Dissertation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Dissertation - Essay Example In terms of age, the most significant portion of respondents was in the 26-35 year age bracket, with 41.3% of respondents. 40.2% of respondents were in the 36-45 year age brackets. High school respondents totaled 58.2% of respondents. 64% of the respondents were currently employed. Internet usage and online shopping Many respondents had Internet experience. 29.6% had more than ten years Internet experience using the internet more than ten years. Those who had experience with online shopping more than once a month reached to 42.9%. Online shopping experience 77% of respondents indicated that they faced no difficulty using the internet. To what extent is the use of the Internet risky 51.9% of respondents thought that the internet is sometimes is risky. 39.7% that argued that the internet is not risky at all. Tesco and Asda direct Respondents who have full experience in Tesco (37.8%) direct were more than those with experience with Asda's (28.1%). The rest of the customers did not have experience with either. Factors that affect customer confidence toward online shopping Factors that affect consumer confidence towards online shopping was limited to seven categories: the impact of demographic factors on consumer confidence, product, price, promotion, distribution and customer service, the impact of technological issues and finally the impact of social issues on customer confidence. ... In general the researcher found that Asda has overtaken Tesco in achieving customer trust. For example: The table above illustrates that Asda provide high readability of accessing details. Around 60 of respondents voted for Asda in readability of information, whereas only 55 of respondents voted for Tesco. 3- Price Respondents gave an equal percentage to Asda and Tesco when asked about who provided the lowest price product. However, a later question had Asda as the high percentage at 73.1%. The researcher designed two similar questions in different styles to reduce sensitivity when answering question. Low price and club card The majority of respondents indicated that low prices are more important to confidence than the club card. 3- Promotion Promotion was considered in relation to the extent it was a nuisance to the consumer. Mobile as an annoying tool came in at the top with 56.2% for Asda and 55.6% for Tesco. Email was the next most annoying tool, accounting for 28.1% with Asda an d 26.1% with Tesco. Finally, the post is the least annoying with Asda and Tesco both at 25%. 4- Delivery and customer service The majority of respondents found the request of payment and delivery information easy. 53% of Asda's customers support the point whereas 15.9% reject it. 49% of Tesco respondents support the point and 12.6% rejected it. The respondents were asked about several factors in delivery service that affect their behavior and confidence toward online shopping. Tesco offers more different method of delivery according to respondents. Asda comes in the top in Charge of delivery. The cost of delivery, as well as the correct and efficient arrival of the product was strongest with Asda. Customer Service As

Free

Free Market Essay According to the Investopedia, ‘a free market system is a market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control. It is a completely free market in which buyers and sellers are allowed to transact freely based on a mutual agreement on price without Government intervention in the form of taxes, subsidies or regulation’. Therefore, the free market system is good for Belize. Belize positively benefits from this system because it ensures competitive markets, the consumers are part of the decision making process, and the supply and demand create competition. The free market system is good for Belize because it ensures competitive markets. There is a need for competitive markets so that we have the survival of the fittest. We need to have the best businesses so that we have more chances of developing as an economy. The fittest businesses bring better opportunities for the society since they will have better quality and service. Also by having competition, it brings about many benefits to the consumer. This may be seen for example in the case of Digicel and Smart, whereby there competitiveness is so high that they give so many advantages to their customers through their regular promotions. In addition, by having the best businesses we have better chances to survive as an international business. Consumers voices are heard in that their decisions determine what products or services are in demand. This is another advantage of Belize having a free market system. In all reality, the consumers are the ones to decide which business stays and which go. The consumers know what they want and need, it is from this that they decide what to buy and consume. For example, most people from Orange Walk would prefer tacos over burritos. This is clearly seen by the increasing numbers of tacos vendors and a small if any number of burrito vendors. If a burrito stand would open, it is probable that it would not have enough demand so hence it would shutdown. Supply and demand create competition, which helps ensure that the best goods or services are provided to consumers at a lower price. This will lead the businesses to having better quality and service and by having this the business itself becomes an overall better business. This benefits the society because they are receiving better goods and services and at a lower price. An example would be the fruits and vegetables sold at the market. Different stalls at the market may have different prices, so the consumer may have the option to buy the one with the lowest price or the one with the best quality. If the good is bought based on the lowest price then the other stalls will need to lower their price as well because if they don’t then they might not sell their goods. In an article by Chris Seabury, he states that in the United States those who want the removal of government intervention say the free market would force the businesses to protect the consumer. This in turn would provide the customers with quality goods and services at low price. Also he stated that there are several disadvantages to having government intervention. Government intervention can create a huge government bureaucracy, it can create huge monopolies, and it can compress innovation by over-regulating. Firstly, government regulation creates a huge government bureaucracy that stifles growth. In USA many labor and environmental regulations force businesses to move jobs off shore, where they can find more reasonable regulations. Secondly, government intervention creates huge monopolies. This will lead us, the customers, to having to pay higher prices for goods and services. For example, ATT functioned as a regulated national monopoly in the 1980s and provided consumers with high telephone rates. Thirdly, regulation by the government compresses innovation by over-regulating. When there are too many regulations, the business will be at a disadvantage in its country. For example, in USA the coal industry has so many regulations that it is more profitable to ship coal overseas than to sell it domestically. Overall, the free market system is good for Belize because it creates opportunities for the economy and benefits the consumers in many ways. The free market system is not perfect but it has many advantages that may lead the country on the path to development. The free market system creates benefits such as ensuring competitive markets, making the consumers part of the decision making process, and supply and demand creating competition. All in all, the government becomes inefficient when it creates bureaucracy that increases the cost of doing business for everyone.

Language Teacher Response

Language Teacher Response Teachers questioning Strategies in EFL classrooms 1) What type of questions does the teacher use? 2 Is there a predominance of any particular type(s)? 3) What modification techniques does s/he employ when questions are not understood? 4) How much L2 production do questions generate from the learners? Questioning is considered by researchers as one of the commonly used strategies in language classrooms. Questions are a very important aspect of classroom talk and teachers talk is largely made up of questioning (Tsui 1995). Educational studies on language classrooms have focused on the effect of teacher questions on learners production of the target language and on the types of learner response (Tsui 1995). Teachers questions are a means of engaging learners attention, encouraging verbal responses, and assessing learners progress (Chaudron 1988). Tsui (1995) has elaborated the functions of questions as a source of checking students understanding, to confirm if they have gained the knowledge imparted, to focus their attention, make them involved in the lesson, to take the lesson forward and some teachers ask questions to maintain discipline in the classroom and especially in language classroom questions serve the purpose of making students practice a certain language item and to use the target language for communication. Questioning can either assist target language production or result in meaningful content-related responses by learners (Chaudron 1988). Ellis (1994) gives more emphasis on questioning as a way of keeping control over the classroom discourse. Long (1981) argues that questioning probably facilitates interaction by establishing the topic and who is likely to speak next (Chaudron 1988). Questions provide learners with the opportunity to speak the language and generate a series of follow up conversation among learners as well as helping teacher to check comprehension (Brown 1994).But on the other hand Chaudron (1988) is of the opinion that the nature of questions may strictly limit the possibilities for the students to respond at length. According to Tsui (1995) in majority of the ESL classrooms main part of classroom interaction is created by the teacher posing questions and these can be nearly 70 percent of the classroom talk. But Chaudron (1988) attributes only 20 t0 40 percent classroom talk to questioning. Johnston (1990) observed a total of 522 questions of different types in three hours of language class. Similarly, Long and Sato (1983) observed a total of 938 questions in six ESL lessons (Ellis 1994). Types of Questions The type of questions that the teacher asks affects the kind of response that the students produce (Tsui 1995) Much of the work on questions has centered on developing taxonomies to describe the different types (Ellis, 1994:587). There are so many different types of questions that it is difficult to decide on different categories (Richards and Lockhart 1996, Ellis 1994). However, Tsui (1995) argues that various types of questions are based on the factors such as their cognitive demand and their effect on students. Closed and Open Question Closed and Open-ended questions are distinguished by an early study on L1 classrooms (Barnes 1969 cited in Chaudron 1988). In the earliest classification Barnes (1969; 1976) Closed questions have a short and fixed answer (Barnes 1969). The questions that begin with where, who, when and what are considered factual questions (Barnes 1969 cited in Tsui 1995) having closed and usually brief set of responses (Chaudron 1988). For example Where were you born? (Chaudron 1988) Open questions begin with why and how and are classified having longer response therefore the length and nature of the expected response is left open (Chaudron 1988). They can be referred as general information questions (cf. Naiman et al. 1978; Bialystok et al. 1978 cited in Chaudron 1988). For example What did you do on trip? (Chaudron 1988) Questions that seek for reason (how? and why?) can be both open and close, much of the distinction is made by Barens (1969) between these two types of reasoning questioning (Ellis 1994). Closed reasoning-type questions are the ones that allow one acceptable answer where as open are framed to allow a number of different acceptable responses. However, Barens also points out that many questions have the appearance of being open, but, in fact, when the teachers response to a students answer is examined, turn out to be closed; he calls these pseudo-questions'( Ellis 1994). Long and Satos Taxonomy (1983) The taxonomy which will be used in this research paper is given by Long and Sato (1983) which is based on Kearsleys (1976) framework of question types (Ellis 1994). Long and Sato (1983) made necessary changes in Kearsleys (1976) taxonomy of question types according to their study of ESL teachers questions (Ellis 1994). This taxonomy cited by Ellis (1994) is as follows: Echoic Comprehension checks e.g., All right?; OK?; Does everyone understand polite? Clarification requests e.g., What do you mean?; I dont understand; What? Confirmation checks e.g., S: Carefully. T: Carefully?; Did you say he? Epistemic Referential e.g. Why didnt you do your homework? Display e.g. Whats the opposite of up in English? Expressive e.g. Its interesting the different pronunciations we have now, but isnt it? Rhetorical: e.g. Why did I do that? Because I This framework of questions is based on two main question types, echoic questions and epistemic questions with seven sub-categories. Echoic questions seek for repetition of an utterance or confirm that it has been understood by the listener whereas epistemic questions obtain information from the learners (Ellis 1994). The sub-categories include comprehension checks, clarification requests and confirmation checks under echoic questions and referential, display, expressive, and rhetorical are the sub-categories of epistemic questions (Ellis 1994). Display and Referential Questions Taxonomies by Koivukari (1987) and Hakansson and Lindberg (1988) Questioning Behavior Questions and learner production Modification of questions According to Richards and Lockhart (1996) questioning can be used to allow the learners to keep participating in the discourse and even modify it so that the language used becomes more comprehensible and personally relevant. Wait Time Socio-Cultural Contest

Media Manipulation and Americas Favoritism of Israel in the Israel-Pal

I’m a frequent traveler. When doing regular traveling one gets to compare and contrast different cultures on regular basis. Most of these comparisons include foods, clothes or simple social attributes. Lately however I have to come to realize a sharp and quite disturbing difference in US media. Whenever I have the chance to compare news coverage in the middle-east I find myself confused and parted. I often find American news coverage, TV and newspapers alike, being bias, especially those covering problems in the Israeli/Palestine conflict. It seems as if I am watching two different wars. In America I am watching a stronghold power, Israel, fighting the endless terrorism brought by Palestinians. In Europe I see a war between two nations in despair thoroughly trying to fight terror from both sides of the conflict. I consistently find myself questioning American newspapers, as they use overly strong terminology and definitions on top of puzzling omission of essential facts. This paper was made to research and analyze the cause of my questioning while comparing these causes to Europe in order to see if my questioning is justified. I found that because of small groups with pro-Israeli interests dictating this country, U.S government has a need to manipulate and slant media in order to get accord for their action. The questionable U.S actions include extremely imbalanced aid to the Middle/East conflict, favoring Israel. However, before I could draw any conclusion of a U.S bias I had to analyze whether my accusations for U.S media bias was justified. The manipulation becomes quite evident if one analyzes seven common violations of objective journalism: selective omission, misleading definitions and terminology, imbalanced reporting, opin... ...ffairs. 2004. â€Å"U.S. Aid to Israel Subsidizes a Potent Weapons Exporter.† Jim Krane. 2002. Associated Press. 20 June, 2002. â€Å"The Launching of New International Campain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi. 2004. EU Social Forum. 20 Oct. 2004. â€Å"The Weird Men Behind George W. Bush’s War†. Michael Lind. 2003 New Statesman. 7 April. 2003. †A Costly Friendship†. Patrick Seale. 2003 The Nation. 21 July, 2003. â€Å"Pressure on Campus†. Paul Findley. 2004. They Dare to Speak Up. 2004. < http://www.ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/pg-campus.html>

Tree top walk in fern tree park

Executive SummaryKeeping ecological value and commercial value is so of import to a national park that developing new land usage method is of great significance. Ferntree Gully National Park used to be a hunting land by the Bunurong ( Western Port ) and Woiworung ( Yarra Yarra ) natives for 100s of old ages. It is now a popular walking finish with many walking paths available. This study will give certain On-the-spot probe and research analysis to the current state of affairs of Ferntree Gully National Park. First, we will reexamine the long history and important alterations of this park. Then, we will give analyses and treatments on the environmental characteristics and on this footing propose a manner of land usage alteration. In this subdivision, certain statistics along with charts from our old group work will be used to back up my positions. Finally, effects of the proposed land usage alteration will be discussed and the possible advantages and disadvantages will be expected.Int roductionWith touristry going the thriving and back uping industry of many national states, national Parkss account for a great proportion in the modern travel manner. Therefore, keeping the ecological and commercial values of these Parkss is non merely of import but besides a serious job. Ferntree Gully National Park is one of the five subdivisions of Dandenong Ranges National Park. Bing the south western subdivision of Dandenong Ranges National Park, Ferntree Gully National Park is celebrated for its fitness-related walking and it is besides a popular topographic point for field daies. In order to take full advantage of this national park and keep its ecological and commercial values, researches are conducted and we besides visit this national park. Consequently, this study will discourse the current state of affairs we have learned of this site. And based on this, to assist keeping the ecological and commercial values of this park, constructing a tree-top walk in this site will b e proposed as a manner of land usage alteration. The possible effects including both advantages and disadvantages of this tree-top walk will be discussed at the terminal of this study. During the analysis and treatment, certain statistics and illustrations will be used to enrich this study and back up my point of position.Discussion and AnalysisSite researchThe south-western subdivision, busying about 600 hectares being portion of the larger Dandenong Ranges National park, is known as Ferntree Gully National Park which was named after an 1860 picture of the local wood ( Ferntree Gully, Upper, 2008-11-26 ) . Bing in the suburb country, this national park has a long and colourful history. As studied in the old group work, this site had been used as runing land and so logging country. In 1987 Sherbrooke Forest, Doongalla Reserve and Ferntree Gully National Park were combined to organize the early Dandenong Ranges National Park. Until June 1997, Olinda State Forest and the Mt Evelyn Forest are included in today ‘s Dandenong Ranges National Park. Ferntree Gully National Park is an ideal finish to get away metropolis life for a field day or amble through the wood for tourers all over the universe. It is noted for its walking paths, its positions of Melbourne, its ferneries, eucalypt woods, picnic countries, birdlife, mammals and its vegetations, including 47 species of native orchids, native grasses, eucalypts and bushs such as shrub pea and austral anil ( Ferntree Gully, Upper, 2008-11-26 ) .Site visit studyLocation As we have studied in the old group work, this site is in the south western subdivision of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, it locates between the suburbs of Ferntree Gully and Boronia to the West, Upwey to the South, Tremont and Sassafras to the E and The Basin to the North ( Wikipedia ) . From the map shown below, traffic is convenient in this site. Approximately one hr of the 40 kilometres drive from Melbourne via Burwood Highway or Canterbury Road can take you to the site. Geology Landform The GPS map below approximately shows the Landform of Ferntree Gully National Park. With the aid of GPS, geomorphology development of this site can be studied. Harmonizing to the Department of Primary Industry ‘s description of comparative lift ( McDonald et Al, cited in DPI – Relative Elevation ) , the landforms of Ferntree Gully National Park are classified in two types: height from 90 to 300 metres and altitude above 300 metres. The former is defined as ‘Hill ‘ and the latter ‘Mountain ‘ . Dirt Soil PH is an of import portion of the life environmental conditions for workss and dirt microorganisms. The ideal dirt PH ( H2O ) trial consequence is PH 6-7.5 for most sorts of workss, although many will digest PH 5.5-8.5. Different species may hold different preferred PH scopes, therefore considerations should be taken to take an appropriate life circumstance. From Figure 3, the dirt PH is likely to be 5.5-6.0, looking to be influenced by the vent magma, and shows decrepit acidic. For the bulk workss here ( ferns ) , the most approximative dirt PH is merely 5.5-6.0. Therefore, the local workss species have already been in ideal life conditions in this reasonably acidic circumstance, although the dirt PH is non in the perfect impersonal scope. Climate Rain may impact the local workss and microorganisms. Moderate rainfall may contribute to the exuberant flora and comfortable bugs. The mean rainfall of this site holds steady throughout the twelvemonth harmonizing to Figure 4. Of the rainfall studied by now, the sum of rainfall in February 2011 is about ternary of the average rainfall during the last 17years. This inordinate rainfall may increase the hazards of deluging in the country. As can be seen in Figure 5, topography of the zone does hold influence on the rainfall in this country. The above figure shows a wetting agent western confronting incline and a drier eastern confronting incline. The ground seems to be that the predominating air current from the ocean blows from the West and weakens before making the E. Another of import factor to explicate the local clime must be temperature. Figure 6 shows the maximal temperatures at this site and Figure 7 shows the minimal temperatures. Both figures show that the temperatures of November to March are higher than the other months, which matches with the features of summer seasons of the southern hemisphere. Hydrology Water is the beginning of the life. Water keeps the organisms operation and the land green. From Figure 8, two little brooks can be seen: Ferntree Gully Creek to the south/east and the feeders of Blind Creek to the West, which finally lead to the Dandenong Creek and flows into Port Phillip Bay ( Victorian Water Resources Interactive Map ) . It is a job that no major H2O organic structure is within this site. Ecology Vegetation The coverage of land flora has certain effects on the ambiance and clime in this country. Plant photosynthesis can devour C dioxide and supply O therefore purifies air and weakens the nursery consequence. Harmonizing to the old group work, the species of flora within this site portion a broad scope. In Figure 9, flora of this site can be divided into their native flora group. In Figure 10, it is specified harmonizing to the categorization made by the Department of Sustainability and Environment. The similarity of both figures shows that the flora within this site is separated into many communities and owes a broad scope. Faunas Another biological feature of an eco-system is fauna which forms the cardinal portion of the nutrient concatenation. The superior flora conditions help to back up a assortment of mammals and supply shelters for them.Effectss of constructing a Tree-Top Walk in this siteHarmonizing to the probe and analysis of this site, the park is an ideal topographic point for sightseeing and touristry. With the rapid development of Australian touristry, it is necessary to keep the ecological and commercial values of this park in the long term.fifty Tree-Top WalkThe Tree-Top Walk was the lone Australian attractive force to win an award and was chosen from more than 75 entries from 38 states ( TOURISM WESTERN AUSTRALIA ) . Since it foremost put into usage, it attracts 1000s of repetition clients. Harmonizing to a sample study of 385 on Tree-Top Walk in the south West of Western Australia ( Hughes, M. & A ; Morrison-Saunders, A. , 2002 ) , consequences showed that ‘the bulk of repetition visitan ts to the Tree-Top Walk were female and had returned to demo the site to friends and/or relations who were first clip visitants. First clip visitants were impressed by both the Tree-Top Walk construction itself and the natural forest milieus ‘ . Figure 12 shows a exposure of the Tree-Top Walk.cubic decimeter EffectssAdvantagesTree-Top Walk helps to keep the ecological and commercial values of Ferntree Gully National Park. Tree-Top Walk itself non merely provides a convenient and perfect position of the eco-beauty, but besides it is a giant of modern architecture. Looking down from the high paseo, tourers can good bask the rain forest below and take a breath fresh air at the same clip without destructing the ecosystem. Repeated clients besides bring high benefits for the park. Given below are illustrations of Tree-Top Walk in different attractive forces. ‘The HSBC Tree-Top Walk,a freestanding suspension span, connects the two highest points of MacRitchie and offers an first-class vantage point for the diverse community of workss and animate beings that live in the forest canopy. ‘ ( TA_Singapore_Guide,2010 ) ‘The walk commences at the visitant Centre, which subtly introduces you to the rain forest, falling gently to the entry construction and onto the steel trussed tree walk. ‘ ( Otway Fly Tree-Top Walk )DisadvantagesThingss ever have two sides, no exclusion for Tree-Top Walk. This immense building giant is time-consuming and money-consuming. The park will likely be closed during the building for a long clip and the immense sum of money will be another job. Besides, security steps for possible dangers are to be considered. A survey concentrating on whether the Tree-Top Walk delivered benefits associated with traditional ecotourism shows no optimistic ( HUGHES M. , MORRISON-SAUNDERS A. , 2003 ) .DecisionConstructing a Tree-Top Walk is likely to be an anticipating land usage alteration for Ferntree Gully National Park. Harmonizing to researches and surveies above, it does supply a manner to keep the ecological and commercial values of this site. Although it may confront certain hazards, the possible net incomes accompanied may be immense. Detailed programs and plans should be developed if this undertaking is to be carried out.

20 Research Essay Topics Behavioral Ecology Issues You Should Discuss

20 Research Essay Topics Behavioral Ecology Issues You Should Discuss Behavioral Ecology is a fascinating and vast field. It is also an interesting subject as it aims to simplify the complex interaction of environments and animals. However, as fascinating as this subject may be, you may feel blank when assigned a research essay on it. Most students often get stuck at the very first step of the process: coming up with a topic. This can be an overwhelming feeling, especially if your deadline is looming around the corner. Luckily, we are here for your rescue. We managed to come up with 20 great topics related to Animal Behavioral Ecology. You can choose any of the following 20 topics to write on, or be inspired by them to come up with your own research essay topic. The Causes of Variations in Male Mating Strategies Within a Specie The Effect of Environmental Factors on Animal Mating Tactics The Information Flow Among Group-Animals and the Information Available in the Animal’s Visual Field The Application of Voroni Tassellation and Delaunay Triangulation on Behavioral Ecology. The Relationship Between Migratory Patterns and Habitat Climate How the Life Cycles of Migratory Birds Becomes Attuned with the Cycles of Their Target Habitats The Marginal Value Theory and Animal Foraging Behaviors The Gene-Based and Resource-Based Sexual Selection Strategies of Animals The Causes of Sexual Conflict in Animals The Evolutionary Consequences of Sexual Conflict Inter-Family Conflicts in Behavioral Ecology Characteristics and Advantages of Optimal Foraging Behavior Behavioral Ecology of Insect Parasitoids Biparental Care Patterns in Animals 15. Parental Care Patterns in Fish Parental Care by Brood Parasitism Factors Influencing the Diversity of Mating Systems Understanding Animal Cooperation Imprinting as a Kinship Determination Method Inclusive Fitness and Hamilton’s Rule Quick Tip: Make it Specific by Focusing on a Particular Animal Specie We could have made the topics very specific, but this would have sacrificed the nature of the essay. Besides, you could have ended up writing a research essay eerily similar to that submitted by one of your classmates. So, use the topics as an excellent starting point instead. The following lines offer a short sample essay to help you out. Think of it as an outline that you have to follow. Though the length of the sample might not be the same as your instructor’s requirements, follow this template (unless you were given one) to secure a good grade. Sample Research Essay: Social Foraging Behavior in Animals Does efficient social foraging exhibit a special ‘intelligence’ in animals? Foraging is the most common technique used by animals to find sustenance. Individual and social foraging behaviors both exhibit a certain level of instinctual knowledge which can be thought of as intelligence. Since most animals categorized as social foragers can exhibit complex social communication and problem-solving skills during group hunting, it is likely that these animals are more effective at foraging than non-social foragers. There are two major types of food seeking strategies employed by animals: sit and wait (the kind employed by spiders, rattlesnakes, etc.) and active searching (used by dragonflies, coyotes, etc.). Carnivores use a combination of both these strategies to find prey. It is a well-known fact that animals cooperate among their own species. By doing so, they can increase their own fitness levels. Social foraging behavior is when two or more animals cooperatively look for food. The level of cooperation is the main factor which differentiates among this behaviors: Â  uninvited foragers which can be from the same specie or a different one, cooperative Hunting, commonly seen by lions, wolves and wild dogs, eusocial animals extreme cooperation as seen, for example, in honeybees and ants. Foraging theories have been proposed to try to model animal foraging patterns. The models created work on the assumption that foraging animals try to maximize the return and minimize the effort exerted. The models also take into account the distribution of the individual animals in a fixed foraging area. The behavioral aspect of these theories focuses on how and why the animal made the decision to start foraging in a particular area. Finding food in the wild is impossible without certain instincts. These instincts are part of the animal’s nature. However, some foraging behavior is so complex that it can be considered as a type of intelligence. Social foraging animals need insight learning, problem solving abilities, and memory. They respond to environmental changes by altering their tactics. The knowledge about forage comes from a deep instinct retained over generations. Socially foraging animals exhibit more sophisticated mechanisms. They react to changes in the foraging environment effectively. Though this is a good example, we know that you can do much better. Therefore, mull over the 20 topics above, pick one, narrow it down, and research to your heart’s content to create a great research essay on animal behavioral ecology. References: Davies, N., Krebs, J., West, S. (2012). An introduction to behavioural ecology. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Raven, P., Johnson, G. (2002). Biology. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Bautista, L. M., J. Tinbergen, P. Wiersma, and A. Kacelnik. 1998. Optimal foraging and beyond: How starlings compe with changes in food availability. Am. Nat. 152:543-561. Brown, J. S, J. W. Laundre and M. Gurung. 1999. The ecology of fear: optimal foraging, game theory and trophic interactions. J. Mammol. 80:385-399 Hirvoven, J., E. Ranta, H. Rita, and N. Peuhkuri. 1999. Significance of memory properties in prey choice decisions. Ecol. Model. 115:177-189. Pasquet, A., R. Leborgne, and Y. Lubin 1999. Previous foraging success influences web building in the spider Stegodyphus lineatus. Behav. Ecol. 10:115-121

Parish Nursing is a Fast Growing Trend †Nursing Studies Research Paper

Parish Nursing is a Fast Growing Trend – Nursing Studies Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Parish Nursing is a Fast Growing Trend Nursing Studies 100 Level Course) While parish nursing is a fast growing trend in congregational settings, its ideas on wholistic healthcare and functions of the parish nurse are still widely unknown. Parish nursings roots began centuries ago and is now planting the concepts of whole person health care in local congregations around the United States. Granger Westberg, a Lutheran minister, saw the need for preventative health care in the form of mind, body, and spiritual counseling. Centuries ago ancient Greeks and Romans perceived healing and religion as identical. Monks and nuns served as healers in religious orders such as the famous Sisters of Charity (McGee, 1998). The church was a place for the sick to come and be healed physically and spiritually. Many of the first hospitals were built and supported financially by congregations. Granger Westberg recognized the positive connection the church and hospital had together years ago and proposed the idea of having a professional registered nurse work in the congregation and set up a wellness clinic. Westberg tested his idea in poor neighborhoods with volunteer medical professionals and received positive reviews from community members, hospitals, and churches. The program gained popularity and thus spawned parish nursing in the United States in the late 1970s (Peterson, 1982). The term wholistic health care is fairly new and is often confused with holistic health care. While holistic health care focuses on working with peoples energy and involves practices such as acupuncture, wholistic health care focuses on a persons mind, body, and spirituality. Wholistic health care is centered on the belief that a persons spirituality and outlook on life is directly related to a persons health. Parish nursing is a way to encompass both the science of healthcare and the spirituality of religion. Granger Westberg believes parish nursing bridges the gap between religion and health (Mcgee, 1998). According to Solari-Twadell and Mcdermott in their book Parish Nursing-Promoting Whole Person Health Within Faith Communities, the philosophy behind this unique profession is that Parish nursing holds the spiritual dimensions to be central to the practice. It also encompasses the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of nursing practice. It focuses on the spirituality of the nurse and their skills experience. The book also outlines the seven functions of the parish nurse which include: integrator of faith and health, health educator, personal health counselor, referral agent, trainer of volunteers, developer of support groups, and health advocate. The beauty of parish nursing is the individual approach of nursing can be determined by the parish and thus it can serve his or her congregations special needs. While the American Nurses Association and Health Ministries Association have standards of practice for the profession of parish nursing, each parish nurse must individualize her focus of practice for their congregation to meet the communities individualized needs. One parish nurse describes her role, â€Å"It is not to provide hands on nursing, but to be a resource in the church community for problem solving in medical and or spiritual matters† (Lehman, 2004). Registered nurses interested in becoming a parish nurse must undergo the basic preparation which includes 30 hours of continuing education, orientation, meetings with congregations and health ministries. Classes in theology of health, history, philosophy, and working with churches are also recommended (Solari-Twadell and Mcdermott, 1999). As the profession of parish nursing has grown, standards of practice have been determined by the A.N.A. and H.M.A. which legitimize parish nursing as a profession. Many also argue that there should be a more structured for of education requirements for persons interested in becoming a parish nurse. Once a parish nurse enters a congregation they must perform a documented assessment on the congregational community. This assessment informs the parish nurse on the issues that are most important to the community and help the parish nurse to make an individualized plan of care. For example, if high blood pressure is a problem in the community the parish nurse can set up monthly blood pressure checks. The parish nurse isn’t the only person that needs to be educated, the pastor is a key component to the success of a parish nurse program and should be educated on the benefits parish nursing has on a community. It is important for the pastor and parish nurse to meet on a regular basis to discuss parishioners and improvements that can be made in the congregation. Individuality is an important characteristic for parish nurses. Each congregation has different needs and it is important for the parish nurse to recognize these needs and address them with full potential. Due to the individuality of congregations across the United States there are two basic types of parish nurse programs, the volunteer model and the paid model. Due to limited funds, many congregations have volunteer parish nurses that donate their time to the congregation a few hours a week. According to one journal article, Parish nurse special interest group: organizational framework for parish nursing, there are ups and downs to each model. The benefits of the volunteer model according to parish nurses include: â€Å"serves as a mean to use our expertise while serving our faith community, gives the parish nurse and faith community a chance to try out the program and it is affordable to the faith community.† Downs include: â€Å"availability limited by the amount of time t he parish nurse can devote, limits what the faith community can ask of the parish nurse, and the question of the accountability of the volunteer vs. the paid parish nurse† (Parish nurse special, 2001). Whether volunteer or paid, a parish nurse program benefits any congregation. As parish nursing continues to grow as a profession, educational standards and models of framework will improve and the success of parish nurse programs will flourish. Parish nursing is a profession dedicated to serving the whole person including mind, body, and spirit and would be a benefit to any faith community. 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Future evolution of trade unions. This essay address strategies and methods in needed to support the continuations of the union industry.

Future evolution of trade unions. This essay address strategies and methods in needed to support the continuations of the union industry. Running Head: ASSIGNMENT FIVEAssignment FiveAaron McCollOntario CanadaAPA StyleEach generation has; and always will face different and sometimes new challenges. These challenges are often seen as something new, something which no generation has ever had to face: Yet with careful consideration, theses challenges can be understood in comparison to challenges faced by earlier generations: Albeit, although each and every new challenge has unique qualities, there is often some commonality to be found in history: For example, there were, "three waves of major changes in the organization of work: after 1840, after 1940, and after 1975," (Heron, 1996, xiv). Beginning with craft unions, and later effected by war, the above time lines were periods of economic transformation. Undoubtedly, unionism in Canada has been able to evolve with these economic transformations of the past, and so unionism must continue its evolution if we are to remain North America's strongest unionized nation.Trade Unio n official Mick O'Reilly on stage at May...Therefore, we must firstly consider what it is that we must evolve with. It is not only the economic climate which we must consider, but also societal values. In order for unionism to achieve a set of common goals, there must be some unification as to what these goals are! Secondly, we must endeavor to clearly identify not only today's obstacles and challenges, but also challenges and obstacles of the future. In fact, the greater the understanding and articulation of these goals and their obstacles, the greater the probability is, that we, as a nation, will someday turn these obstacles into defeated memories, and our goals into reality. Lowe explains what I believe is the first, yet, most important step in coming to this unified consensus which we spoke about above. Lowe writes,What we need are public discussions about the quality of work: how to improve...

Marketing Products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Products - Essay Example The company will produce bags that will be different from other bags mostly sold in the market. It will add a fashion touch to it in order to give it a trendy look. The sponginess of the bag will add up to it and will strive to provide the consumer with a unique experience. And the fun element in this particular product would be its variance in colors. The consumers will get the opportunity to choose from a wide range of colors. Also, the product will be manufactured by the usage of the topnotch and high quality materials. All these combinations collectively will provide a low weight to the bag that can prove to be the USP (Unique Selling Point) of the product and will primarily meet the needs of the fast moving consumers (Baker, 2009). 2. Discussion of the Service Component of the Product and Its Role in Enhancing the Product The best part of the product would be its after-sales services. The company will provide 1 full year warranty to these bags. And the most important factors tha t could facilitate in maximum number of sales of this product would be: It will provide free repairs and maintenance of the bags for a full year. For adding up to the customization factor, the company is also planning to provide free repair services in the selected customer’s place. ... The company is hoping that it would get a positive leap as it is already recognized in the US and considered as a well known brand. The company is also planning to add more service features to the bags but for that the company will have to increase the price of the bags. So, in the initial stage, the company will provide the customers with the above mentioned service features and will sell the product at a nominal price for the sole purpose of attracting maximum number of customers (Baker, 2009). 3. The Product Expansion to a Product Line, and the Depth and Breadth of the Line For expanding the bags to a product line, the manufacturing and sales processes of these bags need to be expanded too. Also, the company will only be able to expand the product line of these bags when it will be liked by customers. The company can only expand its products when the sales volume and demand for the bags reveals the increasing trend. The expansion will be made depending upon the various processes t hat the company is going to follow. It can be clearly assumed that the product can become highly consumable as the company is well known and very fashionable. If the product introduced generates radical demand then the company can also introduce variance in the size and capacity of the bags. This way it will enable the company to cater to other sections of the society as well. The company will be able to gain the upper hand over its competitors as well. The depth and breadth of the product can also increase to a very large extent if the company can maintain the value and availability of its products. The company can also go for extending the features of the bags by way of collecting feedback from the customers. It can make necessary modifications

Impacts of Globalization on French Culture Research Paper

Impacts of Globalization on French Culture - Research Paper Example The paper will establish the effects of globalization on a region with emphasis on West African region. Finally, the paper will focus on the effects of globalization on international immigrants. Impacts of globalization on French culture French culture is commonly regarded as the culture of people who live in the modern day France. However, the French culture or French influence is not only constrained to Europe since France is an influential country. The French culture is practiced in other parts of the world that have had a close relationship with modern day France or the French community. This includes former French colonies found in Africa and other parts of the world. French culture is also practices in various parts of North America in countries such as the US and Canada. This resulted from high scale immigration of French citizens into the new world. In Africa, countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central Africa live and practice the French culture. The assim ilation aspect in the French colonization is the main factor that contributed to the establishments of French culture in African societies. The French culture is among the strongest cultures in Europe. In addition, French culture is also among the few European cultures that have existed or survived the influence and alienation of cultures. The French language is considered as the basic pillar of the French culture. The French language is also viewed as a factor that unites all people who are affiliated to the French culture. The importance of language to French culture indicates that any significant effect on the society is first pronounced through its language (Carrithers 19). This also indicates that any significant effect of globalization on French culture would first be pronounced through the French language before being effective on other aspects of the French society. Globalization results in increased connectivity and interdependence among global societies. The first result o f globalization is the spread of French language across global societies that were initially not among countries that practice French culture. French plays a major role in global economy and it is recognized world wide as a global business leader. The position of France in the global market and the existence of different global institutions in French territories have necessitated the use of the language. Currently the French language is the second most spoken language in the world. The French language holds the second position in popularity after the English language. French influence on global economy is the main factor that has contributed to the popularity of the French language. Currently French language has become a part of most school curriculum with most educational institutions teaching the language as a subject. France is also a major player in the entertainment industry.  

Prepare a report for an employee in the hospitality industry sector Essay

Prepare a report for an employee in the hospitality industry sector analysing the impact of the London olympics 2012 on at least three policy areas in the manag - Essay Example This is a marathon effort but an excellent opportunity for the Human Resources department in UK. The role of the head of HR will have to be strategic and influential, and focused on delivery (Karen Dempsey). It is estimated that 12,000 new jobs will be created because of the development of the Olympic Park area (People 1st). The two main areas that will have an impact are the hospitality sector and the construction sector. Employment in the hospitality industry is growing at a rate faster than overall employment in the UK (People 1st). The hospitality sector has been behind the games bid but the shortage in this industry has always existed because it is either tough or underpaid for the British. Besides, the unemployment is very low (Encore Personnel) and with baby boomers retiring soon, there will be an increased gap between the demand and supply. Training for the skilled workforce has to start now to ensure smooth operations. In view of the above, the greatest challenge before the HR department will be recruitment of the skilled personnel, and retention and motivation of the existing personnel. The success of the Olympics depends entirely upon the skills and the commitment of the people involved. Hence, the three core areas where HR has to concentrate are recruitment and retention, motivation, learning and development. The hospitality sector comprises of hotels, providers of holiday accommodation, pubs and bars, restaurants and take away food outlets (Low pay Commission Report 2005). It is probably the world’s fastest growing, job-creating profession (Hospitality: As it is). The hospitality industry exhibits tremendous diversity both with respect to the types of jobs on offer and the workers required. (Migration: A Welcome Opportunity). There is a huge shortage in the hospitality sector and it is estimated that the industry will require 30000-35000 trained people by 2010 at the management and supervisory

Tibet Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tibet Buddhism - Essay Example This relates to the vehicles by practicing the Buddha’s teachings. Vehicles are paths followed to gain enlightenment. The vehicles are Hinayana, Mahayana and Tantrayana. The three turnings are teachings that allow an individual to choose a vehicle to enlightenment The Creation or Generation Stage is the first step in meditation of Buddhist sadhana. The Completion or Perfection Stage is when an adept realizes their personal path of enlightenment. The Great Perfection is the highest teachings of Tibetan tradition. Thus first the Generation Stage must be complete, the Perfection Stage, and finally Great Perfection can be learned. Trungpa meant that Tantric wisdom allows the suffering to stop, or nirvana, which goes into the cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation, or samsara. If hate, pain, and anger are stopped, the individual reaches nirvana. If these emotions are no longer there, than samsara is easier to accept. Luminosity, bliss, and emptiness are the states of the mind. Every mind is a luminous mind. Bliss is a state the mind tries to achieve. Emptiness leads to bliss due to the purging of all negative emotions. The reason Buddhist want to empty their minds is to alleviate suffering. If a soul is empty it cannot suffer. 4. Using Davidsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tibetan Renaissance and Karmayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s The Great Perfection as guides, tell me how the relationship between the Tibetans and Tantra changed from the time of Relpachen to roughly one hundred years after his assassination. During Relpachen’s rule, the Tibetans and Tantra were closely intertwined. The Tantra was ancient Tibetan teachings of love. Since Relpachen support Buddhism, the Tantra was encouraged during his time. However after his assassination of Relpachen, his brother became king. This king was anti-Buddhist. So for a period of time Buddhists were persecuted. Thus the Tantra passed down by the Tibetans was weakened through this persecution, civil wars, and

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 4 Case Assignment Essay

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 4 Case Assignment - Essay Example The model views an organization as a summation of different components that interact with each other. The model advocates that the success or failure of an organization is dependent on the effective functioning or dysfunction f the components; i.e. the degree of congruence of fitness among the components. As per the objectives the outputs of an organization on three different levels; such as over all organizational level, group level and at last but not the least at the individual level would be analyzed by using the Convergence Model. The organization chosen is: Whole Foods Market (Anderson, 2011). Company Overview Whole Foods Market is an Austin Texas based food retailer. The company sells natural organic products. The company has come a long way since the humble beginnings in the year 1980. Today the company is believed to be a leader in organic foods industry. It has over three hundred stores in UK and North America. Outputs at the organizational level As discussed before Whole F oods Market provides healthy organic foods to the customers. The product line of the company can be categorized as; 365 Everyday Value products provide valued prices on each day of the year. Exclusive products include new products launched by the company in the market. Premium body care products include personal care products that meet strict quality and environmental guidelines. The rest of the two members of the whole Foods Market include Whole Foods Market and Whole foods trade. In order to analyze the overall organizational output of the company three key factors needed to be considered such as overall goal attainment, efficiency in resource utilization and ability to adapt to different environment. The overall goal attainment will be discussed at the end of this segment as it is believed to be a dependent over the other two factors. The resources of the company can be categorized in to dimensions such as human resource, reputation and innovation resource. When it comes to human resource Whole Foods has really managed to excel in that department. It is quite difficult to measure knowledge. But going by customer loyalty and trust among the customers it can be summed up as an output of the knowledge and efficiency of the customers. The harmonious and beneficial relation of the company doesn’t end with the customers only. The same could be said about the suppliers also. Whole has managed to grab the number one spot when it comes to innovation. The health related movements has helped the company to promote the concept of healthy lifestyle among diverse age groups. Whole Foods have managed to create value of its own kind as far as reputation is concerned as the company has been able to develop an image of reliability. As far as ability to adapt to different condition is concerned the results speak for it. From the humble beginnings the company has expanded its business across the borders successfully. This only happens to be by product of the ability of the company to adapt to different conditions successfully. The organic food business is a large and growing industry. In the initial days the awareness of the products among the people was very low. Whole Foods played a key role in creating health related awareness among the people which has lead to the growth of the business. The market is expected to grow over the years. And it is needless to say that the company has is the leading market share holder of the industry. The third quarter earnings of the company increased by 32%. The sales stores increased

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

None - Essay Example Precisely, the Toyota Prius sold many vehicles to over eighty nations. The advertisements and word of mouth has influenced the demand for the Toyota Prius. The iPhone competes with the increasing alternatives, and the prices have dropped. The distribution of the iPhones has intensified, and the products are available in different parts of the globe. The adverts in maturity stage focus on promoting the product by influencing the consumers to increase the purchasing power (Cant et al 242). Fundamentally, the adverts aim at creating a competitive edge in the ever-competitive market through a differentiation strategy. The iPod advert is an excellent example of product in the decline stage of life cycle. With introduction of new products, iPod sales have decreased. Similarly, a notable decline of interest from the consumers and retailers is evident. Maximum competition has occurred leading to negative sales growth, as well as, lower profits. Cant et al argues that stagnation characterize the decline stage of product life cycle

Tibet Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tibet Buddhism - Essay Example This relates to the vehicles by practicing the Buddha’s teachings. Vehicles are paths followed to gain enlightenment. The vehicles are Hinayana, Mahayana and Tantrayana. The three turnings are teachings that allow an individual to choose a vehicle to enlightenment The Creation or Generation Stage is the first step in meditation of Buddhist sadhana. The Completion or Perfection Stage is when an adept realizes their personal path of enlightenment. The Great Perfection is the highest teachings of Tibetan tradition. Thus first the Generation Stage must be complete, the Perfection Stage, and finally Great Perfection can be learned. Trungpa meant that Tantric wisdom allows the suffering to stop, or nirvana, which goes into the cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation, or samsara. If hate, pain, and anger are stopped, the individual reaches nirvana. If these emotions are no longer there, than samsara is easier to accept. Luminosity, bliss, and emptiness are the states of the mind. Every mind is a luminous mind. Bliss is a state the mind tries to achieve. Emptiness leads to bliss due to the purging of all negative emotions. The reason Buddhist want to empty their minds is to alleviate suffering. If a soul is empty it cannot suffer. 4. Using Davidsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tibetan Renaissance and Karmayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s The Great Perfection as guides, tell me how the relationship between the Tibetans and Tantra changed from the time of Relpachen to roughly one hundred years after his assassination. During Relpachen’s rule, the Tibetans and Tantra were closely intertwined. The Tantra was ancient Tibetan teachings of love. Since Relpachen support Buddhism, the Tantra was encouraged during his time. However after his assassination of Relpachen, his brother became king. This king was anti-Buddhist. So for a period of time Buddhists were persecuted. Thus the Tantra passed down by the Tibetans was weakened through this persecution, civil wars, and

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

None - Essay Example Precisely, the Toyota Prius sold many vehicles to over eighty nations. The advertisements and word of mouth has influenced the demand for the Toyota Prius. The iPhone competes with the increasing alternatives, and the prices have dropped. The distribution of the iPhones has intensified, and the products are available in different parts of the globe. The adverts in maturity stage focus on promoting the product by influencing the consumers to increase the purchasing power (Cant et al 242). Fundamentally, the adverts aim at creating a competitive edge in the ever-competitive market through a differentiation strategy. The iPod advert is an excellent example of product in the decline stage of life cycle. With introduction of new products, iPod sales have decreased. Similarly, a notable decline of interest from the consumers and retailers is evident. Maximum competition has occurred leading to negative sales growth, as well as, lower profits. Cant et al argues that stagnation characterize the decline stage of product life cycle

Get Prepared My Speech Essay Example for Free

Get Prepared My Speech Essay Regarding our introduction speech as my first formal one in front of the class, I felt so awkward that I forgot every details which we should pay attention to. First is the Eye Contact. There was a kind of hook that I can’t control myself from moving my sights out of the back row, where our professor sat. The second Delivery part is Vocal Pause which was my most serious issue during all the speech. Words just went out of my mind since I wrote my name on the board. I was a little unaware when my name was called on the second because I preferred the third place so that I got enough time to calm down and organized sentences. Every preparation I did was showing randomly in my head. For example, my personal considerations on how tough will a military mission be had appeared first rather than an interesting getter. Some details I added to make a rich description became a simple word, not including some parts I even forgot to say. The last issue is about Body language that it may help audiences to know where the person in the speech is. Thanked for the outlines paper so that I knew where I should put my hands on. I was easily lost my minds but caught up on time by fingering which line I would read next. By recollecting fragments of my speech, I keep telling myself it would be better if I performed in that way. An interesting beginning, more eye contacts or less pause while I was expressing. All the problems I mentioned above is because I didn’t realize there was more nervousness than I expected. In another words, I didn’t rehearse enough to conquer that as Ronald B. and George states, â€Å"A smooth and natural delivery is the result of extensive practice. Get to know your material until you feel comfortable with your presentation† (page 342). After switched to a listener, contents were not the only part that attracted me but how different they performed from mine. By observing their moves, their body languages were perfectly coordinated with the rhythm of presentations. It became a talk like he or she was introducing a friend of his or her to you instead of reading a research paper. About the cadence they spoke, the variable tone caught my attention all the time and I couldn’t wait to know what was on the next. I confessed that I am the selective listener who responds only to the parts of a speaker’s remarks that interested me. With those changing tones and plentiful body languages, the contents were easily understood and appealing. I am very pleased to be enrolled in this class to figure out what is my weakness and how I can beat them to be a qualified speaker. Works Citied Adler, Ronald B. and Rodman, George. Understanding Human Communication with Carrie Cropley Hutchinson, 11th edition. Print.

Analysing Aquafina Bottled Water

Analysing Aquafina Bottled Water Aquafina bottled water is bottled around the country in 33 different locations from municipal tap water. It is both filtered and purified in a process that involves seven separate steps called the HydRO-7 Purification System. Included in the steps are processes such as filtration, exposure to high intensity light, osmosis, polishing, and ozonization. What results is water that has a Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) content of 4 parts per million (ppm), 2.5 times lower than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maximum amount. The packaging of the water goes through a long process and creates some muda. Many of the Pepsi bottling processes are outsourced. For example, the bottles are manufactured by Amcor PET Packaging North America. The process is also very detailed and complicated in order to ensure both safety and a reliable product. We will also be explaining every material in the packaging process. Additionally, we will be discussing the recent boom of the water industry and its environmental implications over the last decade. The amount of natural resources being used to produce the entire bottled water package, is extraordinary, and causing a real problem. The environment is also being contaminated on a daily basis with a majority of the bottles being thrown away as opposed to being recycled. Along with the destruction of our planet, plastic bottles and the water contained within them are starting to be seen as a serious health threat. For the economical part of this paper, we will touch on Aquafinas numbers over the past few years and try to predict the future. We will also make suggestions on how to gain a bigger market share, and how to make safe products in a business perspective. Pepsi-Colas Aquafina, which has reigned as the number-one brand for several years, has become the U.S. bottled water businesss first billion-dollar brand in 2004 has sustained strong growth in 2005 when wholesale dollar sales neared $1.3 billion. Introduction Bottled water is one of the biggest selling beverages in the world due to its convenience and quality taste. Whether due to the uneasiness of the safety of tap water or the convenience of the bottle, bottled water continues to gain profit share for companies in the industry. Specifically for busy college students such as ourselves, it has become increasingly important for us to be able to drink water when not near a water source. Hence, the product we chose to study is Aquafina bottled water. When one purchases a bottle of Aquafina, he will receive the purified water and the bottle in which it is contained including its label, nutrition facts and ingredients, and a sealed cap. Although the Aquafina water bottle is only meant for one use, many choose to refill their bottle with ordinary tap water. Because Pacific Lutheran University contracts its beverages and vending machines through Pepsi, Aquafina is the most consumed bottled water for our campus. This report is the study of the Aquafina bottled water process, value stream, muda, and economic evaluation of the bottled water that is widely circulated not just on our campus but around the world. The HydRO-7 Purification System Purifying the Water Achieving Aquafina water is a complex and complicated process. Aquafina bottles water in 33 different municipal locations around the country from underground formation springs, the same location as our tap water. Whereas tap water is merely filtered and treated to remove bacteria and contaminants, Aquafina takes an extra step by purifying the water using the Hydro-7 purification system which removes substances according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. Creator of the state-of-the-art purification system, the HydRO-7 removes substances in seven different steps. The Aquafina website provides the consumer with information related to the filtration and purification steps of its product (www.aquafina.com). Prefiltration In this first step, the system removes tiny particles in the water through a filter. Polishing filter Here, this first polishing filter (of 2) catches any particles that were missed in the previous step. High-intensity light A burst of high energy light imparts energy into the water stream to eliminate naturally occurring organic substances in the water. Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) Here, the system uses pressure and a hyper filter to remove 98% of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and organic compounds from the water. The TDS is the sum of all dissolved solids in water in parts per million. This step uses semi-permeable membranes with smaller pore sizes than micro filtration, ultra filtration, and nano filtration to remove substances such as sodium and chloride from the water. Charcoal Filtration This step isolates the elements that affect the taste of the water in a charcoal filter. Polishing Filter This is where the system polishes the hydrogen and oxygen elements in the water to make the water clear. Ozonization The system passes purified, oxygen-rich air through a generating cell. Here, three oxygen molecules are brought together to keep unwanted particles away. When they have done their job, they revert back to double oxygen molecules. Here is a standard Aquafina nutrition facts label found either on the bottle or the packaging. More important than what is in Aquafina water is what has been removed. The Aquafina website suggests that everything that the system removes from the water is unnecessary and perhaps harmful to humans (www.aquafina.com). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires a maximum of 500 ppm (parts per million) of TDSs in spring water and the FDA requires 10 ppm in purified water. Aquafina, a purified water, bottles water at 4 ppm, 2.5 times lower than the FDA standard (Mosko, 2004). The process removes the following trace compounds from the water: Carbonates Bicarbonates Chlorides Sulfates Phosphates Nitrates Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Iron Manganese Calcium and potassium are necessary for the human body, but they are still removed. Aquafina claims that the minute levels in the water have little effect on human health and removing them only delivers a more pure water (www.aquafina.com). However at the end of the purification process,  ¼ of the bottled water that Aquafina bottles is tap water (Mosko, 2004). Aquafina claims to have the purest water in the industry, but even more pure and containing less TDS is Penta water, which goes through a rigorous 11-step process and distributes water with 0.5 ppm TDS. Pentas website also explains the process and the advantages of Penta in detail (http://www.pentawater.com/what.shtml). The Aquafina system at the plant in Austin, Indiana, for example, has bottles 32,000 gallons of water an hour. The system is computer monitored and keeps track of which valves are open and closed and how much is in each tank. The Aquafina system is also used for bottling soft drinks at the plant. All the water is carbon-filtered in one of two tanks; the same process is used for all the water that is used in soft drinks, only the Aquafina water goes through the extra step of ozonization (Investing, 2004). Pepsi/Aquafina Bottling The Bottle Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC (PBV) In July of 2002 the first products were being produced at PBVs new small-bottle PET line in Raleigh, NC in a 200,000 sq ft production/distribution plant. This was a $40 million investment for PBV that gave the company the ability to increase production. PBV has bottling rights for Pepsi products covering most of North Carolina and a portion of Long Island, NY. One of the facilities that upgraded to the PBV production bottling plant was the Raleigh location with the primary goal being the production of bottled water under the Aquafina label, one of the fastest growing products within Pepsi. The need for this upgraded production facility from PBV offers Pepsi the ability to be competitive and cost-conscious (Mans, 2003). Features Individual sanitary enclosures are designed and manufactured by ICS Intl. These contain washing/capping/filling systems on the PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) lines. The fillers are housed in one room, with a common heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. The PBV plant features an individual sanitary enclosure for each filling system with monobloc filler guards that are integrated into the face of the enclosure. The enclosures have an epoxy floor that is sloped to a stainless-steel drain, vision panels and a complete air-quality control system. The walls and ceiling are made of insulation sandwich panels consisting of inside and outside stainless-steel panels filled with polyurethane foam. The clean rooms come complete with lighting, doors, an air filtration unit, air conditioning, and an air exhaust system. The air-filtration units maintain pressure in the enclosure to prevent outside air from entering (Mans, 2003). Bottles Aquafina uses bottles that are produced by Amcor PET Packaging-North America. Amcor uses PET to make plastic containers for Pepsi products. Amcors website states that this plastic material is manufactured from various by-products of the oil and gas industries, especially ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. PET consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and can be incinerated without residues for energy recovery. PET is the most valuable of the recyclable plastics. It offers the ability for the container to be lightweight, shatter resistant, resealable and recyclable. The formation of a bottle is blow molded which involves blowing air into a molten plastic tube and then forcing the material to follow the shape of the mold. Injection molding is also involved which is the process of converting plastic pellets by using heat and pressure to inject the molten material into a water-cooled mold. Amcors website explains this technology (http://www.amcor.com/Default.aspx?id=505). Filtration/Sanitation/Air Quality The units have three filtration stages. These stages involve roughing filters, bag filters and HEPA filters for an average air quality of Class 1,000. ICS added an air extractor that sucks the air from the enclosure and ducts it outside the plant to avoid discharging air loaded with sugar or ozone into the surrounding area inside the plant. Air quality is optimized through the limits that are placed on the filler. This also allows the operator to stand outside the room and control the machine (Mans, 2003). Bottling Pre-labeled bottles are delivered to an automatic depalletizer on pallets with cardboard slipsheets between the layers. The depalletizer raises the pallet one layer at a time. A sweep carriage equipped with suction cups swings over and automatically removes the slipsheet and deposits it in a bin for return to the bottle supplier. The depalletizer then indexes the layer of bottles up, and the carriage sweeps the bottles onto a mass bottle conveyor. The bottles on the small-PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) line are then conveyed in mass to two Lanfranchi high-speed bottle scramblers which have rotating turrets that orient the bottles in an upright position. Level sensors in the hopper of each unscrabler turn delivery elevators on and off to maintain bottles in the hoppers. The bottles from both unscramblers converge in single-file and are injected into the neck-guided air-conveyance system, where the bottles are supported by rods beneath their neck finishes. The bottles are then pushed along the chamber by air blowing. The depalletizing workcell includes three depalletizers and is designed to allow two operators to feed containers to three production lines. Empty bottles are conveyed directly via air conveyor into the sanitary enclosure and the infeed star of the monobloc rinser/filler/capper. All bottle-handling within the monobloc is accomplished by supports under the neck rings of the bottles. The bottles are delivered to the gripping heads of the 108-station rinser through the entrance starwheel, and are turned upside down as the unit rotates. Purified water is sprayed into the bottles through nozzles affixed to the gripping heads, and then drains out as the unit continues its rotation. This solution contains ozone for maximum cleaning efficiency when producing Aquafina. Bottles are then turned upright and discharge through a starwheel that also serves as the delivery starwheel to the filler. The filler for these bottles is an isobaric-volumetric machine with 144 filling valves. Each filling valve is connected to the central tank through a product pipe and two gas pipes connected to the carbon dioxide supply. One pipe is used for the bottle pressurization and the other pipe for the pressure stabilization between the tank and the filling valve. When running Aquafina, the system uses nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide. The level inside the filling cylinder is essentially the same as the level in the central tank, and changes in the quantity of fill for different bottle sizes is accomplished by changing the level in the central tank. A piston in each cylinder is adjusted by an external magnetic coupling to set the exact volume to be filled to an accuracy of  ±2 mL. This is done from the operator panel (Mans, 2003). Capping From the filler, bottles travel through another starwheel into the 36-head Arol CSD screw capper. Caps are supplied by Alcoa and are sorted and delivered to the capper by a system from SIDEL, Packaging Systems Div. Caps are loaded into a hopper located outside of the enclosure. Then a nearly vertical belt carries the caps to the top of the enclosure. Caps are contained on horizontal cleats on the belt and if any caps improperly orient they fall back into the hopper. The belt discharges the caps onto a track that carries them down to the capper. A transfer star picks the caps from the track and places them on the capping head, which then rotates synchronously above the bottle turret. The capping head lowers and screws the cap onto the bottle as the unit rotates. Capped bottles leaving the enclosure pass through an Industrial Dynamics Filtec x-ray fill height inspector. The capped bottles then pass two Videojet Excel ink-jet printers that print a freshness date on the bottle cap tamper ring. The plant has installed two of these units to provide redundancy in case one unit malfunctions. For added security a Domino laser printer applies production codes and a freshness date to the bottle. After being coded the bottles then travel onto a multichain mat-top conveyor that slows their transport speed from 350 to 40 ft/min and accumulates the bottles from single-file to mass (Mans, 2003). Label/ Glue/ Packing /Packaging A HiCone machine produces six-packs of 16- and 24-oz, and 500-mL bottles. The bottles are delivered to the machine in two lanes. The two lanes separate six bottles and apply the plastic carrier material. The material is delivered in a continuous web to a large vertical wheel rotating above the bottles. The wheel pushes the web down onto the six bottles, and it is then cut to separate the six-pack. The packs are then diverted into two lanes and fed to a Hartness 2650 continuous-motion case packer that places four six-packs into reusable plastic crates for delivery to the PBV warehouse for distribution. Bottles can also be conveyed to a packing installation incorporating a Model MW7 multipacker and a Model TDL tray former/loader and shrink wrapper, all supplied by Douglas Machine. Each of these servo-driven machines has its own control panel, with intuitive touchscreen interfaces with real-time production data, maintenance scheduling and changeover settings. Bottles are delivered to the multiwrapper where groups of six or 12 bottles are then wrapped in registered film. This is a dual-stream machine that wraps two parallel groups of bottles simultaneously. Bottles are delivered in mass to the machine and are separated into either six or twelve bottle groupings by a proprietary pinless metering system. The groups are then delivered into the wrapping section. The film is placed around the bottle group and the package is conveyed through a heated shrink tunnel. Four six packs or two twelve packs are then delivered to the tray former/loader. The machine forms a tray from a paperboard blank, pushes the wrapped packs onto the tray, and then seals the open sides with hot-melt glue. This glue is applied by a Nordson glue system. Some 500-mL bottles, as well as 20- and 24-oz bottles of all products can bypass the multipacker and be delivered directly to the tray former/loader. After these are placed on the tray, it travels through a shrink wrapper/heat tunnel. Once the products are packaged, they are conveyed past a Videojet ink-jet case coder for application of production codes and then overhead to an automatic palletizer. Each sku is individually palletized to a designed stacking pattern. Individual packages are delivered to the upper level of the palletizer and are assembled into layers. After each layer is completed the platform is then lowered so the next layer can be assembled. Finished pallet loads are released at floor level and are transported by pallet conveyor to an Orion stretch wrapper. PBV uses plastic pallets that have improved palletizing efficiency and eliminated the debris and floor damage that are usually caused by wood pallets (Mans, 2003). Finished Products/ Reductions of Plant Costs Finished products are stacked two or three high, without pallet racks, and are rotated by code dates. The warehouse has been designed to have twin-load pallet racks in the future that will accommodate four-high stacking. The forklifts are also responsible for placing empty pallets into the palletizers. The PBV plant was specifically designed to allow all raw materials and finished goods to be handled on double forklifts. These forklifts allow two pallets to be picked up at a time and greatly reduce loading and unloading time of the production equipment. The dock equipment was engineered to allow the movement of these extra-wide and heavy loads in and out of the building. The double-fork trucks are also used to load trailers with finished products going to the sales centers, unload return trailers with empty plastic pallets and shells, store empty shells and pallets, and feed empty shells to the three lines. Double-fork trucks greatly reduce the number of forklifts and total travel distance in high-volume beverage plants (Mans, 2003). The Need for Water Vs. The Need for Bottled Water Water is a precious resource and the source of life. Its one that many people take for granted on a daily basis, and because of that, a water crisis has been developing over the last few decades. According to a study done in the year 2000, 346,800 million gallons per day (mgd) of freshwater and 61,200 mgd of saltwater were used in the United States (Water, 2006). Based on these numbers, its figured that the typical American single family home consumes, on average, 69.3 gallons of water per day (Water, 2006). Our daily needs include hydrating ourselves, using in food preparation, flushing toilets, showering, kitchen and bathroom sink purposes, and washing clothes and dishes. These uses attribute to the amount of water consumed, both for purposeful reasons, as well as for wasteful and unnecessary reasons. While hydrating ourselves to keep our body functions working properly does not consist of a large portion of the daily water usage among Americans, it is still an amount that is being used and will never decrease. Human beings need, on average, eight to twelve cups of water per day to replenish the approximately ten cups of water lost each day due to body functions, varying either more or less depending on activity level (Lempert, 2004). Because of this physical need, someone realized that they could profit. This profit realization turned into a multi-billion dollar business we now know as the bottled water industry. The thought that one day human beings would spend money on a bottled version of something that they can get from their own home for a fraction of a cent for the same amount, is mind-boggling but has become the norm. Nothing is created without a need or a want; hence, bottled water was created. Since the U.S. is becoming a more on-the-go society each and every day, Americans rely more and more convenience items. One example of this is the rise of fast food restaurants, which happens to be a factor in the current obesity epidemic in America. So, because of this go, go, go! mentality, many just do not have the time to walk to a sink and fill up a glass with water. They instead need to have it right by their side, only needing to open up a cap and just toss it to the side when it is empty and open up the next thats right there. Another beneficial aspect is in times of emergencies, such as a hurricanes or earthquakes, the water supplies to those areas are usually shut down and/or contamin ated. In which case, bottled water is needed for consumption. Besides the convenience and emergency factors, Americans seem to think that bottled water is a safer, and sometimes, tastier, alternative to tap water. Some people fear coming down with gastrointestinal illnesses, while others fear contaminants, such as pesticides, to enter their bodies (Terry, 2005). People live under the impression that all bottled water is safer to drink than tap water because of a typical misconception, the idea that if it is bottled or packaged by a beverage or food company, then it must be safe. This is an idea that can be argued back and forth. Consumption, Recycling, Physical Harm, and Muda The amount of bottled water being purchased is growing almost exponentially each year. According to a bottled water study, based on the year 2004, Americans consumed 6.76 billion gallons of the pricey beverage (Falcone, 2006). This total amount averaged out to 70 million one-serving bottles being drank each and every day (Falcone, 2006). Consuming that many bottles of water everyday is incredible, and it is no wonder that entrepreneurs are coming up with new ideas all the time on how to get into the bottled water industry. A big reason for the increasing amount of bottled water drinkers is because of, as mentioned earlier, the convenience. It is a lot easier to grab a couple of bottled waters from the refrigerator before going somewhere. Aside from the convenience or laziness factor, the rise in bottled water consumption has begun to have a serious impact on our environment. With the amount of bottled water being produced everyday, there is a high amount of left over product once the water has been drank that must be dealt with. That portion left over happens to be the plastic bottle, something that is not the most earth-friendly item. Of the daily amount of bottled water being consumed, 70 million, 60 million are never recycled (Falcone, 2006). On a daily basis, that means that approximately 86% of bottles are thrown away and sent to a landfill, hurting our environment. This also means that 60 million new plastic bottles have to be created each day to replace those that are thrown in the trash, which amounts to more natural resources being used and more future muda being produced. What is more disturbing is that once these bottles are taken to a landfill, they can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose (Falcone, 2006). First of all, how is someone able to compute that amount, because, after all, bottled water is a fairly new concept? And secondly, wi th 60 million bottles being added to dumps each day all over the U.S., where are the bottles going to be taken to in ten years, when most likely the amount of bottled waste has doubled, or even tripled? So why is it that the majority of plastic bottles are not being recycled? Many experts say that it is because vehicles are not equipped with recycling receptacles (Falcone, 2006). Since a majority of Americans who purchase bottled water are on-the-go all the time, they have less patience and desire to hold onto their empty plastic bottles until they get to a location where a recycling bin is present. It is easier to just throw them in the trash or on the street. It seems ridiculous that it is easier for people to throw a bottle in the trash as opposed to recycling especially when many places are placing recycling bins next to trash cans. This laziness and lack of patience is causing an extreme amount of harm on the environment. To put this idea into perspective the amount of muda in California created ten years from now would create a two lane, six-inch deep highway that stretches the entire coast of California (Wilson, 2003). During the rare 14% of the time when empty bottles of water are recycled, a lot of good can come from them and it is a step in the right direction in helping the environment. The raw materials used to make the plastic bottles can be saved and used for numerous items which helps to save resources from being destroyed to make new products. By looking at California only, it is estimated that one billion plastic bottles get thrown away over the course of a year (Wilson, 2003). This amount calculates to almost three million bottles being thrown away each and every day (Wilson, 2003). That is an incredible, as well as, disturbing, amount of unnecessary trash. If instead of being thrown away each and every one of those bottles were recycled, the materials reused could produce either 74 million square feet of carpet, 74 million extra large T-shirts, or 16 million sweaters (Wilson, 2003). It is incredible to think that a plastic bottle could be turned into other useful items and help save the environment by not using as many natural resources. Some other interesting information about the recycled material is that five recycled bottles can produce one extra large T-shirt, polyesther carpets can be created from the resin contained within the bottles, and the materials of the bottle can be spun like cotton candy and produce filling for quilts and pillows (Recycling, 2006). By looking over these types of statistics, it paints a wonderful picture of how recycling so much can be saved. Many precious fossil fuels are wasted in this process. The transportation of bottled water to other parts of the U.S. as well as being shipped to other parts of the world uses large amounts of fuel on a yearly basis. This fuel is being wasted on a daily basis for a product that a majority of Americans can get for almost nothing just by turning a knob in their own home (Arnold, 2006). Besides wasting fuel on transportation costs, this same precious resource is being consumed during the packaging process. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the type of plastic most commonly used to produce bottles and just so happens to contain crude oil (Bottled, 2005). According to research, 1.5 million barrels of crude oil is used over the course of a year to be able to produce the amount of bottles Americans demand (Bottled, 2005). Putting this amount into perspective, 1.5 million barrels would be enough to fuel approximately 100,000 cars for an entire year in the U.S. (Bottled, 2005). It is no sho ck that our world is currently dealing with a fuel crisis. By wasting such an extreme amount of oil on the production of bottles and transporting the finished product, we are not only hurting the environment but we are ruining the future for the next generations. Previously mentioned was the apparent safeness of bottled water as opposed to tap water. While in some cases this may be true, tap water can be just as good as bottled and it may even be safer. Many scientific studies have been conducted on bottled water over the years and some of the information found is disturbing. Unlike tap water, which is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), bottled water is classified as a food. Hence, it is regulated by the Food Drug Administration (FDA) (Mosko, 2004). The two groups have different standards in which companies are to follow otherwise harsh consequences result. Some differences are that the FDA does not require products to be tested for coliform bacteria whereas the EPA specifies that no confirmed E.coli or fecal coliform contamination is allowed in tap water (Howard, 2003). Also unlike the EPA, contaminants are not required to be listed after testing whereas additives are required (Mosko, 2004). Since 1990, findings of chem ical contamination and fecal coliform during testing have caused 11 major recalls of bottled water (Mosko, 2004). According to a study done by the World Wildlife Fund, bacterial counts in bottled mineral water can jump 1,000-fold after one week in storage (Mosko, 2004). When bottled water is stored in an un-refrigerated environment for a long period of time, the amount of microorganisms that begin to develop are far greater than the amount contained within tap water (Mosko, 2004). Some water companies, including Aquafina, do not use NSF-certification which tests bottled water for 144 dangerous contaminants (Mosko, 2004). Besides the water being unsafe in many cases, the plastic bottles can also cause a health threat to consumers. When bottled water drinkers notice a taste difference between brands, some of that difference can be attributed to the type of plastic used for the bottle. If the type of plastic used can have an effect on the taste of the water, shouldnt that make a person wonder as to what else the plastic is doing to the water microscopically? One such chemical used in PET bottles, known as Bisphenol-A, is a known endocrine disruptor and carcinogen (Mosko, 2004). This chemical found through testing mixes with the water contained inside the bottle (Mosko, 2004). It is one thing for a person to be inhaling smoke from cigarettes and knowing the possible cancer they are creating within their body. But it is absolutely ridiculous and uncalled for when a person unknowingly harms their body on a daily basis by drinking a product they are told is healthy and necessary for survival. With all of these findings from studies, just how good is that three-dollar bottle of water looking to a person now? Economical and Environmental Analysis in the Business Process First, some numbers on PepsiCo and Aquafina: According to the New York Times, The Pepsi Bottling Group posted better-than-expected profit April 18th as strong sales of Aquafina bottled water and Lipton Ice Tea brands in North America offset rising costs for raw material and fuel (Pepsi, 2006). The company had net income of $34 million, or 14 cents a share, compared with $39 million, or 15 cents a share, in the period a year earlier. Earnings were 3 cents ahead of analysts average forecast of 11 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates. Excluding stock option expense, Pepsi Bottlings profit was 18 cents a share. The company, which is 43 percent, owned by PepsiCo Inc., said revenue rose to $2.37 billion from $2.15 billion. In the United States, sales of noncarbonated beverages, excluding water, grew more than 20 percent in the quarter while sales of Aquafina water grew about 35 percent. Pepsi Bottling said first-quarter sales by volume, a crucial gauge of performance in the bevera ge industry, rose 6 percent worldwide as well as in the United States and Canada. The company said worldwide net revenue per case grew 4 percent, fueled by price increases in the United States that helped offset a 9 percent jump in selling, delivery and administrative expenses (The New York Times, April

Belief and Knowledge Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many contentions our present world has faced that require a thorough thought process in order to represent a side of the argument. We see that there are many different authorities that tell us we should be thinking in certain directions. However, most people need to realize that influence from these different sources such as academics, politicians, companies, global organizations, media, and others in this nebulous category, don’t always steer us in the write direction. Maybe they can provide us with knowledge about a certain problem, or information regarding each side, but when it comes down to the bottom, belief and knowledge seems to be what most people turn to. We see many people opposing social issues because of what their families have taught them, we see many people opposing scientific technology because of what their religion says. We see many people then opposing the â€Å"religious fanatics† because science is â€Å"the key to th e future.† And lastly we see many people opposing things just to cause trouble, and those are the types of protestors, I really cannot stand. But that’s beside the point. Reason and emotion are reflected in the way one uses them to distinguish between their faith and belief, and knowledge and solid fact. This can be shown through the abortion debate, stem cell research, and of course, the hot topic of 2004 and the near future- gay marriage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, abortion has really taken center stage in our society. Both sides of the argument have been well thought out and make good sense; it is up to you to decide which one you feel more strongly represents your views. Or, you must interpret it and make your own opinion. Those who oppose abortion are called the â€Å"pro-life† group. These people believe that the fetus is a living thing, and that it should not be killed for it has yet to develop fully into a human being. By taking the life of a fetus, one is taking the life of a potential human being, and an innocent child. The opposing view is usually referred to as â€Å"pro- choice.† This argument is strong in the sense that people believe they should be able to exercise their rights as a free human being, and if they choose to abort their child, it is the potential parent’s choice. You will find that many people that belong to the â€Å"pro- life† side are religious. Most who are on the... ...Scotts Valley High. It took a long while for me to develop my full thoughts, and although some teachers at my school may choose a different lifestyle than me, it does not make them a â€Å"bad† person, or one that has â€Å"sinned.† As far as I am concerned, God will send those who discriminate and harass and who are hateful all down to hell before any homosexual who has lived their life virtuously. However, I do not support gay marriage because I believe that marriage is sacred and that it is something that should stay between a man and a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through this class, I have learned so much about the world, different cultures, perception, how we know things, what influences us, but most of all, I have learned the most about myself. I have learned to work thorough all factors that may intimidate me into forming my own opinion about things, and I have found that things I really rely strongly on, are driven not by fact or knowledge, but by what I believe and what is in my heart. Being able to distinguish belief and knowledge comes down to the individual and whether they feel that they can be more persuaded through solid fact, or what they believe and have faith in.

Physical Appearance in Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essays -- Frankenstei

Physical Appearance in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein we are introduced early in the story to one of the main characters Victor Frankenstein and subsequently to his creation referred to as the monster. The monster comes to life after being constructed by Victor using body parts from corpses. As gruesome as this sounds initially we are soon caught up in the tale of the living monster. Victor the creator becomes immediately remorseful of his decision to bring the monstrous creation to life and abandons the borne creature. Victor describes his emotions and physical description of his creation as follows: â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! – Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips.† (Shelley 34) Left on his own to strike out in the world the monster soon experienced the prejudices of those he came meet. Prejudices based upon his frightful, or unusual, appearance and his inability to communicate initially. I quickly had empathy for the abandoned creature, despite the descriptions of his gruesome appearance, and felt mixed emotions about his actions towards others in the story. Were the violent actions of the monster towards others spawned from their violent rejection of ... ...-to-form illustration of cultural feelings about how people should look and act in the context of what is normal. Anything outside of normal is perceived negatively, viewed with suspicion and capable of the worst actions towards others. In this case, it is no wonder the monster unleashes his violent wrath upon those that have shunned and disposed of him. He was just fulfilling his predetermined destiny thrust upon him at the moment he was conceived. I am being somewhat sarcastic here, but I do feel that historically the ideas of what is normal can change. Unfortunately, as Shelley has drastically illustrated with the monster character, the monster is judged by his outside appearance and actions as it relates to what is considered normal. Bibliography: Shelley, Mary. â€Å"Frankenstein.† In A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1996.