Interview With Socrates Essays - Socratic Dialogues,

Interview With Socrates Greek philosopher and educational reformer of the fifth century B.C.; born at Athens, 469 B.C.; died there, 399 B.C. After having received the usual Athenian education in music (which included literature), geometry, and gymnastics, he practised for a time the craft of sculptor, working, we are told, in his father's workshop. Admonished, as he tells us, by a divine call, he gave up his occupation in order to devote himself to the moral and intellectual reform of his fellow citizens. He believed himself destined to become a sort of gadfly to the Athenian State. He devoted himself to this mission with extraordinary zeal and singleness of purpose. He never left the City of Athens except on two occasions, one of which was the campaign of Potidea and Delium, and the other a public religious festival. In his work as reformer he encountered, indeedhe may be said to have provoked, the opposition of the Sophists and their influential friends. He was the most unconventional of teachers and the least tactful. He delighted in assuming all sorts of rough and even vulgar mannerisms, and purposely shocked the more refined sensibilities of his fellow citizens. The opposition to him culminated in formal accusations of impiety and subversion of the existing moral traditions. He met these accusations in a spirit of defiance and, instead of defending himself, provoked his opponents by a speech in presence of his judges in which he affirmed his innocence of all wrongdoing, and refused to retract or apologize for anything that he had said or done. He was condemned to drink the hemlock and, when the time came, met his fate with a calmness and dignity which have earned for him a high place among those who suffered unjustly for conscience sake. He was a man of great moral earnestness, and exemplified in his own life some of the noblest moral virtues. At the same time he did not rise above the moral level of his contemporaries in every respect, and Christian apologists have no difficulty in refuting the contention that he was the equal of the Christian saints. His frequent references to a divine voice that inspired him at critical moments in his career are, perhaps, best explained by saying that they are simply his peculiar way of speaking about the promptings of his own conscience. They do not necessarily imply a pathological condition of his mind, nor a superstitous belief in the existence of a familiar demon. Socrates was, above all things, a reformer. He was alarmed at the condition of affairs in Athens, a condition which he was, perhaps, right in ascribing to the Sophists. They taught that there is no objective standard of the true and false, that that is true which seems to be true, and that that is false which seems to be false. Socrates considered that this theoretical scepticism led inevitably to moral anarchy. If that is true which seems to be true, then thatis good, he said, which seems to be good. Up to this tome morality was taught not by principles scientifically determined, but by instances, proverbs, and apothegms. He undertook, therefore, first to determine the conditions of universally valid moral principles a science of human conduct. Self-knowledge is the starting point, because, he believed, the greatest source of the prevalent confusion was the failure to realize how little we know about anything, in the true sense of the word know. The statesman, the orator, the poet, think they know much about courage; for they talk about it as being noble, and praiseworthy, and beautiful, etc. But they are really ignorant of it until they know what it is, in other words, until they know its definition. The definite meaning, therefore, to be attached to the maxim know thyself is Realize the extent of thine own ignorance. Consequently, the Socratic method of teaching included two stages, the negative and the positive. In the negative stage, Socrates, approaching his intended pupil in an attitude of assumed ignorance, would begin to ask a question, apparently for his own information. He would follow this by other questions, until his interlocutor would at last be obliged to confess ignorance of the subject discussed. Because of

Problems of Inequality and Poverty in Finance The WritePass Journal

Problems of Inequality and Poverty in Finance Abstract Problems of Inequality and Poverty in Finance AbstractIntroductionThe Impact of Financial Development on Income InequalityThe Use of Microfinance for Poverty AlleviationConclusionReferencesRelated Abstract Inequality and poverty are realities for the majority of developing economies around the world. Intuitively, financial development leading to economic growth should have a positive relationship between the reduction of income inequality (and therefore social inequality) and poverty eradication. Successful regulation of the financial sector leading the economic and political stability will have the effect of increasing access to capital through increased foreign direct investment. In this way FDI can be used to improve access to microfinance which has been identified by the UNDP and developing countries as a primary strategy to poverty eradication as a long-term goal. Introduction Literature on poverty alleviation notes that levels of poverty can be decomposed in two distinct ways. The first is through rapid economic growth and the second is though a change in the distribution of income in that economy (Bourguignon, 2004). This literature acknowledges the inherent link between poverty alleviation, economic growth and income redistribution. In terms of statistical representation, Besley and Burgess (2003) prove that in order for alleviation of poverty to occur, developing countries need to effect an annual growth of 3.8% in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in order to half poverty in the next decade which is currently less than half the average growth recorded in recent decades. Therefore although financial development has been shown to produce faster rates of economic growth, literature still remains largely unconvinced of the link between financial development and poverty alleviation (Beck et al., 2004). It goes without saying that income inequality perpetuat es social inequality by affording lower-income groups limited access to necessities, commodities, health and education which in turn creates a recurring cycle of poverty and inequality in itself. This paper therefore aims to explore the link between financial development and inequality in poverty alleviation with a particular focus on developing countries in Africa. The central hypothesis of this paper asserts that if there is a positive relationship between financial development and the reduction of income inequality, financial development can be used as a means of alleviating poverty in developing countries. The Impact of Financial Development on Income Inequality The impact of financial development on the reduction of income inequality is not settled in current research outcomes, with certain models implying that development enhances opportunities for growth and reduces inequality. However, that this reduction is hampered by imperfections in the financial markets with factors such as credit restraints impeding the flow of capital to poorer individuals and communities, therefore enforcing inequality in income and intensifying the wealth disparity in these developing economies (Beck et al., 2004). According to these models, financial development plays the role of reducing these credit restraints and therefore improving the availability of capital for redistribution in lower-income groups and thereby accelerating growth. Contrary to these models however, Haber et al. (2003) note that in low-income countries, poorer members of society remain in rural areas and therefore rely on access to capital through family connections and as a result, financial development will only result in assisting the high-income end of the spectrum. Overall therefore, this may have a negative impact on income inequality. Evidence from developed economies suggest a nonlinear approach to financial development which asserts that at higher levels of economic development, there is increasing wealth available to a larger percentage of the population which may have the effect of offsetting this negative impact (Greenwood Jovanovic, 1990). The problematic element of this nonlinear model is that reaching higher levels of economic development may take substantial economic growth over a long-period of time, which does little to address immediate concerns of income inequality. Indicators of financial development include the improvement of information and transactions costs, and the availability and distribution of capital. For developing countries, which often experience a lack of availability of credit, there is a larger reliance on foreign direct investment and private credit institutions to provide capital. In these regions there is a large reliance on micro-finance institutions (MFIs) to improve the access to capital for low-income groups. Case studies in developing countries have proven that access to microfinance has a positive impact on poverty alleviation and income inequalities (Meagher, 2002). Practice however has shown that MFI access is in itself problematic as it requires strict regulation of the financial services industry in that country in order to ensure both consumer and investor protection (Omino, 2005). The success of MFIs in providing access to capital relies heavily on a coherent strategy by the government of the country through the c entral banking institution or primary financial regulation authority. The Use of Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation One could argue that the use of microfinance as a means of poverty reduction and income redistribution is a moot point, as it has been popularly acknowledged as a primary long-term strategy for the eradication of poverty. The United Nations Development Programme prioritized microfinance as part of their broader international agenda as a measure of poverty alleviation (UNDP, 1997). As part of this international mandate, the UNDP provided avenues where commercial financial institutions could gain funding from the UNDP as a means of providing microfinance to low-income families with comparatively lower repayment demands and in doing so, catering for the social economic burdens carried by the nationals of the countries involved (UNDP, 2004). This agenda is one that has been adopted by financial regulation authorities in developing countries. The Central Bank of Liberia, for example has adopted a new regulatory framework which provides a unified approach to regulation of the financial sec tor with a specific focus on MFIs, acknowledge the mandate of the UNDP to make use of these institutions for wealth redistribution and poverty eradication (Central Bank of Liberia, 2009), which was a goal specifically supported by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDP, 2008). The support for these forms of financing institutions is not specific to Liberia with the UNDP and UNCDP offering similar support to other developing countries around the world, with a specific focus on improving financial development through effective regulation in the sector. The rationale behind the use of MFIs as a primary means of poverty reduction lies in the access that it gives to lower income groups to encourage small business. This acts as a grassroots approach to wealth redistribution and therefore the use of MFIs has been identified as a primary method of poverty alleviation in developing countries, such as Liberia (Central Bank of Liberia, 2005). Financial development through the use of non-traditional means of providing access to credit for lower-income groups requires unified regulation of the banking sector in developing countries. This necessitates a hierarchical approach to regulation which effectively regulates the relationship between the national financial policy of the country, macroeconomic financial institutions and MFIs. The effect of consistent regulation in this way has the effect of stabilizing the economy of the country, as an unstable economic environment generates inflation which has a proven effect on microenterprise that is more severe than established, wealthier companies or corporations (Franks, 2000). Therefore ensuring a stable economic environment is essential to continued wealth redistribution and ultimately poverty alleviation. A case study of the Philippines further showed that the investment in poverty alleviation in this way enhanced the economic and political resources of the average household and as a result had a positive effect on social capital and cooperation through the encouragement of production and industry (Quinones Siebel, 2000). This in turn had a positive effect on the political stability in this region which further encourages foreign direct investment (FDI) in the economy of the country. The knock-on effect of FDI in developing countries is self-explanatory with a positive result on economic growth and greater access to capital. An unfortunate reality however faces many African nations which represents the converse situation, where many years of poor financial management have led to inherent corruption within the system and in order to make use of the available support offered by the UNDP and UNCDP, these countries require a significant financial overhaul which is low on the priority lis t for many countries. This is particularly true of developing countries that have suffered the effects of oil wealth, which has had a negative overall effect on economic growth despite an abundance of natural resources which has compounded wealth disparity and poverty (Mahdavy, 1970). Conclusion The evidence presented in this paper shows that there are a number of factors required for financial development to positively contribute to a reduction of income inequality (and therefore social inequality) and poverty eradication. The most important factor is effective and unified regulation of the financial sector of the country, which will have the effect of stabilizing the economy and therefore stabilizing interest rates, but also in the stabilization of the political climate in the country. Theoretically, this positions these economies favorably in terms of FDI which will have the effect of increasing the amount of capital available for redistribution. By redistributing wealth at a lower-income level, the nonlinear financial effects of economic growth can be expedited with a realistic alternative to gradual wealth distribution in favour of bottom-up wealth creation.   In this way, financial development tackles the problem of wealth disparity and the associated poverty levels from a top-down and bottom-up approach which can reasonably be expected to increase the rate of economic growth, and doing so in a manner that does not rely on singular capital redistribution that may be plagued by imperfections in financial markets. In this way, financial development can be used as a means of alleviating income inequalities and poverty levels in developing countries. References Beck, T., Demirguc-Kunt, A. Levine, R. (2004) Finance, Inequality and Poverty: Cross Country Evidence. NBER Working Paper Series, Working Paper 10979 Besley, T. Burgess, R. (2003) Halving Global Poverty. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17, pp. 3-22. Bourguignon, F. (2004) The Poverty-Growth-Inequality Triangle. World Bank mimeo. Central Bank of Liberia (2005) Integrating Financial Services into Poverty Reduction Strategies: Institutional Experience of Liberia West-African Regional Workshop, Monrovia: CBL Central Bank of Liberia (2009) Microfinance Policy and Regulatory Supervisory Framework for Liberia Monrovia: CBL Franks, J. (2000) Macroeconomic Stabilization and the Microentrepreneur. Journal of Microfinance, 2, pp. 69-91 Greenwood, J. Jovanovic, B. (1990) Financial Development, Growth, and the Distribution of Income, Journal of Political Economy, 98, pp. 1076-1107 Haber, S., Razo, A. Maurer, N. (2003) The Politics of Property Rights: Political Instability, Credible Commitments, and Economic Growth in Mexico. Cambridge University Press. Mahdavy, H. (1970) ‘The Patterns and Problems of Economic Development in Rentier States: The Case of Iran’ In Studies in the Economic History of the Middle East, ed. M. A. Cook. London: Oxford University Press Meagher, P. (2002) Microfinance Regulation in Developing Countries: A Comparative Review of Current Practice Maryland: IRIS Centre Omino, F. (2005) Regulation and Supervision of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya.   Essays on Regulation and Supervision, Central Bank of Kenya, No. 5 Quinones, B., Seibel, H. (2000) Social capital in microfinance: Case studies in the Philippines.   Policy Sciences, 33, pp. 421-433 United Nations Development Programme (1997) Microstart Programme Geneva: UNDP

The Business Lifecycle Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Business Lifecycle - Personal Statement Example I have been very keen on how businesses are started and what entails the whole startup process and I have found out that one of the most important issues to be tackled is the legal issues. I was thinking like there was no problem provided that the business I’m intending to start is a legal one, but to my surprise, my research has shown me otherwise. Company law, a book by CR, Datta, clearly shows that there are a lot of legal issues to be looked into before a business is allowed to operate. Some of them are the registration of the business name, application for health and sanitary permits and seeking permission for building premises to be used by the business. The business should also adhere to Acts and statutes governing what they practice. A look into the Horizon Electronics business plan also confirmed the same to me since they have clearly documented their adherence to the relevant regulations, registration, and drafting of contracts. In my research and coursework, I have also learned that a business has to undergo various stages before it is termed as mature. Charlie Gilkey in his book the business life-cycle offers an overview of stages of a business life cycle. He names them as the inspirational stage where an entrepreneur has a business idea but has not yet implemented it, the entry stage where then entrepreneur has decided to start a business and is actively building the market, the growth stage where the entrepreneurs have a business plan and are growing their revenue streams with new clients and customers, the crucible stage where the demand for goods and services outstrip the entrepreneurs ability to meet them, and finally the cruise stage where the entrepreneur has found solutions to the problems and is moving ahead (Gilkey, 2010). In my view, business requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice especially in its initial stages of development. This is because I have come to learn that there are many challenges associated with this stage of a b usiness. One of the major challenges is that of finding a market for your output. It is a fact that without a market for the output, the core objective of doing business: making profits will not be attained. Proper market research (an organized effort to gather information about customers) should, therefore, be performed before the business is commenced. I tend to believe that it is very essential for this to be done keenly because it also gives an outline on how to market the product. Market research also provides information about the prevailing market trends in the industry and the current market prices for similar goods.  

Implications of Naval Power in the American Civil War Essay

Implications of Naval Power in the American Civil War - Essay Example It was one of the most dramatically one sided battles in Naval history on that day in March, 1862 – when the CSS Virginia defeated two federal warships, the Congress and Cumberland. The battle yielded the destruction of both ships and the deaths of at least 240 of their crew, making headway towards breaking the Union blockade of the lower Chesapeake bay. This victory over the blockade would yield any number of consequences for the war, upon which the fortunes of the slaveholding Confederacy Would rise or fall. An evacuation took place on April 20, 1861 of the Naval yards at Gosport, Virginia. The Merrimac and the Pennsylvania launched a barrage against the port with heavy batteries in addition to Marines units. The United States Navy was attempting to abandon port, within hostile Virginia even as the Confederates attempted to obstruct the channel to blockade them. The Merrimac this time being a mere wooden hulled ship as navies have used since time immemorial. The Confederates succeeded in destroying or damaging the Pennsylvania, the Delaware, the Columbus, the Columbia, the Raritan, three sloops of war, while the steam frigate Merrimac was scuttled and burned. Yet almost immediately steps were taken to raise the Merrimac and convert it into an ironclad vessel as the Confederate secretary of the Navy recommended in a letter in which he described the creation of such a vessel as "a matter of the first necessity."2 The ship was raised, and what had once been her berth deck became a gun deck, with a wooden encasement of oak and pine 2 feet thick was built first. A 20 foot wide ruled was covered with iron gratings to create four hatch ways. This wooden encasement was used as the foundation for two sheathes of iron plating 2 inches thick each. The resulting ship floated very low in the water with the 800 tons of pig iron used in total to get the ship the weight needed to allow a vessel to rest at the desired depth. The metal behemoth lay mostl y under the water line and looked perhaps not unlike the roof of a house-boat. 10 guns, including four rifles as well as 6 inchers. The engines, being essentially the same design as the steam frigate have used prior tended to be dangerous and unreliable with the new configuration but initially performed quite well before several failures. 2 SCOPE OF THE WAR On 9 March, the situation was destined to become far more complicated, as the Confederate crew observed a vessel remarkably heavy, floating low within the waters. It had to be the USS Monitor, the North's answer to the challenge of an ironclad ship, soon to render every other Naval force on the planet obsolete. The first battle began with the objective of the defense of the grounded steam frigate the Minnesota, but the implications were far greater than the fate of a single steamship. It would spark a naval arms/armor race that would reach well into the 20th century. There were more Naval actions between the years of 1861 and 186 5 on the North American Continent than the rest of the world combined throughout the 19th century. Actions ranged from the Bering Sea to the Indian Ocean, including skirmishes in the English channel, and numerous actions up and down the American coastlines and rivers, 3 including a violent naval raid in Oklahoma, as will be described below. It was the definitive, technical innovations that might be labeled 'secret weapons' that spurred the armaments that would later define the first world war. Various other aquatic contrivances besides ironclad ships had their first expression during this conflict, including submarines and torpedoes. 4, 5 The monitor itself was the New York brainchild of Swedish engineer John Ericsson. The first of many in her ship class. However it should be noted that Congress ordered an investigation on the possibility of ironclad warships in July of 1861 when it became clear that a massive struggle had begun, not simply the 'peace in 60 days' naive optimism some officials had promulgated. It was believed in most circles of military intelligence that the

Workplace Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workplace Issues - Essay Example If the employee is not working in an area that "involves public safety or sensitive government policies", the courts may disallow drug testing (Bergman and Berman-Barrett, 2008, p.70). Limiting drug testing is based on the provisions of probable cause, and the search and seizure protections in the constitution. The federal government justifies drug testing using the legal theory that the potential for harm must outweigh the damage inflicted by the loss of the subject of constitutional rights. In any event, employees in private employment should have the same protections as a government employee. Without probable cause, IE obvious intoxication, the employee should not have to submit to an invasive search of his blood or breath.  Ã‚   Employees are protected from discrimination in their compensation based primarily on the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Equal pay and compensation discrimination, 2009). The 1963 act was meant to target gender discrimination, but subsequent acts have focused on minority status, age, and disabilities (Equal pay and compensation discrimination, 2009). The 1963 Act prohibits paying different rates of pay based on gender when the employees are equal in skill, effort, and responsibility (Equal pay act of 1963, 2009). Women have argued for gender equality, and the 1963 Act was keeping with our country's tradition of fairness and reflected a fundamental shift away from the traditional roles of men and women (Persily, Citrin, and Egan, 2008, p.158). However, the equality of pay also depresses overall wages and benefits business the most. Artificially higher pay for women attracts more women to the labor pool, and this surplus of labor drives down wages (Sowell, 2004, p.163). The fact that we have co mplied with the principles of gender equality does not fairly compensate for the economic loss incurred in the labor market, and gender should not be considered as a criterion for pay equality.   

Fungal And Bacterial Amylase During Starch Breakdown Biology Essay

Fungal And Bacterial Amylase During Starch Breakdown Biology Essay The lab conducted focused on examining the effects of temperature on the ability of fungal and bacterial amylase to breakdown starch to maltose, and determine the temperature at which these two amylases work best, which is known as optimal temperature. The experimental part of the lab consisted in setting up the utensils that were going to be used during the actual experiment. During this section test tubes were labeled, and spot plates were placed in temperature/ time table created. For the second section of the experiment, iodine was placed in each row of the spot plates for each temperatures, and the solutions in the test tubes( bacterial , fungal amylase and starch mixture) were added to those same spots were iodine was added, depending on the time and the temperature corresponding to each amylase. The optimal temperature was deducted by observing the color change in the spot plates and comparing them with a color-coding scheme for starch hydrolysis. Conclusions for this task were reached by analyzing the data collected by each group, which suggests that a change in temperature disturbs the activity of enzyme amylase. When exposed to low and high temperatures, these enzymes were not able to function properly, therefore, reducing or eliminating their ability to breakdown certain compounds, especially starch. Enzymes need maintain at a certain temperature to be able to function at its optimal. Introduction: Enzymes are complex proteins produced by all living organisms with the function of enhancing chemical reactions through a process known as catalysis. During this process, the substrates, which are the molecules that will undergo the reaction, binds to the active site of the enzyme to form different molecules called products. Each active site on the enzyme is unique, permitting only substrates that match the shape of the active site to bind to the enzyme in a process known as lock and key model, however, active sites are able to adjust their shape to permit the binding with a substrate through the induced fit model, which moves entire protein domains (Raven et al., 2008; Ringe Petsko, 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009). Catalysts, like enzymes, work by reducing the amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to take place by linking two substrates in the correct orientation or by accentuating chemical bonds of a substrate, which reduces the energy difference between reactants and transition state. Enzymes are not consumed or changed during the reaction and they do not alter the equilibrium of the reactions they catalyze (Garcia et al, 2004; Raven et al., 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009; Alberte et al., 2012). The activity of enzymes is affected by multiple factors, including 1) pH (ranges from pH 6 to 8), 2) temperature (Rate of reaction increases with temperature, but only up to a point called optimum temperature. A change in temperature, either below or above the optimum, causes the active site to denature, decreasing or preventing substrate binding. When exposed to low temperatures enzymes are not flexible enough to permit induce fit, and in high temperatures enzymes are too weak to maintain their shape.), 3) substrate concentration (If amount of enzyme is preserved constant and substrate concentration is gradually increased, the reaction velocity will increase until it reaches a maximum. After this point increasing substrate concentration will not increase the rate of reaction), 4) allosteric inhibitors and activators (Inhibitors are substances that bind to an enzyme and decreases its activity, and they can occur in two ways; competitive inhibitors and noncompetitive inhibitors. Effec tors that enhance enzyme activity are referred to as allosteric activators, which bid to allosteric sites to keep an enzyme in its active configuration), and 4) cofactors (Many enzymes required the presence of other compounds, called cofactors, which during the catalytic activity, A cofactor can be a coenzyme, a prosthetic group or a metal ion activator (Harisha, 2006; Raven et al., 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009). Enzymes have a wide spectrum of functions in the bodies of living organisms; they are present from signal transduction to generation of muscle contraction. The also break starch molecules, forming smaller fragments of maltose, which can be easily absorbed by mammals. And it is the ability of enzymes to breakdown starch and the effect of temperature during this process that will be analyzed in the lab (Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009; Alberte et al., 2012), expecting that the results collected confirm that temperature does have an effect in bacterial and fungal amylase activity. Methods: The experiment should be performed once per group, using fungal (Apergillus oryzae) and bacterial amylase. Starch catalysis will be monitored by using Iodine test, which turns from yellow to blue-black in the presence of starch. Experimental Setup Place a paper under the spot plates and label the top side with temperature values 0,40,60,95 Â °C, and the side with the times 0,2,4,6,8,10 min. Obtain 4 test tubes and label each with a different temperature, enzyme source, either bacterial or fungal and group number. Repeat previous step, but this time include the letter S, which stands for Starch solution. Finally add 5ml of 1.5% starch solution into each of the test tubes labeled S. Effect of temperature in amylase activity Add 1ml of amylase into each of the test tubes that do not contain starch, and place the 8 test tubes (4 containing starch and 4 containing amylase) into their respective temperatures, allowing all test tubes to equilibrate for 5 minutes. Add 2-3 drops of iodine to the first row of the spot plate corresponding to o minutes. After 5 minutes has passed and test tubes are equilibrated, transfer a few drops of starch solution from each temperature to the row where you added the iodine. Pour the starch solution into the tube containing amylase without taking it put of bath, and set the timer for two minutes. Add 2-3 drops of iodine to the second row, and after 2 minutes has passes, transfer a few drops of the starch-amylase mixture from each tube to the 2 minutes row using the pipette correspondent to each temperature. After each additional 2 min, add 2-3 drops of iodine and a few drops from starch amylase mixture. At the end of 10 min, note the temperature and the time at which 100% hydrolysis occurred. Repeat the procedure using the other amylase type, and using the color-coding scheme convert results into numerical values. Results: Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 5 5 5 5 2 4.333333 3.166667 3 5 4 4.166667 3.083333 2.833333 5 6 4 3 2.75 5 8 4 3 2.683333 5 10 3.833333 3 2.75 5 Table 1: Class Average for Bacterial Amylase activity After all groups performed the experiment, a class data for bacterial amylase was collected. The average of the data was calculated and presented in Table 1, showing color changes for each temperature. Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 5 5 5 5 2 3.333333 2.666667 3.166667 5 4 3.333333 2.666667 3.083333 5 6 3.333333 2.666667 2.833333 5 8 3.333333 2.416667 2.833333 5 10 3.333333 2.416667 2.833333 5 Table 2: Class Average data for Fungal Amylase activity After all groups performed the experiment, a class data for fungal amylase was collected. The average of the data was calculated and presented in Table 2, showing color changes for each temperature. Graph 1: Class Average for Bacterial Amylase activity Graphical Representation Results from Table 1 exposed in a graph, showing that all groups optimal temperature for Bacterial amylase is 60Â °C Graph 2: Class Average Data for Fungal Amylase activity Graphical Representation Results from Table 2 were exposed in a graph, showing that all groups optimal temperature for Bacterial is 40Â °C Figure 1: Color coding-scheme for starch breakdown Starch hydrolysis color coding scheme is used to determine the optimal temperature for each amylase during starch breakdown Figure 2: Bacterial amylase activity spot plate Group number 1 spot plate during bacterial amylase experiment showing the amylase reaction during each temperature Figure 3: Fungal amylase activity spot plate Group number 1 spot plate for fungal amylase experiment showing starch breakdown during each temperature Graph 3: Bacterial Amylase Activity graphical representation Bacterial amylase activity data taken from table 1 showing that optimal temperature for this kind of amylase according to group 1 is 60Â °C Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Color # Color # Color # Color Time (min) 0 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 2 blue/black 4 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 blue/black 4 blue/black 4 light brown 3 light brown 3 blue/black 6 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 blue/black 8 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 med yellow 2 blue/black 10 med brown 3.5 dark yellow 2.5 med yellow 2 blue/black Table 3: Bacterial Amylase activity Group 1 recorded color changes for each temperature during breakdown of starch by bacterial amylase, and it was represented in numerical values by using color coding scheme presented in Figure 1 Graph 4: Fungal Amylase Activity graphical representation Fungal amylase activity data taken from Table 4 showing that optimal temperature for this kind of amylase according to group 1 is 40 Â °C Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Color # Color # Color # Color Time (min) 0 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 2 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 4 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 6 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 8 light brown 3 med yellow 2 light brown 3 blue/black 10 light brown 3 med yellow 2 light brown 3 blue/black Table 4: Fungal Amylase Activity Group 1 recorded color changes for each temperature during breakdown of starch by fungal amylase, and it was represented in numerical values by using color coding scheme presented in Figure 1 Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.408248 0.258199 0 0 4 0.258199 0.258199 0.258199 0 6 0.316228 0.316228 0.418330 0 8 0.316228 0.316228 0.376386 0 10 0.516398 0.316228 0.418330 0 Table 5: Class Average Standard Deviation for Bacterial Amylase activity From the results from Table 1, the standard deviation was taken, showing that the results collected by each group for Bacterial amylase are close to average results. Graph 5: Class Average Standard Deviation for Bacterial Amylase activity Graphical Representation Data from Table 5 was exposed in a graph, showing that the difference between the mean and the samples collected by each group is minimal. Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.408248 0.516398 0.68313 0 4 0.408248 0.408248 0.66458 0 6 0.408248 0.408248 0.68313 0 8 0.408248 0.491596 0.68313 0 10 0.408248 0.449868 0.68313 0 Table 6: Class Average Standard deviation for Fungal Amylase Activity From the results from Table 2, the standard deviation was taken, showing that the results collected by each group for Bacterial amylase are close to average results. Graph 6: Class Average Standard Deviation graphical Representation Data from Table 6 was exposed in a graph, showing that the difference between the mean and the samples collected by each group is minimal Discussion: After evaluating the results of the experiment, present in Table 1 and 2 it can be concluded that the data provides enough evidence to support the predictions or hypothesis presented in the introduction section that when temperature is not optimal for an enzyme, it will denature or reduce its functions. The results showed that low or high temperatures have an effect in the ability of enzymes to break down starch (Graph 1 and 2). By comparing the results with color coding scheme provided (Figure 1), the optimal temperatures for both amylases were able to be determined. The optimal temperature for the enzyme had a bright yellow color, which meant that the amylase was able to breakdown the starch present in the solution; when the solution remained blue-black the enzyme is said to be denature, meaning that it was not capable of breaking down the starch( Figure 2 and 3). The most important parameters taken into account to get the previous results were temperature and time. Looking at the color for the reaction between starch and amylase, by using the Iodine test, it can be concluded that for bacterial amylase, the optimal temperature is 40 Â °C, and this occurs around the 6 minute time. Fungal amylase optimum temperature was reached at 6 minutes time and it was 60 Â °C. All the previous result can be observed in Figure 2 and 3, as well as in Graph 1 to 5 Table 5 and 6 show that the results of the experiment are consistent for all lab groups, because the difference between the sample data collected by each individual group and the average of that data is minimal, showing that, the results collected by each group are close very close to be accurate. What parameters of the experimental design were important in the expected (or unexpected) results? The expectations for the experiment concurred with the results, because a previous understanding of enzymes was given in the lab manual, however, the optimal temperatures were not exactly known because each enzyme works best depending on its environment. For future research, the range in temperature should be more variable, not only including positive values, but negative ones. Also, if enzymes sources had more variation, it will provide a better understanding of the optimal conditions and temperature of enzymes. Literature Cited/ References: Alberte J., Pitzer T., Calero K. (2012).General Biology Lab Manual / Second Edition. Florida International University: The McGraw Hill Companies. Garcia-Viloca M., Gao J., Karplus M. Truhlar D. G.(2004). How Enzymes Work: Analysis by Modern Rate Theory and Computer stimulations. Science 303:pp. 186-195. Harisha S. (2006). Introduction to Practical Biotechnology. India: Laxmi Publications. Raven P., Johnson G. B., Mason K. A., Losos J. B., Singer S. S. (2008). Biology 8th edition. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies. Ringe D., Petsko G. A. (2008). How Enzymes Work. Science 320: pp. 1428. Whitehurst R. J., Van Oort M. (2009). Enzymes in Food Technology: Wiley-Blackwell; 2nd edition.

Curriculum Unit: Stereotypical Images of African Americans in Televisio

Curriculum Unit: Stereotypical Images of African Americans in Television and Movies * Narrative * Lesson Plan * Lesson Plan * Lesson Plan * Notes * Films * Television Shows * Children’s Reading List * Teachers Bibliography Abstract: This curriculum unit will provide elementary school teachers with a framework to begin to help their students understand and define a stereotype. Recognize common stereotypes and stereotypical themes in film and television and illustrate some damaging effects perpetuating stereotypes through behavior. Finally, how to constructively deal with others stereotyping them. To Guide Entry The practice of racial stereotyping through the use of media has been used throughout contemporary history by various factions in American society to attain various goals. The practice is used most by the dominant culture in this society as a way of suppressing its minority population. The Republican parties use of the Willie Horton image in the 1988 Presidential campaign, is a small example of how majority groups have used racial stereotyping in the media as a justifiable means to an end. The book Unthinking Eurocentrism by Stam and Shohat supports this notion when they write â€Å"the functionality of stereotyping used in film demonstrates that they (stereotypes) are not an error in perception but rather a form of social control intended as Alice Walker calls â€Å"prisons of image.†(1) The modern usage of the word stereotype was first introduced in 1922 by American journalist Walter Lippman in his book Public Opinion. The major thesis of this book is that in a modern democracy political leaders and ordinary citizens are required to make decisions about a variety of complicated matters that they do not understand. â€Å"People believe that their conceptions of German soldiers, Belgian priests, or American Klu Klux Klansman for example are accurate representations of the real members of those classes . . . the conception in most cases is actually a stereotype acquired by the individual from some other source other than his direct experience.†(2) Historically the â€Å"other source† people developed racial stereotypes were from literature and then radio. In 1933 Sterling Brown the great black poet and critic, divided the full range of black characters in American literature into seven categories; the contented slave; the wretched freemen: t... ...A-Team Good Times Little Rascals That’s My Mamma to top Children’s Reading List Bogle, Donald. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks. New York: Continum, 1989. Braley, Daniel; and Daniel, Katz â€Å"Racial Stereotypes of One Hundred College Students.† Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 1933. to top Teachers Bibliography Bogle, Donald. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks. New York: Continuum, 1989 This books reveals and gives a historical perspective on the various incarnations of black stereotypes in American cinema. Cripps, Thomas. Black Film as Genre. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1978. This book attempts to explain â€Å"what is a black film† and critiques six examples of the genre. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., â€Å"TV’s Black World Turns—But Stays Unreal†, New York Times (November 12, 1989): 66-67. In this article Dr. Gates reveals how despite the success of television shows such as â€Å"The Cosby Show† stereotyping of blacks on T.V. is still prevalent. Guerrero, Ed. Framing Blackness: The African-American Image in Film. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1993. The book chronicles blacks misrepresentation in American films.

Effects of Guidance And Counseling Essay

2.1 Introduction This chapter will focus on the review of the existing literature to the specific idea of effects of guidance and counseling on academic performance in secondary school level. The information gathered from the literature will be used to define a benchmark against which the SGC services may be measured. 2.2 Review of Related Studies Few topics have been identified as per the problem, effects of guidance and counseling on academic performance in secondary schools. 2.2.1 Importance of Guidance and Counseling in Secondary Schools. Kottman (1995) came up with the following as to why guidance and counseling is important. An individual experiences positive feelings from his/her teachers, parents and adults. They derive personal meaning from their learning activities and are able to develop and enhance academic skills to the maximum of their ability. Guidance and counseling programs help the learner to be able to learn necessary coping skills so that they can be able to deal with the normal developmental concerns and problems that they will encounter. Learners should be able to realize that they are responsible for their own behaviors and so they have to work with parents in variety of planned programes to assist them to develop attitudes and skills to enhance the academic and social development. According to Krumboltz(2002), the objective of the program is to bring about the maximum development and self realization of human potential for the benefit of individual and society. Kileen et al (1992), states that career guidance foster efficiency and social equity. It is important in supporting individual decisions, reduces  drop outs and mismatch contribution in performance especially in academics. By having guidance and counseling programs, it promotes self understanding, helps one to make realistic decisions and overcome personality deficits. It is the process of helping individuals to learn to deal with difficulties and to think critically about themselves and their future. Hattie et al (199), advocacy that helps one to develop personal discipline, proper use and management of time, work, leisure and self reliance. The program aimed at helping the students to harmonize. Killeen et al (2001) states that it is important, in supporting individual decisions, reduce drop outs and mismatch contribution in performance especially in academics. On the other hand Hattie et al (1999) agrees that guidance and counseling in high schools helps to develop personal disc ipline, proper management of time and self reliance. 2.2.2 Organizing Guidance and Counseling Program. According to Lutomia and Sikollia(2002) the head teachers are supposed to give room or provide room for the teacher/lecturer in charge of guidance and counseling . This is because some problems faced by students are personal and they may need private discussions. The room should be in conducive environment and confidentiality should be of high degree. The coordinator should be the guidance and counseling teacher assisted by other members i.e. boarding master/mistress, games master and house master/mistress. According to Kottman (1995), guidance and counseling programs in schools is that programs developed in district wide, counselor have to include the personnel from superintended office if it has numbers of schools in the district, the principal and other specialists are involved, but for a single individual school, the principal is the only person involved. Makinde (1983) had a problem in implementing the guidance and counseling programs because there is a natural resistance from c hange. There is also lack of clarity about the new role. 2.2.3 Qualification of a Good Counselor. Durlk (2005), in review studies reports that the evidence indicated that lay or non-professional counselors tend to be more effective than highly trained experts practioners. Hattie et al (1999) argues that pra-professional are  more effective than trained therapist and Berman and Norton (2000), using vigorous criteria for accepting studies as methodology adequately conducted that there is no overall difference in effectiveness between professional and nonprofessional therapist. Pattern (1973) affirms that the non professional helpers have included adult volunteers, parents of children and college student’s models of treatment have received more training to achieve better results. Non professional do better with long term counseling while professional are comparatively more effective short team work. Durlak (2005) adds that non professional such as volunteers achieve good results because of the following factors: a) Able to offer difficult cases to professionals. b) Restrict themselves to straight forward. c) Limited cases load. d) High motivated to help. e) Perceived by clients to be more genuine. Corey (2004) indicates that they are advantages in no professional status and relative lack of experience and advanced training. Some of the disadvantages associated with expertise include the danger of burn out due to overwork. Towbin (2006) postulates that possible explanation for the effectiveness of non professional counselor that they are selected from a pool of naturally talented untrained listeners in the community. 2.2.4 Qualities of a Good Counselor A capable counselor must possess a number of personal qualities and develop the proper attitudes to make a client feel at ease and to build rapport so that a client can self-disclose. Makinde (1983), states that counselors are supposed to be patient, should be a good listener, observe the client speech when he is talking. As a counselor you should not develop any intimate between yourself and the student. The counselor must be confidential in the sense that must always respect and keep the secret of their clients as much as the ethical code allows. The counselor should be honesty if he cannot solve the problem and refer the client to the more experienced professional. Lutomiaa and Skolia (2002), comments that in schools and colleges the person chosen as a counselor should be mature so that he can accept responsibility  in schools and society. The counselor should be honest and also conversant with other people’s problems. He should be able to keep secrets, keep records and s hould not be a gossiper. 2.2.5 Clients Attention Lutomia and Sikolia (2002), states that a counselor has to be patient to listen to them a let him/her show the learners that he is not in a hurry. The counselor has to give the client adequate time so that he/she can be able to express the problems they are encountered with. Facial expressions and gestures is another factor that strengthens the process of listening and this makes them to be appreciated. The skills of listening Active listening and responding appropriately are two of the key skills a counselor must have. Listening makes the person who is talking feel worthy, appreciated and respected. When we give someone all of our attention the speaker responds positively by interacting on a deeper level, perhaps by disclosing personal information or by becoming more relaxed. When a counselor pays particular attention to what the client is saying they are encouraging the client to continue talking, as well as ensuring communication remains open and positive 2.2.6 Guidance and Counseling Services Offered in Schools. Makinde (1983), states that orientation helps students adjust well in any new environment. Appraisal of inventory services and information whereby you aim at providing students with better knowledge of educational, vocational and social opportunities so that they can make informed choices and decisions. 2.2.7 Challenges in Provision of Guidance and Counseling Makinde (1983), says that in developing countries, guidance and counseling will become meaning to individual if it focuses on imparting decision making skills, career planning skills, enhancement teacher and parent effectiveness and value clarifications. Parten (1973), adds that problems that face the provision of guidance and counseling are attitudinal, structural, human and cultural. These include failure to engage in careful diagnosis of the  organizational problems that guidance and counseling was designed to solve. There is also lack of trained counselors in institutions of learning, lack of enough time and facilities for use by counselors, lack of research work in the guidance and counseling area. 2.2.8 How to Identify Student’s Problems Tolbert (1959), states that for one to identify a problem in a student is through the lecturer or class teacher. If it is a boarding school, the matron and catering unit can be of great use since they always interact with students. In school records, it is always important when students are admitted to an institution, a file of each should be opened and all the information about the student entered so that incase of a recurring problem, the counselor can refer to the file and find the required information. Patern (1973) argues that other people who know of the student can be approached and information about the student problem can be identified. He adds that some students confide in friends and it is tricky because if the students learn that people are discussing him/her he/she can easily keep off. Therefore a good counselor should be careful when discussing one student with another. 2.2.9 Difficulties in Guidance and Counseling Krumboltz (2001), states that mass media offer many negative influence and the children/learners are exposed to it than ever before. Some advertisement encourage bad behaviors i.e. the advertisement of some cigarettes, alcohol companies are so colorful that students would like to cope that image or wants to be the same as that person using it and when a counselor tries to discourage it, students will tell him that they have seen people who smoke and drink and yet they are successful. Also televisions encourage students to do wrong because they show romantic movies which young people will enjoy watching. Oketch (1999), agrees that company and influence from peer group is one of the challenges. The counselor will be aware when there is bad influence from such company and try to persuade the student to avoid it, but the affected students will think of the teacher concerned as the one on the wrong and will become rebellious. Shertzer and Stone (1981), states that the wide curriculum in the current 8-4-4 system of education has many subjects  that students need to cover between 8 am-4pm. This makes it difficult because there is always a pressure on the student’s mind which is a problem. On the other hand, the counselor has got no time for counseling because he is always in class or the student is always in class and at 4.00 o’clock the only time left, the student is on the field with games master hence making it difficult for the counselor to operate effectively. Fuster (1990) suggests that pornographic is another hindrance to acceptance of counseling in secondary schools. There are many pornographic materials in circulation and they land into the hands of the innocent girls and boys who end up in participating. 2.2.10 How to draw facts from a student Patern (1973), writes that a counselor should show interest into discussion by possibly making brief comments, he/she should avoid interrupting a student before he completes his train on thoughts, he/she should always listen to major facts. According to Makinde (1983), he claims that a counselor should not get tired while listening to a student. He/she should listen attentively because this will make the students be willing to listen and contribute. According to Fuster (1990), the counselor should always check his/her opposing opinion and every step confirm if they are together with the students. 2.3 Summary Having discussed different literature on guidance and counseling in secondary schools coupled with the researcher own experience as one time student, it is evident enough that there is need for effective counseling model in secondary schools. The many strikes that rocks most of the government secondary schools in 2008 are examples that are still fresh in most peoples mind. This shows that something is very wrong and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It is in hope that the findings of this study will go along way in addressing most of the recommendations provision of guidance and counseling services in learning institutions. In general there is need for guidance and counseling that necessitates a search for truth. There is need to look at problems that students face in schools and how guidance and counseling may be effective to them.

The Wilding of America Essays

The Wilding of America Essays The Wilding of America Paper The Wilding of America Paper but all inspections were announced. Hence, why bother! Kudos to the companies that have discovered this was happening with their own products and put an end to it. Wilding has also nested a place in religion. Charles Drabber stated Wilding in the church is then, arguably, the most dangerous type (Drabber 84). Does individualism overpower a belief or a message? We have Jimmy Swaggers and Jim Baker who admittedly preached about morals and values, yet had affairs with prostitutes nonetheless. We have John J. Goanna who was one of many priests in Boston who molested children. Cardinal Bernard Law, a highly respected and valued member of the church, sealed his fate when he attempted to cover up the Boston molestations by transferring the priests to other archdioceses. Religious wilding and corporate wilding are very similar in these aspects. Hurricane Strain. What kind of wilding would one associate with this horrific, life canalling, analogical numerical? As tenure personal winning: survival winning? Government wilding? Economic wilding? Media wilding? Yes, there was. First, lets talk about the media wilding, my personal peeve. The national media made out like bandits and were chomping at the bit regarding this hurricane. They showed stories of people dying, hurting, starving, stealing, shooting, and trying to get out. They were here, they got in. Were they going after ratings at the expense of people lives? Why didnt they bring in any food, water, tents, first aid kits? They got in to do the stories. Why couldnt they help people out? The media showed what they wanted you to see. Chaos! Anderson Cooper was right there in the thick of it watching old women struggle to get up a bridge. Why didnt he put his microphone down to go assist? Why didnt the cameraman? The media did not show survival wilding and that the majority of people looting were doing so to survive. They showed people walking out with televisions, tennis shoes and guns. What about the people walking out with food, and water and sharing that with other? They showed police shooting, arresting, and even occasionally sleeping in high rise garages. What about showing the police and military who were working for over 48 hours straight who were exhausted, had not eaten in days and were still walking through infested water to save people? All sorts of wilding was present during and far after Hurricane Strain. There were helicopter pilots who were being shot at. There were nursing homes that did not evacuate the members, all died. There were gas and other price gouging prevalent all over the southeast United States. There were faulty and negligent insurance claims made. There was lack of government support. Contractors contracting to do house repairs, getting paid, not doing the work and skipping town. There were people charging to do work that other volunteers would do for free. Wilding during and after Hurricane Strain was rampant to say the least. Student wilding also has been going for years and years. Although it seems to be more prevalent now then ever more so due to advances in technology. There are essays that are for sale on the internet or even on the campus. There are codes that can be formed during tests. There are discs being sold with answers on them. There re sales of the professors study guides with tests in them. If one looks hard enough, a cheat sheet or quick fix are out there. Who does this benefit though? Yes it might get you that A you are looking for, but on the flip side it does absolutely nothing to help you in the future. So you get an A in this class, and then take the requisite class and have no clue what the professor is talking about. The only people benefiting from this are the ones making the buck. There are even books on how to cheat. The author of these books sees nothing wrong with it claims its his First Amendment eight (Drabber 50).

Hypothesis or Theory (Tips on Scientific Language) - Get Proofed!

Hypothesis or Theory (Tips on Scientific Language) - Get Proofed! Tips on Scientific Language Science can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. According to one song, it can even cause blindness. And as a result, we need to be careful with science and scientific language. (And Thomas Dolby.) Were not sure of Dolbys scientific qualifications, though. (Photo: Arthur Mouratidis/wikipedia) The main problem (for us) is that scientists often use familiar terms in unfamiliar ways. And if you don’t know the scientific use of these words, it’s easy to make an error. So, to help out, we’re taking a closer look at three terms: â€Å"hypothesis,† â€Å"theory,† and â€Å"significant.† Hypothesis (A Testable Idea) In everyday language, we sometimes use â€Å"hypothesis† to refer to an educated guess. This is fairly close to how it’s used in the sciences, but it also has some specific requirements. A hypothesis should be: An attempt to explain something that can be observed Phrased in a way that means we can test it Once a hypothesis has been tested, it can then be accepted or rejected depending on the results. Theory (A Well-Tested Concept) A theory is a proposed explanation of something. But when people say that something is â€Å"just a theory,† they mean that it hasn’t been proven. This is because one sense of â€Å"theory† is â€Å"speculation.† However, in scientific writing, it means the complete opposite of this. A scientific theory is actually something that has been tested repeatedly and that is widely accepted as true. This makes it much stronger than a hypothesis and much, much stronger than pure speculation! This doesn’t mean that a theory can’t be disproved, but you would need to show evidence that it’s untrue or suggest a better theory. A scientific theory is never â€Å"just† a theory. Its just a theory supported by 160 years of research. Significant (Unlikely to Have Happened by Chance) To be â€Å"significant† is usually to be important or noteworthy. The opposite is to be â€Å"insignificant.† In the sciences, though, â€Å"significant† typically refers to statistical significance. The results of a test are statistically significant if we can show that they’re unlikely to be due to chance alone. The opposite of this is â€Å"non-significant,† which means that the results could have been influenced by randomness. In addition, keep in mind that something can be statistically significant without being noteworthy. There’s a statistically significant relationship between breaking eggs and making an omelet, for example, but this isn’t a hugely â€Å"significant† discovery in terms of being interesting or important. Its a scientific breakthrough! Other Scientific Language The terms above are significant (in the everyday sense) because they’re common in many scientific fields. As such, anyone reading or writing about science needs to know how they’re used. However, there are plenty of other examples. If a physicist is discussing a â€Å"flavor of quark,† for instance, they could be talking about either subatomic particles or dairy products. This is why we need to be careful with scientific language. And if you come across a familiar word being used in an unusual way, always double check its scientific meaning.

Pebble Smart Watch Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Pebble Smart Watch - Research Paper Example The Pebble Smartwatch, in its latest campaign in Kickstarter, has been touted as the most funded project in the history of the site, generating close to $9 million in pre- orders during the first day of its funding campaign. Indeed, the campaign easily topped $14 million dollars a few days after the watch made its re-entry in the crowdfunding site. The massive popularity of the watch was evident in the way its first forays into crowdfunding in Kickstarter were also massively successful. This success allowed the firm behind it to launch itself into viability on nothing more than the success of this first crowdfunding initiative. Aside from the basic Pebble, which was launched earlier, the new crowdfunding initiative has the introduction of a new product variant, known as the Pebble Time Steel. This new model sells for $250 and has been well-subscribed. On the other hand, those massive numbers in sales translate to more modest number scales when it comes to ordered units, as the Pebble Time has been ordered by just 57,000 customers. To put this number into perspective, the launch of the new Apple watch product is expected to generate millions of units in sales, if not hundreds of millions. This tells us something of the target market of the watch presently, and of the way by which the evaluation of the marketing strategy and the marketing mix of the product range is to proceed (Murphy). The latest figures, meanwhile, put the total raised funds for the new watches at $20 million dollars and counting, making this latest Kickstarter foray a massive success (Weber and Babb). On the other hand, the overall levels of sales Pebble are encouraging at more than one million units at the end of 2014. To be sure, the initial distribution point of the Internet and Kickstarter had been complemented in 2013 by the entry of Pebble watches in Best Buy, but one can say that

International Business Law Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Business Law Coursework - Essay Example In the current scenario, we are told that the agreed shipping documents were tendered, which would indicate a prima facie obligation of Sweet plc to make payment in respect of the August consignment. The contract between Sweet plc and the Seller is an international sale of goods contract and we are not told which law is applicable. Although the UK is not currently a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), Poland is a signatory4 and as the seller is based in Poland, the parties may have adopted the CISG by agreement. However, this analysis will advise on the basis of English law being applicable, with comparisons with the CISG position where relevant. The fundamental feature of a CIF contract is that once a seller has shipped the goods, they have â€Å"performed† the contract by tendering conforming documents to the buyer5. Indeed, it was described in the case of Hindley v E India Produce Co. Limited6 as â€Å"a contract for sale of the goods performed by delivery of documents†7. As such, the CIF contract imposes duality of obligations on the seller to deliver the goods and deliver the documents. The documentary obligations require the seller to procure and submit to the buyer the exact documents stipulated in the contract8. Furthermore, in the case of The Julia9, Lord Porter asserted that in the absence of a provision in the contract to the contrary, the documents provided should include a bill of lading, an insurance policy and an invoice. Under English law, a CIF contract entitles buyers to reject a tender of shipping documents on grounds of the document being â€Å"defective† or alternatively, where they are tendered late10. With regard to the current scenario, the documents were not tendered late. With regard to the definition of â€Å"defective†, various scenarios have addressed this, including a non-genuine bill of lading11, a bill of lading failing to provide