Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing Mix - Essay Example "On this path the business grows either by logical extensions of the existing product line (new performance levels, and added features or services) or the addition of related products" (Day 320). If only life was as simple as that. The marketplace is dotted with products that have fallen on the wayside. Product development involves a lot more than the whims of a few people within the organization. Prahalad and Ramaswamy claim that it is the customer who has the competence to create value. (Prahalad and Ramaswamy 81) "Price is the marketing mix element that produces revenue; the others produce costs" Kotler 456. The way a company prices its products depends on what its wants to achieve through that policy. The pricing objectives that companies usually want to achieve through their pricing However price is not a sustainable competitive advantage. Whatever the advantage that a company may accrue from its pricing policy, that does not usually result in sustained competitive advantage. When price is used as a tool for competitive advantage, it is usually low price. And low prices often trigger price wars. And invariably the victims of every price war, are the companies that used low price as a weapon. An instance is the "airline price wars of 1992" (Rao, Bergen and David 107) Place; one of the elements of the marketing mix, is a marketing tool from the organization's perspective. From a customer's point of view, place is seen as convenience. "Place" in the marketing mix refers to how a company makes its products available to customers. The primary consideration here is customer convenience. There are myriad ways in which a company can distribute its products. A company can take its products directly to customers or use the services of channel partners. There are several factors on which distribution decisions depend. One reason for the success of online grocery stores is convenience. Shopping for groceries is not hedonistic. And as such people would rather buy them online. Promotion The marketing mix element "promotion", comprises of all the actions that a company must take to make its products visible to its target market and educate customers about its 3 benefits. This could involve hiring sales personnel, appointing an advertising agency, and formulating promotional programs. The Four Ps Procter &Gamble (P&G) focuses on middle-of-the-market packaged goods, because that is where sales, for this genre of products, are the highest. In the early 1990s P&G made remarkable changes to its pricing, promotion strategy and distribution channel deals. It introduced a "value pricing strategy", gave its advertising expenditure a fillip, reduced its in-store displays and trade deals, while at the same time reducing its coupon promotions. The reasons for P&G to tweak or cut back on the marketing mix elements were "cost of administering promotions", its yoyo effect on production, and its impact on customer loyalty. Coupons only encouraged cherry pickers and discouraged loyal customers. As a consequence of its grand plan on marketing mix P&G reduced its coupon expenditures by 50%, reduced its place expenses by 20% and increased promotion expenses by 20%. At this time the general market trend was an increase in "deals and

Philosophy of a Child Care Center Essay Example for Free

Philosophy of a Child Care Center Essay Mission Our mission at â€Å" name of center† is to create a safe learning environment that implements the individual child’s developmental needs and interests with the help and collaboration of parents and community. Philosophy Statement Each activity at â€Å"name of center† is carefully coordinated to coincide with universal stages in all areas of children’s development: physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and creative. When children master a new level of ability, there are always experiences they can choose in order to gain new mastery. There are many opportunities provided for the children to practice physical skills, learn problem solving, gain knowledge of their environment, and practice interacting more effectively with others. We also believe that parents are a vital part of children’s learning experiences and are partners in the education and care of the children. This Philosophy, vision and mission are correlated with the Vygotsky belief that cognitive abilities develop from the interaction with more mature members of society. The social environment provides the intellectual support system that guides children in their development. Adults should structure learning experiences so that children gradually move from assisted performance to individual learning. This process is successful only when adults are sensitive to each child’s level of competence (Click Karkos, 2008). It is also connected with the approach associated with Piaget, which authors, Click and Karkos say, believes that children should construct their own knowledge through repeated interactions with people and objects. They experiment, consider their errors or misconceptions, and arrive at new conclusions (2008). References Click, Phyllis. , Karkos, Kimberly. (2008) Administration of Programs for Young Children. Seventh Ed. Clinton Park, NY: Delmar Learning

Comparison of Magical Realism and Surrealism

Comparison of Magical Realism and Surrealism The comparison between the magical realism and the surrealism The research provides the comparison between the magical realism of South America and the surrealism of Europe, with a particular reference to One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Anos de Soledad) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) by Franz Kafka. Applying to the comparative and historical theoretical approaches, the paper reveals both similarities and differences of two literary movements of the twentieth century. The received findings demonstrate that the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez is based on the unity of reality and fantasy, while the surrealism of Kafka deals with the harmony between dreams and rationality, or, applying to Freudian psychoanalysis, between the conscious and the unconscious. In this regard, some results of the research reflect the previous analyses of Kafka and Marquez, while other findings provide some new interpretations of Kafka’s surrealism and Marquez’s magical realism.   1 Statement of the problem Although the magical realism and the surrealism are two literary movements that were formed in different parts of the world, they have more similarities than differences. This is especially obvious on the examples of One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Anos de Soledad) written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) written by Franz Kafka. Despite the fact that The Metamorphosis belongs to the genre of the surrealism, it is sometimes attributed to the genre of the magical realism; the same regards Marquez’s masterpiece. However, while the surrealism is aimed at the depiction of superior reality with the help of such tools as automatism, fantasy and mesmerism, the magical realism describes the real world in a combination with a fantastic realm. Overall, both the surrealism and the magical realism appeared as the revolutionary movements that challenged the civilised reality and the crucial role of rationality, considerably influencing the formation of new consciousness in South America and Europe in the twentieth century. 2 Introduction Literature of the twentieth century is characterised by the formation of various movements that reflected the essence of a rather contradictory and complex era, when different social, political, cultural and individual aspects emerged on a scene. Unquestionably, every literary movement made an attempt to implement its own ways of expression, forms, symbols and the treatment of certain crucial issues. However, after the era of rationality and in the threshold of Two World Wars, many writers and poets began to challenge pure reason, searching for the ways to combine reality with fantasy. In this regard, the magical realism and the surrealism are literary movements of that period, which oppose the conventional portrayal of reality and produce their own understanding of human existence. Thus, two movements reveal many common features and characteristics, especially the similar ways of presenting and interpreting reality; however, the magical realism and the surrealism are not identical genres. The magical realism overcomes the depressive and gloomy nature of the realism, trying to evoke the belief in supernatural things and simultaneously revealing the essence of reality. Applying to different perspectives and new ways of expression, the magical realism demonstrates the unusual world of Latin America torn between civilisation and primitive state, modernity and antiquity, social conflicts and cultural unity. The magical realism challenges rationality, puts questions and leads readers to fantastic realms. The surrealism is a more formal genre than the magical realism; the surrealism bases its ideas on a certain ideology, while the magical realism forms its concepts on the logic of imagination, presenting a unique universe. However, similar to the magical realism, the surrealism is in search of combining contradictory juxtapositions, producing profound implications and complex ideas of reality. On the other hand, the surrealism strives for freedom, but this struggle is rather delicate; it does not maintain the idea of political or social changes, but rather claims for psychological changes.   Thus, the purpose of this research is to compare the magical realism of South America and the surrealism of Europe on the examples of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Evaluating the similarities and differences of these literary trends, the analysis is divided into several parts. Starting with a statement of the problem, which points at the major idea of the conducted research, the paper goes on with some social, political and cultural aspects of the magical realism and the surrealism. Chapter 3 presents a general overview of certain critical sources, which provide their interpretations of Marquez’s and Kafka’s literary works. The theoretical methods applied for the analysis are discussed in the further section. Chapter 5 provides a detailed comparison between the defined works of Marquez and Kafka, paying a particular attention to the principal elements of the magical realism and the surrealism. The summarisation of the received findings is conducted in the Conclusions Chapter, while the final chapter reveals the limitations of the research and gives certain suggestions for further analyses of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Franz Kafka.   3 Review of the literature As the literary works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Franz Kafka belong to rather complex genres of the surrealism and the magical realism, which are characterised by the unity of contradictory elements, critics provide different interpretations of these authors. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis has been analysed by feminists, psychoanalysts, postmodernists, structuralists, Marxists and other scholars who utilised various approaches in the process of their research. Gavriel Ben-Ephraim points at the fact that â€Å"Kafka’s The Metamorphosis validates contradictory reading that cancels coherent interpretation†1, while Harold Bloom maintains the similar viewpoint. As the researcher claims, â€Å"my working principle in reading Kafka is to evade interpretation, which only means that what most needs and demands interpretation in Kafka’s writing is its perversely deliberate evasion of interpretation†2. William Madden draws a parallel between Kafka and the principal character of The Metamorphosis, revealing many autobiographical elements in the narration and stating that â€Å"it is literally a true account of a man, life, and the cosmos†3. Ralph Friedman expresses the viewpoint that â€Å"it is best to approach Kafka as a writer of realistic fiction†¦ [and that] symbolism must be taken into account, but it is not the master key of Kafka’s work†4. Evaluating the role of Kafka in worldwide literature, Friedman states that â€Å"Kafka went his own way†¦ No great artist can be caught in the categories set up by literary historians†5.  Despite various interpretations of Marquez’s work One H undred Years of Solitude, many critics agree in opinion that Marquez’s magical realism demonstrates profound social, historical, cultural and political contexts. According to Stephen Minta, Marquez is â€Å"inevitably concerned with the whole history of his country and continent, and, both as a writer of novels and as a journalist, he has constantly laid stress on the importance of developing alternative sources of history†6. Marquez’s researcher Regina Janes points out that â€Å"his [Marquez’s] fellow novelists recognised in the novel a brilliant evocation of many of their own concerns: a ‘total novel’ that treated Latin America socially, historically, politically, mythically, and epically†7. In fact, totality of One Hundred Years of Solitude is achieved through the unity of history and society; although Marquez seems to uncover the history of his region, he simultaneously reveals the history of Latin America, starting with the primordial times and ending with the establishment of Western imperialism. Anne Marie Taylor points at the fact that Gabriel Garcia Marquez treats history from two different perspectives; on the one hand, it is presented as a crucial tool for the explanation of the past, while, on the other hand, it is an integral part of the protagonists’ experience. According to Taylor, the characters of Marquez’s narration â€Å"see the past in general as part of the circular pattern of recurring events and in particular, as filled with negative personal experiences which they do everything possible to repress†8. Despite the variety of interpretations of Marquez’s and Kafka’s works, the further analysis makes an attempt to overcome the existing contradictions and compare One Hundred Years of Solitude with The Metamorphosis, presenting a profound research of the magical realism and the surrealism.   4 Research methodology The research utilises two theoretical methods – a comparative approach and a historical approach, which provide an opportunity to compare the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the surrealism of Franz Kafka. The aim of the comparative approach is to define both similarities and differences of the discussed literary movements, revealing unique features of each trend and of each literary work. Simultaneously, this approach uncovers a close connection between a literary work and such sciences as psychology or philosophy. However, due to some limitations of the comparative approach, the paper also applies to the historical approach to overcome a simple analysis of differences and similarities and demonstrate interpretations of Marquez’s and Kafka’s works through the historical perspective, as every literary source is inseparably connected with history. The historical approach takes into account historical periods when certain literary texts are written; the received results are further applied to the analysed works that reflect some common features of a particular epoch. Applying to an interpretative perspective, this approach evaluates social, cultural, and political changes that influenced certain aspects of literature9. In addition, the historical approach analyses forms, styles and literary tools of specific literary works, producing various valid interpretations of fiction. According to such historians as Raymond Williams, Steven Zwicker, Kevin Sharpe, and Geoffrey Hughes, the historical analysis of language in a literary work is crucial for the research of political, cultural and social changes10. 5 Discussion 5.1. The definitions of the magical realism and the surrealism The ‘magical realism’ as a notion belongs to a famous German critic Franz Roh who applied this particular term to the reality created by artists; according to Roh, the magical realism â€Å"employs various techniques that endow all things with a deeper meaning and reveal mysteries that always threaten the secure tranquillity of simple and ingenuous things†11. Although the magical realism is a comparatively novel literary movement, some elements of this genre can be found in the works of such famous writers as Honorà © de Balzac, Nikolay Gogol, Mikhail Bulgakov, Guy de Maupassant, Italo Calvino, Charles Dickens and Fyodor Dostoevsky. However, in South America the concept of â€Å"magical realism† was successfully utilised in literature since 1940s to reveal the realistic outlook of American nation. As a challenge to post-colonialism and the prevalence of European cultural values in various countries of South America, some writers created literary works that began to reflect a definitely new vision of reality that was later regarded as the ‘magical realism’. Due to the fact that South America was exposed to various cultural, social and political conflicts in the nineteenth-twentieth centuries, the magical realism successfully demonstrated the existing complexities of that particular period. In this regard, the magical realism is based on the harmony of contradictory aspects, such as past and present, reason and emotions, reality and unreality. Thus, on the one hand, this literary trend accepts reality, while, on the other hand, it also accepts supernatural elements as an integral part of this reality12. Unlike the fantastic literary genre, where the created world differs from the real world, the setting in the magical realism is created within the real contemporary world, depicting modern people and social realm, although through the fantastic perspective. According to the historical approach, this combination of reality and fantasy can be explained by the survival of Indian culture within European civilisation. In view of this combination, the magical realism of South America is characterised by such features as irony, hybridity, restraint and the balance between natural and supernatural. As for irony, authors of the magical realism utilise irony to preserve realism within their fantastic contexts; however, their fantasy is so real that is almost impossible to separate the realm of fantasy from the realm of reality. As the narrators or the characters turn to fantasy, their reality is changed, and these protagonists no longer belong to a particular social class; rather they belong to the realm of magical reality, which constitutes their own lives. Hybridity is one of the most important features of the magical realism, as it challenges the traditional realistic portrayal, demonstrating that reality is usually more complex than it is presented in the majority of literary works. In other words, reality is exposed to constant changes and mixtures, revealing the equilibrium between two extremes. Restraint and the balance between natural and supernatural are closely connected with the previous features; writers of the magical realism apply to these literary techniques to prove that any supernatural elements are normal for the protagonists who live within the magical reality. In addition, the magical realism demonstrates various fantastic components that seem rather logical, although this logic is not clarified within the narration. The best representative of the Southern American magical realism is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a famous Colombian writer, although there are other writers of the magical realism, such as Isabel Allende, Toni Morrison, Ernst Junger, Ben Okri, Mario Vargas Llosa, Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Rulfo and Alejo Carpentier. For instance, The Famished Road by Ben Okri reflects such features of the magical realism as hybridity and restraint, which are demonstrated through the principal characters and the portrayal of social reality. Alejo Carpentier is a South American writer who is known for the creation of the notion ‘marvellous reality’ that defines the literature of new writers after the Second World War. Similar to the magical realism, the surrealism also deals with two realms, but these realms are of different nature. In particular, the surrealism is aimed at observing exterior reality and interior reality in their unity; in fact, it is difficult to achieve the unity of two realms, as one reality is social, while another reality is individual. The surrealism as a literary movement was created in the twentieth century and became spread in Europe after the First World War. Originating from the Dada movement, the surrealism in literature is based on positivism, rather than on negativism, although it challenges the traditional understanding of art. In the period of immense disappointment caused by the war, the surrealists made attempts to renew the lost culture and art, adhering to realism and truthfulness of expression. For Andre Breton, the author of The Surrealist Manifesto and the founder of the movement in 1924, the surrealism is expressed in the balance between the unconscious and conscious spheres; in this regard, dreams and rationality constitute a perfect reality in surrealistic literary works. Thus, the surrealism reflects Freud’s psychological theories on the conscious and the unconscious, especially the psychoanalyst’s ideas of the id and the ego; it also rejects the dominance of traditions and reason over imagination. In this context, both the surrealism and the magical realism stress the importance of dreams, treating fantasy as a crucial and serious aspect of reality. However, writers and poets of the surrealism pay much attention to intricate combinations of words, but not to the meanings of these words, complicating their literary pieces and adhering to mysticism of primitive societies. Some famous European surrealist authors and poets are Robert Desnos, Louis Aragon, Paul Eluard, Philippe Soupault, Tristan Tzara, Hugo Ball and Jean Cocteau who considerably maintain the ideas of pure primitivism, but one of the most outstanding writers of the surrealism is certainly Franz Kafka, whose major short stories and novels were published only after his death. Overall, both the magical realism and the surrealism make attempts to find supernatural in normal things and present reality through a new vision. As a result, literary pieces of the surrealism and the magical realism are characterised by the implementation of new experimental forms, styles, themes and ways of expression, changing the traditional interpretation of fantastic and real, ironic and dramatic. In addition to these common features, the surrealism points at the fact that reality can be understood only through the unconscious. According to such psychologists as Freud and Carl Jung, myths and legends reveal the common unconscious of a particular community; that is why many surrealist writers utilise myths for better portrayal of their characters. Simultaneously, myths in the surrealism appear as an implicit opposition to Western cultural traditions and way of thinking. For Freud, civilisation deprives people of their primordial nature, while myths return societies to their cultural roots and their true identity. In this regard, writers of the surrealism usually apply to the key feature of the movement – automatism, with the help of which they try to reveal the unconscious. Automatism provides the surrealists with an opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas in a freely manner.   5.2. The comparison between the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the surrealism of Franz Kafka Various elements of the magical realism are utilised in the work One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Anos de Soledad) written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, where the writer mixes reality and fancy, overcoming profound differences between two realms. Above all, this mixing of spheres is expressed through the narrative tone of Marquez’s literary masterpiece. Applying to a serious and untouched tone, Gabriel Garcia Marquez manages to implicitly transform mystical and unreal events into real occurrences. The tone of his portrayal is so genuine that the whole narration seems natural, while combining the most controversial things. As the writer acknowledges, â€Å"the key to writing One Hundred Years of Solitude was the idea of saying incredible things with a completely unperturbed face†13. Marquez masterfully treats mystical elements, presenting them as an uncompromising truth. For instance, the priest, one of the novel’s characters, demonstrates the phenomenon of levitation that he performs with the help of chocolate; however, the protagonist regards this phenomenon as a normal act of God, claiming that â€Å"now we shall witness an undeniable proof of the infinite power of God†14. Thus, Marquez introduces the bizarre elements into his fantastic realm so unnoticeably that the readers accept them as natural things of their world. Introducing such supernatural elements as flying objects, carnivalesque and levitation, Marquez also applies to irony, symbolism and narrative distance. But the atmosphere of domesticity provides Marquez with an opportunity to gradually turn from fantasy to reality; in this regard, the introduction of Ursula into the narration serves this particular purpose. As Ricardo Gullon points out, â€Å"Ursula’s function is to impregnate the fictional space with everybody realities so that the marvellous may enter it smoothly†15. Other episodes of Marquez narration also demonstrate the writer’s skilful ability to switch from the supernatural to the real portrayal. This is especially vivid in the episode that describes Jose Arcadio’s death: â€Å"A trickle of blood came out under the door, crossed the living room, went out into the street, continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces†¦ and went through the pantry and came out in the kitchen, where Ursula was getting ready to crack thirty-six eggs to make bread†16. Despite its unusual and mystical portrayal, the death of Arcadio is perceived as real due to the precise style of expression and the description of daily life. As in the real world, some people in Marquez’s novel die, while other characters continue to lead their usual existence. Maintaining the similar tone for the portrayal of real and unreal things, Marquez â€Å"never allows it to become evident, by interjection or amazement, that there may be a substantial difference between the extraordinary and the commonplace†17. The writer makes no attempt to question any supernatural elements or events; instead Marquez treats mysterious and real things in the similar way, revealing their mutual coexistence. For instance, a flying carpet is a normal phenomenon for the citizens of Macondo, it is the reality that evokes no doubts. As Marquez claims, â€Å"this time, along with many other artifices, they [the gypsies] brought a flying carpet. But they did not offer it as a fundamental contribution to the development of transport, rather as an object of recreation†18. Applying to such exaggerated portrayals of people and things, Marquez creates an atmosphere of reality that seems logical and natural. On the other hand, such portrayals allow Marquez to introduce the comic elements into the narration; utilising certain hyperboles, the writer at the same time presents them as reasonable. In his portrayal of Melquiades, Marquez states that â€Å"He was a fugitive from all the plagues and catastrophes that had ever lashed mankind†¦ But in spite of his immense wisdom and his mysterious breadth, he had a human burden, an earthly condition that kept him involved in the small problems of daily life†19. Although this exaggeration seems unreal for the modern world, it is absolutely normal for the fictitious world created by Marquez. The same regards other hyperboles, such as â€Å"it rained for four years, eleven months, and two days†20. Despite the fact that this hyperbole contradicts the existing reality, its accurate definition reveals the rigour of the catastrophe and implicitly points at the probable consequences of the occurred incident. Thus, Marquez’s principal narrative tool is the mixture of fantasy and exaggeration presented through the fictitious reality, as is especially obvious in the following utterance: â€Å"The world was so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point†21. However, despite its fantastic elements and its fictional setting in the place of Macondo, One Hundred Years of Solitude reveals the true historical past of Columbia and the ironical social reality. As history is inseparably connected with culture, Marquez’s work demonstrates a profound historico-cultural context. Simultaneously, One Hundred Years of Solitude reflects a considerable impact of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis on the creative work of Marquez. While Kafka renovates the fable, adjusting it to the contemporary daily life, Marquez puts the fable within the strange, but familiar modern environment. In The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) Franz Kafka portrays a person who leads a life created by his family and society, finally transforming into an insect. In his surrealistic portrayal Kafka applies to symbolism, similar to Marquez, to demonstrate person’s alienation in the cruel reality and reveal that this reality is not exposed to any logic. Suffering from the constant domination of his father, Kafka turns to an implicit way of expression to oppose this terrifying control. In this regard, Kafka’s surrealism is expressed in the portrayal of mysterious and spiritual things through the bureaucratic perspective; while Marquez’s magical realism is revealed through the fictitious romanticism that uncovers real social and historical events of South America. Like Marquez, Kafka bases The Metamorphosis on contradictions and absurdity, on the extremes of reality and fantasy; however, his manner of expression is gentle and inconsequent. At the same time, Kafka, similar to the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude, pay much attention to the details, intensifying the narration. On the other hand, while Marquez combines seriousness with irony in his interpretation of the occurred events, Kafka uncovers his story through a philosophical perspective. Every thought or dream in Kafka’s narration evokes certain reflections and emotions in readers; for instance, the following expressions reveal father’s attitude towards his son, as Gregor changes into a vermin: â€Å"His father knotted his fist with a fierce expression on his face as if he meant to knock Gregor back into his room†22 or â€Å"at any moment the stick in his father’s hand might hit him a fatal blow on the back or on the head†23. However, despite the fact that Kafka’s critics overlook subtle irony in The Metamorphosis, the whole narration demonstrates profound irony, as the writer makes an attempt to reveal that person’s life is a temporary existence that is under the control of fate. In this regard, the real meaning of life is to preserve his/her own identity under the pressure of society and family, but not to attain wealth or high social position. Maintaining a rather objective viewpoint, the writer creates a sole protagonist Gregor Samsa who embodies Kafka’s own self and his own existence; thus Kafka’s story is autobiographic. For instance, at the beginning of the story Kafka provides the following description: â€Å"He [Gregor] was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his dome-like belly divided into stiff arched segments†24. The writer applies to such portrayals throughout the narration, implicitly revealing his own suffering and intensifying realism of his descriptions. As Kafka once claims to Felice Bauer, â€Å"I was simply too miserable to get out of bed†¦ I’ll write you again today, even though I still have to run around a lot and shall write down a short story that occurred to me during my misery in bed and oppressed me with inmost intensity†25. When Gregor ponders over his job of a travelling seller, he thinks that he has chosen this work, while in reality Gregor does not have a choice in this particular matter, as he works without salary to return the debt of his family. Kafka also worked as a travelling seller, and he embodied his wish to change his job and his life in the short story. Thus, The Metamorphosis deals with a sudden change; as Gregor transforms into a vermin, his life and his inner self become completely different. Gregor’s change is â€Å"the first occurrence in his life over which no one (including he) had any control†26. Despite the negative consequences of this transformation, it â€Å"allows [Gregor’s] hidden self to emerge, the self that had been stifled for so many years†27. In this regard, Kafka’s surrealism stresses the importance of finding one’s self; Gregor’s transformation provides him with an opportunity to receive freedom, thus â€Å"in his death likewise he is both extinguished and set free†28. In fact, according to Martin Greenberg, â€Å"the first sentence of The Metamorphosis announces Gregor Samsa’s death and the rest of the story is his slow dying†29. In the first instances of his conversion, Gregor is overwhelmed with the questions of daily routine; however, as the protagonist adjusts to his new image, he starts to ponder over the vital issues of existence. Simultaneously, Gregor is no longer afraid of death, as â€Å"his death is a †¦ liberating realisation. Gregor says, â€Å"Yes†, to his own death and dies reconciled with himself and with the New World†30. Therefore, Kafka’s symbolism demonstrates his own opposition to society, in which he lives, his opposition to the existing social stereotypes and biases. Gregor’s physical and psychological transformation occurs, because the character is no longer able to withstand his routine life and the pressure of his family. According to Thorlby, in The Metamorphosis the writer reveals that â€Å"man is hopelessly and inappropriately situated in the world as a beetle would be in a human family†31. As a result, Gregor looses his human features, implicitly revealing his reluctance to belong to the human race. As William Madden points out, â€Å"In his story, Kafka has undoubtedly exorcised some personal devils, notably his ambivalent feelings towards his father Hermann†32. In view of such interpretation, Kafka’s philosophy is closely connected with psychoanalysis of Freud; similar to other surrealist writers, Kafka, on the example of Gregor, demonstrates a struggle between the unconscious animal instincts and the conscious human reason. The unconscious receives victory in this struggle, as Gregor completely looses any human features, thus revealing the importance of the unconscious for a human being. On the other hand, Kafka points at the fact that Gregor’s loss of human features occurs only when society and family reject him. As Gregor realises that his own parents are cruel to him, he looses any wish to be a human and dies. According to Corngold, â€Å"Gregor’s metamorphosis into a disgusting insect seems to confirm the father’s opinion of his son†33. The Metamorphosis reveals the destroying impact of father’s behaviour on Kafka’s mentality; throughout the narration Kafka applies to the descriptions of such attitude, like in the following portrayal: â€Å"from behind his father gave him a strong push which was literally a deliverance and he flew far into the room, bleeding freely†34. Kafka’s surrealistic way of expression is rather shocking, as in the following portrayal, â€Å"if he [Gregor] tried to bend a leg, it first straightened out; and he finally succeeded in taking charge of it, the other legs meanwhile all kept carrying on, as if emancipated, in extreme and painful agitation†35. But the writer raises crucial issues of existence, revealing that modern society conforms to certain stereotypes, which may destroy a person’s identity and life. The issue of death is also implicitly shown throughout Kafka’s narration, in fact, it is the major theme of The Metamorphosis. Similar to the balance between the realms of the conscious and the unconscious, surrealist writers draw a parallel between life and death. Kafka’s treatment of death reflects his obsession with death under complex life conditions.  As Gregor transforms into a vermin, he starts to realise that all his life is a simple illusion and that all his beliefs are false. The protagonist experiences loneliness and loss, rejection and lack of understanding. As a result, Gregor isolates himself from the rest of the world, and this isolation causes the character’s destruction. In this regard, Gregor Samsa resembles Jose Arcadio Buendia, the character of Marquez’s work One Hundred Years of Solitude, as both Gregor and Jose are destroyed by their isolation. However, Marquez and Kafka treat the theme of isolation differently; in The Metamorphosis Gregor’s isolation destroys only him, positively influencing all members of his family and uniting them. Before Gregor’s transformation, the Samsas family morally degrades, but Gregor saves them. As Rudolph Binion rightfully points out, â€Å"It is beneficent to his family – [Gregor’s] decline revitalizes them – and so by way of his morbid choice, a free and deliberate one in the end, [Gregor] acquires tragic dignity†36. In view of this fact, Gregor is usually compared with Jesus Christ; this allegoric parallel reveals that Kafka’s surreali

Freedom of Speech and Expression and Responsibility -- Argumentative P

Freedom of Speech and Responsibility       No matter how fervently someone believes in the justice of his cause, suppression of the free exchange of ideas is failure at best or downright wrong. The power or might behind an idea does not make the idea right. Many powerful people throughout history have been wrong. Few people, if any, would judge "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" to be subversive or wrong. In 1939 Ambassador Kennedy was so caught up in the fears of the times that he was willing to use the power of his money to protect the world against a film. When people are caught up in the movements of their time, all people must be extra zealous to guard and encourage freedom of expression. Otherwise, a mob mentality reigns, and people rush to do things that are not thought out and often regretted later.    The founders of our country knew from experience how important free expression of ideas is. Many of them, along with popular demand, insisted that the Constitution immediately be amended by the Bill of Rights. The first article of the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of expression:    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.    Without freedom of expression, no people are truly free. Sometimes a person will hide repression by telling people under his authority that they are free to believe anything they want--they just can't voice their beliefs. They are free to think anything, but aren't allowed to say what is on their minds.    What are some examples of this men... ...19. "House Passes Free Speech Exception."   7 Feb. 1998.   <http://www.scimitar.com/revolution/express/flag.html>   (17 March 1998). LaMarche Gara.   "Hate Speech Should Not Be Outlawed."   Civil Liberties: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed.   Charles P. Cozic.   San Diego:   Greenhaven Press, 1994.   90-95. Otto, Jean.   "Freedom of Expression Should Not Be Restricted."   Civil Liberties: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed.   Charles P. Cozic.   San Diego:   Greenhaven Press, 1994.   79-84. Rupke, Roxanne.   "Zeeland students to recommend T-shirt rules."   Herald Sentinel.   25 March 1998:   A1, A5. Showers, Robert H.   "Pornography Sould Be Prohibited."   Civil Liberties: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed.   Charles P. Cozic.   San Diego:   Greenhaven Press, 1994.   96-102. "T-shirt ban: Pepsi shirt gets him in trouble on Coke Day at Greenbrier High."   Herald Sentinel.   26 March 1998:   A1.

Gold Price Fluctuation Essay

The topic is selected for the project is the Gold price fluctuations and gold as a investment. I selected this topic because of the change in the price of gold and people’s interest in investing in gold as an investment. This topic is selected due to the fluctuating nature of gold and changing trend of gold price. Nowadays people tend to invest their money in gold so as they can increase their investment according to the price of gold at that particular period. Of all the precious metals gold is the metal where people invest more. gold is also at the mercy of stocks. When equities plummet, investors are often forced to sell gold for cash. But any significant dip can trigger a wave of buying an investors purchase gold at ‘discount’ prices resulting in a strong tug of war for prices. In this project I include the fundamental factors that contribute to gold’s strong price moves like price manipulations, supply and demand, safe haven and peer pressure buying, currency debasement, central bank buying. I also include the gold fluctuations and its impact on Indian economy. The importance of the project lies in the areas such as gold as one of the most valuable economic indicators, gold’s price elasticity is negative, rising gold price, gold as a safe investment, gold price determination move by landed costs and by the rupee-dollar exchange rate, factors affecting gold price fluctuation. It also deals with the fluctuation in the gold and its relation to oil markets. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of the study is about the day by day changes in the price of gold and the reasons behind the change. It focuses more on the fluctuations and the interest of investors to invest in gold even though the price is getting higher. The study also focuses more on the fluctuation in the gold and its relation to oil markets. Oil and gold are the two main items in the economy now that tends to increase day by day. And a study related to those subjects seems important and reliable nowadays. The investment habit of people is changing day by day and my project deals with the people’s interest in investing in gold. And therefore the reasons for the fluctuations of gold price are necessary to be known. As we all know, of all the precious metals, gold is the most popular as an investment, investors generally buy gold as a hedge or harbor against economic, political, or social fiat currency crisis (including investment in market, declines burgeoning national debt, currency failure, inflation, war and social unrest. The gold market is subject to speculation as are other markets, especially through the use of future contracts and derivatives. The history of the gold standards, the role of gold reserves in central banking, gold’s low correlation with other commodity prices, and its pricing in relation to fiat currencies during the year 2007-2012 global financial crisis suggest that gold behave more like a currency than a commodity.

German accounting Essays

German accounting Essays German accounting Essay German accounting Essay German accounting was developed for the aim of back uping direction determination doing sing what to bring forth. how much to monetary value. and how to be after and command operations. A new cost accounting called Grenzplankostenrechnung ( GPK in English ) . which may be turned into Flexible Analytic Cost Planning and Accounting. besides referred to as flexible criterion costing. This was developed in Germany 40 old ages ago. GPK integrated the direction system into an accounting system. GPK provides meaningful information to pull off the concern and behaviors flexible budgeting of the capacity costs. GPK focuses on operational costs and resource ingestion. The Controllingdepartment is separate from the Financial Accounting section in German organisations. The major features of GPK are that cost centres resource ingestion rates are either fixed or relative relation to end products and cost centres rates are calculated and charged to the sections at the budgeted rates. An activity based costing ( ABC ) is a powerful tool for pull offing public presentation that is used for placing. depicting. delegating and describing on bureau operations. Activity based costing is used to place chances to better the procedure effectivity and efficiency by placing the exact cost of the merchandise. Activity based costing defines procedures. identifies cost drivers and find the cost per unit. The major advantage of utilizing activity based costing is that it reduces the deformations in merchandise costing and allotment of indirect costs. ABC generates how the money is spent. Activity based costing is a direction tool that provides better allotment of resources. is utile for calculating fiscal baselines. aligns costs to end product. : ( Cokins. G. 2001 ) . Theory of restraint ( TOC ) is used to speed up procedure betterment in undertaking and fabrication operations. Theory of restraints helps companies to increase their public presentation far higher and quicker than any other attack. The factors needed to increase the public presentation of the companies include the demand to develop advanced and new merchandises rapidly in the market. The companied have realized that they have to accomplish more with the lupus erythematosus. Theory of restraint helps organisations to increase their public presentation of fabrication to a great extent without increasing the labour and capital investings. Balanced scorecard ( BSC ) is the most widely used public presentation direction system today. Balanced scorecard can mensurate public presentation across different positions like client position. fiscal position. etc. The usage of different positions shows a balanced position of the company’s public presentation. The major indexs can include client satisfaction. new merchandise development. etc. Balance scorecard is accepted globally because this attack enables the organisations to aline their staff with the individual scheme. The benefits that organisations can accomplish by implementing balanced scorecard includes interpreting the scheme into operational programs and ends. alining organisations around a individual. coherent scheme. doing scheme everyone’s mundane occupation from top of the bed to the underside and doing the strategic betterment a uninterrupted and throughout procedure. ( Johnson. C. C. 2000 p. 1-13 ) The Activity based costing ( ABC ) is really different from the other attacks because it helps the organisations to place the most profitable and the least profitable clients. it more accurately predicts the costs. net incomes. the measure of resources needed and the resource costs. its aid to better track the costs of activities and work procedures. and supply front- line directors with cost intelligence for doing betterments. ABC besides helps to indicate out the root causes of the jobs of hapless fiscal public presentation. The system in an accounting base system that analyzes the organisation and manage it. Successful houses use activity based bing along with the balance scorecard to accomplish company’s scheme and to derive competitory advantage. ( Gunther. F. L. 2005 ) The balanced scorecard relies on fixing different strategic maps that has different strategic subjects and each subject has a certain set of aims. The benchmarking attack is used in the balances scorecard. The activities of budgeting. resource allotment. coverage and mark scene are integrated together into an on-going public presentation direction and measuring system. The balanced scorecard set precedences for public presentation sweetenings. ( Johnson. C. C. 2000 p. 1-13 ) . Theory of restraints is an attack that focuses on the procedure of uninterrupted betterment. TOC is implemented through three steps that include throughput. operating disbursals and stock list. Throughput is the rate at which the system generates money from gross revenues. To place the throughput. the organisations need to take the jobs. This attack is different from other attack because it uses a uninterrupted and on-going procedure for betterment. Better capacity direction is achieved by increasing the efficiency of each machine and maximising the figure of hours each machine work. The chief difference in this attack is that it focuses on placing the constrictions and jobs that help organisations to take them and better the public presentations. The theory of restraint utilizations five stairss that differentiate it from other attacks. The five stairss are that first of all it identifies the system restraints. make up ones mind how to work the restraints. subordinate everything to the above determination. promote the system restraints and eventually if the old restraints are broken than travel to step 1. The difference between activity based costing and theory of restraints is that ABC is long term oriented whereas the TOC is short term. In the short tally the activity based costing. the capacities of the activities are fixed. In the theory of restraints. the capacity of the works is fixed in the short tally. ABC and TOC have different premises about labour and overhead costs. Flexible border bing. or GPK. is a tried cost accounting system. GPK is based on the fringy costing alternatively of full costing. GPK focuses on short-run determination support where as activity based bing focal points of long-run orientation. and GPK emphasizes on cost centres alternatively of activities and procedures. The GPK distinguish itself from other cost direction by the factors such as cost centre is to be defined. the cost demands to be dissociable. the end product produced must be insistent. the end product must be the duty of the single directors. cost centre size must be manageable. cost assignment drivers must be quantifiable. The cost centre defined must be across a individual activity where each section has a individual cost driver. Activity based costing is designed to manage multiple activities in a individual cost Centre whereas GPK created a comparatively big figure of cost centres. The ABC information was kept outside the chief fiscal accounting system whereas in GPK the activity direction and fiscal direction became the same thing. Conclusion Management accounting is a affiliated part of the direction procedure and evaluates by examining whether resources are used efficaciously by organisations in making value for stockholders. clients. or other stakeholders. Whereas the intent of fiscal accounting involves keeping official records. fixing studies. reacting to inquiries defined by external organic structures. and organizing and reacting to audits. Financial accounting besides deals with fixing and pull offing fiscal minutess and ratings such as balance sheet rating. hard currency flow and income statements. 80 % of organisations still use traditional full-absorption criterion bing even after negative impacts. This is because activity based bing systems are excessively complex. and they are standalone and non IT integrated. Future programs for farther coverage and capital / installation operating expense dimensions will add to organisational determination devising. Beginnings Sharman. P. A. ( 2003. December ) . German cost accounting. Strategic Finance. 30-38 Johnson. C. C. ( 2000 ) Introduction to Balanced Scorecard and Performance Measurement Systems. Chapter 1. 1-13 Gunther. F. L. ( 2005. June ) . Relevance added: Combining ABC with German Cost Accounting System. Strategic Finance. 56-61 Cokins. G. ( 2001 ) . Activity Based Cost Management: An Executive’s Guide

Factors Contributing to Obesity in Developed Countries Essay Example

Factors Contributing to Obesity in Developed Countries Essay Example Factors Contributing to Obesity in Developed Countries Essay Factors Contributing to Obesity in Developed Countries Essay When we are eating these things, we have many calories before we knew it. On the one hand, sugar, fat and salt can create many calories. While on the other hand, they made people to eat more than before. The second factors are the societal factors. World Health Organization (n. D. ) points out that with the development of economy, modernization and arbitration, people are moving toward increasing use of transport but doing less exercise. It is driving the obesity upwards. Nowadays, technology becomes more progressive. It means that lives of people become more invention, for example, they can go to work by bus or car rather than on foot. However, they lose chances to do exercise and use up their calories at the same time. Besides in all, increasingly competitive society makes people be affected by every aspect of pressure, so they dont have enough time to have a rest and play sport. Thompson (2009) states that people tend not to make smart food choices and create cortical which is known to increase appetite when they under pressure. It makes people eat and drink too much. The third factor is the cultural factor. Fast food has come popular and represents time efficiency and instant gratification. (Chin and Sanford, n. D. ) In the United States, people can pass at least five or six service stations, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores in less than a mile. (Women fitness , n. D. ) It means that if a person feels hungry, he or she will find a fast food restaurant firstly at a high risk. Life of fast rhythm in developed countries makes people busy and be willing to eating fast food for saving time. One possible solution is incorporating a balanced diet into ones life. According to a investigation that there re 34% obese people have an unbalanced diet and of them eat fast food more than 6 times a week. (tonight, 2012). TV (2012) also did an experiment using twins which have similar bodyweight and physical health that making twin sister eat food in high sugar, oil and fat, but another ate healthy food. During one day, the twin sister who ate unhealthy food intakes 4092 calories and gems fat, but another Just intakes calories and gems fat. It shows that people who have a balanced diet can amount of fatty and sugary foods in the diet and moving from saturated animal- eased fats. Meanwhile, the government should limit the development of fast food outlets, by controlling the amount of fast food restaurants, decreasing the advertisement time of them. As well as these societal factors, the main solution is doing more exercise, because 75% obese people dont exercise regularly. (tonight, 2012). Although many developed countries people are busy, they can save 30 minutes per day to play sports certainly if they are willing to. For example, giving up using their cars and take the lift, replacing by walking. Besides, doing exercise can also help reduce stress which is another societal factor. Because physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brains feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins which remove pain and press. (Sexton, 2008). In conclusion, the main factors of obesity in developed counties are unbalanced diet, lacking exercise, stress, and fast food culture. Possible solutions are building healthy life style that include eating healthily which would address the issued of an unbalanced diet, playing more sports which helps solve the lack of exercise and the relief of stress, and improving he management of government to challenge the fast food culture.

Engineering Ethics essay

Engineering Ethics essay Engineering Ethics essay Engineering Ethics essayIn this case it would be better to discuss the problem with the design engineer to see what he suggests (option 3). The design engineer of the company is responsible for any technical services that are necessary to complete the project. I believe that the design engineer will be able to find the new component of the machines to meet the required deadline. In case he fails to solve this problem, it would be ethically to ask Parker to extend its deadline. Ethical decision making in engineering practice is crucial to satisfy the needs of clients. The pressure of deadlines should not affect the quality of work.Question 2Tim is aware of his responsibility to solve the issue and find the right solution, but he needs experience. It would be better for Tim to call Arnold because this person is competent in quality control issues. He can help Tim to find the most suitable solution in order to provide the product that meets minimal safety and durability standards. Tim should not resolve the problem by himself because Arnold Peterson, the Vice President of Product Engineering, can help him to keep up the company’s reputation. Anyway, Tim should not disregard Arnold’s advice because he holds a higher position and he is more competent in quality control issues than Tim. Besides, Tim has the potential to become competent in these issues in the future.Question 3 (Version 1) In the first scenario, Tim should be ready to find the proper solution to the existing problem by himself. He should use the old components in place of the new ones in order to meet the deadlines. In the second scenario, Tim should do the same. He can use the old components in place of the new ones. He will be able to keep this information in secret because the customers should not know about this problem. In the second scenario, Tim should break up and regrind the remaining supply of the old component. He will be able to meet the deadlines.Tim should say that he had to approve substituting the old component in place of the new one because he did not want to inform his customers of the existing problems. He should add that he wanted to keep the company’s reputation. Actually, Tim is responsible for quality control. He knows that using the old component does not affect the functioning of the product. Besides, Tim should explain Arnold that it would be unlikely that the clients would ever detect the substitution. Tim should use his professional skills to give a clear and concise explanation because of engineering ethics that lies in the basis of engineering profession. Tim’s actions are regulated by â€Å"ethical standards, embodied in the code of ethics† (Catalano 1).Tim should be prepared to give a clear and concise explanation of the process of replacement. The major goal of Tim is to prove the fact that substituting the old component in place of the new component does not affect the functioning of the product because of si milar characteristics of the components. Tim should be ready to demonstrate the functioning of the product based on the knowledge and experience he has got in the process of work. Anyway, Tim should be confident in his actions. To avoid conflicts, Tim should offer compensation if Parker continues complaining. Tim should promise to replace these components.If Tim substitutes the old component for the new one, and neither Parker nor anyone else outside of Ruskin ever finds out, this fact means all parties are satisfied and Tim acted appropriately. There are several factors that explain his appropriateness. First, he managed to meet deadlines. Second, he did not tell his clients about any problems. Third, he managed to keep the company’s reputation. In general, Tim demonstrated his professionalism in terms of engineering ethics. He determined his personal approach to solving engineering ethics problems. He was focused on the principles of â€Å"duty ethics†, â€Å"virtue ethics† and â€Å"rights ethics†, which help to respond to various situations. Engineering Ethics essay Engineering Ethics essay Engineering Ethics essayIt is possible to analyze Marvins response from the utilitarian perspective. Utilitarian ethics relies on the evaluation of positive and negative consequences for all stakeholders (Frederick, 2008). Immediate stakeholders in this case are Marvin Johnson, Edgar Owens and plant employees. Other stakeholders are people in the area and tourists. Ignoring the problem would lead to positive consequences for Edgar Owens and plant employees since the plant will not lose money and will be able to remain competitive. However, there will be minor negative consequences for the tourists and for the people living in the area due to the excess pollution. In the short-term perspective, however, the positive consequences from ignoring the increased level of pollution would overweigh potential negative consequences.At the same time, in the long-term perspective ignoring the problem would be unethical from the perspective of utilitarianism. Indeed, any external check of pollutio n would indicate that the plant exceeded legal limitations. The plant would have to pay expensive fines and remodel its equipment. Furthermore, the cumulative effect of the pollution on people is not known, and there is a high risk of adverse health consequences for the tourists and for the people living in the area. The harm done to the fish might destroy the ecosystem and lead to larger environmental issues. Therefore, considering the long-term consequences, Marvin should refuse to ignore the problem and report the real data.The stakeholders related to the considered case are: Marvin and Edgar, other employees of Wolfog, senior management of Wolfog, the plants shareholders or investors, local government, people living in the area and tourists. According to Kantian theory, it is important to treat all these people as ends in themselves and respect their interests (Crane Matten, 2010). Therefore, from the perspective of Kantian theory it is inadmissible to ignore the problem and to adjust the data.Deboras work responsibilities include checking the compliance of industry reports and anti-pollution requirements. From the position of virtue theory, it is possible to state that she ensures that every company would maintain the balance and demonstrate the virtue of temperance (Guha, 2008). In other words, Debora ensures that companies do not use the environment over the limits provided to them. From Deboras point of view, the plant managers idea to view the excess pollution as a mere technicality is unethical; moreover, such occasions should be prohibited and fined to eliminate further occurrences of such behavior.The position of parents of local children swimming in the lake can be viewed from the point of view of Kantian theory. It is unfair to expose the lives of children to risk in order to save some money for the plant. In this case, plant manager was willing to treat people as means and not ends in themselves. Such approach is deemed as unethical in Kantian ethics (Boylan, 2013).Ethical analysis of the situation can also be performed using the Categorical Imperative. If a decision or choice is universalizable, non-controversial in the universal perspective and desirable as a universal rule, then it is ethical (Bredeson, 2011). In the considered case, if there were several plants which exceeded the limit on pollution and adjusted their pollution reports, the emissions will quickly exceed the acceptable level and harm the health of all people. Such tendency might even harm the well-being of the whole mankind. Therefore, the considered decision is not universalizable and is not desirable as a universal rule. Hence, the idea to adjust the results of the report is unethical and should be rejected.The analysis of the situation at Wolfog was performed from several perspectives: utilitarian (in section 1), deontological (section 2, 4 and 5) and virtue theory perspective (section 3). Each of these ethical theories applied to the situation shows that the idea suggested by the plant manager is unethical and potentially harmful, so Marvin should refuse to adjust the results of the report.

Virtue ethics and the ethics of care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtue ethics and the ethics of care - Essay Example There are arguments about the existence of single tradition in virtue ethics that emphasize virtue being knowledge and focus on direct unselfishness. There is no disagreement about that form of ethics of care and virtue ethics. Moreover, there are moral objections to generalize the essentially asymmetric relationships of justice case as reciprocal fairness to an ethic of care. Virtue ethics notes the character matter above everything else. Staying a life that is ethical or acting in a right manner requires demonstrating and developing virtues of compassion, courage, temperance, and wisdom. In addition, it needs avoiding vices such as jealousy, selfishness, and greed. Care of ethics concerns with ethical consideration on relations before any other factors. Consequently, acting in a right manner involves, strengthening, maintain, and building strong relationships (Slote, 134). Acting in a right manner thus shows care and concern for others and for their relationships. Care ethicists feel that relationships are essential to thinking ethically. According to Slote (174) Manning Rita and Aristotle both, have varying theories whenever it comes to ethics. Aristotle utilizes virtue ethics when answering morality questions while Manning use care of ethics to answer morality questions. Virtue ethics claim actions of people focuses on achieving happiness. From happiness, virtues of morality stems from causes managing soul desires. On the other hand, Manning believes that actions of morality widen from persons caring each other on an individual level. Through growing the abilities to care for other persons, people become aware morally of how to behave on particular cases. When asking, â€Å"How do I live?† Manning and Aristotle will approach with variant factors (Slote, 201). The manner in which individual people reply to the question contains unique excellence areas and areas that the question poses challenge. Basing on how each theories work, Rita and Aristotle

Romer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Romer - Essay Example This alternative prevents the disparity between real and nominal interest and inflation against the price level. Simultaneity is reduced by simplifying the analysis of monetary policy and similarly provides a simplified dynamics that makes aspects of the exchange rate more credible. Extensive discussion was provided where Romer identified 11 advantages of the alternative model. The IS-LM model has not been without criticisms as many regard it as overly straightforward in determining economic intricacies. But the same had been found to be efficient in explaining fluctuation, especially short-term. The most common version of explaining the model is through the relationship of interest rate and output. In a good market economy, an increase in the interest rate will reduce demand at certain income brackets. The same effect can be seen in the demand for investments and general consumption. In an open economy that has floating exchange rates, net exports plummet because the demanded output quantity is equivalent to production. The negative relationship of interest rate to output is called the IS curve. Money market is another definitive relationship in understanding the IS-LM model. This shows that the demand for liquidity increases as income rises while the interest rate concurrently decreases. Equilibrium in the money market is determined by the money supplied and liquidity preference. If the supply of money by the central bank is fixed and there is a simultaneous increase in aggregate income this results in the demand for liquidity. The interest rate rises to an extent that supply is met by the demand for money. This is the relationship depicted in the LM curve (Romer, 2000, pp.150-151). An important assumption by Romer is that real interest rather than nominal interest, is a more important consideration for the central bank. This falls upon the Federal Reserve to set interest rates in order to control the IS and LM curves. In this

Cultural discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural discussion - Research Paper Example Furthermore, the nurse must consider that Mrs. Nasser’s daughter already has high fever and needs immediate attention. She should accentuate to Mrs. Nasser that she cannot prescribe medicine without understanding the cause of her daughter’s symptoms. In addition, since her daughter is a minor, we cannot force Mrs. Nasser to authorize tests and procedures that she does not want for her daughter. The recommendations for the nurse are: 1) She should inform Mrs. Nasser that her daughter needs immediate clinical attention for her fever and discomfort and that she will try to get a Muslim female physician/gynecologist for her to appease her cultural reservations. If no Muslim female doctor is available, she will tell her that she will try to get a female doctor. If no female doctor is available, then they will find a male doctor and ensure that all examinations will be done with her mother present (Lo, 2009, p.335). The nurse can also remind Mrs. Nasser that ‘necessity overrides the prohibition,’ which is a rule of Islamic Sariah. 2) The nurse can suggest other kinds of examinations to rule out possible causes of diseases, such as physical examination, where if a male physician does it, he will do it with gloves on and in the presence of Mrs. Nasser. Other options are taking rectum samples and doing an ultrasound. 3) The nurse must be sincere and responsive to the cultural and religious beliefs of Mrs. Nasser. She must discuss these various laboratory testing options to her, so that she feels that she has the autonomy to make decisions for her daughter. This will build trust too, which is essential, noting that Mrs. Nasser is scared for her daughter, but wants to remain true to her cultural/religious beliefs. Reference Lo, B. (2009). Resolving ethical dilemmas: A guide for clinicians (4th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams, & Wilkins. Cuban Discussion Food is considered part of people’s culture, which is why it is not surprisin g that Mrs. Demetilla Hernandez wants to continue cooking traditional Cuban dishes to her family. Cuban food affirms her Cuban identity. Cubans strongly value family needs too, which is why Mrs. Hernandez prefers to cook traditional Cuban dishes, though they might not be good for her, after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. She might think that the happiness and satisfaction of her family is more important than her health. Furthermore, as a traditional Cuban woman, Mrs. Hernandez might have more faith in herbs than medicine. It is possible that she is used to drinking herbs to manage her former illnesses. In addition, there must be some language barriers too. She might not understand the lifestyle changes required to keep her blood sugar level close to normal. She needs to absorb the complications of unmanaged Type 2 Diabetes, such as heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), and foot damage, among others. Language barriers, cultural beliefs, and diet concerns m ust be addressed. The recommendations for the nurse are: 1) If she knows Spanish, she should speak in Spanish with Mrs. Hernandez and explain to her what Type 2 Diabetes is and what the possible complications are. If not, she should get a Spanish nurse to help her or refer her to a Spanish doctor who can help explain the lifestyle changes needed to manage her blood sugar l

Individual Assignment 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Individual 6 - Assignment Example Societies with a collectivist culture also shares the same ideals, especially since people in a collectivist culture pay particular attention to the relationship between certain objects, such as developing their trust in the brand depending on the overall reputation of the parent company and how their products contain the values and characteristics they promote (113). The idea of standing out is rather unheard of in feminist and collectivist cultures. On the other hand, highly-individualistic and masculine cultures are much more impacted by humorous and unruly advertisements, and this is mainly due to the common belief of having the need to belong to the strongest, and the desire to rise above everyone else, as well as wanting to shape all individuals into the same winning image (79). Brands become separate entities that are relatively detached from the parent company, and each brand competes for the top of the product category, which is a characteristic that every person can relate to, especially those wanting to be recognized as the best. Also, because there is much more importance in standing out rather than blending in, thus using strong and hard approaches in advertising and directly going straight to the point works far better in masculine and individualist cultures than subtlety and modesty (82). Thus it is more effective to show individual strengths than to elucidate on the

Social arts practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social arts practice - Essay Example Unifying communities is also another way of rebuilding a community. A social practice artist who has achieved tremendous success in doing this is Tania Bruguier. The artist helped build immigrants in Queens a community center. Caledonia Curry was also helpful in building of shelters in Haiti. Currently, the artist is rehabilitating a church in Pennsylvania. As seen with the two artists, social practice can be very beneficial to the community and can therefore bring change to the world (Merli, pg. 110). Different social practices may not achieve as much success as these two examples have but, the idea is to bring people together, get them talking and develop relationships with each other fostering peace and harmony, which is a plus to any society. Technology has been very effective in reducing face-to-face conversations. The advent of social sites such as Facebook have made it particularly difficult to keep in touch with other people or connect in real life. Social practice changes this through offering individuals a chance to interact in real life and experience the goodness of human interaction that is not on the internet. While there are those who feel that social practice may not last long, the truth is, people generally enjoy the company of others and an art that gives them that will here to

Information Technology for Business - Scenario analysis Essay

Information Technology for Business - Scenario analysis - Essay Example Podcasting has risen in terms of popularity and is still in the stages of infancy. This early stage in which the technology is currently places provides a lucrative opportunity for innovative firms to capitalize upon and develop devices as well as tools that may make it easier for consumers to use and allow companies to consider as a credible medium to enhance their businesses. One of the most important benefits of podcasting is that it allows information to be dissipated across in an effort to educate and influence audiences on a global scale. The possibility to download content allows users to be able to access the content whenever deemed necessary in addition to the advantage to be able to play any part of the content as required. Podcasting is an ideal avenue to generate revenue through sponsorship and advertising (Michael Woodland Geoghegan, Dan Klass, 2005). Companies recognize that marketing forms a vital tool of modern businesses and firms spend billions of dollars worth revenue just to promote the product within its customer base. Marketing experts such as Paul Campbell of Effective Podcasting acknowledges that Podcasting is being perceived by the industry as a new and encouraging opportunity for businesses and forecasts the podcast related market to grow by as much as 1000% over the coming 4 years. Podcasts are advantageous for businesses given the versatility and variety with which they can be developed as also the fact that podcasts can represent any kind of business or market segment with different and exclusive content. The latest technology in the development of Podcasts has helped companies advance from merely spamming their customers with unwanted advertisements and newsletters, thereby invoking the ire and lack of concern among customers for any such style of promotion. Podcasts provide a workaround from this ‘push promotion’ by enabling users to be able to listen to podcasts depending on their

Individual Assignment 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Individual 6 - Assignment Example Societies with a collectivist culture also shares the same ideals, especially since people in a collectivist culture pay particular attention to the relationship between certain objects, such as developing their trust in the brand depending on the overall reputation of the parent company and how their products contain the values and characteristics they promote (113). The idea of standing out is rather unheard of in feminist and collectivist cultures. On the other hand, highly-individualistic and masculine cultures are much more impacted by humorous and unruly advertisements, and this is mainly due to the common belief of having the need to belong to the strongest, and the desire to rise above everyone else, as well as wanting to shape all individuals into the same winning image (79). Brands become separate entities that are relatively detached from the parent company, and each brand competes for the top of the product category, which is a characteristic that every person can relate to, especially those wanting to be recognized as the best. Also, because there is much more importance in standing out rather than blending in, thus using strong and hard approaches in advertising and directly going straight to the point works far better in masculine and individualist cultures than subtlety and modesty (82). Thus it is more effective to show individual strengths than to elucidate on the

Information Technology for Business - Scenario analysis Essay

Information Technology for Business - Scenario analysis - Essay Example Podcasting has risen in terms of popularity and is still in the stages of infancy. This early stage in which the technology is currently places provides a lucrative opportunity for innovative firms to capitalize upon and develop devices as well as tools that may make it easier for consumers to use and allow companies to consider as a credible medium to enhance their businesses. One of the most important benefits of podcasting is that it allows information to be dissipated across in an effort to educate and influence audiences on a global scale. The possibility to download content allows users to be able to access the content whenever deemed necessary in addition to the advantage to be able to play any part of the content as required. Podcasting is an ideal avenue to generate revenue through sponsorship and advertising (Michael Woodland Geoghegan, Dan Klass, 2005). Companies recognize that marketing forms a vital tool of modern businesses and firms spend billions of dollars worth revenue just to promote the product within its customer base. Marketing experts such as Paul Campbell of Effective Podcasting acknowledges that Podcasting is being perceived by the industry as a new and encouraging opportunity for businesses and forecasts the podcast related market to grow by as much as 1000% over the coming 4 years. Podcasts are advantageous for businesses given the versatility and variety with which they can be developed as also the fact that podcasts can represent any kind of business or market segment with different and exclusive content. The latest technology in the development of Podcasts has helped companies advance from merely spamming their customers with unwanted advertisements and newsletters, thereby invoking the ire and lack of concern among customers for any such style of promotion. Podcasts provide a workaround from this ‘push promotion’ by enabling users to be able to listen to podcasts depending on their

Retained Surgical Sponge Legal Case Essay Example for Free

Retained Surgical Sponge Legal Case Essay In October, 2013 The Joint Commission (TJC) released a sentinel event alert pertaining to the prevention of retained surgical items. These retained items could have serious consequences for the patient. According to The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert, 2013 Issue 51, incidents of retained objects reported to TJC totaled 772 from 2005 to 2012, sixteen resulting in death and 95 percent of these cases requiring additional treatment. Over the course of my seventeen year career as an operating room circulator, the fear of being involved in a case resulting in a retained surgical item was always on my mind. This fear sparked my interest in researching a legal case involving a retained surgical sponge ultimately resulting in the patient’s death. I will present the case, provide an analysis, and the outcome of the Estate of Genrich versus Ohio Insurance Company, 2008 WI 67. Case Summary In July 2003, a male patient underwent abdominal surgery for an ulcer. He developed an infection and on August 8, 2003 it was determined a surgical sponge was left in the abdomen. He was taken to the operating room in order to remove the retained sponge. After this surgical procedure, he did not recover from the complications of sepsis and the patient died on August 11, 2003. His wife filed a law suit on August 9, 2006 against the doctors and staff involved in the initial surgery (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). RETAINED SURGICAL SPONGE 3 Analysis In my opinion, given the facts of this case, the wife had legal grounds for a lawsuit. Hardwired systems are in place in the operating room to prevent the adverse event of a retained surgical sponge. The surgical count is a standard procedure in operating rooms. As stated by Steelman and Cullen (2011), retained sponges continue to be an issue throughout the country. In cases involving retained sponges, the nursing documentation reflected the count as being correct. In my experience, counting is a standard of care in the operating room. The operating room circulator counts with the surgical technician to ensure that all sponges are accounted for at the conclusion of the case. The surgeon relies on the staff in the room to identify surgical counts as correct or provide notification of incorrect counts. Based on this information and upon a initial review of this case, I had no doubt the wife would receive monetary compensation for her lawsuit. The incident of a retained surgical sponge is negligent, and according to Stiller, Thompson, and Ivy (2010), fail to uphold the standards of patient safety and quality, resulting in the liability of the health care professional. Outcome To my surprise, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled in favor of Ohio Insurance Company based on the fact that the state of Wisconsin has a three year statute of limitation. To make this judgement even more complex, the wife filed her lawsuit on August 9, 2006, two days under the three year anniversary of his death (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). However, the court concluded that his injury resulted from the retained sponge, was the start of the three year limitation. The initial surgery occurred on July 24, 2003. The court determined that the negligent act occurred during the initial surgery. The sponge that was left in the RETAINED SURGICAL SPONGE 4 abdomen caused the infection which ultimately resulted in the patient’s death (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). Conclusion In my opinion, the legal system failed in this case. One fact missing during the research of this case is the reason the wife waited three years to file a lawsuit. I found myself continuing to ask why the lawsuit was not filed immediately upon her husband’s death. Regardless of this fact, the wife suffered the loss of her husband due to the negligence of the physician and staff. Granted, when humans are involved, error is inevitable. One can hope that there will be understanding by the victims of the human error factor. However, the fact is the sponge should have been counted prior to incision and upon abdominal closure. A discrepancy should have been noted and it was not. The court concluded that the moment the sponge was left in the abdomen, the legal clock started ticking. In my opinion, a wrongful death lawsuit can only be filed when a death has occurred, not when the incidents leading to the death occur. If this had been the case, the wife would have met the statute of limitations and the judgement possibly would have been in her favor.

A Technical Report Into Cell Phone Jammers

A Technical Report Into Cell Phone Jammers Cell phone jammer is device used to prevent cellular phones from receiving signal from base station. They can be used anywhere but mostly used where phone call would be disruptive. Cell phones are very useful because we are able to contact anyone at anytime but sometimes it become nuisance. Some cell phone users dont know when to stop talking. Jammers are used at classrooms, temples, churches where silence is required. It creates a temporary dead zone to all cell phone traffic in their air system. How Cell Phone Jammer works Disrupting a cell phone is the same as jamming any other type of radio communication. A cell phone works by communicating with its service network through a cell tower or base station. Cell towers divide a city into small areas. As a cell-phone user drives down the street, the signal is handed from tower to tower. Jamming device transmits on the same radio frequencies as the cell phone, disrupting the communication between the phone and the cell-phone base station in the tower. Its a called a denial-of-service attack. The jammer denies service of the radio spectrum to the cell-phone users within range of the jamming device. Cell phone Jamming Device Jamming devices overpower the cell phone by transmitting a signal on the same frequency and at a high enough power that the two signals collide and cancel each other out. Cell phones are designed to add power if they experience low-level interference, so the jammer must recognize and match the power increase from the phone. Cell phones are full-duplex devices, which mean they use two separate frequencies, one for talking and one for listening simultaneously. Some jammers block only one of the frequencies used by cell phones, which has the effect of blocking both. The phone is tricked into thinking there is no service because it can receive only one of the frequencies. Less complex devices block only one group of frequencies, while sophisticated jammers can block several types of networks at once to head off dual-mode or tri-mode phones that automatically switch among different network types to find an open signal. Some of the high-end devices block all frequencies at once, and others can be tuned to specific frequencies. To jam a cell phone, you need a device that broadcasts on the correct frequencies. Although different cellular systems process signals differently, all cell-phone networks use radio signals that can be interrupted. GSM, used in digital cellular and PCS-based systems, operates in the 900-MHz and 1800-MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 1900-MHz band in the United States. Jammers can broadcast on any frequency and are effective against AMPS, CDMA, TDMA, GSM, PCS, DCS, iDEN and Nextel systems. Old-fashioned analog cell phones and todays digital devices are equally susceptible to jamming. The range of the jammer depends on its power and the local environment, which may include hills or walls of a building that block the jamming signal. Low-powered jammers block calls in a range of about 30 feet (9 m). Higher-powered units create a cell-free zone as large as a football field. Units used by law enforcement can shut down service up to 1 mile (1.6 km) from the device. Inside Cell phone Jammers Cell-phone jammers are very basic devices. It just has an on/off switch and a light that indicates its on. More complex devices have switches to activate jamming at different frequencies. Components of a jammer: Antenna Every jamming device has an antenna to send the signal. Some are contained within an electrical cabinet. On stronger devices, antennas are external to provide longer range and may be tuned for individual frequencies. Circuitry: The main electronic components of a jammer are: Voltage-controlled oscillator Generates the radio signal that will interfere with the cell phone signal Tuning circuit Controls the frequency at which the jammer broadcasts its signal by sending a particular voltage to the oscillator Noise generator Produces random electronic output in a specified frequency range to jam the cell-phone network signal (part of the tuning circuit) RF amplification (gain stage) Boosts the power of the radio frequency output to high enough levels to jam a signal Power supply Smaller jamming devices are battery operated. Some look like cell phone and use cell-phone batteries. Stronger devices can be plugged into a standard outlet or wired into a vehicles electrical system. Cell phone Jammer Applications Cell phone jamming devices were originally developed for law enforcement and the military to interrupt communications by criminals and terrorists. The bombs that blew up commuter trains in Spain in March 2004, as well as blasts in Bali in October 2002 and Jakarta in August 2003, all relied on cell phones to trigger explosives. It has been widely reported that a cell-phone jammer thwarted an assassination attempt on Pakistani President Musharraf in December 2003. When President Bush visited London in November 2004, it was reported that British police considered using jammers to protect the presidents motorcade through London. During a hostage situation, police can control when and where a captor can make a phone call. Police can block phone calls during a drug raid so suspects cant communicate outside the area. Cell-phone jammers can be used in areas where radio transmissions are dangerous, (areas with a potentially explosive atmosphere), such as chemical storage facilities or grain elevators. Corporations use jammers to stop corporate espionage by blocking voice transmissions and photo transmissions from camera phones. There are rumors that hotel chains install jammers to block guests cell-phone usage and force them to use in-room phones at high rates. Cell Phone Jamming Legal Issues In the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and many other countries, blocking cell-phone services is against the law. In the United States, cell-phone jamming is covered under the Communications Act of 1934, which prohibits people from willfully or maliciously interfering with the radio communications of any station licensed or authorized to operate. In fact, the manufacture, importation, sale or offer for sale, including advertising, of devices designed to block or jam wireless transmissions is prohibited as well. Jamming is seen as property theft, because a private company has purchased the rights to the radio spectrum, and jamming the spectrum is akin to stealing the property the company has purchased. The Federal Communications Commission is charged with enforcing jamming laws. However, the agency has not yet prosecuted anyone for cell-phone jamming. In most countries, it is illegal for private citizens to jam cell-phone transmission, but some countries are allowing businesses and government organizations to install jammers in areas where cell-phone use is seen as a public nuisance. Armenia: legal [citation needed] Australia: illegal to operate, supply or possess Belgium: illegal to sell, possess and operate (licensed part of the spectrum). Canada: illegal, except by federal law-enforcement agencies who have obtained approval Peoples Republic of China: Used by the Education government department as a method of thwarting cheating in schools. During major end of year exams, mobile phone jammers are used in areas surrounding high schools to prevent students inside from receiving calls or text messages, which may be used for illicit purposes. In some municipalities however, rather than the use of jammers, mobile signal towers close to schools are temporarily shut down for the duration of the week as exams are in progress. Czech Republic: illegal. Denmark: illegal. Finland: illegal. France: France legalized cell-phone jammers in (movie) theaters and other places with performances in 2004.Abandoned due to complaints regarding emergency calls. Still legally used inside jails. Germany: illegal, but installation in jails has been proposed. India: Government, Religious Places, Prisons and Educational Institution use jammers. Iran: illegal to operate for civilians but allowed for police forces and military. It is however legal to own such units, which can be bought in electronic markets without a license. In most jails, libraries and university classrooms such jammers are already in use. In the 2009-2010 Iranian election protests, police forces used cell phone and Bluetooth jammers. Ireland: illegal to operate. Legally used inside prisons by the Irish Prison Service. Italy: technically not illegal to own, but illegal to operate, since the Italian law specifically prohibits disturbing radio and telephoning communications. GSM jammers are however legal to be used in places like hospitals, churches, movie theatres and other places with performances, and other buildings where and when the use of mobile telephones may result in a leak of sensitive information: on such occasions, jammers are legal as long as their operation doesnt interfere with electronic medical equipment and allows mobile phones to make emergency calls. Tri-Band Jammers are reserved to, and in use with, the police forces and are being experimented in prisons. Japan: Illegal to use, but legal to own. Buying of mobile short range versions is allowed. Use of fixed high output jammers with long range is illegal, with fines of up to max $250,000USD and/or 5 years in prison. Mexico: legal inside jails, often used also in churches and hospitals. New Zealand: legal inside jails. Norway: illegal to own and operate. The police and the military can use jammers in situations in which it is necessary. Pakistan: legal inside banks, often used also in libraries. Switzerland: illegal. Turkey: illegal. Only the police and the military use jammers. Ukraine: legal, planned to be used in schools United Kingdom: illegal to use, but legal to own. Installation in jails has been proposed United States: Cell phone blocking devices are used by federal officials under certain circumstances. Privacy rights of property owners may affect the policy and application of law within buildings. The FCC may issue a permit that waivers the law for private use. Alternatives to Cell Phone Jamming While the law clearly prohibits using a device to actively disrupt a cell-phone signal, there are no rules against passive cell-phone blocking. That means using things like wallpaper or building materials embedded with metal fragments to prevent cell-phone signals from reaching inside or outside the room. Some buildings have designs that block radio signals by accident due to thick concrete walls or a steel skeleton. Companies are working on devices that control a cell phone but do not jam the signal. One device sends incoming calls to voicemail and blocks outgoing calls. The argument is that the phone still works, so it is technically not being jammed. It is a legal gray area that has not been ruled on by the FCC as of April 2005. Cell-phone alerts are available that indicate the presence of a cell-phone signal. These have been used in hospitals where cell-phone signals could interfere with sensitive medical equipment. When a signal is detected, users are asked to turn off their phones. Cell-phone users dont know theyre being jammed. The phones just indicate that theres no service or no signal from the network. The jammer simply interrupts the phones ability to establish a link with the nearest cell-phone tower. If the battery on your phone is okay, and youd like to continue your conversation, try walking away from the area. You may be able to get out of the jammers range with just a few steps. Every technology has good aspect as well as bad aspect the important thing is, how we are using it. There are some bad aspects of mobile Jammers like, Jamming blocks all calls in the area, not just the annoying ones. Jamming a signal could block the call of a babysitter frantically trying to contact a parent or someone trying to call for an ambulance. Cell Phone Jammers are very useful to society from the antisocial elements. We can save our national leaders. We can restrict the communication network between the anti social elements. Cell phone Jammers prevent the students from carrying cell phones to the college.

very detailed renaissance report :: essays research papers

Renaissance background report. The word renaissance means â€Å"rebirth† or â€Å"reconstruction†, The Renaissance era was a time for the revival of learning. The Renaissance took place during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; it was a period in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions. As part of the culture or beliefs that existed in the renaissance ages, baths were only taken when prescribed by a doctor because it was believed that water would open pores allowing bacteria to enter causing diseases such as the plague. Scented linens and sponges were used to hide smells that followed such horrible hygiene. Water was only used on the hands and face or for very refined women of that time. Toilets were simply just cubes in wood or stone with a whole in the middle of it, and were usually found near the stairs in a dark corner to keep smells away from the houses. As crazy as it may sound, it was a great belief that the moon and the sun had to do with the organs of the people during this time. Jewels were often used to help heal and gold was often used against leprosy. Clothing of the renaissance was very unique; the materials often used were sheep’s wool, mohair, plant fibers from the cotton plant, and silk. For color, natural materials became ground colors: brown, white, cream, or black. For shades of brown, red or orange, the Madder root was used. Embroidery included running, chain stitches, or a buttonhole. Dangling jewelry and tassels added color and movement to many of the costumes worn at that time. Renaissance men as well as women wore extraordinary clothing decorated with gold and precious jewels. During this period a person’s wealth was shown by the amount of gems sewn onto his clothing. Changing shirts was considered to be bathing since water was rarely used for hygiene, and by the end of the 15th century changing shirts became a daily act. During the Renaissance one of the main foods was bread. To start off every meal, toast would be eaten. Shortly after the bread was eaten porridge or salad is served followed by a very large roast. It was not common to drink mineral water because it was thought to be very unhealthy. People of the renaissance ate hearty meals and drank milk or wine. Servants were often times used to taste the food of important people because of the possibility of it being poisoned.