Since all proteins vary in their pI they will express specific charges at any specific pH. This characteristic of immunoglobulin is utilized in Ion exchange chromatography to isolate specific isotypes even if they vary only slightly in charge. IgG, as well as other isotypes of Ig, have a pI occurring near neutral pH so Anion exchange resins are often used for this type of chromatography. Anion Exchangers utilize resin that contains positively charged functional groups that act as counter ions towards protein being eluted through the column (Determann et al. 1969). With the resin set at a specific pH, the proteins that are most positive will exit the column first due to the repulsion of charges between the positive protein and positive resin. The next proteins to elute will be the neutral ones followed by the negatively charged proteins. Proteins are removed in this manner by constantly adding more of the buffer the column is immersed in. By adding more buffer there is an increased competition for associating with the resins charges, which in turn dissociates protein from the resin and further elutes them through the column (Determann et al. 1969). Not only does the charge of the beads matter but also the flow and porosity of the resin, alternations of these can allow for either a more broaden column exchange or a far more refined one. Diethyl aminoethyl (DEAE)-cellul ose is a commonly used resin for anion exchanging due to its higher porosity and positive functional groups that allows for better flow properties of the column. Increased flow rate allows for separation of more bulky and crude proteins, such as crude immunoglobulin, and aids in a higher resolution of separated proteins (Determann et al. 1969). Once several fractions of the column elution is collected there is many ways to identify which fraction is most likely containing the desired protein of isolation including determining the optical density of the fractions with a spectrophotometer. The OD of Immunoglobulin and other proteins can be determined by selecting a specific wavelength of light and beaming it through the elution fraction and recording the amount of transmitted light via photoreceptors (Edelhoch, 1967). A common wavelength used for identifying immunoglobulin is 280nm, this wavelength is absorbed by the amino acid tryptophan in proteins. Absorption of this wavelength in protiens makes it a proportional reduction of transmitted light based on the concentration of protein present in the column fraction (Edelhoch, 1967). The higher the reduction in transmitted light, the higher the OD reading for a fraction. A fraction of elute from Ion exchange chromatography may contain the desired Immunoglobulin G, but to further prove this, a technique called Immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) can be used to confirm the purity of Immunoglobulin fraction. Immunoelectrophoresis is a two-part technique that combines the use of electrophoresis and zone of equivalence of immune complexes to determine a positive result. Electrophoresis is another basic technique used in separating proteins based on size and charge to obtain separate sections of protein in agar gel or other resins such as polyacrylamide in SDS-PAGE techniques.(1) Proteins separate into a gradient of smallest more positive charged towards the cathode to smallest most negative charged towards the anode, with the larger, less charged proteins in the middle gradient. (Serwer and Wright, 2012). After protein separation has occurred in the welled samples, there is addition of antibody specific for certain protein that may be isolated out of the samples used in the experiment. If proteins are present that are the target of affinity for the added antibodies there will be association of antibody:antigen complexes. These complexes will form in the agar gel and at the proper gradient of both antibody and antigen concentrations there will be precipitation of these complexes out of the solution (Slater, 1975). This correct gradient is called the zone of equivalence and is frequently used in determining the presence of desired protein molecules, including immunoglobulin (Slater, 1975). Several other techniques are used in isolating proteins, an extremely prominent technique is the use of Antibodies themselves in Immunofluorescence (IF). Antibodies are engineered to contain a specific affinity towards a desired molecule, protein or even a whole cell. IF can work in either two ways: the first involves a single antibody engineered towards a desired antigen containing a flurochrome itself and emits fluorescent light to be detected. The second contains a secondary antibody that has affinity for the primary antibody binding to an antigen, this secondary antibody is the one that contains the fluochrome for detection (Johnson, 2006). In either of these techniques there is the advantage of staining samples of proteins or cells and identifying not just a single antigen but several with several different antibodies. This technique is extremely useful for identifying proteins in cell structures as well as identifying the presence of proteins in biological systems. Methods and Materials All methods used in this experiment can be located in the Immunology Laboratory Manual cited in references. There were two major alternations to the Immunoelectrophoresis experiment; There was a time of 1.5 to 2 hours allowed for electrophoresis of the agar slides instead of 1 to 1.5 hours. There was also an expansion of time from 24 hours to 48 hours allowed for the IEP slide to rest in a cold room before soaking in 1% NaCl solution. Results A high concentration of IgG was isolated in the third elution fraction from DEAE-cellulose Ion exchange chromatography. Optical density of six Ion exchange chromatography elution fractions were taken with a spectrophotometer to determine protein concentration at a wavelength of 280nm (Fig 1). The highest optical density was observed in the third elution fraction (Fig 1). This illustrates that the largest concentration of protein at a similar charge was eluted at the third fraction of the Ion exchange experiment. Figure 1. Third fraction of DEAE-celluose elution scored the highest optical density. All fractions were tested with spectrophotometry and optical density measurements were taken at a wavelength of 280nm (Fig 1). Results are shown as single values of optical density (OD) and relate to the amount of protein concentration in each fraction. (Fig 1) Immunoelectrophoresis of isolated protein reveals presence of purified IgG in response to Goat anti-rabbit serum Presence of Rabbit Immunoglobin was tested for using Immunoelectrophoresis with Goat anti-rabbit serum. Normal rabbit serum and purified fraction of protein were welled on a 1% agar slide and proteins were separated based on charge via electrophoresis. Anti-rabbit serum was added and results were taken for precipitation of immune complexes 48 hours later (Fig 2). Thin white lines between the wells and trough are precipitated immune complexes and thus show a positive test for rabbit immunglobins (Fig 2). Figure 2. Precipitated immune complexes reveal immunoglobin presence in normal rabbit serum and purified fraction. Proteins were isolated based on charge via electrophoresis to isolate specific proteins. Goat Anti-rabbit serum was added as antibody for rabbit immunoglobin and incubated for 48 hours. Distinction of grey and white bands are positive results regardless Discussion Purified Rabbit Immunoglobin G was isolated from Normal rabbit serum using DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and Immunelectropheresis with Goat anti-rabbit serum. Once the majority of proteins were salted out of the normal rabbit serum, Ion exchange chromatography was used to separate all proteins from the sample of crude globin. Since immunoglobin proteins are soluble in the blood and are near neutrally charged at philological pH, a large amount of protein was expected to elute roughly half way through the Ion exchange chromatography regardless of using anion or cation exchange columns (Grodzki and Berenstein, 2010). These results occurred for the DEAE-cellulose Ion exchange column used to separate crude rabbit globulin in our experiment. The third elution fraction, of six, contained the highest optical density when evaluated with the spectrophotometer at 280nm. Optical density is related to the concentration of protein in a sample, thus the fraction containing the highest amount of protein was the third fraction which was collected half way through the elution process. Although the method of determining sample concentrations for proteins can vary, these results can be seen in similar protein isolation studies such as Ye et al. article Isolation of lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, ÃŽ ±-lactalbumin, ÃŽ ²-lactoglobulin B and ÃŽ ²-lactoglobulin A from bovine rennet whey using ion exchange chromatography. The protein isolated is presumed to be the globulin isotype Iummogloublin G, this is due to the nature of circulating antibodies found in the serum of the rabbit. The most prominent antibody isotype circulating in the blood is IgG, which binds to antigens, forming immune complexes as well as aiding in many other immune system mechanisms such as compliment activation, opsonization and etc (Collins and Jackson, 2013). Immunoelectrophoersis with Goat anti-rabbit serum was used next to determine whether or not the isolated protein in the third elution fraction is Immunoglobulin G. The nature of this experiment depends on two key process gel electrophoresis and precipitation of Immune complexes. If electrophoresis is preformed properly there should be a separation of proteins based on charge/size from the samples that were welled on the agar covered slide used in the experiment; creating small zones of protein purity along the slide (Slater, 1975). Since the eluted fraction sample should only contain one kind of protein and is roughly pure, there should only be one zone of protein sample, where the normal rabbit serum, containing an array of different proteins, will electrophoresis out into several different zones of protein. Determining these zones of protein was done by adding Goat anti-rabbit serum and allowing diffusion into the gel to create zones of equivalence between antibody and antigen, thu s precipitating the complex to be seen visibly (Serwer and Wright, 2012). For a positive result on the purity of the fraction sample only a single precipitation line formed at the zone of equivalence would be seen. The results for the purity of the fraction sample was conclusive with the above expectations, only a single faint precipitated line was seen on the gel; therefore re-enforcing that there is only a single protein isolated from the Ion exchange elution phase. The single protein isolated is promptly IgG due to it’s response to the anti-Rabbit serum containing anti-rabbit globulin. Immunelectrophoresis was used in this experiment to confirm the presence of IgG in the eluted fraction sample taken from DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. The reason this method was used was due it’s simplicity in determining specific immune complexes and thus re-ensuring purity. It is relatively quick in determining the presence of antigen, in this case the immunoglobin G of rabbit, and gives results ready to be read visually, lacking the need for software or other means of identification. The draw back of this technique is that it takes some practical skill in preparation and is only useful in identifying the purity of one sample at a time. Techniques such as western blotting would be more efficient for studies that desire more than a single purity such as Yang et al’s article Correlation between the overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor and mesenchymal markers in endometrial carcinoma. An alternation to this experiment could be made in the chroma Purification of Immunoglobins is an extremely useful procedure. Being able to isolate specific classes of Immunoglobulin aids in research of host immune deficiencies such as the research done by Tamura et al in their article Tumor-Produced Secreted Form of Binding of Immunoglobulin Protein Elicits Antigen-Specific Tumor Immunity as well as many other fields of host immunity and clinical research. Successful purification and crystallization of Immunoglobulin has also allowed for insight on how host immune systems respond to infection and the biological processes that take place in these responses. References Jakoby, W.B. 1971. Cystallization as a purification technique, Enzyme Purification and Related Techniques, Methods in Enzymology. 22: 246-252 Determann, H. Meyer, N. Wieland, T. 1969. Ion exchanger from pearl-shaped cellulose gel. Nature 223: 499-500 Edelhoch, H. 1967. Spectrospoic determination of tryptophan and tyrosine in proteins Burnette, N.W. 1981. â€Å"Western Blotting†: Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to unmodified nitrocellulose and radiographic detection with antibody and radioiodinated protein A. Analytical Biochem 112: 1935-203 Tsutomu A. and Timasheff, S.N. 1984. Mechanism of protein salting in and salting out by divalent cation salts: balance between hydration and salt binding Biochemistry(23)25:5912-5926 321 -Grodzki, A.C. Berenstein, E. (2010) Antibody Purification: Ion-Exchange Chromatography Methods in Molecular Biology 588: 27-32 Slater, L. 1975. IgG, IgA and IgM by formylated rocket immunoelectrophoresis. Ann Clin Biochem 12 (1) : 19-22, 24 Yang, W.N.Ai, Z.H. Wang, Xu, J.Y.L. Teng, Y.C. 2014.Correlation between the overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor and mesenchymal makers in endometrial carcinoma. J Gynecol Oncol. 25:36-42. 47 Collins, A.M. Jackson, K.J.L. 2013. A temporal model of human IgE and IgG antibody function. Front Immunol 4: 225 Ye, X. Yoshida, S. Ng, T.B. 2000. Isolation of lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, ÃŽ ±-lactalbumin, ÃŽ ²-lactoglobulin B and ÃŽ ²-lactoglobulin A from bovine rennet whey using ion exchange chromatography The international journal of Biochemistry Cell biology 32 (11-12): 1143-1150 22 Nydegger, U.E. Lambert, P.H. Gerber, H. Miescher, P.A. 1974. Circulating Immune Complexes in the Serum in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and in Carriers of Hepatitis B Antigen QUANTITATION BY BINDING TO RADIOLABELED Clq Circulating immune complexes in the serum in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and in carriers of Hepatitis Antigen B Quantitation by binding to Radiolabelled Clq. J Clin Invest.  54(2): 297–309. Serwer, P. Wright, E.T. 2012. Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Reveals Structural Fluidity of Phage T3 DNA Packaging Intermediate. Electrophoresis 33 (2): 352-365 101-Johnson, I.D. 2006. Practical considerations in the selection and application of fluorescent probes. In: Handbook of biological confocal microscopy, 3rd ed. (J.B. Pawley.ed), Plenum Press. new York. p.362-3. Circulating Immune Complexes in the Serum in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and in Carriers of Hepatitis B Antigen QUANTITATION BY BINDING TO RADIOLABELED Clq

Essay --

DA and context (introduction in chronological order) The term context is used on everyday basis in any possible aspect of our life. In the frames of language analysis context is used nearly in every possible situation to broaden the scope of linguistic description. The term context, with its use in language analysis, traces back to Malinowski, who wanted to illustrate how the code worked in the contexts of use. He invoked the notion of context to account for the way language †¦ functioned as ‘a mode of action’. As Malinowski suggested, â€Å"the meaning of any single word is to a very high degree dependent on its context† (1923:306). The interpretation of sentence is an important factor when looked at through the prism of context and since the beginning of 1950 linguists have become increasingly aware of this importance. J. R. Firth, who is considered to be the founder of modern British linguistics, notes that logicians think of words and propositions as carrying meaning in themselves and this meaning is â€Å"apart from participants in context of situation† (1957: 226). This approach seems to exclude the speakers and the listeners, Firth thinks, and he suggests that â€Å"voices should not be entirely dissociated from the social context in which they function†. Firth’s suggestion was to regard all texts in modern spoken languages as having â€Å"implication of utterance† and participants as always referred to in a â€Å"generalized context of situations† (1957: 226). Firth is concerned with embedding the utterance in the â€Å"social context† which is later supported by Hymes in his works of early 60s. Hymes treats the role of context in interpretation and analysis as an aspect that limits the array of possible interpretations and at the same time a support... ...told that context is crucial. But how and why is it crucial? Which sides of context are applicable to which types of text? If the contextual features are interdependently activated in an analysis, then an alteration in one of these features will automatically distress the importance of the others. Nevertheless, there arises a problem, as to what type of text linguistic analysis should deliver a more considerable basis for interpretation. Interpretation, hence, is the procedure of developing a discourse from a text. Interpretation will constantly be a function of the connection of text and context. Irrespectively of how meticulous the analysis of a specific text might be, the textual features must be contextually relevant. If that is the case, then we need to investigate how different contexts can influence the same text and give rise to various interpretations.

Sarbanes Oxley

Sarbanes-Oxley Act Contents Overview3 Enron3 Sarbanes-Oxley Act3 11 Titles4 Major Sections of SOX5 Section 3025 Section 4046 Section 4096 Section 9027 Section 9067 After SOX: What has Sarbanes-Oxley Accomplished & Issues that Remain7 Conclusion8 Overview The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law in 2002 by President Bush. Sarbanes- Oxley came to be because of corporate level accounting scandals that had then, recently occurred. The most common of these scandals include: Adelphia, Enron, Peregrine Systems, Tyco and, WorldCom. This act â€Å"introduced major changes to the regulation of financial practice and corporate governance. Enron The Enron Scandal is one of many that prompted the obvious need for reform of accounting practices. It began in November 1997 when the company bought stake in another company to create a sub company of Enron. The new company, Chewco, was run by an Enron officer who enabled Enron to run a series of transactions through Chewco and ultimately, funnel deb t from one company to another, even though they were both Enron. By 2001 â€Å"CEO Jeffery Skilling resigns, becoming the sixth senior executive to leave in a year. † In October, Arthur Andersen’s legal counsel advised auditors of Enron to destroy â€Å"all but the most basic documents2. So, the cover up began. Arthur Andersen was once amongst the â€Å"Big 5† accounting firms and the provided tax, audit and consulting services to corporations like Enron. Their reputation plummeted after they were admittedly aware of â€Å"possible illegal acts† committed by Enron and ultimately, Arthur Anderson was dissolved. Sarbanes-Oxley Act Enron and other scandals cost investors billions of dollars. Stock prices were at all time lows and the people were beginning to lose faith in corporate leaders. Something had to be done to restore faith and tighten standards.Sarbanes-Oxley was named after Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael Oxley. Oxley introduced t he act to the House of Representatives calling it the â€Å"Corporate and Auditing Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency Act of 2002† on February 14, 2002. With minor changes to the name at the Act itself occurring over the span of a few months, Sarbanes-Oxley was officially signed into law on July 30, 2002 by President George W. Bush. Bush called the legislation â€Å"the most far-reaching reforms of American business practices since the time of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.The era of low standards and false profits is over; no boardroom in America is above or beyond the law. † The turnaround of this act was very quick. It was obvious that something needed to be done and it needed to occur quickly. 11 Titles Sarbanes-Oxley is comprised of 11 Titles, each with subsidiary sections. The eleven titles each focus on one main topic and the changes that are implemented by Sarbanes-Oxley under their heading. The names of the titles are as follows: 1. Public Company Ac counting Oversight Board (PCAOB) – this section establishes and provides the need for independent auditors.So now, a corporation could not solely publish audits that were conducted internally. 2. Auditor Independence – establishes the standards that need to be followed when conducting an external audit in order to eliminate conflicts of interest. 3. Corporate Responsibility – Title 3 states that senior executives must take individual responsibility for the lawfulness and correctness of their financial records. The hope here is that higher up executives will not turn the other way when fraudulent activity occurs for fear that they could be prosecuted on a personal level. . Enhanced Financial Disclosures – In this title, the new reporting requirements are laid out for corporations. The new requirements are much more thorough and leave little room for leaving out relevant information. 5. Analyst Conflicts of Interest – This is the shortest title of th em all and aims to help restore investor confidence. It requires any conflicts of interest to be disclosed. 6. Commission Resources and Authority – The goal of this section is to try and restore confidence in securities analysts and states the SEC’s power to bar analysts from practice. 7.Studies and Reports – The Comptroller General and the SEC are required to conduct studies and then report their conclusions and findings. 8. Corporate and Criminal Fraud Accountability – This title gives specific penalties based on various crimes that may be committed and also provided protection for whistle-blowers. 9. White Collar Crime Penalty Enhancement – White-collar crime is punished more based on the law described here, stronger sentencing is key. 10. Corporate Tax Return – The basic requirement here, being only one section, is that the Chief Executive Officer signs the company return.This way, the CEO can’t claim that they didn’t see t he tax return before it was filed. 11. Corporate Fraud Accountability – The SEC is granted the ability and authority to freeze an account where payments seem unusual. Looking for large or unusual transactions allows fraud to be more easily detected. Major Sections of SOX Each of the 11 titles mentioned above are comprised of sections. Some titles only have one section but some have up to nine. In this section I will attempt to summarize the five most important sections: 302, 404, 409, 902 and, 906. Section 302Section 302 outlines the Corporate Responsibility for Financial Reports. It is composed of steps that are taken by the company and specifically ensuring that the CEO is very involved and informed when it comes to the financial statement process. The CEO must sign off on the financial statements and the reports when they are complete. By making the CEO the final eye to see the statements SOX is attempting to ensure that the CEO cannot claim ignorance if a fraud is committ ed. When the major corporate scandals were occurring at places like Enron, CEO’s frequently claimed they had no idea what was going on in their company.This section aims to hold CEO’s responsible for their company reporting, a form of internal control. Section 404 Section 404 is entitled: Management Assessment of Internal Controls. With the implementation of Section 404, companies are now required to include an additional report, an Internal Control Report. The purpose of this report is for management to take responsibility for a proper internal control structure and also for management to vouch for the usefulness and accuracy of this control. If the internal controls that are in place do not suffice, the faults are required to be reported as well.Section 409 Section 409 addresses timeliness when reporting. â€Å"Companies are required to disclose on almost real-time basis information concerning material changes in its financial condition or operations. † This i s a way, because of this legislation, for investors and people outside the company to be as informed as possible with changes inside the company. These changes may or may not be significant but, there is always a chance, from the perspective of an investor, that day to day decisions affect stock prices. Now, stockholders can be almost immediately aware of the changes taking place.Section 902 Section 902 falls under the white collar crime title and describes the illegality of altering, destroying, manipulating or concealing documents. The intent of the fraudster here would be to â€Å"impair the objects integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding. † Section 906 Section 906 also falls under the white collar crime category and specifically, the penalties that will be endured to any person that certifies a misleading or fraudulent financial report. In this section, it is stated that penalties can be up to $5 million and 20 years in prison.I believe this section is put in to make it clear that CEO’s are going to be held responsible for â€Å"signing off† so, it is in their best interest to thoroughly look over statements and reports. After SOX: What has Sarbanes-Oxley Accomplished & Issues that Remain The Sarbanes-Oxley had good intentions. It’s goal was to restore faith in the public and to reduce company fraud. SOX has definitely restored public faith and perception. The titles and sections that SOX includes make it clear to companies and individuals outside the company that reporting standards have been increased.Because of this increase, and the penalties that are disclosed in this statute, it would be hard to believe that any person or company would risk committing a fraud. However, this only addresses the restoration or faith and confidence. Sarbanes-Oxley has not necessarily affected the inside the company policies and procedures. There are a number of people who scrutinize Sarbanes-Oxley for its shortcomings. â₠¬Å"Sarbanes-Oxley was intended to restore faith in the integrity of corporations and executives, yet it hasn't really had a measurable impact on fraud. The new rules that were implemented under SOX simply aim to increase the CEO’s awareness in what statements and reports are being published. However, when these documents are received, analyzed and signed off, there may or may not be an actual internal investigation going on to ensure the correctness of the documents. There is really no way to prove that the documents are fraud free when they reach the CEO. Conclusion The goal of this paper was to summarize the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. I discussed the titles that comprise SOX and further went into detail on the most important sections. I am not a critic of this act.I think as far as restoring public perception goes, Sarbanes-Oxley was extremely successful. Also, I think this legislation changed the views of the CEO’s. CEO’s were now explicitly aware of th eir accountability when it came to reporting. This was an extremely beneficial change as, CEO’s use to have the ability to claim ignorance and push the consequences down the corporate ladder. I am sure that if Congress would have taken more time when passing this legislation, it could have been improved upon, but, desperate times†¦ the corporate world needed a drastic change to restore faith and help the economy.There is undoubtedly still fraud occurring and therefore this battle to end it will go on. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. soxlaw. com/ [ 2 ]. http://www. time. com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2021097_2023262,00. html [ 3 ]. http://www. nytimes. com/2002/07/31/business/corporate-conduct-the-president-bush-signs-bill-aimed-at-fraud-in-corporations. html [ 4 ]. http://c0403731. cdn. cloudfiles. rackspacecloud. com/collection/papers/1940/1940_SEC_In vst_Advisors_Act/X. pdf [ 5 ]. ttp://www. sarbanes-oxley-101. com/sarbanes-oxley-compliance. htm [ 6 ]. http://www. soxlaw. com/s302. htm [ 7 ]. http://www. sarbanes-oxley-101. com/sarbanes-oxley-compliance. htm [ 8 ]. http://www. sarbanes-oxley-101. com/sarbanes-oxley-compliance. htm [ 9 ]. http://www. sarbanes-oxley-101. com/sarbanes-oxley-compliance. htm [ 10 ]. http://www. sarbanes-oxley-101. com/sarbanes-oxley-compliance. htm [ 11 ]. http://www. allbusiness. com/professional-services/accounting-tax-auditing/5220240-1. html#ixzz2D3ZIFMye

A Lesson Before Dying essays

A Lesson Before Dying essays Throughout the duration of the book, the main character endured numerous challenges and problems. The main characters challenges and conflicts encountered resulted in a variety of outcomes. In the novel A Lesson before Dying Grant the main character of the novel, Grant is the son of cane-cutters on a Louisiana plantation. When his parents moved to California leaving Grant behind, Grant's aunt took responsibility for his upbringing. Over the next few years, he worked as the Pichots' errand boy. He fetched wood in the winter and flowers in the spring. He bought food for their larders. He resented his position, but it was the only one available to him. When he was old enough, he left the plantation to attend college. Upon arriving in Bayonne, he discovered that he was still a "nigger" in the eyes of the white people. Grant often criticizes his society. He bitterly resents being treated like an inferior, and he cannot stand to think of Jefferson's unjust imprisonment. For most of the nov el, however, he never seems to do anything about these things. This is a severe problem that Grant faces where he bottles in anger and depression and does nothing about the situation. He longs to run away, essentially acknowledging that society will never change from the racism and violence he encounters from a day to day basis. Grant strongly believes that no one can change society without being destroyed in the process. Grants attitude towards society and life hinders his potential for positive change. His inability in supporting society and his community is also a problem Grant faces. Even Jefferson's trial cannot alter Grant's pessimistic attitude. Grant sees the wickedness of a system designed to uphold the superiority of one race over another. He views the judge and jury unjustifiable punishing Jefferson. Grant says that the judge was white, the lawyers were white, and every member of the jury was white as well. Grant continues to r...

Free Essays on World Citizenship

When I think of the word â€Å"citizen† the first thoughts that enter my mind are state, nation, and government. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word: â€Å"a : a member of a state b : a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it†. The phrase â€Å"World Citizen† is almost an oxymoron in my opinion. This oxymoron, however, may suit the meaning. In Martha Nussbaum’s article, The Idea of World Citizenship, she speaks of the severance of a single human nation, the separation of a unified society. That’s how we started out; unified. Man is born with the natural gift of thought, superior to that of any other species, and then uses it to think up ideas and rules that enforce lifestyles unnatural and irregular to human instinct. Martha brings up Diogenes, an ancient Greek philosopher. She sets him as the main example of an ideal World Citizen. Not only was he a believer in world citizenship, but, as she explains, Diogenes was a teacher. He taught whether you wanted a lesson or not. In ancient Greece, there were unspoken guidelines and standards, not so different from American society today, which everyone held to without thought on the topic. Diogenes was there to invoke thought on this topic, and you were invoked either voluntarily or by force. His lessons were more obscure than most teachers lessons we would know today however. For example, in Ancient Greece, eating was something only done in private; so Diogenes would eat in public, trying to explain to his neighbors that this was a ridiculous rule. As a more extreme approach, he would masturbate in the marketplace, I would assume for the same reason but I don’t think I can accurately justify that. As the article goes on, Nussbaum continues to explain the separation of humans from instinct and humans as a group into subgroups, but a more interesting topic is what she portrays as the root of the probl... Free Essays on World Citizenship Free Essays on World Citizenship When I think of the word â€Å"citizen† the first thoughts that enter my mind are state, nation, and government. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word: â€Å"a : a member of a state b : a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it†. The phrase â€Å"World Citizen† is almost an oxymoron in my opinion. This oxymoron, however, may suit the meaning. In Martha Nussbaum’s article, The Idea of World Citizenship, she speaks of the severance of a single human nation, the separation of a unified society. That’s how we started out; unified. Man is born with the natural gift of thought, superior to that of any other species, and then uses it to think up ideas and rules that enforce lifestyles unnatural and irregular to human instinct. Martha brings up Diogenes, an ancient Greek philosopher. She sets him as the main example of an ideal World Citizen. Not only was he a believer in world citizenship, but, as she explains, Diogenes was a teacher. He taught whether you wanted a lesson or not. In ancient Greece, there were unspoken guidelines and standards, not so different from American society today, which everyone held to without thought on the topic. Diogenes was there to invoke thought on this topic, and you were invoked either voluntarily or by force. His lessons were more obscure than most teachers lessons we would know today however. For example, in Ancient Greece, eating was something only done in private; so Diogenes would eat in public, trying to explain to his neighbors that this was a ridiculous rule. As a more extreme approach, he would masturbate in the marketplace, I would assume for the same reason but I don’t think I can accurately justify that. As the article goes on, Nussbaum continues to explain the separation of humans from instinct and humans as a group into subgroups, but a more interesting topic is what she portrays as the root of the probl...

Irish Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Irish Women - Essay Example According to Carvajal (2004, pg. 1), "But tigresses multitask. They hunt and also raise cubs. And so Ireland, which has one of the highest birthrates in Europe, is becoming a place where demographic trends are forcing companies to experiment with flexible working arrangements, ones that allow female employees to accommodate bosses and babies and lifestyles. The result is often a complete cafeteria of choices, from job-sharing and telecommuting to on-site child care and company-sponsored summer camps." The equal treatment of men and women in the workforce seems to be a problem throughout the globe. Traditionally, statistics show that men are paid more and hold higher, more prestigious positions than women do. However, competing more effectively with men also involves other aspects of fair treatment. One of these aspects is job flexibility, such as the ability to work at home. In a recent survey, "The early results surprised the company. A huge amount of the men preferred a flexible form of working at home. And when we surveyed the workers, we found that a large proportion of people used the extra time they gained to be with their families or to do more volunteer work" (Carvajal, 2004). It has also been noted that men fear losing opportunities such as promotions when they choose to work at home, but that women tend to prefer the flexibility so much that they are not so concerned with that aspect (Carvajal, 2004). According to Carvajal (2004, pg. 1), "A major challenge will be to avoid a twin track in which men are in the fast lane involving continuous and often excessive hours in full-time employment, partly from home, and women are in the slow lane working reduced hours," wrote Ellen Drew of Trinity College's Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, in a study of Irish company work-life policies. Otherwise, she says, flexible work may become the preserve of "mothers of young children" - and something to be avoided by other ambitious employees." Family-Friendly Work Practices In times past, Irish mothers could turn to the grandparents of their children for fully reliable baby-sitting services while they attended work. However, times have changed. Now, many of those grandparents are also entering the workforce, leaving a heavy need for family-friendly work practices. "Some companies have taken notice. Intel Ireland, a unit of the big computer-chip maker, has adopted many strategies, beginning with gifts of Intel baby hampers to employees who are new parents. IBM in Ireland offers "mobile-working" from remote locations and is about to introduce job-sharing" (Carvajal, 2004, pg. 1). Disadvantages and advantages in this arena apply to the companies, too. High job turnover due to a lack of programs to balance family and work life can cost a company big bucks in training, hiring, and other expenses. "So three years ago, Eircom started studying the issue of balancing work and personal life. A varied program emerged last year that offered telecommuting, day-care support, sabbaticals, job-sharing and special leave for domestic purposes. Both men and women tried out the choices" (Carvajal, 2004, pg. 1). Staying at Home In Ireland, the number of telecommuting positions was up 44 percent in 2004 from 36 percent in 2002. The number

Street Gang Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Street Gang Violence - Research Paper Example Policing force and governments across the world have come up with strategies to control street gangs but the process has become very complicated, Street gangs are always a step ahead of the government control agencies making it a challenge to control them. Street gangs have evolved to be very influential and powerful becoming a major threat to the society and the economy yet they are almost uncontrollable as they are always a step ahead of the relevant agencies and devising strategies that work will be important for the safety of people and economic growth. History of Street Gangs Unlike what most people think, street gangs started many centuries ago in Europe. There were gangs in the in 1600s in England that wore ribbons to identify themselves. In the 17th and 18th century, there were gangs in Germany that did criminal activities. The gangs at the time were made up of two to five members but there were some that had as many as ten or twelve members. These gangs were not really stree t gangs but they started the path to street gangs. After the Industrial revolution in England and Europe, many people in the society became rich. At the same time, there many people who were poor and lived in the slums, which became common at that time. People in the slums were looking for ways to take what the rich had. They formed groups which were mostly made up of young people between the age of 14 and 20 years. Each of the gang wanted to take control of a certain region within the city. Many gangs like the Redskins, Black hands and beehives were formed in the early 19th century. The gangs were spread across Manchester, London and Glasgow (Covey, 2010). At the same time, street gangs also started to be formed in the United States. The forty thieves’ street gang from New York was formed around 1820. This gang is one of the most popular street gangs in the United States. The gang was formed by Irish Immigrants who were trying to take control of New York City. These gangs we re involved in illicit activities like pick pocketing, stealing and violence. Some of the gangs in both Europe and United States were well organized and grew to feared gangs in their regions. At first, gangs were formed by people within a certain age group for example the youth in Europe. As time passed, street gangs evolved to be formed by immigrant minorities in other countries for example the United States. United States was a major hub for immigrants in the 19th century as it was growing and progressing very fast. Irish people were among the first immigrants in the United States. To survive, they formed gangs for example the infamous forty thieves in the New York City. Immigrants from other countries specifically Italy wanted to compete with the Irish Gangs in New York City. At the same time, there were other Irish Immigrants who wanted to form their own street gangs rather than join existing Irish gangs like the forty thieves. By the end of the 19th century, there were more tha n five common influential and powerful gangs in the United States. This country became the new hub for the Street gangs in the world. The gangs were mostly in New York and Chicago at that time. These two cities were the most common with immigrants (Andrews, 2013). United States continued to attract many immigrants from all over the world. Irish, Italian and Polish gangs were most common in the United Sta