Jersey Shore Analysis

Jersey Shore’s Unrealistic â€Å"Reality† Jersey Shore, on MTV, is a wonderful model of reality television gone wrong. It is definitely one of the worst shows on TV, but has become one of the most popular. The cast of Jersey Shore reinforces negative stereotypes of Italian-Americans, and shows relationships and sex in an extremely negative light. Racial slurs are a part of everyday vocabulary, relationships are all about fighting and infidelity, and sexual activity is no big deal. The cast’s interactions with others show men and women negatively also. These images can have a negative effect on many of the shows young viewers. Although many people recognize the show’s lack of substance, they can’t seem to stop watching it, which only gives the impression that all of these things are acceptable. This show is definitely more than just a bad show, it negatively portrays groups of people, and downplays important issues. The plot of Jersey Shore involves cast members we’re led to believe are all Italian-American, living together in a house. The cast members take pride in their Italian heritage, and boast about it often. They talk about their roots, while using a racial slur when referring to Italians. They use it the same way many African-Americans use the â€Å"N† word. The Italian-American community was very offended by their nonchalant attitude towards the slur. The cast members show Italians in a negative and biased way. The lifestyles portrayed on Jersey Shore shine an extremely negative light on relationships and sexual activity. Relationships are avoided like a plague, and sex and making out are treated as if they’re no big deal. When the cast goes out drinking and partying, their drunkenness almost always gives way to promiscuity. They make out with strangers in bars, and bring random people home constantly. This gives a negative image to young people about sex. Only a few people on the show didn’t avoid serious relationships. Their relationships do not show relationships in a positive light either. There is constant arguing and infidelity. Some of the people in the relationships allow themselves to be mistreated all the time, which gives a negative example to younger people. If your only examples of sexual activity and relationships came from images like this, you could develop an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. The cast of Jersey Shore also sheds a negative light on all people. The show constantly shows people fighting, arguing, â€Å"hooking up†, and men disrespecting women. Whenever the group of people goes out, there’s almost always a fight. They drink, and they fight with other belligerent people. They, especially the guys, are constantly hooking up with strangers in bars. When they aren’t hooking up with a woman, it’s probably because they’re calling her disrespectful names, and making fun of her appearance. Everyone curses all the time, and the guys use homophobic slurs. Their personalities only represent the negativity we try avoid. Jersey Shore is a â€Å"Reality Show† that does not accurately depict real life. The real people have been turned into characters that reinforce negative stereotypes of Italians, and â€Å"good-looking† people, by acting out, using racial slurs, and disrespecting people they feel are below them (physically). They’re behavior also shows relationships and sexual activity in a negative light. Relationships are either non-existent, or unhealthy. Hooking up and having sex with strangers is an everyday occurrence. Jersey Shore is considered terrible TV by many of its viewers, but they can’t seem to stop watching it. All the fights, hookups, and break ups keep everyone coming back for more. Jersey Shore Analysis Jersey Shore’s Unrealistic â€Å"Reality† Jersey Shore, on MTV, is a wonderful model of reality television gone wrong. It is definitely one of the worst shows on TV, but has become one of the most popular. The cast of Jersey Shore reinforces negative stereotypes of Italian-Americans, and shows relationships and sex in an extremely negative light. Racial slurs are a part of everyday vocabulary, relationships are all about fighting and infidelity, and sexual activity is no big deal. The cast’s interactions with others show men and women negatively also. These images can have a negative effect on many of the shows young viewers. Although many people recognize the show’s lack of substance, they can’t seem to stop watching it, which only gives the impression that all of these things are acceptable. This show is definitely more than just a bad show, it negatively portrays groups of people, and downplays important issues. The plot of Jersey Shore involves cast members we’re led to believe are all Italian-American, living together in a house. The cast members take pride in their Italian heritage, and boast about it often. They talk about their roots, while using a racial slur when referring to Italians. They use it the same way many African-Americans use the â€Å"N† word. The Italian-American community was very offended by their nonchalant attitude towards the slur. The cast members show Italians in a negative and biased way. The lifestyles portrayed on Jersey Shore shine an extremely negative light on relationships and sexual activity. Relationships are avoided like a plague, and sex and making out are treated as if they’re no big deal. When the cast goes out drinking and partying, their drunkenness almost always gives way to promiscuity. They make out with strangers in bars, and bring random people home constantly. This gives a negative image to young people about sex. Only a few people on the show didn’t avoid serious relationships. Their relationships do not show relationships in a positive light either. There is constant arguing and infidelity. Some of the people in the relationships allow themselves to be mistreated all the time, which gives a negative example to younger people. If your only examples of sexual activity and relationships came from images like this, you could develop an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. The cast of Jersey Shore also sheds a negative light on all people. The show constantly shows people fighting, arguing, â€Å"hooking up†, and men disrespecting women. Whenever the group of people goes out, there’s almost always a fight. They drink, and they fight with other belligerent people. They, especially the guys, are constantly hooking up with strangers in bars. When they aren’t hooking up with a woman, it’s probably because they’re calling her disrespectful names, and making fun of her appearance. Everyone curses all the time, and the guys use homophobic slurs. Their personalities only represent the negativity we try avoid. Jersey Shore is a â€Å"Reality Show† that does not accurately depict real life. The real people have been turned into characters that reinforce negative stereotypes of Italians, and â€Å"good-looking† people, by acting out, using racial slurs, and disrespecting people they feel are below them (physically). They’re behavior also shows relationships and sexual activity in a negative light. Relationships are either non-existent, or unhealthy. Hooking up and having sex with strangers is an everyday occurrence. Jersey Shore is considered terrible TV by many of its viewers, but they can’t seem to stop watching it. All the fights, hookups, and break ups keep everyone coming back for more.

Motifs and Characterization in Macbeth Essay

The Tragedy of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, uses various literary elements; among the strongest are motifs and characterizations used to express and symbolize important changes and events throughout the play. Macbeth is a brave and ambitious man full of self-doubt who is driven by evil forces into bad situations. The motif of light and darkness symbolizes the conflict between good and evil. A motif is a significant word, phrase, image, description, idea, or other element repeated throughout a literary work and related to the theme. Manhood is a motif used throughout the play to symbolize the manly and weak sides of people and what qualities people expect a man to have. Blood comes to symbolize guilt and violence. The clothes as titles motif symbolizes the title a person holds in the Kingdom. Characterization is used to explain how each character changes throughout the play and the reasoning behind their actions. Shakespeare also uses characterization to develop his plot. Shakespeare shows that Lady Macbeth is a very ambitious, dominating, and controlling character throughout the play. She is the reason Macbeth decides to kill Duncan. King Duncan is loved by everyone in the Kingdom. He is characterized as praiseworthy, caring, naà ¯ve, and trusting. Banquo is characterized as brave, innocent, logical, and full of reason. He is the mastermind behind the murder of King Duncan. Shakespeare uses many motifs throughout the story but he uses a lot of imagery of darkness and light. This is one of the strongest motifs used in the play. The motif of light and darkness symbolizes the conflict between good and evil. This motif is used to foreshadow when something good or bad is going to happen. It also shows the readers which characters are good and which characters are bad. In this play, darkness stands for evil, bad deeds, and hell. It is always dark when something bad is going to happen like when Lady Macbeth decides to kill Duncan. When she makes her decision she says, â€Å"Come, thick night, / And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, / That my keen knife see not the wound it makes† (Act 1. Scene 5. Lines 49-51). The darkness she calls on shows the evil or darkness in the act she plans to commit. The witches are also associated with darkness. They always meet in dark, stormy scenes and talk about wandering in foggy and filthy air. They symbolize evil. Light is associated with Heaven, God, and goodness. When Lady Macbeth calls on the murderous spirits saying, â€Å"Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark† (Act 1. Scene 5. Line 52), she is implying that light is the only thing that could stop her from murdering Duncan. Also, when Macbeth is fighting his ambition to kill Duncan and become King, he says, â€Å"Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires† (Act 4. Scene 4. Lines 50-51). This statement is implying that he is thinking evil thoughts and he does not want God to know his evil desires. Light and darkness are very prominent in all the characters’ actions and thoughts. Macbeth is a man that at first seems content to defend his King and country against treason and rebellion, and yet, his desire for power plays a major role in the way he commits the most heinous acts. Macbeth is characterized as brave, valiant, and loyal. The witches also awaken Macbeth’s ambition in the first act. The act gives the initial impression of Macbeth as a brave hero and then shows us how he changes. It reveals his fixation on the witches’ prophecy. Macbeth is characterized as a brave and noble warrior when King Duncan says, â€Å"For Brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name† (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 16). But, Macbeth’s reaction to the witches’ predictions emphasizes his great desire for power and prestige. Macbeth realizes that murder might be required to achieve this. He thinks about it but has no means of acting on it. He begins to be confused and he is conflicted. He is caught between his loyalty to the King and his desire for power. He yearns for a simple way out, free of guilt and consequence. He implies this when he says, â€Å"If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well/ It were done quickly† (Act 1. Scene 7. Lines 1-2). Lady Macbeth finally emerges and drives the hesitant Macbeth to act; she is the will propelling his achievements. Macbeth knows what he does is wrong, and recognizes there will be consequences. He is tempted but tries to resist it. He is not strong enough to stand up to his wife. Literary elements like motifs and characterization help develop the entire plot. By using characterization, Shakespeare is able to reveal the characters’ thoughts and feelings in order for readers to analyze the characters’ motives for their actions. Characterization gives the reader a better understanding of each character. The use of motifs in â€Å"Macbeth† help define the setting and mood of the Act, as well as the good or bad intentions of the characters. For example, darkness or night in Macbeth is associated with evil, murder, murderous intent, and mischief, and death. Light is feared by those who wish murder on the King, because they do not want their evil thoughts/deeds revealed. Characters who are innocent were always shown in bright, lighted scenes to stress their goodness. Darkness was the background for evil, as exhibited by the scenes where murder occurs, or where the mischievous, evil witches appear. Blood is a recurring symbol or motif that symbolizes death, and later, Macbeth’s guilt. These are just a few of the many motifs and symbols found in Macbeth. Motifs are used to add depth and richness to characters and settings, and bring out the major themes and ideas of the play.

Historical Origins of Social Work Essay

Essay: In what ways do the historical origins of social work influence the current profession in Ireland? In order to provide an in-depth discussion on how the historical origins of social work have influenced the current nature of the profession in Ireland, it is important for me to provide a specific understanding of what the term denotes. Defined by Smale, Tuson and Statham (2000; 5), ‘social work is about the interventions made to change social situations so that people who need support or are at risk can have their needs met more appropriately than if no intervention were made’. Morales and Sheafor (1977) state that ‘professional social workers are dedicated to service for the welfare and self-realisation of human beings; to the disciplined use of scientific knowledge regarding human and societal behaviour, to the development of resources to meet individual, group, national and international needs and aspirations; and to the achievement of social justiceâ€⠄¢. Many individuals, other than field social workers and including all those who work in residential, day care and domiciliary care, otherwise known as social care or care workers are all involved in different types of social work. The Emergence of Social Work According to Sheldon and Macdonald (2009, p.19), ‘the term ‘social work’ was first used in Britain at the end of the nineteenth century’. During this era, people practiced social work in an attempt to establish more realistic ways of overcoming social distress as opposed to relying on traditional forms of charity work and philanthropy. Skehill (1999) and Darling (1972) state that Irish social work shares many traditional aspirations of social work elsewhere, such as in Britain and Finland and has been influenced by such countries. However, it is also shaped by the particular nature of Ireland’s society and by key political processes within the country over the past centuries. Albeit Ireland ‘industrialising’ at a different rate in comparison to England and elsewhere, key features of modern society such as: the growth in expert knowledge in relation to individuals and the family, the emanation of new expert professionals and the emergence of a liberal form of government do appear to have had an impact on shaping Irish social work (Skehill, 1999). Earlier forms of social work in Ireland evolved from religious motives which included the giving of alms and the giving of service. Skehill (1999) highlights that the relationship between the  religious bodies and their concern with the provision of charitable relief is of great importance, with the rivalry between Catholic and Protestant charities being the most significant aspect of the religious base of charities in the 19th century. Down through the years, Ireland has been a place where individuals have been ‘inspired by a sense of vocation and largely guided by intuition’ (Darling, 1972; 24). Such individuals have endeavoured to alleviate the pain and suffering of the casualties within our society. An example of such heroic bodies in Ireland includes ‘Mary Aikenhead, daughter of a Cork doctor and founder of the Order of Irish Sisters of Charity, who began prison visiting in Dublin 1821’ (Darling, 1972; 24). The 19th century is ‘characterised by a whole plethora of charitable activities relating to education, health and welfare’ (Skehill, 1990). In England, social work began with the identification, categorisation and organisation of various charities, which is most evident in the work of the Charitable Organisation Society. The COS evolved in 1869 and was primarily known as the Society for Organising Charitable Relief and Repressing Mendicity. This charitable body had a specific aim of attempting to address the disconnectedness between philanthropic organisations and bring these bodies together under some coherent umbrella (Skehill, 199). Over the same period of time (19th century), no such major body for social work existed in Ireland, however at the beginning of the 20th century the Irish state saw an attempt to standardise charity within the country. Notably, the nature of social work in Ireland is highlighted by the ‘link between philanthropy and its broader cultural and political discursive field, the relations between religion and charity, the gendered nature of practices, and the individualistic approach to soc ial problems’ (Skehill, 1990). Although, social work progressed to a greater extent in the 20th century, one could argue that some of the most defining characteristics of its current shape in society could be accredited to its earlier presence in the 19th century (Skehill, 1990). For example, social work in Ireland continues to be a practice that is primarily interested in assisting the less well off in society, with families and children being a key target for social work intervention and practice remaining individualistic. Also, the profession has continued to function traditionally based on caring for and overlooking the clients of its service (Skehill, 1990). Because of this, it  is important to look at certain aspects of philanthropy in 19th century Ireland in order to explore the charitable works’ contribution to the present day social work strategy (Skehill, 1990). Although social work began to emerge in the 19th century, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that a coherent strategy o f social work developed (Skehill, 1990). What is significant about social work in the early 20th century is that it continued to be characterised by continuities in voluntary charity work and developed towards a more ‘strategic and structured practice of professional social work’ (Skehill, 1990; 61). However, throughout this era, social work also expanded due to a dual process of development between interacting strands of cultural, political, intellectual and institutional progression. This dual process of development includes ‘the emergence of training and education for social workers and the continued expansion of untrained social work’ within charitable bodies (Skehill, 1990; 97). The pattern of social work training that established in the 20th century persisted in the following decades, with the continuation of an individual focus, home visiting, in-depth inquiries and concentration on the poor, women and children remaining to be at the core of its’ practice. In Ireland, the health and welfare service continued to develop in the mid-20th century and as a result, had a crucial influence on the evolution of social work within this period. There was a decrease in the influence of the Catholic Church, professional training and employment for social workers increased and the State developed a greater role in the provision of social services which led to increasing opportunities for the development of social work. According to Darling (1971), formal social work training in Ireland began in 1899, when Reverend R.M. Gwynn established an association in Trinity College Dublin, with a primary aim of promoting the study of poverty. ‘The establishment of the Civic Institute of Ireland in 1914 marks a significant step in the evolution of social work in Ireland’ (Skehill, 1999; 91). The main aim of this society was the ‘study and investigation of all questions and problems affecting the lives of the Irish public in their capacity as citizens or as inhabitants of a city, urban or rural area of Ireland’ (Civic Institute of Ireland, 1914 in Skehill, 1999; 91). Bibliography * Considine, M. and Dukelow, F. (2009) Irish Social Policy: A critical introduction, Dublin: Gill & Macmillan Ltd. * Sheldon, B. and MacDonald, G. (2009) Textbook of Social Work, London: Routledge. * Skehill, C. (1999a): The Nature of Social Work in Ireland, a Historical Perspective, Lewiston, USA: Edwin Mellen Press. * Morales, A. and Sheafor, B.W. 1977. Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Inc. * Darling, V. (1971) ‘Social Work in the Republic of Ireland’. Social studies, Irish Journal of Sociology, 1(1)24-37. *

Business Law II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Law II - Essay Example ities created laws that would govern how the owners would use their property and at the same time safeguard the surroundings of their properties (Oorschot, 2001). Landowners have the right to occupy the surface of their land. However, they are regulated by zoning restrictions. The restrictions eliminate the chances of owners from using their property for whatever purpose they wanted (Oorschot, 2001). Landowners are also entitled to vegetation rights. Such rights include planting trees, crops, and other vegetation on his or her land (Oorschot, 2001). Even so, environmental regulations are set so as to regulate these activities. Chigara (2011) states that if property owners were left to use the vegetation of their land as they deem right, the levels of pollution would rise to alarming rates. Environmental laws are meant to improve the air quality, for instance, the ordinance law that restricts burning out-of-doors (Oorschot, 2001). These laws protect any land owners and their rightfully earned properties regardless of gender, race, color, sex, national origin, handicap or family status (Fonjong, 2012). This act is concurrent with the building codes act and the easement act. All land owners developing the property for commercial purposes should obtain rightful documentation (Fonjong,

About Alexander McQueen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

About Alexander McQueen - Essay Example However, he interrupted his education and ventured into fashion design. Later, in 1994, he joined Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design for a master’s degree in fashion design (Frankel, 17). Unlike many designers, McQueen’s passion for fashion started during his childhood. He had always desired to be a designer when he grew up. This was demonstrated when he used to make dresses for his elder sisters while still a young boy at Rokeby Primary School (Bremner, 117). It is during the same time that he declared his interest in design and pledged that he would be a fashion designer when he grew up. His love for clothes made him to associate with designers. It is for this reason that he left school at a tender age to advance his design interests at Savile Row Tailors; Anderson & Sheppard; Gieves & Hawkes and Angels & Bermans (Deniau, 73). His services in these premises as an apprenticeship exposed him to the challenging modern trends in fashion design. Upon graduating as a fashion designer, McQueen took several jobs in prestigious fashion companies both within the United Kingdom and Spain. Here, he got an opportunity to interact with reputable designers who later influen ced his life (Rawi, 91). For instance, after working as a Chief Designer at Givenchy, he encountered Hussein Chalayan, Pauric Sweeney and Katy England. These are some of his contemporaries who really shaped the direction of his fashion career. Had it not been for these contemporaries, he would not have achieved much. They were of a great importance to him. For instance, Katy later became his right hand lady who stood beside him and gave him the necessary assistance in whatever he was doing (Knox, 2010). As a designer, McQueen is credited for making magnificent contributions in the field of fashion design. After terminating his six-year contract at the prestigious Givenchy in 2001, he founded his own company under his name. Here, he developed the new McQueen Alexander Brands which has now revolutionized the fashion design industry (Bremner and Robertson, 11). Moreover, he brought a new idea to fashion shows when he introduced drama and extravagance as new features in catwalk. Initial ly, fashion shows were cheaper to organize and did not involve the use of drama. This necessitated him to fetch for renowned pageants to grace his shows. A t the same time, he introduced silhouettes to enable him incorporate the element of fantasy in his shows. Actually, these have become significant a component of fashion shows which are still prominent up to date. These are his legacies which will always remain in the minds of fashion lovers for a very long time (Cartner, 66). His McQueen out fits were properly designed to suit the modern man. By the year 2007, he had established boutiques in London, Las Vegas, New York, Milan and Los Angeles (Searle, 48). Hence, he managed to win the confidence of many clients who preferred his clothes to any other designer. However, this did not only include ordinary people, but celebrities like David Bowie, Nicole Kidman, Rihana, Koda Kumi, Penelope Cruz, Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro and Sarah Jessica Parker. As a result of his bright ideas, his designs are still prominent and used by people from all corners of the world. Indeed, McQueen was not made, but born a designer. After realizing his ambitions as a child, he prepared himself for it. However, could not manage to achieve anything single-handedly. First, he owes his success to his family. Had it not been for the co-operation from his parents, he would have shielded his interests for something else. This was a great source of inspiration for him (Bolton, 39). Moreover, he received

Nespresso marketing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nespresso marketing research - Essay Example This research design consisted of exploratory research done using a local pilot survey by the researcher. A questionnaire design was used due to its in expensive, convenient, and extremely efficient way of collecting a large amount of sample data and varied information from the target audience. In addition, its simplicity and convince in matters pertaining beverages, restaurant dinning behaviors, and consumer interests were taken to be advantageous in this marketing research. The research design included a wide variety of close ended questions intended for the espresso consumer related to the research objectives, and were guaranteed to provide positive required results. The underlying technology of Nespresso originated from Geneva, and Nestlà © the mother company acquired commercial rights in 1974. The idea was to combine the rich market dynamics with technology and experience to come up with a unique product for a specific target market. However, this was marred by a number of tech nical problems that threatened to stall the project such as production and distribution costs which were higher that the turnover. Through highlighting such pitfalls, and identifying potential challenges as the market grows this report hopes to place Nespresso in a better position to grow and gain a competitive advantage. Marketing objective In the process of defining the scope of this marketing research, quite a number of areas were identified as crucial and critical for the growth of the organization. A careful review if the most important areas gave way to the isolation and identification of the following key points as the research objectives. To determine the frequency of using Nespresso products by the target market To determine which service and or products offered by the organization best satisfy market demands

Ethics from the dark side Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics from the dark side - Assignment Example Communicating with the attorney helps him or her comprehend any weaknesses in the case considering that the attorney can end the engagement. In a similar way to athletes, an expert must stay within himself or herself as a reason for maintaining success. An expert has a responsibility of staying put in his or her expertise with the allowance of recommending the right professional for the attorney when called upon. The role of the professional (expert) is to apply his or her expertise to educate the jury as well as the judge as opposed to being an advocate. Enlightenment covers many areas with special emphasis in understanding issues not common to all. The compensation of the expert should remain outside contingent of the results of the case. The recommendation is having the same on the hourly basis. Other options are hourly basis and related techniques but never pegging the same on the outcome of the case. Payments to the professional revolve around experience and time as opposed to a particular result. Expert compensation is a public concept and not a private matter. Its so because it is an element of the report prepared by the expert in litigation. The content is in some state courts and the federal court. This position contradicts the requirements of the rules of regulations that prohibit disclosure. Expert compensation remains a topic in a deposition. An expert reviews after receiving information and documents of confidential nature. The professional has a responsibility of evaluating if the task ahead is likely to cause a conflict of interest before accepting an assignment. Among others, features to consider include present assignments and relationships. Ethics are crucial in enhancing the duties of a professional. They can as well hinder his or her delivery of duties. However, their greatest asset is strengthening the functions of an expert. A professional who analyses all the facts fairly and honestly without attempting to divert an opinion will

Advanced Financial Reporting & Regulation Assignment

Advanced Financial Reporting & Regulation - Assignment Example The present research has identified that according to the SEC, the BMS company also engaged in ‘cookie jar’ accounting. That is, it created phony reserves for disposals of unneeded plants and divisions during high-profit quarters. These would be carried to decrease the operating expenses in results of the quarters where BMS’ income or earnings figures are insufficient to meet the forecasted amounts. Required: a. Using relevant academic papers, discuss the incentives why managers would resort to extreme earnings management technique such as this. b. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of ‘stuffing the channels’ and ‘cookie jar accounting’ as earnings management devices. Earnings management is any legal activity via which the entity administers its profits earned, retained and distributed and thereafter carries out it's financial reporting, making decisions regarding the contents, details, and disclosures to be provided in the deliverable s to give a true and fair view of its operations. According to Lev, earnings play a very important role not only because they shape up the success of any business but also because they can have drastic effects if the management’s reporting of earnings get manipulated. Therefore, it is of utmost significance for all key personnel of the entity to excel at earnings management, taking into account that it doesn’t involve any manipulative measures and fraudulent practices. According to scenario given in the question, the pharmaceutical company mentioned was similarly involved in maneuvering its books of accounts by using tactics such as ‘stuffing the channels’ and ‘cookie jar’ accounting, resulting into non-compliances, being penalized for the same. The question here arises as to why would managers of this enterprise be engaged in such practices of window-dressing the company’s books of accounts though aware of its adverse consequences of n on-compliance? Following are given few incentives which may urge managers to be indulged in wrongful earnings management: Fulfilling Expectations of Capital Markets: The most common reason for a majority of the times in such instances is motivation to satisfy capital markets. Managers are mostly under extreme pressures to create value for existing and prospective shareholders and when they find no way to do so in real terms, they end up manipulating reporting of earnings thereby affecting favorably stock’s market price in the short run.

Guerrilla Marketing An alternative to classical marketing instruments Essay

Guerrilla Marketing An alternative to classical marketing instruments - Essay Example The difficulty with these traditional tools for marketing lies in areas of cost, as these are often expensive campaigns which require the efforts of internal and external expertise in order to make these campaigns bring a positive return on investment. For the smaller to mid-sized company, sometimes the classical marketing efforts are just too expensive to launch successfully without straining the brand budget. The purpose of this proposed research project is to investigate whether or not guerrilla marketing is more effective than other traditional methods for building rapid consumer interest. It has already been established that the costs of classical marketing instruments are sometimes just too high for the smaller business and these companies, in order to compete with larger and more budget-capable competitors, these brands require low-cost efforts to build stronger presence in their consumer target markets. Since it is completely unclear whether or not guerrilla marketing has the potential to bring better results than more costly and complicated marketing campaigns, it is important to identify different methods in which guerrilla marketing can and should be used to bring better results in consumer sales. Guerrilla marketing, best defined as a rather unconventional and innovative marketing technique which gathers consumers’ attention in unusual ways, is a new type of marketing which is becoming commonplace in today’s businesses, especially those with smaller marketing budgets. Guerrilla marketing is a more direct, in-your-face type of marketing which attracts rapid attention from desired consumer target audiences and uses tactics which create connection through lifestyle or personal consumer interests. For example, the Pepsi-Cola company conducted research among Hispanics and discovered that this group was drawn by colas with a cherry flavouring and product brand names whi ch are catchy and rememberable. The results

Shipboard Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Shipboard Management - Essay Example When the ship is tilted the life boats cannot be released, so the warning system must alert passengers before the tilt takes place. In this condition the passengers did not understand the advantage of taking life rafts and use the life vests on the ship. By the time they understood the situation is out of control. The life rafts were not easy to use and board. They over turned when used by the passengers. It is difficult to assemble them by the people on board. This did not ensure any protection to passengers at the time of accident The supervision regarding the safety measures was not up to mark as some rafts were checked repeatedly and some were left without checking. This caused the destroying the roofs of the rafts for identification by the rescue helicopters. As there are many people to be rescued the number of helicopters did not comply with the need. They were over crowded. The number of rescue crew that came with the helicopters was not enough when compared to the number of p eople to be rescued. The investigation through the video tapes revealed the bow door failure. The failure was due to separation of it from the ferry. The ramp and screen of the bow were damaged and there is no supervision regarding it. This disturbed normal safety measures implementation. The video monitoring that should be done was limited to some part of the vessel only and the bow door and the adjacent parts were not monitored by it. The monitoring of the video was up to that extent only that it is useful after the accident to estimate that up to how much extent and in how much time the water entered the vessel. 1 The crew in operation also did not know about these lapses. Had they know it, they might have reversed the ship which could have avoided the accident by sinking in deep water. This reveals the communication gap between the administration of the ship and crew in operation. After this a joint agreement between different states took place to influence and amend the administrative issues regarding the prohibition of inspection. Not only did the investigations about the sinking of the vessel, the investigation set a stage for enacting further safety measures on board of every vessel. The commissioner for wrecks, Mr Justice Sheen stated that it was the duty f the officer loading the main vehicle deck to see that the bow doors were safe and secure before leaving the harbour. Not only in this case the commissioner found after this investigation that this safety instruction was regularly violated by number of managements of the ship and other officers who monitor the loading of vehicle deck. In this particular case it was found that the officer left the responsibility of closing the bow doors to his assistant. This comes under the violation of standing instructions. The commissioner criticized the ship management company regarding the violation of safety measures and stated the need of considering the strict compliance to the safety measures. When the above statement of commissioner was considered the main responsibility of the disaster lies with the chief officer, his assistant and senior master who was responsible for the monitoring of implementation of the safety measur

Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms Essay

Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms - Essay Example The Purchasing Power Parity principle (PPP) was enunciated by a Swedish economist, Gustav Cassel in 1918. According to this theory, the price levels (and the changes in these price levels) in different countries determine the exchange rate of these countries currencies. The basic tenet of this principle is that the exchange rates between various currencies reflect the purchasing power of these currencies. This tenet is based on the Law of One Price. ... It also makes a few additional assumptions. No transaction costs in the foreign currency markets: It assumes that there are no costs involved in buying or selling a currency. Basket of commodities: It also assumes that the same basket of commodities is consumed in the different countries, with the components being used in the same proportion. This factor, along with the Law of One Price, makes the overall price levels in different countries equal. Though the explanation provided by the absolute PPP is very simple and easy to understand, it is difficult to test the theory empirically. This is due to the fact that the indexes used in different countries to measure the price level may not be comparable due to: -- the indexes being composed of different basket of commodities, due to different needsand tastes of the consumer. -- the components of the indexes being weighted differently due to their comparativerelevance, -- different base years being used for the indexes. Due to these reasons, these price indexes cannot be used to evaluate the validity of the theory. The relative form of PPP: The absolute form of PPP describes the link between the spot exchange rate and price levels at a particular point of time. On the other hand, the relative form of PPP talks about the link between the changes in spot rates and in price levels over a period of time reflect the changes in the price levels over the same period in the concerned economies. Relative PPP relaxes a number of assumptions made by the Law of One Price and the absolute PPP. These are: Absence of transaction costs Absence of transportation costs Absence of tariffs. The relaxation of these assumptions

House of the Spirits Essay Example for Free

House of the Spirits Essay The world is engulfed by positive and negative forces. Violence, the negative force, is always there around us. We silently experience its impact, without responding. When one responds to the violence vocally, it may or may not produce the desired effect. There are two parties to the violence-the perpetrators of the violence and the victims of the violence. When the victims of the violence suffer silently, that doesn’t mean everything is fine. The nature of violence is fire and its suddenness. It may instantly erupt like the fiery waves of Tsunami, and produce colossal damage; or arrive like the uncontrollable avalanche. Human efforts may not be able to contain the onward march of destruction. It may end of its own and retain its gains for ever. The boom of Latin American literature began in the 1960s, and Isabel Allende’s House of the Spirits is one such product of the boom era. Her big leap in the world of literature happened in the year 1985, when the translation of La casa de los espiritus saw the light of the day. She became an international figure, and she found her place in the same pedestal as that of Columbian Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Her work was compared to his One Hundred Years of Solitude. The highlight of the book is that it is written by a woman writer and a Chilean national. The plot of the novel is the saga of three generations of Trueba women—Clara, Blanca, and Alba. It is the story of the struggle of these women with Esteban Trueba, the domineering family patriarch. Allende takes on the story of the family and its political backdrop, which finally ends in a military coup and the eventual dictatorship. It is the conflict between the forces of Left and Right. In the book, the name of the country is not specifically mentioned as Chile, but the obvious is experienced by the reader. The content of the story is the deep reflection of her homeland, Chile. The legally elected administration, led by President Salvador Allende (Isabel’s uncle) was deposed by the military forces in the year 1973. The political current is flowing through the entire novel subtly and sometimes directly. It is very explicit, and don’t get carried away by the title of the book and conclude that it is the book on magic and spirits. It is a story of the family intermingled with the story of the Nation, Chile. The family of Esteban gets entangled with the political upheaval during the latter part of life. Extended family life is the highlight and is given lots of importance in the Chilean society. Couples live in their own houses, but the concept of larger families is popular, the small families look forward to their larger families for more than one objective. The holidays and weekends are spent in the company of relatives. Nuclear families look up for support from the extended-family ties in times of emergencies. Friendship among the adults is an encouraging feature of this system. Technological advance, industrial and internet revolutions have affected the social structure and made deep impact in all the aspects of life of humanity all over the world, and Chile is no exception. Gender rules and traditional areas have suffered the dent. Women in Chile seek employment in large numbers and they don’t wish to remain unschooled, as was the case a few decades ago. In 1990, about 50% of the student population in primary and secondary schools were female. In higher education the percentage was marginally lower; the female enrollment was 44%. There was steady increase of the female students in traditionally female profession of teachers, and also law, medicine, dentistry etc. The traditional pattern as for the roles of men and women and society has undergone noticeable change in Chile. Strong support, more than 80 percent, was seen for the view that women benefit as individuals if they work like men, outside home. Women wished to exercise their rights that paved way for development of their individual personality, which is linked to their economic prosperity. As for the attitude towards marriage, the sentence included in the family law, â€Å"women should obey their husbands,† found favor with only 40% of women, whereas 55% men still held the traditional views. Another important aspect of a similar survey was, men should participate more actively in household work. 70% of men and 92% of women concurred with this view. Isabbel Allende’s novel covers three generations of women in Chile and the notion that women reach full self-realization primarily through motherhood has also seen much modification during this era. Fewer children are now preferred and day care facility for their small children is extensively used by the working mothers. The extended family tradition even now prevailing also puts the working mothers in an advantageous position. The system of employing female domestic servants is in vogue amongst the middle-class and upper class households. The Chilean women face a three-pronged drive against them. The Nation is known for its authoritarianism and Catholicism. The people have experienced dictatorship as well as democracy which have affected the life in one way or the other. The transition from dictatorship to democracy and the reconstruction of the democratic institutions have also resulted in inherent changes as for the position and status of women in the Chilean society. NGO’s re playing the active role to improve the standard of living as well as the standard of life of women. The most provocative issue of women in Chile is abortion. Abortion is illegal in Chile. However, the ground realities are, one in four pregnancies ends in abortion. Poor women are mostly affected as they lack proper education and do not have access to safe, private clinics. Even in this modern era, there are women’s rights opponents in Chile, both at the governmental and NGO levels. But Allende opines that it is difficult to resist social change, and the traditionalists don’t seem to have a happy future. Jane Futcher, of San Francisco Chronicle gives the ‘synopsis’ of the book in two sentences: Nothing short of astonishing In The House of the Spirits Isabelle Allende has shown us the relationships between past and present, family and nation, city and country, spiritual and political values. She has done so with enormous imagination, sensitivity, and compassion. But such organizations face strong opposition from the Church as Allende puts it, â€Å"†¦ and putting women on an equal footing with menthis in open defiance of the law of God, which was most explicit on the issue. † Whenever the Nation is in turmoil, for whatever reasons, women and children are the intense sufferers. They face loss of anxiety and uncertainties. The problems in an extended Chilean family were comparable to the problems of the Nation. Allende is at great pains to understand and explain why the 1973 coup happened at all. A democratically elected socialist president was removed from power and killed by Pinochet. The book holds the inherent clashes that were part of the society for such an unfortunate development to occur. The pairs of opposites, like landlords and tenants, conservatives and communists began to attack each other. No one thought about the after effects of the harsh churning of the society. Dictatorship emerged, actually no one wanted it. By the time the people realized the futility of their approach and action, much harm had already been done to the Chilean national psyche. Normalcy was restored after the nation went through convulsions. Conclusion: The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed of World Wars I II, Nanking Massacre (China) and the violence without intermission in Chile, ask the crying question. How to make this violence-prone Planet Earth heaven like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes, full of understanding, heart full of love and the life that refuses conflicts-these alone are enough. If a question is posed whether the happenings in Trueba family is the ‘micro’ example of the ‘macro’ happenings in Chile, the answer would be both yes and no! The patriarch of the family is, ipso facto, a dictator—he possesses a volatile, harsh unreasonable temper and also the obsessive ability to love through possession. The day to day developments and realities seemed to have no effect on the Treuba family as such. They came out unfazed through the dark days of the dictatorship. Yet to be sure, most of them were psychologically affected, even though they did not discuss their grievances and opinions openly. But no one was happy about the unfortunate developments that engulfed the country. Allende describes how, over the time people soften and lose their angry identity, and are amenable to reason. How the country overcame its demons, and the determination of the people not to let the old days return. They would like to forget the shudder of disgust related to all sorts of violence. Allende’s depiction of the controversial events in Chilean history is even, intelligent and highly illuminating. Yet, the novel written by a woman author has got to address the pressing issues related to the welfare of women. House of the Spirits is a truly poignant story covering all the aspects of human life, is trials, tribulations, its duty and beauty. It is the story of love and hate; betrayal and acceptance; pride and prejudice. The importance of family bonds has been rightly highlighted. A joint family means actually a ‘group insurance cover’ for all the members of the family and a great psychological security. The possibilities of a life of love are infinite. There lies a unique joy in giving, that one will never find in accepting. References Cited: Allende, Isabel: Book: The House of the Spirits. 448 pages Publisher: Bantam (July 1, 1986), 448 pages. Language: English ISBN-10: 0553273914 ISBN-13: 978-0553273915

History of the Rule of Law

History of the Rule of Law Law Society Rule The question of the purpose of the rule of law and how the boundaries should be drawn between moral judgement and the need to maintain a basic level of order within a society has been asked, over the centuries, by many eminent theorists from the legal, political and philosophical world. Several different opinions have emerged with varying degrees of agreement, with the concept that the rule of law is the law and we must obey it, regardless of how unjust the rules may appear. Although the exact meaning of the rule of law has been interpreted in different ways by the various different theorists, the very basic principle that the rule of law means that no individual is above the law seems to hold in all interpretations. In England, the prime example of the rule of law is the Magna Carter in which King John agreed to abide by the feudal laws and the placing of limits on fees relating to feudal land. What is the Rule of Law? Before considering whether or not the rule of law consists merely of a body of rules or whether there is more to the way in which the rule of law is applied, it is first necessary to consider exactly what is meant by the ‘rule of law’. Dicey was not, in fact, responsible for the birth of the rule of law, but was instrumental in bringing it into the public arena for debate and consideration. He contended that the rule of law was made up of three key principles. Firstly, that an individual has the freedom to act in any way he so wishes without punishment provided it is not in breach of any law. This gives supremacy to the rule of law over any other arbitrary act of power that is not backed in law. Secondly, that no one is above the law meaning that every subject, regardless of stature, can be held accountable to the law and punished in the courts of the land. Thirdly, that the rule of law is based on the collective rights of all individuals. Essentially, this means that the courts will enforce individual rights on a collective basis to all subjects within its jurisdiction. This basic concept has been somewhat extended in recent years, most notably by Lord Bingham in his lecture given on 16 November 2006 to Cambridge University where he put forward eight sub-rules that should be seen as part of the overall rule of law. These were that firstly, the law should be available and understandable to all it governs, based on the premise that if someone is to be governed by a law they should be able to understand it fully. Secondly, that when faced with the decision of liability or accountability, the law should be used without so far as is possible the use of discretion. Thirdly, that the law in the way in which it is applied should be equal and universal to all. He did, however, recognise that at times it would be necessary for some individuals to be treated differently. Fourthly, that any law must provide a basic level of protection for all fundamental human rights, to every subject, regardless of circumstances. Fifthly, where there is a civil dispute that cannot be resolved, the parties should have access to cost effective and efficient means of dealing with the dispute. Sixthly, that all members of government or officers of the government should act in good faith when carrying out their law enforcement duties and should not act outside of their individual powers. Seventhly, that any adjudicative process should be fair and transparent in the way it arrives at decisions. Finally, the state has to consider its obligations to international law when complying with any national rule of law. In essence, the rules laid out by L Bingham are not substantially different from those laid out by Dicey; they are merely more detailed regarding the way in which the laws should be applied. This offers greater guidance on the subject of what an individual should do when faced with a seemingly unjust law. It also gives greater insight into the way in which the rule of law should be viewed, generally, and applied in relation to other political, religious and moral frameworks. Application of the Rule of Law Having understood the basic principles of what the rule of law contains, it is then necessary to move forward to consider how this applies and actually works, in practice, in relation to society as a whole. Again, this area has drawn attention from some of the great legal theorists of all time and has, in some cases, been hotly debated. One of the fundamental ideas laid down by Dicey is that the government has no greater authority in terms of the way in which it is viewed in the courts. The rule of law clearly indicates that the government must have restraints and cannot simply act in any arbitrary way that it pleases. This has been borne out in several court cases including the early case of Entick v Carrington where it was held that the warrant a Home Secretary had issued to enter a privately owned property was against the law and, therefore, the government was guilty of trespass. Theorists from the very early stages have recognised that there is a need for some central rule to control all individuals. Not to have any central law would, almost certainly, result in anarchy. In its earliest format, the need for a rule of law was established by Plato and Aristotle where they recognised the need for at least a degree of rule or there would be complete anarchy within society. Without any form of law or rule the stronger and more cunning would effectively make the most of their position by exploiting the weak. It is almost universally accepted that someone needs to take overall control of a way that maintains democracy and prevents the weak from being exploited. For this central control to work, the power needs to be vested in some political and legislative authority. Aristotle, in particular, recognised the importance of the role of this central figure. He debated at length whether this central control should be the rule of law or rule of men. His eventual conclusion was that a rule of law was necessary and that the central figure had to be in the form of some higher governmental authority. He concluded that a rule of law was essential as laws are produced as a result of reason and thought and not based on pure passion. Moreover, having one individual leader can clearly lead to tyranny or self-serving actions. As the rules need to govern every adult individual, each individual should have a say in how these rules are established. Finally, a rotation of those in charge of the rule of law is desirable to ensure equality throughout. For these reasons, Aristotle concluded that a rule of law, operated in a democratic manner, is essential to ensure that rules are consistent and not arbitrary in the way they are both established and maintained. Encroachment on the Rule of Law Despite the universal recognition that the rule of law is both desirable and essential for the effective operation and governance of society, there have been several encroachments on the traditional rule of law. There is a body of thought that suggests the government has made several moves to encroach on the individual’s liberties. One of the most notable of these is the removal of the right to a trial by jury in certain limited circumstances. In doing so, it is argued that the equality and fairness of the system is lost. Individuals are not judged by their peers but are instead dictated to by a higher authority. Another area that has faced criticism is the way in which the secret service operates and, in particular, the Official Secrets Act and related gagging orders that have been put on certain individuals. Clive Ponting, who was a civil servant during the Falklands War, was gagged and prevented from speaking about the activities of the government, during this time. It is argued that this encroachment on individual liberties, to the extent that it is necessary to protect the greater good, should not be seen as a breaking of the overall essence of the rule of law. Although these governmental powers are seen as overpowering the individual’s rights, it is also argued that these encroachments would not in the normal course of daily activities come into contact with these encroachments. Similarly, it is also argued that governmental bodies such as the secret services are overseen by independent bodies and, therefore, are not able to act in a way that is arbitrary or discriminatory. Based on this, it can be concluded that whilst the rule of law is sometimes bent to accommodate the needs of the public as a whole, it cannot be carried out in an arbitrary way. Further, there are checks and balances in place to make sure that no single body exercises too much power over another. The Role of Customs One element of the rule of law which has to be considered when determining how the rules are established and how general customs should be dealt with in the creation of such laws is that of customary practice. This is particularly difficult as customs vary depending on regions, religions and even social classes and are therefore very difficult to control or legislate to take account of. Nevertheless, it should be noted that customs do not create laws, as such; they are simply used by judges when applying the law, which can at times result in an arbitrary application of customs in relation to the rule of law. In order to be recognised as a law, a custom must meet very stringent tests including the fact that it must have existed since ‘time immemorial’, i.e. it must have been in existence since at least 1189 (in accordance with a statute enacted in 1275). The custom must also be certain in terms of scope and application. The case of Wilson v Willes held the customary right to remove as much turf as was necessary from the manor common land. It was held that this custom was not sufficiently certain to be considered a valid law, as it was not clear what limits there were on the amount of turf. Other requirements include the locality of the custom as customs are only ever applied on a local and not national basis. They must have been consistently exercised and exercised as a right rather than an irregular whim. In short, the recognition of a custom as a legal rule is only applied in extreme circumstances and provided that it does not conflict with an existing law. The Role of Morality As established as early on as Aristotle’s works, the rule of man or general morality cannot be relied upon to provide the basis of legal structure for all individuals. Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes moral behaviour; to allow every individual to follow their own moral code would result in chaos and disorder. Whilst everyone has their own moral standards, most individuals recognise that there is a need for universal laws, even if they do not always fall in line with their own moral judgments. The difficulty comes when there is no apparent overall benefit to the law in question. For example, where the act does not harm another and there is seemingly no common purpose then, under the rule of law, there should be no law preventing such actions. This has been the case with homosexuality which is now not considered to be illegal. There are other activities that are thought of as illegal but not immoral, by some at least, such as driving over the speed limit, smoking marijuana or filing a false tax return. It is clear that although law and morality are interlinked, they are not directly and inextricably thought of as one. Despite this, individuals, on the whole will recognise that there is a need for a legal system and will consider it moral to follow these rules even if they do not fully agree with them. Are Unjust Laws, Laws at all? This differentiation between law and morality leads us to consider the ultimate question of whether the rule of law requires individuals to follow the law, even if it is manifestly unjust. Are individuals in fact obliged not to obey rules that they see as unjust as stated by Martin Luther King when he wrote from his jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, stating ‘one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws’? Where an individual is governed by the rule of law but decides to break one of these laws as he views them as unjust, provided he accepts the resulting responsibility it can be said that he maintains his adherence to the rule of law. The rule of law states that he should be dealt with fairly and expediently and, therefore, spans a much greater remit than simply setting down the laws that must be followed. As stated by Dworkin, simply because the rule seems to be unjust does not give any individual the right to believe that it is a law at all. It does, however, give individuals the right to be dealt with fairly if they choose not to follow such a rule. Conclusions The rule of law is an essential part of any democratic society. A central set of rules that everyone must follow is required to prevent arbitrary rule and, ultimately, total anarchy. Having said this, the rule of law does not simply lay down a set of rules and apply them tyrannically. The rule of law has a much wider scope and considers how the laws should be applied and adapted to deal with societal changes and local customs. It is this overall framework of rules tainted with a degree of political and judicial discretion that makes the rule of law an ongoing success in dealing with the vagaries of human nature. Bibliography Aristotle, Ethics Book V, in K.S. Chukkol, ‘Enforcement of Judgements Against Public Officers and the Institutions and the Rule of Law’, in Ayua (ed.), Law, Justice and the Nigerian Society (NIALS, Lagos 1995) p. 61 David Brink, ‘Legal Positivism and Natural Law Reconsidered’ (1985) The Monist 68 364–387 Ronald Dworkin, Taking Rights Seriously (paperback ed., Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 1978) John Finnis, Natural Law and Natural Rights (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1980) Lon Fuller, The Morality of Law (revised ed., Yale University Press, New Haven London 1969) Robert George (ed.), Natural Law Theory: Contemporary Essays (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1992) Matthew Kramer, ‘On the Moral Status of the Rule of Law’ (2004) Cambridge Law Journal 63: 65

Cell phones and handheld computers advancement

Cell phones and handheld computers advancement Cell phones and handheld computers are two important technological inventions that have changed the face of our world as we see it today. Since the emergence of cell phones, many people are able to communicate wireless without having to stay at home communicating through their LAN line phone and dont have to worry about all of those dangling phone chords that are just unnecessary. Most people use cell phones as an electronic device for mobile telecommunications such as mobile telephone, text messaging, and or data transmission over a cellular network of specialized base stations known as cell sites. The current cell phones of today support many additional services and accessories such as SMS for text messaging, email, packet switching for access to the Internet, gaming, Bluetooth, infrared, camera with video recorder and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video, MP3, AM/FM radio, and GPS. Cordless phones just seem to pose a big hassle for people who are always on the go and als o for many people who work for big time businesses. Handheld computers were the successors for the desktop computers t and are mostly used for in home usage for those people who dont go out very much are just love doing all of their work and or business from the privacy of their own home. Laptop computers are designed for mobile use and are very small and light enough to sit on a persons lap while in use. A laptop computer integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a track pad, and or a pointing stick), speakers, and often including a battery, into a single small and light unit. The older desktops didnt have as many features as the newer ones which posses most of the features that a current laptop has minus the ability to connect to the internet wireless. It seems like year after year, there are more new technological advances to both cell phones and laptop computers. For example, a n ewer advancement to cell phones is that most cell phone manufactures are starting to make cell phones that are touch screen. This allows people to be able to not always have to use their keypads to dial numbers or type out messages. The development of Bluetooth technology has also had an impact and has saved many lives by allowing the user to be able to answer thir cell phone without even picking up the phone so they will be able to focus on any situation rather than picking up the phone and holding it to their ears which is sometimes complicated. Also, with laptop computers, the new advancements of bigger and better hard drives and WIFI technology have proven to be the best new advancements. I feel that since new technological advancements are made with these two products every year, it will be very exciting to see what new advancements will be in store for both of these products in the near future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cell phones have really made a very big impact on organizations in the way employees communicate, conduct transactions, and access information in the workplace. With the quick development in technology, cell phones are surely becoming more and more popular with each passing day (Sedycias, pg 1).With the invention of cell phones, employees and employers are able to communicate through cell phone technology to receive and send data. Back in the day, people had to communicate through sending messages through mail rather than being able to send messages through the telephone which I find is much easier to do than sending messages through the mail. For example, many of the people back in the day had to send their messages through mail or typewrite their letters in order to try to communicate with other people. Since there were no telephones back then, you had future inventors thinking up ways to improve their technology even back before my time. When th e telephone was invented, people didnt realize how much far in advancement that the telephone would have reached after they were dead and gone and the newer generation started to play important roles in technological inventions. Cell phones have taken over the LAN line telephones of the past and even though many people still use regular phones in their houses, I tend to use my cell phone on a daily basis which I can communicate with my employer or employees in case of an emergency or if I have any data that I want to share with them while I am away from my home. Communication is very important in the workplace and also outside the workplace and thats when cell phones really come into play. Most employers want to know where their employees are if something happens to them which can prevent them from coming into work. It is much easier to have a cell phone in a situation like this because if you have to call your employer to inform he or she that you will be late or cant make it to wo rk, you will have your cell phone with you to inform your manager about any situations or incidents that you may have. Im not saying that this could not be accomplished through a LAN line phone, but it is good for everyone to have their own personal phone due to the fact that a lot of people cannot be trusted and then you are forced to try to use other peoples phones to try to contact your employers or your family members in case of an emergency. Also, companies can use cell phones to conduct business transactions. If companies want to make purchases or conduct transactions, they will be able to without having to leave their desks. They will be able to use their own cell phones and conduct any business related transactions that they may need to do. I feel that it is very much convenient because employers and employees will be able to communicate with people all over the world from the comfort of their own home or at the workplace. Having cell phones makes business peoples lives much easier because they are so much more convenient than regular phones due to their accessibility and that now you can do so much more with a cell phone than a regular phone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Handheld computers or as some say laptop computers has also made a big impact on society as well as an impact on big corporations. Computers I feel were a big enhancement from the original typewriters which were used back then in order to type and deliver messages. Since the emergence of computers, many people will be able to send and receive messages without even having to leave the comfort of their own homes. It has also helped corporations with preparing presentations as well as making transactions with other business and consumers without having to have a face to face meeting. When laptop computers started to emerge, they quickly became an instant impact because of the fact that people were used to dealing with bigger PC computers which were too heavy to carry around on a day to day basis. By having a laptop computer handy, people and businesses now had the opportunity to actually carry their own personal computer around with them to take care of any business that they needed to take care of. For example, companies use laptops a lot when preparing presentations and for doing business related work outside and inside of the workplace. It has made life so much easier for them because they do not have to sit at a desk all day on a PC computer to do any of their work. Whether they are out shopping or on the road, they can still communicate with other employees and workers through their laptop whenever they feel the need to. I have also started to notice that many people are starting to not buy PC computers anymore and that many are starting to make the switch to purchasing laptop computers. For the price of a laptop, you could purchase a desktop, which is faster, easier to expand and more powerful,(Jasper, pg 2). Laptop computers bring customers and business convenience and immediate access to information whether its from saved files or from the Internet. They allow for better collaboration between employees and managers meani ng that laptop computers can be flipped open to find a solution anytime and anywhere. For examples, if you are someone you know is in a meeting and had forgotten an important document, they can simply access it at any time and any other information that they have forgotten from their laptop computer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that both cell phones and laptop computers have both had a really major impact on organizations in many ways and I believe that there is plenty of room for improvement. With cell phones, there are many new technological features which include games, internet, touch screen options, MP3, picture messaging, and also text messaging. These are all really great features that are very beneficial, but I also feel that a new feature that can be added to cell phones that would be very beneficial to organizations is probably a video chatting option. This will enable people who work for companies the opportunity to talk to other co-workers and see them at the same time while they are talking chatting with them. This feature will be able to let business communicate with other business and be able to actually watch them though the telephone or if someone is unable to attend a very important meeting due to delay, they will still be able to listen and wa tch the meeting form their cell phone. I would really love to see this feature added to cell phones for the simple fact that many employees who work for big companies are faced with transportation issues and issues that may deal with a family emergency which can cause them to be absent for one day or maybe late. The new technological feature of cell phone chatting will be able to place that employee at work without even physically being there which can work out for both the employee and the employer. In the case of laptop computers, I feel that here has been many new technological advances that have really impacted businesses and provided them with easier ways of communications and despite all of the advancements from the original PC computers to the personal laptops, I would love to see better security programs to prevent viruses, hackers, and spyware form damaging the laptop and also placing a built in tracking device for laptops. I feel that with newer and enhanced security progr ams, this will be able to help business from damaging viruses, hackers, and spyware that can potentially do harm to their laptops. If a computer in general catches a virus, it will cost the company money to get this problem fixed and this could cause that company to lose money as well as important data. Also, by having a built in tracking device located inside of laptop computers will allow employees to be able to track their computer in case of a theft. When working for a business, there are a lot of personal and confidential information that is stored in laptops which if lost without a backup disk can be harmful if that information is lost or is in the hands of a thief. I feel that companies and their employees should always have that extra added protection when owning a laptop computer for daily personal needs and for company matters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In closing, even though there has been many technological changes in todays society, I feel that the emergence of cell phones and handheld computers has had the most impact on my life, but I also feel that business were also majorly impacted by the emergence of cell phones and handheld computers as well. Such advancements as E-Commerce, Intranets and Extranets, and distance learning all aided in the way businesses operates, but I feel that all of these did not make a bigger impact on our society as the cell phones or handheld computers did. I feel that technological advances are really hard to follow especially if you are working in a business environment and knowing that whenever technology changes, that you must change also. One of the major things about on-demand is that it helps a business become not just more innovative, but also much more efficient and much more responsive to change (Wladawsky-Berger, pg 1). I try my best to stay prepared for any new technological advancements or any new changes that are bound to happen whenever I am working for any company. I feel that since our world is filled with the ability to develop and manufacture newer and more innovative products every year, it is very important to try to adapt to whatever new technology that is created especially when working in a business environment because the one thing that businesses likes are employees that catch on and adapt to their surroundings quick and are able to do whatever is necessary to take their company to the next level. Resources http://kb.wisc.edu/showroom/page.php?id=3044 http://www.inc.com/telecom/articles/200802/cellphone.html. Valencia, Gina. Convenience Main Benefit of Laptops. Daily Trojan.1999.pg 2. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-using-a-cell-phone.html. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2002/tc20021231_1219.htm.

The Bill of Rights Essay -- American Government, Politics

The Bill of Rights is a list of limitations on the power of the government. Firstly, the Bill of Rights is successful in assuring the adoption of the Constitution. Secondly, the Bill of Rights did not address every foreseeable situation. Thirdly, the Bill of Rights has assured the safety of the people of the nation. Successes, failures, and consequences are what made the Bill of Rights what they are today. Firstly, the Bill of Rights has guaranteed the adoption of the Constitution. James Madison proposed the Bill of Rights to the First Federal Congress on June 8, 1789 (Primary Documents 1). The First Federal Congress then proposed the twelve amendments to the constitution to the state legislatures (Constitutional Politics in Ohio 1). The first two articles were not ratified. Articles three through twelve were ratified on December 15, 1791 (Constitutional Politics in Ohio 1). These became known as The Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights became the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution (Primary Documents 1). From the beginning, James Madison did not see a reason for there to be a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. But his decision soon changed. In 1787, delegates to the Philadelphia Convention debated whether to include a Bill of Rights in the Constitution (Schwartz 2). Since Thomas Jefferson could not attend the Philadelphia Convention, he sent Madison a letter. The en closed letter said that the omission of a Bill of Rights was a major mistake: "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth" (Significance). After receiving the letter from Jefferson, Madison believed that there should be a bill of rights to the Constitution. Jefferson and Madison argued that a declaration of... ...The Eighth Amendment protects against "cruel and unusual punishments (Charters 2). This means a person would not get punished severely. The Tenth Amendment ensures that the individual rights that are not enumerated in the Constitution are secure -- that these rights should not be automatically infringed upon because they are omitted from the Constitution (Charters 2). This means that the powers delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. In conclusion, the Bill of Rights has assured the adoption of the Constitution. It has had some failures that did not end up in the Bill of Rights. It has also assured the safety of people. The Bill of Rights plays a key role in American Law and government, and remains a vital symbol of the freedoms and culture of the nation.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

The corruption of the American Dream The Great Gatsby takes place during the 1920's and it is a time when the old values and the new are in a battle with one another. The Great Gatsby has characters who believe in the American dream and those who are corrupting the dream in prosuit of wealth and personal gain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The character, Nick is the perfect example of those with the faith in the existence of the dream. He is part of the group who believes in the old values and the belief that ones own hard work will at the end deliver rewards. He comes east to experience the new and exciting world of New York, yet he does not seem to belong to this part of the world. He although comes form a wealthy family chooses to make his own fortune He ' All my aunts and uncles talked it over as if they were choosing a prep-school for me and finally said 'Why—ye-es'; with very grave, hesitant faces.';(P.7) One the other hands though, Jay Gatsby is the dream killer who is involved with men like Meyer Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim was the man responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series. Gatsby has committed crimes in order to win love of Daisy. It is strange that Nick a man who despises men like Gatsby at the same time admires him. '…It is what prayed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men.'; (P.6-7) Daisy and Jordan are also characters who contribute in the corruption of the dream. Jordan is the dishonest golfer and opportunist who will do whatever it takes to be successful. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers The corruption of the American Dream The Great Gatsby takes place during the 1920's and it is a time when the old values and the new are in a battle with one another. The Great Gatsby has characters who believe in the American dream and those who are corrupting the dream in prosuit of wealth and personal gain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The character, Nick is the perfect example of those with the faith in the existence of the dream. He is part of the group who believes in the old values and the belief that ones own hard work will at the end deliver rewards. He comes east to experience the new and exciting world of New York, yet he does not seem to belong to this part of the world. He although comes form a wealthy family chooses to make his own fortune He ' All my aunts and uncles talked it over as if they were choosing a prep-school for me and finally said 'Why—ye-es'; with very grave, hesitant faces.';(P.7) One the other hands though, Jay Gatsby is the dream killer who is involved with men like Meyer Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim was the man responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series. Gatsby has committed crimes in order to win love of Daisy. It is strange that Nick a man who despises men like Gatsby at the same time admires him. '…It is what prayed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men.'; (P.6-7) Daisy and Jordan are also characters who contribute in the corruption of the dream. Jordan is the dishonest golfer and opportunist who will do whatever it takes to be successful.

Winning the Fight against Super Bugs

The term ‘antibiotics’ refers to substances that kill bacteria or prevent their growth. Antibiotics are natural substances that are released by bacteria and fungi into their environment to fight other organisms. The use of antibiotics by organisms therefore represents chemical warfare on a microscopic scale. The activity of antibiotics was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he observed that colonies of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be destroyed by the mould Penicillium notatum.The significance of the discovery was however not realized at that time, and it was only in the 1940s when Howard Florey and Ernst Chain isolated the active ingredient and developed the substance in its powdery form, that it was realized that penicillin and other antibiotics could be used as very effective medicines to kill certain types of disease-causing bacteria within the human body. Bacterial infections can be fatal, especially for young children and babies who do not have adequate immunity.Labeled as the ‘wonder drug,’ the use of antibiotics to combat bacterial infections resulted in a significant decrease in the deaths due infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Antibiotics are not only used to used to treat human ailments but also bacterial infections in plants and animals. After having been effectively used for almost half a century, a new challenge loomed up in front of humankind in the form of bacteria that turned resistant to antibiotics. These bacteria are known as the ‘superbugs’. Natural antibiotics have probably existed as long as microorganisms have.Certain types of bacteria have therefore undergone adaptation and mutation to overcome the action of antibiotics. These bacteria have learnt to deal with practically all types of antibiotics that are available. They pose a serious problem in the form of diseases that cannot be treated with any medicines. As antibiotics treatment of bacterial infec tions continues, the number and variety of super bugs are bound to increase. It could eventually come to a pass when bacterial infections become as fatal as they were in the days before the discovery of antibiotics.This could lead to a depicted scenario in which the very existence of humankind could be threatened. There is, however, good news. A research led by Dr Adrian Lloyd of the University of Warwick’s Department of Biological Sciences has succeeded in unraveling how the super bug Streptococcus pneumoniae develops its penicillin immunity (University of Warwick, 2008). This finding opens up many new avenues of disrupting the process of development of resistance to antibiotics by the Streptococcus pneumoniae specifically and other super bugs in general.This could enable scientists to restore penicillin as a weapon against these bacteria, as well as restore the efficacy of other types of antibiotics against their respective bacteria. Essentially the study found that a prote in called the MurM was at the root of the development of resistance to antibiotics by the bacteria. Very simply put, Penicillin normally kills off the S. pneumoniae by inhibiting the formation of Peptidoglycan an essential component of the bacterial cell wall which protects the otherwise fragile bacterial cell.When Peptidoglycan is not produced, the protective cell wall of the bacteria is not formed leading to the death of the organism. It had been observed that the protein MurM was linked to changes in the chemical makeup of the Peptidoglycan that was found in penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. The protein MurM has been found to lead to the formation of particular structures known as the ‘dipeptide bridges’ in the peptidoglycan resulting in the formation of a bacterial cell wall that is resistant to penicillin.â€Å"The Warwick team were able to replicate the activity of MurM in a test tube, allowing them to define the chemistry of the MurM reaction in det ail and understand every key step of how Streptococcus pneumoniae deploys MurM to gain this resistance. † (University of Warwick, 2008). This will enable the Warwick team and any other pharmaceutical researchers to zero in on MurM reaction in the Streptococcus pneumoniae and develop drugs to disrupt the process of development of resistance to penicillin.The result could be designer penicillin antibiotics to be deployed effectively against penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Since the same mechanism works in the development of resistance to antibiotics in other bacteria such as MRSA, the findings of the Warwick University research could open up more fronts in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Moreover, the researchers have been able to readily reproduce every stage of formation of the peptidoglycan required by the Streptococcus pneumoniae to build up its penicillin-resistant cell wall.This provides pharmaceutical companies different levels at which to attack the process of development of antibiotic resistance that could lead to the invention of an array of modified penicillin for penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. The significance of the new findings can be gauged from the fact that Streptococcus pneumonia causes 5 million fatalities worldwide in children. In the United States, it is the cause of infection in 1 million elderly out of which 7% end in fatalities.In every day life the finding can be related to arming a conventional missile with a nuclear warhead. The enemy in this case are the bacteria, and the war is not for the annihilation for the survival of humanity. References -01 University of Warwick (2008, March 15). How Antibiotic Resistant Bugs Became Resistant To Penicillin, And How Penicillin Could Work Again. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 1, 2003, from http://www. sciencedaily. com ¬ /releases/2008/03/080312100041. htm

Issues of Same-Sex Marriage

6, November 2009 Issue of Same-sex Marriage As the world rapidly transitions into the twenty-first century, a new set of problems arise and the people of the world are faced with challenges that they have never encountered. The majority of world cultures are based around religion and religion comes with many stipulations that are not agreed upon by everyone. In Christian culture, the issue of homosexuality is a conflict that is currently being debated. The direct issue is whether or not people of homosexual tendencies have the right to share a union that is comparable to that of heterosexual couples.Marriage has been described as a legally binding contract, a moral commitment, a change of familial ties, and in some cases, a religious rite. That religious rite is what is being debated. Why shouldn’t two homosexuals be joined by the same kind of relationship that is accepted by everyone? These unique individuals share the same human characteristics as their heterosexual counterp arts, and they hold the same civic responsibilities. Many argue that a same-sex relationship ruins the sanctity of marriage or is morally irreprehensible, but the issue of divorce does the same exact thing.Not to mention, the main argument against homosexual relations is people believe the church has the last word on all moral issues, but after thousands of years, they hold almost no relevance in today’s issues. Pondering the idea of same-sex dealings, people need to take into consideration the fact that unions between two people does not effect outside parties personally; so it should mean next to nothing to them to see two men or two women be bonded by more than plutonic love. The Catholic Church has been active for many centuries. In the early years, the church was the ruling party of the lands in ancient Europe.However, as time progresses, the church slowly lost its power and it was merely there as a support system for its believers. Church theories are known around the w orld, but as time moves ahead, they continue to loose their value. I believe the churches messages are mere suggestions. Due to the fact that the modern countries have spent an enormous amount of time and money shaping their nations into what they think it should stand for apart from church’s principles. The church and its ideals are not nearly as valuable to the modern world.But when dealing with the issue of same sex unions, it is exactly the opposite, people go by what the church says as if the church is the actual government. It is puzzling to hear people speak of their respective churches and what it stands for, as if that church is the last word on all things of moral impact. Perhaps I am a modernist, but I believe that the government can be the only one to issue judgments upon relationships. The institution of a federal government can actually preside over different aspects of relationships, including marriage.The government has recorded over thousands of different way s married couples are given special status under federal law. It is not fair to limit same-sex couples a variety of benefits just because they are gay. Because the issue of same-sex marriage has become a prominent discussion topic, the Catholic Church decided to publish their opinion on the matter. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith states, â€Å"all Catholics are obliged to oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions† (Griffiths, 10).The church so blatantly stating all Catholics should be opposed to homosexual unions is absurd. It offers no real reason, other than its contradiction to the bible. The bible is a book written thousands of years ago, and some might argue that it holds no real evidence of its events being true. In addition, the bible itself contains homosexual activity; in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, homosexual pursuits are very evident. One could go as far as to say that the Catholic Church is boarding hypocritical.Joseph Cardinal Ratzinge r states in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that in every moral disorder, homosexual activity prevents one's own fulfillment and happiness by acting contrary to the creative wisdom of God (CDF 18). It is unimaginable how the Catholic Church can come to a conclusion such as this, because they know nothing about homosexuality. All the church sees is the general idea of being gay , and therefore misinterprets the entire culture. With a world as diverse as this one, no one can assume they know everything about a topic that they haven’t experienced for themselves.To generalize that someone is unable to be happy is utterly bizarre because they have no real way of knowing what that person is going through. Charles E. Curran and Richard A. McCormick explain it best in their pursuit for homosexuals’ needs to be incorporated into a wider community, for physic-security and well being just as the rest of the people in society (Curran, McCormich, 345). Homosexualsâ⠂¬â„¢ needs to be accepted into society is parallel with everyone else’s, because it gives people security and the feeling of acceptance.Most people are able to achieve acceptance through their community, but when homosexuals strive for acceptance within their community, they are shut down for their orientation. It is not right to exclude homosexuals from normal society just because they are different. Sexuality is a defining characteristic of ones life; it carves the path on how one will live the rest of their life. Because sexuality holds such an important place in people’s lives, it should not be able to hold them back in anything they want to do.Of course homosexuality is very different from what was considered the norm hundreds of years ago and therefore still somewhat a taboo topic, but homosexuality is not a bad thing. People who oppose same-sex relations are not willing to take the chance and introduce something different into their lives, and more often than n ot, it is just an uncomfortable situation that they are unwilling to face. For same-sex couples to be accepted, we, as a society, must put our judgments aside and experience a world where gay people are able to participate in daily life without being oppressed.I suspect that people would not notice a change from how life is today; the idea of same-sex relationships only affect the people who actually take part in such behavior. I honestly believe that homosexuality would not be nearly as big as a problem as it is today, without the influence of the Catholic Church. The church spews out their opinions on all issues, and provide no alternative; it is either their way or not at all. Same-sex relations should be positively acknowledged with the rights of every other couple in the world, and not ignored.Work Cited Curran, Charles E. , and Richard A. McCormick, S. J, eds. Readings in Moral Theology. 8th ed. New York: Paulist Press. 330-46. Print. Griffiths, Paul J. â€Å"Legalize Same-Se x Marraige. † Commonweal (2003): 10-14. Print. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, â€Å"Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons† (October 1, 1986), http://www. vatican. va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en. html, 18.

Concrete is the single most widely used material in the world Essay

Concrete a composite man-made material is the most widely used material in the construction industry. It consists of a rotationally chosen mixture of binding material such as lime or cement, well-graded fine and coarse aggregate, water and admixture. In a concrete mix, cement and water form a paste or matrix which fills the voids of the fine aggregate and binds them (fine and coarse) together. The mixture then placed in forms and allowed to cure and becomes hard like stone. The hardening of concrete is caused by chemical reaction between water and cement and it continues for a long time, and consequently, the concrete grows stronger with age. The strength, durability and other characteristics of concrete depend upon the properties of its ingredients, the proportion of the mix, the method of compaction and other controls during placing and curing. Basically, concrete can be classified into two stages namely which is fresh concrete and hardened concrete. There are a few types of concrete likes polymer concrete, glass concrete, asphalt concrete and geopolymer concrete. Geopolymers are formed by alkali-activating a variety of materials including fly ash, blast furnace slag, thermally activated clays etc. to produce a cement-like material. The three most common raw binders used in polymerization are slag, calcined clays (metakaolin) and coal fly ash. The binder materials should contain high levels of aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) in amorphous form. The raw materials play a significant role in the geopolymer reaction and affect the mechanical properties and microstructure of the final polymeric products. Generally, materials containing mostly amorphous silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) are the source for geopolymer production. Naturally available materials like kaolin , natural puzzolana and Malaysian marine clay , treated minerals like metakaolin and waste materials like fly ash ,Construction waste , red clay brick waste , fly ash and rice husk-bark ash, fly ash and blast furnace slag etc can be used. Many different materials have already been investigated and used as the binder in geopolymer concrete mixes, including: Low calcium fly ash ( Class F fly-ash) High calcium fly ash (Class C fly-ash) Calcined kaolin or metakaolin Natural minerals containing Al and Si Silica Fume Slag Red mud Albite Geopolymer binders may be made from a variety of alumino-silicate sources. The engineering aspects of geopolymer concrete as later described in this document relate to geopolymeric materials based primarily on low calcium (or Class F) ï ¬â€šy ashes. Geopolymers incorporating significant quantities of calcium-rich materials such as slag, for instance, may have different properties to those based on low calcium ï ¬â€šy ash alone. While commercial availability of geopolymer concrete is a new phenomenon, not just in Australia but globally, geopolymer technology and its application in real projects is not new. Development of the technology has been undertaken in Europe for the entirety of the post-World War 2 era, predominantly in Ukraine during and following the Soviet rule, but significantly in France, Spain, Germany and other countries. This era of research and development resulted in the construction of numerous structures including civil waterworks, railway sleepers, pipes, pavement, roads, fire resistance coatings, conventional precast products and even a twenty-story apartment building in Lipetsk, Russia. Some of these structures are now over sixty years old and their durability has been proven in both the laboratory and most importantly, in the field. Despite this level of large-scale development, the commercial impetus to develop the technology into a business did not arise until the highly substantial carbon emissions from conventional OPC manufacture have become of concern. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1BACKGROUND OF STUDY The study of the strength of geopolymer concrete by using oven curing was done by P. K. Jamade and U.R. Kawade. Geopolymer concrete is prepared by mixing the fly ash, sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide in this study case and cured at a different temperature which is 60â„Æ', 90â„Æ' and 120â„Æ'. The observation has been showing that geopolymer concrete gained a larger compressive strength at higher temperature. The curing time also affects the polymerization process which influences the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete. The polymerization process can be improved by increasing the period of the curing to increase the strength of geopolymer concrete. Steenie Edward Wallah uses four different test specimen which has the different compressive strength to test the shrinkage of geopolymer concrete. The result was compared to the drying shrinkage value which was calculated by using Gilbert method. The result showed that the geopolymer concrete has a very low drying shrinkage. However, the value of drying shrinkage calculated by Gilbert method was 5 to 7 times higher than the value measured. Monita and Hamid R. Nikraz studied the strength characteristics, water permeability, and water absorption of low calcium fly ash based geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer mix was tested with different water/binder ratio, aggregate/binder ratio, alkaline/fly ash ratio and aggregate grading. The results showed that reduce the water/binder ratio and aggregate/binder ratio can obtain a good quality of concrete; the water permeability does not affect by any factor; the water absorption increased by using well-graded aggregates, reducing water/binder ratio and increasing the content of fly ash. Arya Aravind and Matthew M Paul had focused the study on the compressive strength and tensile strength of geopolymer concrete with the reinforcing steel fiber. Experiments were carried out in Box-Behnken experimental design which is a type of response surface methodology. From the result of the Box-Behnken design, it can be concluded that the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete is increased with an increase of the curing period. When the percentage of steel fiber increased, the tensile strength of geopolymer also increased. The strength obtained under the curing process with normal sunlight was 16 N/mm2.