Orange is the New Black Essay

Piper Kerman is a Smith College graduate who is serving thirteen months in prison, from 2004 to 2005, for a drug trafficking and money laundering crime she committed nearly ten years before. For most of her entire stay Piper is placed in a minimum-security prison in Danbury, Connecticut. I am from Avon, Connecticut so because her story was so close to home it immediately struck me as interesting. Her experience is eye opening, and as the book progresses you can see a slight transformation from a â€Å"normal† person to a hardened convict. Pipers book, Orange is the New Black, gives insight into the realities of women’s minimum-security prisons in the United States and how the criminal justice system works today. Which, as we find out, can be a long and frustrating process. While it seems a bit absurd that Piper is being locked away for a crime committed ten years ago, I do think it is justified. What she did was illegal and when you break the laws you go to jail. That being said, I can understand why one would think that this was not justified for two reasons, the first being the fact that she committed her drug trafficking and money laundering crime ten years ago. This may be true, but that doesn’t mean it was wrong, you still need to be punished for your actions. The second reason this would be seen as unfair is because she was young and stupid when she did it. This I do not think is an excuse at all because that does not exclude her from knowing what she was doing and knowing it was wrong. I want to add though, while I agree that the punishment for her crimes were justified, as in the prison sentence, I do not think it was fair that the whole process took that long in general. To make an accurate assessment, though, I think that you have to l ook at the goals of punishment and see if each goal was met as well. When thinking about the goals of punishment the first that comes to mind is retribution. This is punishment based on a perceived need for vengeance, or that people should receive what they deserve. If you work hard you are  rewarded and if you break the rules you get punished, therefore Piper has to payback for what she did. In this case it is hard to decide if Piper received a fair punishment. When she got charged with money laundering she was helping an organization operate. Even if she didn’t know the full consequences of her actions, she knew that is was wrong. The drug organization was not only using it to support its buying of drugs, but it could also have been doing many other horrible things. Although she says she had no idea what was happening with the money or how it was being used, we have to remember that this is only her side of the story and that the judge ruling on her case has so many liars that would say the same thing. Because the punishment was from so long ago it seems like it snuck up on her and was unfair, but I feel that if she had been punished right after her crime was committed everyone would not feel as bad about it. I feel that the retribution she received was justified for her actions, even if they were ten years ago. The second goal of punishment is incapacitation. The purpose of this is to separate offenders from their community as to reduce their ability to commit certain crimes. In this case, I do not think that this goal was accomplished. Although Piper had committed a crime, she was not going to commit any more; she had given that life up and was trying to move on. The reason for incapacitation is if you think someone will commit a crime again that could negatively affect the community. As I said, not only was Piper moving on from her other life, she was making great steps to become a mature adult, from starting a relationship to thinking hard about her future. I want to point out the difference between retribution and incapacitation and why I agree with one and not the other. I think that Piper should have been punished for what she did, that is retribution. On the other hand, I do not think that Piper was a threat to her community, and that there was not a chance she would do it again. So in the sense while I do agree that it was necessary as a punishment, I do not think that it was necessary to stop her from committing another crime again. Deterrence is the third goal of punishment and is compatible with incapacitation. Deterrence is the threat of punishment to convince people  that the crime or activity they are committing is not worth it. There are two types of deterrence in my opinion and one of them was successful while the other was not. In Pipers case, while she did think about the fact that when she was smuggling the money over she might get caught, it did not deter her from saying no. Piper still decided that she would drug traffic and money launder so obviously the idea of going to prison did not affect her decision. So, in this case, I would say that no, under this meaning deterrence was not met. On the other hand, another form of deterrence is the idea that you can reduce the amount of repeat offenders coming back again and again. Under this definition I believe that in Pipers case this deterrence was effective. Although when she committed the crime the first time she was not thinking about the punishment at all really. Now, she can’t get the thought of prison out of her head for a day, let alone if she was going to do something illegal. Her experience was so life changing it will affect the way she thinks and acts from the time she gets out, and I would consider that a success as far as deterrence. The fourth and final goal of punishment is rehabilitation, or the idea that you can change the way an offender thinks and behaves into a more positive form. There are many different forms of rehabilitation but most focus on the reduction of criminal offences through support and help from the community. The hope being that the offender will change their attitude toward what they have done and make them see that the behavior was wrong. This is where I feel there was a major problem with Pipers experience. The entire time I was reading the book I was waiting for her to explain how sad she was that she had committed the crime or that she realized it was wrong. Instead of her saying these things, the only thing I heard was the fact that she thought it was ridiculous for her to be here for so long, or that most of the people in the camp didn’t deserve to be in for what they did. While she was locked up she was thinking and writing, but it was not about how she realized that what she had done was wrong, but instead it was how badly she missed everyone she loved. She did not mention the fact that she realized her wrong doing and that if she hadn’t had of done those things, so long ago, that she never would have been in this situation, instead she complained that her sentence was unfair and that she was a nice lady who didn’t deserve this. This is the problem I have with the criminal justice system now a days. It  seems as if most of the ladies in the prison with Piper were doing the same thing, waiting to get out of jail. These people are not thinking about what they did to get into these situations, trying to better themselves and getting prepared for the outside world. Instead it seemed as if they were only concerned with making their time in prison as nice as possible and in a sense trying to forget why they are there in the first place. They focused on making their time in prison more comfortable and finding out ways to get what they wanted while breaking the rules. I think that there are different reasons for this and they are not all the prisoners fault. One of the major problems was that while Danbury had some working programs, there were just not enough classrooms that were functional, or teachers, to be effective. Release back into the community is an important step that needs to be done in the right steps to succeed. On the other hand, in my opinion, the prisoner is in for doing something wrong and being punished. If they had not committed the crime they would not be taken away from their ch ances to be successful in the world. While it may seem tough, it is just another form of privileges being taken away, if they had not committed the crime it would never have happened. So, in the end, Pipers stay was justified in my opinion and she had it coming to her in the end, you cannot expect to do something illegal and get away with it. I believe that throughout the book, while certain aspects of punishment were touched upon, not all were met. While she gave retribution (ten years later), and next time will defiantly be deterred, I’m not to sure how successful the rehabilitation part was or if the incapacitation was necessary. I do think that it is necessary to point out though that Pipers case is not how it is in a lot of cases due to the fact that she has a loving husband and strong family ties. In the end though, Piper had a life changing experience that will affect her for the rest of her life, from her experiences in prison to her work on the board of Women’s Prison Association.

Christian spirituality Essay

People in this realm have diverse attention to different facet of their lives. Some of which believes in a certain perception contrary to the views of the other and it all boils down to a premise that we in this universe have enormous preferences which truly makes us unique. Similarly, it has the same wavelength when we put into account the very imperative issue of faith and strong adherence to believing in God. Donald Miller in his masterpiece Blue like Jazz, he exemplifies the avenues of spirituality and how it is possible to enlighten the views of the readers as they go through the work of art. Uplifting the souls is the focal element of the author and parallel to this, the central aspiration of this paper is also to epitomize the intriguing views of the author and at the same time squeeze out the necessary lessons in life that will ultimately open the minds of the readers. By having the views of the book by means of its meaningful experiences of the author, we could have a brilliant grasp to what really is life in a spiritual way. Any occurrences that have been demonstrated in the book will truly it will shed light to our naked eye. The personal reflections of the author contribute to our understanding to the nature of God and how to respond to this indulgent. The ingredients in Donald Miller’s Blue like Jazz are driven by the perceptions towards sex, love, community, family and God. It absolutely speaks on what it feels to have an in depth connection with God and how to examine our inner self on what we truly believed in despite the challenges of our malicious environment. The point of view as regards to searching for spirituality and believers who wanted to have a strong relationship with God was the intentions of this masterpiece. It is intended in the latter part of the paper to expound in a Christian approach the impressions and attitudes in relation to the concept of Miller. Indeed, it is expected that at the end of this paper, the readers should have a strong attachment in relation to the subject matter of spirituality and the things that it entails. Donald Miller tackles the life’s spices which includes sex. The question of does love can be truly be proven by sex is at hand. It has been said that you can love with all your heart but you cannot scientifically examine it. Accordingly, it is an intense feeling which flows inside that makes your personality fortify. The feeling surely brightens our outlook even though it does not undergo several test because what proves it is our own selves per se, â€Å"love for example is a true emotion but it is not rational, what I mean is people actually feel it, I have been in love, plenty of people have been in love yet love cannot be proved scientifically† (Miller, 2003). The author makes use of the penguins as case in point in elaborating how making love can truly transform into something essential in our lives. It says the instances wherein penguins have their own way of showing their love to their partners and at the same time giving value to their siblings. The intensity of emotions in relation to their responsibilities was intact in this scenario. The male penguins take hold of the responsibility of looking after the eggs and in due time the eggs will mature. It has been demonstrated how the female penguins goes back after sometime to witness their little penguin. This was a good elaboration of a strong connection with our loved ones. We sense the right time when it is necessary for us to be there. Similarly, Miller take hold of this picture to emphasize the essentiality of faith that without even seeing it, we know that the love of God is there for us. The timing that the penguins epitomize truly connotes a strong feeling of union that is so unique in our being rational. Being a Christian entails a lot of faith to be able to have a strong grip on what we believed in. Indeed, it signify us the right usage of our intellect and free will as we chooses to have a relationship with our God. â€Å"I don’t think you can explain how Christian faith works. It is a mystery and I love this about Christian spirituality. It cannot be explained and yet it is beautiful and true. It is something you feel and it comes from the soul† ( Miller, 2003), on a brilliant concept, the secret ingredient of a happy life is no other than the healthy bond with God hand in hand with the faith that we have in our lives. In relation to the love that has been showed to us by the instances in the lives of the penguins, we can perceive how essential it is to feel the love and give it back as well. As we all knew, love is a huge topic but at the same time the most interesting subject matter of all time. It is the one wherein we could all take part into. Furthermore, it is the area where varieties of people of all ages can adapt which makes it more interesting for that matter. The reflection of Christ love for the church can emulate in the event of marriage where two souls binds together to be one. The acceptance of differences as well as giving back the love that they received towards the other are the things that makes a real and unconditional relationship. The vocation of marriage enlightens us and ultimately gives joy to our everyday lives. Giving ourselves completely to others has a very deep meaning because it entails acceptance of other person in our life and submission of our inner self. In the circumstance that Miller shares to its readers when he had a conversation with Paul, his friend who is very happy in his married life, he got the realization how incredible it is to be in love and to be loved. Given that some of his friends give him a feedback of a wrong approach of dealing with women, upon talking to Paul he realized that marriage encompass to love your self as well. In order to protect your relationship it is essential to have a factor that will compromise the both parties. In the case of Paul and his wife, they find time to have their own privacy, in that way they’d be able to respect each other which also gives mystery to the relationship that they have, â€Å" I’m saying there are stuff I can’t tell her not because I don’t want to but because there aren’t words. It’s like we are separate people and there is no getting inside each other to read each other’s thoughts, each other’s beings† ( Miller, 2003). In accordance with this, marriage is not all about the two people that has been bind together, it is also about who is the center of their relationship which truly binds them together, â€Å"I am glad I married Danielle and I will be with her forever but there are places in our lives that only God can go† ( Miller, 2003). It is imperative to have God as the center of our relationship. He brings out the best in us when He guides us. As we consistently ask for His love and guidance, the relationship that we have will ultimately be filled with joys and abundance of love, â€Å"I mean that to be in a relationship with God is to be loved purely and furiously† ( Miller, 2003). The best exemplification of what we have learned from the undying love of God to its people was our strength to do the same with our loved one and to other people that surrounds us. As we go back to the essentiality of grace, the application of such is a contributing element in making a successful family life surrounded by blessings and guidance of our almighty. Does the connection we have with God extend a deep relationship with the people that surround us? This is an uncertainty that some of us having a hard time finding the real answer because we are in one way or the other uncertain to what we really wanted to build as relationship with the people we rarely know. Parallel to this, at some in our lives we find it hard to accept a person beyond our wavelength. We set criteria of who we are apt to build rapport to the point that sometimes neglect the importance of a person basing on his or her individuality and not in his/her spirituality. How the community that you belong really changes your outlook in life and your relationship with God? At some point in our lives, we got used to living in our own way far from other people. We live and spend our time alone that we miss the part of our lives that we get along with other people in our community, â€Å"I didn’t know what to think about living in community at first. I had lived on my own for about six years and the idea of moving in with a bunch of slobs didn’t appeal to me† ( Miller, 2003). In lieu of which the exchange of ideas that we get from other people is also essential in our existence in this realm and we could only get this by means of interacting with other people. Like that of what the author showed to us, the interaction with other people was lacking in a sense that became self centered. Some of the people that surround us might misinterpret that gestures that we convey simply because we are not used to living with other people. The lessons of life can simply be available if we look at life in a different manner – and that is to intermingle with the people in our community. On top of this, it is good to apprehend that God enlightens our perspectives in life. He usually guides us in whatever decision we come up to and in this case, God makes him realize the importance to dealing with other people and appreciate their existence, â€Å"God brought me to Graceland to rid me of this deception, to scrub it out of the gray matter of my mind† ( Miller, 2003). The capabilities that the community has could contribute to the knowledge that we have and in this manner, we can help each other grow in our own little way. Family is one of the focal points of our lives. This is where we get the strength and inspiration that we need to continue with our life. We can never deny the fact that this aspect of our life has a huge impact in our personality as well as with the attitude that we project to the people that surrounds us. It is absolutely the time of our life that we think of other people more than our selves because we prioritize our family more than anything else, â€Å"If you don’t love somebody, it gets annoying when they tell you what to do or what to feel. When you love them you get pleasure from their pleasure and it makes it easy to serve† (Miller, 2003). This instance does not necessarily mean that you wouldn’t love and serve God because you don’t love Him; you don’t love Him because you did not see Him. Ultimately, this is not the case when we talk about our faith and love for God. Our strong belief in the love of God for us and for humanity was undeniably great. We adhere to His principles and we follow His teachings which make us a better person. God’s love for this human race was irrevocably unconditional that he continuously accepts us despite our shortcomings in life. Enormously, God did a magical thing in our lives as he consistently touches our souls and guides our ways. As we scrutinize the importance of the author’s portrayal of what magic truly is, we might get fascinated with the allure of the thought of magic alone. It is true that when we were younger, our attention was easily derailed with the magical world but in fact everything is just a trick. In fact, there is a loop hole in every magic that has been showed to us it’s just that we are too young to recognize it. As a kid, we just focus on the elements that will satisfy our fascination neglecting the truth that magic is just a form of entertainment. â€Å"I got frustrated because everything that was magic was only a trick, meaning it wasn’t really magic, it was an illusion† (Miller, 2003), same with our lives, the figment of our imagination lies on what our naked eyes can reach but we miss the part that the reality of life is always at hand. God provides us with wonderful environment where we could exhaust all our efforts to achieve what is really beautiful beyond the temporary magic that we acquire for a moment. â€Å"Everybody wants to be fancy and new. Nobody wants to be themselves but they want to be different† (Miller, 2003), it is extremely important to pause for a while and contemplate on what we really needed in our lives. We project a gesture that we are different but what is more important is to have a closer look of what magical feeling God is providing us. Indeed, where we lived at a moment is the result of the brilliant love of God for us. What we are in this universe is the output of God’s goodness to this humanity. There are instances in our lives that at some point we have to be rigid with our faith and by doing so, one has to be profoundly knowledgeable on what really comprises his persona and what he truly believes. Having a strong faith is undeniably one of the greatest discoveries in our lives. The very essence of our trust in God is to know the principles of His words, in lieu of which we are apt to follow His commands that are very important in the foundation of our dogmatic belief in God. It is ultimately important for the people to know God and His wonderful deeds. It is beyond doubt that behind God’s creation lays an astonishing message of building ourselves completely. God is all knowing that He provides all the things that we need in continuing the path of our lives. We obey God, we follow His will and we become a better person is what truly matters in this masterpiece. In view of the great knowledge that has been embarked on us making available the work of art of Donald Miller, it gives us the enlightenment that we seek as we go along with the pages of this book. The manner in which the author presents his perception was incontestably comprehensible. It gives his reader the time to contemplate and grasp what he really wanted to go halves. Giving examples as well in the context of his elaboration of his insights truly adds to the substance of his subject matter. It really doles out the purpose of the author to stretch the faith of his readers. The values that we got from Blue like Jazz truly define the voice of God. Beneath the pages of this work of art lies the realization that life is full of magical thought, it is just in our hands to explore these things to make it visible. Our capacity to look at things in a different way is beneficial as we continue to battle with the challenges of life, like that of the book, its mysterious titles expounds what it really wanted to convey in its readers and this is what God wanted to happen, we define our selves in a manner that is reachable and at the same time life worth turning the pages.

To the Indians Who Died in South Africa

T S Eliot’s poem ‘To the Indians who Died in Africa’ is an interesting Eliot piece. It is not often you read a poem by Eliot which refrains from striking the grand pose. He tended to invoke the giant issues of human soul every time he penned a poem, except of course, when he wrote those cat poems. But this is a puzzlingly small-aimed poem. A bit advise not grand wisdom, I guess. That this poem in imbued in the war and empire atmosphere is obvious. What he has to say to the Indians is funnily passive, â€Å"Look, it is ok if you die absurdly in a foreign country’.It is noteworthy how Eliot deploys rhetoric to persuade the reader that it is indeed true that there was a common purpose among the Indian and the English soldiers. It appears to me that in the first two stanzas the speaker  Ã‚   evokes the image of the ‘normal scene’ so that we see how different it is for one to die in a foreign country. Then of course he goes on to assert that this need no more be seen as unusual or as tragic. He seems to suggest that the place where a man meets his destiny is his destination. He associates destiny with the inevitable culmination of one’s life as well as one’s efforts.He suggests that the divide between home and exile is illusory; that the opposition between ‘our’ and ‘your’ is not real. Every country will have such places where ‘foreigners’ are buried (whether it is the English midlands or some village in Punjab – ‘Five Rivers’). He emphasises that the common purpose really erases the differences that notions of ‘home’ and ‘exile’ foster; the divide that notions of national difference highlight. The death of an Indian soldier in Africa fighting Germany and defending England may appear absurd.But the speaker points out that the Indian and the English soldiers are united in a common purpose. As for greater meaning in such lives a nd deaths, he says it is to be seen only after ‘final judgment’. To the Indians Who Died in Africa * T. S. Eliot A man’s destination is his own village, His own fire, and his wife’s cooking; To sit in front of his own door at sunset And see his grandson, and his neighbour’s grandson Playing in the dust together. Scarred but secure, he has many memories Which return at the hour of conversation, (The warm or the cool hour, according to the climate)Of foreign men, who fought in foreign places, Foreign to each other. A man’s destination is not his destiny, Every country is home to one man And exile to another. Where a man dies bravely At one with his destiny, that soil is his. Let his village remember. This was not your land, or ours: but a village in the Midlands, And one in the Five Rivers, may have the same graveyard. Let those who go home tell the same story of you: Of action with a common purpose, action None the less fruitful if neither you nor we Know, until the judgement after death, What is the fruit of action.Eliot, T. S. â€Å"To the Indians Who Died in Africa. † Collected Poems 1909-1962 This is what Narayan Chandran has to say about this poem: It is intriguing that T. S. Eliot has repeatedly drawn upon Indic sources, especially the Bhagavad-Gita and its philosophy of disinterested action, while writing on war and world affairs through the 1940s. Eliot’s Occasional Verses, particularly â€Å"To the Indians who Died in Africa,† betray the poet’s imperialist biases, unlike much of his poetry, in which they do not seem to surface visibly as in his prose writings and conversations.Couched in the language and imagery of the Gita, Eliot seems to tell the Indians that their action is its own reward; the irony hardens as we recall historical facts and situations that drove hapless Indians to support the Allied war effort in many theaters outside India. The essay also looks at two other Britis h writers on Indian themes, Kipling and Forster, whose texts seem to cast an interesting sidelight on â€Å"action,† whose punning resonance Eliot seems to relish in writing his war poems. Eliot, evidently, had little use for the philosophy he quoted back to the distressed Indians.

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Essay Example On the other hand, hopeful patients wait for concrete results from different laboratory tests to confirm that it is indeed an answer to their ailment. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief background on some facts about the human embryonic stem cells. Particularly it will explore answers to the following questions: Each of us started as a single living cell that resulted from the union between a sperm and an egg. From this single cell, certain chronological events took place that eventually led to the development of different body parts. Cells increase in number and differentiated to many cell types until we reached and assumed a human form. Many doctors agree that this is a miracle of Science. On the other hand, some started to try and make this miracle happen in a petri dish for purposes of helping fertilization occur between couples wanting to have babies. Eventually, this simple experiment led to the discovery of another potential wonder that these dividing young cells could give. Thus, embryonic stem cells became a word of mouth in all scientific publications and journals. These cells are found in a 4-5 day old embryo. They have a unique capability to continuously divide that enables them to self-renew. ... Embryonic stem cells are also capable of differentiating and developing into many cell types such as brain, heart, liver, skin cells, etc upon instructions of biological signals (NIC 2006). Hence, they are also called pluripotent cells. History of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Embryonic Stem Cell Research began through the efforts of Gail Martin, Matthew Kaufman and Martin Evans when they derived mouse embryonic stem cells way back in 1981 (The White House 2001). However, the breakthrough happened in February 1998 when James A. Thomson of the University of Wisconsin and his team announced that they had successfully isolated and cultured the first human stem cell line derived from blastocytes. The team obtained these blastocytes left over from successful in-vitro fertilization procedures (Stem Cells Portal 2008). Thomson revealed that the obtained cells transformed into different types when it was injected under the mice's skin. Furthermore, there were also remnants of the fundamental mammalian embryo layers proving that these cells are also flexible during the course of their development. The results obtained from the study shed hope gearing towards finding a medical treatment for some diseases (Pedersen 1999). Just about the same time that year, another group of scientists were conducting experiments similar to that of Thomson. John D. Gearhart of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore was also extracting and culturing the same cell types from human fetal ovaries and testes (Pedersen 1999). Other developments and laboratory experiments soon followed with the same aim of developing their own embryonic stem cell line. One major scientific development took place in May of 2003 when researchers announced that they have successfully

Film Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Production - Essay Example In order to be able to learn more about the film production process, all of the previously mentioned issues need to be discussed, as well as any and all other key and related matters in this regards. The aim of this paper is to allow for an attainment of a better understanding on the issue of film production in general, particularly of its more technical aspects, and as well on how film production is used in the world today. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Film production basically involves four major steps, which are: development, preproduction, production, and postproduction. During the development stage is when the idea is actually beginning to be developed, and usually a summary of the actual story will be given in a few pages. Then, through several different iterations, these few pages will eventually end up becoming a detailed prose piece which will better tell the story of the film. Concept art is also developed more during this process, and character descriptions are worked on more thoroughly. This particular process, as with every single other that is included within the film production process, is incredibly important and takes some time, and is usually gone over two, three or even more times before being considered as being complete, and even then often times workers involved will go back and edit or add on. The development process is also the time during which the script is composed, and this again will go through several drafts as the writer and others involved make their comments and opinions about it. Then there is the preproduction stage, which is the stage that takes place before the actual production stage, and it is during this stage when a storyboard is created from the script, which basically means that writers and illustrators work together using the script as their guide in order to be able to create a visual storyboard including words and illustrations, which will be the basis of the production image that they are going to create. From an initial written version, this will then end up progressing into a series of images, of which are either created in a 3d software or drawn by hand, and then they are turned into a moving video, which is known as the 'animatic', and it is this animatic which will actually serve as the major blueprint for the film itself. Next is the production stage, which is where most of the action takes place, as it is where the filming begins. There are many more crew members which need to be recruited at this stage, and that includes, for example: property master, script supervisor, assistant directors, stills photographer, picture editor, and sound editors. These are the most common roles that are involved in the filmmaking production process, although there are many others which may need to be taken into consideration as well, depending on the specific type of film that you are making. A typical day will begin with "an assistant director following the shooting schedule for the day. The film set is constructed and the props made

Project Development and Control Coursework Essay

Project Development and Control Coursework - Essay Example To conclude, with management of stakeholders as well as with the inculcation of effective and adequate resources, a mass population of the targeted customers can be attracted towards the offered products. However, various challenges can be observed when implementing the planned campaign in terms of trust building as the product being advertised is relatively a new product with meager brand recognition in the national market. Table of Contents 1.0. Executive Summary 2 2.0. Introduction 4 2.1. Purpose of the Project 4 2.2. Background 4 2.3. Aspects Covered in the Report 5 2.4. Limitations 5 3.0. Project Scope 6 3.1. Project Objectives 6 3.2. Project Deliverables 6 3.3. Constraints 7 4.0. Stakeholder Management 8 5.0. Risk Management 8 6.0. Project Organisation 9 6.1. Resources 9 6.2. Scheduling 10 6.3. Project Quality 10 7.0. Monitoring and Control 11 11 8.0. Conclusion and Recommendations 12 9.0. References 13 10.0. Bibliography 14 11. 0. Appendix: Gantt Chart 15 2.0. Introduction 2.1 . Purpose of the Project This project will aim at developing a campaign for advertising an herbal skin-care product. ... actured by a family business entrepreneur is aimed to be marketed in national consumer markets to satisfy the targeted customers with wide ranging varieties of world class products constituted with herbal and organic ingredients manufactured with the application of Vedic science. The products to be marketed through this advertisement campaign will consists of different materials such as Neem, Tulsi, Saffron, Aloe Vera and other herbal and organic ingredients collected from various parts of the world and also those which are grown by the family in their own farm. This particular attribute can be termed as a vital strength for the proposed advertisement campaign and thus will be highlighted in the message conveyed through the advertising channels. The herbal skin-care product will also consist of sun protection products known as sunscreen products used for obtaining protection against the consequences of Ultra-Violet (UV) radiation to satisfy the customer needs. It is worth mentioning in this context that the targeted customers, i.e. the women populaces are today observed to be highly conscious regarding the consequences of UV rays owing to which this particular attribute of the marketed product shall be considered as quite noteworthy (Rebecca, 2009). 2.3. Aspects Covered in the Report The report addresses the scope, objectives and deliverable of the project proposed. It further moves ahead on addressing the aspects of constraints associated with the implementation of the project planned. Stakeholder management and risk management strategies which can take a vital role in the development and implementation of the proposed advertising project have also be regarded as quite significant in this report. Apart from these aspects, the report also covers relevant information to

WestCiv4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WestCiv4 - Essay Example It is urging the while people, rather it is a command to the whites to take over the burden and colonize the people of other nations. The Europeans virtually looked down upon the Africans and the Asians condescendingly. They considered the non-Western culture and traditions as inferior to theirs and this European ascendancy is known as â€Å"cultural imperialism†. The Europeans had the attitude that they were destined to rule over the non-Western countries. The White men were culturally and technically advanced and always carried that air that they were superior to others. This in itself provided a motivation for the Europeans that they were destined to take care of the under privileged. This is driven by the feeling of superiority which has been confirmed by the Darwinian Theory that the â€Å"strong survive†. It promotes the idea that the white European race was superior to others. The Europeans were more advanced in culture compared to other races. The ‘surviva l of the fittest’ is the rule of the game and as believed by Kipling, the Europeans being superior were the fittest. The second motivation comes from the evolutionary theory, which believes that nature is a "kill-or-be-killed" system. It is based on the principle that if necessary, kill others to save your self. Those that cannot keep are either left behind or cut off. Even the Nazis claimed that murder of the Jews in World War II was an act of cleaning out the inferiors. To protect themselves, the superiors could even exterminate an entire race of people. It is not possible for people of two different races to survive in harmony and rather than be killed, it is better to kill them. As the others are uneducated and lack culture, they could turn savage and kill the Europeans and before they do that, the Europeans are urged to make the move. Rather than live with the â€Å"burden† it is better to kill them. Any war takes place with the motive of

Dq week 9 m 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dq week 9 m 9 - Essay Example Instead, this particular business approach may take some time to put in place as it involves everybody connected to the business and require resources, has proven to be capable of giving more benefits than just profits as the result (Cortez 2011). Organizational sustainability is one other thing that is challenging business leaders, and from the look of things, the competition in the business world requires that organizations are sustainable and competent. Sustainability is therefore a Business tool that also requires going through processes and business leaders, for it to work must exert efforts (Wikstom 2010). According to a good number of business Scholars, the argument that most businesses are now adapting to CSR is true. Organizations have also reputation drastically hence causing it to attract the attention of a variety of consumersrealized that CSR is not only based business ethics but that it is capable of changing the company. Menz, for instance, is one of the Scholars who s ays that many corporate companies, which never considered CSR to be an effective tool in business, have now experienced a growing interest. This is due to the fact that as profit-oriented companies, the world climate changes, lack of enough resources and the developing social pressures is forcing them to realize the importance and positive impact of it. Menz says that these organizations are now realizing the social need of creating holistic goals and objectives. It is usually termed as the â€Å"triple bottom line,† which is the current consideration of economic, environmental, and social features of the construction of corporate strategies (Menz 2010). Hadders, on the other hand, comes up with his â€Å"Quadruple Bottom Line Scorecard,† which he uses to measure the performance measurement system for organizations. It offers a calculated map that helps business leaders to measure the performance in their companies in a much better way. Hadders argument about organizat ional sustainability is more or less the same as that of most scholars because he stresses that effectiveness and adaption are two of the main things that drive business sustainability. He also says that sustainability in business requires both knowledge on its effects in the society and the ability for organizations to learn and modernize in response (Hadders 2010). Angelo Cortez answers the question on whether the markets really care about social and environmental performance using the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In his text, he makes it clear that the top Japanese organizations are some of the world’s best example with markets, which are concerned with social and ecological performance. In Japan, over twenty of the top manufactures actively promote and maintain sustainability and provide yearly financial reports in the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Together with countries such as Germany and U.K, Japan practices progressive sustainability reporting through the government assistance, and one of them is the Ministry of Environment which assists in drafting the strategies for ecological accounting and reporting (Cortez M. 2011). John Grinde in his view strongly blames the environmental harm on human activities, and argues like the rest of scholars that it is the

Finicial Evaluation of Techologies Speech or Presentation

Finicial Evaluation of Techologies - Speech or Presentation Example 3. Calculate the Present Worth (that is, the Net Present Value [NPV] of total costs) for each of the technologies for the real discount rates and periods of assessment as specified in the following tables (please present results in this format): 4. Using your answers to question 3, what are the lifecycle costs of both technologies over one lifecycle of technology A at (a) a 5% real discount rate; and (b) a 20% real discount rate. Which technology is preferred on this lifecycle cost basis in each case (a) Calculate the average unit cost of the power in present value terms (in cents/kWh) supplied by each technology over a period of 20 years at a discount rate of 5%. Hint: use the answers from question 3 again to find the NPV of total costs for each technology over 20 years and then divide this amount by the total electricity supplied over this period. 5. Discuss briefly some of points emerging from this analysis of relevance to the financial comparison of sustainable energy supply options (in particular renewable) and current fossil-fuel technologies. New technologies are being developed to replace use of fossil fuels used for power generation. Studies about renewable energies are being done by the authorities if its cost will compensate its use against cost of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels like coal and gas are the most commonly used around the world for power generation. 1. In terms of technology, the average cost per kWh is much higher in Technology B which is 1.41 than 1.10 of A which means fossil energy will be more costly to produce and will be a higher price to consumer to borne. 2. Technology B gives a higher NPV than Technology A for the same 20 year period. A high positive value is an acceptable project proposition, and between two proposals, one having a higher value is

Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetorical Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Poissant has had an extensive career as an author whereby he has written several publications in The Atlantic, One Story, New Stories from the South among others. In addition, he has also authored a book titled The Heaven of Animals, which is a collection of short stories, and set for publication in 2014. After a number of publications, he found himself contemplating on how one can be friends with Republicans. This essay explores the elements of subject, thesis, purpose, audience, persona, ethos, authoritative testimony, and analogy in Poissant’s persuasive and compelling piece of writing. The subject of the essay is how one can interact and make friends with Republicans without being judgmental, but at the same time also airing your political opinion about certain things. The author thinks that it is possible to make friends with Republicans because they are just normal people in the society. He gives example of individuals whose daughters go to the same school with his daugh ters, and that they are not issues or votes, but just people. Yes, he agrees it is challenging to be friends with the Republicans, but it can work. He gives several examples to relate to his thesis that it is possible to be friends with Republicans because they are just ordinary people, but this should not restrict one from airing his political views. In this essay, Poissant presents several purpose, which is to inform, persuade, and engage his audience. He starts the article with an interesting opening that immediately engages the audience, he says, â€Å"The trouble started the night Jeff, one of the guys I drink and talk about God with, announced that he’d been summoned to court for the Zimmerman trial jury pool†. With this, the audience immediately registers that there is an issue here in the form of a conflict. Next, he informs the audience contrary to people’s perspective, there can be an interaction and a relationship between republicans and democrats. Ho wever, he asserts that this works better when the friendship stays away from politics and discusses other matters such as God related subjects. Nevertheless, the author also informs his audience that it would be better if such relationship were allowed to flourish, while also giving room for personal political opinions on certain issues. He says, â€Å"I want to be friends with Republicans, but I don’t want to be friends with Republicans if I don’t also get to talk about why I think food stamps and socialized medicine are good ideas† in addition, the author informs the audience that republicans are ordinary human beings, and thus, it is possible to be friends with them. Finally, he informs the audience that people who act in the way they do, it is because of what they are taught that they develop. Finally, the author persuades the audience to listen to his subject by telling them that being friend with Republicans is not such a bad thing. However, he seeks to mo ve them to be cautious of the things involved in being friends with Republicans such as limited political opinions, and that it would not be easier since it calls for compromise from both parties for things to be better. The author hopes to pass his message to The New York Times readers composed of audience of several kinds. He wishes that this article were read by

Trojan Women Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Trojan Women - Research Paper Example The society back then had rudimentary beliefs in gods. The play, therefore, begins with the gods discussing sufficient punishment for the Greek armies after they permit the raping of a royalty’s daughter one Cassandra a daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. Rape is the most common yet the gravest form of abuse that the women in the warring times suffered. The soldiers showed no regard to the value of humanity in the women of Troy. While the armies killed their husbands and maimed their children, the soldiers raped and wounded the women. The rape of the daughter of the queen is the height of the disrespect to the value of the woman's life that draws the wrath of the gods. They, therefore, plan an effective punishment for the soldiers who condone Ajax the Lesser even after he abuses the daughter of the royal family which indeed was a taboo punishable by death. During the war and animosity, women suffer the greatest brunt of the subsequent mayhem. The same is applicable in the play as the women of Troy including the royalties all fall to the mercies of the attackers Greek. Additionally, women suffer sexual abuse, which is always the greatest form of abuse levelled against women. The women of Troy suffer different levels of abuses from their attackers but the conspicuous sexual abuse is evident. Queen Hecuba, a serving queen of Troy is prophesied to serve a Greek general soon after her husband dies and the same applied to yet another royal woman, one Cassandra who is destined to become a concubine for the Agamemnon a Greek army general. The play communicates a number of themes key among which portray the suffering of women in both the pre medieval society and the modern day society. Women still suffer because of their physique (Euripides 33). The play merely depicts the difference in the societies of the differing times but indicate the basic forms of abuses suffered by women in every society. One of such themes is historical narrative. This comes out evidently not only as a theme but also as a literary stylistic device. The entire play is a historical account of an actual occurrence in the modern day Troy. The author gives a systematic point-to-point account of the warring times. To achieve efficacy and validity of his account, he picks an angle just as any other professional writer would. His account is the plight of the Trojan women. It is by the sufferings of the women that he builds a play, which does not primarily convey the sufferings of the women but also depicts the power struggles of the time, the weak pol itical systems in the societies at the time and the ramifications of war and lack of peace in the development process of societies. Before the invasion, Troy had been just a society like any other. People enjoyed peace and went about their businesses as usual thereby building a peaceful society in which through their political system, everyone had his or her place. The women indeed performed subordinate roles to the men and the ruling class never safeguarded the rights of women but at least there was peace and everyone including the women was happy. However, with the inversion causes an impulsive disturbance to the peace thereby disorienting the society as everyone begins to panic. The Greek

Drug addiction Essay Example for Free

Drug addiction Essay As a part of the human service professional reviewing case studies will be an important part of the job. Not only should we keep notes on every client but we could use them as a reference for future clients. The case studies could become useful if past and future clients have similar cases. In this case study we will examine family, social, and intimate relationships. Identify any role changes that may have occurred, and immediate and future effects of healthy and unhealthy habits demonstrated in this case study. My case study is on Jackson the 25-year-old, unemployed, single adult male, with a substance and alcohol abuse problem. After graduating high school Jackson started attending college the following fall to earn a degree in chemistry. In the course of his freshman year Jackson suffered a major head injury in a car accident. As a result he sustained loss of his cognitive and analytical functioning skills, due to damage to his Cerebrum. Jackson begin drinking alcohol and abusing the painkillers giving to him by Doctors following the accident. As a result Jackson is now using prescription painkillers and mixing with alcohol to relieve the pain of feeling like a failure because he had to quit college. He now lives with his mother in Chicago Illinois where he currently attends a substance abuse program. Growing up in a single-parent household without the contributions of a father figure, Jackson has had problems holding on to any type of relationship. Although he’s been involved with women in his past, while in college he began to question his sexuality after becoming sexually attracted Hall 3  to this college roommate, uncomfortable with the way he was feeling toward another man Jackson asked the transferred to another room. As a son, Jackson was dependent on mother. Growing into a man, he left for college and begin to gain independence. After the accident it seems roles may have changed over time because Jackson has retreated back to his infant dependence stage. He’s now reliant on his mom, painkillers, and alcohol. As a middle adult male Jackson’s future looked bright, but after slipping back to young adulthood Jackson has lost the inability to maintain  control over his life. Jackson’s unhealthy habits will have many ill effects now and in the future. Starting with his alcohol abuse as stated in an article about underage drinking among college students, alcohol use among college kids is a major concern†¦ At colleges and universities throughout the United States. The main problem being alcohol is consumed by students on the under the legal age of 21 (Miller, Stout, and Shepherd, 2000). Jackson’s drinking is putting at risk for splurging on alcohol, killing someone or himself, or trouble with the police. Jackson also suffers from substance abuse problem, which according to the article, Trauma and Substance Abuse, there are an estimated 20. 6 million young and middle adults that are classified as the defendant on drugs or alcohol (Galonte, Salman, Albers, and Sena, 2012). Jackson’s drug use is also increasing the risk of death. After long-term drug and alcohol use Jackson’s behavior could lead him to stealing from his family, thus bringing Hall 4 about issue of trust within the family. His run-ins with the police and having a record could hurt his chances of obtaining a job. The drug use could also affect him from being able to pass a drug test. Jackson’s inability to gain his sobriety is not only hurting himself, but his future, family, and even his health (mixing alcohol with prescription drugs can damage the liver). This paper has assessed Jackson in great detail. A 25-year-old middle adult whose future seemed bright, but due to the accident Jackson has lost all hope. Jackson needs to complete his substance abuse program, become sober, become employed, and consider going back to school, this will ultimately built his self-esteem and give him self-worth. After careful consideration, I will continue to follow up with the client in order to repair his self-confidence and interpersonal skills, so that he can improve his Intimate and personal development. Hall 5 Reference 1. Galante, J. M. , Ahmad, S. Albers. E. A. (n. d. ) Trauma and Substance Abuse: Deadly Consequences of Intravenous Percocet Tablets. Clinical Communication; Adults,() 2. Miller, N. S. , Stout, A. W. , Sheppard, L. M. (2012, September). Underage Drinking Among College Students. The journal of emergency Medicine, 43 (3), e167-e169.

Comparison and Analysis of Healthcare Systems

Comparison and Analysis of Healthcare Systems Abstract Health care plans are important components of health care systems of every country. A health care plan essentially facilitates the provision of health care to people living within a country or jurisdiction. There are millions of people who do not have access to health care across the world. This problem faces many countries including the United States where 15% of residents do not have access to health care insurance. The lack of access to health care by the population may be attributed to weaknesses in healthcare plans in different countries. It is therefore important to assess the weaknesses and strengths of different healthcare plans across the globe with a view to embracing the strengths of different healthcare plans and eliminating the weaknesses in these plans. The paper will evaluate healthcare plans in United States of America, Russia, Algeria and Bangladesh. These countries were chosen since they represent diversity as they are located in different continents, that is, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia respectively. The findings will reveal that developed countries such as Russia and the United States face challenges such as inaccessibility to healthcare insurance by citizens while developing countries such as Bangladesh and Algeria, the major challenges are inadequate funding for healthcare and lack of healthcare infrastructure and personnel to meet the healthcare needs of the population. The paper recommends that governments across the world allocate higher investment in healthcare infrastructure and personnel, collaborate with private sector to ensure different population segments have access to healthcare services at affordable costs and investment in preventive medicine to ensure that people do not succumb to avoidable illnesses. Finally, countries should explore alternative medicine including traditional medicine to ensure a larger proportion of people have access to healthcare services and invest in new technology and techniques in medicine including telemedicine to ensure people have access to healthcare services irrespective of location barriers. Introduction Healthcare is an important need which every human being requires to survive. Healthcare systems are equally important for all states since they meet healthcare needs of different population segments. Countries with healthy workers are more likely to achieve higher growth and development levels. An effective healthcare plan should provide for different aspects of healthcare including health care providers, healthcare funding, healthcare service provision and healthcare personnel among other aspects. Different countries have different healthcare plans with various weaknesses and strengths. However, many healthcare plans face challenges in funding and this is the reason many people do not have access to healthcare insurance or services globally. In order to ensure that each country has an effective healthcare plan, it is important to analyze different strategies which have been implemented by countries in different continents. As previously stated, this paper will analyze the healthcare systems present in the United States of America, Russia, Algeria and Bangladesh. The strengths of healthcare plans in Russia, Algeria and Bangladesh will be replicated to the United States plan in order to improve its efficiency. The United States health care plan is one of the best in the world. In this plan, healthcare is provided by collaboration between the government and private sector although the latter provides greater healthcare cover to ensure healthcare services are accessible by all. The government provides healthcare services through programs which include Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Health Administration and the Childrens Health Insurance Programs (Christensen Jason, 2009). It offers efficient healthcare services to the majority of the population although one major weakness is that it is inaccessible by over 15% of the population due to lack of health care insurance. Healthcare in Russia on the other hand is also advanced and the country boasts of more healthcare workers, hospitals and physicians per capita than all countries in the world. The country relies on a modern Vision 2020 Health Plan which aims at increasing life expectancy and reducing the high mortality rate. It aims at increasing life expectancy to 75 years and reducing heart attacks and strokes, a major cause of Russian mortalities, by 20%. Healthcare provision in Algeria is not comparable with developed countries. There are few hospital beds, physicians and poor access to sanitation and water, all of which undermine healthcare provision. Although the healthcare policy focuses on prevention of disease, poor sanitation and lack of access to water causes measles, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery. Healthcare in Bangladesh is also relatively poor with more than 60% of the population lacking access to modern healthcare services. Its huge population of over 100 million people serves to exhaust the limited health resources present with projections expecting it to increase to over 200 million by 2035. Although Algeria and Bangladesh have poor healthcare service plans, there may be positive attributes which may be adopted by the US healthcare plan. Further analysis into these healthcare plans will reveal whether the United States should borrow any effective healthcare plans from Russia, Algeria and B angladesh. This analysis will be undertaken below; Analysis of health care plan for selected countries United States healthcare plan The United States healthcare plan is one of the most efficient in the world. As previously stated, most of the healthcare service provision is undertaken by the private sector although the government offers healthcare through programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Health Administration and the Childrens Health Insurance Programs. The US spends more funds on healthcare per person compared to the rest of the UN states apart from East Timor. However, despite the investment in healthcare, approximately 35% of people are underinsured and 15% are uninsured. Although more funds are spent on healthcare compared to many other states, there are complaints that the healthcare services provided are not commensurate to the money paid. The US faces low life expectancy at 42 and high infant mortality rate compared to many developed nations. Usually, healthcare is paid for using health insurance through various programs including government programs, individual program, employers program or s pousal benefits from employers. Non-profit organizations sometimes cater for charity cases for those who cannot afford insurance. Emergency care is however provided to all irrespective of whether they can afford treatment or not. Strengths and weaknesses There are several strengths and weaknesses of the US healthcare plan. Strengths include accessibility to modern technology and a large number of physicians to cater for healthcare needs of patients. The US healthcare plan also ensures all people have access to emergency care irrespective of whether they can afford it or not, which ensures lives are saved in cases of emergencies. The fact that the private sector and government collaborate to provide healthcare ensures that a larger number of people are covered and have access to healthcare services. Finally, the large expenditure by government on healthcare ensures that better healthcare services are provided to all. However, there are certain weaknesses in the healthcare plan and the first is the inaccessibility of health insurance by many. Over 15% of people in the US do not have access to healthcare insurance and 35% of people are underinsured (Mahar, 2006). This is a weakness since a large number of people cannot access healthcare as a result. There are also weaknesses in quality of healthcare provided with complaints that the services received for healthcare are not commensurate to payments made. Finally, the low life expectancy at 42, and high infant mortality rate compared to many developed nations, reveals weaknesses in healthcare service provision. Russia health care plan As discussed in the introduction, Russia boasts of more healthcare workers, hospitals and physicians per capita than all countries in the world. Healthcare in Russia is also funded through partnership between the private sector and government. Healthcare is paid through healthcare insurance and there are over 300 insurers who operate currently in the healthcare system. However, it faces challenges in high mortality rates and low life expectancy. As a result, the government developed a Vision 2020 Plan which aims at increasing the life expectancy and reducing the mortality rate (Field, 2001). There is optimism that the plan will work especially with the involvement of the public in developing this healthcare plan. The new healthcare plan also aims at promoting healthy lifestyles, improving paramedic services for accident victims, developing Russian medicines, improving blood service, improving early cancer detection and increasing access to medical technology by the population. The go vernment is also encouraging more women to conceive through increased child support benefits and incentives to women who have more than two children. Strengths and weaknesses There are several weaknesses and strengths which are associated with Russias healthcare plan. Strengths include the Vision 2020 Plan which aims at increasing the life expectancy and reducing the mortality rate, which will improve the quality of life of population. This healthcare plan will address various healthcare issues including development of medicines, early cancer detection, medical technology accessibility, increased child births and blood service among others. Another strength of Russias healthcare plan is the large number of hospitals and physicians available to patients, with Russia boasting of more healthcare workers, hospitals and physicians per capita than all countries in the world. Weaknesses include the high mortality rates and low life expectancy. These are attributable to drug abuse, high suicide rates and increased cardiovascular illnesses. Poor service provision is also another challenge and this is traced to a decrease in funding to healthcare provision after th e 1980s. Algerias health care plan As earlier stated, healthcare provision in Algeria is not comparable with developed countries, with few hospital beds, physicians and poor access to sanitation and water, all of which undermine healthcare provision. Healthcare primarily focuses on prevention of disease as opposed to treatment due to the low age of the average population. The healthcare in Algeria also focuses on providing free healthcare to poor people who cannot afford healthcare services. The private sector and government provide healthcare to the people although the larger proportion of care is provided by the government. Since the 1980s, average investment in healthcare by the government has increased by over 20% which has improved quality of care (Oxford Business Group, 2008). There are a few foreigners who practice medicine in Algeria and these are from Russia, France, Vietnam and Eastern Europe. The government requires doctors to work in public hospitals for at least five years before commencing service to pri vate hospitals. However, the average quality of care compared to developed nations is low due to problems facing the country including poor sanitation and lack of access to water which leads to measles, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery. There is also limited access to healthcare services by the population due to a limitation in hospitals and healthcare personnel present. Strengths and weaknesses There are various strengths and weaknesses which are associated with healthcare provision in Algeria. Strengths include the fact that the government finances treatment for poor people who cannot afford healthcare services which ensures that the poor have access to healthcare. The average investment in healthcare by the government since 1980s has increased by over 20% which has improved quality of care and this is another benefit. Algerias healthcare plan primarily focuses on prevention of disease as opposed to treatment and this is one of the most effective strategies applied to any healthcare plan. Finally, the government requirement that doctors work in public hospitals for at least five years before commencing service to private hospitals ensures that few doctors immigrate to foreign countries or private hospitals before offering service to public hospitals where the larger proportion of the poor seek healthcare service. Weaknesses in the healthcare plan in Algeria includes poor s anitation and lack of access to water which faces the country, which leads to measles, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery. These diseases are all deadly and have contributed to the high mortality rates in Algeria. Another weakness is the low average quality of care provided for citizens, in comparison to care provided for by developed countries. This requires more government investment in healthcare and external support from international partners. Finally, the few hospitals, healthcare physicians and limitation of healthcare technology is another weakness which is present in the Algerian healthcare plan. Bangladesh healthcare plan Healthcare provision in Bangladesh is also relatively poor with more than 60% of the population lacking access to modern healthcare services. There is a shortage in physicians, hospitals and technology for use in healthcare. The large population of over 100 million also strains the few medical infrastructures available. However, the government has increased investment in healthcare over the years and significant gains are beginning to be realized. For instance, vaccine coverage in the country is one of the highest in the world, with 90% of children being vaccinated against a host of diseases. Public hospitals are mainly used for preventive and inpatient care while private ones are mostly used for outpatient care. A blend of traditional and modern medicine is used to cure a variety of diseases in Bangladesh. However, the private sector is mostly unregulated with people selling drugs and providing treatment having no professional background in medicine. This sometimes causes major heal th complications to patients. Healthcare is provided at different levels ranging from hospital care to home visits. Bangladesh however has a problem of inadequate healthcare physicians and hospitals to cater for healthcare needs for its large population. Strengths and weaknesses There are different weaknesses and strengths which are associated with the Bangladesh healthcare plan. The first strength is the large coverage of vaccine treatment which prevents many diseases amongst children. The second strength of this healthcare plan is the use of both traditional and modern medicine which addresses a host of illnesses. This medicine is provided at different levels including the hospital levels and family levels to ensure different population segments have access to different healthcare services. The increase in government investment in healthcare is another strength which strives to improve quality of healthcare accessed by the population. However, there are various weaknesses which are associated with healthcare provision in Bangladesh. The first is the limited healthcare infrastructure available which cannot cater for the large population. There are limited healthcare physicians and hospitals which limit the number of people with access to healthcare services . More than half the population cannot access healthcare services. Another weakness is poor regulation of people offering traditional medicine. As discussed, many people selling drugs and providing traditional treatment have no professional background in medicine. This threatens the lives of patients who seek healthcare services from them. Comparison of countries health care plan with US health care plan and aspects which should be borrowed by the United States The various healthcare plans for the United States, Bangladesh, Russia and Algeria have been discussed in detail in the paper. Each healthcare plan has different weaknesses and strengths. The United States has a relatively efficient plan although many residents do not have access to insurance. Russia has many healthcare physicians and hospitals although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy high due to preventable diseases. Algeria has an effective healthcare policy which focuses on preventative care although low investment in healthcare and poor water and sanitation facilities has undermined the success of the healthcare plan. Bangladesh has a broad traditional and modern medicine approach at different levels although high population growth rates and poor regulation of traditional medicine has undermined the system. There are various aspects of these health care systems which should be embraced by the United States in order to improve healthcare service provision. This will be discussed in this section of the paper and it will be done on a country by country basis. The United States may replicate Russias system where a broad vision is developed with realistic targets which are meant to improve service provision. This vision should aim at reducing the number of people without access to healthcare insurance and reducing healthcare costs to the average citizen. This system should be developed in consultation with citizens as Russia did to ensure its overall success. The United States should also borrow various aspects from the Bangladesh system. It should offer medical care at different levels and consider investing in home visits for patients who cannot access healthcare services. The United States should also consider alternative forms of medical care including traditional medicine since it is proven to cure some conditions and illnesses just as effectively as modern medicines (Starr, 2001). Finally, the United States should replicate some effective strategies from the Algerian healthcare system including investing in preventive care, which is o ne of the most effective strategies in tackling modern illnesses and conditions. The government should also consider paying healthcare costs for the poor as it currently practiced in Algeria, which will ensure that more people have access to high quality healthcare services. Summary and conclusion The paper has analyzed the healthcare systems and plans for four countries including the United States, Russia, Bangladesh and Algeria. These healthcare plans have been seen to have different weaknesses and strengths which have been discussed in the paper. Developed countries including the United States and Russia have been seen to have different challenges in healthcare compared to developing countries such as Algeria and Bangladesh. Although Russia and the US have access to higher funding and investment in healthcare, they still have a significant portion of their population without access to healthcare insurance. Algeria and Bangladesh face challenges in funding and improving the quantity and quality of healthcare infrastructure including hospitals and number of physicians. It is the responsibility of governments across the world to ensure that citizens have access to high quality healthcare services. This can be achieved by higher investment in healthcare infrastructure and perso nnel as well as adopting successful practices in different nations. Developed nations should help fund healthcare in developing nations which face challenges in funding. Governments should also collaborate with private sector to ensure different population segments have access to healthcare services at affordable costs. Investment in preventive medicine will ensure that people do not succumb to avoidable illnesses. Alternative medicine including traditional medicine should also be explored since this will ensure a larger proportion of people have access to healthcare services. Finally, countries should explore new technology and techniques in medicine including telemedicine to ensure people have access to healthcare services irrespective of location barriers. This will ensure that all countries enjoy higher life expectancy levels and lower mortality levels.

Online Shopping Internet

Online Shopping Internet Have you ever tried buying your apparel or appliances thru internet? Online shopping is the process of purchasing and selling products or services over the internet. (Akary, 2005). It has gain popularity because of its convenience. There are some factors that are important in online shopping such as the security and the privacy of the consumers. Online shopping has replaced the traditional process of consumers buying goods from a retailer or mall that they must physically go into. (Akary, 2005). Online shopping is one aspect of electronic commerce. Online shopping is important because it offers buyers convenience that has never before been achievable. (Sneddon, 2004). The technology that is now available allows customers to shop on the internet 24 hours a day and seven days a week, without having to leave their homes or offices. Shoppers are provided with an abundance of merchant sites where almost any goods on earth can be bought. Consumers can also compare prices from a variety of different retailers with greater ease, compared to them physically going to shop in a built shopping centre to check prices. Online shopping popularity started in 1990, only few users are using the system. At the same time, the popularity of the Internet also grew at a phenomenal rate. Rifkin (2004, p. 34). History of online shopping and how it became famous will be discussed in the first part of this paper. The disadvantages and advantages of online shopping will be presented. The objective of this paper is to be able to present to the readers the pros and cons of on-line shopping. Another objective of the study is to evaluate the e-business that has been gaining the popularity. Most articles that I encounter about e-business presents one conclusion, that a company would not make it in the international market if they were not able to penetrate the online shopping. The paper will also discuss the complexity of the design. This will include the effectiveness and safety of the said design. The project aims to present a secured and protected online shopping. The main concern of the user of online shopping is their anonymity. Some website promised that they are being protected but actually they are not. This project will present the prototype design using the Multi-agent system (MAS). The MAS will make online shopping much more easily. Traditional shopping involves saleslady or agent that will assist you during your tour in the mall. The MAS will act as your guide in choosing the item you need. This will make online shopping much more convenient than traditional shopping. In the Literature review, the study done by Sinmao (1999) in the use of intelligent agent is discussed. The analyses done by Giles Malliford (2007) on the problems encountered by online shoppers are enumerated. He presented the reasons why shoppers abandoned their shopping carts. The shop.org (2007) shows the statistics of online users. The primary concern of the user is their security that is why utexas.edu presented the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Also in the literature review the psychological effect of online shopping are discussed. (Smith, Swinyard, 2001). The benefits of online shopping are enumerated to help the user understand why such program is done. Disadvantages and advantages of using the internet in shopping will be discussed. At the end of this paper the reader will be able to decide whether they will choose to shop the traditional way or the online shopping History of Online Shopping Online shopping belongs to the so called e-commerce. It started in 1970 wherein invoices and orders are sent thru the internet. And then in 1980 the acceptance of credit cards and automated teller machine where accepted online. When dot com era arrived electronic commerce include activities termed as web commerce purchases of goods and services over the world wide web, in a secure connections with e-shopping carts and payment where done thru the use of credit card. Online shopping began in the early to mid 1990s. First online bank was opened in 1994 and Pizza Hut was the first to offer pizza online on their Web page. Further development of online shopping was done and later that year Netscape introduced SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that make most transactions secure. In 1995 Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com and in 1996, e-Bay was founded. By the end of 1997, an estimated 41 million people were shopping online. (Kary, 2005). 1999 saw the UKs first graphical Internet shopping mall called The Virtual Mall. In 2003, Amazon.com became the first ever full-year profit online shopping merchant. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Shop). From here the online shopping has become popular. Now dresses, foods, medicines and others can be purchased online. Safety of the customer is important even in the early years of online shopping. Netscape SSL purpose is to secure the identity of their customer to prevent cyber crime which is common in transactions involving ones identity in the internet. It has been the medium of transaction of businesses. The future is now pointing its direction to new technologies. Literature Review Several studies are involved in online shopping. The use of an intelligent agent is important in e-commerce specially in online shopping. (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are a major evolution toward solving this difficult problem.   Intelligent agents empower both buyers and sellers to accomplish e-commerce transactions by enabling efficient, precise, and comprehensive searches on the vast web community and information repository. . (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are software applications that have a predefined knowledge base and/or learning system about their users goals and wishes and, through adaptive reasoning, use this information to execute their users request. The continuum of intelligent agents may be characterized along three dimensions:   agency, intelligence, and mobility. In Appendix 1 the three dimensions of intelligent agents are presented to show how intelligent agents work on online shopping. Statistics (Table 1) shows the problems encountered during the first year of online shopping. Since online shopping during the first years is not yet fully developed problems are piling up. These problems were being resolved as the year goes by. Studies and reaches were done to enhance and improve the e-commerce. Table below shows problems encountered by Canada during the earlier years of online shopping. Table 1 Stat Source Date Around 21 percent of Canadians sited comparison-shopping as the main reason for online cart abandonment, while 17 percent reported that high shipping costs were a cause for aborting their purchases. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 40 percent of Internet users in Canada report that they abandoned at least one shopping cart on a Canadian retail website during a three month period in early 2002. The findings also found that for every purchase Canadians made online, another was not completed. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 Although Canadians spent CAD2 billion (USD1.2 billion) at retail websites during the first half of 2002, many online shoppers abandoned their carts due to poorly designed sites, shipping costs, and privacy concerns. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 2.2 million Canadian households spent close to CAD2 billion (USD1.27 billion) on online shopping in 2001. In 2000, 1.5 million households spent CAD1.5 billion shopping on the Internet. Canadian households placed a total of 13.4 million orders over the Internet in 2001, up from 9.1 million in 2000. Statistics Canada 09/18/2002 Source: http://www.shop.org/learn/stats_intshop_canada.asp In the study done by shop.org, 2007 online sales (including travel) rises 18 percent to $259.1 billion. Sales excluding travel will reach $174.5 billion. This strong growth will come off of an impressive performance in 2006. Online sales last year rose 25 percent to $219.9 billion. Excluding travel, online retail sales rose 29 percent to $146.5 billion, representing six percent of total retail sales in 2006. ( Grannis, Davis, 2007). According to Mulpuru, Sucharita, (2007) senior analyst of Forrester Research, online retail is moving full speed ahead, the consumers flood the web to purchase merchandise and research products. This strong growth is an indicator that online retail is years away from reaching a point of saturation. The profitability through the sector has stabilized, this is a good indication that e-commerce is gaining success. The study done by shop.org and Forrester shows the following profitability result: Eighty-three percent of respondents to the survey reported profitability and 78 percent said they were more profitable than 2005. Profit as a percentage of revenue did not change, the report notes, because revenue and expenses grew as well. In the article â€Å"The Top 10 Reasons Why Online Buyers Abandon Their Shopping Cart† by Miles Galliford (2007), he mentioned the reasons why shopping carts are being abandon by shoppers. Research undertaken by MarketingSherpa (www.marketingsherpa.com) and E-Tailing in 2006 discovered that average abandonment rates were 60% and 47% respectively. This means that the average commercial website is losing as much as half of  its potential revenue. (Galliford, 2007). Based on the article the reasons why they abandon their cart during online shopping: Hidden charges at the checkout Having to register before buying The buyer was comparison shopping and found a better deal The shipping costs were too high The buyer didnt have time to complete the checkout process The product was out of stock There were no clear delivery details No phone number was provided The checkout process was too long The buyer was uncomfortable with the checkout process From the above reasons it seems that online shopping is not yet perfected. That is why study and researches are being done to satisfy the customer. Among other studies done on online shopping includes one that provides several tips on how to make sure that the web site you are purchasing your items are secured. One of the main concerns of the shopper is their security. That is why most of the website offering online shopping states that security is their main concern. However there are some websites that does not really have a security program. As a result of this the data of the customer is easily accessible by others. This is where cyber crime takes place. In order to ensure that you are on a safe website below is the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Only shop at online stores of reputable companies (companies you already know from retail stores, mail order catalogs or other sources). Know how to contact them offline if there is a problem with your purchase. If you are unsure of the company, do a little research with the Better Business Bureau. Secure your Web browser. Check the security settings of your Web browser to increase the security of your transactions. Check for security icons before giving your personal information. Before you type in your credit card number or name and address, check for security icons on the Web site. This includes looking for â€Å"https† in the Web address or URL. Https indicates the Web site is equipped with an additional security layer. If its not there, the site or page is not secure. Create unique passwords. Dont use the same password for all of your online accounts and applications. If you do this, you risk having all of your accounts compromised if only one account is breached. Remember to never use your university passwords for other online accounts. Dont enable the â€Å"Save Password† option if prompted to do so. If you are using a shared computer, pre-saved passwords will make it easy for others to access your accounts. Use only one dedicated credit card for online purchases. Monitor your monthly statements closely for any unusual activity. Dont use a debit card for online purchases. You are more protected using a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit card companies offer some degree of fraud protection and may be able to reverse charges to your account. Check the Web sites privacy policy. Only shop with online stores offering privacy policies that you agree with. They should provide information about how they will protect your personal information and whether it will be provided to other companies. Always log out of a Web site when you are through. Again, this will protect your accounts on a shared computer. Review your monthly credit card and bank statements. Check for any unauthorized purchases or errors. Notify your bank or credit card company immediately if you suspect someone is using your accounts without your permission. Because of these threats on online shopping, the enhancements of websites are being done to ensure that every single person and data is protected. In the study done by IBM and BYU (Professor William R. Swinyard and Professor Scott M. Smith) online shopping reveals attitude and lifestyle of the user. (2001). The attitudinal study of 4000 Web users reveals the shopping behaviour of eight online consumer types and which types would respond to marketing efforts designed to increase e-commerce sales. The study also suggests what form those efforts should take. Heres how each group looks and how Swinyard and Smith think they should be approached: With 11.1 percent of the market share, Shopping Lovers enjoy buying online and do so frequently. They are competent computer users and will likely continue their shopping habits. They also spread the word to others about joys of online shopping whenever they have the opportunity. They represent an ideal target for retailers. Adventurous Explorers (8.9 percent) are a small segment that presents a large opportunity. They require little special attention by Internet vendors because they believe online shopping is fun. They are likely the opinion leaders for all things online. Retailers should nurture and cultivate them to be online community builders and shopping advocates. Suspicious Learners (9.6 percent) comprise another small segment with growth potential. Their reluctance to purchase online more often hinges on their lack of computer training, but they are open to new ways of doing things. In contrast to more fearful segments, they dont have a problem giving a computer their credit card number. Further guidance and training would help coax them into online buying. Among the most computer literate, Business Users (12.4 percent) use the Internet primarily for business purposes. They take a serious interest in what it can do for their professional life. They dont view online shopping as novel and arent usually champions of the practice. Fearful Browsers (10.7 percent) are on the cusp of buying online. They are capable Internet and computer users, spending a good deal of time window shopping. They could become a significant buying group if their fears about credit card security, shipping charges and buying products sight unseen were overcome. Shopping Avoiders (15.6 percent) have an appealing income level, but their values make them a poor target for online retailers. They dont like to wait for products to be shipped to them, and they like seeing merchandise in person before buying. They have online shopping issues that retailers will not easily be able to overcome. Technology Muddlers (19.6 percent) face large computer literacy hurdles. They spend less time than any other segment online and show little excitement about increasing their online comfort level. They are not an attractive market for online retailers. Fun Seekers (12.1 percent) are the least wealthy and least educated market segment. They see entertainment value in the Internet, but buying things online frightens them. Although security and privacy issues might be overcome, the spending power of the segment suggests that only a marginal long-term payback would be possible In the study done by KCB336 New Media Technologies students, they have come up on reasons why many people are still hesitant in using online shopping. Their study resulted in 69% of internet shoppers felt that online retailers should do more to make them feel secure, yet only 15% reported to know others who had experienced credit card misuse advocated her trust for online shopping when she claimed. Because of the concern of the customer in the security measures, retailers employ a number of security measures, including cryptogrpahy and authentication to help the online transactions safe. Cryptography can provide authentication and integrity for electronic transmissions if properly implemented. Authentication is defined as goal of knowing that a particular user is authorized to take an action. Personal identification numbers (PIN) and passwords are the most widespread types of authentication. Based also on the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), another key issue aside from the security is the privacy. To further ease customer apprehension, many online retailers provide privacy statements which state their stance on sharing customer information with other businesses. Many companies stated that they did not share customer details. In addition to this, online retailers also employ cryptography to ensure that computer hackers cannot easily obtain any stored personal information that companies keep regarding their customers. Some companies only installed privacy and security measures after problems had occurred. Their lack of preventative methods was attributed towards the difficulty of implementing security measures, the high costs associated with these measures, and the continual need to update programs as new technologies and threats emerged. Internet-based transactions expect to make up 25 percent of all retail transactions in the next decade according to the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), therefore it is imperative for online retailers to continue to provide a secure, private and trustworthy shopping environment for their customers. Those who can best provide this climate for online shoppers will be the retailers who attract the most customers, and ultimately enjoy the most profits. According to Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer (2005), the success of online businesses relies heavily upon their ability to attract and retain customers. The better an online business understands the needs of these shoppers, the higher the chance that they can attract and retain customers. Their study includes factors that are important for the consumers. A study compared the experiences that customers have at a brick-and-mortar store versus online shopping. A main difference in the two experiences is that traditional storefronts are able to provide customers with the immediate sensory experience of touching and feeling proffered products whereas online storefronts are more limited in offering physical experiences with their products. Internet customers may have the visual experience of seeing what they are interested in purchasing. They are limited in their ability to touch or feel the merchandise until after delivery. The lack of the physical experiences touching and feeling avail able in traditional brick-and-mortar storefronts may be a reason why an online business has not risen to the level that some thought possible in the early 1990s. To overcome this obstacle, online businesses need to focus on satisfiers outside physical experiences with products. They need to convince customers that touching and feeling the merchandise are less important than what they can offer via an online shopping. This study intends to explore which factors are perceived as important to online customers when shopping on the Internet. (Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer 2005). Presented in table 3 below are the demographics of online user. The most common user of online shopping belongs to the Caucasian (4.9%) group with ages ranging form 22-25 years old (31.7%). Table 4 shows the factors that are important on online shoppers. TABLE 2: SUBJECTS DEMOGRAPHICS Age (in years) Under 18 18-21 22-25 26-30 31-35 Over 35 0 % 16 (15.8%) 32 (31.7%) 16 (15.8%) 13 (12.9%) 21 (20.8%) Nationality Ethnicity African Asian American Caucasian Hispanic Other 8 (8.2%) 7 (7.1%) 46 (46.9%) 32 (32.7%) 5 (5.1%) Annual Income (US$) >10K-30K >30K-50K >50K-70K >70K-90K >90K 22 (22.5%) 17 (17.4%) 26 (26.5%) 12 (12.2%) 6 (6.1%) 15 (15.3%) Highest Education High School 1-3 year college Associate Bachelor Master Doctorate 7 (7.1%) 18 (18.4%) 10 (10.2%) 38 (38.8%) 20 (20.4%) 5 (5.1%) Own a Computer Desktop Laptop 82 (83.7%) 59(60.2%) Employment Status Unemployed Full Time Part Time 12(12.2%) 58(59.2%) 28(25.6%) Marital Status Single Married Widow Divorce 60(61.2%) 38(38.8%) 0(0%) 0(0%) Source: Changchit,   Shawn J. Douthit,   Benjamin Hoffmeyer (2005) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OGT/is_3_5/ai_n16619676/pg_6 TABLE 3: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO VISIT A WEBSITE I will visit the website more often if . Average 1. a picture of the product is displayed 5.85 2. the website offers free shipping 5.76 3. it is easy to return the products 5.51 4. the website accuracy of the order is high 5.42 5. the website has a brand reputation 5.41 TABLE 4: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE FROM A WEBSITE I am more likely to purchase products/ Average services from the website if . 1. the website offers free shipping 5.86 2. the website offers a discount 5.79 3. it is easy to return the products 5.74 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.70 5. the website offers tax free shopping 5.51 TABLE 5: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE MORE ITEMS I will purchase more items if . Average 1. the website offers a discount 5.71 2. the website offers free shopping 5.67 3. it is easy to return the products 5.64 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.59 5. I received tax free shopping. 5.57 TABLE 6: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE AT A HIGHER PRICE I am willing to pay more if . Average 1. the website offers free shipping 5.20 2. if the item is not available offline 5.14 3. if I can t the product out before-paying 5.10 4. if offered tax free shopping 5.05 5. if the website offers next day shipping 4.94 TABLE 7: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACKS I would provide feedback on my shopping Average experience for 1. free shipping 5.61 2. discount 5.41 3. gift card 5.32 4. product sample 5.17 5. discount coupon 5.09 Disadvantages and Advantages of Online shopping Online shopping has its own set of disadvantages and advantages. Not all online shoppers agree to shop online, they would rather shop at the mall than sit in their living room and search for the item they want. As presented on the first report the following are the disadvantages and advantages of online shopping: Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages On line shopping Traditional Shopping Time Unlimited you can purchase online anytime you want. No closing and opening hours You can shop at limited time only. Availability One will be able to know right away if the item is