Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER NINE HYPERSPACE

HYPERSPACE Trevize said, â€Å"Are you ready, Janov?† Pelorat looked up from the book he was viewing and said, â€Å"You mean, for the jump, old fellow?† â€Å"For the hyperspatial jump. Yes.† Pelorat swallowed. â€Å"Now, you're sure that it will be in no way uncomfortable. I know it is a silly thing to fear, but the thought of having myself reduced to incorporeal tachyons, which no one has ever seen or detected†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come, Janov, it's a perfected thing. Upon my honor! The jump has been in use for twenty-two thousand years, as you explained, and I've never beard of a single fatality in hyperspace. We might come out of hyperspace in an uncomfortable place, but then the accident would happen in space – not while we are composed of tachyons.† â€Å"Small consolation, it seems to me.† â€Å"We won't come out in error, either. To tell you the truth, I was thinking of carrying it through without telling you, so that you would never know it had happened. On the whole, though, I felt it would be better if you experienced it consciously, saw that it was no problem of any kind, and could forget it totally henceforward.† â€Å"Well † said Pelorat dubiously. â€Å"I suppose you're right, but ‘honestly I'm in no hurry.† â€Å"I assure you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No no, old fellow, I accept your assurances unequivocally. It's just that – Did you ever read Sanertestil Matt?† â€Å"Of course. I'm not illiterate.† â€Å"Certainly. Certainly. I should not have asked. Do you remember it?† â€Å"Neither am I an amnesiac.† â€Å"I seem to have a talent for offending. All I mean is that I keep thinking of the scenes where Santerestil and his friend, Ban, have gotten away from Planet 17 and are lost in space. I think of those perfectly hypnotic scenes among the stars, lazily moving along in deep silence, in changelessness, in†¦ Never believed it, you know. I loved it and I was moved by it, but I never really believed it. But now – after I got used to just the notion of being in space, I'm experiencing it and – it's silly, I know – but I don't want to give it up. It's as though I'm Santerestil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And I'm Ban,† said Trevize with just an edge of impatience. â€Å"In a way. The small scattering of dim stars out there are motionless, except our sun, of course, which must be shrinking but which we don't see. The Galaxy retains its dim majesty, unchanging. Space is silent and I have no distractions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Except me.† â€Å"Except you. – But then, Golan, dear chap, talking to you about Earth and trying to teach you a bit of prehistory has its pleasures, too. I don't want that to come to an end, either.† â€Å"It won't. Not immediately, at any rate. You don't suppose we'll take the jump and come through on the surface of a planet, do you? We'll still be in space and the jump will have taken no measurable time at ail. It may well be a week before we make surface of any kind, so do relax.† â€Å"By surface, you surely don't mean Gaia. We may be nowhere near Gaia when we come out of the jump.† â€Å"I know that, Janov, but we'll be in the right sector, if your information is correct. If it isn't – well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pelorat shook his head glumly. â€Å"How will being in the right sector help if we don't know Gaia's co-ordinates?† Trevize said, â€Å"Janov, suppose you were on Terminus, heading for the town of Argyropol, and you didn't know where that town was except that it was somewhere on the isthmus. Once you were on the isthmus, what would you do?† Pelorat waited cautiously, as though feeling there must be a terribly sophisticated answer expected of him. Finally giving up, he said, â€Å"I suppose I'd ask somebody.† â€Å"Exactly! What else is there to do? – Now, are you ready?† â€Å"You mean, now?† Pelorat scrambled to his feet, his pleasantly unemotional face coming as near as it might to a look of concern. â€Å"What am I supposed to do? Sit? Stand? What?† â€Å"Time and Space, Pelorat, you don't do anything. Just come with me to my room so I can use the computer, then sit or stand or turn cartwheels – whatever will make you most comfortable. My suggestion is that you sit before the viewscreen and watch it. It's sure to be interesting. Come!† They stepped along the short corridor to Trevize's room and he seated himself at the computer. â€Å"Would you like to do this, Janov?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"I'll give you the figures and all you do is think them. The computer will do the rest.† Pelorat said, â€Å"No thank you. The computer doesn't work well with me, somehow. I know you say I just need practice, but I don't believe that. There's something about your mind, Golan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don't be foolish.† â€Å"No no. That computer just seems to fit you. You and it seem to be a single organism when you're hooked up. When I'm hooked up, there are two objects involved – Janov Pelorat and a computer. It's just not the same.† â€Å"Ridiculous,† said Trevize, but he was vaguely pleased at the thought and stroked the hand-rests of the computer with loving fingertips. â€Å"So I'd rather watch,† said Pelorat. â€Å"I mean, I'd rather it didn't happen at all, but as long as it will, I'd rather watch.† He fixed . his eyes anxiously on the viewscreen and on the foggy Galaxy with the thin powdering of dim stars in the foreground. â€Å"Let me know when it's about to happen.† Slowly he backed against the wall and braced himself. Trevize smiled. He placed his hands on the rests and felt the mental union. It came more easily day by day, and more intimately, too, and however he might scoff at what Pelorat said – he actually felt it. It seemed to him he scarcely needed to think of the co-ordinates in any conscious way. It almost seemed the computer knew what he wanted, without the conscious process of â€Å"telling.† It lifted the information out of his brain for itself. But Trevize â€Å"told† it and then asked for a two-minute interval before the jump. â€Å"All right, Janov. We have two minutes: 120 – 115 – 110 Just watch the viewscreen.† Pelorat did, with a slight tightness about the corners of his mouth and with a holding of his breath. Trevize said softly, â€Å"15 – 10 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0† With no perceptible motion, no perceptible sensation, the view on the screen changed. There was a distinct thickening of the starfield and the Galaxy vanished. Pelorat started and said, â€Å"Was that it?† â€Å"Was what it? You flinched. But that was your fault. You felt nothing. Admit it.† â€Å"I admit it.† â€Å"Then that's it. Way back when hyperspatial travel was relatively new – according to the books, anyway – there would be a queer internal sensation and some people felt dizziness or nausea. It was perhaps psychogenic, perhaps not. In any case, with more and more experience with hyperspatiality and with better equipment, that decreased. With a computer like the one on board this vessel, any effect is well below the threshold of sensation. At least, I find it so.† â€Å"And I do, too, I must admit. Where are we, Golan?† â€Å"Just a step forward. In the Kalganian region. There's a long way to go yet and before we make another move, we'll have to check the accuracy of the jump.† â€Å"What bothers me is – where's the Galaxy?† â€Å"All around us, Janov. We're weal inside it, now. If we focus the viewscreen properly, we can see the more distant parts of it as a luminous band across the sky.† â€Å"The Milky Way!† Pelorat cried out joyfully. â€Å"Almost every world describes it in their sky, but it's something we don't see on Terminus. Show it to me, old fellow!† The viewscreen tilted, giving the effect of a swimming of the starfield across it, and then there was a thick, pearly luminosity nearly filling the field. The screen followed it around, as it thinned, then swelled again. Trevize said, â€Å"It's thicker in the direction of the center of the Galaxy. Not as thick or as bright as it might be, however, because of the dark clouds in the spiral arms. You see something like this from most inhabited worlds.† â€Å"And from Earth, too.† â€Å"That's no distinction. That would not be an identifying characteristic.† â€Å"Of course not. But you know. – You haven't studied the history of science, have you?† â€Å"Not really, though I've picked up some of it, naturally. Still, if you have questions to ask, don't expect me to be an expert.† â€Å"It's just that making this jump has put me in mind of something that has always puzzled me. It's possible to work out a description of the Universe in which hyperspatial travel is impossible and in which the speed of light traveling through a vacuum is the absolute maximum where speed is concerned.† â€Å"Certainly.† â€Å"Under those conditions, the geometry of the Universe is such that it is impossible to make the trip we have just undertaken in less time than a ray of light would make it. And if we did it at the speed of light, our experience of duration would not match that of the Universe generally. If this spot is, say, forty parsecs from Terminus, then if we had gotten here at the speed of light, we would have felt no time lapse – but on Terminus and in the entire Galaxy, about a hundred and thirty years would have passed. Now we have made a trip, not at the speed of light but at thousands of times the speed of light actually, and there has been no time advance anywhere. At least, I hope not.† Trevize said, â€Å"Don't expect me to give you the mathematics of the Olanjen Hyperspatial Theory to you. All I can say is that if you had traveled at the speed of light within normal space, time would indeed have advanced at the rate of 3.26 years per parsec, as you described. The so-called relativistic Universe, which humanity has understood as far back as we can probe inter prehistory – though that's your department, I think – remains, and its laws have not been repealed. In our hyperspatial jumps, however, we do something out side the conditions under which relativity operates and the rules are different. Hyperspatially the Galaxy is a tiny object – ideally a nondimensional dot – and there are no relativistic effects at all. â€Å"In fact, in the mathematical formulations of cosmology, there are two symbols for the Galaxy: Gr for the â€Å"relativistic Galaxy,† where the speed of light is a maximum, and Gh for the â€Å"hyperspatial Galaxy,† where speed does not really have a meaning. Hyperspatially the value of all speed is zero and we do not move with reference to space itself, speed is infinite. I can't explain things a bit more than that. â€Å"Oh, except that one of the beautiful catches in theoretical physics is to place a symbol or a value that has meaning in Gr into an equation dealing with G11 – or vice versa – and leave it there for a student to deal with. The chances are enormous that the student falls into the trap and generally remains there, sweating and panting, with nothing seeming to work, till some kindly elder helps him out. I was neatly caught that way, once.† Pelorat considered that gravely for a while, then said in a perplexed sort of way, â€Å"But which is the true Galaxy?† â€Å"Either, depending on what you're doing. If you're back on Terminus, you can use a car to cover distance on land and a ship to cover distance across the sea. Conditions are different in every way, so which is the true Terminus, the land or the sea?† Pelorat nodded. â€Å"Analogies are always risky,† he said, â€Å"but I'd rather accept that one than risk my sanity by thinking about hyperspace any further. I'll concentrate on what we're doing now.† â€Å"Look upon what we just did,† said Trevize, â€Å"as our first stop toward Earth.† And, he thought to himself, toward what else, I wonder. â€Å"Well,† said Trevize. â€Å"I've wasted a day.† â€Å"Oh?† Pelorat looked up from his careful indexing. â€Å"In what way?† Trevize spread his arms. â€Å"I didn't trust the computer. I didn't dare to, so I checked our present position with the position we had aimed at in the jump. The difference was not measurable. There was no detectable error.† â€Å"That's good, isn't it?† â€Å"It's more than good. It's unbelievable. I've never heard of such a thing. I've gone through jumps and I've directed them, in all kinds of ways and with all kinds of devices. In school, I had to work one out with a hand computer and then I sent off a hyper-relay to check results. Naturally I couldn't send a real ship, since – aside from the expense – I could easily have placed it in the middle of a star at the other end. â€Å"I never did anything that bad, of course,† Trevize went on, â€Å"but there would always be a sizable error. There's always some error, even with experts. There's got to be, since there are so many variables. Put it this way – the geometry of space is too complicated to handle and hyperspace compounds all those complications with a complexity of its own that we can't even pretend to understand. That's why we have to go by steps, instead of making one big jump from here to Sayshell. The errors would grow worse with distance.† Pelorat said, â€Å"But you said this computer didn't make an error.† â€Å"It said it didn't make an error. I directed it to check our actual position with our precalculated position – ‘what is' against ‘what was asked for.' It said that the two were identical within its limits of measurement and I thought: What if it's lying?† Until that moment, Pelorat had held his printer in his hand. He now put it down and looked shaken. â€Å"Are you joking? A computer can't lie. Unless you mean you thought it might be out of order.† â€Å"No, that's not what I thought. Space! I thought it was lying. This computer is so advanced I can't think of it as anything but human – superhuman, maybe. Human enough to have pride – and to lie, perhaps. I gave it directions – to work out a course through hyperspace to a position near Sayshell Planet, the capital of the Sayshell Union. It did, and charted a course in twenty-nine steps, which is arrogance of the worst sort.† â€Å"Why arrogance?† â€Å"The error in the first jump makes the second jump that much less certain, and the added error then makes the third jump pretty wobbly and untrustworthy, and so on. How do you calculate twenty-nine steps all at once? The twenty-ninth could end up anywhere in the Galaxy, anywhere at all. So I directed it to make the first step only. Then we could check that before proceeding.† â€Å"The cautious approach,† said Pelorat warmly. â€Å"I approve!† â€Å"Yes, but having made the first step, might the computer not feel wounded at my having mistrusted it? Would it then be forced to salve its pride by telling me there was no error at all when I asked it? Would it find it impossible to admit a mistake, to own up to imperfection? If that were so, we might as well not have a computer.† Pelorat's long and gentle face saddened. â€Å"What can we do in that case, Golan?† â€Å"We can do what I did – waste a day. I checked the position of several of the surrounding stars by the most primitive possible methods: telescopic observation, photography, and manual measurement. I compared each actual position with the position expected if there had been no error. The work of it took me all day and wore me down to nothing.† â€Å"Yes, but what happened?† â€Å"I found two whopping errors and checked them over and found them in my calculations. I had made the mistakes myself. I corrected the calculations, then ran them through the computer from scratch – just to see if it would come up with the same answers independently. Except that it worked them out to several more decimal places, it turned out that my figures were right and they showed that the computer had made no errors. The computer may be an arrogant son-of-the-Mule, but it's got something to be arrogant about.† Pelorat exhaled a long breath. â€Å"Well, that's good.† â€Å"Yes indeed! So I'm going to let it take the other twenty-eight steps.† â€Å"All at once? But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not all at once. Don't worry. I haven't become a daredevil just yet. It will do them one after the other – but after each step it will check the surroundings and, if that is where it is supposed to be within tolerable limits, it can take the next one. Any time it finds the error too great – and, believe me, I didn't set the limits generously at all – it will have to stop and recalculate the remaining steps.† â€Å"When are you going to do this?† â€Å"When? Right now. – Look, you're working on indexing your Library†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh, but this is the chance to do it, Golan. I've been meaning to do it for years, but something always seemed to get in the way.† â€Å"I have no objections. You go on and do it and don't worry. Concentrate on the indexing. I'll take care of everything else.† Pelorat shook his head. â€Å"Don't be foolish. I can't relax till this is over. I'm scared stiff.† â€Å"I shouldn't have told you, then – but I had to tell someone and you're the only one here. Let me explain frankly. There's always the chance that we'll come to rest in a perfect position in interstellar space and that that will happen to be the precise position which a speeding meteoroid is occupying, or a mini-black hole, and the ship is wrecked, and ;we're dead. Such things could – in theory – happen. â€Å"The chances are very small, however. After all, you could be at home, Janov – in your study and working on your films or in your bed sleeping – and a meteroid could be streaking toward you through Terminus's atmosphere and hit you right in the head and you'd be dead. But the chances are small. â€Å"In fact, the chance of intersecting the path of something fatal, but too small for the computer to know about, in the course of a hyperspatial jump is far, far smaller than that of berg hit by a meteor in your home. I've never heard of a ship being lost that way in all the history of hyperspatial travel. Any other type of risk – like ending in the middle of a star – is even smaller.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Then why do you tell me all this, Golan?† Trevize paused, then bent his head in thought, and finally said, â€Å"I don't know. – Yes, I do. What I suppose it is, is that however small the chance of catastrophe might be, if enough people take enough chances, the catastrophe must happen eventually. No matter how sure I am that nothing will go wrong, there's a small nagging voice inside me that says, ‘Maybe it will happen this time.' And it makes me feel guilty. – I guess that's it. Janov, if something goes wrong, forgive me!† â€Å"But Golan, my dear chap, if something goes wrong, we will both be dead instantly. I will not be able to forgive, nor you to receive forgiveness.† â€Å"I understand that, so forgive me now, will you?† Pelorat smiled. â€Å"I don't know why, but this cheers me up. There's something pleasantly humorous about it. Of course, Golan, I'll forgive you. There are plenty of myths about some form of afterlife in world literature and if there should happen to be such a place – about the same chance as landing on a mini-black hole, I suppose, or less – and we both turn up in the same one, then I will bear witness that you did your honest best and that my death should not be laid at your door.† â€Å"Thank you! Now I'm relieved. I'm willing to take my chance, but I did not enjoy the thought of you taking my chance as well.† Pelorat wrung the other's hand. â€Å"You know, Golan, I've only known you less than a week and I suppose I shouldn't make hasty judgments in these matters, but I think you're an excellent chap. – And now let's do it and get it over with.† â€Å"Absolutely! All I have to do is touch that little contact. The computer has its instructions and it's just waiting for me to say: ‘Starts' Would you like to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Never! It's all yours? It's your computer.† â€Å"Very well. And it's my responsibility. I'm still trying to duck it, you see. Keep your eye on the screen!† With a remarkably steady hand and with his smile looking utterly genuine, Trevize made contact. There was a momentary pause and then the starfield changed – and again – and again. The stars spread steadily thicker and brighter over the viewscreen. Pelorat was counting under his breath. At â€Å"15† there was a halt, as though some piece of apparatus had jammed. Pelorat whispered, clearly afraid that any noise might jar the mechanism fatally. â€Å"What's wrong? What's happened?† Trevize shrugged. â€Å"I imagine it's recalculating. Some object in space is adding a perceptible bump to the general shape of the overall gravitational field – some object not taken into account – some uncharted dwarf star or rogue planet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Dangerous?† â€Å"Since we're still alive, it's almost certainly not dangerous. A planet could be a hundred million kilometers away and still introduce a large enough gravitational modification to require recalculation. A dwarf star could be ten billion kilometers away and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The screen shifted again and Trevize fell silent. It shifted again – and again. – Finally, when Pelorat said, â€Å"a8,† there was no further motion. Trevize consulted the computer. â€Å"We're here,† he said. â€Å"I counted the first jump as ‘r.' and in this series I started with ‘z' That's twenty-eight jumps altogether. You said twenty-nine.† â€Å"The recalculation at jump is probably saved us one jump. I can check with the computer if you wish, but there's really no need. We're in the vicinity of Sayshell Planet. The computer says so and I don't doubt it. If I were to orient the screen properly, we'd see a nice, bright sun, but there's no point in placing a needless strain on its screening capacity. SaysheIl Planet is the fourth one out and it's about 3.2 million kilometers away from our present position, which is about as close as we want to be at a jump conclusion. We can get there in three days – two, if we hurry.† Trevize drew a deep breath and tried to let the tension drain. â€Å"Do you realize what this means, Janov?† he said. â€Å"Every ship I've ever been in – or heard of – would have made those jumps with at least a day in between for painstaking calculation and re-checking, even with a computer. The trip would have taken nearly a month. â€Å"Or perhaps two or three weeks, if they were willing to be reckless about it. We did it in half an hour. When every ship is equipped with a computer like this one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pelorat said, â€Å"I wonder why the Mayor' let us have a ship this advanced. It must be incredibly expensive.† â€Å"It's experimental,† said Trevize dryly. â€Å"Maybe fine good woman was perfectly willing to have us try it out and see what deficiencies might develop.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Don't get nervous. After all, there's nothing to worry about. We haven't found any deficiencies. I wouldn't put it past her, though. Such a thing would put no great strain on her sense of humanity. Besides, she hasn't trusted us with offensive weapons and that cuts the expense considerably.† Pelorat said thoughtfully, â€Å"It's the computer I'm thinking about. It seems to be adjusted so well for you – and it can't be adjusted that well for everyone. It just barely works with me.† â€Å"So much the better for us, that it works so well with one of us.† â€Å"Yes, but is that merely chance?† â€Å"What else, Janov?† â€Å"Surely the Mayor knows you pretty well.† â€Å"I think she does, the old battlecraft.† â€Å"Might she not have had a computer designed particularly for you?† â€Å"I just wonder if we're not going where the computer wants to take us.† Trevize stared. â€Å"You mean that while I'm connected to the computer, it is the computer – and not me – who is in real charge?† â€Å"I just wonder.† â€Å"That is ridiculous. Paranoid. Come on, Janov.† Trevize turned back to the computer to focus Sayshell Planet on the screen and to plot a normal-space course to it. Ridiculous! But why had Pelorat put the notion into his head?

Death by Chocolate Essay

How have the makers of Death by chocolate made their advertisement successful? Discuss the various techniques used and how they have been used. This is an analysis of the advertisement ‘death by chocolate’. It is an advert promoting a chocolate cake. The advertisement is rich in techniques which have been purposely included to tempt consumers to indulge themselves and give in to the temptation of the cake. Looking at both pages of the advertisement it seems that there is a concealed message which could possibly be summarized as, â€Å"go on, be a devil. † It is almost as if such devilish whisperings jump out at us. This message is communicated by the trident shaped fork in the hand of an ambiguous woman. Although we are given a motionless picture, there is an overwhelming sense of movement towards the cake. The makers have included this as one of the techniques of the advertisement so that the consumers feel that they are holding the fork. The visual imagery is designed to ‘bring the devil out in you. ‘ Although the chocolate cake is brown, it is laced with a devilish crimson colour which adds to the Satan theme. It is interesting in this context that the word ‘consumer’ is an old name for Satan which again is another technique used. It is clear that the makers of the advert have worked according to the principle that it is the visual impact of an advertisement that is most effective. Most of the second page is covered with a silky textured crimson colour on a white backdrop that mirrors the combination of the crimson streaked chocolate on a white plate. Red is the colour of the devil, but it is also the colour of danger, excitement and fury. White is the colour of virginity and the plentiful red suggests a loss of virginity. This technique is very effective as the contrast of the colours remind us of the ‘naughtiness’ inside us which drives us to indulge ourselves in this mouth-watering cake. The producers of this advert have also relied upon visual influence and the psychological imagery conjured up by the slogan and larger writing rather than the small text. The slogan, ‘it’s no angel cake’ is designed to reinforce the ‘evil’ theme. The clever remark on the word angel causes reader to dwell on this word and think about its meaning. Puns are always mentally stimulating and enjoyable, and it is as if the enjoyment gained from it is presented to the reader as a sample of the cake itself. In fact one gets the feeling that the designers have tried to make the whole advertisement ‘tasty’. The name of the advertisement itself, ‘Death by Chocolate’ is intended to be entertaining and comical. Although the word ‘death’ is used, the intention is not to bring to mind fear or anxiety, but in fact, the effect is far from gloomy. The reader is invited to ‘die’ and be wrapped up in the chocolate, or at least to be ‘dying to eat the chocolate. ‘ For those who are fully tempted by the advertisement and go on to reading the small text, there is much more in store. The text starts off on the, ‘naughty devil’ theme already developed by the visual imagery. The humour in the image of a vicar in The News of The World adds to the atmosphere of sheer ‘evil’. The use of brackets is another technique used which gives the reader the feeling that they are being told a secret, making them feel more involved with the text. This reinforces the effect of the use of the second person to make the reader feel personally addressed. The next part of the text tries to use words to convert the visual imagery of the pictures and colours into a sense ‘taste. ‘ Words such as ‘cakey-wakey’, ‘dark’, ‘bitter’ and ‘sweet’ reinforce in the words which the readers have seen in picture, and the two together try to combine to bring the images to life. The French word, ‘mi lange’ produces an exotic feeling that appeals to the average person. The combination of the words ‘bitter’ and ‘sweet’, which in this contexts maybe oxymoron’s gives a feeling of devilish menace. The words ‘lascivious’ develop the theme of being ‘naughty’ and gives verbal expression to the stark crimson on a virgin white background. Immediately after this we have a reference to ‘sensual’ pleasure. It seems that the makers of this advertisement are trying to sell a chocolate cake by appealing to peoples sexual desires which nowadays is a very popular technique used by producers. The sexual imagery is completed by the reference to Lolita at the end, who was a youthful twelve year old girl corrupted by an older man. In conclusion I think that the producers have been very successful in making this advertisement effective as a whole by creating strong visual imagery and reinforcing it with subtle but direct language. I feel that there is a clear and successful attempt to appeal to human weakness and carnal desire, which is arguably what makes this advertisement a successful one.

Operation Research Midterm

Solve the following problem graphically (Please be neat). Draw the polytope on the x-y coordinate system (can be done either by hand or computer). Show all intersection of the polytope and identify the point (x,y coordinate) where the objective function is maximized and provide that value. Maximize Z = 3Ãâ€"1 + 2Ãâ€"2 Subject to: 1Ãâ€"1 + 1Ãâ€"2 ? 10 8Ãâ€"1 + 1Ãâ€"2 ? 24 and x1, x2 ? 0 Solution : Point (a) is the origin (0,0) where Z(a) = 3*0 + 2*0 = 0Point (b) is the intersection of line 2 and X-axis (3,0) where Z(b) = 3*3 + 2*0 = 9 Point (c) is the intersection of line 1 and line 2 (2,8) where Z(c) = 3*2 + 2*8=22 . (Optimum Solution) Point (d) is the intersection of line 1 and Y-axis (0,10) where Z(d) = 3*0 + 2*10 = 20 Y X d a b c I II Problem 5. (30 Points) Work through the simplex method (in algebraic form) step by step to solve the following problem. Show all work and provide the solutions for each variable at every iteration of the simplex.Maximize z = 4Ãâ€"1 + 3Ãâ€"2 + 4Ãâ€"3 Subject to: 2Ãâ€"1 + 2Ãâ€"2 + 1Ãâ€"3 ? 20 2Ãâ€"1 + 1Ãâ€"2 + 2Ãâ€"3 ? 14 1Ãâ€"1 + 1Ãâ€"2 + 3Ãâ€"3 ? 15 and x1, x2, x3 ? 0 Solution : Problem 6. (30 Points) The Weigelt Corporation has three branch plants with excess production capacity. Fortunately, the corporation has a new product ready to begin production, and all three plants have this capability, so some of the excess capacity can be used in this way. This product can be made in three sizes–large, medium, and small–that yield a net unit profit of $420, $360, and $300, respectively.Plants 1, 2, and 3 have the excess capacity to produce 750, 900, and 450 units per day of this product, respectively, regardless of the size or combination of sizes involved. The amount of available in-process storage space also imposes a limitation on the production rates of the new product. Plants 1, 2, and 3 have 13,000, 12,000, and 5,000 square feet, respectively, of in-process storage space available for a day's pro duction of this product. Each unit of the large, medium, and small sizes produced per day requires 20, 15, and 12 square feet, respectively.Sales forecasts indicate that if available, 900, 1,200, and 750 units of the large, medium, and small sizes, respectively, would be sold per day. At each plant, some employees will need to be laid off unless most of the plant’s excess production capacity can be used to produce the new product. To avoid layoffs if possible, management has decided that the plants should use the same percentage of their excess capacity to produce the new product. Management wishes to know how much of each of the sizes should be produced by each of the plants to maximize profit. 1. Formulate a linear programming model for this problem by: A.Listing and labeling all of the decision variables. B. Creating an objective function for the model. C. List all of the constraints for the model. I want a complete model, not just an Excel sheet. 2. Solve the model using Excel ® solver or Open Office Solver. Give the value for each decision variable and the objective function.

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA - Lab Report Example DNA is the double stranded helical structure which carries the genetic information. The study of the DNA molecule will give us the details about life. DNA molecules can be extracted from the cell using the extraction techniques and they are then quantified using the agarose gel electrophoresis. The DNA fragment is separated in the Agarose based on the pore size (that is the concentration of the agarose), the voltage applied, the molecular size of the DNA molecule and the conformation of the DNA. The smaller molecules a move downwards in the gel faster than the larger molecules and the separation occurs based on the size of the DNA. If high voltage is applied, then the migration will be faster but the separation of the DNA fragments will not be clear. (Westermeier 2006). So, 110 volts for 30- 45 minutes is usually applied for the separation of the DNA fragments in the gel. The agarose gel electrophoresis of the DNA molecule showed distinct bands in the lanes 4,5 and 6 indicating that only a single DNA is present in the sample. Introduction: Doeoxy ribo nucleic acid (DNA) is a polymer consisting of base, sugar and a phosphate bond. The sugar is always deoxy- ribose in case of DNA and the base will be a purine or pyrimidine molecule: Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine or Thymine. Phosphate molecule connects the two nucleosides. DNA is a covalently linked structure which is helical in shape. DNA is a double helical structure held together by the hydrogen bonds. DNA carries the genetic information. ... Since DNA are acidic in nature, they migrate towards the positive pole when exposed to an electric field. The pore sixe of agarose sieve is determined by the concentration of agarose. Agarose gels are made with a concentration varying from 0.7- 1.5%. DNA in a neutral solution is negatively charged. (Williamson and Campbell 1997). So if an electric field is applied to the DNA, it will move towards the anode pole from the cathode pole. Based on the fragment size, the rate of migration will be inversely proportional to the fragment size. The smaller fragments will move faster than the larger ones and the distance moved by the fragments are measured by using the molecular marker. Molecular marker is the standard DNA fragment sizes which act as the standards to measure the molecular weight of the DNA fragments. Thus by providing constant voltage into the agarose gel, we are able to separate the DNA fragments based on their molecular weight. (Westermeier 2006). Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA is a very simple and reproducible technique. The mobility of the DNA molecule in neutral solution was independent of the size of the fragment but varied with the ionic strength .The DNA fragments of up to 40 kilo base pair can be separated using agarose gel electrophoresis. (Williamson and Campbell 1997). The DNA fragments get separated based on molecular size, the current applied, concentration of Agarose and the conformation of the DNA. Agarose is a copolymer containing 1,3-linked ?-D-galactose and 1,4-linked 3,6- anhydro-?-L-galactose linked together by the junction zones and joined by the hydrogen bonds. (Stellwagen 2009). A standard ladder is used to identify the size of the fragments. In

Building brands with the support of social media Research Paper

Building brands with the support of social media - Research Paper Example In order to increase its profitability, it is imperative that a company finds ways to build the brand. Social media’s role in brand building cannot be overemphasized because of its widespread usage and availability, and cost effectiveness. Analytical section of the paper discusses the Hierarchy of Effects, 1 Foot Cone Belding, and the elaboration effect. Final analysis elaborates likelihood model that can provide companies with assistance in building brands using social media provided that it enables customers to use attitude formation towards the offerings of the brand. Overall Recommendations are for companies to pay attention to characteristics and features valued by customers in their products and services as tweeted by the customers on social media websites, and engage with the customers to find best ways to realize their expectations. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 4 2. Social Media 4 3. Brand 5 3.1 Brand Awareness 5 3.1.1 Foot Cone Belding (FCB) Grid 5 3.2 Brand Imag e 7 3.2.1 The Hierarchy-of-Effects (HoE) Model 7 3.3 Brand Attitude 8 3.3.1 The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) 8 4. Branding in the Age of Social Media 9 5. Recommendations 10 6. Conclusion 11 List of References 12 1. Introduction Use of social media as a tool for brand building is the latest trend and a progressive concept. This trend is commonly observed in higher grade companies particularly in the technologically advanced countries (Nassar, 2012). The following document discusses how social media has helped companies in building brands. The first part of the paper discusses the different sorts of social media, and the tendency of social media to influence and spread businesses and brand’s name. 2. Social Media New Web technologies have revolutionized the way to approach branding for the forward-thinking companies. In the recent years, companies have gained direct access to the customers using such social media services as Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. Number of user s of social media services is growing with time. In addition, these potential customers exist on pages published in social media in a variety of languages, thus allowing brand awareness to penetrate globally. Companies use social media to gain information about their customers including their age, current location, social networks, and hobbies. On the other hand, customers create awareness about brands on social media (Chauhan and Pillai, 2013; Li and Bernoff, 2011). With the growing number of users, social media’s role is being more clearly defined with the passage of time. Consumers are increasingly relying on social media for information, leaving the traditional media as a source of information behind (Mangold and Faulds 2009). Social media websites are aware of their potential to strengthen brands. An example of this is the release of brand pages by Google+ in November 2011 (Sullivan, 2011). 3. Brand In conventional terms, â€Å"brand† means a company’s way of differentiating between itself and its competitors. A brand is conventionally understood as the registered name of a product or service whereas its definition extends beyond that to include a variety of features like a term or a symbol (Hart and Murphy, 1998). Brands serve as signals that trigger perceptions in the minds of consumers regarding the image of a brand shaped by organization’

What Caused the Bubble and Bust in the US Mortgage Market Term Paper

What Caused the Bubble and Bust in the US Mortgage Market - Term Paper Example Introduction In the year of 2007, the world witnessed an economic crisis of a magnitude unimaginable in today’s sophisticated times withal its detailed planning, theories and innovations. Some compared it to the Great Depression of 1930s. It began with the crashing of the US Mortgage Market that is one of the most active sectors in the US economy. Gradually, it spread to the financial of many other countries and in 2008 one of the biggest investment banks in UK, the Lehman Brothers, crashed. Though the crisis affected the financial sector resulting in problems pertaining to banking, it soon got transmitted to the real sector through a fall in employment and output. The ultimate effect was an economic slowdown. (Muller, 2010, p.1) In this research, we will analyze the factors that led to the crash of the US Mortgage Market and contributed to a large-scale financial crisis. The US Mortgage Market To identify the factors responsible for the bursting of the bubble in the US Housin g sector, its structure and mechanism has to be studied in detail. General structure The US mortgage market has been one of the oldest sectors in the US economy. ... As a result, of securitization, the banks, now, did not have to wait till the maturity of loans since they have already been bundled and sold off to investors in return for its monetary value. Consequently, lending of credit increased earnings per share increased and the dividend to shareholders and corporate increased as well. Loans were bundled as per the requirement of the investors and sold to the one offering the best rate of interest. Soon, the primary sector banks and S&L were completely driven out from taking part directly in the mortgage market. It was, now, ruled by the secondary sector organizations, investment and mortgage banks. These banks formed a circular system with no lender of last resort like the FED or government bank and S&L. (Kim, 2010, p.139) Mechanism of the Bursting of Bubble in the Housing sector The secondary sector banks engaged in mutual securitization and purchase of one another’s loans. Also, due to lack of regulatory measures in the market, inf ormation about borrowers was either not verified or it was foreclosed, in the greed of making more profits and expanding. This resulted in an increase in the number of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). The effect of each NPA on the mortgage market was magnified due the large number of layers created and it corroded the credit base. Finally, as the negative effect from these NPAs outweighed the overall wealth of these organizations, the entire mortgage market collapsed. Thus, the banks in the financial sector suffered severe losses and people withdrew their money from these banks. In 2007, two hedge funds, the High Grade Structured Credit Strategies Fund and the High Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced

Radio program about 'Conservative Muslims in Liberal Britain' Essay

Radio program about 'Conservative Muslims in Liberal Britain' - Essay Example They believe that a woman should not expose her body to the public. The conservative Muslims are keen are keen on increasing the cultural gap between them and other communities integrated in the British liberal society. They take their children specifically to Muslim schools in an effort to segregate themselves and protect their culture. The conservative Muslims don’t expect their children to mix with other children claiming that they may be brainwashed and persuaded to forget about their culture. The parents go to an extent of warning their children from having English or black friends. They only want the children to attend the schools where they are restricted to other humanity subjects (BBC Radio4). The Pakistani in Britain are more conservative than the ones in their home country. This is especially evident among the Muslim leaders in Britain who think they can easily be assimilated and forget about their culture. The Palestine in their home country are more liberal and outgoing. The Muslims tend to think that their children can easily adopt the Britain culture that is illegal in their religion such as gay marriages. Some of the conservative Muslims also want to maintain their cultures t hat are illegal in Britain such as polygamy. The conservative British Pakistani are so insecure around people from other races and religions. They cluster and stay in same residences away from other people. They are also less likely to marry from a different race or tribe. They believe that intermarriage will dilute their culture and customs (BBC Radio4). They also believe in confining their women in the houses or when they move out, they completely cover themselves up with the clothing. The women are not allowed to go to the mosque or work. Even those who are lucky to work they have to find jobs near home. This has deepened the differences and in the process inhibiting integration with the other people in the

How might developments in e-mental health influence mental health Essay

How might developments in e-mental health influence mental health nursing practice in the coming decade - Essay Example ic dimensions, for instance, personalized interventions through the use of the handy gadgets such mobile phones is set to open even more ways of monitoring patients’ symptoms and/or condition in real time, allowing for early, prompt intervention and the prevention of relapse in cases of emergencies (Christen & Petrie, 2013b). Accordingly, the advances will leverage professional roles, reserving such for more complex cases as e-mental health gears up to cater for milder problems forming the bulk in the area discussed herein. With advanced, automated applications for monitoring situational risks such as disaster hit regions, opportunities exist for timely interventions to avoid overwhelming casualties. To be certain, it is already much easier to disseminate mental health information online, more particularly through the social media (Christen & Petrie, 2013a; Christen & Petrie, 2013b); a fact which is set to get even more rapid over significantly larger populations in years to c ome, particularly with regards to the collection and/or processing of large amounts of data from dispersed populations by the nursing professionals around the world. Arguably, the direct informational access online is already changing the practioner-consumer power arrangements towards the latter, with consumers sharing information of what treatments works, the professionals providing the best services, as well as the grey areas that still need research amongst themselves (Jorm, Morgan, & Malhi, 2013). As Jorm, Morgan, & Malhi (2013) concludes, quite a number of issues remains to be solved to secure the advantages brought about by e-mental healthcare systems. That though such technologies continue to easen the collection and the dissemination of information, which e-mental health is all about, the impending implications for this very unique health sector remains largely unknown, for the developments would have to undergo satisfactory experimentation to ensure absolute

The Impact of Globalization to Manufacturing Field Essay - 20

The Impact of Globalization to Manufacturing Field - Essay Example Here the goals of helping to think ‘achievable’ as ‘possible’ and ‘realistic’ as ‘probable’. Working through the realistic criteria identifies the tension between the current state and desired state. Moreover, the organizations which aim for the globalization of manufacturing should have an aggressive expansion strategy and wants to fund this expansion debt free by freeing up capital tied up in other assets. The definition of globalization itself manifests its impact on the manufacturing logistics. To most economists,’ globalization’ means the closer integration of economies via trade and factor flows. But this permits many interpretations of how this can be measured. Economic geographers define the globalization as the shifts in the location of economic activity subsequent to shrinking economic distance. On the other hand, the critics take the view on globalization to be synonymous with capitalism, big business, and m ultinational corporations. (Crafts and Venables (2001, p. 2)(3) 2. Crafts, N. and Venables, A. J. (2001) ‘Globalization in history: a Geographical perspective’, London School of Economics, paper prepared for the NBER conference on ‘Globalization in economic perspective’. interactions in each economy between the external facets of globalization like e.g. shrinking economic distance, greater trade or the spread of international production that apply to the economy and internal factors that affect its employment response. The major impact of globalization as follows. 1. Globalization causes to manufacturing companies the converging of product prices between exporting and importing countries, a good indirect measure of economic distance between economies.  Ã‚  

Second World War Essay Example for Free

Second World War Essay After the Second World War, there were many organizations that were formed to take care of different interests, mostly political and economical. The General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) was one such organization that was formed in 1947 to protect and trade between member countries (Bagwell, Staiger, 2002). The major aim of the organization was to look at the tariffs and restrictions that affected trade among the member countries and how to harmonise them. To ensure that the objectives of GATT were achieved, the members laid down some principles that were to be followed by all members and be guidance in all their activities. The principles formed the basis for the GATT agreements. Hence, it was not right for any member country to come up with policies that were contrary to the agreed principles. The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) is one major principle that was to be observed by the member countries. This was the first principle that was passed to guide trade. This principle says that no member country should discriminate another member in trade. If a member gives a favour to another, (for instance, lowering the customs duty), then this has to be applied to all other members. Furthermore, in this principle, it means that goods or services from one member country is treated no differently from goods or services from another country. In addition, when the goods of a foreign country are in another’s domestic market, they have to be treated no less than the other commodities (Leonard, 2006). The second principle calls for the member countries to protect their domestic industry by applying customs duty, instead of using trade barriers. In essence, the principle called for the member countries to be transparent in carrying out their trading activities. Thirdly, the reciprocity principle called for the member countries to consult one another on matters that concerned trade between them. The principle required that as one member country called for the other to reduce her tariffs; she should as well reduce hers. This principled was thus aimed at giving mutual benefit to the trading partners. The fourth major principle dealt with improving new trade tariffs. The members agreed that by imposing a new tariff at one point, it needed to maintain the balance. These principles thus provided a framework in which the member countries were to negotiate any trading activities (Faye, 1996). GATT principles emphasised on membership trade as opposed to individualistic trade. Taking the case of non discrimination trading, it meant that only a member country could not be discriminated, but non members could not enjoy such privileges. This meant that competition between GATT members and the non members could not be a healthy competition. However, even though the principle stipulated for non discrimination between members, it was not possible to ensure that this was upheld. This was brought about by the endowment and the technology factor that existed between the member states, causing differences members have in the competition position. If there are no differences in the competitive environment, there can not be any economic welfare benefit that will be found as a result of international trade (Dowlah, 2004). GATT was formed on the principle of reciprocity. This principle has contributed to having negative impact on liberalising trade. If a nation combines the Most Favoured Nations principle and reciprocity, it can force the government to make sure that importation tariffs are lowered further, which again will be a very big disadvantage to the non member countries. When a member country lobbies for the lowering of importation tariffs, it will generally transform to other members reducing their tariffs as a way of reciprocating. This has led to a fight between the exporters advocating for liberalised trade, while the importers fighting to protect their firms. Non GATT members who were interested in liberalising their markets on a non reciprocal form have found it very hard as the members are never willing to liberalise their markets on a non reciprocal manner. This implies that the non GATT members find it very hard to trade and compete on the same level with the GATT members. For the members to liberalise their markets, they have first to see what benefit they are going to get from the others. Off course this goes against the free trade principle, since no member will be willing to trade with a country that is not going to give them any benefit in the trading pattern. Therefore, for any country to trade with another, there has to be tangible benefit that has to be proven between the nations. This is generally very difficult to be found between a member and a non member, as only the members will benefit from the agreements. Through reciprocity principle, a nation will ensure that it benefits from a trade concession by giving out another trade concession. Therefore, if a nation does not have any given concession, then it will be impossible for it to trade with others. The effect of this is that it might inhibit further liberalisation of the markets. This is due to the fact that individual members might be forced to carry out liberalisation of trade, without doing the same to the GATT members. In essence, this action will lead to having trade concessions that GATT members do not have to necessarily match (Brett, 2001). The GATT agreements have contributed to members harming others, especially the new members. Looking at the welfare gain that is supposed to be generated from the free trade, it has to be reflected to the whole members (Cannon Bland, 1993). However, on distributive, it occurs on individual level. This effect can be offset by a shift that can occur in the free trade. The problem is that this is a political decision that can affect how the free trade will occur. In more powerful nations, the governments have been forced to take up trade policies that are detrimental to the weak nations (Narlikar, 2003). There are many other problems that have been facing GATT members but being swept under the rug. Some of these problems have been advantageous to one nation while being disadvantageous to another. For instance, this was witnessed when the Japanese cars entered the American markets. Japan was faced with invisible pressure that it had to voluntarily limit the number of vehicles it was exporting to the United States (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). This is a clear evidence of how GATT members and those who supported these ideologies were bending matters so as to suit their own needs. Some powerful members like the European Union have also been taking the interpretation of GATT principles at liberty and no action has been taken against them. Many of the conflicts that have occurred in the trading patterns within GATT have been mostly solved in a very mystifying manner. It has mostly been in favor of the powerful states leaving the less powerful and the new members at a loss. In coming up with the non trade barriers, there were many other challenges that members faced in the implementation. For instance, France had a requirement that all VCRs that were being imported into the country had to undergo an inspection and pass it before being allowed into the country. The major problem with the policy is that there was a big congestion since the country depended on a single inspector (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). It was also difficult to know if some non trade barriers were genuinely motivated by policies of other partners or it was just a matter of interfering with trade. This can be explained by the instance in which the US limited the exportation of tuna as a way of protecting the dolphins. On the other hand, Mexico was taking a large number of the tuna catches into the American markets disregarding how the mode in which they were caught. After some time, Mexico was blamed on how the number of dolphins had declined. This was challenged but GATT did not do anything on the matter, hence benefiting a few nations (Collins, Bosworth, 1994). The GATT rules were so much concerned with protecting the industrialized countries leaving the poor countries that depended on agriculture out. Hence, it led to the feeling that GATT was out to protect only the rich. GATT principles seemed to be more biased in protecting the rich nations all along leaving the poor nations out. In trying to resolve the matter, the developed countries tried to be flexible with their rules, but it still did not deter the developing countries from agitating for more GATT rights (Dowlah, 2004). As earlier argued, most of the GATT principles were political, hence did not put in effect such issues as the environment (White, 1998). Taking the case in which the GATT principle calls for the member countries to treat imported goods from a member country in the same manner as locally produced goods, it was later changed and the decision only based on finished commodities being sold to the public. In this case, if the goods that had been imported were the same as the domestically produced goods, then it was not necessary to consider the mode at which the commodities were produced (Kahler, 1995). This implies that it is not possible to impose environmental issues on the products being manufactured by the member countries into others that are environmentally vulnerable. This meant that countries that disallowed the importation of especially food products that had been produced by the use of a lot of pesticides and other chemicals to be at the risk of getting its markets flooded with such commodities. This also affected small and medium sized farmers. The farmers who had diversified their productions could not be able to compete at the same level with those dealing with one type of crops at a large scale (Wold, 1996). It is thus true to argue that GATT played a significant role in developing trade and liberalizing the markets. It created a co-operation between the markets that was initially not there (Barons, 1991). However, the system outlived its purpose by benefiting few nations at the expense of others; hence the Uruguay roundtable that led to the formation of the world trade organization was timely. Bibliography Bagwell, K Staiger R. W (2002): Economic Theory and the Interpretation of GATT/WTO; Journal of American Economist, Vol. 46,Barons L (1991): Amending Section 337 to Obtain GATT Consistency and Retain Border Protection, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 22, Brett W (2001): Influence and Lack of Influence of Principles in the Negotiation for Chinas Accession to the Word Trade Organization, The George Washington International Law Review, retrieved on 20th October 2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa5433/is_/ai_n21481317. Cannon J. R Bland K. L (1993): GATT Panels Need Restraining Principles, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 24, Collins, S. M Bosworth B . P (1994): The New GATT: Implications for the United States; Brookings Institution, Dowlah C (2004): Backwaters of Global Prosperity: How Forces of Globalization and GATT/WTO Trade Regimes Contribute to the Marginalization of the Worlds Poorest Nations; Praeger, Faye A. A (1996): APEC and the New Regionalism: GATT Compliance and Prescriptions for the WTO, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 28, Hoekman, B. M . Kostecki M. M (1995): The Political Economy of the World Tr

Impact of Stigma on the Fight Against AIDS

Impact of Stigma on the Fight Against AIDS Stigma is an essential constraint in the fight against AIDS. Discuss. 1500 words. In 2008, the World Health Organization argued that ‘†¦HIV-related stigma and discrimination are often prevalent within health services, and are critical obstacles to provision and uptake of health sector interventions. Stigma and discrimination—often pervasive at all levels of society—sustain an environment where it is difficult for health services to attract the people who most need the interventions.’ (World Health Organization HIV/AIDS Department 2008: p.12) As the same organisation reports, every day, over 6,800 people become infected with HIV and over 5,700 die. This paper discusses the way in which the stigmatisation of Aids sufferers impedes understanding of their condition, and the ability of society to address the problem holistically. It argues that society has a tendency to vilify target groups over problematical and divisive health issues, and offers earlier examples of these practices . Commenting on preventative measures in South Africa, the World Health Organisation again points out that ‘†¦it is important to collect information on higher risk male-male sex, on sexual behaviour among sex workers, on both injecting behaviour and sexual behaviour among injecting drug users, and on sexual behaviours in other groups that may be at higher risk.’ (World Health Organisation 2008: p.14) Whilst their analysis is based on positivist evidence, the identification of certain groups as most at risk introduces the parallel risk that they will be perceived by others – as solely or especially responsible for the prevalence of the condition. The urge to discriminate against a range of social groups appears to be a very deep seated one in Western societies. As Rothman points out, ‘Individualsearn prestige on the basis of their own efforts†¦or personal attributes (physical attractiveness, intelligence), but there is also a powerful structural dimension to prestige.’ (Rothman 1993: p.12). How ever, certain social groups appear particularly vulnerable to stigmatisation around issues of sexuality and disease: HIV and AIDS sufferers, it may be argued, are the latest group to suffer the re-interpretation of such prejudice. It seems fair to argue therefore that the defeat of stigmatisation is instrumental in the eradication of HIV/AIDS, and almost as important as the medical phenomenon itself. As one commentator puts it, If AIDS is to be defeated, war must be waged against poverty, ignorance, stigmatisation, violence and promiscuity.’ (The Economist 2002). Historically speaking, social explanations and interpretations of disease have always been mediated through cultural perceptions, and frequently manipulated for political purposes. Dirt, disease, sexuality and danger were frequently and unfavourably juxtaposed in public discussions of epidemics, whether relating to sexually transmitted diseases or not. A common theme in such discourses is a moralising view of the infected, and an inference that their behaviour was a major contributory factor in the spread of the disease to others. For example, when Cholera struck nineteenth century Britain, which had not yet developed a germ-theory of disease, its spread was attributed to ‘noxious effluvias’, ‘poisonous vapours’ and ‘obnoxious atmospheres’ generated in the environment of the poor and labouring classes. (Jones 1992: p.38) It was they who were effectively stigmatised with the dissemination of the disease, despite its prevalence amongst all social groups. As Mort reports, the official response was ‘†¦to isolate the human sources of infection, subjecting them to a regime of compulsory inspection and detention, combined with propaganda to educate the poor into a regime of cleanliness and morality.’ (Mort 2000: p.13) Official efforts to limit prostitution focused exclusively on female sexuality through the notorious Contagious Diseases Acts, which exposed any woman within certain geographical areas to arbitrary arrest, medical examination and detention. A common theme in these scenarios, many of which were mirrored elsewhere, is the subjective location of societal health problems in the behaviour and identity of disempowered groups. In each instance – as in the case of HIV/AIDS, responsibility for wider societal ills is linked to a largely voiceless faction, who not only  have poor lateral integration into society, but also less than sympathetic media representation. These behaviours and attitudes are obviously culturally mediated, and vary according to the host society: there is, however, no shortage of empirical examples. In Jamaica, otherwise respected social platforms such as evangelical churches and political parties, as well as popular music celebrities, combine the fear of AIDS with virulent homophobic attitudes. ‘†¦Dance-hall music—todays reggae—blasts across Jamaica. Its lyrics are often direct exhortations to kill gay people, or others who displease the islands gangs. Jamaica Labour Party supporters tauntingly played â€Å"Chi Chi Man†, a song about killing and setting fire to gay men, at their rallies during the general election†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (The Economist 2004). Elsewhere, it has been shifting positions and indecision which have delayed an effective response. In Mozambique, educational programmes aimed at 14 year olds are of uncertain utility, because 40 per cent of the nation’s children do not attend school, and, as The Economist points out, ‘†¦their parents find it difficult to talk to them about sex. So do most public figures. Even ministers are loath to say they have taken a test. Rarely, if ever, does anyone famous admit to being HIV-positive.’ (The Economist 2002) This situation is mirrored in South Africa, where, as Campell et al. indicate ‘†¦many parents simply refuse to acknowledge the very possibility of youth sexuality†¦that their children are sexually active†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. (Campbell et al. 2006: p.132) The South African government has been engaged in a rearguard against international attitudes which, it felt, were unfairly slanted against its citizens. Recently however, it has rounded on the latter, admonishing those who it perceives as most responsible for the virulence of the disease. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa said that ‘†¦You cant be going around having hugely promiscuous sex all over the place and hope that you wont be affected by something or the other.’ (The Economist 2002) Campbell et al. argue that such stigmatization is a form of ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ psychological policing†, where those who break power relations of gender and generation are disciplined and punished.’ (Campbell et al 2006: p.132). In Tanzania, Haram reports it is again women who are stigmatized in this way, through images of ‘defilement and displacement’: ‘†¦particular concern is directed towards the displacement of young†¦women, who m isuse their sexuality to achieve a†¦luxurious life , by luring wealthy†¦men†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Haram 2005: p.5) The overriding point here is that stigmatization, as much as mis-information and chimerical moral panics, are ultimately as damaging to those disseminating them as they are the stigmatized and abandoned victims of HIV/AIDS themselves. As Mort point out, ‘Two themes have surfaced repeatedly: competing understandings of perversion and normality and the social meanings attached to sexual acts and lifestyles.’ (Mort 2000: p.xviii) The obscuring and short-circuiting of accurate knowledge or effective counter measures merely ensures the continued presence of the infection in society, making it statistically certain that further innocent victims will fall prey to the disease. An analogy with earlier models of stigmatization illustrates this mechanism of self destruction. It was completely useless to persecute nineteenth century paupers and women as the sole sources of cholera or venereal disease, since this stood no chance of eliminating either condition. Similarly, the stigmat isation of women or the gay community cannot eliminate an HIV virus which is equally capable of infecting other social groups. In the twenty-first century, the social stigmatization of these groups overlooks the specificities of the condition, such as the growing convergence of HIV/TB epidemics. There are notable and laudable exceptions to these patterns of behaviour: for example, in Botswana, mining companies such as Debswana have introduced educational and non-discriminatory protocols as an operational strategy, not only for health, but for commercial survival. As The Economist points out, the company ‘†¦reckoned that if it did nothing, its mines would go the way of Zambias, which have to train four people for each skilled job in the knowledge that three will die. Even in 1997 the annual cost of AIDS per employee in the Botswana Diamond Valuing Company was calculated to be $237.’ (The Economist 2002) . As these pages were being written, the World Health Organization was attempting to polarize global attention and effort through an international AIDS effort, and focusing very much on prevention and understanding. First and foremost, we must do a much better job of prevention. This is the only way to get ahead and ensure an adequate long-term response. We u rgently need to scale up the use of proven context-specific prevention methods. We also need to expand linkages between sectors – for example, to introduce and scale up comprehensive sexuality education for young people.’ (Chan 2008). The problem is, as Haram argues, that such efforts need to be mediated through local knowledge, identifying the obstacles to behavioural change. (Haram 2005: p.9) Bibliography Campbell, C., Y.Nair, and S Maimane, (2006). Aids Stigma, Sexual Moralities and the Policing of Women and Youth in South Africa. Feminist Review 83 (Special Edition on Sexual Moralities). P. Chan, M., (2008), ‘HIV/AIDS: Universal Action Now’ World Health Organisation Website, INTERNET, available at http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2008/20080803/en/index.html [viewed 5.1.08] Haram, L. (2005). AIDS and risk: The handling of uncertainty in northern Tanzania. Culture, Health and Sexuality 7 (1): 1-11. Jones, K., (1992), The Making of Social Policy in Britain, 1830-1990, Athlone Press, London. Mort, F., (2000), Dangerous Sexualities: Medico-Moral Politics in England since 1830, 2nd Edition, Routledge, London. Rothman, R., (1993), Inequality and Stratification: Class, Colour, and Gender, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Unattributed, ‘The Fear that Spreads Death’, The Economist, 25 Nov 2004, INTERNET, available at http://www.economist.com/world/americas/displaystory.cfm?story_id=3437101 [viewed 5.1.08] Unattributed, ‘Fighting back’, The Economist, 9th May 2002, INTERNET, available at http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_TTNDTDJ [viewed 5.1.08] World Health Organization HIV/AIDS Department, (2008), Priority Interventions, HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in the health sector, WHO. World Health Organization/Unaids/Unicef, (2008), Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV and AIDS: South Africa, INTERNET, available at http://www.who.int/globalatlas/predefinedReports/EFS2008/full/EFS2008_ZA.pdf [viewed 5.1.08]

Coach-Athlete Relationship Model

Coach-Athlete Relationship Model Introduction The coach-athlete relationship is widely recognised as one of the most important interpersonal relationships in sport (Jowett and Cockerill, 2002; Lyle, 1999). In the past, coaching focused largely on improving the physical and technical skills of the athlete; however, more recently, the importance of developing the athlete’s psychosocial skills has also been acknowledged (Miller and Kerr, 2002). It is now accepted that the behaviours, thoughts and emotions of the coach and athlete are interconnected, with both individuals having a mutual appreciation and respect for each other (Jowett and Meek, 2000; Philippe and Seiler, 2006). The main goal of the coach-athlete dyad is to produce an outcome of improved, high performance from the athlete, and the quality of this relationship can impact significantly on whether successful outcomes are achieved. The aim of this paper is to review published evidence on the nature and dynamics of the coach-athlete relationship and the potential i nfluence of significant others on this dyad. Conceptual models to investigate the dynamics of the coach-athlete relationship Traditionally, the dynamics between coach and athlete have been studied from the perspective of coaching leadership (Jowett, 2005). The earlier models which provided a conceptual framework for this research include the Mediational model (Smoll and Smith, 1989), the Multidimensional model (Chelladurai, 1993) and the Coaching model (Cà ´tà ©, Salmela, Trudel, Baria, Russell, 1995). These models focus on the behaviours of the coach, perceptions of these behaviours, and the impact of such behaviours on outcome variables such as performance and satisfaction. A number of newer conceptual models have been developed which also largely have a behavioural focus (Jowett and Cockerill, 2002; Mageau and Vallerand, 2003; Poczwardowski, Barott, Peregoy, 2002; Wylleman, 2000). Worthy of note is the Motivational model proposed by Mageau and Vallerand (2003), which may be of value in the study of inspirational motivation, a recent focus of leadership research. This considers whether an individual sh ows an exceptional ability to lead others to higher performance levels and/or provide inspiration through the use of clear principles and goals, and has been shown to be a strongly associated with athletes’ level of satisfaction with their coach (Gomes, Sousa, Cruz, 2006). It can be argued that a major limitation of all these models is that they fail to consider the non-behavioural aspects of the coach-athlete relationship (e.g. thoughts and emotions) which may also be importance influencers of the effectiveness and success of this relationship. The 3Cs and Co-orientation models The Closeness, Commitment and Complementarity (3Cs) conceptual model developed by Jowett and colleagues incorporates both behavioural and non-behavioural components of the coach-athlete dyad, and reflects the relational aspects of emotions, cognitions and behaviours, respectively (Jowett, 2002; Jowett, 2003; Jowett and Cockerill, 2002; Jowett and Meek, 2000). An additional interpersonal construct, co-orientation, has also been evaluated and is included in the Co-orientation model (Jowett, 2006; Jowett and Clark-Carter, 2006). This adds another dimension by considering coaches’ and athletes’ perceptions about each other from three different aspects: actual similarity, assumed similarity and empathic understanding (Jowett, 2005). Both the 3Cs and Co-orientation models have been pivotal in recent research investigating the nature of the coach-athlete dyad from the perspective of the athlete in individual sports including swimming (Philippe and Seiler, 2006; Poczwardowski, Barott, Jowett, 2006). Analysing the nature of the coach-athlete relationship In addition to their own perspective on the coach-athlete relationship, both members of the dyad will also form perceptions of how the other member views the relationship. Laing and colleagues (1966) first proposed the terms ‘direct perspective’ (i.e. the individual’s own perspective) and ‘meta-perspective’ (the individual’s perception of the other dyad member’s perspective). More recently, Kenny and Acitelli (2001) developed a method of measuring the accuracy of these perceptions (Kenny and Acitelli, 2001). A study using this methodology has investigated empathic accuracy and assumed similarity in perceptions of closeness, commitment and complementarity in the coach-athlete relationship (Jowett and Clark-Carter, 2006). Findings showed that empathic accuracy and assumed similarity were evident in both coach and athlete perceptions; however, athletes were more accurate in identifying their coaches feelings in terms of closeness, while in newer relationships, both members showed higher levels of empathic accuracy. Communication is another important component of the coach-athlete dyad (Jowett, 2003; Phillipe and Seiler, 2006). Studies have demonstrated that effective communication promotes a shared understanding of the importance of key issues between both dyad members and may therefore reduce the likelihood of problems or conflict occurring within the relationship The Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) is a self-report instrument developed to explore the nature of the coach-athlete relationship by examining closeness, commitment and complementarity from a meta-perspective (Jowett and Ntoumanis, 2004). The validity, internal consistency and reliability of this questionnaire were demonstrated in two independent samples of British coaches-athlete dyads. More recently, a Greek language version of the questionnaire (GrCART-Q) has been developed, together with a modified version incorporating co-orientation (Jowett, 2006). The validity and reliability of both versions of this questionnaire were confirmed in a sample of coach-athlete dyads from individual sports (Jowett, 2006). Effective versus successful coach-athlete relationships When considering the nature of the coach-athlete dyad, it is important to distinguish between effective and successful relationships. Effective relationships are underpinned by values such as empathy, support, acceptance, respect and responsiveness (Jowett and Cockerill, 2003; Jowett and Meek, 2000). While these undoubtedly provide positive psychosocial benefits for the athlete, they will not necessarily improve performance. In contrast, successful relationships are ones in which a measure of performance success has been achieved, although these may not always be effective in nature (Jowett, 2005). The influence of significant others on the coach-athlete relationship It has been suggested that the coach-athlete relationship should not be considered solely as two members of the dyad working together, but also should also take account of the influence of significant others. For example, some believe that coach leadership may be a shared function rather than a role taken on by the coach alone (Jowett, 2005; Jowett and Chaundy, 2004) while in the case of children, parents and other family members may play an important role in the development and success of the athlete (Cheng, Marsh, Dowson, Martin, n.d.). To conclude, there is a considerable body of literature investigating the nature and dynamics of the coach-athlete dyad and those factors which may influence the development, effectiveness and success of this important relationship. References Chelladurai, P. (1993). Leadership. In R. N. Singer, M. Murphy, L. K. Tennant (Eds.) Handbook on research on sport psychology. New York: MacMillan. Cheng, J. H. S., Marsh, H. W., Dowson, M. Martin, A. J. (n.d.) Exploring the effect of relationship dynamics of support on gymnasts’ and figure skaters’ self-concept, education and psychological resilience: a research proposal. Retrieved 5 July, 2008 from http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/che05309.pdf Cà ´tà ©, J., Salmela, J. H., Trudel, P., Baria, A. Russell, S. (1995). The coaching model: A grounded assessment of expert gymnastic coaches knowledge. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17, 1–17. Gomes, A. R., Sousa, S. A. Cruz, J. F. (2006). Charismatic, trnasformational and visionary dimensions in sport leadership: towards new paths for the study of coach-athletes relationships. In N. S. Huber M. Harvey (Eds.). Leadership at the crossroads. University of Maryland: The James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership. Jowett, S. Cockerill, I. M. (2002). Incompatibility in the coach-athlete relationship. In I. M. Cockerill (Ed.) Solutions in Sport Psychology. London: Thomson Learning. Jowett, S. Cockerill, I. M. (2003). Olympic medallists perspective of the athlete-coach relationship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 4, 313–31. Jowett, S. Chaundy, V. (2004). An investigation into the impact of coach leadership and coach-athlete relationship on group adhesion. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research and Practice, 8, 302–11. Jowett, S. Clark-Carter, D. (2006). Perceptions of empathic accuracy and assumed similarity in the coach-athlete relationship’, British Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 617-37. Jowett, S. Ntoumanis, N. (2004). The Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q): development and initial validation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine Science in Sports, 14, 245–57. Jowett, S. (2002). The coach-athlete questionnaire and dyad maps (Research Monograph No. 1). Staffordshire: School of Health, Staffordshire University. Jowett, S. (2003). When the ‘honeymoon’ is over: a case study of a coach–athlete dyad in crisis. The Sport Psychologist, 17, 444–60. Jowett, S. (2005). The coach-athlete partnership. The Psychologist, 18, 412–5. Jowett, S. (2006,). Interpersonal and structural features of Greek coach–athlete dyads performing in individual sports. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 18, 69–81. Jowett, S. Cockerill, I. M. (2002). Incompatibility in the coach-athlete relationship. In I. M. Cockerill (Ed.) Solutions in sport psychology. London: Thomson Learning. Jowett, S. Meek, G. A. (2000). The coach-athlete relationship: an exploratory content analysis. The Sport Psychologist, 14, 157–75. Kenny, D. A. Acitelli, L. K. (2001). Accuracy and bias in perceptions of the partner in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 439–48. Laing, R. D., Phillipson, H. Lee, A.R. (1966). Interpersonal Perception. Baltimore: Perennial Library. Lyle, J. (1999). Coaching philosophy and coaching behaviour’. In N. Cross J. Lyle (eds.) The coaching process: principles and practice for sport. Oxford: Butterworth-Heineman. Mageau, G. A. Vallerand, R. J. (2003). The coach-athlete relationship: a motivational model. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21, 883–904. Miller, P. S. Kerr, G. A. (2002). Conceptualising evidence: past, present and future. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14, 140–53. Philippe, R. A. Seiler, R. (2006). Closeness, co-orientation and complementarity in coach-athlete relationships: What male swimmers say about their male coaches. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 7, 159–71. Poczwardowski, A., Barott, J. E. Peregoy, J. J. (2002). The athlete and coach: their relationships and its meaning – methodological concerns and research process. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 33, 98–115. Poczwardowski, A., Barott, J. E. Jowett, S. (2006). Diversifying approaches to research on athlete coach relationships. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 7, 125–42. Smoll, F. L. Smith, R. E. (1989). Leadership behaviours in sport: a theoretical model and research paradigm. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19, 1522–51. Wylleman, P. (2000). Interpersonal relationships in sport: uncharted territory in sport psychology. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 31, 555–72.

Cheap Labour: Canada :: essays research papers

Cheap Labour: Canada Canada, the so-called land of opportunities. This statement is a known fact due to the large amount of people immigrating to our country. It all started back in the 50's and is still occurring in the 90's. I will be discussing the different working mentalities between French Canadians and immigrants coming from various parts of the world. I will compare "Voiceless People" by Marco Micone, and White Niggers of America by Pierre Vallieres. White Niggers emphasizes on the mentality of French Canadian working class and Voiceless People emphasizes on immigrant's mentality towards working, which in this case is the Italian community. After reading "Rivalry Over the Ethnic Minorities", it was like reading my own family's past when they immigrated in Quebec back in the early 70's. Many Greek immigrants who immigrated from their native country followed the same pattern towards finding happiness. Like most of the French, they worked long hard hours in bad working conditions and not so great pay. These sweatshops represent the first act of action to climb up the social ladder. But for the immigrants, it meant much more: they have these jobs in order to save up some money for the future, by a nice house and reach the next step in social ladder. Most of the time, the immigrants would buy their home in other neighborhoods; they would change community because it reflected their new social situation. Because they have more money, they can move to an area where people of the same nationality live. They will leave the French back in the city where they will keep on working long hours because they never saved up or invested their money. The main point I'm trying to show is that the immigrants have a stronger ambition and desire to become more successful than the French do, maybe because they are not at home and threatened by others. This is the world view almost all immigrants have and this concept has a major effect on their lives. Voiceless People is exactly the same scenario for Antonio and his family. Antonio came here very poor and unable to speak a word of French. He started working in factories with very bad pay and even worse working conditions. Just like the typical immigrant, he never gave up, didn't let anyone put him down, continued to work because he had an ambition to become successful and buy a house knowing that he earned it with his own sweat. As a newcomer to this country, he seemed to succeed with great facility, unlike many French Canadians who seem somehow jealous of the immigrants who tend to succeed with such bad

Home Rule :: Essays Papers

Home Rule The Potato Famine, religious discrimination, and land issues caused tension in the Irish community. Home Rule, a measure of an independent government for Ireland, was the inevitable solution. It took more than two centuries for Ireland to gain its independence over Great Britain. With the Act of 1800, the British abolished Ireland’s Dublin Parliament. As a result, Irish members were forced to take their seats in Westminster (Walsh 1). This left the Irish with no government representation within the country. The Irish had a desire to control domestic affairs without any British involvement. Replaced by English traditions and emigration, the nationalist movement increased opportunity for change. By the mid 1880’s, Irish nationalism rose to great heights and Irish independence was at the forefront of politics (20). Charles Parnell became the leader of the revived Irish movement. He was named head of both the Irish Parliamentary Party and the National Land League. Parnell gained support from members of the Fenian movement, as well as newly elected British Prime Minister, William Gladstone. Gladstone was highly aware of the Irish predicament stating "My mission is to pacify Ireland" (21). His attempt at pacification started with the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland. In 1885, he introduced the First Home Rule Bill. Between the years of 1886 and 1921 there were four Home Rule bills submitted to Parliament. The Home Rule Bills provided a dual-bodied legislature strictly for local matters and Irish representation at Westminster to vote on Irish taxation. According to Taylor "It threatened to frustrate those (British) completely in that it provided for a sepa rate Irish parliament and an end to Irish representation in Westminster" (Taylor 772). This led way to views of republicans and revolutionaries after each bill was defeated. Home Rule had a huge effect on Irish society and Irish politics to which Ireland is shaped today. The Gaelic Revival was an attempt to re-introduce old Gaelic traditions to the Irish people. The Irish were fed up with British influence. The restoration of their culture would provide themselves with a national identity. As stated in Ireland’s Independence, "The period saw the emergence of a separate series of organizations – literary, sporting, political" (Walsh 18). The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), founded by Michael Cusak, promoted national games, such as hurling, football, and handball (Walsh 18).

Sentence Structure

Sentence Structure and Avoiding Run-on Sentences Sentence Structure Depending on the number and type of clauses they contain, sentences are classified as simple, compound, complex, compound-complex. 1. Simple Sentences A simple sentence contains only one independent clause. Without dancing, life would not be fun. A simple sentence can also contain compound elements (subject, verb, object). Evil enters like a needle and spreads like an oak. (compound verb) 2. Compound sentences A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses with no subordinate clauses. They are joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, so, for, yet) or with a semicolon. He wanted to join the group, but the other members wouldn’t let him. Most singers gain fame through hard work and dedication; Evita, however, found another means. 3. Complex sentences A complex sentence is composed of one independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses. The fur that warms a monarch once warmed a bear. Home is the place where you slip in the tub and break your neck. Talent is what you possess. Dig a well before you are thirsty. Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you. Juan can run faster than I can bicycle. When he adopts a creed, a scientist commits suicide. The receptionist knows [that] you are here. Subordinating Adverbs afterbeforerather thanthoughwherealthough even thoughsinceunlesswhetherasas if if howso thatuntilwhilethan whenwhybecausein order thatthatbecause although Relative Pronouns thatwhowhomwhosewhich Other words introducing subordinate clauses whoeverwhomeverwhateverwhicheverwheneverwherever The above is true in both Spanish and English (Hacker, 2009, 768-770). Run-On Sentences Run-on sentences are a serious problem because they indicate that the writer does not understand basic sentence structure either in Spanish or English. Run-ons are independent clauses (a word group that can stand alone as a complete sentence) that have not been joined correctly. There are two types of run-on sentences. When a writer puts no punctuation and no coordinating conjunction between independent clauses, the sentence is said to be fused. EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone they are essential for the hearing paired. A more common run-on sentence is the comma splice—two independent clauses joined with a comma without a coordinating conjunction (and, so, but, for, yet, or, nor). EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone, they are essential for the hearing impaired. In other comma splices, the comma is accompanied by a joining word that is not a coordinating conjunction. EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone, however they are essential for the hearing impaired. There are four methods of fixing a run-on sentence: 1. Use a comma and coordinating conjunction: EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone, but they are essential for the hearing impaired. 2. Use a semi-colon (if the clauses are related) or a colon or a dash to separate the independent clauses. EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone; they are essential for the hearing impaired. Sometimes the semi-colon is accompanied by a transitional expression. EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone; however, they are essential for the hearing impaired. Other common transitions: moreover, nevertheless, for example, in fact, etc. ). If appropriate you may also use a colon or a dash (less formal than the colon): EX: Nuclear waste is hazardous: This is an indisputable fact. 3. Make the clauses into separate sentences. EX: Gestures are a means of communication for everyone. They are essential for the hearing impaired. 4. Restructure the sentence so that one of the clauses becomes subordinate. EX: While gestures are a means of communication for everyone, they are essential for the hearing impaired (Hacker, 2009, 296-308). EXERCISE Revise any run-on sentences using a technique that you find effective. If a sentence is correct write correct after it. 1. Carlos never drove the vintage cars his father left him, however, he wouldn’t sell them. 2. The volunteers worked hard to clean up after the hurricane, in fact, many of them did not sleep for days. 3. The center of Monterrey is the Macroplaza, this plaza is one of the largest in the world. 4. I ran the three blocks as fast as I could I missed the bus. 5. We didn’t trust her, she had lied before. 6. If you want to get good grades, consider this advice, don’t wait until the end of the semester to start studying. 7. Juan is a top competitor he has been running for years. 8. The floor around the refreshment stand was sticky, I was lucky to make it away with both shoes on my feet. 9. The streets of Mexico City are dangerous, it is not safe to drive. 10. Are you able endure boredom, then this might be the right career for you. 11. We planned to spend our vacation at Padre Island, however, the hurricane made us come home earlier than we had planned. 2. There was one major reason for his wealth, his grandfather had been a multi-millionaire. 13. President Fox was standing next to the podium, he was waiting for President Bush to introduce him to the press. 14. Mr. Romero is an excellent linguist, he speaks six languages. 15. Somedays I only have money for the bus, lunch is a luxury I cannot afford. 16. The building is being renovated we have no heat or water. 17. The next time an event is canceled because of rain, don’t blame the weatherman, blame nature.

Competition Bikes Inc. Storyline Essay

To: Vice President The following is a summary report to recommend whether Competition Bikes should change its traditional costing method to activity based costing, and an analysis of the breakeven point with regards to sales units and dollars for both CarbonLite and Titanium bikes. It also discusses the impacts to the breakeven point. The cost-volume-profit evaluation and the traditional vs activity based costing method overhead analysis were used for the review and analysis. Traditional Based Costing vs Activity Based Costing Traditional Based Costing Method (TBC). TBC uses one rate, the overall cost of production, to estimate costs based on the revenue production created. Unlike ABC, manufacturing costs in TBC are only assigned to sold merchandises and do not account for nonmanufacturing costs such as administrative costs. This method is general not as accurate as ABC as it does not account for costs specifics to the level of products. For Competition Bikes, the company can see its manufacturing overhead is $239,020 for the Titanium bikes, and $232,380 for the CarbonLite bikes for a total of $471,400 in overhead costs. This means the unit cost for each is $713 for Titanium bikes, and $1359 for the CarbonLite bikes. Activity Based Costing Method (ABC). ABC determines and allocates cost by activities a company executes. This generally happens in four steps: identify each activity and its associated costs, both total and indirect; estimated cost driver and quantity; allocation computation; and cost allocation to the respective activity. ABC refines the way indirect costs are allocated to production and focuses on the costs of each individual activity. Costs are also further assigned to each product within the activities and each activity has its own cost driver. Because of the  specificity, active based costing provides a more accurate picture of the true costs. Direct material (DM), and direct labor (DL) are the same for each bike in using TBC or ABC. However, in using ABC, the company can break out the manufacturing overhead into factory setups, quality control, engineering services, product movements, utilities and services, and depreciation. The total for each bike using the ABC method is $590,715 for Titanium bikes, and $729,985 for CarbonLite bikes. Although the total is still the same $471,400 in overhead costs, the ABC method allows Competition Bikes to see that the Titanium bikes depreciate much faster than the CarbonLite and that it takes more utilities and services to make those bikes. Factory setups and quality control are much higher for CarbonLite bikes than those for Titanium ones. Per unit, the Titanium Bikes cost $656 each and the CarbonLite bikes cost $1460. Recommendation. It is recommended to use ABC to determine true costs associated with activities and products. This will give the company more knowledge of its finances and spending and in return by seeing a clearer picture of costs, make better decisions on funding and budget, and gain cost savings. Activity based management in Competition Bikes can use ABC to make decisions that increase profits while still meeting customer needs. Understanding where costs are going will help Competition Bikes to remove unnecessary costs and set fair price for the products. Overpricing products causes a lost in market sharing while underpricing products diminishes revenue. Better prices for consumers means more business for the company. With activity based costing, Competition Bikes will be able to determine the optimum sales units required with the sales mix of 9 Titanium bicycles produced for every 5 CarbonLite bicycles that will produce the bikes at San Diego at breakeven. The company will also be able to reevaluate activities on a regular basis to reduce future costs as well. Evaluating activities and setting sales prices are part of value engineering. Currently the company thinks it costs $1359 to make a CarbonLite bike and have set the selling price accordingly. In reality, the bikes cost $1460 to make. With a $101 difference, the company may want to adjust their selling price in future months. Using ABC also allows the company to use the Just in Time (JIT) system. This system allows ensures materials are purchased just in time to produce the products, and products are completed just in time for delivery. JIT uses the demand-pull system to receive the order, schedule production, delivered materials, and finished product delivered to the customer. This lessens the amount of excess parts and inventory saving the company money as well. Breakeven Point This analysis will evaluate the breakeven point for Competition Bikes Inc. Sales units and sales dollars will be identified for the breakeven point. These sales units and dollars will be broken down between CarbonLite and Titanium bikes. The breakeven point is used my companies to prevent loss. The Cost Volume Profit (CVP) is the tool in which to capture the breakeven point. Sometimes it is referred to as the breakeven analysis. The CVP assists the company in identifying future operation need, production costs, and expansion possibilities based on estimating costs, prices, and volumes. This profit response can help Competition Bikes determine the amount of needed sales, what products to manufacture, pricing policies, marketing strategies, and how much profit is actually needed. In this analysis we will assume that the fixed and variable costs remain constant, and that the number of units produced equals the number of units the company sells. CVP is defined by the equation Total Revenues – Total Costs = Profit. The breakeven point is the point in which the CVP equals zero or, Revenues – Expenses = 0. Meaning, the revenues cover all the costs, fixed and variable. Therefore, the CVP can be further broken down into Total Revenue – Total Fixed Costs – Total Variable Costs = Total Profit. The contribution margin is then identified by Total Revenue – Total Variable Costs (leaving out the fixed costs). Contribution Margin is important to identify the differences in each product’s profits. For Competition Bikes, the contribution margin for the Titanium bikes is $900-$679=$221. The  CarbonLite Bikes yield $1495-$1384=$111 each. Using the 450 Titanium bikes and 250 CarbonLite bikes sold, the total combined contribution margin for Competition Bikes is $127,000. That’s broken down like this: Titanium Bikes contribution margin of $221 per unit, 450 units equals $221*450, or $99,450. CarbonLite bikes contribution margin of $111 per unit, 250 units equals $27,750. Contribution margins $99,450 + $27,750 = $127,200 Total Contribution Margin. To determine the profits in more detail, we use the equation (Selling Price (per unit) * Quantity Sold) – (Variable Costs (per unit) * Quantity Sold) – Fixed Expenses = Breakeven Point (Zero). The fixed costs are the units sold * the weighted average contribution margin. The weighted average contribution margin is used to find the breakeven point and is essentially the average of contribution margin amounts per unit. The equation is Total Contribution Margin / Total Quantity Sold. For Competition Bikes, our combined weighted average contribution is $181.71. That’s $127,200/ 700 units sold (450 Titanium and 250 CarbonLite bikes) = $181.71. To establish the breakeven point, we also need to know the combined revenue and costs as well. So we calculate total revenue as the following. Titanium bikes are $900 each and 400 units sold, equals $405,000. The CarbonLite bikes are $1495 each and 250 sold which equals $373,750. Combine the $405,000 + $373,750 = $778,750 Total Combined Revenue. The variable costs for each are Titanium bikes: $679 in costs, 450 sold, which equals $305,550 or $679*450 = $305,550. CarbonLite bikes: $1384 in costs, 250 sold, which equals $346,000, or $1384*250= $346,000. The two together, $305,550 + $346,000 = $651,550 Total Combined Variable Costs. The total combined margin can also be calculated by taking $778,750 subtracting the $651,550 and it equals the same $127,200 Total Combined Margin we calculated earlier. We use this as a check and balance system here. To determine the breakeven units, we look at the fixed costs and weighted average contribution margin discussed earlier. The fixed cost for the company is $400,000. Divided by the weighted average contribution margin  181.71, we get the breakeven units for the product sales mix of 2201. The contribution margin ratio is the percentage of contribution margin to revenue. To find the contribution margin ratio, we divide the total combined margin by the total revenue. This tells us by how much the price per unit exceeds the variable cost per unit. In this scenario, Total Combined Margin $127,000 divided by Total Revenue $778,750 which is .163, or $127,000 / $778,750 = .163 Contribution Margin Ratio. Since the bikes are not equal, we must calculate a product mix in addition to the weighted average. Using the weighted average, we can calculate the breakeven point in a proportionate way using sales units and sales dollars. For sales units, we take the breakeven units for the product sales mix and multiply it by the ratio of units sold divided by the total number of unit sold. So for Titanium, the sales units at the breakeven point is [450 / 700] * 2201, or 1415 units. For CarbonLite, [250 / 700] * 2201 = 786 units. To calculate the sales dollars, we multiply the sales units by the sales price. In this instance, Titanium is 1415 units multiplied by $900 cost for each unit or, 1415 * $900 = $1,276,500. CarbonLite is 786 units multiplied by $1495 price for each unit, or 786 * $1495 = $1,175,070. The combined total sales dollars is $2,451,570 To break even, the profit must be zero. Gains and losses are equal. For Competition Bikes, the breakeven point is 1415, or $1,276,500 in Titanium bikes, and 786 CarbonLite bikes, or $1,175,070. Impacts of the Breakeven Point A2b. Based on an evaluation of cost-volume-profit, Prepare a summary report that describes the impacts to the breakeven point if company management needed to increase the cost of direct materials by 10% cost increase and needed to add $50,000 in fixed costs to the production facility. Company management has asked for a report on the impacts of increasing the  cost of direct materials by 10% and fixed costs by $50,000 in relation to the breakeven point. The contribution margin and weighted average are based in part on direct materials, or variable costs. Raising the costs by 10% is significant and will have a great impact on the company. Total Revenue is $778,750 and variable costs now $681,800. This increase is broken down by variable cost per unit to $709 for Titanium bikes, and $1551 for CarbonLite. The Contribution Margin per unit is now 191 and 44 respectively lowering the total combined contribution margin to $96,950. CarbonLite bikes contribution margin decreased from $111 to $44 per unit, over a 60% decrease. Calculated by dividing the Total Combined Contribution Margin $96,950 by the Total Units of 700, the 138.50 weighted average contribution margin per unit also dropped by 24% from 181.71. This shows how significant a 10% can be to the contribution margin. Ten percent in one area can mean much larger impact in other areas. With an increase in fixed costs to $450,000 that now brings the breakeven units for the product sales mix to 3249. We calculate this by $450,000 fixed costs divided by the lower weighed average contribution margin 138.50. This continues to affect numbers as we calculate sales units and sales dollars. Titanium bikes sales units are 450 units divided by 700 total units, multiplied by the weighted average 3249 for 2089 units. CarbonLite bike sales units are 250 units divided by the 700 total units, multiplied by the weighted average 3249, totaling 1160 sales. Sales dollars are calculated as Titanium bikes 2089 units * $900 = $1,880,100 and CarbonLite bikes as 1160 units * $1495 = $1,734,200 for a total $3,614,300. The breakeven point is now increased. Sales for Titanium bikes is now up to 2089 units, or $1,880,100 and CarbonLite bikes up to 1160 units, or $1,734,200. By raising direct costs 10% and fixed costs 13%, Competition Bikes now has to sell 674 more Titanium bikes, and 374 CarbonLite bikes to break even. That’s a 48% increase. Based on this analysis, it would be in Competition Bikes best interest to try to keep costs low. Variable and fixed costs show that a small increase can significantly impact the company’s breakeven point. Variable costs have a higher impact than fixed costs. Direct costs per unit should be specifically addressed in reducing costs as well as increasing sales.