How Kurt Vonneguts Life Efected His Work. Essays - Kurt Vonnegut

How Kurt Vonnegut's Life Efected His Work. Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born in Indianapolis in 1922. His father was an architect, his mother a noted beauty. Both spoke German, but wouldnt teach Kurt the language because of all the anti-German sentiment following the first World War. While in high school, Vonnegut edited the school's daily newspaper. He attended Cornell for a little over two years and wrote for the Cornell Daily Sun. In 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. In 1944, his mother committed suicide and he was taken prisoner following the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Vonnegut entered a Masters program in anthropology at the University of Chicago. His thesis, titled Fluctuations Between Good and Evil in Simple Tales, was not accepted, but eventually he was awarded his MA for his writings in Cats Cradle. Throughout the 1950s Vonnegut published numerous short stories in national magazines. Player Piano, his first novel, appeared in 1952. This was followed by Sirens of Titan in 1959, Mother Night (1962), Cat's Cradle (1963), God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965), and his most highly-praised book, Slaughterhouse Five in 1969. Vonnegut has been prolific in the subsequent years, too. His most recent novel Timequake was published in 1997. On February 13, 1945, while Vonnegut was still a POW in Dresden, the city was bombed killing 135,000 citizens. Vonnegut and other Allied POWs took shelter in an underground meat locker. This was the basis for one of Vonneguts most famous works, Slaughterhouse-Five. All of this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true.1 So begins Slaughterhouse-Five. In the book an American POW named Billy Pilgrim witnesses and survives the firebombing of Dresden. Later, after he makes it home from the war, Pilgrim is kidnapped by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. They explain to him their concept of time and space and that we exist solely for them. Vonnegut has said that he always intended to write about his experience, but was unable to do so for more than twenty years. He wanted to simply describe what happened through a narrative, but it never worked. The novel is a response to war. It is so short and jumbled and jangled, says Vonnegut, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre.2 Its easy to see how Vonneguts war time experience had an influence on Slaughterhouse-Five but, his knowledge of war also had some influence on Cats Cradle. Cats Cradle displays Vonneguts concern for technology and the belief that it will one day lead to the destruction of our society and our world. Many of his own beliefs come out through the narrator in the story, John. Published in the wake of the Cold War, Cats Cradle tells about mans ability of destroying life on earth. The narrator is trying to write a book entitled The Day the Earth Ended about the Hiroshima bombing. He researches the life of Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the inventors of the atomic bomb. The Hoenikker family closely resembles Vonneguts own family. Both have a son who is a scientist, a tall middle daughter, and a younger son. In Cats Cradle, Vonnegut concocts a new religion called Bokononism for the people of San Lorenzo. Bokononisms purpose is to provide people with better and better lies.3 However the basis of this religion, The Books of Bokonon, explain upfront that it is false. In fact the first line in them is Dont be a fool! Close this book at once! It is nothing but foma! As you can see many of Vonneguts writings stem from his experiences of war and destruction, and his concern for society itself. English Essays How Kurt Vonneguts Life Efected His Work. Essays - Kurt Vonnegut How Kurt Vonnegut's Life Efected His Work. Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born in Indianapolis in 1922. His father was an architect, his mother a noted beauty. Both spoke German, but wouldnt teach Kurt the language because of all the anti-German sentiment following the first World War. While in high school, Vonnegut edited the school's daily newspaper. He attended Cornell for a little over two years and wrote for the Cornell Daily Sun. In 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. In 1944, his mother committed suicide and he was taken prisoner following the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Vonnegut entered a Masters program in anthropology at the University of Chicago. His thesis, titled Fluctuations Between Good and Evil in Simple Tales, was not accepted, but eventually he was awarded his MA for his writings in Cats Cradle. Throughout the 1950s Vonnegut published numerous short stories in national magazines. Player Piano, his first novel, appeared in 1952. This was followed by Sirens of Titan in 1959, Mother Night (1962), Cat's Cradle (1963), God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965), and his most highly-praised book, Slaughterhouse Five in 1969. Vonnegut has been prolific in the subsequent years, too. His most recent novel Timequake was published in 1997. On February 13, 1945, while Vonnegut was still a POW in Dresden, the city was bombed killing 135,000 citizens. Vonnegut and other Allied POWs took shelter in an underground meat locker. This was the basis for one of Vonneguts most famous works, Slaughterhouse-Five. All of this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true.1 So begins Slaughterhouse-Five. In the book an American POW named Billy Pilgrim witnesses and survives the firebombing of Dresden. Later, after he makes it home from the war, Pilgrim is kidnapped by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. They explain to him their concept of time and space and that we exist solely for them. Vonnegut has said that he always intended to write about his experience, but was unable to do so for more than twenty years. He wanted to simply describe what happened through a narrative, but it never worked. The novel is a response to war. It is so short and jumbled and jangled, says Vonnegut, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre.2 Its easy to see how Vonneguts war time experience had an influence on Slaughterhouse-Five but, his knowledge of war also had some influence on Cats Cradle. Cats Cradle displays Vonneguts concern for technology and the belief that it will one day lead to the destruction of our society and our world. Many of his own beliefs come out through the narrator in the story, John. Published in the wake of the Cold War, Cats Cradle tells about mans ability of destroying life on earth. The narrator is trying to write a book entitled The Day the Earth Ended about the Hiroshima bombing. He researches the life of Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the inventors of the atomic bomb. The Hoenikker family closely resembles Vonneguts own family. Both have a son who is a scientist, a tall middle daughter, and a younger son. In Cats Cradle, Vonnegut concocts a new religion called Bokononism for the people of San Lorenzo. Bokononisms purpose is to provide people with better and better lies.3 However the basis of this religion, The Books of Bokonon, explain upfront that it is false. In fact the first line in them is Dont be a fool! Close this book at once! It is nothing but foma! As you can see many of Vonneguts writings stem from his experiences of war and destruction, and his concern for society itself. English Essays

Alphabetical List of the Elements

Alphabetical List of the Elements There are 118 elements on the periodic table. Heres a list of the chemical elements, arranged alphabetically according to IUPAC name: ActiniumAluminumAmericiumAntimonyArgonArsenicAstatineBariumBerkeliumBerylliumBismuthBohriumBoronBromineCadmiumCalciumCaliforniumCarbonCeriumCesiumChlorineChromiumCobaltCoperniciumCopperCuriumDarmstadtiumDubniumDysprosiumEinsteiniumErbiumEuropiumFermiumFleroviumFluorineFranciumGadoliniumGalliumGermaniumGoldHafniumHassiumHeliumHolmiumHydrogenIndiumIodineIridiumIronKryptonLanthanumLawrenciumLeadLithiumLivermoriumLutetiumMagnesiumManganeseMeitneriumMendeleviumMercuryMolybdenumMoscoviumNeodymiumNeonNeptuniumNickelNihoniumNiobiumNitrogenNobeliumOganessonOsmiumOxygenPalladiumPhosphorusPlatinumPlutoniumPoloniumPotassiumPraseodymiumPromethiumProtactiniumRadiumRadonRheniumRhodiumRoentgeniumRubidiumRutheniumRutherfordiumSamariumScandiumSeaborgiumSeleniumSiliconSilverSodiumStrontiumSulfurTantalumTechnetiumTelluriumTennessineTerbiumThalliumThoriumThuliumTinTitaniumTungstenUraniumVanadiumXenonYtterbiumYttriumZincZirconium Source Emsley, J. (2003). Natures Building Blocks: An A–Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-850340-8.

The behavior of a nonverbal student with autism Essay

The behavior of a nonverbal student with autism - Essay Example According to 2013 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the Lamar Elementary School met 14 of 17 AYP criteria. In 2013, the school also earned API of 940, and the 2012-13 API Growth was -9. Sam is enrolled in an instructed classroom in which routine and visual structure are provided. A new program called SUCCESS is applied in the classroom, and the classroom is divided into four areas: 1:1, I.W.S., Group Area, and Small Group. In 1:1 area, an Intensive Behavior Interventionists (IBI) works with the students on their individual behavior goals. The students at the Independent Work Station (I.W.S.) are assigned tasks that they already know how to do. Moreover, the goal is for the student to come to the station, sit down, go through the tasks, and do so all independently and without needing reminders to stay on task. At Group Area, the teacher does whole group activity at the table where the purpose is mostly acquiring social skills, such as learning to sit in a group, waiting for their turn, and staying attended to the task. The teacher works with his students to cover Early Literacy Skills Building, Math curriculum, Handwriting without Tears, and the students’ IEP academic goals. Eight students are grouped for instructions based on behaviors and how the adults can best manage the students as well as their station. The overall classroom management has been more so based on behaviors of the individual students. In addition to their behavior support plans, the teacher uses token boards to reinforce desired/correct behaviors.

Energy Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Energy Security - Essay Example It is an effective strategy too because it would help countries to venture into newer energies, since the coal, oil, and gas resources are highly depleting. It does not come as a shock, because most developing countries may lack the power to acquire nuclear energy, but at least have and are aware of other alternative energy sources. According to Gallagher, China’s concern on environmental problems has pushed it to pursue renewable energy; it has so far acted towards ethanol production, and progressively installed small hydropower, solar hot water, and installed wind capacity to add up what accounts from existing hydropower and nuclear energy (n.d.). The adjustments need investment, further research, and early planning to ensure countries develop with uninterrupted energy supply in future. It is a challenge for developed, emerging, and third world nations, if responsibility of safe environment and sustainable energies and development should be given priority. Addressing pattern s of consumption: The amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions in any given country varies with the population, industries, and available forms of energy. China and India have very high populations and have been very active to alleviate poverty and inequality in their nations through further industrial development. As such, with the very high consumption of coal energy in China, the more inevitable the carbon emission remains. This demonstrates that even as international and national policies lay strategies to control consumption, it can only be achieved if the locals and individuals act towards it (Parker, Scott, and Rowlands, n.d.). The developed nations do not have the world’s largest population, yet they are the highest consumers of energy resources;... Addressing patterns of consumption: The amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions in any given country varies with the population, industries, and available forms of energy. China and India have very high populations and have been very active to alleviate poverty and inequality in their nations through further industrial development. As such, with the very high consumption of coal energy in China, the more inevitable the carbon emission remains. This demonstrates that even as international and national policies lay strategies to control consumption, it can only be achieved if the locals and individuals act towards it (Parker, Scott, and Rowlands, n.d.). The developed nations do not have the world’s largest population, yet they are the highest consumers of energy resources; developing nations on the other hand, have large population sizes that with rapid developments, the world natural resources would be stripped away quickly in their demand for energy. The UK’s pop ulation is relatively small and besides investing in renewable energies and nuclear power, the country has invested in research for carbon and capture storage (CCS) technology, which if successful, would boost energy security by reviving coal energy (Department of Energy & Climate Change, 2013). Governments policies and incentives have to be strict, especially in industries of developing nations with respect to how they consume energy.

Electronic Banking Has More Benefits for the Bank than for the Bank's Essay

Electronic Banking Has More Benefits for the Bank than for the Bank's Customers - Essay Example Because customer satisfaction has gained much significance in all industry segments, and banking being a retail industry where rush of customers for their daily banking needs is huge, benefits of e-banking to the customers are being provided with extra vigour by the banking industry to attract more and more customers as banking market is very competitive. For banks, internet banking offers the strategic possibility of cutting costs, better customer service; attract more customers and add-on with the cross-selling opportunities. Banks view electronic banking a very positive feature of their services. E-banking has its own challenges and opportunities, challenges emerging from the serious ramifications of global e-banking. In the global context, it is stated that the transaction costs have reduced drastically making it feasible to realise cross-border banking transactions electronically. Such an opportunity provides to the banks the potential of economies of scale. Such electronic cros s-border transactions need to be cleared by banks by taking additional safety measures (Nitsure, 2004). Benefits of e-banking to Banks Cost-effective According to Orr (1999) electronic banking cuts the cost of each transaction at once. ... It cuts down the cost of the bill if it is served to the customer electronically in comparison to when it is physically delivered in hard paper via post. Irvine (1999) remarks that banks leverage cost by saving 40% than in hard copy. Both the customers of the bank and the bank itself get the benefit from reduced cost without affecting the provision of effective and comprehensive services. Loyal Customers According to a research organised by Forrester Research, 61% of the participants were of the view that if banks come forward to deliver the services as desired by them they would gladly remain customers with such banks (Dixon, 1999). Knowing well what their customers want, banks are offering a â€Å"hub† of related services such as bill presentment and payment, financial planning, property planning, insurance, loans and brokerage services. The internet has facilitated this convergence of financial services, which was not possible otherwise from a centralised system. Banking we b sites providing convergence of services to the customers deliver a more comprehensive experience to such customers who randomly visit the bank website to use the offered services. The objective of the banks behind such convergence of offered services is to hook the customers by creating loyalty, providing the opportunity of bundling of services, which can be realised in increased earning from such customers, using various services of the banks under the umbrella. Additional Services Banks are offering financial portal services to their customers wherein various financial services and products like stocks and mortgages are presented to the customers, which have opened up another earning stream for the banks. It has become possible because of Internet integration.

The Role Of Marketing In A Consumer Society Marketing Essay

The Role Of Marketing In A Consumer Society Marketing Essay This report will use Apple Inc as a case study to underline the importance of what is the role of marketing in a consumer society? Also there will be critique of different theorist such as Jean Bauldriard, Raymond William and Stuart Hall to for the marketing concepts. The modern definitions and history of Marketing; During 18th and 19 century Marketers realized that consumers are buying products for the sake of their desires and satisfaction, where as before only selling a product was important and not the need and satisfaction of the customer. When companies realized the needs and want of the customers then they started to change rapidly and started to create an image in customers mind by using advertising/promotion. Technological and social changes are included in this change. Nowadays marketing defined as involving product development, distribution, pricing and communication. Also in developed firms, continuous attention to the development of new products with product modifications and services to meet the changing needs of customers. Peter Drucker states that The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous as most companies doing marketing to distribute information to seek attention and persuade customers to purchase. As a result we can say that marketing is a process that aims to understand and satisfy the needs of a customer to make sales and maximise revenue. Marketing is not advertising, it is one of the component within marketing, which is used to inform consumers about product or services provided. This report will use marketing techniques and strategies apply it to Apple inc. to explore the concept of marketing and its role in consumer society. Raymond Williams highlighted about advertisement in the Magic System theory, that advertising doesnt means of only selling goods/products. However, advertising in its modern forms operate to maintain the consumption ideal from criticism, that consumption does not address social needs. Consumer society is when people buy new goods and services, it can also be said as consumer behaviour in terms of demand is constantly changing especially for the goods that they do not need, and which leaves high value on owning many things. We are all participants in an existing phenomenon that has been variously called a consumerist culture and a consumer society. Consumerism is a social and economic method that is based on the systematic creation and encouragement of desire to purchase goods and services in increasingly amount. To say that some people have consumerist attitudes or values means that they always want to consume more. The theory states that an increasing consumption of goods is economically beneficial. In long-term historical and social factors influencing consumption. Jean Baudrillard stated the consumption theory in his (The Consumer Society) book, that consumption has become the most important basis of the social order. He explores how consumer products, rather t han modern decisions such as class, made up a system of signs that differentiated the population and those meanings related with products being delivered to customers via. Apple Inc.http://www.hotstocked.com/articles-img/small/apple-inc.jpg Apple Inc is an American multinational company established on April 1st 1976, which designs and produces consumer electronics such as iPones, iPods, iPads and iMacbook and software products and its best known for its computer hardware products including Macintosh personal computer line, Mac OS X, extremely loyal user-base, iTunes media application and the iPod personal music player. The companies head office is based in Cupertino, California. CEO and co-founder is Steve Jobs. Apples popularity increased more in late 1970s with its interesting, forceful and inviting advertisements to inspire individuals. In 1990s Apples advertisements were at the top with the Think Different campaign, it owned its popularity by using famous people in their adverts. Apple has achieved its high targets in its development and growth in 2007 when they first created iPhone, which has changed the fortune of the company. The iPod, iTunes, iPhone and new great Mac computers became the most popular and profitable devices ever for Apple. Apples Marketing Strategies and Techniques Apple has gained successful image in past couple of years with their creative, fresh and progressive way of making business, they create great style and designs, great strategy, innovative marketing, smooth and tempting communications. Apples seductive success is owned by their iPhone, iTunes and iPod products. All these products have presented a combination of an immense hardware, perfect style, and great software, expeditious and speedy performance with a good e-business service. (2007, 2010 Venrtygo team)steve jobs apple computers Apple has exceeded $160 billion in 2008, $210 billion in 2010 and in January 2011 they exceeded $302.47 billion in market capitalization, as Apple Inc. shares has increased by more than seven points. They made huge differences in the market shares and this implies that consumers are more aware of the products, and the right marketing strategy used has reached to right consumers. Apples has made extraordinary campaigns in communication with consumers and extremely modified marketing strategy with particular target section of the market. They appeal to customers needs and wants directly with their great communication, the distribution network and with their quality and price ratios. Apples has several key strategies in marketing which made them successful and come to top of their game in a way like no other. Apple always managed to extend their experience and created a tribe. Apple also communicates in the language of their audience; Apple tries to give information in the way that their customers want to be informed. Their prices are justified, apple customers gladly pay premium for the reason of their good selling quality devices are nowhere else. They ignore critics, any time Apple produce a new device especially for the iPad people say that it will fail. Every time Apple decided make new changes and introduce a new device they prevailed. Steve Jobs did not listen to critiques instead focus on building what they want to build. Albert Einstein said that Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds. Apple turns the ordinary into something beautiful. PC makers constitute a standard hardware for standard applications. Apple is the leading best standard operating system and computer system against to their competitors. Simultaneously they are exploring the design standards as well. Result of this is the multi-wanted iMac, Mac book Air and iPhone 4 Former of Apples marketing executive and consumer marketing expert Steve M. Chazin has revealed the Secrets of the World Best Marketing Machine from Apple.http://www.i-seb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/segmentation.jpg One Dont Sell Products (People buy what other People have) according to Steve M. Chazins point here is that products dont sell people do. For example when looking to the advertisement of the popular product iPod, there is lots of happy, energetic people dancing in shape against a colourful, vibrant and ever-changing background and it is the newest, trendiest features coming on the market, which gives customers the desire to buy as we live in a society that wants things new and improved and different from the regular products. Therefore Apple is showing its customers the difference they have from their competitors, it isnt selling you a simple MP3, its also inviting you to the difference lifestyle of apple. They indicate that if you use MP3 youll hear good music, but if you use apple iPod then you will feel good due its value and ability to play it in many different places. As Raymond Williams talks in The Magic System that in our society advertisements are created to make customers t o believe that the product they buy will make them feel in a different way. Apple makes people believe by the advert that they will feel the same way of those happy dancing, energetic people. Also Apple has an distinctive white headphones (uniquely to Apple), which are produced as pure apple marketing trick, it is designed to make visible part of their product a status symbol, wear white headphones and you are the member of the club. For example the advertisement of iPod shows us the people shadows dancing hold their iPods and showing distinctive white headphone. Accordingly Baudrillard states that, consumption is the most important basis of the social order and sociologically a particular individual belongs to a specific group which consumes a specific product, and the individual consumes such a product because he or she belongs to such a group This theory is related to the marketing that Apple gives to its customers, when customers buys Apple Product because they know that they belong to that society and it add-ups value to them. According to Raymond Williams when people buys more than just the product, as they buy self-respect, beauty, and power in their society throug h this consumption. Raymond also believed that people who have high consumption of products are living high standard life. .http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/193/716/718/oZ4Y.jpg Two Never be the First to Market, (Make Something Good Greater) the marketing executive of apple applies that Apple is always leader creating new categories, surely they have never invented anything new such as PCs and MP3s and phones, but iPhone is very successful with functionality of on existing designs such as The Mac, iPod, iTunes and iPhone. Apple makes complex things easy and elegant as it is easy now to get music in to your pocket. Apple dont define you categorize rather they try to occupy shelf space that already exist in prospects mind, apple focuses on the one thing they do better and then make that mater to us. Baudrillard also declares that he can go one better and introduces a third form of exchange which is symbolic exchange in the form of the sign. Baudrillard argues that in addition to the satisfaction of human needs, commodities can also provide social status something of increasing value in modern society. This value is expressed in the form of the sign. Three Empower Early Adopters, this aspect identifies that Early adopters are those who are genuinely Apple Lovers and those who taking a risk to help Apple to succeed. Early adaptors are younger in age and have money to spend. Steve M. Chazin says that they are the first to take Apple product to everywhere. iPhone users feel in the same way the PowerBook users felt in 1993. Early adopters are the first to voice Apples marketing force through word of mouth as these adopters have set apart from the crowd and their gadget is a symbol of their states which they are proud to show off. http://www.dealgiant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/MacBook_Pro_MB990B-A_offers.jpg Apples glowing apple logo is always upside down to you and it was fixed to be right side up for others to see when you open you open your Macbook you are showing others the brand and selling the brand to others. What this makes is that enables customer to make their choices by seeing it in others. Baudrillard stated that either prior production (polls, market studies) or subsequent to it (advertising, marketing, conditioning), the general idea to shift the locus of decision in the purchase of good from customers where it is beyond control to the firm where it subject to control (p.38). Apples intention is to make customer come to them without any encouragement via the firm. Apples secure customer loyalty by considering its product strong design as it is plain and simple. Many consumers may possibly not ready to buy an Apple computer due to its price, but they are willing to give gadgets to try such as smart iPods or iPhone, as these products are lower price entry to Apple Inc it gives the customer opportunity to be introduces to the brand and its quality products. Customers are more likely to buy apple computer in future if they are happy with these gadgets. According to Baudrillard he described the way of influencing customers desires the infernal round of consumption is based on celebration of needs that supposed to be psychological. These are distinguishes from physiological needs since they are supposedly established through discretionary income and the freedom of choice and consequently manipulate at will (Baudrillard p.39). Apple can influence easily their existing customers who are using iPhone, iPad and iPod to buy their Mac book computers.http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/griffin-powerdock-2-iphone-ipod.jpg Encoding / Decoding in Apple Inc. Stuart Hall developed a theoretical model to clarify the influence of television broadcasts such as advertisements called the encoding and decoding model. Encoder is trying to transfer information in a certain meaning based way to decoder, while decoder is adapting this original meaning into a new version according to their own way of perceiving. Production, here, constructs the message (Hall, 1980). According to iPod advertisements via Halls concepts, arguing that his production-reception model is a useful approach to understanding modern mass media messages, especially advertising. This model assumed that the media tools had an interest in production, circulation, distribution, consumption and reproduction rather than just conveying a message. In the encoding/decoding model of media discourses developed by Stuart Hall, the meaning of the text is located between its producer and the reader (Hall, 1980). Therefore apple produces plain and not confusing adverts towards customers as if the decoder perceiving differently to the encoder, the decoder will create their own version of the message with a totally different intention. When decoder functions under this position hall states that He/she is operating with what we must call an oppositional code (Hall, 1980). Encoding decoding is not a important concept for Apple Inc as their customers all ready knows what to perceive they wont be confused. Apple Branding Marketing executives in a company give values to add services to a product and an attempt to enhance their products like Apple with values and links that are recognised and valuable to their customers which is then a brand.   Identification or distinction from other competitors is the reason for branding which gives them their own identity. Apple is one of the examples which are now leading as a brand in IT arena.   Apple (brand name) which is auspicious had a consumers loyalty by the strength of their services and values which then lead the customers to repeat a purchase from the same company again. Advertisements do have an enormous attraction for a customer to hit on an individual mind for a company.   Apple as compared to other companies is a well recognised brand and it definitely preferable by customers.http://www.damonchernavsky.com/Pictures/Creative_Ads/Evolution_of_Brands/history-of-apple-computers.jpg Critical Analysis and conclusion Conclusion Referances Dougherty, M. (2010) The story of apple Inc. Last accessed on 12.03.2011 [online] http://www.brighthub.com/computing/mac-platform/articles/65346.aspx http://blog.kissmetrics.com/7-strategies-apple-marketing/ 6 Unfair Market Advantages You Should Steal from Apple http://www.vertygoteam.com/apple_marketing_strategy.php http://www.theglaringfacts.com/2010/11/encodingdecodingmodel Williams, Raymond (1962) Advertising, the Magic System. In Problems in Materialism and Culture. London: New Left Books. Baudrillard, J. (1998). The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Sage Publications Ltd. London, England. http://mashable.com/2011/01/03/apple-300-billion/

RMB recent development :: essays research papers

Update for Recent development in Chinese Yuan 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The expectation or speculation about a Chinese Yuan revaluation started from the beginning of 2003. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why we say 2003? Because the Non-deliverable forward of USD against Chinese Yuan started to fall into discount from premium at the beginning of 2003. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non-deliverable forward is a type of derivative in the foreign exchange market where by the home currency is not delivered (or settled, transferred) at maturity, instead the difference of market rate against the contract rate is settled with a reference currency (usually USD). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China has a very restricted money market and therefore commercial loans are not readily accessible in short tenor such as overnight or 1 week, the most common interest rate benchmark in China is a 1-year bank lending rate, which currently stands at 5.31%, if we compare the Chinese interest rate with the US rate of the same tenor (1 Year US rate is approximately 2.35%), in foreign exchange market, assumed that Chinese Yuan is convertible, the USD should be at a premium against the Chinese Yuan. In the non-deliverable market, however, the USD is trading at a discount against Chinese Yuan after January 2003, which obviously is not logical from an interest arbitrage point of view. The reason is that the assumption that Chinese Yuan is freely convertible is void, the USD discount ( for instance 1-year non-deliverable forward discount of USD is 2400 pips or 0.24 Yuan) is an implied expectation of Chinese Yuan revaluation in one year’s time as perceived by the m arket. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The expectation that Chinese Yuan would appreciate and happen in foreseeable future was advocated by major US Investment Bank such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. International organizations such as IMF started to talk more about the issue ever since 2 years ago. In the recent years, there was a very fast expansion of Chinese export into the United State. The most recent number of US July trade deficit announced last Friday was $50.1 billion, though lower than the June historical record of $55.8, still formed as a threat for financing of these huge deficit through capital account surplus by the US. Furthermore, the July US trade deficit with China set another monthly record at $14.9 billion as imports increased 3.7% from June and exports fell 2.6%. US manufacturers and politician still blamed China’s policy of pegging its currency against the US dollar for the soaring bilateral deficit.

3m Innovation Case Study

1-What are the roots of 3M’s culture of entrepreneurship and innovation? What were the key tenets of this culture as they emerged over time? 3M goes back to 1902 when five Minnesota businessmen established the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. to mine a mineral that they thought was corundum, which is ideal for making sandpaper. The mineral, however, turned out to be low-grade anorthosite, nowhere near as suitable for making sandpaper, and the company nearly failed. To try and salvage the business, 3M turned to making the sandpaper itself using materials purchased from another source.In 1907, 3M hired a twenty-year-old business student, William McKnight, as assistant bookkeeper. This turned out to be a pivotal move in the history of the company. The key to institutionalizing innovation at 3M has been the principle of â€Å"patient money. † The basic idea is that producing revolutionary new products requires substantial long-term investments, and often repeated fail ure, before a major payoff occurs. Another key component of 3M’s innovative culture has been an emphasis on duel career tracks.Right from its early days, many of the key players in 3M’s history, people like Richard Drew, chose to staying research, turning down opportunities to go into the management side of the business. Although 3M’s innovative culture emphasizes the role of technical employees in producing innovations, the company also has a strong tradition of emphasizing that new product ideas often come from watching customers at work. 2. What were the strengths of the organization and culture of 3M during the McKnight to DeSi-mone era? What were the potential weaknesses?Leadership, CEO George Buckley is highly respected, and 3M is repeatedly recognized as a top company for developing leaders. Innovation gets a load of these stats patents awarded researchers worldwide. In many ways, 3M was ahead of its time in management philosophy and human resource practi ces. Geographically diverse Sixty-three percent of sales are outside of the United States; the company has operations in more than 65 countries. Diverse in terms of revenue streams, too. 3M has six key business units, none of which account for more than 33% of sales. Financially, there was strong paid a dividend every quarter since 1916. – The expansion of 3M into international markets was highly successful. What explains this? What was the drawback with 3M’s international expansion strategy? The first steps abroad occurred in the 1920s. There were some limited sales of wet and dry sandpaper in Europe during the early 1920s. These increased after1929 when 3M joined the Durex Corp. , a joint venture for international abrasive product sales in which 3M was involved along with eight other U. S. companies. The international businesses were grouped into an International Division that Sampair headed.From the get go, the company insisted that foreign ventures pay their own wa y. The company would start by exporting to a country and working through sales subsidiaries. The philosophy can be reduced to several key and simple commitments: Get in early, Hire talented and motivated local people, Become a good corporate citizen of the country, Grow with the local economy, American products are not one-size-fits-all around the world, Enforce patents in local countries. Program to encourage new product and new business initiatives born outside the United States.By 1983, products developed under the initiative were generating sales of over $150 million a year. 3M Brazil invented a low-cost, hot-melt adhesive from local raw materials, 3M Germany teamed up with Sumitomo 3M of Japan to develop electronic connectors with new features for the world wide electronics industry. By the 1990s 3M started to shift away from a country-by-country management structure to more regional management. Drivers behind this development included the fall of trade barriers, the rise of tr ading blocks such as the European Union and NAFTA, and the need to drive down costs in the face of intense global competition.

Elements of SMART goals

Elements of SMART goals The process of setting goals is integral to the strategic planning process (Berkowitz, Fredrick, Roger, Steven and William, 1998); this is because goals are very important to an organization because they help in controlling the planning process, motivate individuals and teams effort towards a common goal.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Elements of SMART goals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also enable a consistent approach on all the functions of the organization as they guide the formulation of strategies and tactics and form the basis of the budgeting process (Pearce and Robinson, 2009). Thus, because of their critical importance in the planning process and its impact on the success of an organization, goals must be carefully identified and selected. The SMART criterion is valuable tool that guide organization in the goal setting process; SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, releva nt and time bound, which are considered the characteristics of effective goals (Prather, 2005). In the following section let us discuss each of these elements of SMART goals. Specific: This attribute states that goals should be clearly defined and unambiguous; its involves what is expected, the importance of the goals, who is involved in its implementation, what attributes are important and in what areas are the goal expected to take place (Prather, 2005). Thus, a good goal should provide precise information on what it wants to achieve; an example of a good specific goal is for example â€Å"to achieve 25% return on capital employed by year 2012†. Such a goal states specifically what the organization wishes to achieve which is 25% growth, in which area and by when. An example of an ambiguous ineffective goal would be â€Å"to grow our return on investments that will satisfy investors†; it is ineffective because it does not satisfy all the features of a SMART goal. Meas urable: this element states that all goals should be quantifiable so that progress can be established; this means that the inputs and outputs should be easily measured in order to establish how successful an organization is (Prather, 2005).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An example of an effective measureable goal would be â€Å"to gain 25% markets share in the sport shoe segment by April 2015† while an ineffective goal would be †to be a successful sport shoe company in the near future†. Attainable: this attribute states that goals should be achievable and should consider the organization’s current circumstance (Prather, 2005). That is, goals should be realistic such that those who are expected to achieve those goals should have the necessary skills and experience supported by the organization financial capacity necessary to achieve them. An effective attainable goal would be â€Å"to achieve 10% growth on our flagship brand in the next financial year while an unattainable goal would be â€Å"to achieve 40% growth in sales during a recession†. Relevance: a good goal should add value to the organization and to its employees (Prather, 2005); this makes it essential for them to be linked to the goals of the organization, departments, teams and individuals. They should also be relevant to the challenges that face the organization and should motivate and inspire the employees. An effective relevant goal would be â€Å"to increase the brand awareness of our product in the market from 12%-25% for a new product that has entered the market during our first year of operation† while an irrelevant goal would be â€Å"to create the awareness of HIV to our consumers†. Such a goal adds no value to the firm. Time Bound: goals should specify the time period within which they are to be achieved with (Prathe r, 2005); this is necessary to control for resource overuse or avoid the danger of goals becoming obsolete due to environmental changes.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Elements of SMART goals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A good goal would be â€Å"to increase the size of our Chinese market operations from $ 200m to $1billion between year 2011 and 2015†. An ineffective goal would be to â€Å"to triple our operations in China†. Goals setting process Goal: 1. To create and raise the awareness of the J Boag and Sons company fine premium beer brands in Western Australia to 70% in the first one year in order to achieve high brand recognition and recall. This goal has the following qualities that make it SMART; it is specific in that it states clearly what is to be achieved so as to create and raise awareness of the company’s brands. This is because it specifically states the product that is to be promoted and what it will accomplish i.e. to achieve high brand recognition and recall. The goal is attainable because the company is indeed a producer of fine premium beer brands; it’s a company that is entering the Western Australian market through use of intensive marketing campaign and use of integrated marketing communication tools such as advertising and sales promotion and is possible for J. Boag and Sons Co to raise the awareness of the market to over 70%. The goal is relevant to the firm because it’s entering a new market where it is relatively unknown and the level of differentiation between premium beer brands is low. In addition, the important parameters of the goal are all measurable and they include the desired level of brand awareness and the time period in which the activity will take place. Finally, the goal is time bound as it states clearly that it the goal should be achieved within one year. This goal addresses the company’s position as identified by the SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis identified as a critical weakness, the low level of brand recognition and recall of the company’s brands in the Western Australian market.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This limits the company’s ability to position its product in a distinct manner in that market. Additionally as a company that is entering a new market, it is expected that its products would be relatively unknown. Thus the objective to create brand awareness in the market is a suitable and relevant first step for J Boag and So. Co. Ltd. Goal: 2. to capture 15% of the rapidly growing market among young males for premium beers in Perth in the first two years. This goal has SMART attributes in that it specifically states what the company intends to do and identifies the geographical area where the company intends to achieve this goal. It also clearly states the market that the company is targeting and is measureable as it defines the metrics that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the goal i.e. to achieve a 15% market share in the premium beer market. The goal is attainable because there is a rapid growing opportunity in the segment of young male of ages 18-30 years and the existing market is sizeable. The company has a realistic opportunity to capture the 15% market share because it has the resources to make the finest beer in Australia. The goal is relevant because the company is seeking to establish its presence in the new market and is time-bound as it states that this goal has to be achieved in two years. The goal also addresses the strengths and opportunities of J Boags and Sons co. as they were identified in the SWOT analysis. The opportunity presented by the growing market in Perth and its sizeable nature is attractive enough for the company to pursue. To achieve this, the company will use its unique capabilities of its control of the strategic resources of the finest water and hops in the world which it will use to produce the fine premium beer to compete in the new market. The target of capturing 15% of the market share is achievable and the market share is expected to grow rapidly in the next five year. Goal: 3. To challenge the domi nant position of Swan lager in the premium beer market in Western Australia and to counter its marketing campaign, it is necessary to position J. Boag and Sons Co. beer as the finest premium beer that is made in Australia in the first year of operation and to make it the preferred brand amongst 18-30 year olds. This goal is specific as it states what the organization seeks to achieve and how it will do so, it also defines in which markets and geographical area the company will challenge Swan lager and the duration it intends to do so. The goal is measurable because it states the variable that the company will be targeting in its activity namely the dominant market position of Swan lager. The goal is relevant to the company because the competitor has vowed to defend its territory and market share by invoking the made in Western Australia sentiments among its lucrative consumer base in Perth. The goal is attainable because the young male generation is less attached to their traditiona l Western Australia roots compared to the older generations. Again they are likely to embrace the new brand due to its finesse and the made in Australia label. Finally, the goal is time-bound as it defines the period within with the goal is to be achieved. This goal addresses the threat identified in the SWOT analysis and uses its strength to counter the threat. The SWOT analysis identified Swan lager as the market leader in Perth with market intentions to vigorously defend its market share. The company will use its strategic resources of fine water and hops and its position as the brewer of the finest premium brew in Australia to counter the threat posed by Swan Lager. Formal and informal controls To achieve the objectives and goals set out in the marketing plan, a set of controls are established at the planning stage that define expected performance and behavior within the firm (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). These controls are both formal and informal; formal controls refer to any official protocols established and enforced by the firm that exist specifically to ensure that the planned strategy is achieved (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include official company policies, official reporting mechanisms, performance management regimes, compensation schemes, training and development systems amongst others. Formal controls are classified in three basic categories. Input Controls: these define the type, amount and quality of inputs that must be available before the marketing plan can be implemented (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include financial resources, capital expenditures, additional research and development and human resources (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011) that must be secured in order to effectively implement the marketing plan. Process Controls refer to the mechanisms that are required for the execution of the plans and include controls that govern and motivate individual behavior and performance towards achieving the marketing plan objectives (Ferr ell and Hartline, 2011). They include management training, management commitment to the marketing plan and to employees, employees’ compensation, evaluation systems, employees discipline management, and the internal communication system (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Output controls refer to mechanisms used to measure performance and compare it to stated marketing objectives during and after the implementation of the marketing plan (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include: Overall performance standards which measure how well the overall goals have been achieved and include sales revenues, sales volumes, market share, profitability, customer satisfaction amongst other market related metrics. Product performance standards measure the quality and performance of output; they include product specification, core product quality, experiential quality, innovation, branding and positioning. Price performance standards refer to the degree at which the desired price standards are achi eved; they include revenues targets, supply and demand balance and price elasticity. Distribution standards measure the achievement of distribution goals and they include the effectiveness of distribution, supply chain integration, value arising from time, place, possession utility, collaboration with channel participants, and effectiveness of direct distribution (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Integrated marketing communication standards measure how well communication objectives are achieved and include brand awareness, recognition and recall, public relations and sales promotion effectiveness. Informal controls refer to unofficial company policy or influences that can be used to control the behaviour and performance of individuals and organization towards the achievement of stated objectives (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Informal controls are classified into three categories, individual self controls, social controls and organization wide cultural controls (Ferrell and Hartline, 20 11). Employee self control is related to individual and they include employee satisfaction, employee commitment to the company, its objectives and employee’s confidence in their skills. Social controls relate to group dynamics and they include shared organizational values, work group relationships, informal communication process and peer influence amongst others. Cultural controls refer to organization culture and rituals that have a profound effect on the implementation of the marketing plan. Organization should often audit their informal environment to ensure that it is conducive for the successful implementation of marketing strategies. After the planning process has been completed an organization undertakes to implement the plan, it is during the implementation stage that deviations often arise which had not been anticipated. Both the internal and external environments are very dynamic and as such they constantly present a challenge to the marketing planning process. A ke y variable may change and it can affect the whole planning process negatively or positively. One of the major cause of deviation is because organization lack perfect information during planning which comes into light during its implementation (McGrath and McMillan, 1995) Craven and Piercy (2006) identified the following factors which managers can use to identify problems and issues during the implementation stage by observing the following: Whether the budget of the project is within the budget limits If the progress of the project is according to the time plan If the project is functioning as expected The view of key stakeholders have been met The opinion or reaction of end users to the product must be considered as feedback from end users is very important because they are the ultimate determinants of whether the product or service will be a success. A low level of adoption of a new product or service is a definite sign of problems to come If an ordinary problem grows and become a complex problem during the implementation process, then it is clear that there are underlying problems that were not detected during the planning process. Another important tool for detecting problems is the marketing planning audits; organization should implement regular audits whereby they undertake an in-depth analysis of the organization marketing activities as they are likely to identify problems and resolve them in a timely fashion. When a problem is identified as being caused by internal failures of an organization, a re-evaluation of the SWOT analysis can help the organization to re-organize itself and its resources. The internal analysis of an organization in the SWOT analysis relates to the strengths and weaknesses elements (Jain, 2004) and a strategy failure would indicate that the SWOT analysis was not properly carried out. A re-evaluation of the SWOT and the proper identification of strengths and weaknesses can enable an organization to come up with the proper set of strategies needed to compete effectively in the market place. If the change in environment is caused by a major external variable such as change in government regulation, rapid technological change or a shift in consumers’ tastes and preferences, the company should re-evaluate the SWOT and re-develop its strategies once more. The external environment is covered in the opportunity and threats side of the SWOT analysis (Jain, 2004). When the elements of the SWOT changes for instance, a new analysis should be carried out and new strategies developed. The new strategies developed after the review of the SWOT could either be intensive investment, divestiture, or diversification (Porter, 1980). Based on this a company can use the marketing mix element to competitively react to changes in the marketing environment that is caused by external variables (Kotler, 2000). These include adjusting prices, increased promotional activities, changing the product or adjusting product variables amongst others (Kotler, 2000). References Berkowitz, E, Frederick C, Roger K, Steven H, William R. 1998. Marketing. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Cravens, D.W. and Piercy, N. 2006. Strategic Marketing. Sydney: Irwin. Doran, G. T.1981. Theres a S.M.A.R.T. way to write managements goals and objectives. Management Review, 70.11: pp. 35-36. Ferrell, O.C. Hartline, D. M. Marketing Strategy 5th Ed. Ohio: South-Western. 2011. Jain, S.C. 2004. Marketing: Planning and Strategy 7th Ed. Singapore: Thomson Kotler, P. 2000. Marketing Management: Millennium Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall McGrath, R. G. McMillan, I. C. 1995. Discovery Driven Planning. Harvard Business  Review, 73(4): 44-54. Pearce, J. A. Robinson, R. B. 2008. Strategic Management 11th Edition. McGraw-Hill Irwin: New York. Porter, M. E. 1980. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industry and  Competitors. New York: Free Press Prather, C. W. 2005. The Dumb Thing about Smart Goals for Innovation. Research  Technology Management, 48(5): 14-21.

Master Your Writing with Meredith Sue Willis

Master Your Writing with Meredith Sue Willis Meredith Sue Willis is a writer, teacher, reader, and the publisher of her own blog, Meredith Sue Willis: Writer and Teacher, at MeredithSueWillis.com. Willis is a proud member of the Appalachian Renaissance, whose published nonfiction and fiction books include Melis Way, Love Palace, and A Space Apart. She is also an assistant adjunct professor at New York Universitys School of Professional Studies. Her website offers valuable writing advice as well as a glimpse into Williss works and perspectives.For anyone looking to create, polish, and publish their work, the best place to go is always the source. Willis shares links to articles on how to improve ones writing, specifically for the novel-writing crowd. She also provides writing exercises and shows writing techniques. These resources come packaged on a site with links to Williss work and her own inspirations. The site even provides pages for younger writers, and there are links to pages made for teens and children. Aspiring writers looking for advice atop the shoulders of giants should check out Williss blog for these resources.Screenshot of MeredithSueWillis.com, which offers valuable writing advice as well as a glimpse into Williss works and perspectives.Aid and adviceWilliss Tips for Writers page includes links to articles inside the site and out. These articles cover a wide variety of specific-but-necessary topics to address for writers. Among these are tips on doing taxes for independent writers, advice on copyright law, and a self-publishing cost calculator. These resources cover serious topics on writing and more advice can be found elsewhere throughout the site.A QA section is included on this page. The author seems to have taken substantial time to give her thoughts on a few topics. She writes in detail about her writing process. For example, in answering one question, she states the importance of staying mindful of alliterations when writing. She says that she had almost named two characters Travis and Tyler, when, thinking of how the human brain functions, she decided to change Tyler to Harrison. After this, she realized that Harrison was a location in the book, so she changed it again. She writes:Coincidences abound in real life, but in fiction, we tend to expect everything to have meaning, and I didnt want this boy linked to a county.I did another search and replace, and at the moment the second boys name is Jason, but Im not absolutely satisfied with that either...MeredithSueWillis.comThis kind of advice gets to the essence of the value in lessons from an accomplished author. Starting out work as a writer can be daunting. The lessons included in Tips for Writers can help writers looking to get published. These tips cover every aspect of a writers life, from the deceptively mundane to the critical, like calculating self-publishing costs.ConsultationIf youve heeded this advice, but you need specific direction for your story, Willis provides manuscript consultations. On reque st, Willis will read manuscripts including short stories, novels, and memoirs. Willis clearly defines who these consultations can benefit:If you have difficulties with, for example, the English language, you probably want an editor. If you need weekly consultations and support, you almost certainly need a writing coach. If, however, you are looking for an experienced writer and teacher who knows some things about how to make novels and other prose narratives better, then consider MSWs services.MeredithSueWillis.comConsultations start at $200 and are dependent on Williss availability. Those who are interested can contact Willis through her email, which is available through the blog.Practice every dayMeredith Sue Willis is also a teacher on top of being a writer, and this experience lends itself to the teaching materials she provides on the blog. She says she offers writing exercises in her blog in the spirit of the Internet as a place of sharing and exchange. These exercises come str aight from the heart. There are 330 exercises- enough to provide writers with an exercise almost every day for a year. These exercises can help writers gain inspiration for a future project or simply build their skills and have fun for a spell. They span from the simple, like exercise #66, which asks writers to physically move to a different place to write; to the more grandiose, like exercise #211, which asks writers to work on a short spy thriller.In addition to these writing prompts, which provide short writing experiences, Willis provides online writing classes. The classes are done through email and they include written lectures, reading assignments, writing assignments, and one-on-one responses to homework. Students can work at their own pace in these classes, but they may turn in a total of 6,000 to 7,000 words in their assignments during these classes.Willis has taught at the university level, so there is real value in these classes. That said, classes run in the fall, Janua ry, and the summer, depending on Williss schedule, and they cost $45 to $60 per session. To sign on to the mailing list for the classes, go to the online writing workshops blog page. Testimonials from students on these classes are shown on the blog page.These classes appeal to writers looking to hone their writing skills. Willis requires a lot of time from students to complete these assignments, but this is offset by the offline format, which lets students complete assignments at their own pace. People who have not received formal instruction on novel writing and wish to get into the business can particularly benefit from these classes. If youre an aspiring writer looking for more practice and instruction, these classes may be for you, provided one is available.Kids and teensFor any aspiring young writers, Meredith Sue Willis provides resources for all reading and writing levels. The writer has taught not only in universities and online but also to grade school and high school stude nts. MSWs Page for Kids opens to a picture of Williss pet parakeet and offers a kid-friendly layout. Willis lists several books for kids, clearly passionate about encouraging reading at an early age, while also providing a medium for children to recommend their favorite books. Williss Page About Books and Writing for Teens contains resources dedicated to teens, as well as book recommendations.First and foremost, this is a blog about teaching adult writers to break into and excel in the publishing world. However, its never too early to start building writing skills and laying the groundwork for later writing successes. These tools allow children and teens to see what others have discovered in their quest to become better writers and readers and receive advice from an accomplished writer. Anyone looking to direct younger writers to a valuable resource for building their skills would do well in showing them these sites.Meredith Sue Williss website helps younger writers build their writ ing skills.Links and suchIn lieu of a traditional blog roll, Meredith Sue Willis provides resources throughout the website. On the Articles, Lectures, Online Reading, and Websites for Readers and Writers page, Willis provides an expansive set of links that writers can scroll through to address whatever problem they may encounter. This article link page serves as a good substitute for an updated blog roll. Writers would do well to bookmark this page and come back to it later.Links on this site include a TED-Ed video on building fictional worlds, an article on the pet peeves of literary agents (dont leave grammatical mistakes in your letters), a link to a website that can provide more resources for writers, an abundance of articles on the future of book publishing (its uncertain), and news articles.These links inform readers and writers of important developments in the writing world and can teach them how to survive in it.Writing samplesThe authors writing samples are posted throughou t the site for aspiring writers and readers alike. On this same page, blog visitors can discover Williss biography and upcoming events, they can find links to excerpts of her work. Entire short stories like Evenings with Dotson can be found on this page.The final chapterMeredith Sue Williss blog is a great resource to seek writing advice, discover stories worth your time, and even find services that will improve your writing. It is so much more than a simple portfolio for an accomplished author.The site can provide advice on all aspects of a writers life to anyone wanting to become a published author. It provides links and on-site tutorials on different aspects of a writers life. Additionally, if you want to improve your writing, you can find information on joining one of Williss writing classes, if youre looking for advice on a story youre working on, you can find information on a manuscript review.Readers and even younger writers can find a home here. Willis provides free writing samples to her works and reading recommendations. She maintains websites for teens and children that give book recommendations, show publishing houses that accept books from younger readers and writers, and display reviews from those younger readers and writers.Meredith Sue Willis: Writer and Teacher succeeds in teaching and serving as a versatile resource for readers and writers young and old, experienced and amateur.

Cellular Phone Usage While Operating Motor Essay

Cellular Phone Usage While Operating Motor - Essay Example and Tibshirani, R.J. (1997), the current road use regulations on road driving are insufficient to combat the problem. Indeed the current regulation are not sufficient because if some bans only prohibit hand held device while others bans hands free devices for certain types of motorists like teenagers or school bus drivers. This is not enough regulation to reduce accident caused by cellular usage because these drivers whether using a hand free kits on their cellular phone, they loss concentration while driving. Redelmeier, D.A. and Tibshirani, R.J. (1997) research showed that cellular telephone use is more common in urban areas with Tulsa and Oklahoma counties accounting for 60% of cellular telephone in use crashes in 1993 and 51% in 1994 (as cited on the police crash report). Among, the 77 counties in Oklahoma, phone use crashes were reported in 32 counties in both 1993 and 1994. While everyone knows that many accidents are caused by cellular phone usage while driving, finding accurate assessment of its scope has been challenging task. For one, many minor accidents go unreported and there is no proper records kept about the actual cause of the accident. Violanti, J. M., (1997) says that we should address the issue of banning the cell phone usage while driving because drivers are likely to loss concentration, thereby causing an accident. The source is related to other sources I have use since it also points out the issue of banning cell phone usage while operating motor vehicle as they are known to cause road accidents. According Alm, H., and Nilsson, L. (1995), they says that the drivers inattention is the number one cause of road accidents and also states that driving while using cell phone, has the same risk as one driving while drunk. The source is similar to the other sources used in this paper as it highlights the consequences of using cellular phone while driving. It advocates for total ban of using cellular phone while operating a motor vehicle. According to Redelmeier, D.A. & Tibshirani, R.J. (1997), they said that we should have a better understanding of the nature and magnitude of any road safety problem rather than restricting cell phone usage while operating a motor vehicle. Therefore, they recommended that we should make in vehicle information system that would reduce accidents on our roads. For this source they are looking in ways on how we can reduce road accidents on the roads rather than banning their usage which might be just a partial solution. The source is common to the others because it is addressing how not only can we reduce accidents by banning cell phone usage while driving but we can further reduce them by innovating our vehicles with make in information systems. References Alm, H., & Nilsson, L. (1995): The Effects of a Mobile Telephone Task on Driver Behavior in a Car Following Situation. Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 27 (5), pp. 707-715. Brookhuis, K. A., de Vries, G., & de Waard, D. (1991): The effects of mobile telephoning on driving performance. Accident Analysi

Reforming the mandatory minimum sentencing policy Research Proposal

Reforming the mandatory minimum sentencing policy - Research Proposal Example The spread of mandatory minimum penalties for offences together with the great increase in the numbers of people in prison has led to those dealing with criminal justice to re-evaluate this age-old issue. The number of people in US prisons has increased by approximately eight hundred percent since the eighties and this has forced the federal prisons to operate at almost forty percent above their normal capacity (Reamer, 2003). Despite the fact that the US has only 5% of the inhabitants of the world, its prisons hold almost twenty five percent of all the prisoners in the world. There are more than half a million federal prisoners in United States prisons and almost half of all these prisoners have been locked up for crimes that are linked to drugs and abuse of various substance. Furthermore, about nine million more people go through the country’s jails every year while around forty percent of the forty percent of people previous held as federal prisoners and almost sixty percent of those formerly held as state prisoners are arrested again of have their supervision canceled only three years after they leave jail. The mandatory minimum sentencing laws oblige compulsory prison sentences of specific lengths for the individuals who are found guilty of particular federal and state offences. These rigid legislations may appear as quick fix solutions for crime but they destabilize justice through inhibiting judges from giving the punishments to individuals based on the circumstances of their crimes. These laws have resulted in the number of prisoners increasing exponentially and thus leading to overcrowded prisons, unreasonable costs to the taxpayers as well as diversion of funds from other areas such as law enforcement (Cole & Smith, 2013). Most of the sentences under these laws are applicable for crimes associated with drugs; however, they also target other crimes such as specific gun, pornography and economic crimes. The mandatory minimum