Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Pamphlet, Common Sense, By Thomas Paine - 1317 Words

The pamphlet, Common Sense, was published in January of 1776 by Thomas Paine. This pamphlet inspired the citizens of the British colonies, in America, to rise up, declare, and fight for their independence from the tyranny of the British monarchy. Paine made his pamphlet accessible to as many people of the colonies as possible so to spread the word and the people took notice. Paine’s pamphlet was being read everywhere such as bars and public sites. To not hear the words of Thomas Paine in the months preceding July 1776 would have been nearly impossible. George Washington even read the words aloud to his men. This work was the single most important document of the pre-revolutionary era. Common Sense gave the American colonists a valid argument to gain their freedom from the British during a very tumultuous time in American history. The main question of the times was whether or not the colonists should rise up and revolt against their ruling nation! This is far and away s omething that no one alive since then in America could even fathom having to do. These people felt so oppressed that they wanted to overthrow the government, and Thomas Paine’s pamphlet helped them reach an easier decision. Thomas Paine believed that government was a necessary evil that had to occur because of the ill morality of man. He believed that the society brought about all of the positive and beautiful things in man. Paine made it easier for people to understand what he was talking about byShow MoreRelatedThomas Paine and the Pamphlet Common Sense814 Words   |  3 PagesThomas Paine was responsible for some of the most influential works of the revolution. Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense was a very crucial part to America and its movement of independence from Britain. Paine was effective with his writings by being very plain. He wanted both farmers and officials to understand what he was talking about and be able to comprehend his ideas. Paine wanted to put h is ideas out to the people of the American colonies so that they could understand it just by reading and notRead MoreThomas Paine s Common Sense Pamphlet1719 Words   |  7 Pagesfigure to back their frustrations. Radical journalist and political animal, Thomas Paine, was the first to openly ask for liberty, in the Pennsylvania Magazine. Paine’s ordinary language appealed to the common folk, and allowed them to participate in colonial meetings; Their strength would be dependent on numbers. The published piece gave clear reason for the colonists to fight for their freedom. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense pamphlet asserted purpose to the impending ward on England, and inspired all toRead MoreAnalysis of Thomas Paine ´s Pamphlet, Common Sense846 Words   |  3 PagesCommon Sense Throughout time, events such as wars and assassinations have occurred that people today can describe as â€Å"a turning point in history†. However, not all turning points in history have to be wars, assassinations, etc. In fact, perhaps everybody acknowledges that Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense is a â€Å"turning point in history† because it inspired the United States Revolutionary War. Common Sense, a pamphlet, can be credited as to inciting the American Colonies to revolt against GreatRead MoreMedia in the American Revolution: Thomas Paine and His Famous Pamphlet Common Sense531 Words   |  2 PagesThe writings of Thomas Paine and his famous pamphlet, Common Sense, are viewed by many as having a profound and instrumental part in the ideology supporting the American Revolution. As important as Paines writings were, there were a great many other publications that played a major part in developing and reporting the process that eventually resulted in the Revolution and the ultimate formation of a new government in the former British colonies. To fully understand the nature of the power of theRead MoreThomas Paine s Political Pamphlet925 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Paine’s Political Pamphlet Thomas Paine’s political pamphlet entitled Common Sense was a very inspirational piece of writing. Common Sense stirred the American colonists who were pursuing independence. It was also a persuasive piece of writing for the American colonists who were unsure if they wanted to split their ways with Great Britain, or not. Throughout the political pamphlet Paine argues that the colonist were not dependent on Great Britain. He makes powerful points regarding how theRead MoreThe Document Common Sense By Thomas Paine1714 Words   |  7 Pages The document Common Sense by Thomas Paine was written in 1775, and published in 1776. Though, in order to be shared with the public, Thomas Paine had to be inspired first. Some of the more common inspirations were derived from the ideas of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. The main points of Thomas Paine’s document were to separate from English rule and to form a democratic nation. Some of John Locke’s most common ideas of the human nature were that humans needed independence to thrive, a statementRead MoreCommon Sense by Thomas Paine859 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Common Sense† Common Sense is a pamphlet made in 1775-76 by Thomas Paine. This pamphlet inspired the thirteen colonies to declare war and fight for independence against Great Britain. It was straight forward and told Great Britain exactly the advantages of being independent from them. On January 10, 1776 during the American Revolution, the pamphlet was published and became a huge topic in the community. It was the biggest talk of the colonies. In proportion to the population, the book was the biggestRead MoreThomas Paine s Common Sense Essay813 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Paine began writing Common Sense in late 1775 under the working title of Plain Truth. With Benjamin Rush, who helped him edit it, publish it, and suggested the final title, Paine developed his ideas into a forty-eight page pamphlet. He published Common Sense anonymously because of its treasonable content. Rush recommended the printer Robert Bell, promising Paine that, where other printers might say no because of the content of the pamphlet, Bell would not hesitate nor delay its printing. PaineRead MoreHow Did Thomas Paine Influence The American Revolution795 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Paine was an England born political activist, theorist, philosopher and revolutionary. He was an influential writer of essays and pamphlets. His works included â€Å"The Age of Reason, â€Å"Rights of Man† and the widely known and well accepted â€Å"Common Sense†. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and had a major influence on the American Revolution by helping shape many of the ideas that marked the Age of Revolution. His extremely popular Common Sense pamphlet (which I will be discussingRead MoreCommon Sense By Thomas Paine957 Words   |  4 PagesThe political pamphlet known as Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine in 1776. This pamphlet contributed in promoting the independence of America. In the pamphlet Thomas Paine challenged the American colonists to separate from England an d create a democratic and independent society. Along with challenging the American colonists, he hinted at his own opinions about a democratic government that America should plan towards if they seek to separate from England. Thomas Paine also bluntly proposed

Monday, December 23, 2019

What Is Human Genetic Engineering - 1193 Words

Human genetic engineering is currently a hot topic of discussion in the scientific world. What is human genetic engineering? According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, â€Å"Genetic engineering is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology to alter the genetic makeup of an organism. Traditionally, humans have manipulated genomes indirectly by controlling breeding and selecting offspring with desired traits. Genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of one or more genes. Most often, a gene from another species is added to an organism s genome to give it a desired phenotype.† In other words HGE, is the process of genetically improvising the genes of a human being and selecting desired traits and trying to eliminate certain diseases in utero. The goal is to develop physical characteristics known as the phenotype of the child to what the parents’ desire. This process is very expensive and still in the process of experimental research. This topic is very debatable, due to the fact that there may be a chance for the parent to enhance the child to whatever they may find desirable, and to eliminate diseases. The cons of HGE, includes taking away the autonomy of the child, their natural creation, enhancing the child, lead to eugenics, and lead to social inequality (Seck). Human genetic engineering is immoral and unethical due to the fact that it is taking away from the child’s individuality, it is unnatural, the adverse effects of trying to depleteShow MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering : Medical Perfection Or Playing God1280 Words   |  6 PagesThesis Statement â€Å"Genetic engineering differs from cloning in key ways. Whereas cloning produces genetically exact copies of organisms, genetic engineering refers to processes in which scientists manipulate genes to create purposefully different versions of organisms—and, in some cases, entirely new living things†, duplication of genetic cells is known as human cloning. Development of genetic engineering biotechnologies undermines the natural autonomy of life. Does genetic engineering interfere withRead MoreGenetic Engineering And The Human Existence1193 Words   |  5 Pages Why is genetic engineering crucial to the human existence? Initially, genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the process of manually adding new unique DNA into an organism. The objective is to add one or numerous new traits that are not already constructed in that particular organism. New DNA inserts in the host genome and immediately isolates and replicates the gene of interest by using molecular cloning methods to synthesize a DNA sequence; then inserting this construct intoRead MoreThe Importance Of Genetic Engineering1282 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic engineering is defined as the modification of the characteristics of an organism by altering its genetic material. Although the definition makes it seems clear and concise, it is far more complicated. This new advancement has caused a huge debate over the ethics and laws of what it is able to do. Genetic engineering is immensely important because of the potential benefits it contains and the advances it allows for in the future. The ultimate goal of genetic engineering is to prevent, treatRead MoreDisadvantages Of Genetic Engineering1663 Words   |  7 Pagesinnovations is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the deliberate modification of characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material. it is a set of biotechnologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms. Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine. Genetic engineering can beRead MoreNegative Impact Of Manipulating Human Genetics1453 Words   |  6 PagesManipulating Human Genetics Twenty five years ago Genetic Engineering was a scene from an unrealistic invention on a scene from a science fiction movie. However, recent scientific advancements, genetic engineering, is becoming more of a reality rather than a fantasy. Genetic Engineering was once an actually impractical thought, today it is a prominent issue around the world. The most controversial subject of genetic engineering deals with the impact that manipulation of humans will have onRead MoreThe Controversy Of Genetic Engineering1369 Words   |  6 Pages Genetic Engineering, for most individuals not knowledgeable on the topic, conjures visions of sci-fi movies and humans being grown in a lab far off in the future. What more and more individuals in the early 21st century are coming to realize is that Genetic Engineering has already exceeded our wildest imaginations in a dark corner of a lab, outside of the view of the main stream public. Indeed, in 2017, genetic engineering is in full swing on both plant and animal life. Only from hearingRead MoreHuman Genetic Engineering is Morally Justified Essay811 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative—Human Genetic Engineering is Morally Justified When they are finally attempted†¦genetic manipulations will†¦be done to change a death sentence into a life verdict. In agreeing with this quote by James D. Watson, director of the Human Genome Project, I affirm today’s resolution, Human genetic engineering is morally justified. I will now present a few definitions. Human genetic engineering is the altering, removal, or addition of genes through genetic processes. Moral is pertainingRead MoreDesigner Babies1566 Words   |  7 PagesCritical Review of Designer Babies: The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Author: Siew Yang Yi Yin Ren. Designer Babies: The Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering. MURJ Volume 12, Spring 2005. Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism’s genome through direct human manipulation of the DNA using modern technology. Although classical genetic methods using selective breeding has been done by humans since thousands of years ago, the manipulation of genome of organism through advanceRead MoreEssay about Should Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law?992 Words   |  4 PagesShould Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law? â€Å"Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful† ( Professor George Wald, Noble Prize winning biologist, The Dangers of Genetic Engineeering 1976, p.45) . Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. It uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter theRead MoreEssay on Genetic Engineering is Unethical1154 Words   |  5 Pagesmaking money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful; (Wald 45). These words were spoken by a Nobel Prize winning biologist and Harvard professor, George Wald, in a lecture given in 1976 on the Dangers of Genetic Engineering. This quotation states that incredible inventions, such as genetic engineering, are not always beneficial to society. Genetic engineering is â€Å"altering the genetic material of cells and/or organisms

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Pretty Flacko Nigga Free Essays

The poem â€Å"Hard Rock† by Tethering Knight is a poem that takes place in a prison (or possibly somewhere else like a sporting event, a dining room, etc. But a prison fits the context better). The poem is about a black prisoner that comes back after being in the Hospital for the Criminally Insane. We will write a custom essay sample on Pretty Flacko Nigga or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Inmates are reminiscing on all the crazy stuff Hard Rock used to do that they had always wished they could do. During Hard Rock’s time at the Hospital he had a brain surgery In which they â€Å"cut out part of his brain and shot electricity through the rest. The speaker of the poem Is recalling all the stones of crazy things Hard Rock used to do before he left and telling the listener how much of a bad ass Hard Rock was. The speaker of the poem Is an Inmate at the prison; maybe Hard Rock’s cell mate, friend, or Just someone that knew about him. Who the speaker Is talking to Is unclear though. It Is most likely another Inmate, assuming that the setting is In a prison, however It Is not clear within the poem exactly who the auditor is. The situation of the poem and the whole reason why the speaker is even recalling all of these memories is because it’s been said that Hard Rock is soft now. The â€Å"word† has it that Hard Rock is a shell of what he used to be and will just stand there with a stupid smile on his face when tested. The old Hard Rock didn’t â€Å"take no sit from nobody’ but now the word going around is that the new Hard Rock has been tamed. The tone of this poem begins as inspired and almost proud, like a little brother talking about his cool older brother. The speaker seems to have a lot of respect for Hard Rock. Hard Rock is a hero to the speaker because Hard Rock will act out situations that the speaker could only ever dream of doing; he was their â€Å"destroyer. The tone quickly changes in line 27 to sad, almost nostalgic sounding. The inmates are reliving all of the crazy stuff he did before his surgery. The fact that he has been tamed now leaves the inmates â€Å"crushed† and hopeless. They no longer have someone that will carry out the fantasies they dream of doing, whether it be sticking up for the blacks when the Jail block bully comes around or even beating up a guard. They want to convince themselves that it is all an act, Hard Rock Is a little bit smarter now and is waiting for his opportunities, but they know in their hearts that Hard Rock is no longer the same guy he used to be. The theme of this poem Is about race and what problems black people faced In those times. The poem was published in 1968- the same year that Martin Luther King Jar. Was assassinated. The poem Hard Rock could be a metaphor for timeline of events that happened In the ‘offs. Martin Luther King (Hard Rock) was one of, If not the most, prominent face of the civil rights movement. MILK wouldn’t settle for anything less than what he wanted to see happen and nobody could stand In his way. If someone tried to stop him he would Just keep trucking and fighting for his goal. In the poem, Hard Rock would pummel any and every body In his way, regardless of who they were, similar to how MILK would â€Å"take out† whoever stood in his way. The surgery Hard Rock goes under could be a metaphor for the assassination of MILK. Hard Rock is no longer what he used to be, he can no longer kick ass and take names because he is physically unable to (MILK is physically unable to keep fighting because he is hopeless. They always dreamed of doing the things Hard Rock did but they feel incapable (the black population is shocked and devastated by Milk’s death and feel hopeless and as if they can never achieve what he did). The fears of years, like a biting whip, Had cut grooves too deeply across our backs. † The years and years of slavery, torture and demutualization of black people is too ingrained into the current (sass’s) black population’s minds and they feel as if they are not brave enough, smart enough, or important enough to take a stand and make the kind of changes that MILK had once done. The poem is written in mostly iambic pentameter. Lambs are how people speak in everyday life so with it being written in iambs it makes the poem seem â€Å"regular† and not â€Å"poetic. The poem sounds like a conversation you would hear f you were to listen in on prisoners talking. The dialect of the poem also gives it more of a natural feel. The reader feels as if they’re reading an excerpt from a prison conversation rather than reading a poem. No rhyme scheme is detected in the poem- except for 4 lines. The author adds two couplets in the beginning and the middle of the p oem. He does this to reinforce the point what he is trying to get across within these lines. The break in the normal flow and rhythm of the poem with these couplets grabs the attention of the reader and makes them focus on what the lines have to say. How to cite Pretty Flacko Nigga, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Experiences of Current and Former Members †Assignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Experiences of Current and Former Members. Answer: Introduction: According to the taxation ruling of TR 2010/1 Contribution spilling can be defined as the means of splitting contributions once in a year at the end of the fiscal year and transferring some of the amount to the account of the spouse (Barkoczy 2016). The is generally regarded as one of the useful methods of transferring amount it represents that an individual can be able to create balance amid each partner and can make the use of all the available tax incentives. Contribution splitting allows the members with the facilities of accumulation account in order to split the employer contributions along with some of the personal contributions with their spouse. There are few elements that needs to be considered in splitting the superannuation fund with the spouse that are as follows; Under the preservation age, irrespective of whether they are working or not; Amid the preservation age of 65 or not permanently retired. An individual can split the contributions with the husband, wife or a defacto who is living with them (Woellner et al. 2016). However it is worth mentioning that contributions cannot be split with a spouse who has attained the age of 65 or above. There are certain amount of rules under the contribution splitting schemes which are as follows Contributions that can be split: An individual can transfer the following contributions from their respective account in the account of their spouse which are as follows; 85 per cent of the employee (prior-to tax) contributions 85 per cent of the salary sacrifice (prior-to tax) contributions 85 per cent of the personal contributions for which an individual can claim deductions An important rule to be considered in this case is that contribution splitting can be only implemented for the contributions paid in the superannuation during the present or previous financial year. What contributions can be split? Government co-contributions Any form of investment earnings on the contributions Lump sum amount of transfers from the overseas super funds Any amount of money where an individual can roll over from another super fund Amounts that are subjected to conditions of family law As evident from the present case study it can be stated that Lillian and Boris have a combined sum of $600,000 within their self-managed superannuation fund named LaB SMSF. The maximum amount of before tax contributions Lilian and Boris can split is 85 per cent of the before tax employer and salary sacrifice contributions. The amount of 85 per cent is subjected to concessional contributions made for the financial year. Furthermore, Lillian and Boris will have to leave a minimum amount of $5,000 to be left in their respective account after the split unless they are closing the account entirely (Robin 2017). The minimum amount the couple can split is $5000 and the maximum amount the couple can split is the $510,000. Acquiring a property to rent out is considered as one of the popular forms of investment in Australia (Bird et al. 2016). Houses and units are much easier to understand than several types of investments as where and what Lillian and Boris acquire it will ultimately affect their return on investment. There are certain considerations and implications for making investment in the property. As evident from the present scenario purchasing and managing the property from the Self-managed Superannuation Fund as investment property for Lillian and Boris can be costly and will create an impact on the overall return. For Lillian and Boris some of the costs involved in the property investment comprises of the cost involved in stamp duty, conveyance fees and the legal cost involved in the ownership. Given the fund of $600,000 from their Self-managed Superannuation Fund whey Lillian and Boris own or acquire the property they will be accountable for the ongoing cost such as insurance, body corporat e fees, land tax, property management fees, repairs and maintenance costs. Certain considerations and implications in acquiring the property consist of less volatility of the property than investing in shares or other forms of investment for Lillian and Boris. In addition to this, there are certain considerations such as a large of the property expenditure can be offset against the income for the purpose of tax (Bird et al. 2016). Certain implications on acquiring the property is expenses such as stamp duty, legal fees and fees involved for the real estate agent in making and purchasing the property that will make it very expensive for Lillian and Boris. Implications such as loss resulting from the fall in value of property are generally known as negative equity. If Lillian and Boris continue to lease the commercial premises they must include the full amount of rent they earn in their income tax return. However, an individual can claim deductions for their related expenditure for the period the property is leased or available for lease. Generally Lillian and Boris can claim an immediate deductions for the expenditure related to the management and maintenance of the property. However, Cost incurred for acquisition and disposal of property are generally included in the cost base of the property acquired for the purpose of capital gains tax. Lillian and Boris can gain the access of the superannuation in their SMSF account if they; Reach the age of preservation at least 55 depending on the date of their birth and retire on permanent basis from the workforce Permanently retired if Lillian and Boris have the present intention of never again becoming gainfully employed for a period of 10 hours or more than that each week If Lillian and Boris reach their age of preservation and gain access of their super as the non-commutable pension If they reach the age of 60 and cease employment If they cease employment with the provisional employer and have preserved the benefit which is not more than $200 However, Lillian and Boris are required to meet one of the following early release conditions They are required to pay a release authority from the ATO Turn the age of 55 The maximum amount they can receive from the SMSF funds is $510,000 Tax implication of Lump sum Taxation of Super Lump sums Age Taxable component of taxed element Max rate of Tax 60 years and above Non-assessable non exempt income Preservation age to 59 First $195,000 (low rate of cap) 0% Balance beyond $195,000 (low rate cap) 15% Below the age of preservation Entire Component 20% Tax implications of Income Stream Taxation of Income Stream Benefit Age of deceased during death Type of death Benefit Age of benefit Max rate of Tax Untaxed Element Age 60 years and above Income Stream Any Age 0% NANE Marginal tax rate Less 10% tax offset Below the age of 60 years Income Stream Age 60 and above 0% NANE Marginal tax rate Less 10% tax offset Below the age of 60 years Income Stream Below the age of 60 Marginal tax rate 15% tax offset MTR (no tax offset) Cash flow is regarded as critical due to the fact that the pension payment can only be made in cash. Lump sum payment can be made either in the form of cash or in specie. Irrespective of the type of benefit withdrawals reduces the asset base (Bui, Delpachitra and Kristabela 2016). The laws necessitate the trustee to take into the considerations the liquidity of funds having regard to the anticipated requirement of cash flow. The minimum standards of pension offer the reference point for the necessary amount of cash flow in the SMSF. It is worth mentioning that where the cash flows are secured trustees might be exposed to the short term volatility of the market at the time of cashing benefits so that the trustee can make the necessary yearly pension payments. The couple Lillian and Boris will have sufficient income to service their income as the SMSF cash flows strategy will enable Lillian and Boris to address the key goals which will help them in; Ensuring that the necessary cash flow requirements are met They can invest in the growth assets to increase their balance available at the time of retirement Both Lillian and Boris will be able to exploit the opportunities for growth by controlling the downside risk. Reference List: Barkoczy, S., 2016. Foundations of Taxation Law 2016.OUP Catalogue. Bird, R., Foster, D., Gray, J., Raftery, A.M., Thorp, S. and Yeung, D., 2016. Experiences of Current and Former Members of Self-Managed Superannuation Funds. Bird, R., Foster, D., Gray, J., Raftery, A.M., Thorp, S. and Yeung, D., 2016. Who Starts a Self-Managed Superannuation Fund and Why?. Bui, Y., Delpachitra, S. and Kristabela, S., 2016. Expectations and experiences of self-managed superannuation fund trustees.The Journal of Developing Areas,50(4), pp.459-467. ROBIN, H., 2017.AUSTRALIAN TAXATION LAW 2017. OXFORD University Press. Woellner, R.H., Barkoczy, S., Murphy, S., Evans, C. and Pinto, D., 2016.Australian Taxation Law Select: Legislation and Commentary 2016. Oxford University Press.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Write A Unified Essay About The Way Each Author Portrayed The Devil In

Write a unified essay about the way each author portrayed the devil in "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Use examples from each to establish the controlling idea about how the authors developed the character. Show how each author uses specific literary techniques to develop the character. Red 3 "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "The Devil and Daniel Webster" might share similar titles, but their portrayal of the devil is completely different from the other. In fact, the only significant similarity between these two stories is the title. Of course, there are other details that are similar, but none significant enough to waste printer ink. Each author, Washington Irving and Stephen Ben?t, respectively, portrays the Devil in their own capacity, which makes the two stories even more enjoyable to read. Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker" has the devil as more of a ruthless, "outdoorsy" type creature, while Ben?t's "The Devil and Daniel Webster" shows the devil as a common businessman, more civilized. "The Devil and Tom Walker" takes place during 1727 in the area that is today New England. Irving shows the area as very rural and country-like, and the main character, Tom Walker, is a very poor man, whose lifestyle is the epitome of a rural life. Therefore, the devil must be portrayed as normal in Tom's lifestyle. For while Tom was making his walk through the woods and "Ol' Scratch" was dressed in a pinstriped three-piece suit, he wouldn't fit the part. Therefore, the woodsman style persona of the devil, down to the dark skin and long hair, makes you feel like he is a complete part of Tom's environment. Besides the idea of the setting to bring about the devil, there is also the comparison to Tom himself. Normally, the Devil is shown at a similar level as the protagonist in a devil story. In "The Devil and Tom Walker", Tom is not a very educated man. He doesn't have a job that involves intelligence at first. When we first meet the devil, he is in a murky, swampy area, and talks to To m with a bit of a colloquial drawl. However, when we see the devil again at the end of the story, Tom is a bit more educated through his loan shark dealings, as well as through his extreme perusal of the Bible. When we see the devil now, he is on a long, dark horse, something that is a bit above the level of a murky swamp dweller. The imagery of the devil is a wonderful way that Irving has of making the devil seem so outdoors-like and rural. In making the devil, Irving's use of irony is wonderful, especially in the part where the devil had the names of prominent men engraved on his trees, as well as the part where Tom boldly states, "The devil take me if I have made a farthing!". Overall, Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker" shows the lighter side of the devil. Ben?t's "The Devil and Daniel Webster", however, puts a whole different light on the devil. In this version of man vs. devil, the devil is shown as more of a businessman, rather than as an outdoorsman. His title is changed from "Ol' Scratch" to "Mr. Scratch", his wardrobe changes from dirty rags to briefcase carrying, and his setting and lifestyle change from swamp dweller to urban businessman. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" takes place over one hundred years later, in a pre-Civil War era, ranging from anywhere between 1835-1860. However, it is also taking place in New England, in the now-established state of New Hampshire. The character affiliated with the devil in this story is not Webster himself, but a commoner named Jabez Stone. Stone was a man who was very unlucky and unhappy with the way his life had been turning out so far, so he goes to the devil for help. This time, the devil makes a formal written agreement instead of a handshake, and has all his contracts filed in an orde rly manner. Ben?t makes it seem as though the devil is running a business or performing a profession rather than just doing it for the sole purpose of self-benefit.

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Write a Presentation in Philosophy Easy Guide + 15 Powerful Topics

How to Write a Presentation in Philosophy Easy Guide + 15 Powerful Topics Stuck with your philosophy presentation and need advice? Many students believe that writing and delivering a good philosophy presentation is extremely challenging because writing in philosophy differs from writing in other college courses. They are mistaken. In fact, writing a good philosophy paper is similar to writing an impressive paper in history, literature or economics. Although philosophy papers have their specifics, good writing of any paper is the result of proper training, much practice, and hard work. To help you get started with your writing efforts, here we have gathered a lot of full guides to all writing assignments out there. In this article, we are going to discuss how to write an impressive presentation in philosophy. You will find a brief writing guide and 15 great philosophy presentation topics. What Is a Philosophy Presentation? Let’s start with discussing philosophy presentation specifics. Philosophical presentations are different from presentations in most subjects because you are not supposed to do a research, provide a report on a particular topic, present results of experiments and findings of specific tests or tell about your impressions or personal feelings. Instead, you need to provide a reasoned defense of your thesis statement. That means that you need to convey a specific point and provide justification or grounds to convince your audience to accept it. Generally, your ability to write demonstrates your ability to communicate ideas and provide a logical argument. But when it comes to writing and delivering a presentation in philosophy, you should also demonstrate your ability to think. And the quality of your philosophical writing is the measure of your ability to think clearly, concisely, and in a cohesive manner. Speaking about philosophy, being a good writer is the same as being a good thinker. A good philosophical presentation is clear and makes a logical argument where every sentence contributes to entire paper, providing compelling reasons for other people to accept the writer’s point of view. The goal of a good argument in philosophy is to express and defend true conclusions, clarifying the key reasons that support them and separating claims that fail to do it. That’s why you need to present arguments and critically evaluate them. Besides, your presentation should be well-organized with a clear structure that includes an introduction and a conclusion. And your paper should show your creative thinking – puzzles, interesting questions, innovative examples, rhetorical devices. How to Choose a Topic for a Presentation in Philosophy Choosing a great topic is one of the first things you should consider when working on your presentation and you should approach this important step wisely. Here are some useful tips on how to do it right. Choose a topic that you are interested in – your audience will appreciate your passion during the presentation; Make sure that your presentation topic is broad enough so you will be discussing an important issue. But your topic should be also narrow enough so you will be able to address the issue thoroughly during a short period of time; It’s crucial to understand the limitations of your topic and have a good idea of how much you can accomplish; Try to summarize your argument into a single paragraph. If you can’t do it, your topic is too broad. To help you get started, we offer you 15 awesome Philosophy topics for impressive presentations: Leibniz on Space and Time; Ancient Greek Skepticism; Wittgenstein on the Concept of Language Games; History of Feminist Philosophy; Is Death an Evil? Is Determinism Inherent in Nature? History of the Free Will Problem; Descartes Program of Radical Doubt; Russells Theory of Descriptions and Facts; Are There Absolute Certainties? Is Truth Relative or Absolute? How Does Human Perspective Evolve? Democracy and Its Difficulties; Civil Disobedience; Discuss the Idea of a Universal Language. Structuring a Philosophy Presentation When you have chosen a topic, make sure you clearly understand it and start reading recommended texts and take notes. After that spend some time thinking about the question itself and make sure that everything you have written is relevant to the question. There are two types of philosophy writings – exposition and evaluation but every philosophy presentation should include a clearly articulated thesis. It’s a certain claim that you will argue for. For example, if your presentation on Aristotle theory of ethics is expository, you may simply state your goal: ‘Aristotle supports a virtue theory of morality.’ If your presentation is argumentative, you need to clearly state your position in the philosophical debate: ‘I am going to argue that Aristotle theory of ethics fails because it doesn’t provide an appropriate interpretation of specific moral actions.’ After you have formulated a precise thesis statement, think about the content of your philosophy presentation – in what order you are going to explain different terms and positions, where you are going to present the position and argument of your opponent. Create an outline that will allow you to spot problems in your paper more easily. You may use the following general structure. Introduction Present your topic; State thesis statement that you will defend; Name the key points in your argument that support your thesis or state the issues that you will discuss and briefly outline the roadmap for your argument. Main Body Explain the arguments that you stated in the introduction and support them with citations, paraphrases, and quotes from the text; Critically evaluate the arguments. Conclusion Restate the thesis statement and summarize the basic issues that you have explained in the body and your criticism. Write an Introduction There is no need to make your introduction lengthy. Don’t start it with a general statement that your topic is important and that philosophers have been addressing this question for hundreds of years. Make your introduction as brief as possible. Go directly to your topic and introduce your thesis statement. Explain technical or ambiguous terms that you use in your thesis or in your argument. You can also tell your readers why they should care about the truth of your claim. Briefly outline the argument you are going to provide during the presentation and briefly tell about the argument that you are going to criticize. You may write the introduction using the first person singular: ‘First, I will analyze†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Try to avoid empty or abstract sentences like this one: ‘The paper will then describe an argument which P. provides for his conclusion.’ You’d better briefly state your argument to inform your audience about the subject of your presentation. Write Write Exposition It’s important to explain the whole argument before you start evaluating it. Try to make this part of your philosophy presentation as clear as possible and don’t forget to show logical connections between different points. Remember that an argument is the main goal of your paper so you should focus on it and never skip any steps. If you present any claim that your audience may find doubtful, give them good reasons that will convince them to accept it. Anticipate possible objections and present them to make your argument more compelling. Think about the strongest possible objections to the argument. You should also always present counterarguments and reasons which prove that your argument is true. Present your argument in one paragraph and then start another paragraph with: ‘However, other scholars believe that †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Write an Evaluation If your presentation is devoted to a specific philosophic theory, you need to discuss both its strengths and weaknesses. You need to tell about the strength of the theory, provide the arguments that support the theory and criticize them, and reply to the criticism. When making a critical evaluation of a philosopher’s position or theory, you can criticize their argument on the basis of 4 criteria: Lack of clarity in the author’s reasoning; Reasons that support the conclusion are false; The author provides reasons which don’t support his conclusion; The author doesn’t give implications of the reasoning. You can also compare 2 or more theories. In such papers, your thesis could be that one point of view is better than the other or that neither of them is clearly stronger. You may argue that every position has its own strengths and weaknesses. Write a Conclusion Your conclusion should briefly summarize the results of your arguments. Don’t speak about new issues or new criticism. Think about finding an innovative way to wrap up your presentations. Sometimes, you need to say that problems still remain. For example, it would be better to conclude a presentation about Socrates’ theory in this way: ‘Socrates’ well-known theory of recollection can be defended against different objections and criticism.’ Edit and Proofread Your Draft Reread your draft sentence by sentence and make sure that each point is expressed clearly. Make the necessary changes to improve the content and logic. Remember that your presentation should be written in a simple language and everything should be direct and to the point. Look for opportunities to improve your structure such as rewriting awkward sentences, adding appropriate examples and transitions. Make sure your talk is divided into sections which coincide with the logical structure and provide signposts for your audience. Don’t attempt to cover too much material or present too complicated content. Your audience won’t be reading your paper, they will be listening to you. It’s critical to estimate how much time is needed for your audience to grasp your key points and how complex your argument should be to ensure that your audience will be able to fully understand it. If you present too much material, your listeners will not be able to follow your presentation because they will be bored or disengaged. That’s why you may need to simplify the material to make your philosophy presentation easy to follow. Use straightforward prose. Try to use short simple sentences and keep your paragraphs short as well. Express your ideas with only familiar words and be careful with using specialized language. When you are satisfied with the content of your final draft, proofread it carefully to eliminate grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Read your paper aloud to make sure that your prose is clear and concise and ask someone else to read your paper. If this person is unable to understand your presentation completely and gets stuck on certain sentences, you should revise your content again and smooth it out. Create Visual Aids for Your Presentation in Philosophy Visual aids are important when delivering any presentation because they can help your audience understand better the structure of your argument and make it easier for them to follow it. Visual aids are also helpful for emphasizing your key points and key terms. You can create hand outs and slides (Keynote, PowerPoint) to make your presentation more impressive. Make sure that your slides and handout are easy to read – avoid using fancy fonts and too small typeface. Don’t include a lot of text on the slides because it’s a hindrance for your audience. The only exceptions are certain definitions that can help your listeners follow your logic. Create bulleted lists of keywords and short phrases so that each point on your slides could be read in less than 2 seconds. Never include long quotes or complex formulas because they are time-consuming to absorb. Finally, when you are satisfied with the text and the slides, you should practice giving your philosophy presentation beforehand. In this way, you’ll increase your chances to avoid certain pitfalls of a bad presentation. When practicing, you should try to speak in a way that is natural to you and get the timing of your talk. Ask a couple of friends to listen while you are practicing and ask for their feedback. They can make some suggestions for adjusting. Practice delivering your presentation in philosophy several times and you’ll feel more confident in your ability to impress your audience and enhance your chances for the success. We hope that our detailed writing guide will help you create and deliver a powerful philosophy presentation that will make a great impact on your audience.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The purpose of Building Standards Dissertation

The purpose of Building Standards - Dissertation Example In the UK, over one third of the carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings. The emission of carbon dioxide is very harmful to the environment and in order to protect the ozone layer we have to emphasise the importance of standards. Building Standards are fundamental to the health and safety of us all. In this regard the authorities are working hard to ensure that standards are achieved and continuously improved. Compliance and enforcement has become new issues as standards are being adapted to keep abreast with design, technology, materials and construction, as well as energy conservation issues. However, there has been increasing concerns with regards to the level of compliance, frequency, pace and increasing complexity of these changes. Construction standards have evolved overtime with frequent and more complex Building Regulations since the 1990’s. These changes relate to: Structure of buildings, Fire safety to both dwelling houses and other buildings, Site preparation a nd resistance to contaminants and moisture; Toxic substances; Resistance to the passage of sound; Ventilation; Hygiene; Drainage and waste disposal; Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems; Guidance and Supplementary Information on the UK Implementation of European Standards for Chimneys and Flues; Conservation of fuel and power to existing dwelling houses, other buildings, new dwelling houses and other new buildings; access to and use to buildings; Glazing – safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Violence in Schools and Social Development Essay

Violence in Schools and Social Development - Essay Example While many methods have been utilized to address this issue, they generally fall somewhere between the liberal ideals regarding rehabilitation of the perpetrators of violence because they have had a disadvantaged childhood to the conservative approach which advocates punishment and restitution to the victim. Generally speaking, the liberal view supports compassion while the conservative believes strictly in the individual accounting for their actions. Violence in schools is being viewed more and more as not only a social injustice issue for children but also as a public health concern. Violence creates an atmosphere of fear that affects the victims, the offenders and the surrounding public. This cycle of fear and mistrust propagates both antisocial and self-disparaging patterns of behavior. For the offender, studies have concluded that there often is a progression of aggressive and violent behaviors over time. Victims of violence, especially young people, carry with them throughout their lives the emotional scars usually in the form of self-criticism. Those kids that perpetually commit violent acts towards classmates are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, to quit going to school altogether and go on to be involved in criminal behaviour later in life. Children who are often the victims of schoolyard violence tend to experience more stress in their lives which leads to higher levels of anxiety, depression, physical illnesses and thoughts of suicide than those that do not. For both bully and bullied, these actions negatively affect learning potentials and retards personal development. The seemingly never ending cycle of intimidating actions works to tear apart the underpinnings of a civil society from the bottom up. The reason children act out violently towards others is because they have been treated with disrespect or have been bullied themselves. A pattern of poor social adjustment perpetuates itself

Monday, November 18, 2019

Business Law For Example Coca-Cola Research Paper

Business Law For Example Coca-Cola - Research Paper Example Further, through this report, it is clear that the company has the duty to ensure strict observance of the different laws to reduce the harm that any come as result of non-compliance. Given the sensitive nature of the business that the company (Coca-cola) engages in, it is important to ensure that the company abides by laws intellectual property. Given that Coca-Cola deals with secrets that must be protected. The advantage of this to the company is that they can protect their original ideas so that the inventions and innovations of the company. By listing their innovations and making use intellectual laws that protect their works. The essence of these laws is that they will encourage creativity in the company. Through these sought of these laws ensure that technologies are protected and that individuals who work to bring new ideas are encouraged to bring new innovations. The encouragement makes those involved in the innovation and secrets to enjoying the benefits of their hard earned labor. In this regard, the company should protect intellectual property through copyrights, patents, and trademarks (Edmonds, 2013). Through copyrights, the company is capable of protecting the expressive arts such as the shape of the bottles of soda. That would prevent any other person or organization from using or displaying such materials to the public. Patents, on the other hand, would protect the inventions of the company from being used by any other company. For example, Coca-Cola ingredients are protected and that make them exclusive to the company. On the same note, the company can make use of trademarks to protect the name of the company from being used in any other place in the world. This also applies to products made by the company.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Biochemical Analysis of Rice

Biochemical Analysis of Rice Rice (Oryza sativa (2n = 24) is a monocot plant and belongs to the Poaceae family and Oryzoidea subfamily. It occupies almost one-fifth of the total land area under world cereals. It covers about 148 million hectares annually that is roughly 11 percent of the world-cultivated land. It is life for more than half of humanity and in past, it shaped the cultures, diets, and economies of billions of people in the world (Farooq et al., 2009). More than 90 percent of the worlds rice is grown and consumed in Asia where 60 percent of the world population lives. The world major rice consuming countries are China, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and USA that consume 135, 85, 39, 37, 26, 18, 10, 10, 9.7, 8.7, 8.1, 5.0 and 3.9 million metric ton, respectively (Meng et al., 2005; USDA, 2003-04). Biochemical and nutritional aspects of rice Rice is a major source of macro and micronutrients for human being. It feeds more than two billion people worldwide and is the number one staple food in Asia. It provides over 21 percent of the calorific needs of the worlds population and up to 76 percent of the calorific intake of the population of South East (SE) Asia (Fitzgerald et al., 2009). It is mostly consumed as a polished grain, which usually lacks its nutritional components such as minerals and vitamins 41 P. Lucca et al., Genetic engineering approaches to enrich rice with iron and vitamin A, Physiol. Plant. 126 (2006), pp. 291-303. Full Text via CrossRef | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (7)( Lucca et al., 2006). Since the advent of molecular techniques, recently genetically modified rice verities have been developed, which contains more nutritional aspects like minerals and vitamins in endosperm (Vasconcelos et al., 2003; Paine et al., 2005; Fitzgerald et al., 2009). The major value-added nutritional protein c onstituents of the rice. Rice Position in Pakistan In Pakistan, besides its importance as a food crop, rice is the second important component of daily diet of bulk of the population after wheat. About 23% of the total foreign exchange earnings is shared by rice and thus called as Golden Grain of Pakistan (Shah et al., 1999). Around one third of total production is annually exported and two third is locally consumed to meet food needs. Rice is also used in dishes for special occasions (Sagar et al., 1988). Pakistan is the third largest rice exporting country. In Pakistan, rice occupies about 10% of the total cultivated area, accounts for 6.1% of value added in agriculture and 1.3% in gross domestic product. Production of rice during 2007-08 was estimated at 5,540 thousand tones, 10.4% higher than last year with 6.1% increase in yield per hectare (Anonymous, 2006). Area, production and yield of rice for the last 5 years are shown in Fig. 1. Varieties of basmati rice, sub-species of indica, are economically important due to the high quality of the grain and constitute an important source of revenue for two major rice-growing countries in Asia (Pakistan and India). The international market for basmati rice has always been higher than that of the moderate varieties. Pakistans annual rice export stands at about 2.5 million tons, which earn a total of 513.0 million dollars for the country (Anonymous, 1998). During the year 2005-2006 rice export was about one billion US$ (Bashir et al., 2007). Rice growing areas of Pakistan Depending upon the irrigation water availability, rice can be grown in any part of the country from sea level up to 2500m height. Pakistan has a climate and a potential in soil that permits the expectations of a most bright future for the productions of rice. Considering temperature difference, optimum sowing seasons and the varietals performance, rice growing areas can be divided in four ecological zones (Salim et al., 2003; Table-1.2). Rice is grown in all four provinces of Pakistan. However, the acreage under rice varies greatly from one province to another. The Punjab and Sindh are the major rice growing provinces with about 59% and 33%, respectively of the total rice in the country. The remaining 5% of the area is planted in Baulochistan and 3% in NWFP (Bhatti and Anwar, 1994). Despite the fact that its cultivated area is far smaller than wheat (more than 7.24 million), it has a great impact on national economy due to two reasons. Firstly, rice is the only crop which can be grown successfully in vast chunks of salt-ridden and water-logged areas where it facilitates not only the reclamation of land for the cultivation of other crops but also provide food. Secondly, superior quality basmati has a consistently increasing demand in the foreign countries. Consequently, there is a great scope for augmenting the foreign exchange earning by exporting it in bigger quantity. In view of these facts, it is highly desirable to increase the production and improve the quality of rice the quality is particularly more important from the trade view point, as it is instrument entail in increasing and then sustaining the demand in the foreign market in competition with other rising exporting countries. There in no denying the fact that purity is the very sole of quality. The impurities not only restrict the export trade, but also inflict losses to the growers, millers and the consumers alike. Therefore, these should possibly be minimized (Saleem et al., 2003). Major rice varieties in Pakistan More than 20 rice varieties have been released for general cultivation in Pakistan (Bashir et al., 2007). A general description of agronomical and physiochemical characteristics of these varieties. Importance of Basmati Rice in Pakistan There are thousands of rice varieties and landraces, which differ with respect to plant and grain characteristics. Of these, aromatic (Basmati) rice constitutes a small but special group that is regarded as best in grain quality, superior aroma and usually used for special dish preparation (Khush and dela Cruz, 2001). Quality of rice may be considered from the view point of size, shape and appearance of grain, milling quality and cooking properties (Dela Cruz and Khush, 2000). Pakistan is famous for the production and export of Basmati rice. The origin of the word Basmati can be trade to the word Basmati meaning earth recognized by its fragrance. The Hindi word Bas was derived from the Pakrit word BAS and has a Sanskrit root Vassy (Aroma), while Mati originated from Mayup (ingrained from the origin). In common usage Vas is pronounced as Bas and while combining Bas and Mayup, the later changed to Mati thus the word Basmati (Ahuja et al., 1995; Gupta, 1995). The fragrance of basmati rice is most closely associated with the presence of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (Buttery et al., 1983; Lorieux et al., 1996; Widjaja et al., 1996; Yoshihashi et al., 2002). Although many other compounds are also found in the headspace of fragrant rice varieties (Widjaja et al., 1996) possibly due to secondary effects related to the genetic background of the rice variety, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline is widely known to be the main cause of the distinctive basmati and jasmine fragrance. The desirability of fragrance has resulted in strong human preference and selection for this trait. Non-fragrant rice varieties contain very low levels of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, while the levels in fragrant genotypes are much higher (Widjaja et al., 1996). Basmati rice occupies a prime position in the Indian subcontinent and is becoming increasingly popular in Middle East, Europe, USA and even in non-traditional rice growing countries such as Australia (Bhasin, 2000). High-quality, traditional Basmati rice varieties command premium prices, more than three times that of non-Bamati rices in the world market due to its exquisite aroma, superfine grain characteristics and excellent cooking (extra elongation, soft and flaky texture) qualities (Bhasin, 2000; Singh et al., 2000a; Khush and dela Cruz, 2002). Basmati rice traditionally grown in the Himalayan foothills regions of Pakistan and India, and the name is traditionally associated with this region. Basmati rice is the result of centuries of selection and cultivation by farmers (Khush, 2000). Cultivation of basmati rice in mainly confined to the Kallar tract (Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Sialkot districts) of Punjab province. Basmati rice always fetch a higher price in the domestic as well as in the international market due to their peculiar quality features such as pleasant aroma, fine grain, extreme grain elongation (7.6mm long) and soft texture on cooking. In spite of hard competition from India, Thailand and the United States, Pakistan enjoys a good position in the global trade of aromatic rice and every year earns a lot of foreign exchange (Akram and Sagar, 1997). Genetic Diversity in Rice Diversity among organisms is a result of variations in DNA sequences and of environmental effects. The diversity in crop varieties is essential for agricultural development for increasing food production, poverty alleviation and promoting economic growth. The available diversity in the germplasm also serves as an insurance against unknown future needs and conditions, thereby contributing to the stability of farming systems at local, national and global levels (Singh et al, 2000). In crop improvement program, genetic variability for agronomic traits as well as quality traits in almost all the crops is important, since this component is transmitted to the next generation (Singh, 1996). Study of genetic divergence among the plant materials is a vital tool to the plant breeders for an efficient choice of parents for plant improvement. Genetically diverse parents are likely to contribute desirable segregants and/or to produce high heterotic crosses. Parents identified on the basis of dive rgence for any breeding program would be more promising (Arunachalam, 1981). In early 1970s, public authorities felt the need that genetic resources should be collected, maintained and conserved, especial focus was on important food crops e.g wheat, rice, barley etc (Hawkes 1983; Bellon et al., 1998; Barry et al., 2007). This was the first official attempt to preserve genetic diversity. Currently different genetic diversity assessment methods including morphological, biochemical and molecular markers are available. Morphological Markers used to study genetic diversity Morphological evaluation is the oldest and considered as the first hand tool for detection of genetic variation in germplasm (Smith and Smith, 1989). It is cheap and convenient. It requires not any in depth knowledge at genomic or proteomic level. However, morphological markers are relatively less effective for genetic diversity analysis due to sensitivity to environmental influences and developmental stage of the plant (Werlemark et al., 1999). It takes long time, requires seasonal changes and quite laborious. The genetic variability for some of the traits needed for high yield performance and stress tolerance is limited in cultivated germplasm. This is because a small core of adapted progenitors has been used repeatedly in rice breeding programs such that the genetic base of rice has become narrow (Moncada et al. 2001; Hargrove et al. 1980; Dilday 1990). Introgression of genes from other rice species can provide genetic variation to improve rice and meet the challenges affecting ri ce production. Morphological traits including both qualitative and quantitative ones are used to evaluate genetic relationship among genotypes (Goodman 1972; Bajracharya et al., 2006). Fida et al. (1995) reported the evaluation of elite rice genotypes for agronomic traits during 1992 at NARC, Islamabad. All the genotypes possessed similar grain quality. Agronomic evaluation was used for screening of lines with desired performance by Akram et al. (1995), in field leading to the identification of varieties possessing longer and fine grains as donors for utilization in breeding programmes aimed for the improvement of grain length in Basmati rice. Iqbal et al. (2001) morphologically evaluated selected landraces for paddy yield and other important agronomic traits as a propose to select parents for hybridization program. All the landraces possessed some desirable agronomic traits so these proved effective in rice breeding programmes. Koutroubas et al. (2004) described variation in grain quality traits among some European rice lines. They concluded that these lines could be used as parents for introgression of desired traits into different rice cultivars grown in Europe. They also suggested that the interrelations among grain quality traits found in these lines could be useful to study the relationship among their grain quality components and for improving selection criteria. Nabeela et al. (2004) evaluated fifteen agronomical important traits in landrace genotypes of rice collected from various parts of Pakistan. A significant amount of genetic variation was displayed for most of the traits examined. The coefficient of variation was more than 10% for all the characters with exception of grain length. Seven accessions with best performance for individual character were identified, by exploiting their genetic potential. These genotypes can have a beneficial use in the breeding programs. Nepali rice landrace diversity was evaluated by Bajracharya et al. (2005) by usin g morphological traits as one of the parameter for selection. The genotypes varied only for few quantitative traits controlled by major genes; husk color, seed coat and panicle traits. Agronomic characterization also helped to decide which traits need to be improved for further crop improvements. Zaman et al. (2005) studied fifteen different rice varieties which showed that the different morphological characteristics such as the yield, tiller number per hill and filled grains per panicle did not contribute towards the total divergence. This suggested that the breeding improvement of these morphological characteristics have the little possibility. Little phenotypic variation at farm level was observed in Vietnamese rice by Fukuoka et al. 2006, which was considered to be the result of genetic drift and selection by the farmers, on farm conservation of the landraces of rice is considered to be under a force to decrease phenotypic diversity. Different phenotypic profiles contribute to t he conservation of regional genetic diversity of the landraces of rice. Veasey and colleagues (2008) investigated the genetic variability among different rice species from South in a greenhouse experiment. They showed a significant difference (p Keeping in view these benefits, morphological variation is a selection criterion for plant scientists among landrace genotypes. Though the environmental factors also play an important role in morphological variation but the knowledge of agro-morphological diversity and the distribution pattern of variation among crop species could be an invaluable aid in germplasm management and crop improvement strategies. Zeng et al. (2003) studied ecogeographic and genetic diversity based on morphological characters of rice landraces (Oryza sativa L.) in Yunnan, China. A great difference in ecological diversity index of rice resources between prefectures or counties in Yunnan province exists. Kayode et al. (2008) studied the relationship in geographical pattern and morphological variation of 880 rice landrace in CÃ ´te d’Ivoire for 13 agro-morphological characters. Result of the phenotypic frequency showed differential distribution of landraces with height, heading and maturity period whic h reflected the distribution pattern of different Oryza sativa landraces in CÃ ´te d’Ivoire that proved useful in germplasm management and breeding programs. The altitudinal distributions of grain length, grain width, grain length to width ratio and grain weight were evaluated by Siddiqui and coworkers in 2007. It was noticed that grain length decreased with the increase in altitude, while the grain width increased with the increase in altitude, resulting into a decrease in length to width ratio with the increase in altitude. Considering the change in altitude as a difference in habitat and environment, it can be assumed that Pakistan rice cultivars show a wide variation between and within locations. It may be concluded that the Pakistan rice genetic resources comprise of great diversity for grain morphological characteristics. The prevailing diversity for grain type (shape and size) and pericarp color has distinct correlation to its geographical distribution in terms of alt itude. Morpho-physiological traits are an important tool in hands of plant breeders for identification and purity testing of rice varieties. Sharief et al. (2005) investigated the genetic purity of four different rice varieties on the basis of morphological characteristics at their different growth stages. All of the varieties were identified by different morphological characteristics in terms of flag leaf area, grain color, seed width, number of tillers, time of heading, absent awing, slemma, palea pubescence, plant height, and culm diameter. Biochemical markers for analysis of diversity Seed proteins are very helpful in genetic diversity evaluation in cereal crops because the seeds of these crops have nutritional value. Glutelin, globulin and prolamin are important seed proteins in rice. Variation in these proteins at subunit level changes the quality of rice. Various tools were used to assess variability at peptide level. Biochemical markers have some disadvantages being tissue specific and affected by environmental and developmental changes. These disadvantages could be eliminated by the use of seed storage protein as they are conservative in nature and least effected by environmental changes. (Thanh et al., 2006) Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is useful method not only for revealing variations but also for identification of a variety in seed storage proteins. Four protein fractions (albumin, globulin, gliadin and glutenin) separated by SDS-PAGE as biochemical marker for evaluating polymorphism in three spelt wheat varieties. Very significant difference was observed at protein profile level in old cultivars and new breeding lines (Dvoracek and Curn 2003). Sengupta and Chattopadhyay (2000) identified twelve rice varieties on the basis of banding pattern obtained by SDS-PAGE. Aung et al. (2003) investigated 350 local rice cultivars from different regions of Myanmar. These were analyzed by using SDS-PAGE and IEF. Various cultivars differed in their SDS-PAGE profiles. Padmavathi et al. (2002) evaluated seven aromatic and five non-aromatic rice cultivars using SDS-PAGE. Two bands of 60.3 and 51.3KDa were polymorphic for their presence in both aromatic and non-aromatic genotypes and suggested that these polymorphic bands can be used as markers for verification of hybridity in crossing programme. Rehana et al. (2004) investigated twenty accessions of Pakistani rice germplasm for total seed protein by using SDS-PAGE, to determine the magnitude of genetic variation with respect to geographical distribution. Vari ation in protein banding pattern with respect to various geographical regions was evaluated and it was suggested that the inter-specific variations were more pronounced as compared to intra-specific variations. Variation in banding profile of globulin and glutelin was used as identification tool for differentiating coarse, fine and super fine rice cultivars by Thind and Sogi (2005). Jahan et al. (2005) studied protein diversity in 576 rice cultivars from Bangladesh and SDS-PAGE was used for separation. Thanh et al., 2006 used seed storage protein profiles of different varieties including rice for evaluation of genetic purity and variability. Molecular markers for diversity analysis Variation in a DNA sequence is known as DNA polymorphism. This quality of DNA can be used as a marker to assess diversity in the genome of any organism. An ideal DNA marker must have any of the following qualities: Highly polymorphic in nature, co-dominant inheritance, frequent occurrence in genome, selective neutral behaviour, easy access/availability, easy and fast assay, high reproducibility and easy exchange of data between laboratories (Joshi et al., 1999). DNA-based molecular markers/DNA fingerprinting can increase screening efficiency in breeding programs in a number of other ways. For example, they provide: the ability to screen in the seedling stage for traits that are expressed late in the life of a plant (i.e. grain or fruit quality, male sterility, photoperiod sensitivity), the ability to screen for traits that are extremely difficult, expensive, or time consuming to score phenotypically (i.e. root morphology, resistance to quarantined pests or to specific races or biotyp es of diseases or insects, tolerance for certain abiotic stresses such as drought, salt, or mineral deficiencies or toxicities), the ability to distinguish the homozygous versus heterozygous condition of many loci in a single generation without the need for progeny testing (since molecular markers are co-dominant), and the ability to perform simultaneous marker-aided selection for several characters at one time. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) Randomly-amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPD) are arbitrary sequence markers developed by Welsh and McClelland in 1991. This procedure detects nucleotide sequence polymorphisms in DNA by using a single primer of arbitrary nucleotide sequence. In this reaction, a single species of primer anneals to the genomic DNA at two different sites on complementary strands of DNA template. If these priming sites are within an amplifiable range of each other, a discrete DNA product is formed through thermocyclic amplification. On an average, each primer directs amplification of several discrete loci in the genome, making the assay useful for efficient screening of nucleotide sequence polymorphism between individuals. However, due to the stoichastic nature of DNA amplification with random sequence primers, it is important to optimize and maintain consistent reaction conditions for reproducible DNA amplification. They are dominant markers and hence have limitations in their use as markers for ma pping, which can be overcome to some extent by selecting those markers that are linked in coupling. RAPD assay has been used by several groups as efficient tools for identification of markers linked to agronomically important traits, which are introgressed during the development of near isogenic lines. though it is less popular due to problems such as poor reproducibility faint or fuzzy products, and difficulty in scoring bands, which lead to inappropriate inferences but it is still applied as markers in variability analysis and individual-specific genotyping has largely been carried out,. Raghunathachari et al. (2000) differentiated a set of 18 accessions from Indian scented rice by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The RAPD analysis offered a rapid and reliable method for the estimation of variability between different accessions, which could be utilized by the breeders for further improvement of the scented rice genotypes. Porreca et al. (2001) reported confirmati on of genetic diversity among 28 rice cultivars, different for biometric traits, biological cycle and suitability to water limitation, using RAPD markers. High level of polymorphism was found between japonica and indica subspecies, whereas japonica cultivars with long grains (tropical) resulted to be genetically different from the short grains genotypes (temperate). Genetic relationships among indica and japonica cultivars and between tropical and temperate japonica was estimated. Variability among the varieties could lead to good heterotic combinations between japonica genotypes. Neeraja et al. (2002) determined genetic diversity in a set of landraces in comparison to a representative sample of improved rice varieties, using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Analysis of 36 accessions using 10 arbitrary decamer random primers, revealed 97.16% polymorphism. Similarity values among the landraces ranged from 0.58 to 0.89 indicating wide diversity. The landraces and improved vari eties formed separate clusters at 0.65 similarities suggesting that genetically distant landraces could be potentially valuable sources for enlarging and enriching the gene pool of improved varieties. Kwon et al. (2002) evaluated genetic divergence among 13 Tongil type rice cultivars and the relationship between genetic distance and hybrid performance in all possible nonreciprocal crosses between them assessed. These results indicate that GDs based on the microsatellite and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers may not be useful for predicting heterotic combinations in Tongil type rice and support the idea that the level of correlation between hybrid performance and genetic divergence is dependent on the germplasm used. Rabbani et al. (2008) evaluated the genetic polymorphism and identities of several Asian rice cultivars by using random amplified polymorphic DNA technique. On the basis of analysis performed on similarity matrix by using UPGMA, they grouped 40 cultivars in to three main clusters correspondent to aromatic, non-aromatic and japonica group, and a few independent cultivars. The cluster analysis placed most of the aromatic cultivars close to each other showing a high level of genetic relatedness. But the clusters produced by the aromatic cultivars were distinct from those of non-aromatic and japonica types. In this study, several improved and obsolete cultivars originating from diverse sources did not produce well defined distinct groups and indicated no association between the RAPD patterns and the geographic origin of the cultivars used. Amita et al. (2005) performed molecular and hybridization studies to investigate variation patterns in O. meridionalis by producing 119 polymorphic RAPD markers from 12, 10-mer operon primers. In addition, they detected 67 alleles by using 11 SSR primers. They showed speciation in O. meridionalis a with respect to its geographic distribution in northern Australia and Irian Jaya. Santhy et al. (2003) test ed application of RAPD markers for the identification of three rice (Oryza sativa L.) hybrids and their parental lines i.e. CMS female parent (A line), maintainer (B line) and pollen parent (R line), using 17 random oligonucleotides. It was possible to distinguish each of these genotypes, following a combination of selected primers. The results are discussed in view of its application for the purpose of Plant Variety Protection and for testing the genetic purity of A line and hybrid seed lots. Simple Sequence Repeats Analysis Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are simple tandemly repeated di- to penta-nucleotide sequence motifs. Microsatellite data are also commonly used to assess genetic relationships between populations and individuals through the estimation of genetic distances (e.g. Beja-Pereira et al., 2003; Ibeagha-Awemu et al., 2004; Joshi et al., 2004; Sodhi et al., 2005; Tapio et al., 2005). The most commonly used measure of genetic distances is Neis standard genetic distance (DS) (Nei, 1972). Because of microsatellite abundance and even distribution in nuclear genomes of eukaryotes and some prokaryotic genomes, they offer valuable good source of polymorphism, which make them a promising class of genetic markers. The high levels of polymorphism performed by these markers; they are mostly referred as SSLP (simple sequence length polymorphism). Li et al. (2004) examined genetic diversity within and differentiation between the indica and japonica subspecies, including 22 accessions of indica and 35 of japonica rice by using five microsatellite loci from each chromosome having total 60 loci. Evaluating on chromosome-based comparisons it is concluded that nine chromosomes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11) harboured higher levels of genetic diversity within the indica rice than the japonica rice. By applying chromosome-based comparisons they suggested that the extent of the indica-japonica differentiation varied substantially, ranging from 7.62% in chromosome 3 to 28.72% in chromosome 1. At 15 of the SSR loci, traditional and crossbred Basmati rice varieties amplified different alleles than those in the indica and/or japonica rice varieties. During this study the identified SSR markers, which can be used to differentiate among the traditional Basmati varieties and between traditional Basmati and other crossbred Basmati or long grain, non-Basmati rice varieties. Genetic relationships among rice genotypes as determined by UPGMA cluster analysis and three-dimensional s caling based on principal component analysis showed that the three traditional Basmati rice varieties are closely related and have varying degree of similarity with other crossbred Basmati rice varieties Priyanka et al. (2004). Amanda et al. (2004) classified 234 accessions of rice into five distinct groups corresponding to indica, aus, aromatic, temperate japonica, and tropical japonica rices using 169 microsatellite markers. Yunbi et al. (2004) evaluated diversity in 236 rice accessions by applying 113 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and 60 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci at DNA level. Higher value of polymorphism information contents (0.66) was recorded for SSR markers as compared to RFLP (0.36). A diverse subset of 31 rice cultivars was identified that embodied 95% of RFLP and 74% of SSR alleles. This subset was useful in developing core collections and an efficient source of genetic diversity for future crop improvement. Zhang et al. (2005) evaluated the poten tial of discriminate analysis (DA) to identify candidate markers linked with agronomic traits among inbred lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.). A sum of 218 lines originating from the US and Asia were planted in field plots of Texas. Data were collected for 12 economically important traits, and DNA profiles of each inbred line were produced using 60 SSR and 114 RFLP markers. Model-based methods revealed population structure among the lines. Associated marker alleles pointed to the same and different regions on the rice genetic map when compared to previous QTL mapping experiments. Results of the study suggested that candidate markers associated with agronomic traits can be readily detected among inbred lines of rice. Bajracharya et al. (2005) estimated genetic diversity of rice landraces collected from different locations of Nepal based on agro-morphological variability and microsatellite marker polymorphism. They 39 microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSR) markers among these coll ected accessions by using 10 different names. After studying all these qualitative and quantitative traits they concluded that these accessions showed low morphological diversity having an average Shannon Weaver diversity index of 0.23. Among the studied traits only 16 morphological traits showed significant variation among the accessions. Discriminant function analysis showed that only 36% of accessions could be clustered according to name by morphological traits. Only one SSR locus was polymorphic, distinguishing only one accession. Genetic differences among new rice lines (NERICA), developed by cross breeding of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) with high yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa subsp. japonica), were explored by using simple sequence repeat markers (Semagn et al. 2006). Michael et al. (2006) characterized 330 rice accessions, including 246 Indonesian landraces and 63 Indonesian improved cultivars, by studying 30 fluorescently-labeled microsatellite markers. By using gene tic diversity analysis they characterized the Indonesian landraces as 68% indica and 32% tropical japonica, having an indica gene diversity of 0.53 and a tropical japonica gene diversity of 0.56

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Genre of Cyberpunk :: Literature Science Fiction Essays

The Genre of Cyberpunk Cyberpunk is, as its authors would have it, a revolutionary new genre. The Movement is made up of radical new authors breaking from traditional SF ideology and prose. The style evokes a sense of fear and paranoia while overloading the reader with information. Aside from these indefinable feelings evoked by the genre, cyberpunk contains several concrete, identifiable themes in every story. The central theme is about fringe characters -- outsiders -- living in a grimy, seedy world ruled over by huge, all-encompassing megacorporations. The megacorps permeate the world of these characters with an impersonal, hopeless aura. One can either work for them as a wage-drone in mediocrity, or against them as against gods in a pitiful fight to outwit them. The cyberpunk world is completely overwhelmed, infused, and inundated by corporate technology such as decks, the Matrix, "prosthetic limbs, implanted circuitry, cosmetic surgery, genetic alteration" (Sterling xiii), and artificial intelligences . The megacorporate philosophy that everything can be bought and sold, like the technology that is bought and sold, makes human life cheap and worthless. Technology has replaced humans, much like machines today have already replaced workers on the assembly line. The Girl Who Was Plugged In is an exquisite example of cyberpunk, although it was published about a decade before the Movement. The story examines characters on the fringe of society; characters who are unaccepted and unaccepting of mainstream society. In the tradition of Gina and Rickenharp the rock-and-roll dinosaurs, Mona the prostitute, and Case the burned-out decker, P. Burke is a prime example of such an outcast. In her original and final form, Burke is "the ugly of the world" (Tiptree 45). She does actually worship the corporate gods and comes to love living in the luxury of society, but she would gladly throw it all away for Paul. Although born into the corporate hierarchy/family, Paul is as much an outsider as Burke. He's a revolutionary fighting the good fight against the megacorporate entity of GTX with the corp's own equipment, making shows "pregnant with social protest. An underground expression" (Tiptree 66). This fits with Sterling's comment that cyberpunk is due to th e "overlapping of worlds that were formerly separate: the realm of high tech, and the modern pop underground" (Sterling xi). If Burke and Paul constitute the punk archetypes of the story, then the high tech, the cyber, elements of the story are everywhere to be seen. The Genre of Cyberpunk :: Literature Science Fiction Essays The Genre of Cyberpunk Cyberpunk is, as its authors would have it, a revolutionary new genre. The Movement is made up of radical new authors breaking from traditional SF ideology and prose. The style evokes a sense of fear and paranoia while overloading the reader with information. Aside from these indefinable feelings evoked by the genre, cyberpunk contains several concrete, identifiable themes in every story. The central theme is about fringe characters -- outsiders -- living in a grimy, seedy world ruled over by huge, all-encompassing megacorporations. The megacorps permeate the world of these characters with an impersonal, hopeless aura. One can either work for them as a wage-drone in mediocrity, or against them as against gods in a pitiful fight to outwit them. The cyberpunk world is completely overwhelmed, infused, and inundated by corporate technology such as decks, the Matrix, "prosthetic limbs, implanted circuitry, cosmetic surgery, genetic alteration" (Sterling xiii), and artificial intelligences . The megacorporate philosophy that everything can be bought and sold, like the technology that is bought and sold, makes human life cheap and worthless. Technology has replaced humans, much like machines today have already replaced workers on the assembly line. The Girl Who Was Plugged In is an exquisite example of cyberpunk, although it was published about a decade before the Movement. The story examines characters on the fringe of society; characters who are unaccepted and unaccepting of mainstream society. In the tradition of Gina and Rickenharp the rock-and-roll dinosaurs, Mona the prostitute, and Case the burned-out decker, P. Burke is a prime example of such an outcast. In her original and final form, Burke is "the ugly of the world" (Tiptree 45). She does actually worship the corporate gods and comes to love living in the luxury of society, but she would gladly throw it all away for Paul. Although born into the corporate hierarchy/family, Paul is as much an outsider as Burke. He's a revolutionary fighting the good fight against the megacorporate entity of GTX with the corp's own equipment, making shows "pregnant with social protest. An underground expression" (Tiptree 66). This fits with Sterling's comment that cyberpunk is due to th e "overlapping of worlds that were formerly separate: the realm of high tech, and the modern pop underground" (Sterling xi). If Burke and Paul constitute the punk archetypes of the story, then the high tech, the cyber, elements of the story are everywhere to be seen.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Human Resources Code of Ethics Essay

Message I am thrilled to join Company X’s management team. My colleagues have been stellar in providing me support and helping me accilmate to the organizational culture, which is different from what I am accustomed to. I have encountered my first challenge, a challenge that is incumbent that I bring to your attention along with three detailed solutions, inclusive of attractive and detractive aspects of each. It is also important that I share with you the methodology I employed to arrive at these conclusions, since it is reasonable for you to have access to and test the methodology employed to engender these solutions. I will also recommend to you an appropriate course of action. Separately, I will present a report, which will report the findings of an analysis that I conducted on our company’s ethical decision-making process. This report will include strategies to mitigate against concerns I will have raised in the memorandum. I will also discuss the process of creating a code of ethics that will provide for employee growth through ethical decision making and continued company revenue growth. Production Concern Company X is the leader in the production of toy whistles for children the world over. Our principal production plant is located within the United States and, naturally, is under the purview of production guidelines set forth by the U.S. government. The quality-assurance department recently informed me of a production issue that has arisen. Toy whistles that have been manufactured and are on schedule for shipment undergo an arduous testing process to ensure that the  constitution of each toy meets federal regulations. Toy whistles that will be shipped to South American countries have, unfortunately, failed lead-level requirements; they are slightly higher in lead than what is legally tolerable. Our company has decisions to make about how we address this considerable concern. After analysis, collaboration with team members, and sufficient reflection, I have developed three solutions to address this concern. Each solution has attractive and detractive aspects, both of which I will discuss. Ethical, legal, and financial considerations must be made with all solutions. Solution 1: Cease shipment; Re-produce Toy Whistles At current lead levels, the toy whistle would not be shipped to customers. The entire production process would re-apply, which includes re-securing the raw materials necessary to make replacement whistles, re-producing those whistles through the production process, and commissioning the quality-assurance department to verify that the whistles meet all federal guidelines for selling and consumption. It will also be important that the quality-assurance department provide a quality verification of its own processes. Such a verification will be necessary, since antecedent quality processes failed to identify the higher-than-normal lead levels of our toy whistles. Solution 1: Explanation of Method Used to Select Solution A combination of brainstorming and SWOT analysis were employed to determine three solutions for our company’s quandary. The brainstorming process involved three team members who reviewed the situation and offered ideas—any ideas—as solutions. Each team member produced two ideas, totaling six possible solutions. The following is a breakdown of submissions by team members: Bob Jones| Celine Jiles| Patti Durant| Stop Production; Adjust Lead Levels| Continue Production; Bribe Foreign and  Domestic Government| Stop Production; Offer Different Product| Stop Production; Make Plastic Whistles| Continue Production; Ignore Lead Levels| Stop Production; Close Business| A SWOT analysis was performed on each decision alternative to test its integrity. SWOT is an acronym for â€Å"Strengths,† â€Å"Weaknesses,† â€Å"Opportunities,† and â€Å"Threats† (Bradford, Duncan, & Tarcy, 2000). The goal is to reduce the possible responses to those that require attention. Bob Jones Solution A Strengths: Legal and ethical approach to doing business. Promotes high levels of customer service. Holds all parties accountable for their actions due to process review and refinement. Weaknesses: Delayed production. Poor customer-satisfaction surveys in the short term. Costly to hold up production. Opportunities: Favorable contract renegotiation if determined process failure with supplier. Possible acquisition of new customers if mitigative steps made known. Threats: Possible government intervention if lead levels are exposed. Possible customer revolt if mitigative steps to lead levels not perceived correctly. Customer churn—possibly to competitor—due to production delay. Board of directors overhaul of C-level management Based on these considerations, Solution A is a viable candidate for resolution. Bob Jones Solution B Strengths: No delay in production. Customer satisfaction not harmed. Foreign government receptive to bribes. No disruption to revenue. Weaknesses: Domestic government not receptive to bribing. Massive costs due to bribing. No consideration for customer health. Short-term solution. Socially irresponsible course of action. Opportunities: Short-term customer growth. Relationship-building with foreign government. Threats: Considerable legal actions from both domestic and foreign government if not receptive bribes. Possible legal threats from customers. The costs associated with Solution A indicate that it is not a viable solution. Celine Jiles Solution A Strengths: Legal and ethical approach to doing business. Promotes high levels of customer service due to considering customers’ health. Holds all parties accountable for their actions due to process review and refinement. Weaknesses: Massive delays in production. Abrogation of contract with current supplier. Extensive training costs for new products. Extensive project-management costs to deploy new product. Substantial increase in customer churn due to offering different product. Possible negative press in foreign market. Possible domestic layoffs due to change in product. Opportunities: New streams of revenue due to new product. New streams of customers due to new-product demand. New, lower cost contracts with new suppliers. Possible employment of foreign workers to replace costly domestic workers. Threats: Legal threats from current employees subject layoff. Possible customer revolt if competitor unable to make up for our departure from whistle market. Increased regulatory scrutiny possible based on new product. Intractable board of directors. Based on these considerations, Solution A is a viable candidate for resolution. Celine Jiles Solution B Strengths: Minimal delay in production. Avoid lead-level requirements. Safter products for customers, thereby increasing customer satisfaction. Avoid legal issues from foreign and domestic governments. Contract abrogation with supplier if process failure due to supplier. Socially responsible course of action. Weaknesses: Contract abrogation with existing supplier if Company X process failure. Short-term customer dissatisfaction due to minimal production delay. Training for production of new whistles. Costly process refinements. Opportunities: Possible acquisition of new customers. Long-term customer growth. Possibly reduced prices with contract negotiations for new suppliers. If process adjustments made public, possible acquisition of customers in other countries. Threats: Minimal threat of legal action from domestic or foreign governments due to initlal lead-level failures. Minimal threat of substantial customer churn. The strengths of Solution B indicate that is viable enough to be considered. Patti Durant Solution A Strengths: Reduced production costs. Short-term customer satisfaction due to on-time delivery. Possible increased customer acquisition. Weaknesses: Very short-term solution. Disregard for long-term customer health. Disregard for domestic legal mandates. Socially irreponsible course of action. Long-term profit loss. High customer churn in long term. Opportunities: Short-term increase in streams of revenue. Threats: Extensive legal threats from public and private sector. Abrogation of current contracts iminent. Long-term erosion of shareholder confidence. Solution A should not be further considered due to the blantant disregard for customer safety. Patti Durant Solution B Strengths: Regard for customer health. Weaknesses: Total loss of all revenue and profit. Opportunities: No known opportunities. Threats: Possible legal action from suppliers, employees, customers, and governments due to abrogation of contracts, inability to pay out on employee pensions, or willfully missed customer demand. Solution B is unquestionably not worthy of further consideration. Solution 1: Advantages and Disadvantages The important advantage this solution offers is that our toy whistles’ lead levels will not detrimentally influence the health of our customers. Our identification of this issue will allow our company to take mitigative actions before the whistles are in the hands of our consumers. Another advantage of this solution is that our customers will be unaware that there could have been an issue with the whistles. Our consumers’ ignorance allows our company to avoid a public-relations concern or public excoriation of our product and company brand. There are no government mandates that our company must disclose these sorts of issues if they are discovered before being delivered to our customers. An important disadvantage to this solution is that the investigative process and resultant process refinements will prove costly and timely. It is evident that a production and service failure has occurred, since our whistles’ lead levels currently contravene United States legislative mandates; however, we are not certain where in the supply chain this failure has occurred. Unnecessary people-power must be devoted to resolving this issue sufficiently to prevent issues in the similitude of this one. Another disadvantage to this solution is the effect it will have on employee morale. To be specific, the judgment of the managers of these processes is dubious and will have to be investigated. It is unquestionable that coaching and development, inclusive of corrective action, will have to be meted to all parties involved in this situation. And because of the cost of resolving this matter, some managers and their employees may have to have their employment terminated. No matter how delicately the corrective action will be handled, other employees will inevitable respond negatively. This situation may encourage discussions of unionization. It may engender unnecessary employee churn. Or for those who have their employment terminated as a result of our investigation, it may very well involve contending against ex-employee litigation for perceived wrongful termination, which will involve government agencies and their investigations. Solution 1: Ethical Considerations This solution is an ethically viable option. The reason is that the lead levels prescribed by the federal government are ostensibly predicated on customer saftey and, if more stringent, supersede lead-level requirements of the target country. Providing customers, especially young children, with high-lead toys is immediately unethical and demonstrates a disconnection from social responsibility. Solution 1: Financial Considerations This solution, however, is the most costly and will make profit from these sales impossible unless we increase the price of the toy whistles. The  following are cost considerations of this solution: 1. Vetting Raw-Material Supplier: It is possible that the raw materials that we obtain from our supplier do not possess the integrity that we expect, which would cause products to fail quality verfifcations. An audit would be required of the supplier. This audit would entail the following costs: a. On-site inspections: $10,000, inclusive of labor costs and travel expenditures b. Report of findings: $5,000, inclusive of labor costs of presenting the findings c. Negative findings: $10,000, inclusive of replacing and contracting with a different raw-materials supplier. d. Positive findings: $15,000, inclusive of sunk costs of on-site inspections and reporting of findings (since no issue would have been with the supplier) 2. Vetting Production Processes: There may be deficiencies in the production process that cause higher levels of lead to result in our products. Here are the costs associated with this vetting: e. Departmental inspections: $7,000, inclusive of labor costs f. Report of findings: $5,000, inclusive of labor costs of presenting the findings g. Negative findings: $50,000, inclusive of making process adjustments, training on new processes, and follow-up labor costs h. Positive findings: $12,000, inclusive of sunk costs of inspections and reporting of findings. As easily noted, the costs of making process changes are considerable. However, the costs of these changes should not, by themselves, be an impetus to continue to produce high-lead toy whistles.