Wednesday, July 31, 2019

A Tribe Apart

A Tribe Apart To believe that no one in this world understands what you are going through on any given day. To feel that you are the only person out of the almost seven billion people that populate this universe who can experience the feelings of desire, hurt, pain, happiness, sadness, confusion, emptiness and joy. Sometimes all at the same time can these feelings be amongst you. This is how, in my own words that I would define the meaning of Personal Fable.To be the center of attention when there is good and bad happening and the feeling you have thereafter depends on what you think that others think of you. They are always watching you as you imagine. They are the judge of your every move. You have to be cool, act cool, look cool. To me this is the definition of the Imaginary Audience. To have a constant judgment of your behavior can lead to a phobia or paranoia. It can be positive or negative. For most it becomes a result of your character and leads to you to being self-conscious of your ever move.It’s all about me and only me! I am the center of attention. It is my way or the highway. No one else matters. There is no particular interest in what you think, believe, feel or say. I am selfish. I am self-centered. I am the definition of Egocentrism. According to the Cognitive Development topic these processes, Personal Fable, Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism all require formal operation thought. They all work together and sheds plenty of light on how and why we think the way we do. In A Tribe Apart, Brendon is a good example of Personal Fable.Brendon comes from a good family; he has four siblings in which he is the youngest. He feels compelled to compete with his older brothers because they are good students and all around good people in general. Brendon’s family were displaced from Reston to Houston since his father lost his job and then later lost his job in Reston whereas his mother became the ‘bread winner’ of the family. The fa mily appears to be the All-American, traditional family whom eat together and pray together, however this model family is said to be ‘distorted by the pain of economic loss’.Brendon takes on risky behavior and becomes and example of Personal Fable as he uses escaping as a way of not to care or feel his feelings. He to, becomes a product of Imaginary Audience, because he had previously dealt with embarrassment and has decided to shut himself off from that part of the world since his optimism and excitement have since vanished. In A Tribe Apart, Brendon turns to alcohol consumption and drug use as a pacifier to make him feel ‘warm and alive’.His substance abuse leads him to believe that it is like â€Å"relaxation, and escape from everybody to make yourself happy. † Brendon is said to have tried many modes from classroom clowning, truancy, dope, booze and art as an act of anger and therefore has led to aggression towards his siblings than his parents. Brendon often feels alone when it comes to his feelings, although his friend Tad is around he feels let down and disappointed by people and has chosen to shelter himself instead of reaching out to those who may feel the same way he does.Because Brendon has a ‘doesn’t care’ attitude he has removed himself from the social setting of school all because of a role he played in the talent show that has him feeling embarrassed. Brendon is dealing with, not only believing that he is the only adolescent in this world experiencing issues (Personal Fable) but also feeling self-conscious, like he is being watch or evaluated (Imaginary Audience). He continues on his path of destruction although he really doesn’t want to be that ‘guy’. His though process is that the good in him is no good and in order to feel good about himself he has to do badly.Brendon follows this streak throughout the book and doesn’t change much. Brendon, as bright, talented, an d creative as he is said to be deals with darkness, loss and mental turmoil and focuses on his regrets and bitterness due to his family experience. On the other hand, there is Charles Sutter who enters A Tribe Apart as the unnoticed freshman who is from a home of professional parents and a sibling who ‘look to the world, like proof the American Dream works for all’. The Sutter family is black. Being black makes it twice as hard to prove yourself.Black adolescents are often labeled as ‘Trouble’ and ‘Ghetto’. Even though Charles is in gifted and talented classes, plays several sports and serves as the class leader he is considered a ‘tightly wound young man acutely aware of the restraints and responsibilities his race imposes’. Charles never seems to be at ease because he is constantly dealing with not feeling free of the burden of proving himself. He is ‘Mr. Perfect Black’. He is the rare face of the class. He is the bl ack sheep of the group who wants, solely to fit in despite the color of his skin.Charles displays the acts of Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism both. Because Charles is the ‘rare black face’ he feels like he is never good enough nor as smart as them. His attitude becomes that if he has ‘to perform, he will perform’ and proves that he is better than them if he is tried. Once he beat up another student just to prove that he is capable of protecting and defending himself as well as established some credibility within himself so the other boys in the school would know. Both Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism capture attention in Charles case.When Charles is doing something worth being watch, which is almost always being that he is an A+ student, he has a sense of not only ‘Who is watching me’ but ‘I want you to watch me’. It’s as if, he knows that being a black male automatically draws attention especially when there is some go od involved. People are interested in how this ‘black’ boy can be so smart, can dress presentable, can hold a decent conversation, is financial stable that he doesn’t have to sell drugs to make ends meet. As explained in A Tribe Apart, Charles dilemma ‘represents the world of striving black middle-class adolescents.It is life lived on the defensive, a constant tightrope to be navigated between two cultures: a white culture that never fully embraces them, and a black peer group that disdains black achievers’. Charles overcomes his humiliation after several different issues and strives throughout the book. Remaining an achiever throughout. In his case having the Imaginary Audience and the Egocentrism concepts paved the way. Although it seems a bit much when a person is egocentric but when it come to proving yourself and becoming an achiever then it should be looked at as being positive.Then there is the ‘supposedly audience’ you want to wa tch you as that can be the proof to make you remain positive so that you can continue to achieve. Moshing Is a Way to Belong. This is the story of Joan. Joan’s mother left her when she was ten years old and never returned until two years later. Joan being the only female in the household along side her brother and father was having difficulty getting used to the fact that she now was the woman of the house. She was expected to take on all the duties of being a mother, a wife, all the while she was a young adolescent.Her world as she had known it was crumbling right before her eyes. As the chapter talks about Joan it mentioned how she had went from being spoiled to becoming the woman of the house. Joan had become isolated and lonely. She was in fear of her father and the control her had over her. She was not allowed to have friends. As mentioned, ‘she craved recognition and respect. She was too scared to ask for love. ’ She felt as if no one cared about the little girl that was devastated by her loss. No one knew what she was dealing with and over time Joan took upon herself to fight back for ‘whatever life dished out’.She started hanging out with kids that were lovers of the hard core rock music. With this music comes Moshing (def. , activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively pushes or slams into each other. Moshing is frequently accompanied by stage diving, crowd surfing, microphone swinging, instrument smashing, and head banging. ) Joan feels like this is a great way to fit in and be a part of something. According to her she ‘feels, uninhibited, part of the action, and especially part of the group of peers, something she longs for.Joan also began thinking that being a tough person, fighting all the time was the way to earn respect. She would start fights if she thought someone was taking about her. Nothing bad could happen to Joan, which is what she thought. She continued the pose in high school with a bad attitude and the behavior to follow. Popping lockers and shoplifting was something she did on a regular. This insert fits as an example of Personal Fable & Egocentrism. Joan felt that no one else could possibly understand what she was going through. That she was the only lonely and isolated kid that surfaces this world.She turned to anger and resentment and felt that whatever rules existed did not apply to her and that nothing bad could happen to her. Joan craving recognition and respect demonstrates Egocentrism. It was all about her and what she thought. Joan’s way of thinking was that anyone around her had to be thinking about her since that was all she was doing. Joan began to question herself and felt that it was time for change. She wasn’t happy with what she had turned out to be. She gradually changed her ways for the better which led to more positive friendships and happier outcomes.Joan mentions that by ‘being tough, however, she learne d to be smart for today’s world. Each example listed throughout illustrates the concepts, Personal Fable, Imaginary Audience and Egocentrism. The one thing that caught my attention that explains a lot about the adolescents in A Tribe Apart as well as the kids today and even when I was a young adolescent is that ‘whatever behavior is common to a group of kids feels normal to them, whether it be doing drugs or doing homework. Whether the adult world sees the lifestyles as positive or negative is not the standard the kids are using’. We live. We learn and hopefully we grow.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Reflection on Learning with Learning Contract

In this assignment, I need to reflect on the situation that took place during my working group. In this reflection, I am going to use Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle. This model is a recognised framework for my reflection. Gibbs (1988) modal of reflection consists of six stages to complete one cycle which is description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan. Description I was put in groups for a week to work through a set of tasks. There was a mixture of males and females with a wide range of ages.There were some people that played a part in the group activities and there were some that did not, this was what contributed to the breakdown in communication in my group. The first day we got into groups, we had to do a learning styles questionnaire. In this questionnaire there were four types of learning styles, which where activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists (Honey, 1973). In my group of seven we were made up of reflectors, theorists and pragmatists.O n the second day we did a group activity about the skills knowledge and attitudes that a health care professional should have. During this task we were divided has a group even more because we all had different views on what we thought was the ideal health care professional. Day three we did a Kohlberg’s moral dilemma (1981) where we had to choose whether Heinz should steal the drug or not. My group was divided on whether he should steal the drug or not. On day four we did a self and peer-evaluation questionnaire. FeelingsI felt very frightened in the group setting because I preserved that I was the youngest in the group and I did not know anyone, which I was very shocked me because I am normally a very confident person. I also felt very out of place I really did not like being in a group that did not click with each other. I then started to get concerned that we would not get any of our group tasks finished. My second concern was that in a difficult situation that we might a ll argue because we all had such different views. But I was also excited to see what might have come out of the group tasks.I also think there should have been an icebreaker task; this would have eased us in. Evaluation The good experiences of the group tasks were that I learnt about myself and how other people work in small groups. It was also good to listen to other people’s opinions. It was also good to work with people I would not necessarily work with outside of these groups that were chosen for me. The bad points were that we has a group did not gel; there was a lack of communication throughout the whole week. I also think there should have been an icebreaker task. AnalysisThere were no activists in my group and I think this is why there was a breakdown in my group because activists like to be involved in new experiences. They are open minded and enthusiastic about new ideas but get bored with implementation. They enjoy doing things and tend to act first. Where reflecto rs, theorists and pragmatist are more reserved and like to think first and take a back sit (Honey, 1973). Some points of the task went well which were that as a group we found out what learning styles are and what the positives and negatives of each learning style and how we can use it to better are learning enhancement.The other members of the group also contributed on what they thought each learning style meant and if they thought it was a true representation of them. But some just did not contribute I am not sure if this was because they were shy or did not want to say the wrong thing or intimidated by the large group. Conclusion I have learnt a lot for from working in my group, I learnt to put myself in the others shoes and understand why people acted in a certain way. I came away being very emphatic and willingness to understand that not everyone is not the same.But now it has become a normal way of thinking and responding to a particular situation. So I have turned my reflecti on into learning. I have read that the more we read and think about a situation the more we can identify they importance of reflection (Boud et al, 1994). I have also learnt that ‘‘the basic unit of communication is made up of a sender, a receiver and a message set within a particular context’’ (Ellis et al, 1994, p. 4). Action plan If the situation came up again there would be a lot I would change one of hich would be more considerate to the group member’s feelings. Secondly I will continue to reflect and study the causes of why things go wrong. Reflection is based on allowing us to ground our thoughts and keep us focused. This helps to prevent reflection going off the subject. (Dallas et al, 2005). I would also like feedback because feedback is vital for development and change. Feedback is important to the on-going development of us has humans. ‘Feedback is central to developing learners' competence and confidence’ (londondeanery, 2010 )

Monday, July 29, 2019

Classical music of 20th and 21st Personal Statement

Classical music of 20th and 21st - Personal Statement Example This "Classical music of 20th and 21st" outlines the development of classical music in this period of time and composers who influenced it the most. Arnold Schoenberg is a 20th century avant-garde composer that would go on to influence John Cage. His contributions to contemporary composition and music are well regarded. In terms of the questions of tonality and consonance, Schoenberg has a number of periods that must be considered. In his early compositional periods, he was more aligned with tonality, albeit in an experimental context. As he moved on to his later periods after 1908, he gradually adopted a more avant-garde style that embraced consonance (Kamien 2008). One such example of compositions in this later period is ‘Pierrot Lunaire.’ Similar to Arnold Schoenberg, Charles Ives began his compositional journey producing works with traditional tonal qualities. His work in such early compositions as ‘Variations on America’ demonstrates this tonal concern. In Ives’ middle and later periods he gradually adopted a more experimental style based on atonality and experimentation. His work in ‘Symphony 2’ demonstrated a shift in this direction that would later be more fully realized in his mature work. As his work further developed in ‘The Unanswered Question’ and ‘Three Places in New England’ he adopts a nearly entirely atonal sound. These works build towards what traditional classical music would realize in a melodic climax, but rather than delivering this, Schoenberg returns to atonal dissonance. Igor Stravinsky Russian composer Igor Stravinsky explored tonality in a variety of his compositions. Among the composers examined, he is perhaps the most renowned for the fantastical nature of the reaction to his famed composition ‘The Rite of Spring’. The composition, written for a 1913 ballet was such an avant-garde experience that the crowd rioted. The composition itself, while exploring traditional tonality in segments, is largely an atonal work. Some of Stravinsky’s other famed compositions demonstrate a similar concern with these challenging elements of sound. For instance, his work on ‘Histoire du soldat’ demonstrated similar concerns with consonance. Stravinsky’s late period work would explore 18th century classical styles, yet reinterpret them with his characteristic experimental elements, meshing both tonality and consonance. Sergei Prokofiev Similar to Stravinsky, Prokofiev was a Russian composer who developed a number of works for the ballet. To a great degree his works reflected a similar concern

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The Growth of Technology and Humanity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Growth of Technology and Humanity - Essay Example For instance, when placed in juxtaposition with Ong’s consideration of writing as technology (p. 21), it could be considered in a sense that indeed, technology exceeds our humanity. Printed materials portray differing ideas of educated people which would be much appreciated have they been healthy but the sad thing is, papers also serve as battle fields. Words are exchanged in papers that infuriate authors, pens are used to destroy other people and make libelous claims. Television is also used as a means for this purpose where lawyers talk against their fellow lawyers, for instance if only to show who is more intelligent, politicians destroy each other with their words over radios, TV and the internet and the desire for fame and glory overthrows one’s education and sensibility. Speaking of arguments in written form, sometimes they are unintentional and are not directly written to be argumentative rather informative however would present problems to the reader when the su bject matter portray conflicting accounts as was encountered by Tompkins. In her search for the history of Indian Americans, she read different authors which consequently placed her in a quandary. This is usually what happens to audiences of what was mentioned earlier, in the case of arguments presented in the media whether written or through television or internet. On the other side, technology also informs and encourages people to be observant, critical and ever watchful. In the case of the aforementioned writer, her quandary brought her to an in-depth study of the written words of the authors she read which eventually gave her a deeper understanding of their narrations and the differences in their accounts which allowed her to be more open minded. This could prove Ong’s philosophy that technologies are not mere exterior aids but also interior where there is a transformation of consciousness that occurs (25). In a person’s search for truth with the various informatio n that technology brings, when one is vigilant enough to use technology to his advantage, as it may be separate from a person, yet one cannot deny the fact that it affects one’s decisions and reactions. Had Tompkins simply choose to believe the author of her preference, the one whose views was to her liking, there would not have been a growing experience that she encountered in the process. An illumination about a problem occurred, about a problem which she thought was solved long ago but without the reading materials, without technology, she would have never discovered that her problems were not answered after all but were simply hidden. Technology has always been a part of human beings and it probably will increase in its use as people depend on it more and more. This brings the fear that whatever humaneness was left during the time of Einstein might be lost forever with the rapid improvements made on technologies. If televisions were appreciated only when one got home to s it in the living room to enjoy it, now, one could watch movies anywhere and anytime. Laptops and notebooks now come handy and they bring more than what the television offers so that more time is spent on it as compared to the time spent in front of the television. Cellphones are now affordable that even children have access to such machines, engaging them with activities that add to the information they learn in school. However, when one looks around, could there be any

History of East Asia 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of East Asia 2 - Essay Example The Yamato clan conquered large part of Japan, especially Honshu and Kyushu islands. As mentioned earlier, there were many clans and families that ruled sections of the country. The biggest threat that a king faced during those times were uprising from these local rulers. By mid 500 AD Buddhism has been established and its peace message ensured that the country did not face too much of internal and external threats for around four hundred years. Even so, there was the possible threat of uprising from some ambitious head of the local clans. The Heian Empire sought the help of the Fujwara clan in maintaining peace and even allowed them regency rule. This powerful clan helped to see that other clans accepted the rule of the Heian Empire. King Kotoku used another tactic through land and policy reforms to weaken the aristocratic families during the middle of the sixth century AD. He made a rule that all agriculture property in his domain become the property of the emperor which will be leased out to people for cultivation. During later periods, hundreds of Buddhist Templ es were built and these were under the control of priests or monks. Their sheer number and influence began to rise and king feared that his own influence and power may be overshadowed. In 794 AD the current capital was moved to what is today known as Kyoto to reduce the meddling of priests in national affairs. A law was also passed at that time allowing no more than two Buddhist temples to be built within the city premises. So, the popularity and growth of Buddhism gave rise to one more type of threat apart from those that came from the local clans and families. The Fujiwara clan began to have more influence with the king by the second half of 800 AD. The far sighted head of the clan married off the daughters to emperors ensured that the son born out the liaison would become the king in the future. The head of the Fujiwara clan then would proclaim himself as the regent to

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Study skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Study skills - Essay Example HARMON, P. (2007). Business process change a guide for business managers and BPM and six sigma professionals. Amsterdam, Elsevier. [Online]. Available from: http://www.worldcat.org/title/business-process-change-a-guide-for-business-managers-and-bpm-and-six-sigma-professionals/oclc/162131603 According to Aalst et al., (2003) the core purpose for the formation of any business venture is to make profit. For the profit to be realized in the business, input, and the output must be balanced in a manner that the input is less than the output. Profit maximization requires efficiency and effectiveness in the management of the resources of an organization. Management of the resources of an organization thus needs the development of a well-organized management plan that will ensure that there is no wastage of the resources as well as utilizing the available to their maximum potential. The most significant resource in an organization that can be manipulated by the management is a human resource. The employees of a business can be motivated for achievement of the intended goals of the business; thus, an appropriate means of managing the human resource is a crucial strategy that must be developed in an organization ( Harmon, 2007). HARTMANN, P. (2014). New business creation: systems for institutionalized radical innovation management. [Online]. Available from: http://www.worldcat.org/title/new-business-creation-systems-for-institutionalized-radical-innovation-management/oclc/880892027 According to Teece (2010), strategic management of a business is a systematic process that involves the formulation of the goals and objectives of the institution. In the process of formulating the objectives of the organization, the management must take into consideration the available resources, the operational environment of the business as well as a timeline for the achievement

Friday, July 26, 2019

Performance in Drama and Poetry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Performance in Drama and Poetry - Assignment Example In addition, the poem evidently demonstrates unity of action in that the activities are focused on one plotline and the illiterate protagonist. Unlike the more epic novels, spanning several plots, geographical locations, and historical eras, drama and poetry are far less overarching. For instance, in the play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Drobot (2012) said the story revolves around the protagonist, Blanche DuBois who is depicted as constantly bearing the brunt of ill-treatment, especially at the hands of Stanley. However, the other characters are depicted as playing subsidiary roles throughout the play. In light of the focus on a single item, the resulting drama and poem would always be performative. Plays and poems employ characterization, plot and mood to develop the themes, which are inherent throughout the literary piece in question. As a reader, I have noticed that unlike the narrative novels which tend to be â€Å"telling† the story from the narrator’s or the author’s view, plays and poems generally show readers the events as they unravel. As the result, I do have a feeling of a participant when reading plays and poems than when reading

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Modern finance assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern finance - Assignment Example The formula is structured this way in order to make its analysis easier and more standardized. c. The investor in this case, by applying the model, understands the non feasibility of exercising the call option, since the price of the asset is lower than the strike price of 110. Question 2 a. Re = Ra + D/E(Ra-Rd) Firm A: 14% + 0.4(14%-9%) = 0.16 or 16% Firm B: 14% + 0.5(14%-9%) = 0.165 or 16.5% The return to equity represents the return required by shareholders. In this scenario, with all other factors constant, as the Debt to Equity ratios only differ, the results show that for Firm B, the shareholders require a 0.5% higher return than Firm A shareholders, due to the higher leverage. b. given the data, we also know that Risk = variance = w^2(a)*sigma(a)^2 + w(b)^2*sigma(b)^2 + 2w(a)w(b)*p*sigma(a)*sigma(b) i. 0.52*0.052 + 0.52*0.062 + (2*0.5*0.5*1*0.05*0.06) = 0.00303 Std dev = 5.5% ii. 0.52*0.052 + 0.52*0.062 + (2*0.5*0.5*-1*0.05*0.06) = 0.00003 Std dev = 0.5% iii. 0.52*0.052 + 0.52 *0.062 + (2*0.5*0.5*0.5*0.05*0.06) = 0.00228 Std dev = 4.77% c. ... Risk averse investors will usually never invest in risky assets and will play it safe. This means they will remain on or close to the Y axis of the graph below, taking on minimal or no risk and earning a low return. Investors with higher risk preferences will balance their portfolios with risky and risk free assets to achieve an optimal balanced portfolio which offers a return in line with risks. Their goal will be to reach the efficient frontier as shown below in the graph. Adding a risk free asset to a risk averse investors portfolio will not affect his return much. However, doing the same with a risk taking investor may reduce the return earned by the portfolio. As money used in the risk free asset could otherwise be utilized in higher risky assets to obtain a higher return. References Botkin, S. C. (2007). Lower your taxes-big time! : wealth-building, tax reduction secrets from an IRS insider. New York, McGraw-Hill. Chriss, N. (1997). Black-Scholes and beyond option pricing model s. New York, McGraw-Hill. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=51958. JA?GER, C., & BO?Ckhaus, C. F. (2011). The Black & Scholes formula and resulting advancements derivation and interpretation with special focus on the validity of the underlying assumptions. Aachen, Shaker. Siegel, J. G., Shim, J. K., Hartman, S., & Siegel, J. G. (1998). Schaum's quick guide to business formulas 201 decision-making tools for business, finance, and accounting students. New York, N.Y., McGraw-Hill.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Grades Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Grades - Research Paper Example According to the authors grading students on a single dimension does not adequately assess learning. For them, a grading plan should include elements such as class attendance and effort. When such a grading system is used, it is unfair to the students based on a number of factors. First, when behavior is used to grade students, it does not connect with students’ understanding of the course or subject. In every learning institution, there are different approaches used to monitor and punish unwanted behavior (Close, 380). For this reason, bad behavior should be punished by the relevant bodies as opposed to being included as part of the grade. If behavior is included as part of the grade, it generally becomes difficult to understand and interpret that grade in a meaningful way (Allen, 222). A grade should be a fair reflection of the student’s understanding and knowledge about a given subject, and this should not be combined with elements such as discipline as this will be misleading. Secondly, the use of these additional elements in determining a grade is based on the teacher’s â€Å"merged judgment† of these elements. This means that the teacher evaluates the student’s performances in these elements – behavior, efforts, interest etc- and assigns a collective score. For example, a student may be given grade B in a certain subject as opposed to grade A due to his low scores in other elements such as behavior and effort. Unfortunately, these factors are based on the merged judgment of the teacher and are not evident or explained in the final grade. A person looking at the student’s grade will not know which of these factors contributed to the final grade and the method used by the teacher in assigning scores to these elements. This gives a false impression of the student’s knowledge in that subject. Finally, including these

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Law and Social Order. Criminal justice in Canada Essay

Law and Social Order. Criminal justice in Canada - Essay Example Law and Social Order. Criminal justice in Canada In Canada, the criminal justice system stabilizes the objectives of crime control, prevention and protection of citizens’ rights (Grossman & Roberts, 15). The general justice system consists of three branches; legislative, adjudications, and finally corrections. The above three branches are very important in the criminal justice system, the legislative branch deals with the process of making laws that govern the country and assist In the implementation, of justice, in the country. While the adjudications part is where judgments are passed, and justice is accomplished, the corrections include jails and other probation facilities. Offenders are taken to the places whenever they are found guilty, one stays in the correctional facilities depending on the magnitude of one’s case. The police enhance the activities of criminal justice systems; they are the first individuals who are contacted when citizens have any problems. The courts serve as avenues where disputes are settle d and whomever, the judge in this case passes judgment and has the final say in the court.The criminal justice system is obliged to main functions, which all aim at protecting the society. It aims at controlling crime, preventing criminal activities from occurring now and then and finally maintaining justice In line with the laid down rules or the constitution (Klein, 695). The society makes it task of the institutions of the criminal justice system to control, prevent crime and maintenance of justice; law enforcement, courts and corrections. The police are responsible for law enforcement at both local and state levels. Discretion is judgment and judgment is exercised by applying ethics and values to facts. Actors in the criminal justice system substitute their judgments for formal statutory punishments in order to influence criminal justice system by the means. It allows judges to create their own judgments depending on their own views even if these judgments are not in line with t he rule of law. Criminal trials in Canada are done either before the judge alone or before the judge and jury. Although discretion is especially important in the criminal justice system, it can be abused. Some judgments are made wrongly, and the victims end up being charged for the crimes they did not commit. This is very common in the many courts where the judge makes a judgment without proper evidence and from hearsays. The police can abuse discretion by arresting a suspected criminal and putting them in jail for a crime not committed (Canadian Bar Association, 5). Although they are aimed at protecting the people of the community, they should have good evidence before making a claim. Law enforcers sometimes term investigations as a waste of time and money and the suspects are pushed to courts to be punished. The criminal justice system utilizes discretion to lessen the pressures they have in their system. The agencies are allowed to make decisions depending on the weight of the cr ime convicted; most of them are placed on home correction in order to avoid the congestion of jails and other correctional facilities. Therefore, most of the times discretionary decisions are based on the limitation of resources. However, not all discretionary decisions are based on this; they can also be based on politics, for example, police crackdown activities in search of something. Some people, however, argue that the use of discretion in the criminal justice system is not fair as some cases are withdrawn without a proper basis. They say that equality should be observed in the passing of judgments and that all cases should be treated in the same manner. This should not be the case because one cannot compare drunkenness while driving and a person who has been

Augustus de Morgan and George Boole s Contribution to Digital Electronics Essay Example for Free

Augustus de Morgan and George Boole s Contribution to Digital Electronics Essay Augustus De Morgan English mathematician and logician, was born in June 1806, at Madura, in the Madras presidency. His father, Colonel John De Morgan, was employed in the East India Companys service, and his grand father and great-grandfather had served under Warren Hastings. On the mothers side he was descended from JamesDodson,F. R. S. , author of the Anti-logarithmic Canon and other mathematical works of merit, and a friend of Abraham Demoivre. Seven months after the birth of Augustus, Colonel De Morgan brought his wife, daughter and infant son to England, where he left them during a subsequent period of service in India, dying in 1816 on his way home. Augustus De Morgan received his early education in several private schools, and before the age of fourteen years had learned Latin, Greek and some Hebrew, in addition to acquiring much general knowledge. At the age of sixteen years and a half he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, and studied mathematics, partly under the tuition of Sir G.  B. Airy. In 1825 he gained a Trinity scholarship. De Morgans love of wide reading somewhat interfered with his success in the mathematical tripos, in which he took the fourth place in 1827. He was prevented from taking his M. A. degree, or from obtaining a fellowship, by his conscientious objection to signing the theological tests then required from masters of arts and fellows at Cambridge. As a teacher of mathematics De Morgan was unrivalled. He gave instruction in the form of continuous lectures delivered extempore from brief notes. The most prolonged mathematical reasoning, and the most intricate formulae, were given with almost infallible accuracy from the resources of his extraordinary memory. De Morgans writings, however excellent, give little idea of the perspicuity and elegance of his viva voce expositions, which never failed to fix the attention of all who were worthy of hearing him. Many of his pupils have distinguished themselves, and, through Isaac Todhunter and E. J. Routh, he had an important influence on the later Cambridge school. I. n spite, however, of the excellence and extent of his mathematical writings, it is probably as a logical reformer that De Morgan will be best remembered. In this respect he stands alongside of his great contemporaries Sir W. R. Hamilton and George Boole, as one of several independent discoverers of the all-important principle of the quantification of the predicate. Unlike most mathematicians, De Morgan always laid much stress upon the importance of logical training. In his admirable papers upon the modes of teaching arithmetic and geometry, originally published in the Quarterly Journal of Education (reprinted in The Schoolmaster, vol ii. ), he remonstrated against the neglect of logical doctrine. In 1839 he produced a small work called First Notions of Logic, giving what he had found by experience to be much wanted by students commencing with [[Euclid]]. In October 1846 he completed the first of his investigations, in the form of a paper printed in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (vol. iii. No. 29). In this paper the principle of the quantified predicate was referred to, and there immediately ensued a memorable controversy with Sir W. R. Hamilton regarding the independence of De Morgans discovery, some communications having passed between them in the autumn of 1846. The details of this dispute will be found in the original pamphlets, in the [[Athenaeum]] and in the appendix to De Morgans Formal Logic. Suffice it to say that the independence of De Morgans discovery was subsequently recognized by Hamilton. The eight forms of proposition adopted by De Morgan as the basis of his system partially differ from those which Hamilton derived from the quantified predicate. The general character of De Morgans development of logical forms was wholly peculiar and original on his part. Late in 1847 De Morgan published his principal logical treatise, called Formal Logic, or the Calculus of Inference, Necessary and Probable. This contains a reprint of the First Notions, an elaborate development of his doctrine of the syllogism, and of the numerical definite syllogism, together with chapters of great interest on probability, induction, old logical terms and fallacies. The severity of the treatise is relieved by characteristic touches of humour, and by quaint anecdotes and allusions furnished from his wide reading and perfect memory. There followed at intervals, in the years 1850, 1858,1860 and 1863, a series of four elaborate memoirs on the Syllogism, printed in volumes ix. nd x. of the Cambridge Philosophical Transactions. These papers taken together constitute a great treatise on logic, in which he substituted improved systems of notation, and developed a new logic of relations, and a new onymatic system of logical expression. In 1860 De Morgan endeavoured to render their contents better known by publishing a [[Syllabus]] of a Proposed System of Logic, from which may be obtained a good idea of his symbolic system, but the more readable and interesting discussions contained in the memoirs are of necessity omitted. The article Logic in the English Cyclopaedia (1860) completes the list of his logical publications. Throughout his logical writings De Morgan was led by the idea that the followers of the two great branches of exact science, logic and mathematics, had made blunders, the logicians in neglecting mathematics, and the mathematicians in neglecting logic. He endeavoured to reconcile them, and in the attempt showed how many errors an acute mathematician could detect in logical writings, and how large a field there was for discovery. But it may be doubted whether De Morgans own system, horrent with mysterious spiculae, as Hamilton aptly described it, is fitted to exhibit the real analogy between quantitative and qualitative reasoning, which is rather to be sought in the logical works of Boole. Perhaps the largest part, in volume, of De Morgans writings remains still to be briefly mentioned; it consists of detached articles contributed to various periodical or composite works. During the years 1833-1843 he contributed very largely to the first edition of the [[Penny]] Cyclopaedia, writing chiefly on mathematics, astronomy, physics and biography. His articles of various length cannot be less in number than 850, and they have been estimated to constitute a sixth part of the whole Cyclopaedia, of which they formed perhaps the most valuable portion. He also wrote biographies of Sir Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley for Knights British Worthies, various notices of scientific men for the [[Gallery]] of Portraits, and for the uncompleted Biographical Dictionary of the Useful Knowledge Society, and at least seven articles in Smiths Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography. Some of De Morgans most interesting and useful minor writings are to be found in the Companions to the British Almanack, to which he contributed without fail one article each year from 1831 up to 1857 inclusive. In these carefully written papers he treats a great variety of topics relating to astronomy, chronology, decimal coinage, life assurance, bibliography and the history of science. Most of them are as valuable now as when written. Among De Morgans miscellaneous writings may be mentioned his Explanation of the Gnomonic Projection of the Sphere, 1836, including a description of the maps of the stars, published by the Useful Know ledge Society; his Treatise on the Globes, Celestial and Terrestrial,1845, and his remarkable [[Book]] of Almanacks (2nd edition, 1871), which contains a series of thirty-five almanacs, so arranged with indices of reference, that the almanac for any year, whether in old style or new, from any epoch, ancient or modern, up to A.  D. 2000, may be found without difficulty, means being added for verifying the almanac and also for discovering the days of new and full moon from 2000 B. c. up to A. D. 2000. De Morgan expressly draws attention to the fact that the plan of this book was that of L. B. Francoeur and J. Ferguson, but the plan was developed by one who was an unrivalled master of all the intricacies of chronology. The two best tables of logarithms, the small five-figure tables of the Useful Knowledge Society 1839 and 1857), and Shroens Seven Figure-Table (5th ed. , 1865), were printed under De Morgans superintendence. Several works edited by him will be found mentioned in the British Museum Catalogue. He made numerous anonymous contributions through a long series of years to the Athenaeum, and to Notes and Queries, and occasionally to The North British Review, Macmillans Magazine, c.  Considerable labour was spent by De Morgan upon the subject of decimal coinage. He was a great advocate of the pound and mil scheme. His evidence on this subject was sought by the Royal Commission, and, besides constantly supporting the Decimal Association in periodical publications, he published several separate pamphlets on the subject. In 1866 his life became clouded by the circumstances which led him to abandon the institution so long the scene of his labours. The refusal of the council to accept the recommendation of the senate, that they should appoint an eminent Unitarian minister to the professorship of logic and mental philosophy, revived all De Morgans sensitiveness on the subject of sectarian freedom; and, though his feelings were doubtless excessive, there is no doubt that gloom was thrown over his life, intensified in 1867 by the loss of his son George Campbell De Morgan, a young man of the highest scientific promise, whose name, as De Morgan expressly wished, will long be connected with the London Mathematical Society, of which he was one of the founders. From this time De Morgan rapidly fell into ill-health, previously almost unknown to him, dying on the 18th of March 1871. An interesting and truthful sketch of his life will be found in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society for the 9th of February 1872, vol. xxii. p. 112, written by A. C. Ranyard, who says, He was the kindliest, as well as the most learned of men benignant to every one who approached him, never forgetting the claims which weakness has on strength. De Morgan left no published indications of his opinions on religious questions, in regard to which he was extremely reticent. He seldom or never entered a place of worship, and declared that he could not listen to a sermon, a circumstance perhaps due to the extremely strict religious discipline under which he was brought up. Nevertheless there is reason to believe that he VIII. 1 a was of a deeply religious disposition. Like M. Faraday and Sir I.  Newton he entertained a confident belief in Providence, founded not on any tenuous inference, but on personal feeling. His hope of a future life also was vivid to the last. George Boole George Booles father, John Boole (1779–1848), was a tradesman of limited means, but of studious character and active mind. Being especially interested in mathematical science and logic, the father gave his son his first lessons; but the extraordinary mathematical talents of George Boole did not manifest themselves in early life. At first, his favorite subject was classics. It was not until his successful establishment of a school at Lincoln, its removal to Waddington, and later his appointment in 1849 as the first professor of mathematics of then Queens College, Cork in Ireland (now University College Cork, where the library, underground lecture theatre complex and the Boole Centre for Research in Informatics are named in his honour) that his mathematical skills were fully realized. In 1855 he married Mary Everest (niece of George Everest), who later, as Mrs. Boole, wrote several useful educational works on her husbands principles. To the broader public Boole was known only as the author of numerous abstruse papers on mathematical topics, and of three or four distinct publications that have become standard works. His earliest published paper was the Researches in the theory of analytical transformations, with a special application to the reduction of the general equation of the second order. printed in the Cambridge Mathematical Journal in February 1840 , and it led to a friendship between Boole and D. F. Gregory, the editor of the journal, which lasted until the premature death of the latter in 1844. A long list of Booles memoirs and detached papers, both on logical and mathematical topics, are found in the Catalogue of Scientific Memoirs published by the Royal Society, and in the supplementary volume on Differential Equations, edited by Isaac Todhunter. To the Cambridge Mathematical Journal and its successor, the Cambridge and Dublin Mathematical Journal, Boole contributed twenty-two articles in all. In the third and fourth series of the Philosophical Magazine are found sixteen papers. The Royal Society printed six important memoirs in the Philosophical Transactions, and a few other memoirs are to be found in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Royal Irish Academy, in the Bulletin de lAcademie de St-Petersbourg for 1862 (under the name G Boldt, vol. iv. pp. 198–215), and in Crelles Journal. Also included is a paper on the mathematical basis of logic, published in the Mechanics Magazine in 1848. The works of Boole are thus contained in about fifty scattered articles and a few separate publications. Only two systematic treatises on mathematical subjects were completed by Boole during his lifetime. The well-known Treatise on Differential Equations appeared in 1859, and was followed, the next year, by a Treatise on the Calculus of Finite Differences, designed to serve as a sequel to the former work. These treatises are valuable contributions to the important branches of mathematics in question. To a certain extent these works embody the more important discoveries of their author. In the sixteenth and seventeenth chapters of the Differential Equations we find, for instance, an account of the general symbolic method, the bold and skilful employment of which led to Booles chief discoveries, and of a general method in analysis, originally described in his famous memoir printed in the Philosophical Transactions for 1844. Boole was one of the most eminent of those who perceived that the symbols of operation could be separated from those of quantity and treated as distinct objects of calculation. His principal characteristic was perfect confidence in any result obtained by the treatment of symbols in accordance with their primary laws and conditions, and an almost unrivalled skill and power in tracing out these results. During the last few years of his life Boole was constantly engaged in extending his researches with the object of producing a second edition of his Differential Equations much more complete than the first edition, and part of his last vacation was spent in the libraries of the Royal Society and the British Museum; but this new edition was never completed. Even the manuscripts left at his death were so incomplete that Todhunter, into whose hands they were put, found it impossible to use them in the publication of a second edition of the original treatise, and printed them, in 1865, in a supplementary volume. With the exception of Augustus de Morgan, Boole was probably the first English mathematician since the time of John Wallis who had also written upon logic. His novel views of logical method were due to the same profound confidence in symbolic reasoning to which he had successfully trusted in mathematical investigation. Speculations concerning a calculus of reasoning had at different times occupied Booles thoughts, but it was not till the spring of 1847 that he put his ideas into the pamphlet called Mathematical Analysis of Logic. Boole afterwards regarded this as a hasty and imperfect exposition of his logical system, and he desired that his much larger work, An Investigation of the Laws of Thought, on Which are Founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities (1854), should alone be considered as containing a mature statement of his views. Nevertheless, there is a charm of originality about his earlier logical work that is easy to appreciate.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Advertising Uses Essay Example for Free

Advertising Uses Essay Advertising: Information tool, manipulation tool, or Beyond? The impact of advertising in our society is a fiercely debated topic, and has been ever since its conception in its most basic form. Advertisers make their ads stand out by using humor, ongoing story lines, unexpected dialogue, unusual techniques, attention-getting spokespersons, or simply by repeating the ads so often that people can’t help but remember them. According to the majority advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to inform or persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service. This is not a surprise, advertisements are everywhere. Society is so used to it that they just see it as a tool for letting others know about a product. The majority sees advertisement as an information tool. Unfortunately advertising doesn’t have that purpose anymore. According to Chuck Blore said: â€Å"Advertising is the art of arresting the human intelligence just long enough to get money from it†. Just until the 1800’s advertising was an information tool, then it became a manipulation tool because of mass production during the industrial revolution. Everything stayed the same until the 21st century. This century had changed the whole concept of advertising, now advertising is something beyond information or manipulation. Advertising is a tool to create costumers (yes, create!). Now publicists create needs, preferences, beliefs, points of views, and everything they need to get money without measuring their acts. Advertisers are changing customers’ true desires instead of selling their products to the ones who needs them. Advertisers create needs. Its not true that every time someone sees a Burger King ad he/she is hungry, its just part of the advertiser’s job. They make every ad incredibly appealing so that everyone who sees it believes that he needs a burger right away, or at least something to eat. Haven’t you noticed that those kinds of ads are always close enough to the respective restaurant, and it’s not just in the food business that advertisers create needs? They do it in every opportunity they have, such as apparels, technology, etc. Advertisers create preferences. They build desires and preferences every time they have to present a product that isn’t for everyone. Advertisers show products as unique and incredible. The costumers believe they need them right away. What advertisers do is create an image of a product that will make costumers buy it without thinking it twice; it will create such a huge desire for that product that costumers will feel the need for buying it even though it can be a product that they wouldn’t be interested before the ad. Advertisers create beliefs and points of view. They do everything for achieve their selling goals; they don’t care about the costumer real desires. Advertising is in such a position that it can make costumers change the way they see themselves, the way they see others, and they way they feel about their lives. In this case there are examples such as all the commercials with models that make costumers feel insecure with their bodies (no matter the gender). Also ads that insist with the idea of getting thinner with machines or pills â€Å"without doing exercise† making costumers believe that everything works. Advertisers create perceived difference and make them feel that a particular product is different. Most of the time the difference is simply the audience the company wants to target. Unfortunately one of the biggest consequences of abusive advertisement is that most of the advertisers are targeting kids affecting their way of thinking and all their interests. Kids fourteen and under spend an estimated $20 billion a year and influence purchases by parents, grandparents, and others to the tune of $200 billion a year. As a result, advertisers spend big bucks to reach kids: an estimated $800 million for programs alone. Experts say that children are particularly vulnerable to the persuasive effects of advertising, especially television commercials. â€Å"Kids are the most pure consumers you could have,† says Debra McMahon, a vice-president at Mercer Management Consulting. â€Å"They tend to interpret your ad literally. They are infinitely open.† The child as in-house salesperson is a powerful friend to advertisers. Because of this, some advertisers are very concerned with the society, because a lot of advertisers are just trying to sell the product witho ut limits. They don’t think about the audience that can see their ads. Advertising has become really intense during the past years. They are trying to sell their products or services without a limit, without respecting the costumers. It should be controlled, definitely. Advertising, too, should be held to the truth, as many people take it at face value and ingenuously believe all or most of what is said. That’s why there are associations promoting responsible advertising like the International Advertising Association (IAA) and Advertising Educational Foundation. Also there are advertising ethics that are being discussed, ethics that should be present when an ad comes out for the rest of the world. Advertising should be more socially responsible, because advertising is just one of the most important social influences in a capitalistic economy, like ours. And using media as its vehicle is a pervasive, powerful force shaping attitudes and behavior in todays world. As the media grows, the number of advertisements increases everyday and it plays a substantial role in people’s life because we are bombarded with thousands of advertising messages daily. The industry should concentrate more on the advertising ethics, and how to satisfy the consumers, instead of manipulating the consumer into buying their product, misinforming, tricking people for their own financial gain and creating negative social impacts. Advertising must be truthful, not misleading, ambiguous, or make wrong factual claims that can get consumers to buy inferior products thinking these products can deliver more. Advertising should be creative, and who says you can’t direct your creative abilities towards projects that aim to do good? Advertising should be responsible, so that it helps to contribute a positive effect on our society and the environment. I do not wish to see advertising eliminated from the contemporary world, because it is an important element in todays society, especially in the functioning of a market economy, which is becoming more and more widespread. I do wish that the world of advertising change and can be limited to be used as an information tool, not manipulation or â€Å"beyond that†, and hopefully in the future we’ll have the chance to see on magazines, billboards and TVs ethical and responsible ads, because as Chris Moore said once â€Å"Advertisers are in the business of communicating with thousands, even millions, of others all the time. That gives us thousands or millions of chances to practice what we believe every day. And try to get it right†. References Day, Nancy. Advertising: Information or manipulation? Enslow Publisher, 1999. Scivicque, Christine. December de 2007. February de 2011.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Creation of God and the Universe

The Creation of God and the Universe Does God really exist? How can we know? If God made everything, who made God? In our everyday experience, just about everything seems to have a beginning. In fact, the laws of science show that even things which look the same through our lifetime, like the sun and other stars, are running down. The sun is using up its fuel at millions of tons each second. Since, therefore, it cannot last forever, it had to have a beginning. The same can be shown to be true for the entire universe. So when Christians claim that the God of the Bible created the entire universe, some will ask what seems a logical question, namely â€Å"Where did God come from?† The Bible makes it clear in many places that God is outside of time. He is eternal, with no beginning or end—He is infinite! He also knows all things, being infinitely intelligent. Is this logical? Can modern science allow for such a notion? And how could you recognize the evidence for an intelligent Creator? The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding . The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of Gods existence are: The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason. The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are: The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause. The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature. The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. Conscience and human history testify that â€Å"verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.† Matthew G. Easton How to recognize intelligence Scientists get excited about finding stone tools in a cave because these speak of intelligence—a tool maker. They could not have designed themselves. Neither would anyone believe that the carved Presidents heads on Mt. Rushmore were the product of millions of years of chance erosion. We can recognize design—the evidence of the outworkings of intelligence—in the man-made objects all around us. Similarly, in William Paleys famous argument, a watch implies a watchmaker.Today, however, a large proportion of people, including many leading scientists, believe that all plants and animals, including the incredibly complex brains of the people who make watches, motor cars, etc., were not designed by an intelligent God but rather came from an unintelligent evolutionary process. But is this a defensible position? Design in living things Molecular biologist Dr. Michael Denton, writing as an agnostic, concluded: Alongside the level of ingenuity and complexity exhibited by the molecular machinery of life, even our most advanced [twentieth century technology appears] clumsy. It would be an illusion to think that what we are aware of at present is any more than a fraction of the full extent of biological design. In practically every field of fundamental biological research ever-increasing levels of design and complexity are being revealed at an ever-accelerating rate. The world-renowned crusader for Darwinism and atheism, Prof. Richard Dawkins, states: We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully â€Å"designed† to have come into existence by chance. Thus, even the most ardent atheist concedes that design is all around us. To a Christian, the design we see all around us is totally consistent with the Bibles explanation that God created all. However, evolutionists like Dawkins reject the idea of a Designer. He comments (emphasis added): All appearance to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way. A true watchmaker has foresight: he designs his cogs and springs, and plans their interconnections, with future purpose in his minds eye. Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation for the existence and apparently purposeful form of all life, has no purpose in mind†¦ It has no mind†¦ It does not plan for the future†¦ it is the blind watchmaker. Selection and design Life is built on information, contained in that molecule of heredity, DNA. Dawkins believes that natural selectionand mutations (blind, purposeless copying mistakes in this DNA) together provide the mechanism for producing the vast amounts of information responsible for the design in living things. Natural selection is a logical process that can be observed. However, selection can only operate on the information already contained in genes—it does not produce new information.distinct kinds of animals and plants, each to reproduce after its own kind. One can observe great variation in a kind,and see the results of natural selection. For instance, dingoes, wolves and coyotes have developed over time as a result of natural selection operating on the information in the genes of the wolf/dog kind. But no new information was produced—these varieties have resulted from rearrangement, and sorting out, of the information in the original dog kind. One kind has never been observed to change into a totally different kind with new information that previously did not exist! Without a way to increase information, natural selection will not work as a mechanism for evolution. Evolutionists agree with this, but they believe that mutations somehow provide the new information for natural selection to act upon. Can mutations produce new information? Actually, it is now clear that the answer is no! Dr. Lee Spetner, a highly qualified scientist who taught information and communication theory at Johns Hopkins University, makes this abundantly clear in his recent book: In this chapter Ill bring several examples of evolution, [i.e., instances alleged to be examples of evolution] particularly mutations, and show that information is not increased But in all the reading Ive done in the life-sciences literature, Ive never found a mutation that added information. All point mutations that have been studied on the molecular level turn out to reduce the genetic information and not to increase it. The NDT [neo-Darwinian theory] is supposed to explain how the information of life has been built up by evolution. The essential biological difference between a human and a bacterium is in the information they contain. All other biological differences follow from that. The human genome has much more information than does the bacterial genome. Information cannot be built up by mutations that lose it. A business cant make money by losing it a little at a time. Evolutionary scientists have no way around the conclusions that many scientists, including Dr. Spetner, have come to. Mutations do not work as a mechanism to fuel the evolutionary process. [For further information, see: Can genetic mutations produce positive changes in living creatures? Answer] More problems! Scientists have found that within the cell, there are thousands of what can be called biochemical machines. All of their parts have to be in place simultaneously or the cell cant function. Things which were thought to be simple mechanisms, such as being able to sense light and turn it into electrical impulses, are in fact highly complicated. Since life is built on these machines, the idea that natural processes could have made a living system is untenable. Biochemist Dr. Michael Behe uses the term irreducible complexity in describing such biochemical machines. †¦systems of horrendous, irreducible complexity inhabit the cell. The resulting realization that life was designed by an intelligence is a shock to us in the twentieth century who have gotten used to thinking of life as the result of simple natural laws. But other centuries have had their shocks, and there is no reason to suppose that we should escape them. Richard Dawkins recognizes this problem of needing machinery to start with when he states: The theory of the blind watchmaker is extremely powerful given that we are allowed to assume replication and hence cumulative selection. But if replication needs complex machinery, since the only way we know for complex machinery ultimately to come into existence is cumulative selection, we have a problem. A problem indeed! The more we look into the workings of life, the more complicated it gets, and the more we see that life could not arise by itself. Not only is a source of information needed, but the complex machines of the chemistry of life need to be in existence right from the start! A greater problem still! Some still try to insist that the machinery of the first cell could have arisen by pure chance. For instance, they say, by randomly drawing alphabet letters in sequence from a hat, sometimes you will get a simple word like BAT.So given long time periods, why couldnt even more complex information arise by chance? However, what would the word BAT mean to a German or Chinese speaker? The point is that an order of letters is meaningless unless there is a language convention and a translation system in place which makes it meaningful! In a cell, there is such a system (other molecules) that makes the order on the DNA meaningful. DNA without the language/translation system is meaningless, and these systems without the DNA wouldnt work either. The other complication is that the translation machinery which reads the order of the letters in the DNA is itself specified by the DNA! This is another one of those machines that needs to be fully-formed or life wont work. Can information arise from non-information? Dr. Werner Gitt, Director and Professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, makes it clear that one of the things we know absolutely for sure from science, is that information cannot arise from disorder by chance. It always takes (greater) information to produce information, and ultimately information is the result of intelligence: A code system is always the result of a mental process (it requires an intelligent origin or inventor) It should be emphasized that matter as such is unable to generate any code. All experiences indicate that a thinking being voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity, is required. There is no known natural law through which matter can give rise to information, neither is any physical process or material phenomenon known that can do this. What is the source of the information? We can therefore deduce that the huge amount of information in living things must originally have come from an intelligence, which had to have been far superior to ours, as scientists are revealing every day. But then, some will say that such a source would have to be caused by something with even greater information/intelligence. However, if they reason like this, one could ask where this greater information/intelligence came from? And then where did that one come from . one could extrapolate to infinity, for ever, unless . Unless there was a source of infinite intelligence, beyond our finite understanding. But isnt this what the Bible indicates when we read, In the beginning God .? The God of the Bible is an infinite being not bound by limitations of time, space, knowledge, or anything else. So which is the logically defensible position?—that matter eternally existed (or came into existence by itself for no reason), and then by itself arranged itself into information systems against everything observed in real science? Or that a being with infinite intelligence,created information systems for life to exist, agreeing with real science? The answer seems obvious, so why dont all intelligent scientists accept this? Michael Behe answers: Many people, including many important and well-respected scientists, just dont want there to be anything beyond nature. They dont want a supernatural being to affect nature, no matter how brief or constructive the interaction may have been. In other words . they bring an a priori philosophical commitment to their science that restricts what kinds of explanations they will accept about the physical world. Sometimes this leads to rather odd behavior. The crux of the matter is this: If one accepts there is a God who created us, then that God also owns us. He thus has a right to set the rules by which we must live. In the Bible, He has revealed to us that we are in rebellion against our Creator. Because of this rebellion called sin, our physical bodies are sentenced to death—but we will live on, either with God, or without Him in a place of judgment. But the good news is that our Creator provided, through the cross of Jesus Christ, a means of deliverance for our sin of rebellion, so that those who come to Him in faith, in repentance for their sin, can receive the forgiveness of a Holy God and spend forever with their Lord. [Watch The HOPE on-line (streaming video)] So who created God? By definition, an infinite, eternal being has always existed—no one created God. He is the self-existing one—the great I am of the Bible.19 He is outside of time; in fact, He created time. You might say, â€Å"But that means I have to accept this by faith, as I cant understand it.† We read in the book of Hebrews, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). But this is not blind faith, as some think. In fact, the evolutionists who deny God have a blind faith—they have to believe something that is against real science—namely, that information can arise from disorder by chance. Can you believe in the existence of something that you cannot see? Have you ever seen your own brain? We all believe in many things that we have never seen. Have you ever seen the wind? Have you seen history? We see the effects of the wind, but the wind is invisible. We have records of history, but it is by faith we believe that certain historical events happened. Television waves are invisible, but an antenna and a receiver can detect their presence. Do you know that you have a receiver? Prior to becoming a child of God, your receiver (your spirit) is dead because of sin (see Ephesians 2:1). You need to be plugged into the life of God, and then you will come alive and be aware of the invisible spiritual realm. Learn more about God and his plan for your life Adapted from author Ray Comfort See these information sources for evidence of God and the accuracy of His Word†¦ The Christian faith is not a blind faith; it is a logically defensible faith. This is why the Bible makes it clear that anyone who does not believe in God is without excuse: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). For a more in-depth article, read: Who created God? Who created God? A number of skeptics ask this question. But God by definition is the uncreated creator of the universe, so the question Who created God? is illogical, just like To whom is the bachelor married? So a more sophisticated questioner might ask: If the universe needs a cause, then why doesnt God need a cause? And if God doesnt need a cause, why should the universe need a cause? In reply, Christians should use the following reasoning: Everything which has a beginning has a cause.1 The universe has a beginning. Therefore the universe has a cause. Its important to stress the words in bold type. The universe requires a cause because it had a beginning, as will be shown below. God, unlike the universe, had no beginning, so doesnt need a cause. In addition, Einsteins general relativity, which has much experimental support, shows that time is linked to matter and space. So time itself would have begun along with matter and space. Since God, by definition, is the creator of the whole universe, he is the creator of time. Therefore He is not limited by the time dimension He created, so has no beginning in time God is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (Isaiah 57:15). Therefore He doesnt have a cause. In contrast, there is good evidence that the universe had a beginning. This can be shown from the Laws of Thermodynamics, the most fundamental laws of the physical sciences. 1st Law: The total amount of mass-energy in the universe is constant. 2nd Law: The amount of energy available for work is running out, or entropy is increasing to a maximum. If the total amount of mass-energy is limited, and the amount of usable energy is decreasing, then the universe cannot have existed forever, otherwise it would already have exhausted all usable energy the heat death of the universe. For example, all radioactive atoms would have decayed, every part of the universe would be the same temperature, and no further work would be possible. So the obvious corollary is that the universe began a finite time ago with a lot of usable energy, and is now running down. Now, what if the questioner accepts that the universe had a beginning, but not that it needs a cause? But it is self-evident that things that begin have a cause no-one really denies it in his heart. All science and history would collapse if this law of cause and effect were denied. So would all law enforcement, if the police didnt think they needed to find a cause for a stabbed body or a burgled house. Also, the universe cannot be self-caused nothing can create itself, because that would mean that it existed before it came into existence, which is a logical absurdity. IN SUMMARY The universe (including time itself) can be shown to have had a beginning. It is unreasonable to believe something could begin to exist without a cause. The universe therefore requires a cause, just as Romans 1:20 teach. God, as creator of time, is outside of time. Since therefore He has no beginning in time, He has always existed, so doesnt need a cause. OBJECTIONS There are only two ways to refute an argument: Show that it is logically invalid Show that at least one of the premises is false. Is the argument valid? A valid argument is one where it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false. Note that validity does not depend on the truth of the premises, but on the form of the argument. The argument in this article is valid; it is of the same form as: All whales have backbones; Moby Dick is a whale; therefore Moby Dick has a backbone. So the only hope for the skeptic is to dispute one or both of the premises. Are the premises true? 1. Does the universe have a beginning? Oscillating universe ideas were popularized by atheists like the late Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov solely to avoid the notion of a beginning, with its implications of a Creator. But as shown above, the Laws of Thermodynamics undercut that argument. Even an oscillating universe cannot overcome those laws. Each one of the hypothetical cycles would exhaust more and more usable energy. This means every cycle would be larger and longer than the previous one, so looking back in time there would be smaller and smaller cycles. So the multicycle model could have an infinite future, but can only have a finite past.2 Also, there are many lines of evidence showing that there is far too little mass for gravity to stop expansion and allow cycling in the first place, i.e., the universe is open. According to the best estimates (even granting old-earth assumptions), the universe still has only about half the mass needed for re-contraction. This includes the combined total of both luminous matter and non-luminous matter (found in galactic halos), as well as any possible contribution of neutrinos to total mass.3 Some recent evidence for an open universe comes from the number of light-bending gravitational lenses in the sky.6 It seems there is only 40-80% of the required matter to cause a big crunch. Incidentally, this low mass is also a major problem for the currently fashionable inflationary version of the big bang theory, as this predicts a mass density just on the threshold of collapse a flat universe. Finally, no known mechanism would allow a bounce back after a hypothetical big crunch.7 As the late Professor Beatrice Tinsley of Yale explained, even though the mathematics say that the universe oscillates, There is no known physical mechanism to reverse a catastrophic big crunch. Off the paper and into the real world of physics, those models start from the Big Bang, expand, collapse, and thats the end. 2. Denial of cause and effect Some physicists assert that quantum mechanics violates this cause/effect principle and can produce something from nothing. For instance, Paul Davies writes: spacetime could appear out of nothingness as a result of a quantum transition. Particles can appear out of nowhere without specific causation Yet the world of quantum mechanics routinely produces something out of nothing.9 But this is a gross misapplication of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics never produces something out of nothing. Davies himself admitted on the previous page that his scenario should not be taken too seriously. Theories that the universe is a quantum fluctuation must presuppose that there was something to fluctuate their quantum vacuum is a lot of matter-antimatter potential not nothing. Also, I have plenty of theoretical and practical experience at quantum mechanics (QM) from my doctoral thesis work. For example, Raman spectroscopy is a QM phenomenon, but from the wavenumber and intensity of the spectral bands, we can work out the masses of the atoms and force constants of the bonds causing the bands. To help the atheist position that the universe came into existence without a cause, one would need to find Raman bands appearing without being caused by transitions in vibrational quantum states, or alpha particles appearing without pre-existing nuclei, etc. If QM was as acausal as some people think, then we should not assume that these phenomena have a cause. Then I may as well burn my Ph.D. thesis, and all the spectroscopy journals should quit, as should any nuclear physics research. Also, if there is no cause, there is no explanation why this particular universe appeared at a particular time, nor why it was a universe and not, say, a banana or cat which appeared. This universe cant have any properties to explain its preferential coming into existence, because it wouldnt have any properties until it actually came into existence. Is creation by God rational? A last desperate tactic by skeptics to avoid a theistic conclusion is to assert that creation in time is incoherent. Davies correctly points out that since time itself began with the beginning of the universe, it is meaningless to talk about what happened before the universe began. But he claims that causes must precede their effects. So if nothing happened before the universe began, then (according to Davies) it is meaningless to discuss the cause of the universes beginning. But the philosopher (and New Testament scholar) William Lane Craig, in a useful critique of Davies,10 pointed out that Davies is deficient in philosophical knowledge. Philosophers have long discussed the notion of simultaneous causation. Immanuel Kant (17241804) gave the example of a weight resting on a cushion simultaneously causing a depression in it. Craig says: The first moment of time is the moment of Gods creative act and of creations simultaneous coming to be. Some skeptics claim that all this analysis is tentative, because that is the nature of science. So this cant be used to prove creation by God. Of course, skeptics cant have it both ways: saying that the Bible is wrong because science has proved it so, but if science appears consistent with the Bible, then well, science is tentative anyway. A final thought The Bible informs us that time is a dimension that God created, into which man was subjected. It even tells us that one day time will no longer exist. That will be called â€Å"eternity.† God Himself dwells outside of the dimension He created (Titus 1:2). He dwells in eternity and is not subject to time. God spoke history before it came into being. He can move through time as a man flips through a history book. Because we live in the dimension of time, it is impossible for us to fully understand anything that does not have a beginning and an end. Simply accept that fact, and believe the concept of Gods eternal nature the same way you believe the concept of space having no beginning and end—by faith—even though such thoughts put a strain on our distinctly insufficient cerebrum. Paul S. Taylor, adapted from author Ray Comfort Further Reading More information can be found in the following works. Unfortunately they are too friendly towards the unscriptural big bang theory with its billions of years of death, suffering and disease before Adams sin. But the above arguments are perfectly consistent with a recent creation in six consecutive normal days, as taught by Scripture. Craig, W.L., Apologetics: An Introduction (Chicago: Moody, 1984). Craig, W.L. online article â€Å"The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe† http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth11.html Geisler, N.L., Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1976). How does archaeology conclusively demonstrate the Bible to be reliable and unique among all the holy books of world religions? Archaeological discoveries verify the historical reliability of the Old and New Testaments. When compared to other religious books, the titles, and events mentioned in the Bible; and the language and literary formats used to compose the Bible. Many scholars today question the validity of Biblical accounts, supposedly based on the findings of archaeology (i.e. misinterpretation of evidence, lack of evidence, or poor scholarship) and not with the Bible. How can archaeology prove helpful to someone seeking for truth to the basic questions about life? The discoveries of archaeology can be helpful in removing doubts that a person might have about the historical trustworthiness of the Bible. The places, and events of the Bible are real. What Gods Word? Any one discovery can be explained away as coincidence, or an alternative interpretation can be given to disassociate it from the Bible. It is the weight of a myriad of discoveries that demonstrates the Bible to be the Word of God. These discoveries fall into three categories: Archaeological evidence demonstrates the historical and cultural accuracy of the Bible. The Bibles message of a salvation stands in sharp contrast to the pagan fertility religions of the ancient world as, revealed by archaeology. Archaeological findings demonstrate that the Biblical prophets accurately predicted events hundreds of years before they occurred—something that lies beyond the capability of mere men. Where did Cain get his wife? We dont even know her name, yet she was discussed at the wife in history? Scripture and, thus, the Christian faith. For instance, at the historic Scopes trial in Tennessee in 1925, William Jennings Bryan, the prosecutor who stood for the Christian faith, failed to answer the question about [3] lawyer Clarence Darrow. The worlds press was focused on this trial, and what they heard has affected Christianity to this day—Christians are seen as unable to defend the biblical record. And skeptics then make the logically fallacious jump of concluding that the biblical record is indefensible! The agnostic Carl Sagan used this same question in his book ContactContact,† which was based on Sagans book, also used it. In the book, the fictional character Ellie could not get answers about [6] Sagan cleverly used common questions—such as â€Å"Who was Cains wife?†Ã¢â‚¬â€questions that are often directed at Christians in an attempt to prove the Bible cannot be defended. Sadly, most Christians probably could not answer these questions! And yet, there are answers. But, since most churches are lacking in the teaching of 1 Peter 3:15). Why is it important? Many skeptics have claimed that, for New Testament doctrines depend. Defenders of the Genesis 4:1-5:5.) Before we answer this question, we will first show how important it is to the meaning of the gospel. The first man Therefore, even as through one man Romans 5:12). We read in God did not start by making a whole group of men. The sin of rebellion, also passed on to all his descendants. Since return to God! Because a man brought Romans 3:23). What is the solution? The Last Adam pay the penalty for sin: â€Å"For since by a man came [8] God. Since the Bible describes all human beings as gospel could not be explained or defended. The Hebrews 2:11-18). Thus, only descendants of the first man saved. All related Thus, there was only one man at the beginning—made from the Genesis 2:7). This also means that Adams descendants. The first woman In Eve—she was the first woman. marriage of one man to one woman. Also, in animals, he could not find a mate—there was no one of his kind. All this makes it obvious that there was only one woman, Eves descendants. If Christians cannot defend that all humans (including gospel and all that it teaches. Cains brothers and sisters Genesis 4:25), were part of the first generation of children ever born on this earth. Even though only these three males are mentioned by name, Genesis 5:3) before Seth was born. During their lives, Adams children, as says the old tradition, was thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters.† The Genesis 1:28). The wife If we now work totally from Scripture, without any personal prejudices or other extra-biblical ideas, then back at the beginning, when there was only the first generation, brothers would have had to have married sisters or there would be no more generations! We are not told when marriages and children, but we can say for certain that some brothers had to marry their sisters at the beginning of human history. But what about Gods Laws? Many people immediately reject the conclusion that Gods law originally when close relatives (even brothers and sisters) married each other. Remember that Moses laws that forbade such marriages. Biological deformities Today, brothers and sisters (and half-brothers and half-sisters, etc.) are not permitted by law to marry because their children have an unacceptably high risk of being deformed. The more closely the parents are related, the more likely it is that any offspring will be d

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Bacillus Anthracis :: Medical Biology Bacteria Essays

Bacillus Anthracis Background: Bacillus anthracis is a gram-positive spore-forming rod. It was the first bacterium to be used to prove that bacteria caused diseases, when Robert Koch (1877) produced anthrax spores and injected them into animals. Bacillus anthracis is a commonly found in soil of grazing areas. Bacillus anthracis is not a major threat to humans and natural cases are rare even where spores are present. Encounter: Bacillus anthracis is commonly found in soil in low amounts. It affects livestock and can be transmitted to humans through improper handing of an infected animal or by eating undercooked meat from the animal. It is rare for human-to-human infection. Types of Infections and Symptoms: There are 3 main ways that anthrax can infect you. Cutaneous infections are the most common and the least deadly. The normal infection produces a small painless ulcer. If left untreated the Bacillus anthracis may make its way into the bloodstream and death will occur in about 20% of cases. Intestinal infection which comes from eating undercooked meat, and is more deadly then a cutaneous infection but less deadly then a inhalation infection. The symptoms are severe stomach pains along with diarrhea. The death rate if left untreated is between 25% and 60%. Inhalation infection is the most deadly of the infections and happens when you inhale Bacillus anthracis spores. The disease initialy resembles the common cold. This is not the uncommon type of infection, however it is important because of the possible bio-terrorism that could be associated with it. It is fatal if left untreated How it avoids the immune system and damages the host: Bacillus anthracis is a unique because it’s the only one that has a capsule of poly-D-glutamate polypeptide. The capsule helps the bacteria avoid being phagocitzed. This lets the bacteria gain a foothold inside the host. Bacillus anthracis toxin is an A-B toxin comprised of 3 protiens. The protective antigen the edema factor, and lethal factor. Individually all 3 proteins are harmless, but when together they are able to attack the lungs. The first protein is the protective antigen which helps neutralize antitoxin antibodies. The edema factor protein helps bolster the Virulence and is responable for seeking out the target cells. The last protein is the lethal factor, which is protein that is causes cell death. The toxin seeks out our cells, and is able to injects the toxin directly into them, the toxin is deadly inside the cell and quickly produces cell death.

Scandals :: essays research papers fc

Imagine a boardroom of these corporate executives, along with their lawyers, accountants, and investment bankers, plotting and planning to take over a public company. The date is set; an announcement is only weeks away. Once the meeting is over, several phone their brokers and instruct them to purchase tons of stock of the Target Company. When the buyout is announced, the share price zooms up and the investors drop these stock shares for millions of dollars in profits. Insider trading is perfectly legal. The officers and directors who owe a duty to stockholders have the same right to trade and purchase the security as the next person does. The primary difference between legal and illegal insider trading lies in the motive. What I plan to explain in this paper is investigating the illegal aspects of insider trading and the scandal of it. What is insider trading? According to Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, it is "any manipulative or deceptive device in connection with the purchase or sale of any security." This ruling served as a deterrent for the early part of this century before the stock market became such a vital part of our lives. But as the 1960"s arrived and illegal insider activity to be a lot, courts were chained by the vague definition. So members of the judicial system were now forced to interpret "on the fly" since Congress failed to resource them with a concrete definition. This resulted in two theories of insider trading liability that have evolved over the past three decades through judicial and administrative interpretation. The classic and the misappropriation theory, is the classic concept is the type of illegal activity one usually thinks of when the words "insider trading" are said. This theory started from the 1961 SEC administrative case o f Cady Roberts. This was the Sec’s first time to regulate these security trading’s by corporate insiders. The ruling basiacally brought about the way that we define insider trading - "trading of a firms stock or derivatives assets by its officers, directors and other key employees on the basis of information not available to the public." The Supreme Court officially recognized the classical theory in the 1980 case U.S. v. Chiarella. U.S. v. Chiarella was the first criminal case of insider trading. Vincent Chiarella was a printer who put together the coded packets used by companies preparing to launch a tender offer for other firms.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay --

In a patriarchal society that enforces the construction of heterosexual citizenship we are policed to follow normative discourses and structures that regulate social policies encouraging heteronormative behavior. Dominant ideologies of sexuality thus regulate and normalize social policies that create this second-class status for LGBT people. Those who fail to comply with conventional male and female behaviors are forced to live on the margins of society, excluding them from social, legal and economic rewards forcing homosexual individuals to live a life where they are required to constantly defend their sexual loyalties. The following essay will be used to discuss the challenges to normative constructions of sexuality by dismantling the naturalization of heterosexuality in analyzing the binary of heteronormativity with the use of the song ‘Same Love’ by hip-hop artist Macklemore. Heterosexuality is a political institution, which disempowers women and men by taking away their right to citizenship. Rapper Macklemore’s track provides a social commentary for the discussion of homosexual love in todays mainstream music. By expressing his support towards the sanction of gay marriage he is challenging normative sexuality, and spreading awareness towards a now-present social issue. By analyzing the song, music video and live Grammy performance it is clear LGBT communities break down taboos by rejecting this idea of a compulsory lifestyle. Using the work and writing of Lord, Ingraham and Concannon this paper will explore the relationship between citizenship, sexual identity and social exclusion. â€Å"The Silencing of Sexuality† by author Cassandra Lord focuses on the negative response society places on homosexuality. The concept of living a... ...owards heteronormativity. What people refer to, as normal human behavior doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone. However, due to conservative traditional and religious beliefs, the integration of homosexuals in society is often met with resistance. It can therefore be said that societal conservative tendencies have led to the intolerance of homosexuality therefore causing the inequality of LGBT men and women. In order to challenge normative constructions on sexuality one must first acknowledge that discrimination is still evident and continues to be a reason behind socio-political exclusion. The operations behind social policies cause oppression and isolation, and only re-thinking our approach in delivering new policies can hopefully one day meet the needs for a diverse lifestyle or in the words of Macklemore â€Å"It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!†

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Pestle analysis by pepsico. Essay

PepsiCo is the largest selling beverage the world over, of course after its arch rival Coca Cola. It accounts for a 37% share of the global beverage market, and therefore they need to understand each and every country’s market in order to stay in line with their PESTLE situations. Pepsi is a big brand, currently holds the 23rd place in the Interbrands report of the World’s Leading Brands. Their advertisements feature major celebrities and athletes like David Beckham, Robbie Williams, Britney Spears, and Michael Jackson etc. Their market reach is also very diverse, as they’re present in almost every country from the US to New Zealand. Their PESTLE analysis is given below: Political: Pepsi is a non-alcoholic beverage and is therefore regulated by the FDA. So, they’re supposed to maintain a firm standard of the laws set out by the FDA with consistency. Also, many different markets across the world have different set of regulations that are either relaxed or are either stringent. There is competitive pricing by Pepsi’s competitors and that is one factor that Pepsi has to keep in mind at all times. The political scenario also matters greatly as there can be some civil unrest in certain markets or due to inflation the sales of the product can fall. Most importantly, cross border situations are starkly different therefore Pepsi has to stay in line with all those policies and changes so that they can adapt to all those changes accordingly. Economic: As the recent economic downturn has plagued the economy, companies had to restructure their sales and marketing campaigns greatly. Also, with diminishing profits they had to undergo downsizing internally and re-think upon how to penetrate the market. Economic conditions have the highest influence on a business, regardless of what trade it is in. Though, in Pepsi’s favor, the economic downturn that started in 2008 resulted in increased sales of its beverages mainly as people were being laid off from jobs, they were spending time with friends and family or at home. Social: Social factors greatly impact Pepsi, as it’s a non-alcoholic beverage it has to remain in line with the strict and stark differences of cultures the world over. Also, Pepsi has to communicate its image as a global brand so that the people can associate it with themselves as something that connects the world together. Usually, the social implications are seen in marketing campaigns for example certain countries have religious festivals, so Pepsi has to keep in line with all those festivals in order to understand the psyche of their market and how they can cash upon the opportunity. Technological: With the advent of the new age in technology, companies have completely integrated themselves with all the recent changes that have taken place. To mention a recent trend that has greatly picked up and something that almost every business is turning toward is Social Media. The social media explosion has allowed for increasingly interactive engagement with the consumers with real time results so Pepsi has to stay ahead of all the developments that take place with keeping in view how the youth of today utilizes technology for their benefit and how can Pepsi reach them in order to keep on increasing brand recall and brand engagement. Legal: There can be many legal implications upon the beverage industry. I would cite one very famous incident took place in India, where Pepsi was accused of using contaminated water, given a lab test that was done upon the water flowing into the Pepsi factory that was located nearby an industrial estate. A massive recall was issued for the products from shelves and then the product was tested costing the company many billions of dollars upon the tests as India is a very major market. Environmental: These factors can affect Pepsi, but not immensely alter its trade and profit generation as these factors affect agri-businesses much more directly.