Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Essay The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 - 4260 Words

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692, which resulted in 19 executions, and 150 accusations of witchcraft, are one of the historical events almost everyone has heard of. They began when three young girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began to have hysterical fits, after being discovered engaging in forbidden fortune-telling (not dancing naked in the woods) to learn what sorts of men they would marry. Bettys father, the Reverend Samuel Parris, called in more senior authorities to determine if the girls affliction was caused by witchcraft. Although Betty was sent away fairly soon, and did not participate in the trials, the other girls were joined by other young and mature women†¦show more content†¦Whereas in the past everyone in a locality had followed the same religion, people were now exposed to Christianity and the local religions of people who had moved to their region, or whose regions they had moved to. In the cities of central and southern Africa, many local religions and Christian sects could be found, as well as Islam. Belief in witchcraft tended to unite people across religious differences. Typically, the names brought to witch finders were those of the same sort of local enemies we have become familiar with in reading about the Azande. As the frenzy increased, people began to be accused who had not aroused any particular jealousies, possibly because they possessed a peculiar bag or horn, which might be said to contain medicine - in one reported case, such a container did indeed contain medicine but ordinary physical medicine, not magical substances. These crazes tended to die down, often after considerable conflict and property da mage, and the witch finders would then move on to the next town. As witchcraft accusations still occur in the area, we can conclude that the movements did not get rid of witches forever, nor, unlike the situation Salem or Europe, did belief in witchcraft itself actually end with the witch crazes. The actual execution of witches was not usually a feature in African witchcraft, so there was probably less to repent in the end, though thereShow MoreRelatedSalem Witchcraft Trials Of 16921194 Words   |  5 Pages19 March 2012 Important Facts in the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 Black magic. The Dark Arts. Voodoo. Sorcery. Conjuring. Witchcraft. No matter what they chose to call it, witchcraft was an evil association with the devil and the use of magic or the alleged use of magic, in the eyes of the Puritans of Salem, Massachusetts. And it was the â€Å"alleged† part that caused the Salem Witchcraft Trials tragedy of 1692. The Puritans believed the signs of witchcraft were apparent if only people knew whatRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of 16921281 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a sequence of hearings, prosecutions, and hangings of people who were thought to be involved in witchcraft in Massachusetts. These trials occurred between February 1692 and May 1693(The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. ). The Trials resulted in the execution of twenty people, in fact, most of them were women. The first of the trials began in several towns in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, such as Salem Village (currently known as Danvers), Salem Town, Ipswich, and Andover(SalemRead MoreMany Years Ago People Have Wonder About Witches And What1348 Words   |  6 Pageswonder about witches and what they do. Salem, Massachusetts held one of the biggest witch trials in history since 1692 but yet have never found the rea-son why it was started in the first place. Researchers have discovered some information about those witches throughout the years. Still they have not figured out what was the whole rea-son behind the trials in 1692 and after those trials a lot more trials were more secretive unlike the Salem witches tri-als in 1692. New England, home of the biggest witchesRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials The witch trials of the late 1600s were full of controversy and uncertainty. The Puritan town of Salem was home to most of these trials, and became the center of much attention in 1692. More than a hundred innocent people were found guilty of practicing witchcraft during these times, and our American government forced over a dozen to pay with their lives. The main reasons why the witch trials occurred were conflicts dealing with politics, religion, family, economicsRead More Exploring Explanations for the Salem Witch Trials Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesBetween the years of 1692 and early 1693 in the colonial Massachusetts Bay colony of Essex known as Salem Village great paranoia broke out in the form of witchcraft accusations, neighbor against neighbor, and as a result much injustice was done. During this time in our nation’s history at this place more than one hundred and fifty people, residents of Salem Village, were accused of practicing witchcraft and consorting with the devil. At least twenty were put to death nineteen by hangingRead MoreSalem Witch Trials Case Review1377 Words   |  6 Pages The Salem Witch Trials was one of the most out of the box things back in 1692 Massachusetts, but it still seems to be quite unexplainable and at times shady. More than 200 people were accused of practicing the devil’s magic, but only about 20 were executed. Though people were killed, the colonists eventually admitted that the Salem Witch Trials were actually a mistake for which they later compensated the families that were convicted. I picked the Salem Witch Trials to type about because I wouldRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials Donnell Campbell Throughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial and, persecuted as witches. One would think that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices on humanity would have come to an end, but that was not so. In 1692 a major tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all began when a group of girls accused others, generally older women, of consorting with theRead MoreSalem Witch Trials : Witchcraft Trials1726 Words   |  7 PagesSalem Witch Trials Flaming sermons, bewitched girls, accusations being thrown here and there, and executions terrified colonists during the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials are well known, but they are not the first in America and are very small compared to other witch hunts. In 1648 Margaret Jones was hanged for witchcraft in Massachusetts (Brooks). In Europe 110,000 people were questioned during the 1300s to the 1700s, and 40,000 to 60,000 people were executed (New World Encyclopedia)Read MoreEssay on Salem Witch Trials Of 16921061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In colonial Massachusetts between February of 1692 and May of 1963 over one hundred and fifty people were arrested and imprisoned for the capital felony of witchcraft. Trials were held in Salem Village, Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town of Essex County of Massachusetts, but accusations of witchcraft occurred in surrounding counties as well. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were hanged at Gallows Hill near Salem Village. Hysteria had swept throughRead MoreReformation Paper : Salem Witch Trials1368 Words   |  6 PagesReformation Paper: Salem Witch Trials The reformation housed many impressive inventions such as the creation of gunpowder and the printing press along with many divisions like wars and radical religious ideas. The reformation was a period in history that caused many changes to the way Christianity operated forcing many communities to re-divide themselves among different religious loyalties. People like Martin Luther and John Calvin questioned their religion and aspects of the way the greedy and corrupt

Monday, December 23, 2019

When Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 918 Words

In Chinua Achebe s fictional novel, When Things Fall Apart, the reader follows the story of a young man named Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a passionate leader of his tribe, the Igbo. Throughout the book he wishes to please the Igbo people, a one way he does that is by distancing himself from his father. To Okonkwo his father was a disgrace, lazy, poor and cowardice. Okonkwo is first seen wrestling and proving his worth to the tribe. He built his home and earned a reputation of a strong diligent farmer. His reputation is reassured by his good crop and agricultural season, and because of this he earns a large sum of cash. His wealth, influence, and reputation makes him seem like a very suitable man and he marries three women. Later in the book an†¦show more content†¦He is exiled to his mothers homeland, Mbanta, for seven years. He gains knowledge about white missionaries coming to spread Christianity. To Okonkwo this symbolizes a possible end to his tribe. More and more Igbo people co nvert to Christianity and the religion gains recognition. Okonkwo returns back to the Igbo to find out that his son converted to Christianity. Outraged he disowns his son. The Igbo try to diplomatically solve the intrusion of the white Christians but are stopped and the Igbo leaders are jailed until the villagers pay a ransom. The Igbo s hold a war meeting, in which the reader finds Okonkwo supporting aggressive action. A white missionary arrives to try to break up the council but is killed by a furious Okonkwo. He continues to spiral downward as his tribe will not support his violent antics. Ashamed of himself and his tribe, Okonkwo s hubris got the better of him and he then soon later hung himself. Although a fictional piece of work, Chinua Achebe sheds some light on some traditional African culture and society. For me personally it spoke mostly about the roles in African society and how important they are. That many Africans are worried about how the others perceive them. Okonkwo wants to be seen as a respectable, wealthy man. We learned in class that your living, and how sound one is financially can separate them as a respectable superior person. Africans take great pride in themselves and

Sunday, December 15, 2019

View the Environment Professional Staff vs Management Staff Free Essays

In a healthcare environment, the professional, front-line staff members such as doctors and nurses are those staff members who interact directly with customers or the public, rather than with members of the organization. The latter is more typical of management. Although collaboration between nurses and doctors can itself be a problem, this is less likely to prove problematic than the relationship between professional staff members and management staff (Zwarenstein, 2000) Professional staff members, because they have extensive interaction with customers or the public, will invariably have a more patient-focused rather than cost-focused orientation than hospital management staff. We will write a custom essay sample on View the Environment: Professional Staff vs Management Staff or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also, in contrast to management, there are stronger time and resource pressures on the front-line environment in an immediate and personal way, than in a holistic and long-term fashion. Professional staff members are technically focused on doing the job for the day and helping patients, rather than helping the hospital-the pressures of patient health provide a more immediate focus. Unlike management, the professional members of the staff have received a considerable amount of structured training as part of their previous, pre-organizational hands-on healthcare education. The hospital organization is legally liable for the actions of front-line staff, should mistakes regarding patient health be made, nor organizational business ‘health’-health care staff are health care professionals, not business people. (Robertson, 2003) There is little team-based or project-based work in the front-line professional health care environment. Instead, the front-line typically performs the work specified by their profession and the needs of patients, reflecting any changes and initiatives implemented by management only when instructed. (Robertson, 2003) Cost of supplies, for example may be a greater concern for management than care for professional staff, and professionals may have less of a tolerance for bureaucracy and paper work, although certain concerns, such as time management may be shared by both. How to cite View the Environment: Professional Staff vs Management Staff, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Marketing Plan Re-Launch Of 3M Scotch Multipurpose Scissors

Question: Describe about the Report for Marketing Plan Re-launch of 3M Scotch Multipurpose Scissors. Answer: Introduction The products of 3M are encountered everywhere and everyday be it the Post-it Notes or the Scotch tape or the Scotch Multipurpose scissors. Most of the historic innovations of 3M are an invaluable part of the peoples lives. The tapes and adhesives add live to your favourite things and mobile phones are held together by them. The multipurpose scissors are great for daily use whether you have to cut a normal piece of paper or cut things in a zig-zag pattern or make other designs. There has been a constant growth in the application as well as the diversity of the consumer products of 3M as technology has grown. This paper will be devising a market plan for re-launching the Scotch Multipurpose scissors for the next one year so that its usage becomes more convenient for the customers. Company Analysis 3M is a multinational company which is famous all of the world for its products and has operations which span across industries. The company manufactures more than 55,000 products including optical films, car care products, medical products, dental as well as orthodontic products, laminates, adhesives, etc. It operates in 65 nations worldwide (Research and Markets, 2016). The multipurpose scissors of the company is made up of sharp as well as hardened blades of stainless steel for giving a better cutting performance. The scissors consists of soft and comfortable grip handles so that it is easier to use. The handles are designed for right as well as left handed users. The scissors are available in three sizes 6. 7 and 8 inches in length, they come in red and grey coloured shades (3M, 2016). The scissors is a part of the stationery goods retailing industry. Industry Analysis and Industry Trends The Stationery Goods Retailing Industry is a very small component in comparison to the retail overall division of Retail Industry. The industry has been subjected to the increase in the competitive pressures as well as threats externally. The long term growth of the industry has been challenged by the increase in the number of alternative retail channels and the online retailers which are also selling items of stationery. There has been a gradual shrinkage in the industry from 2010-2011 onwards (IBIS World, 2016). In the last five years an estimated fall in revenue was an annualised 2.8% as the industry was constantly contending with the external variables. In 2014-15, it is expected that the revenue totalled $787 million in 2014-15 which was 2.4% less than last year. This was mainly because of the low business confidence accompanied by the challenging conditions of trading. The saturation in the traditional core segments of the industry is being partly alleviated by the fashion base d stationery (prweb, 2015). There were significant improvements in the market conditions in 2016. The prospects in the niche segments are relatively brighter. These comprise the customised stationery products along with the fashion-based stationery which is aimed towards the young generation (prweb, 2015). In 2016, the core and the non-core market of office products in Australia is valued at $A12.3 billion at end consumer prices. More design as well as style is needed in the office products and hence the transformation of the market is taking place to include a large range of educational and business products and services. Growth is stronger in the products of art and craft (Penfold Research, 2016). PESTLE Analysis Political Factors The political environment is stable The legal framework is transparent and efficient High degree of certainty Economic Factors The economic growth in Australia is strong in comparison to the most other OECD nations. The GDP of the nation currently is higher than developed nations like France and Germany. The interest rates, exchange rates and employment levels are high while inflation rate is low. Social Factors The demand for the products of a firm is impacted by the changes that occur in the social trends and the individuals willingness and availability for working. Technological Factors New technologies have led to the creation of new products. Costs can be reduced, quality can be improved and new processes implemented resulting in innovation through technology. Such benefits are advantageous to organisations and consumers. Environmental Factors Australia very strictly implements Global Warming polices , so while operating here the firm should consider that its products do not leave any negative impact on environment of Australia. The business practices in Australia are quite environment friendly and the business should participate in various activities that focus on reducing the harm to the environment (Lucintel, 2015). Legal Factors The basic legal framework of Australia consists of taxation policies, employment and recruitment management regulations. The quality of Scissors made by 3M Scotch scissors should be in accordance to the Australian regulations (Lucintel, 2015). Competitor Analysis The concentration level industry is medium which reflects the dominance of the superstores like Officeworks, Staedtler, Staples and Bic that are already established. However, the industry is also quite fragmented as a number of different markets and players are present. The large superstores chains of office supply which get support from billion dollar companies like Wesfarmers exist on one hand while on the other hand, many smaller companies also operate in the niche segments. There are also operators of the small scale which supply specialist products like the multipurpose scissors. The environment in which the industry operates is very competitive and the scissors and other stationery products are made available by an increasing number of the competitors externally like the supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) and discount departmental stores (Kmart and Big W) (prweb, 2015). Customer Analysis The main customers for the Scotch multipurpose scissors will comprise of the students in different educational institutions who can use it for the purpose of art and craft, it can be used by the homemakers for making different decorative items and also can be used in offices for the purposes of designing, decoration and cutting through multiple layers of cardboard and paper. However, the main customers will be the students attending schools and colleges. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is a devise used for the purpose of assisting managers in evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are involved in the business. It helps them in gaining insights into the past and thinking if what can be the possible solutions to the issues that exist or potential issues in a new venture or existing business (Nouri et al., 2008). The SWOT Analysis of the multipurpose scissors reveals the following results Strengths Available in different lengths for the convenience of the customers Made of stainless steel and the colour is attractive Multipurpose can be used for normal cutting and making various patterns. Can be used in office, home and also for art and craft in schools and home. Cut smoothly and through multiple layers Quality of the product is good Sharpness is good Comes with a warranty period of ten years Well established company with diversified business having more than 55000 products in the portfolio in over 65 nations with a strong brand name and thus re-launching the product will be easier Weaknesses The holes for the hand grip in the scissors are very small for the adults Hand strength is lacking Length is quite long On the costlier side Opportunities The niche segments are performing better and slight modifications will make the product better The company has the requisite skills of coming up with innovative products Threats Being a market leader, if even a single mistake occurs, the worldwide brad image is affected Even though a multipurpose scissors, utility for daily use is missing More competitors might enter the market Sales and discounts are expected by the customers Objectives The objectives of the company are to increase the sales of the product in the Australian market and promote the scissors in a better way so that there is enhancement in the companys profitability. This will help in giving the company a strong position in the highly competitive environment that exists globally. These objectives will be achieved by re-launching the multipurpose scissors after making certain modifications in the products so that the grip will improve and both children as well as adults can hold it comfortably. The hand strength of the scissors will also be increased so that people do not have to exert too much force when trying to cut through multiple layers of paper or cardboard. The aim is to increase the market share by means of qualitative growth and fulfil the needs of the customers with innovative products. Target Market The basis if the target marketing use is the premise that the people target have an affinity for the brand that is pronounced. When the marketers highlight this affinity, they are able to meet the desired outcome like the purchasing intent or attitude of the customers with respect to the product or brand. The shared knowledge of culture that the marketing communication displays makes targeting work (Aaker. et al., 2000). The following variables are used for targeting the market - Geographic Segmentation The target market will be consisting of the people from Australia. Demographic Segmentation The target market will consist of the people from both the genders. It will include the office goers, students as well as the homemakers. Thus this segment will comprise the both people who will be using the scissors in offices for business purposes and also the consumers using it at home. Psychographic segmentation The target market will comprise the people who have a liking for art and craft and want to make different patterns with the use of the multipurpose scissors. Behavioural Segmentation The target market will also include the people who like to use an item that can serve a number of purposes and look for value for money. Market Mix Analysis Marketing Mix analysis is important for determining the offer of a product or brand. It consists of product, price, promotion and place (Kotler, 2002). Product The needs of the consumers for a scissors that can serve multiple purposes and is also convenient to use will be the focus of the company. 3M will be emphasising on the fact that the scissors is multipurpose and can be used in schools, in offices and at home. It will also be stressing on the convenience of using the scissors and the modifications that have been made to enhance the strength and also to make the grip more comfortable by increasing the size of the holes. Promotion A mix of above the line as well as below the line promotion will be made. Promotion will be linked to the various purposes that the product will be serving and the new features that have been added. Social media will also be utilised as a platform for promoting the multipurpose scissors. Price Initially the pricing will be cost based in order to attract customers by offering them value for money. This will also ensure that it does not go out of the target customers reach. Place The product will be sold in the retail stores and the retail supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths. It will also be available online in order to ensure that the product is available to the widest possible range of customers. Conclusion New features will be added to Scotch Multipurpose Scissors and then it will be re-launched in the Australian markets. It will target the students, the office goers as well as the homemakers who are looking for a scissors that can serve multiple functions. The products grip and strength will be improved in accordance with the needs of the customers. The marketing mix will also be balancing the four elements related to product, promotion, price and place. The mix will be using both the traditional as well as the modern methods like the social networking sites and internet marketing. This will ensure that the product is able to reach the right customers in a way that is right. References 3M, 2016. Scotch Multi-Purpose Scissors. [Online] Available at: https://www.scotchbrand.com.au/wps/portal/3M/en_AU/ScotchBrand_APAC/Home/Products/Product-Catalog/~/Scotch-Multi-Purpose-Scissors?N=4335+3294529197+3294603652rt=rud [Accessed 6 September 2016]. Aaker., Jennife., Brumbaugh, A. Grier, S., 2000. Nontarget Markets and Viewer Distinctiveness: The Impact of Target Marketing on Advertising Attitudes. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 9(3), pp.127-40. IBIS World, 2016. Stationery Goods Retailing in Australia: Market Research Report. Market Research Report. IBIS World. Kotler, P., 2002. Marketing Management. New Jersey: Prentice-Hal. Lucintel, 2015. PESTLE Analysis of Australia. Lucintel. Nouri, J., Karbassi, A.R. Mirkia, S., 2008. Environmental management of coastal regions in the Caspian Sea. International Journal of Environvironmental Science and Technology, 5(1), pp.43-52. Penfold Research, 2016. Office Products in Australia, 2016-2018 A Market Report (1). Market Report. Penfold Research. prweb, 2015. Stationery Goods Retailing in Australia Industry Market Research Report Now Updated by IBISWorld. [Online] Available at: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/04/prweb12642173.htm [Accessed 6 September 2016]. Research and Markets, 2016. Analysis of 3M Company. Marketing Research. Research and Markets.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Humback Whales Essays - Baleen Whales, Megafauna, EDGE Species

Humback Whales To look up into the mountains and see the steam rolling from a mountain stream on a cold winters morning is a beautiful sight. However, to look out over the horizon and see the white spray of salt water coming from the blow of a huge hump-back whale is much more exciting sight and a whole lot warmer. I lived in the mountains of Colorado for most of my childhood. The first time I had the opportunity to see the ocean was on a vacation to California, when I was about 15 years old. It was even better than I had dreamed it would be. The different animals in the ocean, the color of the water, and the warm sand between my toes was probably what led me to come to the islands of Hawaii. When I first saw the hump-back whale I was amazed at their huge size and how they could breach out of the water so gracefully. It is as if they were trying to play or show off. So when we were asked to choose a favorite animal, I had no problem deciding on the hump- back whale. The hump-back whale gets it's name from the distinctive hump in front of the dorsal fin and from the way it raises it's back high above water before diving. They are a member of the order Cetacea. This order is of aquatic mammals and the hump-back belongs to the suborder of the Mysticeti. The Mysticeti are the baleen whales which have three families and several species. The family in which the hump-back belongs is the Balaenopteridae, the true fin backed whale. The thing that separates this genus from the other fin-backed whales is the pectoral fins, which grow in lengths of about 5 meters (16.4 feet). This Genus is called Megaptera meaning great wing (Tinker 290). There was a controversy over the species name in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In 1932, Remington Kellogg finally settled the matter with Megatera Novaeangliae (Cousteau 84). The common English name is the hump-back whale. The hump-back whale lives in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Since we live in the Pacific I'll be discussing the hump-backs of the North Pacific. They migrate from North to South. In the months of July through September they gather in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea or the Chukchi Sea. They head south for the winter. They go to one of three areas: (1) Between the Bonin Islands, the Marianas Islands, the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan; (2) The Hawaiian Islands, and (3) Along the coast of Mexico (Tinker 291). One of the reasons these whales go North is for feeding. They have a short food chain compared to most mammals. Phytoplankton turns sunlight into energy and this energy is consumed by zooplankton. The zooplankton and phytoplankton are eaten by small fish. The whale in turn eats the fish. The chain is complete when waste products or dead whales decompose. They have a very short time frame in which they eat compared to the twelve months out of the year. They have not been seen feeding in Hawaii. It seems that they only feed during the summer months up north. During the fasting periods, in Hawaii, they survive on their blubber. They mix their diet with copepods, euphausiids (krill), and small fish, primarily herring and capelin. They are considered filter feeders, using baleen plates to filter out their food. They take huge amounts of water into their mouth using a gulping method and then when they push the water out, they put their tongue up so the water must pass through the baleens. The food becomes trapped and falls toward the rear of the mouth. The two gulping methods hump-back whales use are lunge feeding and bubble net feeding. Lunge feeding is used when food is abundant. The whale simply swims through the prey with it's mouth open engulfing the prey. They can do this vertically, laterally or inverted. This is done toward the surface of the ocean. Bubble net feeding is used when the prey is less abundant. The whale dives below the prey and discharges bubbles from it's blowhole. As the bubbles

Monday, November 25, 2019

Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio Essays

Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio Essays Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio Paper Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio Paper Rizal was phenomenonal. He earned his first degree at 16 in the Philippines and never looked back. At 18 he ran away to Europe and earned a medical degree in Spain, and followed it up with degrees in France. While in Europe and in many in other countries during his travels around the world, he taught himself fluency in Spanish, German, English, and French and he did it all in a short 35 years of life. From childhood, he was a prolific writer and he remained so right up until minutes before being a martyr. Rizal’s reputation as a hero is well earned. He hated how the Spanish treated the natives of the Philippines, whom the Spanish called Indios. The novels and essays he wrote were aimed mostly at Spaniards back in Spain. His objective was to get them to stop the practices of Spanish friars and governors in colonial Philippines. I believe he was convinced that if the Spaniards in Europe knew of the cruelty and injustice going on in their colony for years, that they would finally interfere and stop the merciless brutality that had gone on for centuries. In Spain, Spaniards treated Rizal with respect and admiration, but for some reason the Spaniards in the Philippines were entirely different. They did not hesitate to use torture, terror and execution to keep their Indios under their complete control, and that included controlling Rizal as well. Spanish priests who were called friars, who called the shots in his home land. after years away, he returned to Manila and almost immediately the friars found a means to get him out of the way. He was found guilty of spreading sedition based on his anti-friar novels written while he was overseas. These novels were not intended to cause a Spanish overthrow, but to show decent, liberal-minded Spaniards how unjust things were back in his beloved islands. Jose was found guilty and exiled hundreds of miles away to the very fringes of the archipelago to the tiny town of Dapitan on Mindanao. He spent years there, and during the end of that time, a man named Bonifacio back in Manila put together the beginnings of a major revolt against Spain. Andres Bonifacio was captivating. Although he didn’t have the natural genius of Rizal, he was an incredible fellow just the same. He came from nothing and taught himself everything. The fact that he was poor, self-taught, and self-made, a man who could not afford any formal schooling, much less college, and yet excelled as a leader and independent thinker, he is great. I more I learn about Bonifacio the more I realize that this guy is a perfect form of an authentic Filipino. He has more in common with the bulk of the population here than most any other figure from this country’s past. He was born and raised in Tondo, a very poor place in the mid 19th century, and even more so now. He was dirt poor and suffered through the same troubles and problems that most Filipinos suffer today. Yet he overcame all those issues and became known as Supremo, the leader of the revolutionary government against Spain. Unlike Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio hated the Spanish and wanted nothing to do with them. Where Rizal wanted justice under the rule of Spain, Bonifacio wanted only Filipinos to be dominant over his own island. Also, Bonifacio was instrumental in writing the Katipunan, the guiding document of this country’s first home-grown government. despite no formal education, Andres managed almost single-handedly to spark THE most successful insurrection ever against Spain- and going back hundreds of years, there were scores of revolts and uprisings, all horribly crushed into bloody oblivion. His rebellion was so successful that today we call it The Philippine Revolution. Also, Bonifacio was instrumental in writing the Katipunan, the guiding document of this country’s first home-grown government.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Human Rights dimensions of International Petroleum Transactions Article

The Human Rights dimensions of International Petroleum Transactions - Article Example t importantly, the other day companies operating in countries with unpleasant governments had to face tough time because of non-governmental organizations that endanger their most inestimable assets, their good reputation1. The ignorance of human rights’ responsibilities by the multinational companies around the globe in general and the multinational companies specifically operating in unattractive areas are vulnerable to the print and electronic media and nongovernmental organizations. If we study the latest Human Rights Report, it is clear that it indicates the positive role of MNCs in reducing the human rights violations to some extent. However, it was felt that more effort needs to be made to satisfy the cited Medias (print and electronic media) and the NGOs2. Now the international companies realized that business and protection of human beings is necessary to create conducive environment to carry on their businesses. The following publications may provide the readers an insight of corporate responsibilities of International Companies towards protection of human rights in their area of operations: a) Corporations and Human Rights, b) Crackdown in the Niger Delta, c) Human Rights Violations In Nigerias Oil Producing Region, d) The Price Of Oil: Corporate Responsibility and Human Rights Violations in Nigerias Oil Producing Communities and e) The Enron Corporation: Corporate Complicity in Human Rights Violations3. The year 1994 is remembered for a longer period in the history of oil and gas in view of the execution of KEN Saro Wiwa and other human rights’ activists by the Nigerian regime. Soon after the said incident, Shell came under immense pressure and scrutiny of international human rights’ groups and the press. Initially the top notch of Shell denied their hands in executing mentioned human rights activists. Later on, it compelled Shell responsible officials to sit with the Human Rights Groups of United Kingdom to revisit their inhuman rights

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Should the Electoral College be abolished Research Paper

Should the Electoral College be abolished - Research Paper Example The topic represents one of the widely practiced political functions which create a considerable impact in the context of politics and elections. However, the greater emphasis will be laid upon the fact that whether the Electoral College be abolished or not? Analysis of this topic will provide an-in-depth insights to the present scenario of Electoral College and its related pros and cons. Nevertheless, the main concern lies upon the fact that whether the Electoral College should be abolished or not? This topic is considered to be one of the widely discussed topics, especially in the US context and in the recent times, it has also raised numerous debates that have cornered the political system to a large extent. This system has taken the overall political arrangement in a one-dimensional manner and it is giving rise to lot of political interventions that is not favored by most of the citizens (Veldman, â€Å"Abolish the Electoral College†; International Debate Education Associa tion, â€Å"Debates†). However, one of the major arguments for the Electoral College is that it magnifies the margin of victory and produces clear winners. The Electoral College is also supported on the ground that it is equated with federalism while the direct popular election does not promote federalism. In addition, the Electoral College system is viewed to eliminate the fraud associated with direct popular voting system. It can be argued that the system of Electoral College is ideal with respect to the interest of nation as well as its citizen. (Heyrman, â€Å"The Electoral College: A Critical Analysis†). Correspondingly, it can be argued that this system discourages the emergence of small and dangerous third parties. It has been viewed that this system promotes political stability and reduces political conflicts to a great extent. Furthermore, it can be stated that the proper utilization of this system, facilitate in overall welfare of the nation’s political system while its abolition ca n be viewed as threat to federalism. Besides, it has been observed that this system promotes benefit of having clear results and legitimate government (Williams, â€Å"Reforming the Electoral College: Federalism, Majoritarianism, and the Perils of Sub constitutional Change†). It has been reported on number of occasion the Electoral College is an outdated system and has potentially less relevancy in terms of modern political system. Subsequently, it can be argued that Electoral College is considered to be anti-democratic in nature and has arbitrary effects on the political set-up. It can be stressed that selection of representatives by Electoral

Monday, November 18, 2019

Scientific Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific - Essay Example 180). The latter permits replication of plasmid in host cells while drug-resistance gene is essential in allows growth of host cells by destruction of antibiotics especially carbenicillin. The use of restriction enzymes, in obtaining cloning sites through cleaving of the vector acts as the initial step in insertion of foreign DNA (Seviour and Nielsen, 2010, p. 365). Sticky ends especially single-stranded ends can results from cleavage of palindromic sequence GAATTC by EcoRI (Russell et al., 2013, p. 393). The resultant single-stranded ends have hybridization ability with similar EcoRI pieces of DNA. Using the principle, scientists take sequences of foreign DNA for cloning and mix them with cleaved vectors after digestion with EcoRI (Brown, 2013). After hybridization of the plasmid and foreign DNA through the sticky ends, the next step involves sealing with phosphodiester linkages to form recombinant plasmid. DNA ligase enzyme remains imperative in the sealing process. Consequently, the aforementioned replication origin, resistance gene, and DNA fragment remains present on the newly created recombinant plasmids that collectively forms circular library. The inherent recombinant plasmids have each of them possessing unique foreign DNA fragment. Subsequent stage involves addition of E. Coli bacteria that acts as host cells to the recombinant plasmids. At this stage, the study has made the cells permeable to DNA through treatment with CaCL2. Some cells resist taking recombinant plasmids while others do through a process known as transformation. Thereafter, the researcher pours the E,Coli cells into an antibiotic carbenicillin plate nutrient agar. It is important to note that only cells that have resistance to carbenicillinin antibiotic would grow in the agar as opposed to the rest. Growth and multiplication of the aforementioned cells remains possible at 37

Saturday, November 16, 2019

roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team

roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team This essay is meant to throw light on the importance of having an inter professional team that would make the service delivery to patients easier. In this essay I will discuss the roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team. The essay will reflect the efficiency of such a team and their work distribution and involvement. I will highlight the ways in which a team of professionals will work together to take proper decisions during emergency situations and tackle them effectively. The essay will also critically evaluate the various concepts of inter professional team work. An interprofessional team is a group of people who have a certain common goals or objectives which drives them to work together by setting aside individual goals. Inter professional team can be defined as a dynamic process involving two or more health care professionals with complementary backgrounds and skills, sharing common health goals and exercising concerted physical and mental effort in assessing, planning, or evaluating patient care, accomplished through interdependent collaboration, open communication and shared decision-making, and generates value-added patient, organizational and staff outcomes (Xyrichis and Ream 2007). Freeth et al (2005) defined inter professional team work as when two or more professional learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. The healthcare sector started showing interest in the interprofessional working during the early 1990. (Institute of Medicine, 1998;ONeil and Pew Health Professions Commission 1998;  Pew Health Professions Commission 1995a,  1995b,  1998). The Association of American Medical Colleges, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing suggested that the graduates must have enough knowledge in interprofessional collaboration (Varkey, Reller, Smith, Ponet, Osborn  , 2006). Varkey et.al (2006) also pointed out that there should be enough cooperation between the various professionals in healthcare field for the success of this profession. But unfortunately this fact is not included in the curriculum of the different medical schools in USA. Inter professional teams are more effective in rehabilitating the patients than individual health care professionals. The number of patients having positive impact by the inter professional service is larger than those by individual service providers. A very strategic role played by nurses is highlighted now. The nursing tutors face the dual challenge of preparing their students enter into nursing profession as well as equip them to cooperate effectively with other health practitioners (Lattuca, 200l;  Newell, 1998). An interprofessional team is working to provide service in a properly planned and systematic manner. In the health care sector inter professional teams are meant to develop groups that works towards efficiently rendering care to the patients. These teams include nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals. For a team to be efficient role clarity to inevitable and this will help them define their own duties and responsibilities avoiding conflicts (West and Markiowicz, 2004). A team essentially will have a team leader who will lead the team and motivate them to render good service working together (Martin and Rogers 2004). A health care team will work effectively if there is stability in the team, this will make the team member in the group work with shared trust and understanding (West and Slater (1996); Gair and Hartery, (2001)). Interprofessional teams are of various types, they include multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary etc. In case of multidisciplinary teams the members are from various teams. These members set their own discipline specific goals and work towards achieving it. But ultimately the result is calculated as the total of all the disciplines (Dean and Geiringer 1990). The position of team members in the team hierarchy will affect the way in which the team functions and how it will render the service (Cotts, 1998). In case of a multidisciplinary team there exist subgroups of doctors, social workers, therapists and also subgroups which had nurses and other junior staff. Her study also unveiled the idea that the different subgroups had different perceptions about the inter professional teams. Inter professional team work is highly essential in operation theatres and intensive and trauma care units. Since these are the emergency units of a hospital the situation of such units cannot be predicted and thus highly challenging. The interprofessional team may have to work highly efficiently and together. There exists a high rate of tension and stress in the team members in such emergency situations. According to McWilliam et al (2003), interprofessional working is a very difficult task for health care professionals. The patients didnt get the full benefit of interprofessional working due to the misunderstanding between the health care professionals regarding the policies and procedures in it. Mistreatment of elders is a serious issue and its growing day by day. It is the responsibility of nurses to identify and prevent such occurrences (Baker Heitkemper, 2005). The nurses have a variety of roles to play in an Inter-professional elder mistreatment team. At present the roles involve screening and assessment, mandatory reporting, direct care, and complaint investigation. Elder mistreatment (EM) is a very complicated issue and can be effectively solved through inter-professional association. Critics like Bion (1961) say that the interprofessional teams fail to focus on the real task they should be doing. The primary tasks for which they have come together is forgotten most of the by the interprofessional teams. Whenever there is an issue the teams to fail to reach at a consensus and they do not take proper decisions on the issue (Strokes 1994). The meetings conducted in order to take decision on the matter are just a waste of time. These assumptions are based on the work group mentality theory. Critics of interprofessional team have questioned the values of the team. It is said that the teams are not well managed and they do not work properly and responsibily. Negotiation theory puts forward the perspective of negotiating the personal and professional goals. (Strauss, 1978) The negotiations by professionals in the health care field have played a critical role in molding the characteristics of an interprofessional team. Loss and change theory reiterates that the health care professionals like doctors and nurses lose their professional identity as they are working in a team, this will lead to developing an improper relationship and improper behavior in the team (Atkins, 1998). Thus it critically points to the inter professional teams in that it wouldnt serve the purpose of forming a team the unhappiness of the team members can lead to inefficient functioning. The increase of cost in hospitals will also result if there is lack of proper communication between the professionals like doctors, nurses and staff and also if they are not coordinated well (Gavett, Drucker, McCrum and Dickinson, 1985). The roles played by nurses in the interprofessional teams are fast evolving. The importance of specialist skills for nurses is now recognized and new role have come up. The Macmillan nurse is an example of such new roles and they possess skills in palliative care and are expected to look after patients with terminal illness. Another group called night practitioners literally run the hospitals at night. They are skilled to assist any department and are sometimes considered better than junior doctors too (Martin Rogers, 2004) While working in an interprofessional team, there is an increased chance of conflict between the team members regarding the superiority in the team. The truth is everyone is equal while working in a team and nobody should themselves subordinate to anyone. But sometimes the nurses and their opinions are ignored in an interprofessional team. Such events makes them reluctant to be a part of such teams (Martin Rogers, 2004). Task shifting is a common practice among the professionals now days (Reeves et.al, 2010). This would help the traditional professionals to relieve of their heavy workload. The nursing practitioners and physician assistants are such roles (Hooker McCaig, 2001). The multiplicative effects model of interprofessional working views it more than the sum of its parts. Here the synergy obtained from such work is described (Leathard, 1994). According to this model, interprofessional working improves the contributions of individual team members and thus will help in the overall development of team. Decision making is an essential in ingradient of all teams; it measures the efficiency of the group. Decision making in case of an interprofessional team also play key role deciding its service delivery process. The usual situation that happens in such teams is the unavailability of proper team leader and also reaching at a common consensus. The decision taken in team has the idea input all the members that needs to driven well in one direction for increasing effectiveness of the work the team does. Most of the important decisions concerning the activities of the team are taken mostly by the Doctors, or the medical staff in an inter professional team in hospitals. Solving important problems and resolving conflicts are the aims of masking decisions (Neil, 1978). There are a few hindrances for nurses to be part of interprofessional teams. The health care sector has shortages or less number of nurses, and those nurses who are available have increased amount of work. As a result of which there is a limitation in case of inter professional support and collaboration (Mckay Crippen, 2008). Another barrier that can be highlighted is the disinterest on the part of other departments to participate and actively involve in the team and work together. The culture and hierarchy of the organization also plays a role in the formation of teams in the organization. According to Henneman.et.al (1995) Collaboration involves a partnership characterized by mutual goals and commitments in which participants willingly become involved in planning and decision making. Henneman.et.al (1995) also proposed that collaboration is a process by which members of various disciplines (or agencies) share their expertise. Accomplishing this requires these individuals understand and appreciate what it is that they contribute to the whole. Many authors have suggested ways to make the intercollaboration more effective. According to Fullan (1993), effective collaborations operate in the world of ideas, examining existing practices critically, seeking better alternatives and working hard together at bringing about improvements and assessing their worth.   The National Network for Collaboration (NNC) put forward a frame work for effective collaboration and advocated that it should possess a common vision, problem, a desired outcome etc. NNC also pointed out that the members of the collaboration must share this vision and contribute equally. The NNC sees collaboration as an inclusionary process which should be constantly engaged and must strengthen the commitment and must identify that relationship building and maintaining is the key factor for the success of collaborations and they must try to sustain a win-win relationship. According to Garner (1995) and Hoeman (1996), it should be by means of collaborative communicatio n rather than shared communication that the interprofessional team approach evolves. Efforts were made from the part of many authors for increasing the literature on interprofessional education for health professional students. But Cooper, Carlisle, Gibbs, and Watkins (2001) pointed out this literature to be diverse including a relatively small amount of research data and much larger amounts of evaluation literature. There were almost thirty works done on interprofessional education and all of them aimed to increase the level of co-operation and understanding between the members in interprofessional teams as well as to encourage a high quality care for the patients. There are a number of social science theories that explain the concept of interprofessional team work. Merton (1968) put forward theory in three modules. They are the micro, mid range and macro theories. The social sciences approaches that come under these three groups include: Micro: psychodynamic perspective by Bion, Menzies, Marris, social psychological perspective by Tejfel and Turner, Brown Interactionism by Goffman and strauss All the above approaches that come under the micro group are of the rational type that consolidates the team functions, identities and interactions. Midrange : Activity theory by Engestrom Institutional influence by DiMaggio and Powell Professionalization by Freidson These three approaches or theories are processual, organizational and contextual. Their task is to understand team activities, relation and performance, the relations between professions respectively. Macro: Discourse theory and surveillance theory by Foucault They are of the contextual type that deals with the impact of society and social interaction of with respect to the interprofessional team work. There are a set of models supporter by theories that help provide the inter professional education well in the health care sector that enables the health care professionals perform well and deliver quality service. These models are whilst behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism (Schunk D 2003). I will working for the betterment of the service provided to a patient using the things I learned. Working in an interprofessional team is has made me get involved with the Doctors and other professional in the field and has helped to build a strategy that elevates the level of service rendering process. As a nurse am able to act in the right way a right direction in case of any emergency and otherwise. From now I will be able to put into practise the concept I learned. The model that I would use is the Kolbs model of reflection. It is a process whereby, individuals, teams and organizations attend to and understanding their experiences and consequently modify their behaviour. The model mainly has 4 important aspects: Experiencing means really doing the task and experiencing the whole process. Reflecting- in this step the work is reviewed in terms of experience and the real process. Conceptualisation- here the various important occurrences and tasks are analysed and their connections among the events are noted. Planning- the events that have been understood will be analysed well in order to envisage the occurrences in future. This will help to prevent any improper events happening and build a proper strategy to do the next task. The Kolbs reflection model if one of the best models for teams. In case of a team there are aspects like: Doing- same as experience, where the team does the task or the action. Reflection- after the action, the team members openly discuss the whole process and share their views and experience. Interpretation- the members of the team now work with common identity and culture and as a team by leaning behind individual interests. Planning- in the final step team works according to the joint decisions and plan out ways to committing the action. Finally I would say that in any sector especially the health care there is an elementary requirement of having an inter professional team. The team in all ways will help in providing superior service since the decisions are taken as a team and under common grounds.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Midevial Cooking :: essays research papers fc

Cooking in the medieval times was performed on very big scale, and food was cheap and plentiful. Foreign goods had to be bought at the nearest large town. Food trade was a primary business. It was also a way of determining class. The nobles would eat meat, white bread, pastries, and drink wine. This sort of diet caused many health problems, such as skin troubles, digestive disorders, infections from decomposed proteins, scurvy, and tooth decay. A peasant would eat porridge, turnips, dark bread, and in the north they would drink beer or ale. Women were the expert cooks, and they seasoned their food heavily with pepper, cloves, garlic, cinnamon, vinegar, and wine. They paid close attention to the appearance of their meal. For instance, they might spread the feathers of a peacock that they are serving. Also, if a the eggs of a batter didn’t make it yellow enough, they would add saffron (saffron is orange of yellow powder obtained from the stigmas of the saffron flower). Meat was expensive, so it was considered a luxury. This made butchers prosperous. The most common and least expensive was sheep. They would also eat birds: gulls, herons, storks, swans, cranes, cormorants, and vultures, just to name a few. Animals were cut up immediately after killing and salted to be preserved. Most meat was boiled because it the animals were wild, and the meat was sure to be tough. Also, almonds were often cooked with the meat for flavor. Fish was also popular. Part of this was because the church required that you eat fish on Fridays. Fish was often cooked in ale. People spent more on bread and grain then anything else, even though England had a national bread tax, which fixed the price of bread. Pastries were expensive because sugar was an import. Because medical opinion advised that fruit shouldn’t be eaten raw, it was preserved in honey and cooked into pastries. Almonds were often cooked into pastries as well. Fruit was more wild back then than it is today, so it may have been more flavorful. Most people grew their own vegetables. Also, many people owned their own cow and made cheese with its milk. They would sell most of the cheese at the local market. Only gentleman had wine, which was often diluted with water or mixed with honey, ginger, or cinnamon to sweeten it. The only hot drink that they had in those days was mulled wine, and that was served only at festivities.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Famine & Poverty and Famines Essay

The phenomenon of famine has been widely described and analyzed in socio-political literature. The topic has been considered a controversial one in terms of its definition and its definitive features. In a recent revision of the concept of famine, â€Å"Poverty and Famines,† Amartya Sen retains part of classical vision on famine offered by Malthus, distinguishing â€Å"regular starvation,† which is a â€Å"normal feature in many parts of the world,† from â€Å"violent  outbursts of famine,† a â€Å"particularly virulent form of [starvation] causing widespread death† (Sen, 38-39). USAID defines famine as â€Å"a catastrophic food crisis that results in widespread acute malnutrition and mass mortality† (USAID, 2002).   Proper definition of famine matters not only in terms of labeling an event after the fact, but also in terms of how humanitarian organizations and governments respond to crises as they are happening. Maxwell points out that this is in large part because of the emotional weight the term â€Å"famine† has come to carry (Maxwell, 49). Humanitarian workers spent a considerable amount of time arguing about whether or not to call the 2002-2003 crisis in Ethiopia, ostensibly affecting over 13 million people, a famine. Calling it a famine would have stepped up the international response, but it might also be perceived as â€Å"crying wolf,† which would have a detrimental effect on organizations’ abilities to obtain resources for emergency responses in the long run. Aid agencies want to avoid using the term â€Å"famine† too often because they worry about â€Å"compassion fatigue† or â€Å"donor fatigue† – essentially that donors will be less likely to support emergency efforts if there are too many emergencies. There are also political implications for using the term â€Å"famine,† as can be seen in the case of the 2005 crisis in Niger, which President Mamadou Tandja insisted was a fabrication of relief agencies to obtain more funding (Sengupta, 2005). Aid agencies likewise were reluctant to apply the term famine, and referred instead to â€Å"pockets of severe malnutrition,† in part because they didn’t want to alienate Tandja (Sengupta, 2005). The general discussion in literature indicates that number of deaths, scale, intensity and time frame were main considerations for when to call something a famine. There also is a consensus that lack of access to food had to be the main problem, to distinguish a famine from other types of humanitarian crises. For instance, the 1984/85 famine in Ethiopia was unanimously considered a famine. Iraq in the 1990s was not, mainly because â€Å"the time-frame was too long for a famine and many deaths were the result of a health crisis, not calorie-related† (IDS, 3). Ethiopia in 1999/2000 was probably a famine, but Malawi in 2002 â€Å"represented a famine-threat, rather than a true famine† because â€Å"too few people died† (IDS, 3). In the latter case, the mortality was estimated between 500 and 3,000, and estimates were complicated by the prevalence of HIV/AIDS; thus, it was difficult to attribute deaths specifically to hunger and hunger-related diseases. WORKS CITED Institute of Development Studies. Report on Operational Definition of Famine Workshop. Sussex, UK: Institute of Development Studies, March 14, 2003 Maxwell, D.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why do famines persist? A brief review of Ethiopia 1999-2000.† IDS Bulletin, 33 (4), 48-54, 2002 Sen, A. Poverty and famines: An essay on entitlement and deprivation. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981 Sengupta, K. â€Å"President Tandja: ‘The people of Niger look well fed, as you can see.† The Independent, August 10, 2005 United States Agency for International Development. USAID background paper: Famine. Washington, DC: USAID, 2002. Retrieved July 8, 2009, from http://www.usaid.gov/press/releases/2002/02fs_famine.html

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Nature and Main Areas of Financial Management Essay

Introduction: Financial management is basically makes plans, organize, direct and control the financial activities in an organization. Applying general management principle to financial resources of the organization is part of financial management activity. Financial management is concern with the efficient and effective management of the financial resources of the organization. Nature and Main areas of financial management: Financial management is broadly concerned with the mobilization and development of funds by a business organization. To run the operations of company efficiently, it is important to raise and handle the funds effectively. Financial management performs this job. Financial management works on the following areas: 1.Finding financial necessities: – A financial manager must know financial necessities of the company. He should find out financial needs of the company. Financial manager must focus on available funds which are needed to meet promotional expenses, fixed and working capital needs. The necessity of non-current assets is related to types of company. Working capital needs mainly depends on the range of business operation. If the range or scale of business operation is large then the requirement of working capital will be high. If the financial manager makes wrong assessment about financial necessities, it may cause huge damage to the company. 2.Selecting the sources of funds:- Financial management works on how to raise funds from various sources for the company. Various sources may be available for raising funds. To issue of share capital and debentures proper steps should be taken. Financial management should ask various financial institutions to provide long-term funds. Equity capital necessities may be met by getting cash credit or overdraft facilities from commercial banks. A financial manager should be very cautious in approaching different sources to raise funds. Financial management should analyze the sources before raising funds. 3.Managing working capital:- Working capital indicates to that part of company’s capital which is needed for financing short-term or current assets such as cash, receivables and inventories. Maintaining these assets to a proper level is very essential for the organization. Finance manager is required to determine the amount of such assets. 4.Financial analysis and interpretation:- One of the most important tasks of financial management is analyzing & interpretation of financial statements. Financial management expected to focus on the short term and long-term financial position of the company. Profitability, liquidity position of the company should also be monitored by financial management. Financial manager can do this by calculating a number of ratios. Making interpretation of various ratios is also essential to draw certain outcome. Financial analysis and interpretation has become an important area of financial management in modern days. 5.Cost-volume profit analysis:- Cost volume profit is also popularly known as CVP relationship. Cost volume profit analysis is a very important area of financial management. Fixed costs, variable and semi variable cost analysis is crucial for CVP or Cost-volume profit calculation. Fixed costs are more or less constant for varying sales volumes. Variable costs depend on the sales volume. Semi-variable costs can be fixed or variable in the short-term. The financial manager has to make sure that the income of the firm will cover its variable costs, for there is no meaning in being in business, if the expected amount of income is not accomplished. A company must have to earn a sufficient income to cover its fixed costs as well. Finding the break-even point is one of the major responsibilities of financial management. 6.Dividend policy:- Dividend is provided by company to the shareholders for making investment in the shares of the company. The investors mainly interested in earning the maximum return on their investments. On the other hand management wants to retain the profits for making reinvestment in future projects and opportunities. These contradictory purposes will have to be adjusted in the interests of investors and the company. The interest of shareholders and the necessities of the company are related with the dividend policy, so that’s why dividend policy is an important area of financial management. 7.Capital budgeting:- To make investment decision in capital expenditure the concept of Capital budgeting is essential. Capital expenditure is an expense the benefits of which are expected to be achieved over a period of time exceeding one year. Capital expenditure is for acquiring or improving the fixed assets. The benefits from capital expenditure are expected to be received over a number of years in future. Capital budgeting decisions are very important for any organization. Any bad or unplanned investment decision may become harmful for the company. Capital budgeting is a very important area of financial management.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Psychlogy in Modern Society essays

Psychlogy in Modern Society essays Does Psychology have a place in modern society? In a field of science that deals with emotional and behavioral characteristics of people there are many opportunities for Psychology. It seems that as long as there are humans on this earth, then there will always be a place of psychology in modern society. They are needed in many places. From schools to large business jobs in psychology seem to be growing. Business hire industrial psychologists for the sole purpose of helping their employees deal with personal issues that may interfere with productivity. Schools use them to help not only the students but the also the faculty with there problems that make them deviate from doing their work. Health clinics always have a need for psychologists. Everyday more people are experimenting with drugs and other substances, these patients need a lot of help. They help them by trying to find the source of the problem, the one that made them want to start substance abuse in the first place. People have problems, and need some assistance in dea ling those problems once in while. These people include seriously emotionally disturbed children and adolescent teens. At one point in time, these children had no escape and had to deal with their problems on theirs own. Much of our population has benefited from the pork of psychologists. There is a very common mistake made between psychology and psychiatry. ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Project Performance and Control on the London 2012 construction Essay

Project Performance and Control on the London 2012 construction programme - Essay Example Equally, the program did not suffer from any noticeable or significant deviation from the set goals and measures as detailed in the governing blueprint of the schedule. The orderly and harmonious connection of the different aspects of the program was an enabling factor to the attaining of the different goals attained at the various levels and stages of the program. Most project deliverables were within the stipulated range of time and measures. The overall performance of the program is indicative of the accuracy of methods employed, the appropriate estimations, and the quality of controls and management systems employed before and in the course of the construction. The success of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games depended nearly entirely on the nature of logistics and state of infrastructure. The entire construction project was placed under the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) (Elson, 2012). Experts in the fields of construction, planning, sports, and finance worked together to achieve a level of efficiency that contributed significantly to the successful model of construction and architecture. In essence, analysts contend that much of the efficiency and effectiveness of the program was a factor of appropriate consultation and the assessment of utility, resources, and the element of time. Analysts observe that the performance of the construction program surpassed benchmarks and established standards and that it demonstrated the capacity of London construction industry to overcome the usual inequalities and logistical mishaps that have defined nearly similar projects in the past. Forensic schedule analysis and cost management are some of the key indicators of success that attend to construction projects in many parts of the world. The application of this analysis was manifest in matching of specific processes to respective estimates of time. Teams comprising of contractors, the academia, industry partners, and multiple government bodies worked together with the ODA to assess the kind of synergies that would be required in the development of other systems that are consistent with the nature of success achieved in the London 2012 Construction Program (Elson, 2012). On this note, it becomes important to assess the program as a case in point of the effect of coordination and management on the performance of processes as understood within the construction industry. Appropriate systems of risk management were enlisted throughout the various processes to serve as the safeguards against possible and unforeseeable mishaps to the program. The enlisting of the risk management systems was premised on the awareness of the impact of external factors to the performance of the program. As such, estimates of costs and other operational variables were determined in recognition of the possible variations that determine the nature of performance of processes against the set goals and benchmarks. The preliminary stage of the program focused on the dev elopment of the most appropriate strategy. This stage was one of the most important because it determined the course of action to be taken regarding the other kinds of processes. Some of the details that informed the development of strategy included matters of funding of the specific aspects of the program. Details of internal and external funding were discussed with the view of determining the most appropri

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Iron and silk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Iron and silk - Essay Example In the book, several times, people exert authority over him in a way he finds frustrating. This essay seeks to address several issues raised by Salzam in his book Iron and Silk, such as people frustrating him and others through exerting authority over them in a brutal way. One incident was when he killed a large rat during a lesson out of pure reflexes. A student suggests that he takes the rat across to the rat collection center so that he can receive a reward. He does not however get it as he is told that the reward is restricted to students killing rats in the dormitory. Later on a student explains to him that the official statements concerning rats is that they were no longer existent and that only internal documents that foreigners cannot read admit to the rat problem. Since he had killed the rat, he could not be rewarded as that would imply that they admit to the presence of rats and they could be criticized. Usually, I have found people to do what would appear to be a silly thing in order to protect how others think about them. It is in their nature to want to control the information that other people receive about them which informs their opinions towards them, for example how people carefully select what to post on face book. In this scenario, the institution would rather have denied the rats’ presence to an outsider that had seen one and obviously knotted their being than to admit to the public that they actually war. To them, it was a case of choosing the better evil. His restraint in this situation is however recommendable as he refuses to dwell for long on his grievances. This they probably did to protect their own reputation as an institution. It has been argued that actions that are felt to be wrong produce a need to withhold knowledge of them from others, which produces guilt and hostility. This implies that if one has been unable to solve a problem well and satisfactorily, they feel ‘forced’ to commit another action that

Thursday, October 31, 2019

International Business Strategy for master degree Assignment

International Business Strategy for master degree - Assignment Example The Group is now concentrating on fewer investments after the crisis. The new investments have been made in industries with which they are familiar – such as TV stations in Indonesia. They now focus on strengthening the existing business such as the food and the telecom business. His strategy is to maintain a majority stake in crucial group companies so that the giants do not swallow him up. He is a small player and his future strategy is limited by capital availability. His earlier strategy was to be involved in large number of small businesses. Now he does not want to limit to one or two core businesses. The key competence of the group is flexibility and he wants to capitalize on this. He does not want to be a product-based company but would like to use their expertise and capital in any business that is lucrative. He believes that continuous transformation has to take place. He places more emphasis on contacts rather than on capital to achieve success. Cultural orientation However, sustainable competitive advantage can be build upon strengths. He wants to produce in Australia and sell in China. He does not want to follow the strategies common to the western MNEs. However, selling goods and services to long-distance customers can be challenging. These include language and culture barriers and hence it is always advisable to use local partners. They see enormous potential in China but the business environment differs in China. In the case of this group using local partners is all the more important because the culture of China differs from that of Indonesia and the Indonesian values. As pointed out by Hofstede, accepted management style varies across nations (Stonehouse et al, 2004). When expanding outside the triad countries it is better to have a country-by-country approach in the management of government relations and customer interface (Birkinshaw et al, 2003). The group’s intention of acquiring a pig farm in Australia and engaging in wheat t rading activities is to bring the superior knowledge of farming to less developed Asian economies. This does not appear to be a practical approach to expansion. The company would have to embrace societal differences in culture, processes and systems. Group is not strong in technology. Communications are poor and the final decision lies with Anthony Salim. However, they feel that they can be successful in diverse fields such as retail, food and media because what matters is to understand the consumer trends. Knowing the sector and industry is unimportant. Knowing the consumer and consumer behavior is what matters. Lack of environmental analysis They are trying to enter the retail sector but Carrefour had failed when they tried to expand into other countries within Europe. Since their early ventures failed, they started focusing on emerging economies with a growing urban middle class population. Thus, in any sector meeting local cultural preferences is paramount to success. The proces s of globalization is not smooth and the uncertainties have to be coped with. Salim group’s contention, that understanding consumer trends in any sector is more important, is valid to some extent. However, knowing the industry is equally important. Salim Group should conduct PESTEL analysis before they consider venturing into any nation. Understanding the macro environment is the first step while understanding consumer trends comes later. Other tools such as Porter’

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Effects of Alcohol Essay Example for Free

Effects of Alcohol Essay Alcohol is a depressant that affects your vision, coordination, reaction time, multitasking ability, judgment, and decision-making. How can you drive safely if you can’t see, think, and move around well and react quickly? Alcohol affects your ability to identify dangerous situations and make good decisions when you know danger is ahead, and it slows your reaction time even if you do make a good decision. In addition, having alcohol in the body while you’re driving messes up your distance and speed perception, making you see things farther or closer than they really are, or makes you feel like you’re driving the speed limit when you’re really speeding. You need quick decision-making, reflexes, accurate perception, and multitasking skills to drive well and safely. Even one drink can make you an unsafe driver. And remember, driving with any alcohol in your bloodstream or in your car is illegal if you’re under the age of 21. Overall Effects of Alcohol Short-term effects In low doses, alcohol produces: A relaxing effect Reduced tension Lowered inhibitions Poor concentration Slow reflexes Slow reaction time Reduced coordination Slower brain activity Sensations and perceptions that are less clear In medium doses, alcohol produces: Slurred speech Sleepiness Altered emotions Poor vision Sleepiness and disruption of sleeping patterns Increased urine production More blood flow to skin surface Lower core body temperature In high doses, alcohol produces: Vomiting Uncontrolled urination Uncontrolled defecation Breathing difficulties Passing out Alcohol poisoning Coma Possible death Long-term effects of alcohol Disrupts normal brain development; Liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver; Brain cells die, decreasing brain mass; Stomach and intestinal ulcers and destroyed organs; Blood pressure increases, causing heart disease, heart attack, or stroke; Male sperm production decreases; Lower levels of iron and vitamin B, causing anemia; Alcoholism; Death; and Fetal alcohol syndrome in unborn children.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Amazons Business Model: A Case Study

Amazons Business Model: A Case Study Discussion of Amazon’s business model, and the impact of information technology for the internal organisation of work. What is their business model? Many academics believe that Amazon’s outstanding success as an Internet retailer compared with many of its rivals has been due largely to its ideal business model and swift response to the changing market since its inception. (Global Market Information Database, 2003) To begin with, Amazon chose the perfect product lines for e-commerce, with products that consumers did not need to handle in person before making a purchase: initially books, but then spreading to DVDs, music and other media. Furthermore, consumers in the book and music categories tend to desire information when they shop online, which Amazon was able to provide on its sites through reviews and recommendations. Amazon consumers appeared willing to pay a little extra for this convenience, although the recent competitiveness of the market has forced the company to cut prices or use other promotional techniques, and shift the focus of its business model from pure quality driven back towards price driven. Amazon then turned to diversification, and extending its product offer in order to widen its customer base and improve margins, with the result being that the company has focused strongly on building up its product portfolio to offer customers more choice. In 2001, Amazon increased its range of electronics and tripled its kitchen selection, as well as launching computer and magazine subscriptions stores, and set up strategic partnerships with retailers such as Target and Circuit City. In November 2002 Amazon.com announced the launch of a new online apparel store with items from retailers including The Gap, Old Navy, Lands End, Nordstroms, Cole Hahn, Osh Kosh, Spiegel, Eddie Bauer, and Foot Locker, amongst others. This diverse business model has enabled Amazon to grow both its market capitalisation and profitability, and become largely accepted as the world’s leading online retailer (Global Market Information Database, 2003) The company also concentrates on improving convenience with new features, such as the recently launched ‘Instant Order Update’, which warns customers if they are about to buy the same item twice. Marketing itself as offering Earth’s Biggest Selection, the company aims to be the world’s â€Å"most customer-centric company†, operating through its three basic businesses: Online Retail; Marketplace and Other; and Third-party Sellers. Amazon also recently began to target the institutional market as well as consumers expanding its business model in order to drive a new source of revenue: renting out its site-building services to other companies. It owes much of its relative financial well-being, compared with other pure Internet retailers to the site-building and hosting services it has sold to clients such as Borders and Toys â€Å"R† Us. (Global Market Information Database, 2003) Indeed, a recent article by Sutton (2005) focuses on Sears Canada Inc., which has recently stated that it will turn over the technology component of its online retail presence to Amazon to capitalize on Amazon’s years of expertise in customer-facing Web sites. â€Å"Sears.ca will remain very much a Sears brand,† according to spokesperson Vincent Power, (Sutton, 2005) with little to indicate Amazons involvement from a customers perspective, and Sears will continue to host the site, using the same internal fulfilment house that handles customer orders from the site and from the Sears catalogues. Amazon Services Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., will handle the arrangement which is only the latest in a series that Amazon has struck with other retailers recently. The idea of retailers, both huge and small, outsourcing their Web sites has gathered momentum in recent years, said retail analyst Jim Okamura with Chicago-based J.C. Williams Group (Sutton, 2005), and Amazonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s business model is now aligning itself to take full advantage of this fact. Strategic alliances are another integral part of Amazon’s business model, and the company has entered into a number of agreements to expand its range of products and services by allowing selected strategic partners to sell products and services under co-branded sections on the Amazon.com website. These alliances have generally consisted of Amazon making, or having the future right to make, a minority investment in the companies, and the entry into commercial agreements, which vary in scope, from customer advertising activities and links, to recently announced deals involving the sale of products and services on co-branded sections of the Amazon.com website. These alliances have developed from the successful alliances the company forged in 2001, with such companies as America Online and Target in the US, and Virgin Wines in the UK. Amazon also expanded its product offering under its Toysrus.com strategic alliance to include Babiesrus.com and Imaginarium.com co-branded stores at www.amazon.com. In addition, the company entered into strategic alliances with Expedia, Hotwire and National Leisure Group to create its travel store, further fulfilling its diversification aims. Amazon’s marketing strategy is one of the most typical parts of its business model, being focused on strengthening and broadening the Amazon brand name, increasing customer traffic to its websites, building customer loyalty, encouraging repeat purchases and developing incremental product and service revenue opportunities. However, the unique part of this section of its business is that in order to accomplish this, the company employs tactics such as delivering personalised pages and services and using a variety of other media, business development activities and promotional methods. Amazon also relies on public relations activities, as well as online and traditional advertising, including radio, television and print media, and direct marketing, however one of the primary ways the company directs customers to its websites is through its â€Å"Associates Program†. This enables associated websites to make products available to their customers with fulfilment performed by A mazon, and is remarkably successful: by 2001, more than 700,000 websites had enrolled in the Associates Program. (Global Market Information Database, 2003) What many consider to be the defining characteristic of Amazon’s business model is that the firm has no physical retailing activities, operating only via the Internet. However, its virtual operation is very much underpinned by administrative and service facilities, and in 2001, these consisted of US fulfilment facilities in New Castle, Delaware; Coffeyville, Kansas; Campbellsville and Lexington, Kentucky; Fernley, Nevada; and Grand Forks, North Dakota; as well as a seasonal fulfilment centre, used as necessary, in Seattle, Washington. The company also leases and operates three European fulfilment centres located in the UK, France and Germany and, in Japan, the courier company Nippon Express provides fulfilment services for orders from www.amazon.co.jp. These fulfilment centres comprise in total around four million sq ft of warehouse space, and in addition, Amazon leases four off-site facilities that fluctuate from 340,000 to 710,000 sq ft of space, which support the storage an d fulfilment functions of the US centres. (Global Market Information Database, 2003) What are the technologies used by the organisation in pursuit of competitive advantage? In Hamid’s (2005) article, he focuses strongly on the fact that Amazon offers many interesting variations on the strategic applications of Internet technology, in order to enhance customer relationship and acquire customer loyalty. Obviously, Amazon’s offerings of personalised services, confirmation of orders in real time and other value added activities substantiated the ability of the Internet as a competitive tool. As the number of internet users is growing rapidly around the world, retailers are under great pressure to take advantage of this huge online market potential. However the challenge is whether online retailers can match up with other, â€Å"bricks and mortar† competitors worldwide in terms of services rendered on the Internet. Hamid investigated the level of Internet technology applied by web sites in view of global electronic marketplace competition, finding that many Internet retailers are still lagging behind in fully utilizing the strategic pote ntial of the Internet particularly in enhancing customer relations. However, Amazon is already way ahead of this, using some of the technologies described above, and plans to cement its lead further in the next five to ten years and, in doing so, revolutionise the book business yet again. Curtis (2005) analyse Amazon’s recent acquisitions of on-demand book printer ‘BookSurge’ and e-book company ‘MobiPocket’, claiming that they may signal a coming transformation of the publishing business, one that includes an end to the industrys biggest problem: that of returns. Since practical ‘print on demand’ (POD) technology became available in 1998, it offered retailers the vision of a book business driven by demand-and-supply, rather than the current consignment model, and Amazon is ideally placed to turn that vision into reality (Curtis, 2005) Given that the retailer owns or leases well over four million square feet of warehouse space, no small portion of which is devoted to books, and employs 9,000 people to process orders, it would benefit immensely if it could forward orders to a printer to drop-ship books directly to customers. Not only would this benefit Amazon itself, but also potentially the publishers, helping Amazon develop strong relationships with yet another stakeholder group. One strategy might be for Amazon to print pre-sold books in its own plant which, aside from shifting printing and shipping costs from publishers to the retailer, would also sharply reduce the guesswork for publishers setting print runs. Given current economies of scale for large print runs of big books, its likely publishers would, at least for the foreseeable future, continue to print books the traditional way for brick-and-mortar accounts. However, Curtis (2005) claims that even a mix of POD and traditional printing makes more sense than the current reasoning that you can make more money by printing a million copies and selling half of them than you can by printing half a million and selling all of them. Though POD manufacturing costs are currently far higher than those of traditional long print runs, longer POD print runs, and lower unit costs, will become more common if the number of pre orders on the site continues to rise, and as the technology continues to improve, especially given Amazon’s access to detailed customer data which it can use to predict future retail trends. Equally, Amazons acquisition of the e-book retailer, ‘MobiPocket’, enables the company to contemplate developing virtual publishing in its purest form: eliminating hard copies and delivering virtual books electronically to customers at a fraction of the current cost. As Amazon masters these technologies and delivery systems in the coming years, perhaps even becoming a publisher in its own right, it will be harder and harder for traditional publishers to support the outdated consignment model, and potentially giving Amazon its highest ever level of competitive advantage. Indeed, trade publish ers may find themselves shifting to a system in which most books are pre-sold, regardless of the channel, further increasing Amazon’s advantage over the traditional stores. Curtis, R. (2005) What are the implications of this technology on the internal organisation of work? One of the key implications of the importance of technology to Amazon is that the company has to maintain its edge in technology: an edge that is more critical than ever as Amazon increasingly squares off against sophisticated e-commerce survivors like eBay, whilst controlling the potentially massive costs of said technology. Just two and a half years ago, Amazon spent 11 cents on tech for every $1 in sales, but now the company spends only about 6 cents. All told, Amazons tech spending has fallen 25 percent from its September 2000 peak, even as the company added nine new categories to its retail lineup and signed on dozens of new corporate partners. However, despite the need to slash unnecessary costs, at other times, its much better to invest your way to efficiency and, as Amazon’s head of technological development claims: â€Å"You cant be cheap for the wrong reasons.† (Thomas, 2003) As such, Amazon’s internal staff have embraced open-source coding, replacing Sun servers with Linux boxes from Hewlett-Packard, and necessitating a whole new organisational structure for the technological development staff. For every $1 spent on the new hardware, the company saved $10 in license fees, maintenance, and expected hardware upgrades, but also has to learn and adapt to the new processes and systems. The company has also been willing to spend to save, maintaining its own warehouse-management software, which has to be built and maintained by internal staff, even though ready-made alternatives like Logility might cost as little as $375,000. However, with its own software, Amazon can tweak inventory algorithms whenever it wants so that, for example, a book isnt shipped to New York from a Nevada warehouse when it could be sent faster and cheaper from Delaware, and managers can have greater control over their own warehouse staff. (Thomas, 2003) Equally, although Amazon’s partners are primarily intended to generate revenue, they are also used to help control internal costs: the company has recently began to invest in Web services and tools that make it easy for partners to hook into applications Amazon had developed for its own use. Now retailers like Nordstrom and Gap can feed their inventory into Amazons new apparel store without a lot of custom coding, and freelance programmers can build their own online stores using Amazons payment, fulfilment, and customer services, meaning that Amazon’s internal staff only need track these stores and ensure they are using the services correctly, rather than have to handle all the marketing and coding themselves. For example, a Romanian coder created www.simplest-shop.com, which uses Amazons Web services tools to extract product data from Amazon and then fashions side by side comparison tables, which is a feature not available on Amazon.com, essentially doing Amazonâ€℠¢s marketing and retailing for it. (Thomas, 2003) Amazon’s recent shift towards cutting costs has also has an effect on its internal organisation of work: in 2001, Amazon embarked on a restructuring plan which would lead to a reduction in its personnel numbers by some 1,300, or 15% of its workforce. This also involved: the consolidation of Amazon’s corporate office locations in Seattle; the closure of its fulfilment centre in McDonough, Georgia; the operation of its Seattle fulfilment centre on a seasonal basis; the closure of its customer service centres in Seattle, Washington and the Netherlands; and the migration of a large portion of its technology infrastructure to a new hardware and software platform. The company estimated that the restructuring would result in costs during the first half of 2001 exceeding US$150 million relating primarily to severance, fixed asset impairments, continuing lease obligations and other exit costs related to the restructuring. The restructuring has also lead to fundamental changes in the roles of its staff, and the organisational structures within which they work, with many staff taking over greater responsibilities and a greater scope of work. (Global Market Information Database, 2003) References: Curtis, R. (2005) Gone Today, Gone Tomorrow? Publishers Weekly; Vol. 252, Issue 30, p. 74. Global Market Information Database (2003) Amazon.Com, Inc. Euromonitor International. Hamid, N. R. A. (2005) E-CRM: Are we there yet? Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge; Vol. 6, Issue 1, p. 51. Sutton, N. (2005) Sears Canada turns over Web management to Amazon. Computing Canada; Vol. 31, Issue 7, p. 11. Thomas, O. (2003) Amazon’s Tightwad of Tech. Business 2.0; Vol. 4, Issue 1, p. 104.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Absinthe: The Price of Creativity :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Absinthe: The Price of Creativity The practice of serious art, whether it be painting, music or literature, requires originalities of perception. At a level of neurobiology what this usually means is that the nervous system must respond in new ways to old inputs. How can in individual induce these responses that are needed for creativity? If creativity is a behavior, can it be influenced by things that occur in the brain? Some artists seem to be naturally endowed with the gift of creativity and the creation of these new responses to old information. Some artists seek to place themselves in ambient conditions in order to induce these new responses of the nervous system. And other artists seek out the help of drugs. Drugs can have a wide variety of effects, from mild physical effects to huge effects on personality and behavior. At the end of the 19th century there was an era of great creativity in Europe. Particularly in France, the Belle Epoch era brought with it a generation of artists that produced an enormous output of creativity. These artists survived in artistic circles which brought with them the notorious alcoholic drink called "absinthe". In 1910 to 1915 absinthe was recognized as a neurological poison throughout Europe, and it was also banned in the US. However, amongst the fans of absinthe we find some of the most creative minds of the era. These include; De Musset, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Zola, Oscar Wilde, Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gough, Hemmingway and Picasso. (5) Oscar Wilde said of absinthe: "After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see them as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, which is the most horrible thing in the world." Although absinthe had become the national drink of France by the end of the 19th century, absinthe had a reputation for inducing "insane and criminal acts" as well as convulsions and other effects of toxicity (1) Though absinthe contains a high volume of alcohol (usually 70%), it is not the ethyl alcohol that is the important neuro-active ingredient, but the terpenoid alpha-thujone. Thujone is derived from the oil of the plants, Artemisia absinthium (common names: bitter wormwood, wormseed, Wermutkraut, Asscnizio, Losna, Pelin) and Artemisia pontica (Roman Wormwood), both of the daisy family. The plant is described as a fragrant perennial herb about 1-4 feet tall with silver-green leaves, silky hairs on both sides of the leaves, and small yellowish-green flowers present during July-September (4).