Ludwig van Beethoven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ludwig van Beethoven - Essay Example Additionally, he met with Mozart and he offered him to play piano for him. As a music loving person, Ludwig did not decline his offer and played the piano for Mozart. The level of interest and charm of Ludwig greatly attracted the admiration of the Mozart who once commented that one day you will make a big noise in the world. Beethoven did not pass a prosperous life when he was young and at the same time, his family greatly suffered economic problems soon after his father’s death. As a result, he was assigned to look after his family. Despite so many problems, he successfully managed his family problems. Before his death on March 26, 1827, particularly in his last decade of life Beethoven became deaf. However, he did not give up but successfully continued his musical journey. Beethoven’s Music Beethoven was a great musician and composer of his times. Among his renowned musical works include nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, sixteen string quartets, five piano concertos , an opera (Fidelio), the Miss Solemnis, a violin concerto, and other numerous musical work such as incidental music, songs, overtures and chamber music. Additionally, his musical contribution experienced the era when the Classical and Romantic music was experiencing a great change rather a transition between them was taking place.

Personal and Social Uses of ICT Essay Example for Free

Personal and Social Uses of ICT Essay I use ICT personally as well as socially and at home which is sometimes very helpful for me as I can do my work faster and in a better quality. Here are some examples of technologies I use: * Mobile Phone * DVD Player * Digital TV * Calculator * MP3 Player * Digital Camera * Digital Video Camera * Printer * Game Consoles * Email * Projector * Cds, DVDs * Telephone Personal Use of ICT: DVD Player and DVDs:: I use the DVD player personally and socially to watch films or even listen to music. I use the DVD player personally to watch films with my friends and family or listen to music personally. I use the DVD Player at school to present my projects on it or watch educational Movies on it. There are sometimes faults in DVD Players such as the CD sometimes gets stuck in there and the drive doesnt opens. There are many types of DVD cds used in the DVD Player, one of the latest type of Cds is a Flexplay DVD that takes care of the rental period itself it hits a chemical stopwatch when you open the package, and when your time is up (in 48 hours, say), the disc stops working. Now you can return it or give it to get recycled. The idea of using these type of Cds is that even snack bars are able to sell these DVDs in a rental price and once they are soled no one needs to worry because as I mentioned it will get deleted by itself. Once I used a DVD player to present a Movie clip during my project at school which was very helpful as I didnt had much to explain. Evaluation: Currently use a DVD Player with an unknown brand, the reason for this is as I got it as a gift with my m mobile phone from the mobile phone provider, but according to my research the more quality a DVD Player has the more likely it reads discs with special formats, but the disadvantage is that it mostly blocks DVDs which are pirated or copyright protected. Internet: I sometimes use the internet socially to chat to my friends as well as cousins. I sometimes also use the internet to download games as well as music or DVDs. I also use internet for online shopping which is very helpful as I am able to find products cheaper then anywhere else. Such as games which are a lot cheaper on the internet then in any shops. The disadvantage of online shopping is that there is a bit of chance of getting hacked. Evaluation: I currently have TalkTalk Broadband at home which meets my needs fully and is very helpful to me as researches can be done very quickly, as well as online shopping or communication can take place socially. Calculator: I use the calculator to calculate the price of any products I want to buy or I use it. Personannly, for example at school to calculate answers. I have used the calculator a few times during my maths lessons to help me to find the answers of questions which were to hard to work out by my own. There are a few types of calculator the most known are simple and scientific calculators. The main difference between simple and scientific calculators are that scientific calculator have got more functions and can work out difficult questions where as the simple calculator can mostly only add, subtract, multiply or divide. Evaluation: In this case a Calculator is the most efficient way to calculate difficult equations as working the answer out with the mind an a pen and pencil consumes a lot of time whereas a calculator is the most time efficient and accurate way. Printer: I use my Inject printer personally; I use it personally to print out any research or receipts of any items I have bought. I also use it to print out pictures by connecting my digital camera directly to my printer. I sometimes use the printer to print out interesting researches or any coursework personally for the school. As I have chosen applied science I have to print out a lot of courseworks so I believe that the printer helps me a lot in my daily life. Once I had printed out my coursework but I lost it by mistake so I just printed it out again which saved me time and was very helpful as I didnt had to do all the hard work again. I also use the printer for home use to print out pictures or interesting researches which may be shared amongst other house members or shown to someone at home. Evaluation: The reason I have decided use the Inject Printer is as the ink Cartridges can be bought very cheaply and have a long lasting duration. Also the printing speed is reasonable and if someone does not print a lot just like me that printer can be made to a perfect use. MP3 Player: I use my Mp3 player only personally to listen to music when I am on my way to my friends or even school. I can listen to my favourite sound tracks at any time I want to and anywhere I am without disturbing other people. The MP3 player is connected to the computer using the USB connection and then tracks can be downloaded and stored on the MP3 player. The main advantage of a MP3 player is that it has got a smaller size then a CD player and a smarter look. It also has got a bigger internal size and you can save your favourite tracks on it. If you use a CD player you always have to swap the CD if you want to listen to any different track which is a disadvantage as it wastes time and sometimes you dont even are in the mood to do it. I personally use the MP3 player not to get bored and it keeps me active and awake. Evaluation: Currently I use a Phillips A260 MP3 Player as it provides me with brilliant sound quality and is not to expensive to purchase. Also he purpose of an MP3 Player originally is to provide music in as good quality as possible. Game consoles: I use Game consoles for my personal life to have a bit of fun after doing hard work. Game consoles are not really helpful but it is fun to use them as you are able to play games such as football which would be hard to play outside if it would be bad weather. The advantage of Game consoles is that you can play multiplayer with your friends or family members. The best thing about game consoles is that the latest game consoles have got special function which make it even more fun for example the Xbox 360 is one of the latest game consoles which has got a Xbox live function, this is used to connect to the internet and play with someone you dont know if he has go the same game. Secondly it has got wireless pads which help you as normally a lot of people step over cables which may get annoying. You can also store music or DVDs on the Xbox 360 or even watch it. With the use of XBOX Live, Xbox can be used socially to play and communicate with other people using XBOX Live. Evaluation: Currently I have a XBOX Console; the reason for me buying this system was as I used to have a playstation 1 and as I got bored I decided to try something new, for this reason I bought the XBOX Console. Digital still and video camera: I use Digital cameras in my personal life which are helpful as I am able to take pictures or videos of the things I have enjoyed with my friends or family. There are many digital cameras available these days which are very helpful as most of the latest once have got a LCD screen at the back which helps you to view the picture during the time you are taking it or after you have taken it and show it to someone directly without giving them to photo shops so that they can create them for you. So basically you can retake the picture if you dont like it with out doing a lot of work. Of course there are some disadvantages such as that if your memory card is full you cant store any pictures any more and you have to delete some but now days you can get memory card with a very great size which make it able to take more then 200 pictures until it is full. The other disadvantage is that digital cameras take a lot of battery however there are special batteries called Nimah batteries which make it able for me to use the battery a lot longer until it is finished. I use the digital camera at home to take pictures of my family or cousins and then I can remind me using them or I just connect them to the printer and I got the pictures without even doing a lot of work. Evaluation: At the moment I have a Panasonic Digital Camera, the reason for this is as it has an external display as well as a night view system and a brilliant quality. Also it is not to expensive to purchase but provides full performance. The battery life is also not too bad for home use but can be upgraded if required. Social Use of ICT: Mobile Phone: There are many new mobile phone models out these days which have got a lot of functions and mobile phones get improved daily as more softwares and also hardwares are added to it. Examples of hardwares are: Bluetooth, Infrared, Camera, 262000 colour display etc. I use my Mobile Phone Socially to contact any companies for information about any products I dont know how to use. I also use a mobile phone personally to talk to my friends as well as my parents if I am not at home. I sometimes use my Mobile Phone personally to listen to music or play games on it. For example once I used my Mobile to contact my parents to inform them that I am going to come home later as I have got work to do. In these cases mobile phones are very helpful as you can talk to people anywhere the net is available. There are sometimes faults in mobiles such as sometimes if your Bluetooth is turned on viruses are able to attack your mobile and destroy the software so that the mobile can sometimes not work again. Evaluation: I currently use the Motorola L7 as it is reasonable cheap to purchase and does not weight a lot, also it is very thin so is able to fit into a pocket very easily, also it Is able to serve me with the requirements I have, these include: sending text messages, camera, phone Email: I use the Email software personally and socially to help me as it has got many advantages as well as some disadvantages. I use the Email software socially to contact my friends or sometimes remind them about anything such as the homework. I use it socially to email to companies for any inquiries I have or I use it to send emails regarding eBay to people to ask them about any information such as delivery time. The main advantage of the Email is that it is much faster then sending a letter and can be send to many people at the same time. Where as a letter has to be packed in separate envelopes and then the address has to be written on it before it can get send. The disadvantage of email software is that it may get hacked or sometimes even can contain a virus. Evaluation: Currently I have a Hotmail Email address, the reason for this is as Hotmail have a website very easy to use and new softwares are being developed by hotmail very quickly which may be a great help to me. Another reason for me using hotmail is as at the time I created my email address only hotmail email addresses worked in MSN Messenger and MSN Messenger was the only software to be able to provide webcam for free. Telephone: I use the telephone socially to talk to friends or even my cousins. I use it socially to make phone calls to company to contact them for any inquiries or for any help. Nowadays there are wireless telephones which have got a range of meters but are very helpful as you are able to use it and mover around with out any problems so they dont stop you from doing work and talking to mated or someone at the same time. The telephone is a very simple technology as the phone only has three parts named microphone, hook switch and a speaker. The latest phones however have got more technology in them so that in older phones you could hear your own voice which people found very annoying but in new phones it is not like that. I believe that the telephone will remain as one of the simplest devices. Evaluation: Currently I have a Phillips phone which was expensive but has an external loud and good quality speaker, is wireless and also has a function to send and receive SMS. The reason for me buying this phone was as it had the longest warranty and seemed to be the one with the functions I required and functions which were required at home. School Related Use: Projector: I use the projector socially at school to present my presentations. It is very helpful as it can make a computer screen or anything else look bigger then it really is. So basically you dont need to have a big screen TV to show it in a way so that the whole class can see it. Because of the projector I can present my work in a way that everyone can see it. The main advantage is that it doesnt weights a lot so that you are able to move it easily without any problem. You can not move a big TV easily. I once had produced my project on a projector which was very helpful as everyone was able to see what I was trying to say. The main disadvantage is that some projectors dont display the picture very clearly. Evaluation: Currently we have Epson Projectors at School which are very helpful and are truly the best way to meet the schools standards as Presentations or explanations can be presented to everyone very clearly. Microsoft office: I use Microsoft office socially at school and at home. I use it at school to write reports or produce risk assessments. Also sometimes I use Microsoft office at school to do my courseworks or save my research results. Microsoft office is very helpful and is used in many offices or even businesses. Microsoft office has a lot of functions and can be used for many purposes such as creating database. Microsoft office is also secure as you can password protect your documents so that even if someone steals it he will be unable to use it. The main advantage is that you can update your documents without rewriting it again and again. It also saves a lot of space and you can find your documents quickly. As normally you would use paper which will get together and it will be hard for me to store them somewhere so that they are safe and I can find them whenever I need them. I use Microsoft office a lot at school and it helped me a lot of times when there was a need to write letters I was able to write it quickly and in a descent layout , also a copy was saved which can be very helpful In case the letter needs to be resend etc. Internet: I use Internet at school to do researches. Also I use the Internet to find pictures and put them into my coursework. Internet is very helpful as it helps me in a lot of ways and if there would be no internet there would even be no email. I use the Internet at school to do my homework as well as find pictures for any courseworks needed any shops. The disadvantage of online shopping is that there is a bit of chance of getting hacked. Evaluation: I currently have TalkTalk Broadband at home which meets my needs fully and is very helpful to me as researches can be done very quickly as well as courseworks can be improved at a great speed and efficiently, this saves me a lot of time. Overall Evaluation: For my personal use of ICT as I have mentioned above I use a lot of technologies as they enable me to work more efficiently, save time, save paper work. I also personally and socially use technologies just to enjoy or have fun with such as the Game Consoles. I also use technology Socially at School such as Projectors, Computers but in this case they do not meet my needs up to the full limit as the Computers mostly seem to have a problem at School as well as the Personal Space Limit on the Computers does not meet my requirement. I personally believe this can be improved by making the computers much more stable and by improving the Space limits for each user. Also the Network Cards and Cables have some problems as the network crashes a lot of times which again does not meet my full requirement. At Home ICT is able to meet my needs as I use a Phone, Speakers, Computers, Modem and other technologies as mentioned above, but all of them work up there full capability and meet my needs. For this reason I do not truly require any more technology for home use, but for social use technology has still not met its full capability at every place such as at my school, as technology makes problems in some cases or could be set up more efficiently at my school. E.G As Network Cables are available and all the computers are networked the school should be able to set up the network in such a way that if one computer is updated with a new windows or software, the other computers should be updated automatically at the same time Conclusion: Finally I believe that the Technology will have along way to go and I am looking forward to see more interesting pieces of technology. I dont really know what I would like to get produced but I know that if something new and interesting product will get produced I will be looking forward to it. I hope that a new technology gets produced which will help us and the community.

Investigating Enzyme Activity :: Papers

Investigating Enzyme Activity PLANNING AIM === The aim of this experiment is to see how changing the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) affects the rate of reaction of the enzyme Catalase. The reaction I am looking at is the breakdown of Hydrogen Peroxide into water and oxygen by the enzyme Catalase. The equation for this reaction is: 2H2O2 Ã   2H2O + O2 FACTORS ------- In this experiment I could change the following factors: Concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide or Catalase, the time, the temperature and the Ph of the solutions. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE (See appendix 1) PREDICTION ---------- My prediction is that the higher the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide, the greater the amount of oxygen given off will be within a period of time. The lower the concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide the amount of oxygen given off will be less than if it was at a higher concentration. I think this because there are more particles in a substance to collide and react at a higher concentration. VARIABLES I am not going to change anything other than the concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide. The concentration of the Catalase enzyme, the temperature of the laboratory and the Ph of the solutions will remain constant. EQUIPMENT Hydrogen Peroxide (concentration - 0.5 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5% and 3.0%) Safety Catalase Water trough, Burette, Stop clock, Delivery tube, Clamp stand, Conical flask, Syringe, Pipette Glasses/goggles, PROCEDURE 1. I will take the equipment drawn and set it up as shown. *(appendix 2) 2. I will fill the burette and water trough with water. 3. Using a measuring cylinder, I will put 10ml of Hydrogen Peroxide in the conical flask connected to the delivery tube. 4. Trying to prevent water from escaping, I shall turn the burette upside down and clamp it to the stand with the bottom of the burette in the water trough and feed the delivery tube through the burette.

Mastery Learning

Teaching involves numerous different factors and aspects of learning. Teaching employs different models and approaches in an effort to find the best way to address the needs of students. One such model or appraoch used by teachers is mastery learning. The goal of this paper is to achieve a better understanding of mastery learning through a review of past literature. How is mastery learning defined by the literature? What are the benefits of using mastery learning? How is mastery learning applied in higher education? Answers to these questions will be identified through a careful reading of the information presented in previously published articles regarding mastery learning. Mastery learning, initially, is a theory about teaching and learning. It emphasizes the belief that any educator can aid almost all students to learn excellently. By the term ‘excellently’, what is indicated is the maximum potential of the individual to learn. No matter the inherent differences in characteristics between students, mastery learning asserts that teachers can teach these students to learn in exactly the same way. (Block, 1980) The term mastery learning is also often used to refer to a set of individualized teaching practices that are consistent in their effectiveness to aid almost all students to learn excellently. These practices are divided into group-based and individual-based or teacher-paced and student-paced practices. In the group-based or teacher-paced mastery learning, the teacher is the one who determines the direction and flow the learning process. In the individual-based or student-paced practices, it is the student who determines the direction and flow of the learning process. (Block, 1980) Both types of practices have different developmental backgrounds but both have the same goal, which is to be able to teach excellent learning skills. A more operational definition of mastery learning can be acquired through a look into its mechanisms. According to Ironsmith & Eppler (2007), mastery learning involves a paradigm shift with regard to the definition of failure in education. Failure is not related to the results of an assessment of the student’s ability. Failure, in mastery learning, is related to the feedback a student gets about his or her progress. Mastery learning involves the use of feedback by students in order to supplement any deficiencies in their learning progress. The feedback serves as a director of what material needs to be learned more and also serves to increase the strength of the contingency between the student’s efforts and his or her academic success. The benefits of mastery learning as an optimistic theory are clear. By teaching students to be able to learn excellently, their chances of success in life become higher. The social and individual rewards are great both for the student and the teacher. (Block, 1980) The student is able to acquire skills and abilities that will aid him or her in future undertakings outside the school setting. Students of mastery learning also become motivated to continue the learning process in their lives because of the rewards – either material or non-material – that they receive from their acquired ability to learn excellently. On more palpable benefits, the study by Ironsmith & Eppler (2007) have shown that final exam scores were higher for students in mastery learning classes as opposed to those in normal lecture classes. Also, the benefits were greater for those students with the lowest grade point averages (GPA’s). The benefits came about as a result of the increased mastery of the material discussed. Endorsement to achievement goals that were more adaptive for the students also contributed to the attainment of the benefits. (Ironsmith & Eppler, 2007) Mastery learning also has benefits for the educational system as well as for the educators applying its principles. With the success of the application of mastery learning, teachers are rewarded with the knowledge that their students succeeded. Also, career rewards, praise and acknowledgments from colleagues as well as gratitude from the students themselves are to be expected. These will also serve as rewarding factors for the individual. The benefit to be derived by the educational system from these is the fact that good and accomplished teachers will be retained. Teachers will be inclined to continue teaching as a result of the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards received from the application of mastery learning. (Block, 1980) The effects and benefits to be derived from mastery learning are long term thus indicating a more profound impact on the lives of those who apply it. In higher education students, learning approaches such as the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) (Ironsmith & Eppler, 2007) are applied. These are based on the concepts of mastery learning albeit posing a more structured and organized design. A general PSI class would involve learning modules, self-tests, mastery tests, and feedback from educators. The mechanism for mastery learning in higher education, however, remains the same. It still involves the concepts of approaching instruction systematically, of being proactive instead of reactive, of managing the learning and not the learners, of matching the instruction to the outcomes as well as to the learners, and the like. (Block, 1980) Over all, mastery learning is still in the minority of applied models of teaching. However, its use in classrooms is continuously increasing. (Block, 1980) The benefits to be reaped from application of mastery learning in the educational system are assessed to be great. Also, the principles on which it is founded are sound and, in fact, seem to be a more adaptive way to view the educational system. Investigations into the viability of mastery learning as a learning theory should be continued. Also, more schools should begin to introduce the system into their classrooms. References Block, J. H. (1980). Promoting excellence through mastery learning. Theory Into Practice, 19(1), 66-74 Ironsmith, M., & Eppler, M. A. (2007). Mastery learning benefits low-aptitude students.

Micro and macro market enviroment Essay

In order to correctly identify opportunities and monitor threats, the company must begin with athorough understanding of the marketing environment in which the firm operates. The marketingenvironment consists of all the actors and forces outside marketing that affect the marketingmanagement’s ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers.Though these factors and forces may vary depending on the specific company and industrialgroup, they can generally be divided into broad micro environmental and macro environmentalcomponents. For most companies, the micro environmental components are: the company,suppliers, marketing channel firms (intermediaries), customer markets, competitors, and publicswhich combine to make up the company’s value delivery system. The macro environmentalcomponents are thought to be: demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, andcultural forces. The wise marketing manager knows that he or she cannot always affectenvironmental forces. However, smart managers can take a proactive, rather than reactive,approach to the marketing environment. As marketing management collects and processes data on these environments, they must be ever vigilant in their efforts to apply what they learn to developing opportunities and dealing withthreats. Studies have shown that excellent companies not only have a keen sense of customer butan appreciation of the environmental forces swirling around them. By constantly looking at thedynamic changes that are occurring in the aforementioned environments, companies are better prepared to adapt to change, prepare long-range strategy, meet the needs of today’s andtomorrow’s customers, and compete with the intense competition present in the globalmarketplace. All firms are encouraged to adopt an environmental management perspective in thenew millennium.A company’s marketing environment consists of the actors and forces outside marketing thataffect marketing management’s ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with itstarget customers.1). Being successful means being able to adapt the marketing mix to trends and changes thisenvironment.2). Changes in the  marketing environment are often quick and unpredictable.3). The marketing environment offers both opportunities and threats.4). The company must use its marketing research and marketing intelligence systems to monitor the changing environment.5). Systematic environmental scanning helps marketers to revise and adapt marketing strategiesto meet new challenges and opportunities in the marketplace. The marketing environment ismade up of a: 1. Micro environmental2. Macro-environment 1. Micro Environmental The microenvironment consists of five components. The first is the organization’s internalenvironment—its several departments and management levels—as it affects marketingmanagement’s decision making. The second component includes the marketing channel firmsthat cooperate to create value: the suppliers and marketing intermediaries (middlemen, physicaldistribution firms, marketing-service agencies, financial intermediaries). The third componentconsists of the five types of markets in which the organization can sell: the consumer, producer,reseller, government, and international markets. The fourth component consists of thecompetitors facing the organization. The fifth component consists of all the publics that have anactual or potential interest in or impact on the organization’s ability to achieve its objectives:financial, media, government, citizen action, and local, general, and internal publics. So themicroenvironment consists of six forces close to the company that affect its ability to serve itscustomers:a. The company itself (including departments). b. Suppliers.c. Marketing channel firms (intermediaries).d. Customer markets.e. Competitors.f. Publics. 1. The Company’s Microenvironment As discussed earlier the company’s microenvironment consists of six forces that affect its abilityto serve its customers. Lets discuss these forces in detail: a. The Company  The first force is the company itself and the role it plays in the microenvironment. This could bedeemed the internal environment.1). Top management is responsible for setting the company’s mission, objectives, broadstrategies, and policies.2). Marketing managers must make decisions  within the parameters established by topmanagement.3). Marketing managers must also work closely with other company departments. Areas such asfinance, R & D, purchasing, manufacturing, and accounting all produce better results whenaligned by common objectives and goals.4). All departments must â€Å"think consumer† if the firm is to be successful. The goal is to providesuperior customer value and satisfaction. b. Suppliers Suppliers are firms and individuals that provide the resources needed by the company and itscompetitors to produce goods and services. They are an important link in the company’s overallcustomer â€Å"value delivery system.†1). One consideration is to watch supply availability (such as supply shortages).2). Another point of concern is the monitoring of price trends of key inputs. Rising supply costsmust be carefully monitored. c. Marketing Intermediaries Marketing intermediaries are firms that help the company to promote, sell, and distribute itsgoods to final buyers.1). Resellers  are distribution channel firms that help the company find customers or make salesto them.2). These include wholesalers and retailers who buy and resell merchandise.3). Resellers often perform important functions more cheaply than the company can performitself. However, seeking and working with resellers is not easy because of the power that somedemand and use. Physical distribution firms help the company to stock and move goods from their points of origin to their destinations. Examples would be warehouses (that store and protect goods beforethey move to the next destination). Marketing service agencies (such as marketing research firms, advertising agencies, mediafirms, etc.) help the company target and promote its products. Financial intermediaries  (such as banks, credit companies, insurance companies, etc.) helpfinance transactions and insure against risks. d. Customers  The company must study its customer markets closely since each market has its own specialcharacteristics. These markets normally include:1). Consumer markets  (individuals and households that buy goods and services for personalconsumption).2). Business markets  (buy goods and services for further processing or for use in their production process).3). Reseller markets  (buy goods and services in order to resell them at a profit).4). Government markets  (agencies that buy goods and services in order to produce publicservices or transfer them to those that need them).5). International markets  (buyers of all types in foreign countries) e. Competitors Every company faces a wide range of competitors. A company must secure a strategic advantageover competitors by positioning their offerings to be successful in the marketplace. No singlecompetitive strategy is best for all companies. f. Publics A public is any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organization’sability to achieve its objectives. A company should prepare a marketing plan for all of their major publics as well as their customer markets. Generally, publics can be identified as being:1). Financial publics–influence the company’s ability to obtain funds.2). Media publics–carry news, features, and editorial opinion.3). Government publics–take developments into account.4). Citizen-action publics–a company’s decisions are often questioned by consumer organizations.5). Local publics–includes neighborhood residents and community organizations.6). General publics–a company must be concerned about the general public’s attitude toward its products and services.7). Internal publics–workers, managers, volunteers, and the board of directors. 2.MACRO ENVIRONMENT The Company’s Macro environment The company and all of the other actors operate in a larger macro environment of forces thatshape opportunities and pose threats to the company. There are six major forces (outlined below)in the company’s macro environment. There are six major forces (outlined below) in thecompany’s macro environment.a. Demographic. b. Economic.c. Natural.d. Technological.e. Political.f. Cultural. a. Demographic Environment Demography is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race,occupation, and other statistics. It is of major interest to marketers because it involves people and people make up markets. Demographic trends are constantly changing. Some more interestingones are.1). The world’s population (though not all countries) rate is growing at an explosive rate that willsoon exceed food supply and ability to adequately service the population. The greatest danger isin the poorest countries where poverty contributes to the difficulties. Emerging markets such asChina are receiving increased attention from global marketers.2). The most important trend is the changing age structure of the population. The population isaging because of a slowdown in the birth rate (in this country) and life expectancy is increasing.The baby boomers following World War II have produced a huge â€Å"bulge† in our population’sage distribution. The new prime market is the middle age group (in the future it will be the senior citizen group). There are many subdivisions of this group.a). Generation X–this group lies in the shadow of the boomers and lack obvious distinguishingcharacteristics. They are a very cynical group because of all the difficulties that have surroundedand impacted their group. b). Echo boomers (baby boomlets) are the large growing kid and teen market. This group is usedto affluence on the part of their parents (as different from the Gen Xers). One distinguishingcharacteristic is their utter fluency and comfort with computer, digital, and Internet technology(sometimes called Net-Gens).c). Generational marketing is possible, however, caution must be used to avoid generationalalienation. Many in the modern family now â€Å"telecommute†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwork at home or in a remote officeand conduct their business using fax, cell phones, modem, or the Internet In general, the population is becoming better educated. The work force is be-coming more white-collar.Products such as books and education services appeal to groups following this trend. Technicalskills (such as in computers) will be a must in the future. The final demographic trend is theincreasing ethnic and racial diversity of the population. Diversity is a force that must berecognized in the next decade. However, companies must recognize that diversity goes beyond ethnic heritage. One the important markets of the future are that disabled people (a market larger any of our ethnic minority groups). b. Economic Environment The economic environment includes those factors that affect consumer purchasing power andspending patterns. Major economic trends in the United States include:1). Personal consumption (along with personal debt) has gone up (1980s) and the early 1990s brought recession that has caused adjustments both personally and corporately in this country.Today, consumers are more careful shoppers. 2).Value marketing (trying to offer the consumer greater value for their dollar) is a very seriousstrategy in the 1990s. Real income is on the rise again but is being carefully guarded by a value-conscious consumer. 3).Income distribution is still very skewed in the U. S. and all classes have not shared in prosperity. In addition, spending patterns show that food, housing, and transportation stillaccount for the majority of consumer dollars. It is also of note that distribution of income hascreated a â€Å"two-tiered market† where there are those that are affluent and less affluent. Marketersmust carefully monitor economic changes so they will be able to prosper with the trend, notsuffer from it . c. Natural Environment The natural environment involves natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities. During the past two decades environmental concernshave steadily grown. Some trend analysts labeled the specific areas of concern were: 1).Shortages of raw materials. Staples such as air, water, and wood products have been seriously damaged and non-renewablesuch as oil, coal, and various minerals have been seriously depleted during industrial expansion. 2).Increased pollution is a worldwide problem. Industrial damage to the environment is very serious. Far-sightedcompanies are becoming â€Å"environmentally friendly† and are producing environmentally safe andrecyclable or biodegradable goods. The public response to these companies is encouraging.However, lack of adequate funding, especially in third world countries, is a major barrier. 3).Government intervention in natural resource management has caused environmental concerns to be more practical andnecessary in business and industry. Leadership, not punishment, seems to be the best policy for long-term results. Instead of opposing regulation, marketers should help develop solutions to thematerial and energy problems facing the world. 4).Environmentally sustainable strategies. The so-called green movement has encouraged or even demanded that firms produce strategiesthat are not only environmentally friendly but are also environmentally proactive. Firms are beginning to recognize the link between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. d. Technological Environment The technological environment includes forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. 1). Technology is perhaps the most dramatic force shaping our destiny 2). New technologies create new markets and opportunities. 3). The following trends are worth watching: a). Faster pace of technological change. Products are being technologically outdated at a rapid pace. b). There seems to be almost unlimited opportunities being developed daily. Consider theexpanding . fields of health care, the space shuttle, robotics, and biogenetic industries. c). The challenge is not only technical but also commercial–to make practical, affordableversions of . . products. d). Increased regulation. Marketers should be aware of the regulations concerning product safety,individual privacy, and other areas that affect technological changes. They must also be alert to . any.possible negative aspects of an innovation that might harm users or arouse opposition. e. Political Environment The political environment includes laws, government agencies, and pressure groups thatinfluence and . limit various organizations and individuals in a given society. Various forms of legislation regulate business. 1). Governments develop public policy to guide commerce–sets of laws and regulations limiting business for the good of society as a whole. 2). Almost every marketing activity is subject to a wide range of laws and regulations. Sometrends in the political environment include: 1). Increasing legislation to: a).Protect companies from each other. b).Protecting consumersfrom unfair business practices. c).Protecting interests of society against unrestrained business behavior. 2). Changing government agency enforcement. New laws and their enforcement will continue or increase. 3). Increased emphasis on ethics and socially responsible actions. Socially responsible firmsactively seek out ways to protect the long-run interests of their consumers and the environment. a). Enlightened companies encourage their managers to look beyond regulation and â€Å"do the rightthing.† b). Recent scandals have increased concern about ethics and social responsibility. c). The boom in e-commerce and Internet marketing has created a new set of social and ethicalissues. Concerns are Privacy, Security, Access by vulnerable or unauthorized groups. f. Cultural Environment The cultural environment is made up of institutions and other forces that affect society’s basicvalues, perceptions, preferences, and behaviors. Certain cultural characteristics can affectmarketing decision-making. Among the most dynamic cultural characteristics are: 1). Persistence of cultural values. People’s core beliefs and values have a high degree of persistence. Core beliefs and values are passed on from parents to children and are reinforced byschools, churches, business, and government. Secondary beliefs and values are more open tochange. 2). Shifts in secondary cultural values. Since secondary cultural values and beliefs are open tochange, marketers want to spot them and be able to capitalize on the change potential. Society’smajor cultural views are expressed in a).People’s views of themselves. People vary in their emphasis on serving themselves versusserving others. In the 1980s, personal ambition and materialism increased dramatically, withsignificant implications for marketing. The leisure industry was a chief beneficiary. b).People’s views of others. Observers have noted a shift from a â€Å"me-society† to a â€Å"we-society.† Consumers are spending more on products and services that will improve their livesrather than their image. c). People’s views of organizations. People are willing to work for large organizations butexpect them to become increasingly socially responsible. Many companies are linkingthemselves to worthwhile causes. Honesty in appeals is a must. d).People’s views of society. This orientation influences consumption patterns. â€Å"Buy American†versus buying abroad is an issue that will continue into the next decade. e).People’s view of nature. There is a growing trend toward people’s feeling of mastery over nature through technology and the belief that nature is bountiful. However, nature is finite. Loveof nature and sports associated with nature are expected to be significant trends in the nextseveral years. f).People’s views of the universe. Studies of the origin of man, religion, and thought-provokingad campaigns are on the rise. Currently, Americans are on a spiritual journey. This will probablytake the form of â€Å"spiritual individualism.

Commumism in HongKong essays

Commumism in HongKong essays Why would a communist country want to have a capitalist country? Well I think it is because Hong Kong has a lot of money, because they are one of the major trade centers of the world. Another reason is that Hong Kong was a part of China until 1842 when the British defeated China in the first Opium War and took possession of Hong Kong. In this report I will be talking about how the Communist Chinese government regained possession of Hong Kong, a capitalist Colony, after 156 years of British rule. I also will be talking about the history and living conditions of the people of Hong Kong. I will be discussing the Hong Kong government before and after the take over. Another point that I will be talking about is how the economy was impacted by the takeover. I will be discussing the religions of Hong Kong and the affect the takeover will have on them. Another thing that I will be talking about is how the balance of power in the world will be effected, what overall effect might be, and what global changes may occur. Hong Kong was originally part of China, but was taken and colonized by the British in the first Opium War in 1842. Later, in 1856-1860, the British won the Kowloon peninsula in the second Opium War. About 90 years later, communist took control of the Chinese government. Many people in China did not like this, so they fled to Hong Kong. As a result of so many people relocating to Hong Kong, the colony became a low-income manufacturing colony. As years went by, the manufacturing industry became larger and larger. By 1980 the Hong Kong colony had become the largest trading center in Southeast Asia. In 1982, I guess Great Britain decided to be nice and promised to return the island to China when the 99 year lease on the new territories ran out. But Britain wasnt just going to let the colony go that easily. They had China sign a joint Declaration, which stated that Ho ...

cigarrettes essays

cigarrettes essays Every ten seconds a person dies from smoking cigarettes according to the World Heath Organization. 54 million Americans smoke cigarettes while 434,000 people die a year from it . There are over 430 billion cigarettes made each year in America (thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=250, 2002). Cigarettes are harmful because they contain dangerous chemicals, which will cause a person to have health problems and changes in their appearance. Smoking cigarettes are good because cigarettes will make a person feel relaxed and socialized while also boosting the industry. If we did not have cigarettes, the 225,000 hard American workers for the Phillip Morris company would be unemployed (www.philipmorris.com/careers/careers_main.as, 2002). Smoking cigarettes makes people feel very relaxed and feel stress free. Teens usually start smoking to be socialized because they will have a sense of connection with other teens if they do smoke. Most smokers usually do not know all of the harmful side effects of cigarettes. A person will have many changes in their appearance if they smoke cigarettes. It is bad to smoke because smoking causes wrinkles, yellow teeth, loss of hair, and smell like smoke all the time.thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=250,2002) Many men think seeing women smoke is very unattractive and sickening. Smokers will have wrinkles on their skin because the smoke takes away Vitamin A from the body. Smoking cuts off oxygen through the body making a person less athletic than a non-smoker. Smokers will loose their hair because smoking weakens the immune system. Smoking cigarettes do not only cause appearance changes, it also will have health future health problems. It is bad to smoke cigarettes because it has many health problems such as cancer, heart attacks, broken bones and hearing problems. (thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=250,2002) There are nine kinds of cancer a person could get if they smoke cigarettes. ...

Profile of Mary Lacey Sr. & Mary Lacey Jr, Salem Trials

Profile of Mary Lacey Sr. & Mary Lacey Jr, Salem Trials The name â€Å"Mary Lacey† belongs to two women involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692: Mary Lacey the mother (referred to here as Mary Lacey Sr.), and her daughter Mary Lacey (referred to here as Mary Lacey Jr.). Mary Lacey Facts Known for:  in the 1692  Salem witch trialsAge at time of Salem witch trials:  Mary Lacey Sr. was about 40, and Mary Lacey Jr. was 15 or 18 (sources differ)Dates: Mary Lacey Sr.:  July 9, 1652- 1707.  Mary Lacey Jr.: 1674? - ?Also known as:  Mary Lacy Family, Background: Mary Lacey Sr. was the daughter of Ann Foster and her husband, Andrew Foster.  Ann Foster emigrated from England in 1635.  Mary Lacey Sr. was born about 1652.  She married Lawrence Lacey on August 5, 1673. Mary Lacey Jr. was born about 1677. Mary Lacey and the Salem Witch Trials When Elizabeth Ballard of Andover fell ill with a fever in 1692, the doctors suspected witchcraft, knowing of the events in nearby Salem.  Ann Putnam Jr. and Mary Wolcott were called to Andover to see if they could identify the witch, and they fell into fits upon seeing Ann Foster, a 70-something widow.  She was arrested and sent to Salem jail on July 15. She was examined on July 16 and 18.  She resisted acknowledging that she had committed any witchcraft. An arrest warrant was issued against Mary Lacey Jr. on July 20th, for â€Å"Committed Sundry acts of witchcraft on Eliz Ballerd, the wife of Jos Ballerd of Andover. to her great hurt.† She was arrested the next day and brought to an examination by John Hathorne, Jonathan Corwin, and John Higginson.  Mary Warren fell into a violent fit at the sight of her.  Mary Lacey Jr. testified that she had seen her mother, grandmother and Martha Carrier flying on poles given by the Devil.  Ann Foster, Mary Lacey Sr. and Mary Lacey Jr. were examined again that same day by Bartholomew Gedney, Hathorne, and Corwin, â€Å"accused of practicing witchcraft upon Goody Ballard.† Mary Lacey Sr. accused her mother of witchcraft, probably to help deflect the charges against herself and her daughter.  Ann Foster had until that time denied the charges; she may have shifted strategies to save her daughter and granddaughter. Mary Lacey Sr. was indicted for bewitching Mercy Lewis in Salem on July 20. On September 14, the testimony of those who charged Mary Lacey Sr. with witchcraft was delivered in writing.  On September 17, the court tried and convicted  Rebecca Eames, Abigail Faulkner, Ann Foster, Abigail Hobbs, Mary Lacey Sr., Mary Parker, Wilmott Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Wardwell, and they were condemned to be executed. Later in September, the last eight convicted of witchcraft were hanged, and at the end of the month, the Court of Oyer and Terminer stopped meeting. Mary Lacey After the Trials Mary Lacey Jr was released from custody on October 6, 1692, on a bond. Ann Foster died in jail in December of 1692; Mary Lacey was eventually released.  Mary Lacey Jr. was indicted on January 13 for â€Å"covenanting.† In 1704, Mary Lacey Jr. married Zerubbabel Kemp. Lawrence Lacey sued for restitution for Mary Lacey in 1710.  In 1711, the  legislature of the Province of Massachusetts Bay  restored all rights to many of those who had been accused in the 1692 witch trials. Included were George Burroughs, John Proctor, George Jacob, John Willard, Giles and  Martha Corey,  Rebecca Nurse,  Sarah Good, Elizabeth How,  Mary Easty, Sarah Wilds, Abigail Hobbs, Samuel Wardell, Mary Parker,  Martha Carrier, Abigail Faulkner, Anne Foster, Rebecca Eames, Mary Post, Mary Lacey, Mary Bradbury and Dorcas Hoar. Mary Lacey Sr. died in 1707.

US monetary policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

US monetary policy - Term Paper Example When the Fed wants to â€Å"expand the money supply† (create money), it steps in and buys bonds from these dealers with newly-issued dollars acquired by the Fed for the cost of writing them into an account on a computer screen. The Federal Reserve is overseen by board of governors based in Washington, which is a government body (Solomon 1996). This board of governors comprise of 7 members appointed by the president of the United States of America, each of them has the capacity to serve for 14 years. All this members must pass through senate for confirmation and are eligible for reappointment. The chairman is the head of the board being deputized by the vice chairman. Both the chairman and deputy are appointed by the president and must pass through senate for approval (Solomon 1996). Ben Bernanke is the current chairman; he took over from Alan Greenspan. The most common tool used by the Federal Reserve is the buying and selling of government securities in order to increase or r educe the amount of money in the banking system and this is done through an open market (Timberlake 1993). When they buy securities, they pump money into the banking system and accelerate growth  while sales of securities siphon money from the system. Federal Reserve's aim is to use this technique to  adjust the federal funds rate, that is, the rate at which banks borrow from each other (Timberlake 1993). ... the ones required by the law or rather set by the Federal Reserve board of governors can use the money to bring those changes back to stability (Timberlake 1993). The board of directors of each reserve bank sets the discount rate every 14 days. It's considered the last resort for banks, which usually borrow from each other. The Fed uses the discount rate to check the supply of available funds, which will in effect have impact on inflation and in extension interest rates (Degen 1987). If the available money is abundant, there is more likelihood of inflation occurring. It will become more expensive to borrow from Federal Reserve if interest rate is increased. Short term interest rate will, therefore, be increased by lower supply of money and the opposite is true. Quantitative Easing† (QE) is a kind of operations within markets that assist the Federal Reserve achieve its policy targets (Degen 1987). QE involves open market operations that are not different from the way the Federal Reserve often operates in its quest to attain certain policy objectives. When Federal Reserve changes their target interest rate, it is doing so in order to involve open market operations that alter reserves in the banking system so as to get to its preferred rate.    Open market operations often include moves such as adjusting the existing reserves in the banking system so as to assist reaching a target interest rate.  Many people believe that QE operates to achieve its objectives in ways that are different from standard monetary policy, e.g. influencing demand for loans, the wealth effect and interest rate channels (Wells 2004). Much of the misconception is also due to the untruth that QE helps to fund the US government or is equivalent to â€Å"money printing†.   This is not true. The main

Ethics across Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics across Europe - Assignment Example Any news promoting discrimination, conflicts is forbidden from publishing by both the countries. Respecting a person’s private life and refraining from fabricating the information for personal interests by journalists is stated by both countries’ ethical codes. The dissimilarities between the countries’ code of ethics for journalists are; while the Ukraine’s code for journalists clearly specifies that the names of the minors cannot be published while reporting a case concerned with them, there’s no such instruction in the UK’s ethics code. Also, the Ukraine’s ethical codes specifies that journalists need to be impartial while reporting court procedures and grants them no right to call a person criminal before an appropriate court verdict has been reached (Ethicnet 2008). This may be due to the fact that Ukraine may have witnessed such cases before where the journalists reporting had lead to distress and defamation to some innocent pers ons. Resulting which these specific ethics may have been introduced by the country. In broad terms, the ethical codes for the two countries are quite similar, the differences that were found are not very contradicting. Bibliography 1. Ethicnet 2008, Journalism Ethics, Code of Ethics of Ukraine Journalists, published online by: Department of Journalism & Mass communication FI-33014, University of Tampere, Finland.

Week 5 individual assignment #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Week 5 individual assignment #2 - Essay Example I is the interest rate per year divided by 12 and P is the rpicncipal amount. After calculation the amount paid per month amount to 709.9866, we therefore sumarise the two month amortization period as follows: Secured short term credit is a form of borrowing whereby an individual has to pledge an asset to secure the loan and if the amount is not paid bvack then the asset can be sold in order to recover the debt owned. For the unsecured short term credit the borrower does not pledge any property in order to acquire a loan. if the comp[any decides to pay off its notes payable and issue a $12,000 in long term debts then the current liabilities will reduce by 12,000 while the long term liabilities will increase by 12,000. Net income was $5,500. The company has improved on its liquidity through an increase in the working capital, however the profitability of the company has declined and this is evident from the decline in the return on total assets. Given that the selling price of one rod is $132, variable cost is $80, average fixed cost is $90,000 we can determine the break even point, the break even point is the point where the cost is equal to the revenue, we state the cost and revenue function as

Why Companies Should Green Their Supply Chain Management Research Paper

Why Companies Should Green Their Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example Sourcing of raw materials with right quality and lower price necessitated movement of materials across the continents. On the other hand, shifting of production facilities to the places where the cost of labor is cheap is also considered by the companies. These twin strategies result into movement of raw materials and finished products from place to place cutting across the borders of the nations. The increase in the level of activity in the flow of the movement of goods over the period of time necessitated revisiting of the strategies by the corporate companies in respect of supply chain management with a view to reduce cost. However, the developments that have been taking place in the environmental front warrant corporate social responsibility (CSR) in view of atmospheric pollution which leads to global warming, water pollution, human rights issues involved, and extinction of animal and plant species. Judicious use of natural resources in the process is very important for maintaini ng ecological balance and the welfare and rights of the future generations. Also, growth at the current level with the accelerated use of natural resources is not sustainable in the long run. ... Green supply chain management Parry, P., Martha, J. & Grenon, G. (2007) state â€Å"the supply chain is the production and distribution network that encompasses the sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, commercialization, distribution, consumption, and disposal of goods, from the ore mine to the trash can†. Primarily, the uninhibited consumption of energy at various levels leads to inflation in the energy prices. The cascading effect of the increasing fuel prices results into inflation in food prices and becomes a threat to food security. The impact of greenhouse gas emissions is considered to be very serious as the damage to the environment could be irreversible. Supply chain management needs to play an important role in reduction in the consumption of energy in an organization. This could be achieved through a comprehensive corporate strategy which encompasses conservation of energy on voluntary basis, compliance with the regulations as a good corporate citizen, savings i n cost by reducing emissions, adoption of standards issued by various agencies and environmental auditing, water and effluents treatment, recycling, waste disposal and renewable energy. For instance, according to a study by Canning, P. et al. (2010) food processing showed the largest growth in energy use. Recycling of packing materials, generation of electricity from waste and avoiding use of environmentally unfriendly packing materials in the industry would not only be beneficial to the environment and the society but also results into cost saving. According to Bruntland report  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Development that meets the  needs  of the present without compromising the  ability  of future generations to meet their own needs† (The World Bank Group, 2001). Emission of

Choose one of the subjects Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose one of the subjects - Term Paper Example Legalization processes involve giving prescriptions of legalized drugs, providing licenses to legal drug dealers, such as hospitals, enforcing laws on any sale of drug to a minor, and advertising the rules and regulations that go hand in hand with drug legalization among others. This provides general awareness to the whole population. Drugs are legalized to avoid causing negative externalities on others, to reduce public spending on health, and to avoid upsetting people who are not in contact with the drugs. Through legalization, contagious drugs and premature deaths are avoided. Prolonged periods of drug use results in addiction. As a result, the drug addicts become violent and commit crimes to generate money to buy drugs. Jensen (2) asserts that most drug addicts were criminals even before they started using these drugs. These criminal acts involve stealing, killing and even kidnapping others to raise funds to buy the drugs. Through these acts, the users and non-users are affected. The prices of these drugs are determined by unregulated market, which is led by demand. This leads to high prices of drugs resulting in massive crime acts. To reduce these acts in the economy, the government imposes rules and regulations on drug users who are found to be committing crime and violating the public. The market prices are regulated by lowering the prices, which translates to reduced prices. For example, cigarette smokers will not steal from the public to buy cigarettes and thus crime rates will be reduced. Air pollution caused through smoking cigarettes and bhang will also be reduced. Wilkins and Scrimgeour (334) argue that the illicit market produces low quality drugs, which lead to a rise in the number of violent criminals. The street crimes then rise so as to finance these drugs. Tax imposition on these drugs maximizes the social products and the quantity of the drugs that are being produced. The pigouvian tax framework

Why Companies Should Green Their Supply Chain Management Research Paper

Why Companies Should Green Their Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example Sourcing of raw materials with right quality and lower price necessitated movement of materials across the continents. On the other hand, shifting of production facilities to the places where the cost of labor is cheap is also considered by the companies. These twin strategies result into movement of raw materials and finished products from place to place cutting across the borders of the nations. The increase in the level of activity in the flow of the movement of goods over the period of time necessitated revisiting of the strategies by the corporate companies in respect of supply chain management with a view to reduce cost. However, the developments that have been taking place in the environmental front warrant corporate social responsibility (CSR) in view of atmospheric pollution which leads to global warming, water pollution, human rights issues involved, and extinction of animal and plant species. Judicious use of natural resources in the process is very important for maintaini ng ecological balance and the welfare and rights of the future generations. Also, growth at the current level with the accelerated use of natural resources is not sustainable in the long run. ... Green supply chain management Parry, P., Martha, J. & Grenon, G. (2007) state â€Å"the supply chain is the production and distribution network that encompasses the sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, commercialization, distribution, consumption, and disposal of goods, from the ore mine to the trash can†. Primarily, the uninhibited consumption of energy at various levels leads to inflation in the energy prices. The cascading effect of the increasing fuel prices results into inflation in food prices and becomes a threat to food security. The impact of greenhouse gas emissions is considered to be very serious as the damage to the environment could be irreversible. Supply chain management needs to play an important role in reduction in the consumption of energy in an organization. This could be achieved through a comprehensive corporate strategy which encompasses conservation of energy on voluntary basis, compliance with the regulations as a good corporate citizen, savings i n cost by reducing emissions, adoption of standards issued by various agencies and environmental auditing, water and effluents treatment, recycling, waste disposal and renewable energy. For instance, according to a study by Canning, P. et al. (2010) food processing showed the largest growth in energy use. Recycling of packing materials, generation of electricity from waste and avoiding use of environmentally unfriendly packing materials in the industry would not only be beneficial to the environment and the society but also results into cost saving. According to Bruntland report  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Development that meets the  needs  of the present without compromising the  ability  of future generations to meet their own needs† (The World Bank Group, 2001). Emission of

The real estate market in Hong Kong and suggested public policies Essay

The real estate market in Hong Kong and suggested public policies - Essay Example Hence, it is certainly inevitable that a subsidized public housing program will bear significant effects on households, the economy, and society (Feng 2010, p. 3). The account of subsidized housing policy in Hong Kong has witnessed multiple twists and turns over the decades with divergent outcomes. Frequently, the changes brought unanticipated consequences with some leading to disastrous consequences. Some of the core problems detail that property tenure and occupancy rights in Hong Kong remain erratic in which there are four critical categories of housing tenure; private sector owner occupiers, private sector renters, subsidized public tenants, and subsidized public sector owner occupiers (Lam 2000, p.397). The Hong Kong economy is credited for its legendary resilience since, despite several momentous setbacks such as Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), incidents of financial and banking rises, and significant oil crises, the Hong Kong economy has remained fairly stab le with no registered negative economic growth (Lam 2000, p.398). However, the financial crises of the 1997 and 2008 had a negative impact on housing and led to a substantial industry’s downturn. ... In April 1954, the government established a semi-independent body, Hong Kong Housing Authority, to render long-term improvements in the living environment, especially for the low income families. The initial low cost housing was constructed in 1958, in North Point and featured independent facilities (Yung 2008, p.6). This marked the earliest form of Resettlement Building with a total of 11,000 units of public rental housing built from 1958-1968 by the society. 1970-1985 In Oct 1972, the government announced an ambitious housing program to avail decent living accommodation to close to 1.8 million citizens in one decade. Starting from 1978, Housing Authority launched several schemes including Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Private Participation Scheme (PSPS), plus other loan schemes. From 1973 to 1982, close to 220,000 flats were constructed (encompassing HOS and PSPS), which housed close to 1 million people (Keung 1985, p.24). 1985-2000 In 1987, the launch of Long Term Housing Strategy p ursued in aid all the families to acquire suitable and affordable housing. The emphasis in this case changed from the provision of public rental units to sponsorship of homeownership among citizens as part of long-term solutions of housing problem. The strategy speeded up the expansion of HOS and PSPS and facilitated enhanced utilization of a private developer’s resources, besides the introduction of Home Purchase Loan Scheme (Yung 2008, p.7). In the Ten-year Housing Plan, (1997-2006), the housing authority oversaw the construction of more than 85,000 flats per year with public housing flats accounting for 50,000 flats. From 1997, families living in public rental

Raymond Briggs Essay Example for Free

Raymond Briggs Essay During the 1980s there was fear of a nuclear attack. Mass protests were held in order to prevent nuclear armament. Many politicians gave formal sermons to the public, warning them of the threat of nuclear war and the effects of the bombs. However, Raymond Briggs uses cartoon books and film to illustrate the serious message, making it more interesting, so more people take notice of it. When the Wind Blows follows the lives of a conventional, elderly couple in the countryside. Their names are Jim and Hilda Bloggs. The name Bloggs shows that they are very ordinary and could represent anybody. The first section of the cartoon strip shows the idyllic countryside in which the couple live. There are fluffy clouds in the sky, but at the same time these clouds are very ominous, as we later find out. These clouds soon become mushroom clouds after the bomb hits. There are bright colours filling the pages making their lives seem cheerful. The windmills in the background generate wind using the latest technology, however, this technology is what creates the bomb. Jim reads the newspaper when he arrives home and we realise that the lives shown in the newspaper are so very different compared to his and his wifes simple lives. My life isnt very fast-moving or dynamic. Jim always tries to sound intelligent but gets things wrong constantly. This makes us feel terrible pity for Jim because he is so hopeless. On the video, Jim squints quite often and Hilda always hobbles. This shows their vulnerability. The simplicity of the illustrations of Jim and Hilda is a reflection of their characters. The couple seem very warm and kind because of their round bodies. They both have rosy cheeks giving them a plump and healthy appearance as well. The endearing name, Ducks, that Jim has for Hilda adds to their innocence. Jim and Hilda trust the government completely and think that without the official leaflets theyd have been totally non-prepared. However, we know that the leaflets are just there to comfort the people, because no one can escape the radiation sickness after a nuclear bomb explosion. Their naivety shows when they seem to think that there is going to be a war and not a nuclear bomb. I can soon touch it in after The Bombs gone off. There is some irony in their comments because, after the supposed war, they will be wiped out. During the build-up to the bomb, the lullaby Rock a Bye Baby plays in the background. This gives the story its title. The irony here is that, when the bomb hits, hot winds will sweep over the countryside causing mass destruction. Lullabies are usually sung to children so it makes the couple again seem innocent and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve. We feel even more sympathy for Jim and Hilda when they look back at the community spirit of World War Two with nostalgia. They never seem to see the grim reality of what is happening to them. As the bomb hits, all the audience and reader can see is a bright white light. This represents the total obliteration that the bomb causes. The colours outside change from cheerful colours to ones of luridness. While Jim is reading out names of political organisations, there are strong drumbeats playing in the background, giving a threatening sense. The drums beats get louder, drowning out Jims voice, showing the nuclear war as being more important. Flashes of real-life footage also add to the threatening atmosphere and show the reality of what is happening. The names of organisations flash onto the screen then they fall apart and become distorted. This reflects Jims thoughts of the names. They mean nothing to him and, as far as he is concerned, they are just letters. The fact that they all fall apart shows that there is no safety, even from organisations set up to protect people. After the explosion, we see the inevitable 0death of Jim and Hilda. Bags start to appear round their eyes, Hildas ankles start to sag and her hair falls out. This is a very moving build-up to their death, as it shows the awful reality of the bomb. The couple have hardly any food to eat, but manage to find one fruit pastille. Their true love for each other is shown here as they cut the pastille in half, making it fair. During the aftermath of the bomb, both Hilda and Jim have fantasies. We feel sympathy for them here because their childish fantasies make them seem innocent. As the glass shatters, Hilda sees her past in the pieces of glass, which is shattered before her very eyes. This gives her character a past so we feel great pity on her, because we know she is going to die. It also seems like her life flashing before her eyes, something which people associate with the arrival of death. In both the film and book, the death of Jim and Hilda is not shown. In the book the last pages are brown, showing no hope for the couple, whereas in the film version, there is a close-up of the bunker and it rises into the sky, appearing as the sun. This gives a sense of hope, because it shows that Jim and Hilda have gone to heaven. I think that the way Raymond Briggs has used the cartoon book genre to convey a serious message works really well. It is very moving and rouses the sympathy of both reader and audience.

Environmental Protection Agency and Texas

Environmental Protection Agency and Texas The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is a federal agency charged with monitoring and maintaining a healthy environment in America. Many credit U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson with spurring interest in the environmental movement, he created Earth Day in the spring of 1970 which led to the creation of the EPA in December of that year. The EPA monitors a huge array of environmental issues in America. The agency scrutinizes everything from the fuel standards to mercury levels in lakes and landfill regulations. Natural resource programs were established in Texas at the turn of the 20th century, motivated initially by concerns over the management of water resources and water rights. In parallel with developments in the rest of the nation, and at the federal level, state natural-resource efforts broadened at mid-century to include the protection of air and water resources, and later to the regulation of generating hazardous and non-hazardous waste. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality strives to protect our states public health and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development. Their goal is clean air, clean water, and the safe management of waste. TCEQ for short, essentially is Texass version of the EPA. Texas has had a rough relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency. Texas legislators and business owners have refused EPA monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and air permit requirements in the state. Reasons for this vary and include claims of states rights and rejection of EPA rulings on the dangers of six greenhouse gases. In May 2011, the Texas House passed a measure asking federal legislators to prevent the EPA from regulating emissions in the state under the Clean Air Act. The state lost similar legal battles in 2010 and 2011. The state has spent approximately $1.4 million on the cases so far, chiefly centered on air quality and climate issues that it says are intended to protect public health. The EPA has five main goals: Addressing climate change and improving air quality, Protecting Americas waters, cleaning up communities and advancing sustainable development, ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution, and protecting human health and the environment by enforcing laws and assuring compliance. Air pollution, one of the EPAs main concerns, comes from many different sources: stationary sources such as factories, power plants, and smelters and smaller sources such as dry cleaners and degreasing operations; mobile sources such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains; and naturally occurring sources such as windblown dust, and volcanic eruptions, all contribute to air pollution. The Clean Air Act establishes a number of permitting programs designed to carry out the goals of the act. Some of these programs are directly implemented by EPAs South Central Region also known as Region 6, but most are carried out by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Air Quality can be affected in many ways by the pollution emitted from these sources. These pollution sources can also emit a wide variety of pollutants. The number one air pollutant is Carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide or CO is a colorless, odorless gas formed by the incomplete reaction of air with fuel. CO pollution occurs primarily from emissions produced by fossil fuel powered engines, including motor vehicles and non-road engines and vehicles. Higher levels of CO generally occur in areas with heavy traffic congestion. Other sources of CO emissions include industrial processes, residential wood burning, and natural sources such as forest fires. Oil and gas facilities in Texas released more than 20 million pounds of illegal sulfur dioxide emissions, which contribute to smog and acidification of water and soil, during breakdowns and maintenance activities in 2014 and 68 million pounds in 2015. The states enforcement of air pollution limits in permits has been poor. When Texas does impose penalties for violations, the fines are often small in comparison to the cost to public health and the profits generated by the industry. Another main pollution concern is water. Texas is the second-biggest water polluter in the country, in terms of pounds released. But when the toxicity of the pollution is factored in, Texas jumps to the top of the list. The top overall water polluter in Texas was the Pilgrims Pride chicken-processing plant in Mount Pleasant, which in 2012 dumped 2.8 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the Tankersley River in Northeast Texas. Working on these issues in Texas isnt easy, with powerful polluter lobbies that are used to getting what they want from state legislators and regulators. The only feasible way to promote solutions to the government and win is by forming an organization. Starting small and then expanding by getting more and more concerned citizens involved would go a long way. The organization would have to build traction and earn its place amongst the large companies and government agencies. The citizens, once organized into a force could boycott companies not in compliance wi th EPA or the communitys standards, sue large corporations for any number of shortcomings, and in short make change happen. The people hold more power together than they ever do individually and it will take cooperation on an extraordinary scale for such an idea to exist. There are five main U.S. environmental laws. These include the Clean Air Act which divides the country into air quality regions and sets goals for the concentration of various pollutants in the air. After that is the Clean Water Act, its goals are to eliminate discharge of all pollutants and to restore and maintain the quality of the nations waters so they are fishable and swimmable. Another is the Safe Drinking Water Act which is in place to ensure water is consumable and looks clean. The SDWA also protects the quality of underground water sources. Next comes the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act which manages the generation, storage, transport, treatment and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes from operating facilities, and minimize waste disposal to land. Finally, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act covers the clean-up of abandoned hazardous waste sites and spills, and provides for community right-to-know of industrial waste management practices. Texas is usually going head to head with the Environmental Protection Agency arguing over a regulation of some manner. The EPA usually is the winner in these arguments from limits on greenhouse gas emissions to restrictions on air pollution that crosses state lines. During the Obama administration Texas, has sued the EPA and the federal government more than 50 times over environmental concerns. These lawsuits seem petty and wasteful of tax payers money to some. While others are glad that Texas is still up for sticking it to big government and making sure that they are not over reaching on boundaries trying to use powers that congress has not given them. Texas is continuously in court with the EPA because the EPA is encroaching on Texass management of air quality standards. The EPA is only doing so because Texas is doing the bare minimum to reduce pollution. It is doing what is required within the regulations so that it remains in compliance with the acts. However, it is still so litt le that then the EPA has to try and force Texas to do more than just the bare minimum and that invokes a lawsuit because they do not have jurisdiction to do such a thing. It is asinine and a poor representation of what our state government is capable of but with all of the major corporations backing the state Texas will continue in this manner. Congress would need to amend the acts to give the EPA more power in the matter. This however, is unlikely because that would-be encroachment on states rights. The fact of the matter is the Texas Government does not want to do it so therefore it will do everything in its power not to. Unless a major power switch were to occur or perhaps a major push via the citizens of Texas this charade will continue. It all amounts to unnecessary spending just to allow big business freedom to do as it wishes at the cost of the populations health and in increase in their wallet size. Texas would much rather figure out its environmental issues on its own. A state set in its ways, it is not about to let the federal government have compete dictation over any of its policies. Beneficial or not Texas will conduct itself as it sees fit. Interference or forced control will meet opposition immediately at no consideration of expense. The wins Texas has acquired against the federal government has made it proud even though the losses fairly outweigh them. Texas may never agree with EPA on its regulations but the choices made by Texas now will largely effect environmental consequences for years to come. Works Cited Dawson, B. (2010, August 5). Texas officials say they wont implement EPAs climate rules. Retrieved from Texas Climate News: http://texasclimatenews.org/?p=357 EPA in Texas. (2016, December 23). Retrieved from EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/tx%20 Everything You Need to Know About the EPA. (2017). Retrieved from StateImpact: https://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/tag/epa/ History of the TCEQ and Its Predecessor Agencies. (2016, January 26). Retrieved from Texas Commision On Environmental Quality: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/about/tceqhistory.html Satija, N. (2014, April 29). Supreme Courts Air Pollution Ruling Goes Against Texas. Retrieved from The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2014/04/29/texas-loses-fight-against-epa-air-pollution-rule/ Satija, N., Carbonell, L., McCrimmon, R. (2017, January 17). Texas vs. the Feds A Look at the Lawsuits. Retrieved from The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/17/texas-federal-government-lawsuits/ The States Water by Region . (n.d.). Retrieved from Texas Parks Wildlife: http://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/regions/

Gender and Power in The Arabian Nights Essay -- The 1001 Arabian Night

Gender and Power in The Arabian Nights Works Cited Not Included Contemplating the relationship between gender and power, one undoubtedly notices that tradition regards men as the holders of official office and power. Historically, men have also always been the leaders of their families, and turned to in times of trouble or need. Making generalizations is normally a weak approach to any task; in this case however, it is necessary to do so in order to illustrate how drastically opposite the situations prove in various selections from "1001 Arabian Nights." Rather than men taking critical roles of power, the women characters, especially at crucial moments in the plot, empower themselves far beyond the male figures, and, consequently, prove much more important to their respective plots. The stories offer a different perspective on the gender-power relationship and, consequently, ask readers to reconsider their notions of the traditional relationship between gender and power. In "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp", Aladdin's character is that of a lazy vagabond lacking motivation to pursue anything in life. In fact, Aladdin's idleness is so grave that he causes his own father's death. The gender-power relationship is introduced almost immediately with Aladdin's father's death; because of the death, Aladdin's mother is forced to provide for the family and care for her only child. Traditionally, the father in a family has been the one to work, while the mother cared for the children. Thus, Aladdin's mother is empowered almost immediately in the story as she is forced to take on both the role of matriarch and patriarch. Aladdin's mother is again empowered by her desire to help her pathetically useless son. Aladdin, who "fell helplessly ... ...tory, and indeed has more impact on the story than any of the men. Through her striking empowerment, Scheherazade even saves her own life, as well as those of any other virgins the king may have taken. Ultimately, the stories of "1001 Arabian Nights" indeed leave readers no choice but to re-evaluate their classic perceptions of the gender-power relationship. In the stories discussed above, there is simply no question that the action of the stories and the important moments in each revolve entirely around the women. Those who regarded the gender-power relationship as a non-issue must now think again. It is difficult to disprove a widely spread notion such as the one at hand here, but one can always try. It seems clear, however, through these examples, that perhaps classic perceptions that the male is more powerful than the female really should be reconsidered.

Socio-Cultural Influences on Sexuality

â€Å"Sexuality is an important part of our lives†(King, 2012, p.1), and a reoccurring theme throughout our development. The role that sexuality plays in each of our lives is so important that we see its influence through multiple sources in life, including media and social culture. No matter where you look in society some sort of sexuality is present; whether walking in the mall, observing the family life, or watching teens socialize. What is it though that makes a sexually relationship healthy? Is it attraction, intimacy, love, or interactions with each other? Through this paper we will discuss all the aspects of socio-cultural influences on sexuality, as well as the healthy relationship. It was Rathus (1993) who told us â€Å"human sexuality is the way in which we experience and express ourselves as sexual beings.† It only makes sense that through our environment we learn what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior, even when talking about sex. History is flourished with studies on the affects of sexual experiences, and cultural influences. It was Freud who taught us that we begin our exploration of sex at an early age through psuedosexual stages (Rana, 1977). His second essay on Infantile Sexuality discussed the early childhood stages and perversions that affect all.(Rana, 1977) During this controversial time it is the parents who show young children how to act. Therefore, in a family that hugs and touches each other lovingly we should expect to see the children to do so as well. Children are known for mimicking or â€Å"parroting † behavior in which they attempt to learn the societal norms. With this as the basis of a child's development as a sexual being they should be off to a good start. Media Motivators and Sexual Education Unfortunately, parents are not the only influence on a child's development in sexuality. From magazine articles to movies we are surrounded by relationships, some are healthy and some are not. Sex†¦it sells! Or so the media likes to tell us. They post beautiful women half naked on every magazine add, television show, or movie; but it is not just the men who are targeted by such adds. Young girls want to be these women, because they are popular and what society tells us is beautiful. The headlines associated with these beautiful photos read â€Å"How to Make Him Want More Sex†Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"How to Make Him Orgasm†Ã¢â‚¬ , and lets not forget â€Å"A Newer, Sexier You for the New Year†.† Is this really how we want our children to learn about sex? Unfortunately, within American culture we see girls younger and younger having children, indicating sexual behavior before marriage. From these indications it is clear that media has the primary influence of sexual culture. Schools offer sexual education often at the young age of middle school in order to assist parents with this large task to right media's wrongs. Although schools focus their education on abstinence rather the safe sex and sexual diseases, some education is better then none or so they tell us. Smith et al.(2003, para 4) results showed that children's knowledge of sexual risks was low, especially in areas of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. A sexual risk that controversially has received no attention is the psychological risk that sex can have on one. Without a healthy relationship a person often is left with guilty feelings, regret, and low self worth. This is definitely not the message portrayed through magazine articles. According to Okazaki (Feb. 2002, para 1), the Asian American population is not influenced highly by media motivators. Through her study of this ethnic group she found that because the Asian American population is characterized primarily through their cultural characteristics based on family, collective goals of individual wishes, emphasis on propriety and social codes; sex is reserved for marriage. Through their influences based on modesty there is an exceptional difference in premarital sex. However, her results also show that the more the Asian American culture comes acclimated to our society the more sexual behavior they exhibit. Sexual Gender Theories and Gender Roles Many of the sexual influenced are biased toward gender roles, a set of culturally specific norms concerning expected behaviors and attitudes based on sexual identity of male or female (King, 2012, p. 198). As Okazaki pointed out, in Asian American culture it is still viewed as acceptable for those of the male gender to experiment sexually before marriage, but females are considered delicate flowers not allowed to completely bloomed until matched in a marital pair (2002, para 2). Within the American culture our roles have relaxed some to allow females to experiment, but not until they are a ripe legal age. We allow our men to experiment early through touch (masturbation) and view it as acceptable, yet when little girls play with their bodies it nearly devastates us. Through our harsh reactions we teach the young to feel guilty and wrong about sexual explorations. Many gender roles of our time allow women to work and seek education before or during their motherhood years; changes from our earlier history of the American women. Although a woman may take on these â€Å"extracurricular activities† they are still expected to carry on the traditional chores of housework and child rearing. Men have less responsibility to be the primary breadwinner, yet this is traditionally still their main societal focus. Smith et al. (2003, para 4) research transcripts also put light to the different sexual roles for males and females. It showed females should be more culturally restrained, and males as less abstinent. Both sexes adolescents had strong views towards family importance in the influence of sexual behavior, something congruent across cultural barriers. Part of these gender roles associated with sex pertains to the two gender theories. The first gender theory is that of the sociocultural theory in which the differences are based on the culture in which they are raised; something that we discussed throughout the previous paragraphs. The evolutionary role puts the behavioral difference based on the pressures each sex deals with daily. For women it is that sex is for reproduction, so they seek out the optimal mate in which to love and settle down with. For men it is the attraction, risk taking, and competitiveness that draw them towards multiple mates. In this theory we see more of a discussion on the relationship view of sex, in which we discuss love, attraction, and intimacy. Young women are given pretty pictures of love associated with sex and happy ever after; however, as adults through experience we learn this is not the truth. Healthy relationships are those in which we can say at the end of the day that all experiences including sexual ones are positive (King, 2012, p. 298), this should be the thought we teach our adolescents. Sexual Dysfunction and Commercialized Sex Wilhelm Reich (Demeo, 1998, para 2) believed and proved that emotions and sexuality were directly related, and that there was energy in the libido. His work proved not only that the energy existed but also that sexual dysfunction was a product of emotional detachment due to traumatic event in ones life. Essentially Reich was able to correlate how emotions could play into ones sexual disorder and relate that to sexual crimes. He brought the study of sexual humanity to light, and sought to assist in curing those with sexual ailments. These were important advancements in the study of socio-cultural influences on sexuality as they began to show how our upbringing could negatively affect our sexual views and society. Over time our society has set to life rules and laws against sexually lude behavior, in which we could negatively influence the young. Some of these laws involved diminishing prostitution, limiting access to pornographic materials, and eliminate sex trafficking. From what we do, so shall our children do (author unknown). It is evident that adolescents seek to mimic the actions they see as popular. Movies, television, and magazines teach us to go forth into sexual exploration, and not to worry. The truth is a different story, and so our society must realize the need for change. We must foster education, modesty, and healthy sexual relationships in order to teach younger generations the impact of sexual interactions. We have the option as a society full of culture to choose whether we want generations of sexual dysfunction and violence, or love and sex.

George’s first diary Essay

We’re here now, at the ranch. Our new home, for the time being anyway, until Lennie messes up again! He’s always messing up, losing us our jobs! Stay here, and save the money here instead of always being on the run. He made us lose our last job. That’s why we had to leave. You see, Lennie loves soft things; he loves to stroke them and hold them. One day he saw a girl with a soft dress on. Of course, the first thing Lennie does is touch it. The girl doesn’t realise how stupid he is, (and simple) and thinks he’s going to rape her and she screams. Lennie, being the idiot that he is just holds on and rips the dress! So, that leads to us being chased by a lot of angry people! Now we have to start all over again. If only he weren’t with me. Aw hell, I can’t say that. He’d die without me. And I don’t reckon I’d be doing that great without him either. Who would I have to talk to? Well anyway, on the way to the ranch, the bus driver, being a lazy bastard, wouldn’t take us all the way. We didn’t want to walk all night so we stayed in the brush until morning. It was just a little clearing in the woods with a stream running through it. I told Lennie that if he got in trouble he should come there. Its safe and hidden away so I could easily find him! But if it comes to that, if he messes up again. I’ll kill him, I’m sure I will. I’ve had my full of him and I don’t think I have much patience left! Oh yeah, he made me tell him yet again about the house we’re gonna get. Him and his rabbits. He always makes me remind him about our house and his damned rabbits! I love thinking about what our life will be like too when we get the house but he drives me crazy, having to remind him every two seconds. The thing I’m most looking forward to is not being told what to do. Being my own boss! I can’t wait. We met our workmates today. They seem okay. We got a nigger working with us too. Haven’t met him yet. There’s a guy called Candy. He’s pretty old and a right gossip. Seems nice enough though! The boss seems okay too. Candy says he’s real generous! Though how much I can trust what he says, I don’t know! Curley the boss’s son, on the other hand, he’s horrible. Reminds me of a troublemaker and all the other workers seem to agree! He took one look at us, especially Lennie and started to make trouble. I don’t like the look of him, I just don’t know what I’m gonna do if he starts any trouble. Lennie’s dangerous. This Curley’s married too. Met his wife! A right piece of jailbait if ever I seen one! Lennie liked her. I’ll have to make sure he stays right out her way. She gonna cause us trouble otherwise, I can feel it. Met Slim too. Hell of a nice guy, he is. Seems well respected too. Real nice. I do like having nice workmates but it is worrying, knowing that there’s an evil bastard lurking ’round too! I’ve a bad feeling ’bout Curley, its real bad. George Georges second diary Dear Diary, What a heck of a day! It started off so well. I knew that Curley would be trouble, I said it. He ruined what could’ve been a good day. Started off well. Got to know Slim a little, or, well, he got to know me better. There must be something good about Slim, I must have sensed it ‘coz I told him things ’bout Weed and ’bout the house we’re saving for. He understood Lennie didn’t mean no harm in Weed. He’s fair and knows a ‘nice fella’ when he meets one. He also has a dog. It had pups so I got one for Lennie. Aw, he was so pleased. Petting it and hugging it. I’m a bit worried that he’s gonna pet it too much. Lennie just don’t know his own strength Goddamn it! I felt so sorry for Candy today. You see, he’s got a dog too, but his is old and tired. It’s like Candy’s best friend. Well, Carlson started complaining about the smell of him (the dog) then started talkin’ ’bout shooting him, putting him out of his misery he said. I suppose I agreed at the time but seeing Candy’s face was enough to change anyone’s mind. Slim suggested he have one of the puppies but I’m not sure whether he decided to. Well anyways, Lennie and I thought we were the only ones in the bunkhouse, where we sleep. The others went off to see Curley have a pop at Slim; he thought his wife was with him. I notice he never seems to be able to find her, though she’s always lookin’ for him. So Lennie and I get talking ’bout our house we’re saving for. What we didn’t know was that Candy was there too! Well, I was a bit wary at first. Worried that he would tell the others but then he decided that he wanted to be part of it. Even said he’d put up over half the money we needed! It was great. In a matter of minutes we went from just talking about it, to it being a fast-coming reality! I told him to keep it to himself for the time being until we were ready. It was so exciting. Then, in come Curley and the others and Curley’s ready for a fight. Slim was shouting at him of sleeping with his wife. Anyways, dopey old Lennie’s still sitting there smiling away to himself about the thought of his rabbits, and Curley notices and thinks he’s mocking him and of course picks a fight. He starts punching poor Lennie, and Lennie having listened real hard to what I told him was not fighting back! After a while, I told Lennie to fight back. I couldn’t bear it. He was just yelping like a dog. Anyways, he got scared and just held on tightly to the closest thing at hand, Curley’s fist. He just wouldn’t let go. It was bleeding and everything. We got him off in the end and blackmailed Curley to say he got it caught in a machine. I don’t like this place. It smells of trouble. I can tell. George Crook’s diary Dear Diary, Here I am. Just another day of either being ignored or picked on ‘coz of me being a Negro. I hate this. Day in day out. It’s not fair the way I’m ignored. The others say I smell but I wash more than they all do. My back hurts too. Its seems like its getting worse every day. The liniment don’t seem to be much use either. They call me Crooks too. That ain’t my name. It’s not what my mother gave me and I don’t like it. I can’t say nothing though, I’m just a nigger they keep tellin’ me. I gots a room to myself and I have no one to talk to or play cards with. I’m not even allowed to borrow their cards to play solitaire. It smells in my room. All the shit is kept just under my window and on those hot days, the steam rises into my room and rests on my sheets ready to smother me as I go to sleep. I got another tellin’ off today too. Curley’s hand got hurt in a machine and the boss o’ course blames me. Likes I did it! Not that I wouldn’t mind ruffin’ him a little. He’s a nasty asshole and needs to be brought down a bit. I’d get hung if I did it so I s’pose I better leave to the white men! They all gone to the town today. Their regular Cathouse visit. I’d never be allowed in one of those, at least I don’t reckon I would. They never asked me to go with ’em so I never went. Just in me room, on me lonesome, rubbing me back†¦.. †¦.. Lennie and Candy jus’ been in here! I was a bit funny at first ‘coz I thought Lennie was coming for trouble but no, he said the others had gone and he had jus’ been with his pup. Him and his pup! Oh boy. He loves it so much but he’s not careful. Those big hands o’ his are likely to break that pup one day if he ain’t careful. Anyways, I said he could come in and we got to talking a little. He’s a bit slow. He don’t remember anything you tell him. Just talks ’bout George and his rabbits he’s gonna get when they get a house. He’s all set on getting a house. He wants to tend rabbits! Whenever the subject changed to something other than those rabbits, he went straight back to ’em like we’d been talking ’bout ’em all the time! He’s awful fond o’ that George one. I just said one tiny little thing ’bout George not coming back from town and he went mad. Like I jus’ told him someone had died or something. It took a while to calm him down. Then, Candy comes in too. He’s by my room and I ask him what he wants. I thought he may o’ been wanting to talk too but he was just looking for Lennie. He came in too, though. They talked to each other most but it was nice them just being there. Well, they were talking ’bout their house. Candy was gonna go there too. I thought that I’d ask if I could help. They wouldn’t have to pay me o’ course, just put me up, but before they could answer that bitch walked in. She’s trouble if ever I did see it. She asking ’bout Curley and where he’s at but she knows where! I don’t understand these white folk. Talk about them being so educated and well learned and they ask such stupid questions! Anyways, I asked her to go away real politely mind, the same way any of the boys round here say it when they know she’s looking for trouble. She does her nut and starts yelling ’bout needing people to talk to too! Then she starts telling me she’s gonna tell the boss I been doing bad things and get me strung up. I don’t want to be strung up so I shut up. Candy was nice though. He told her that if she did that he would stick up for me. I ain’t ever known anyone to stick up for me before. Candy then said, when she’d gone, that the boys were coming back. I told ’em they better go. I didn’t want all of those white fellas thinking they can bother me when they like. I gotta have some rights even if I don’t like ’em. I dunno. It’s been a funny day that’s all. I better get back to my liniment. That back o’ mine is just murder. Georges last diary Dear diary, This has been the worst day I’ve ever had and I don’t think I’m’ a ever gonna have a worser one. I had to do it. It weren’t nothing evil. I di’nt wanna hurt him. He was my only friend, more like family and I feel jus’ awful. If you coulda seen her, what he did. If only you coulda seen the other option he woulda had. Curley’s evil way. I suppose I woulda done the same in his place but Lennie di’nt do no harm. At least he never meant none. I feel awful, just awful. He never meant no harm. They may o’ been nice? No, that’s stupid talk. Tha’s the kinda thing Lennie woulda said! He’s a crazy bastard. I mean he was. Oh I feel awful. What will I do now? What can I do? I s’pose the only thing to do is to spend my money the way anyone else would, if they di’nt have a Lennie with ’em. We were just having a game o’ horseshoe. Lennie was in the barn with that damn pup I reckon. I’d left him in the bunkhouse but he ended up there. Anyways, we were all playing and I had no thought to what he was doing. The next thing I knew, Candy was looking all pale and calling me over to the barn. For a second I thought she was just resting. It was the look on Candy’s face that made me guess. I knew what he was thinking and I knew he was right. She was lying there, that good for nothing piece of jailbait, her neck all twisted and face down in the straw. Lennie did it. Crazy bastard. I knew he was the only one, but to think of it was killing me from the inside. I ain’t never felt that before. I suppose in the back of my mind, I always knew he would go too far, that he wasn’t safe and should not o’ been left alone. But I di’nt wanna think like that. Now I had to. From that moment I knew what I had to do and just set about doing it. I knew that I had to get to him before them. I told Candy to make out I never saw this and tell the others and then fetch me. I had to go to the bunkhouse and get Carlson’s Luger. I wasn’t completely sure why first but I realised when I saw him. Candy said he’d do that and I ran out. Next time I saw her ever’ one was there too blaming Lennie for ever’ thing. Curley was shook up and was ready to explode. He scared me looking like that but I had to keep my cool. I had to make it like I was on their side, out to kill for murder. That word sends shivers down me and I know I done it too now. Lennie always said we were the same. All of them ran to get guns to help out Curley. Two-faced that’s what they are. One minute they’re complaining about him and the next they are trying to be his best friend betraying their true friend. Oh I can’t blame ’em really if it weren’t Lennie I reckon I woulda done it too. Anyway Carlson never found his gun. They all thought Lennie had it. Only I knew that Lennie wasn’t so clever to think forward like that! Slim knew what I was doing though. He knew well enough. His face said he knew and was ready to do what he knew was best. I sent Curley in the other direction to where I knew Lennie was. He woulda gone to the brush like I told him too. He always tried to do what I told him. I ran off and found him straight. He was sitting there by the river and was talking to something. He kept saying sorry: Saying he knew I would look after him. He made me tell him about our house for what was to be the last time. I mentioned it, and, he heard it. I told him not to look at me. I was trying to be a man but I couldn’t control my eyes. I was shaking too. I don’t want to write his last moments. I don’t want to have this later and be reminded of the moment my life as I knew it ended. I want to remember Lennie as the Lennie I knew. Not the one I saw moments later. That Lennie will go from me. If I still believed in God (a part of me that was there but now has gone) I would pray to ask Lennie to forgive me but I know that he cannot be in my life because he let this happen. If Lennie was ever here and I could talk to him once more, I’d tell him that I didn’t mean what I said about not wanting him there. That now he isn’t, I feel lost. And last, that he was my friend; my best friend and I wish he was still here.