Monday, September 30, 2019

Bp Marketing Problem After Oil Spill

British Petroleum’s Marketing Problem Florida International University Summer 2011 Alex Del Veccio Yudith Torres BP Marketing Problem In April 20th, 2010 one of the worst environmental natural disasters that were brought on by a men happened. We are talking about the British petroleum Oil spill on the Golf Coast. The disaster not only affected the plants, animals and people living in the area but also the image of the company. British Petroleum has been successful on creating a powerful brand image, being authentic to the core values of its business and building the goodwill of their customers, now BP is trying to save what is left after the disaster. The disaster leads to many angry people, including environmentalists, shareholders and the general public to create campaigns to bring down the company reputation. BP has been accused of 11 workers dead and 17, injured. The extent of the spill is about the size of Rhode Island, running across the northern Gulf of Mexico between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Florida. The spill runs wide, threatening the coastlines, and deep, traveling beneath about 5,000 feet of water and 13,000 feet under the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon well is leaking 5,000 barrels per day, shutting down fishing across the affected areas, damaging fragile habitats and putting animals in peril. BP was also accused of trying to silence the scientists that were studying the effects of the oil spill, not allowing publishing researches done for the company; this clause was expressed in their contacts. The entire situation has position BP with a bad corporate image in the entire world leading to customer to refuse buying its products. This crisis has result in a negative publicity, threatening the image of the company and having effects on people perception of the company and its products. BP has responded to the event, trying to diminish the severity of the contamination, in a desperate effort not to lose its social legitimacy and seen to being irresponsible and dishonest with the public. These are a few of many pictures that were put out there by the media, making the problem even worse for British Petroleum, those images were directly associated with the corporation, death, contamination, social irresponsibility, unhappy people. BP has a huge problem, they need to make people to stop associating those images with its corporation and products, and recover its good name again. Consumer Behavior Issues as a result of BP the oil spill Consumer attitudes toward BP products were badly affected by the oil spill; there was not favorable opinion about the corporation resulting on the decline of consumer intentions to buy BP products. BP oil spill has impacted purchasing behavior, the spill rattled the company, causing the stock to lose about half its value and prompting Tony Hayward CEO to resign and be replaced by Bob Dudley, But the company was able to get the oil gusher stopped and has been paying to repair the damage to the local economy. The company is paying to cleanup an estimated of $20 billion, as a result the company temporarily suspending its dividend, in another blow to investors. The dividends were reinstated in February 2011. Despite the fact that many surveys has showed that people has no intention to boycott or switch from BP brand ( (Harrison) the consumer perception of the company was reflected on consumer willingness to invest on BP stocks, maybe because many of them were normative influenced altering their behavior to meet public opinion expectations. Consumer awareness has shifted dramatically when there is a catastrophe related to a big corporation such as British Petroleum, consumers has jointed forces and organized protests to show their disgruntlement with the corporation and pressing them to take full responsibility for the disaster. The oil spill has had effected no only on consumer attitudes towards BP products, but to other industries too. Approximately 71% of consumers were still concerned about the safety of consuming seafood, and 23% reported they have reduced their seafood consumption as a result of the oil spill ( (Bianco) Consumer analysis Of British Petroleum after oil spill According to a Brand Index Survey, (Index, 2010) British Petroleum public image went below Goldman Sachs (and investment bank many feel contributed to the financial crisis' in 2008). This Survey that came out in June 2010 show these findings. Only Toyota who went through a massive recall shows worse. Many more surveys show that consumers were not please with British petroleum (eye, 2010) Following are s few notes from the article on the corporate eye's website (eye, 2010): * From an Economist and YouGov survey: When it comes to trusting BP to â€Å"do the right thing in stopping the oil spill and cleaning it up,† 9% of respondents said they trust BP â€Å"a great deal† and 13% trust BP â€Å"quite a bit† while 20% have â€Å"only some† trust that BP will do the right thing, and another 20% said they have â€Å"very little† trust that BP will do the right thing. The majority of respondents, 28%, trust BP â€Å"not at all. †Ã‚   The remaining respondents stated that they were not sure how they felt. * From the same Economist and YouGov survey: 65% of respondents believe that BP and other companies involved in the oil spill are â€Å"pointing the blame on others and avoiding responsibility† while just 35% believe BP and other companies involved are â€Å"doing whatever it takes to stop the spill and clean up the oil. † * From a USA Today/Gallup poll: 34% of the respondents rated BP’s response to the spill as â€Å"poor† and 39% rated it as â€Å"very poor†. Only 6% rated BP’s response as â€Å"very good† and 18% rated it â€Å"good. † * From a Pew Research Center and National Journal Congressional Connection poll: 44% rated BP’s response to the oil spill as â€Å"poor† and 26% rated it â€Å"only fair† while 16% rated BP’s response â€Å"good† and 3% rated it â€Å"excellent. † * From a CNN and Opinion Research Corp. poll: 76% of respondents disapprove of BP’s response to the oil spill and 24% percent approve. These surveys and many like them combined with massive protests and boycotts reshaped the Value of British petroleum as reaction to their stocks showed. In late June in 2010 British petroleum's stock fell to under 28 dollars per share. This was a major drop from there yearly high of over 61 dollars per share in February in 2010. While the consumer trend for the oil industry is still in high demand, British petroleum still loss revenue loss due to poor public perception and also lost revenue from the oil spill and cleanup efforts. According to this story BP has it work cut out for them financially (JACOBSON, 2011)– Almost $50 billion in lost market value. Its rivals' stock is up almost 15 percent, while BP's has been down roughly 25 percent. Shares that were worth $60 a piece on April 20, 2010, are worth $46 today (JACOBSON, 2011). * Sales of $24 billion of the company's assets to be set aside to help pay for claims and other costs. Gheit said roughly 10 percent of BP's production and reserves were sold last year. Another $6 billion worth are expected to be sold this year (JACOBSON, 2011). * $3. 8 billion paid out in claims so far. That's part of a $20 billion fund set aside under pressure from the government last year (JACOBSON, 2011). * Liabilities could swell by tens of billions more. If BP is found to be criminally negligent (several investigations and reports have yet to be completed), the price tag could exceed $50 billion. (Contending their equipment and work played a major role in the cause of the accident, BP is suing Halliburton and TransOcean for billions of dollars as well. (JACOBSON, 2011)) However not all is lost for BP. As you look at the Global 500 (500, 2011) ranking of the top one hundred companies in the world. You will notice that six of the tops 10 are oil companies, including BP at number four. This not only shows that oil is a very profitable industry and in high demand despite calls for alternative energy sources over the past decades. Unless such an alternative energy source can come about and service the billions of people who demand energy: the outlook in the oil industry will continue to be high. Which also means the oil industry will continue to be profitable. When we also add into the factor that developing countries have increased demand for oil and global demand for this resource is predicted to go from 41. million gallons per day to 86. 6 million gallons by the year 2025 (prices, 2010). I do not see consumer trends in oil consumption a problem for BP. This consumption pattern will be an advantage for BP. The bottom line is that BP's industry and products looks like they will be in high demand for the foreseeable future. However even though Bp's product is widely used they are not immune from poor public perception. Since the oil spill Bp has been forced to sell o ff some assets (White, 2011) to pay for loss revenue, and pending lawsuits from the oil spill. BP's problems continue outside of its finances. In early 2000 British petroleum launched a new campaign called â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. This campaign was targeted top the environmental conscious consumer. Bp wanted to become established as an environmentally friends energy company. While it's hard to see if that campaign was successful regardless, any positive perception or equity acquired from that campaign was lost do the oil spill. Reinventing themselves as an eco friendly company looks to be a difficult task at this time. Moving forward With the environment a major issue in today's world it may be a good idea for BP to invest in research for safer more eco friendly offshore drilling technology. Another way for BP to win over the public interest is to come up with a cleaner alternative source of energy. Would it be ironic that a oil company invents an alternative energy that is safer and cleaner for the environment. The emotional element of BP’s brand invokes bad feelings. With concerns about Global Warming and endangered species many feel BP broke its Brand Promise started by their campaign â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. For now British Petroleum's strategy should be to allocate resources for research for the above mentioned. And also allocate resources to improving public perception. One example is their commercials with local business owners that were affected by the Gulf oil spill. They are telling the consumers that they are standing by their mistakes. I would also advise BP to communicate to the public what changes they are making from organizational structure to safety precautions. BP may also look into working with eco friendly organizations and organizations like the World Wild Life foundation. Such organizations have voiced strong criticism BP after the oil spill. Working with these organizations would go far in telling the public they have turned over a new leaf. Marketing Recommendations for British Petroleum (prices, 2010) British Petroleum needs to have specific plan for each one of the possible scenarios they might encounter, the company took three months to stop the oil leak, and they are still working on the cleaning process. This shows that BP was not prepared to face such a huge natural disaster; they did not have a contingency plan appropriated. Its is very important than the fist reaction that company takes to resolve the problem is the most suitable one, because that is when the media and public attention are more focus on the problem, and a prompt resolution will lead a faster recovery of the company image. BP should focus on mortification, taking full responsibility for the situation and its consequences. This strategy address public critique in advance and give the company a more significant public relations ground. After admitting and apologizing for the catastrophe, BP must take an action to avoid that is going to happen again. Creating more and secure ways to drill oil, the company needs to improve procedures, safety and competence to regain the lost trust from the public. BP need to regain their good mane, at the moment the company is located in the awareness set in the customer mind that it does mean that its products will be consider if people has a negative image in it. British Petroleum need to build positive feeling towards its corporation, one option is to develop green advertising, the company have invested million on it, but today they should put more emphasis on it. Create better image (social factor) by better approach to compensate those who have been affected. There were many people affected by the catastrophe, people from different communities, they need to focus on the different groups of people they are trying to reach in order transmit the message more efficiently; failing to do will worse the problem. In order for people to place BP into their consideration set they need to believe that the company is reliable and responsible, in addition people must have good feeling towards the brand. They must invest a lot of money in advertising, informing people what is plan to recover and it is being developed. Those ad must run as many time as its needed, to inform people that â€Å"we are taking responsibility† to backfire those ad claiming the contrary â€Å"Show you care†, that is the primary position British Petroleum must assume. The reality is that the Oil Spill in deep horizon water in Mexican Gulf, in April 2010 has made a huge human, ecological and financial lost, and it has ruined the company’s reputation. There is not way the company can go back in time and avoid what happened, but they can look forward and make the best out the situation. If BP can convince the public that they truly believe that its image will be reinstated, people will start bearing positive feeling towards BP. Bibliography 500, G. (2011). And the world's biggest companies are†¦ Retrieved 2011, from Cnn Money 2011: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/global500/2011/ Bianco, V. D. (n. d. ). Louisiana News . Retrieved from Louisianafoodnews. com. eye, c. (2010, june 4). The BP Brand Fallout – Consumers Weigh In. Retrieved from corporate eye: http://www. corporate-eye. com/blog/2010/06/the-bp-brand-fallout-consumers-weigh-in/ Harrison, M. (n. d. ). Wave Matrix. Retrieved from wavematrix. com. Index, J. C. (2010, hune 24). Survey BPS consumer perception sinks below Goldman Sachs. Retrieved from http://www. mediabistro. om: http://www. mediabistro. com/prnewser/survey-bps-consumer-perception-sinks-below-goldman-sachs_b3951 JACOBSON, M. (2011, april 26). One Year Later, Where Does BP Stand? Retrieved from pbs. org: http://www. pbs. org/newshour/rundown/2011/04/bp—-one-year-later. html prices, O. (2010, July ). Retrieved from oilprices. org: http://www. oilprices. org/ White, G. (2011, feb 22). BP to sell off North Sea asset. Retrieved from the t elegraph: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8341366/BP-to-sell-off-North-Sea-assets. html

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Food Wastage Essay

Food wastage is a problem faced by every developing and developed country around the world. According to a book by Tristram Stuart,Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal(Penguin, 2009), approximately 40 million tonnes of food are wasted by US households, retailers and food services each year. This is sufficient to feed the nearly one billion malnourished people in the world. Yet in spite of this trend, peope continue to waste food at an alarming rate. Currently, a third of food produced around the world for human consumption is lost or wasted. This is equivalent to about 1. 3 billion tons of edible food every year, and less than a quarter of it is enough to satisfy the hunger of every hungry person in the world. In Hong Kong, 32 tonnes of solid food waste is produced each day, where the mast majority is dumped on the landfills which are running out of space. In tropical climates like Hong Kong, the decomposition of these food emit harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide which capture and retain heat in the atmosphere. This accelerates and exacerbates the severity of global warming. If we stop wasting food that could have been consumed, it would be equivalent to reducing the carbon footprint of one in every four cars on the road. It is also worth noting that, by reducing the amount of food waste that is being sent to the landfill, we can extend the lifespan of the landfills in addition to reducing the burden on Hong Kong’s environment. That being said, it is time we take action to curb the trend of food wastage. In my opinion, there are three strategies to counter this pertinent issue at hand: campaigns by non-government organizations, distribution of free pamphlets in supermarkets, and government policy control on food portions in restaurants. In order the ameliorate the problem of food wastage, it is important to start from the root of the issue-providing education and enhancing social awareness through campaigns. In my opinion, most people are unaware of the severe repercussions that food wastage brings to the environment. By educating the people and raising the awareness, it is fair to say that the problem will at least be mitigated. Campaigns would be a good way to start, and Hong Kong should follow the model in the UK. Love Food, Hate Waste is a non-profit organization in the UK which aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce food waste as well as encourage people to take action. It teaches people easy, practical ways to do at home that helps people waste less food and at the same time, save money and help the environment. For example, it has a user-friendly website which teaches people everything from how to store foods longer to how to make use of leftover foods from dinner for their next meal. It even has a portion tool that helps to estimate approximately how much food a person needs for the meal, based on the type of food it is and the number of people consumingit, so that there is a lower chance of food wastage. For example, if an adult would like to have beef for dinner, it would be approximately 100grams whereas for a child, it would be about 70grams. Love Food, Hate Waste is a successful model that Hong Kong should aim to emulate, because it has user-friendly, practical ways that people can follow so that food waste can be effectively reduced. Another way to alleviate food wastage is to provide free brochures in every supermarket in Hong Kong, so that it raises the awareness of the people. This will help them make informed choices on the quantity of food to buy, as well as how to store them such that they take a longer time to expire. For example, wrapping vegetables in newspaper helps prolong its shelf life. Also, sealing off leftover food in a jar and placing them into the freezer helps exend its expiry date by a few days, if not weeks. Another example is separating apples from other fruits. This is because they give off ethylene gas, which will make other fruit become overripe . That being said, this method of discouraging food waste may be expensive. Printing millions of brochures is economically and environmentally costly. A large amount of money has to put aside for the production of the brochures, while heaps of paper would have to be used to print them. It may be a possible means to raise awareness on food wastage; however it is not the best option available. Last but not least, the government can implement a policy that regulates food portions in restaurants. People waste considerable amounts of food when they eat out, and one of the possible reasons is that they cannot finish their food. Therefore, one proposal is that the government can first impose a policy that controls the portion of meals served by restaurants, in order to wither down on the unnecessary food wasted. Restaurants can provide three serving portions for the customer to choose from-small, regular and large. This provides the suitable quantity of food for the customers such that it balances food wastage and customer satisfaction. Customers who are unable to finish their food will have to pay a penalty or fine. However, this proposal may be sit well with the people in Hong Kong. Some restaurants lure customers with their large food portions for a comparatively cheaper price, and hence if the government were to regulate the food portion of each restaurant, it would certainly face opposition from the owners of these restaurants. Not to mention, it is very difficult to measure the exact quantity of food of each restaurant to determine which category they fall into. While this may be a possible option in future, it is certainly too difficult to measure and monitor this over a long period of time. Large amounts of resources would have to be put in for a policy which may not be popular or effective at all. All in all, food wastage is an urgent problem that needs our immediate attention. Swift action would have to be taken if we were to mitigate this issue before it goes out of hand. We as the citizens of the world should be aware and take responsibility and reduce the environmental impact of solid food waste. The first step to achieving this goal is to advocate campaigns and follow the successful model of Love Food, Hate Waste in the UK. Only then will we start to have a clearer conscience and a better environment to live in.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Distribution Of Oil In The United States Scholarship Essay

Distribution Of Oil In The United States - Scholarship Essay Example The business organization in consideration is advised to consider partnering with a Canadian firm which will help it and will shoulder some of the risks involved. Partnering with an established business organization in the foreign market will support the ease of entry. Also, since it is already knowledgeable about consumer behavior and preferences, the American oil distributor is more able to come up with a strategy which will suit the unique needs of customers. In terms of marketing, the US firm together with its partner will focus on stressing the overall organizational image of the parent company. However, product prices and customer service will be tailored according to market conditions. Business organizations are irrefutably recognizing the importance of operating in a socially responsible way with the rapid rise of more discriminating buyers who are willing to pay a premium in order to purchase a product which is certified to be produced by an "ethical" firm. The company's clamor for being socially responsible is often seen in their campaigns and programs to give back to the community through various means. This strategy is often to build a consistent image of operating environmentally, socially, and ethically. However, this can only be built through a consistent effort in operating in the same manner from country to country. It is becoming more apparent that huge business organizations often become lax in pushing for more responsible operations in countries where customers are less discriminating and have less purchasing power. It has been taken for granted that these developing markets are hungry for foreign direct investments while government officials do not even care if operations are done sustainably. On the other hand, consumers choice are not dependent on ethical operations but on pricing strategies.

Friday, September 27, 2019

How have your personal and professional experiences influenced your Essay

How have your personal and professional experiences influenced your decision to pursue a career in medicine - Essay Example In my home country, I realized that many expectant mothers (my relatives) delivered at home for lack of access to healthcare services locally and for their incapacity to afford such services. As a result, many women end up dying as they are attended to untrained and inexperienced midwives in the home environment. My experience back at home reveals that the high levels of mortality and morbidity are directly related to the poor healthcare services that community members have access to. My experience in the U.S. has convinced me that the situation in Togo can be reversed so that members of public have equal access to quality healthcare services. In the U.S. people have great access to healthcare services and are well informed about how to prevent several ailments. My experience as a direct care specialist for individuals who are mentally and physically disabled has convinced me that with good care, the quality of life of patients can be significantly improved. Each of these experiences has motivated me to seek ways of improving people’s lives. My compassion toward those who are experiencing physical and emotional pain has been reinforced by my personal and professional experiences. At the end of the day, I would not want to see lives being lost due especially to medical

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Curriculum Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Curriculum - Term Paper Example To demonstrate its holistic nature, the FIU BSN curriculum framework has a concept of a â€Å"globe.† The â€Å"globe† is a demonstration of the cohesiveness of the curriculum, its goals and values. The global model is characterized by levels that run from bottom to top of the â€Å"globe†. It is also characterized by organizing threads (pervasive and vertical) that start from the base of the â€Å"globe† to the top. The base of the â€Å"globe†, which is the curriculum starting point, has the behavioral sciences, general education and biological sciences. From this point the students to the nursing knowledge foundation, basic knowledge in nursing specialty and nursing knowledge synthesis as they accomplish their study plans. The levels have seven pervasive threads of organization: cultural competence, Ethics, Process of Decision Making, Globalization, Genomics, Quality and Safety, Technology and Globalization. The vertical threads of organization a re four: Professional Nursing, Scholarship and Research, Practice that is Evidence Based, Systems of Global Health and Illness/ Health Management (FIU). The influences of the design of the curriculum are the factors that are pervasive in the thread. In broad these include communication and collaboration, Quality and Safety, the process of decision making, cultural competence, Genomics, Globalization and Ethics (FIU). The Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) gives the accreditation standards for the nursing programs. The standards are divided into four categories which include: the Governance and Mission; the Resources and institutional commitment, the Teaching and Learning processes and the curriculum; and the Program outcomes assessment and its achievement. Emphasis will be laid on the 3rd standard that deals with curriculum (CCNE, 2013). FIU nursing curriculum is developed according to the nursing program goals, mission and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Those Winter Sundays, by Robert Hayden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Those Winter Sundays, by Robert Hayden - Essay Example The poem can be interpreted in many ways. As an example, it could be interpreted as a son who dislikes his father. It could also be seen as a boy who was longing for the love of his father. However it is interpreted, the fact remains that it is a poem about the coldness that lurks between this boy and his father. Hayden uses metaphors in the poem that match the winter cold. The metaphors are implied more than they are spoken. As an example, the father in the poem â€Å"got up early and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold† (3). The poem then states about the boy, â€Å"I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking† (6). When these two sentences are analyzed together, the â€Å"blueblack cold† (3) of winter is a possible metaphor for an abusive relationship between father and son. The words â€Å"blue black† are often associated with â€Å"black and blue† in terms of a bruise or an injury. The â€Å"cold splintering, breaking† (6 ) could be a metaphor that is not only about the weather, but the implication that the relationship between the father and his son is also cold, splintering and breaking. Because the boy states that when he wakes up in the morning, he is â€Å"fearing the chronic angers of that house† (9), the reader can assume that the boy is abused in some way. There may not be physical abuse at this time because the father’s hands are â€Å"cracked† (3) â€Å"from labor in the weekday whether† (4) and it would not be comfortable for him to physically hurt his son but the emotional abuse may have been a part of their everyday life. It appears that there is no mother in this family and the reason that the boy and his father are reacting to each other as they are could have something to do with the mother’s absence. The coldness that they share could be their response to grieving at the loss of the mother. This poem could also be one of the poet’s members. A ccording to C. Ekrem Teymur, Robert Hayden grew up in a Detroit ghetto and he spent is time with his parents, but also with a foster family that lived next door to his family (par. 1). This could have been a reflection of what happened to him in his past. The title of the poem suggests that â€Å"those† were the days that he is remembering, and that in the winter time, this was what happened every winter. The entire poem gives the read a sense of coldness. The winter is very cold with the â€Å"blueblack cold† â€Å"(2), â€Å"cold splintering† (6), and â€Å"driven out the cold† (11) without replacing it with warmth. There are only two lines that mention some type of warmth: â€Å"when the rooms were warm† (7) his father would call him. This was interesting because warmth would seem cozy and not something that would happen in this house. When his father called him out of the warmth the boy was, â€Å"fearing the chronic angers† (9) possibl y, because the cold was what he was used to both in temperature and inside the house with the unspoken cold. One line of the poem is very difficult to understand. â€Å"What did I know of love’s austere and lonely offices?† (14). I did not understand this last line and it seems to have nothing to do with the rest of the information. How does this fit into the rest of the poem? According to Peter E. Murphy, the word â€Å"office† has to be put into a context of doing service to others. Murphy explains that in Catholicism, â€Å"office† means the â€Å"daily obligatory prayers† (16) and therefore the passage could mean that love is lonely in this particular space and it is something that must be done, but does not appear here. I am still not sure of what this means. In

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing - Essay Example This paper intends to examine a favorable portfolio for a 25-year old, planning to invest $100,000 in both mutual funds and stocks. The study seeks to roll portfolio that considers investments with high-risk tolerance. The portfolio will include three stocks, three mutual bonds and 2ETFs. As point of departure investment strategy is fundamental in meeting the anticipated goals. For instance, in this study, the portfolio attributed to high risk is adopted because the young investor is aggressive. This implies that, the more risk born, the more aggressive the portfolio (David, 112). The aspect of aggressiveness of a portfolio versus the extent of risk to be born, explains the aggressive portfolio to be considered in this study. The investor should embrace the aggressive type of portfolio. An aggressive portfolio devotes a bigger portion to equities and relatively less portions to bonds and other fixed income securities. In this study, an aggressive investment portfolio is considered. F or purposes of in- depth understanding, examine the following pie chart indicating, the approximated percentages of investments in each section (Mark, 45). This portfolio intends to invest in equities, treasury fund, bond funds and cash equivalents. The Equities take a large share because of the aggressive nature of the investor and this is attributed to high-risk investments (David, 112). To achieve the designated portfolio, the investor should embark on strategies to ensure the right asset allocation. The capital should be apportioned between the appropriate asset groups. For instance in our case the $100,000 should be apportioned as follows Investment type % Amount ($) Mutual funds 46 46,000 Stock fund 43 43,000 Cash and equivalents 11 11,000 Mutual funds From the definition, aggressive growth is a mutual fund investment goal that aims at high capital gain potential growth stocks. These are stocks of companies, which are anticipated to grow at a rate faster relative to the genera l stock market. In essence, the aggressive investor should bear in mind that this type of portfolio requires growth investment strategy because of the anticipated higher volatility, which is measured by beta. Before investing in an aggressive mutual fund, first ascertain that, the fund is real aggressive growth fund by looking at the stated objective within the mutual fund prospectus or find it from the mutual fund family website (Harry, 45). This study establishes that to pick the intended aggressive mutual fund, check on the market value of beta, which is 1.00, and consequently ascertain that, the beta value of an aggressive mutual fund is slightly above 1.00. Conversely, consider the taxes aspects. The preeminent performing mutual funds, particularly over long periods such as 10 years and more are habitually funds with low tax costs. The aggressive investor needs to look for the most tax-efficient funds (Harry, 45). This is because, previous studies on the correlation between low cost taxes, low turnover ratio and low expenditure ratio indicate highly positive. This implies that this portfolio investment is probable of creating immense gains over the period of 35 years. The young investor is advised to invest 46% of his capital in the following categories of mutual funds. As a smart investor, he considers an aggressive fund, which invests in mid-cap stocks or small-cap stocks. The reasoning behind this is that, the likelihood of already having a large-cap stock fund in the investment portfolio is high, consequently no need for more. The Fidelity Capital Appreciation (FDCAX) is the best aggressive growth mutual fund strategy to be considered in this investment portfo

Monday, September 23, 2019

Business decision making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business decision making - Assignment Example For example, a guy in my group would go for a girl or select a girlfriend based on personal satisfaction that he likes or loves her. This decision is based solely on the personal satisfaction of the individual without consideration of outside factors such as parents, teachers or even friends. That even if such outside factor will discourage or disagree with such decision, individuals in my group would still decide based on their own personal satisfaction. The individuals of my group also considers their values and the values of the group in decision making. Often, when they are not sure what to do or which option to decide upon, they would use their own value or ethical system as a moral guide to arrive at a â€Å"correct† decision. The decision process also involves the consideration of the value system of the larger group. This consideration of the value system of the larger group is to maintain the harmony and good relationship of individuals in the group. For example, when there are two members of the group who are involved in conflict, individuals in my group would do the â€Å"right thing† of not blaming who is wrong between the two. That instead of blaming or ostracizing the one who is wrong, individuals in my group would instead mediate so that the friendship and harmony of the group will remain intact. There will be people in my group who would talk to each conflicting party with the end of resolving the issue so that our friendship will remain strong and will not be affected by the conflict. Individuals in my group are no different from the other groups when they approach decision making in complex situation where not all information are available. They tend to rely on proven solution based on their experience and knowledge and would ignore other options or alternative that could be feasible but not tested by their experience. This is called heuristics in decision making where individuals will just focus on an aspect of a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Love in Different Country Essay Example for Free

Love in Different Country Essay Studying in the U.S. for nearly a year, I learned a lot of knowledge and I made a lot of friends. Some of them are foreigners. This years study is very effective for me. In the United States, I found some phenomenons are different between my country and the U.S. Now I mainly want to talk about love in the U.S. and China. The United States is a free country. The United States advocates free development. It pays attention to every persons personality. Some American friends told me that love is very easy in the United States. Both men and women like each other, then they can fall in love. The parents will not hinder the childs decision. So children can choose their partner if they want. In China, love and marriage is a very serious and very important thing. The parents always provide a lot of requirements to their children. For example, if my child is a boy, I will tell him, â€Å"Your wife in the future must be a very nice woman. Her family condition must be consistent with our condition.† because in China, many parents consider that only if both parties are consistent with their conditions, the future life can help each other, and the lives will be happy. In my opinion, I think the two points of view are so different, but each opinion has its reason. My questions are: What makes loving anybody in the United States not similar? How do different people in the U.S. falling in love It also represents the different cultures between China and the U.S. If I were allowed to choose which waysuits me, I will choose the American way because I love freedom. Notes: This needs more information in the second and third paragraphs about the reasons why each country has these â€Å"rules† about love. Then, in the conclusion, you can talk about how freedom is an American trait of love and that these reasons are why you want to choose an American style of love or choosing a partner.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Age of Exploration Essay Example for Free

Age of Exploration Essay The age of exploration had many varied effects on the countries involved, mainly Spain, France, and England. By establishing a prosperous empire in South America by conquering the native people, Spain became vastly wealthy off of the gold collected by its native subjects. However, since the native people were dying off rapidly due to the foreign diseases brought over by the Conquistadors, as well as malnutrition and fatigue, Spain and Portugal were the first to introduce slavery to the New World by replacing them with African slaves brought over by Portuguese slave traders. The silver mining by these slaves caused world trade to increase. Often, silver brought to Europe from America was then traded with China and other Asian countries, making silk, porcelain, and Indian spices more prevalent in Europe. Products from America that became popular in Europe included corn, potatoes, pineapples, and sugar cane. Many cultures spread and combined with others: Spanish missionaries converted natives to Christianity, which then combined the new Christian beliefs with the natives’ cultural traditions. Another example, Arabian coffee with American sugar became quite popular throughout Europe. Although saying that anyone who crossed the Atlantic (at least when referring to modern theories) truly discovered America is ridiculous, I believe that the first to do so was Leif Eriksson and his group of Vikings whose settlement was found in Canada. According to the Greenlander saga and the Eric saga, his father, Eric the Red, a Viking outlaw, discovered Greenland. In order to establish himself as a man separate from his father, Leif sailed to the west in order to discover his own land. He sailed west because there had been a rumor in Greenland for the past fifteen years of a merchant sailing from Iceland to Greenland whose ship had been blown off course in a storm. According to the rumor, the merchant claimed that there were three separate lands west of Greenland. Around the year 1000, Leif purchased the merchant’s ship from the story, and obtained directions from the same merchant. He set sail only for a few days, which was reportedly was miserable due to the conditions on the open boat. On this expedition, they were seeking trees, which were scare in Greenland, but abundant in what is now northern Newfoundland, Canada, where the party landed. Leif named the new land Vinland after the wild grapes found there and the wine the grapes produced. Shortly thereafter, the settlers began to erect a settlement and scouted the land. In 1960, the archeologist and set out to find the fabled Vinland, using a four hundred year old Icelandic map and descriptions from the sagas. On the very northern tip of Newfoundland, they came across an area of mounds and ruins near a small town. Because the ruins predated the settlement of the area, the locals had always believed that Native Americans created the mounds. In fact, through almost seven years of painstaking excavations and radiocarbon testing, it was proven that the ruins were of a settlement dating back to the year 1000. Various artifacts found at the site also confirmed its Norse origins. Archeologists have gone so far as to pinpoint which ‘house’ was Leif Eriksson’s, based on size and complexity of the structure. I believe that Leif Eriksson was the first to cross the Atlantic and settle in America because of many factors. The radiocarbon dating of the site which puts it at 1000 C. E. immediately eliminates any of the explorers from the age of exploration, as well as the Chinese in 1492, in addition to the obvious implausibility of traveling above Canada in ice riddled waters in a flimsy wooden vessel. A case could perhaps be made for the merchant in the sagas who started the rumor, but as with all epic stories, the Icelanders who were the ones to transcribe the sagas based on oral stories, may have simply added him in as a fictional supporting character. Because of this and other equally plausible scenarios, I have to concede that Leif Eriksson was the first to reach the New World by crossing the Atlantic. There is confusion among certain people about whether America was colonized because of a desire for more money on the part of England or because the colonists were seeking religious freedom from the Roman Catholic Church. This confusion stems mainly from the watered down version of Jamestown and the Mayflower that we teach students at a young age. While it is true that Puritans did indeed come to the New World seeking religious freedom, the initial desire to colonize America was all about the desire for wealth. Because of Spain’s conquests in South America, the gold it had acquired from the natives and silver mining had made the country vastly wealthy and other nations were eager to get their share of the riches. America also had an abundant supply of farmland at a time when many farmers had small farms that they toiled over in an effort to merely support their families. In addition, as more settlers moved to America and created a demand for indulgences that they were accustomed to in Europe, the companies that sold such items made more money because of the higher prices the settlers had to pay in order to accommodate shipping costs. In short, while religious freedom was a noble and idealistic dream, it wouldn’t benefit anyone or make any money, which is what people were chiefly concerned with. How would America be different if it had been settled one hundred years later, in 1592? To begin with, it probably would not be called ‘America’. America is so named after Amerigo Vespucci; however, as he died in 1512, it is unlikely that we would have been named after him. Perhaps we would be named Raleigh, after Walter Raleigh, a British explorer of both North and South America in our actual history. Christopher Columbus would not be in history books, as he would not have been to Raleigh. Native Americans thus would have never been referred to as Indians. Because of our late start as a nation, it is reasonable to assume that certain historical events in our country would be delayed, let us say, fifty years or so. Because colonization was delayed, it would take longer for tensions to raise between the colonists and the French, so the French and Indian War would not have started in 1689, but around 1739 instead. This in turn would delay the Seven years war and thus the taxed imposed by the British that led to the American Revolution, which would now begin in 1825. Thus, we would have the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1826 and become our own country in 1833. Or alternatively, because of the differing technology, we might have lost the war and still been English today. But lets assume that we won and Raleigh was founded. I believe the Civil War would have been delayed as well until 1911, three years before World War One started. Both world wars, because we did not start them, would have happened the same years as they actually did, 1914 and 1939 respectably. However, I believe that the issue of civil and women’s’ rights would have been later in coming, perhaps in the 80’s. We would probably be dealing with racism more than gay rights today, if that were the case. And our music would be behind as well, so 60’s music today would then be 80’s music now.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Tokyo City: Architecture and Agriculture

Tokyo City: Architecture and Agriculture Kostof Essay Tokyo city The archaic capitals of Japan, such as Fujiwara-Kyà ´ (694-710 AD), Nara (710-784 AD), and Kyoto (AD 794-1868) conformed to Tangs capital grid-planning. However, grounds of defence, the devisers of Tokyo shunned the grid, preferring instead an irregular network of streets encompassing the Edo Castle grounds. Afterwards, several parts of Tokyo were grid-planned. The history of Tokyo played a significant role in the present architecture of Tokyo city. Tokyo faced two major destructions in its history; first by Great Kanto earthquake and firebomb during the pacific war. After the pacific war Japanese government was bankrupt could not execute citywide redevelopment to support the economy. Instead it embarked on infrastructural development leaving residential and commercial urban development in the hands o local actors. As a result unplanned cities sprang up despite deliberate efforts by the government to plan the city. The city planning and zoning act of 1968 aimed to create a separation between urban and agricultural lands. Despite the government of Japan adopting the city planning and zoning act of 1968 with an intention of separation between urban and agricultural lands, this has not been fully realised.. Since the Meiji restoration Japanese cities have eagerly been trying to apply western planning concepts which set a clear demarcation between urban and rural land use. Despite efforts to pursue this goal, urban periphery landscapes with an apposition of segmented agricultural lands and urban land uses has lived through the history of Japanese cities including Tokyo. Agro-activities take place in Tokyo in more than 900ha of land. Setagaya is one of the most agriculturally active Tokyo wards. Some agro-activities take place at the heart of Tokyo city. Presence of agricultural land in Tokyo city interferes with grid-planning of the city. Some parts of the city are grid-planned while others are not. Le Corbusier likens grid planning to the way a human being walks. Human beings walk on a straight line since they have a goal and know where he is ending to. Man also turns at right angles when he needs to.  [1]  Therefore the oftenness of cross streets is his own decision with topography having little to do with it especially if it is a flat site. It is stepping the land with streets at right angles with each other is the opening move in settlement planning. The grid is the most common pattern of urban planning in history although its use was not uninterrupted through history. The grid is recommended as the standard scheme urban solution for different sites. It is also a means for equitable distribution of land as well as easy allocation of land for trading of real estate. Straight through-streets provide defence. The concentration of buildings into blocks as in grid-planning provides defence too. One common feature with all grids is their orthogonal street pattern. This does not make grids immutable but on the contrary they can curve around irregularities on the ground without betraying its basic logic. In orthogonal street pattern, long streets are straight with short streets joining the long streets at right angle. Structures in Tokyo are organized along wide road and rail network. This is also repeated in the residential areas though in a smaller scale. In the residential areas houses are organized along long lanes (roji) where small shops and restaurants can be found. These lanes are hardly accessible to vehicles. Existence of coordinated array of town does not ensure and orderly extension of the town grids into the surrounding territories. Town grids can only be extended to the surrounding territory only if the city authorities had the power to oversee development in the suburban regions. As mentioned earlier, after the devastating calamities of Great Kant earthquake and the bombing in the Second World War left Japan government bankrupt. As a result, the government was concerned with infrastructural development leaving the urban development in the hands of local actors. Tokyos shimokitazawa neighbourhood is an example of citys incremental urban development. It emerged from a combination of local liberty and an infrastructural retrofitting by the Japanese government. It grew from a village with rice fields in the periphery of Edo to become and a modern urban cultural and commercial hub. Today shimokitazawa has a village and ancient Tokyo atmosphere. The typology of Shimokitazawa is characteriz ed by little low-rise constructions along a complex network mainly of pedestrian streets, busy ground market activity, and tight community networks. Shimokitazawa is one of the areas of Tokyo city that presents deformed grid. Organic city Some parts of Tokyo city can be referred to as organic city. Organic cities grow spontaneously adhering to no master plan, do not enjoy benefit of designers. Alternatively organic citys growth is dependent on passage of time, the lay of land and the day to day lives of the citizens. The result of these forces is irregular non-geometric with incidences of crooked and curved streets and randomly defined open spaces.  [2]  Organic city emerges when development is left in the hands of individuals without a governing body subdividing the land before disposing it off to the people. Spiro agrees with the fact that people have different opinions about organic cities. Some people might chose to find fault with organic city or celebrate its action-packed topography, forthcoming and flexible development of its form, and its culture characterized by communal living. He does not seem to oppose organic cities. He asserts that even planned cities present features characteristic of organic cities. The extent of life in terms of the buildings mass and varying height of buildings marshalled like troops along a city grid can result to picturesque characteristic of unplanned city. Spiro also argues that even the geometrical irregularity of unplanned city is a matter of grade. The streets curve frequently but not canonical. What looks like in orderly arrangement is often a matter of straight streets sections intersecting at random angles, and their linear elements broken with frequent angulated bends.  [3]   According to Spiro planned and organic cities exist side by side e.g. Tokyo and Shimokitazawa most historic towns, mainly those of metropolitan size are puzzles of premeditated and self-generated segments, diversely juxtaposed or interlocked.  [4]  Organic cities may start as shantytowns on unoccupied land at the remote edges of town, or in centrally located areas that are difficult to build up such as steep slopes, canyons, or garbage dumps. Shimokitazawa has many narrow passages that are inaccessible to vehicles which give a true sense of adventure as one explores the town on foot. Second hand clothes shops selling miscellaneous items from the 70s and old animated themed toys are popular. Various cultural festivals are held in Shimokitazawa which showcase the cultural wealth of the town. In the month of February, the town of Shimokitazawa if full of festivity. Various plays are performed in eight small theatres during the month long Shimokitazawa theatre festival. The Tengu-Matsuri festival held at the end of January or early February gives a serene and friendly appeal of Shimokitazawa. The lively Mikoshi-Matsuri festival otherwise called the portable shrine festival is held early September. Organic cities lay both conceptually physically and in the middle of slums and contemporary planned cities. They are a budding environment that increased gradually and spontaneously evolved over generations. Often organic cities are culturally vibrant and creative dependent on local skills and cultural capital. They can provide solutions to challenges facing modern cities such as population density. Organic city are able to support high population density in an environmentally and socially sustainable way. With increase in number of poor people living in degraded urban environments organic cities have potential to shift the paradigm of urbanism. Therefore organic cities should be recognized as a legitimate urban form and developing it from within. The grand manner The tree planted streets of Tokyo city as well as its parks contribute to the citys plan grand manner. Side walks and parkways in the streets of Tokyo city are amazing. The tree- planted sidewalks and parkways give the city a sense of serenity. Some avenues have double rows of trees depending on the width of the sidewalks. For example, on Grand Avenue in South Park where an average 24 inch sidewalk are required, a double row of trees are planted. Road tree in Japan is thought to date back as the middle of the eighth century when trees were planted along the roads for the welfare of travellers. However, only after Japan opened its frontiers that it started to overhaul and thus turning trees to be part of urban landscapes. Black pine, cherry, maple and other species were planted in Tokyo on Ginza Street in 1873. Exotic trees were first used to line the city streets in 1875 when a black locust tree was planted in Tokyo. However because of poor care most of them dried up. In 1907 the government of Japan embarked on a big project of planting trees along city streets of Tokyo. Ten fast growing trees were selected which included among others Trident maple, Plane tree and Ginkgos. Ginkgos was planted in front of Tokyos city hall thus was marked as a street tree in Japan. However this project suffered two major setbacks; the Great Kanto Earthquake that resulted into fires that destroyed more than half the street trees, and bombing of Japan during the Second World War. Tree planting in city streets was part of Tokyos reconstruction process. Even to date Ginkgos remains the preferred street tree in Tokyo. Large number of evergreen trees are planted in wide and high-speed expressways to reduce traffic noise in the surrounding residential areas. Trees creating harmony are preferred for expressways passing through undeveloped areas like mountain foothills. Ginkgo tree has been utilized mainly in designs that c omprise western landscape characteristics. Tokyo National Showa Memorial Park was created in 1983, and sits on a 450-acre parcel of land and Ginkgos forms its allee. The park was created to mark the fifteenth anniversary ascension of Emperor Showa. The place having been occupied by United States Tachikawa military base, the buildings were demolished and hills rebuilt, tree planted and grasses sown to make forests and fields. The relationship of city to its natural environment Urbanization process has led to reduction in green spaces and loss of public spaces. He present urban regeneration projects in Tokyo are aimed at converting ex-industry land and shifting land to high rise building areas. These areas relate weakly with the encompassing city areas. Currently nature scarcely exists in Tokyo. During the Edo Period, samurai residential areas were situated on the high land of the Musashi plateau, while abodes of low caste samurai and tradesmen were situated in the valleys below, making a life space for a variety of living and working areas according to the contour of the land. The Tokyo Bay was visible at a distant from the roads going down from the high land. There were also many places where people could relish the sight of Mount Fuji. Protecting view points of various centres of attraction such as Mt. Fuji is not an important factor in Tokyo city planning. On the contrary emphasis has inclined towards universality rather than the features of the place, and the result is stereotype city space. Like many historical cities, Tokyo is developed close to the rivers and canals. Presently, the rivers are separated from the town by perpendicular embankments, with the buildings having their backs to the polluted rivers. Originally the ideal sites for city architecture were river banks with straight access to the water transportation system. Relationship of the man-made to the natural context The relationship between manmade and the natural in Tokyo can be described as chaotic. The city plan does not give emphasis to visibility of natural features such as Mt. Fuji. Unlike London, where protecting the perspective of Saint Pauls Cathedral from several main points across the city is a key guideline for the city planning, Tokyo does not give much consideration to the view of its esteemed feature in the city. Save for a few parks at the centre of Tokyo, parks and open spaces have reduced compared to those of ancient Edo (Tokyo). Even some of the parks cannot provide the relaxation they were intended because of noise pollution. For example, Uchibori-dori Avenue cuts across the Outer Garden of the Imperial Palace which is next to Hibiya Park. The car noise creates a restless atmosphere within the park. Putting Uchibori-dori Avenue underground, and planting of Japanese black pines would create a large open space area about thirty hectares conducive for events, outdoor stage or sporting events. This would in turn revive the business area in the core of the city which has since lost popularity on holidays. Urban fabric and monuments Tokyo city is a unique in that western or modern and ancient city planning is intertwined in the development of the city. Agricultural land is seen in the city as it is historic of Asian cities. Some people view this kind of coexistence as chaotic mainly because Japan government adopted the western style of city planning that makes a clear demarcation between urban and rural areas which Japan has not been able accomplished. However when looked from historic and cultural perspective, it can be understood as serving an important role in the Japanese cities and specifically in Tokyo. The agricultural land sustains their surrounding population. The urban fabric of Tokyo is often made of a soft residential core, qualified by low-rise and thickly built houses, encircled by a hard shell of taller and larger buildings along broad roads or railways. A new generation of needs has led to changes in building types. For example, apartments are seen to be small and their narrow staircase not providing adequate access. This has made people to migrate form apartments for better housing. The originally neat, modern parks and greenways of the apartments have now become jungles of vegetation. Now efforts are directed towards redeveloping the apartments to attract new residents. Tokyo city has several ancient and modern monuments. In some cases modern and ancient monuments are juxtaposed depicting western and ancient architecture evident in Tokyo city. They also depict the co-existence of western and ancient cultures. An example is Zojoji Temple located next to the Tokyo Tower. In summary Tokyo city can be described as combining grid and organic city in its urban fabric. The city planning and zoning act of 1968 intended to create a separation between urban and agricultural lands. However this attempt has failed to produce the desired results as agricultural lands are still evident in Tokyo city. This makes Asian cities which have borrowed the European way of urban planning, including Tokyo look disorderly. As a result of combining western and ancient styles of city planning, some parts of Tokyo city are grid planned whereas others not. Although the city may look chaotic it has still been able to maintain a grand manner in its streets and open space. Tree planting along the sidewalks and parkways as well as parks such as Ueno contribute to the citys grand manner. Also contributing to the uniqueness of Tokyo city is its monuments some of which are juxtaposed both modern and ancient e.g. Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

osteoporosis :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Special Assignment NutritionDefine Type 1 and Type 2 osteoporosis, and explain habits that increase a person’s risk of developing osteoporosis.Type 1 osteoporosis is characterized as post menopausal. Women who are approaching the age of menopause should seriously consider consulting a physician to prepare for the changes her body is about to go through. As estrogen levels taper off, the kidneys start to draw calcium the body needs for normal maintenance of the skeletal frame from the bones, which in turn results in a loss of trabecular calcium. Risks involved with such events include sudden breaks, the vertebrae may begin to disintegrate, teeth may begin to loosen, and fall out. Type 2 osteoporosis is known to happen with age. Although not directly related to hormones like Type 1, Type 2 also results in damage to the skeletal frame. Along with losses of trabecular goes cortical calcium, vertebrae compress cause the spine to form a wedged shape, and hips are often know to break. There are several habits of a lifestyle which contribute to the on set osteoporosis. Smoking cigarettes effects estrogen and calcium absorption resulting in lowered calcium levels. Maintaining a proper diet that includes plenty of vitamins (A, K, D, & C) and essentials minerals (phosphorous, fluoride, magnesium, and zinc) is a catch all remedy to fight against osteoporosis. Explain why women are more at risk of developing each type of osteoporosis.Women are more at risk to developing either osteoporosis due to the activity of estrogen in their bodies. Estrogen helps in calcium synthesis and fights against bone destroying osteoclasts cells. Women who have an irregular menstrual cycle or are post menopausal are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. 3b. Explain what changes in lifestyle you would recommend to your (choose one and circle your choice: mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, friend), to help her reduce her risk of developing osteoporosis. The best way for any woman to fend against osteoporosis are; maintain a diet of adequate

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Harsh Treatment of Women in Afghanistan Essay -- Culture

The Harsh Treatment of Women in Afghanistan Since the tragedies of September 11th 2001, Americans have really opened their eyes to the political state of Afghanistan. The poor treatment of women in Afghanistan is an issue that, for many Americans, just seems to be coming to light as a serious concern that requires outside attention. Extreme Islamic leaders in the country persist in limiting the freedom that Afghan women have. Women in the Taliban-controlled country suffer unusually hideous acts of torment and are forced to abide by outrageous regulations because of stringent enforcement methods. Afghan women daily live lives restricted by Taliban law and risk having to endure cruel punishment and torture, yet Afghan political leaders continue to justify the their treatment of Afghan women. The Islamic women of Afghanistan are denied many of the same liberties that Americans take for granted everyday. Although the religion that they have faith in, according to Janelle Brown’s â€Å"Terror’s First Victims†, â€Å"guarantee[s] women status in society as individuals and religious d...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Compare and contrast two articles Essay

The articles that I am going to analyse are on the issue of a group of hippies wanting to celebrate the Summer Solstice Festival in June 1986 in Hampshire and how determined police officers were trying to stop them from doing so. Whilst both articles are based on the same issue, their use of language presents two very different viewpoints. Article 3 has a very negative bias against the hippies, describing them as ‘harpies’ and giving biased examples of their attitude towards the police and other people’s property. In the article they are portrayed as ‘harpies’ that spit at policemen. The reader is given the view that the hippies are not civilised and behave like wild animals. Article 4 shows great support towards the hippies and sympathises with them. This is done by using emotive language to create an image of the hippies as victims in society and they are treated badly by an uncaring police force. Both articles use persuasive language to draw the reader’s attention. The clever use of personal pronouns: ‘our’ and ‘we’ in article 3 gives the reader no option but to involve himself in the issue, therefore taking the side of the journalist. In contrast, article 4 does not use negative bias towards the hippies and regards them as poor and lonely people who should be given a chance in human society. The journalist writes his opening word: ‘HUNCHED’ in capital letters and starts the article off with a very strong word, which creates a strong dramatic effect, implying that the hippies are a lower creed of human society who deserve pity and understanding. In article 3 the journalist uses words such as ‘spoiled,’ ‘layabouts’ to produce a very negative bias against the hippies, who, as the sarcastic journalist believes, use and abuse other people’s property. The phrase ‘all at our expense, of course’ is also used to imply that the readers and writer are law-abiding citizens who pay the bill for the situation created. The sympathetic descriptive language used in article 4 such as, ‘child stumbled’ and ‘burrowed deeper into the blanket’ immediately draws the reader into a sympathetic frame of mind. The powerful use of the rhetorical question and the even more moving sub-heading, ‘confusion’ start the article and shows how the writer has opted to persuade the reader’s views to give the hippies a chance. Emotive language in the last sentence reinforces the journalist’s argument that the hippies are on a ‘road of rejection’ because no one has a care in the world towards them. The use of capital letters in the phrase ‘the Child and The Man With Nowhere to Go’ emphasizes the course that the hippies are forced to take and draws the reader’s attention to the fact that these people are nameless makes us aware that they don’t even have the same sense of identity that a name offers to a reader. Article 3 is full of opinions that include the reader, eg. ‘We continue to dole out state benefits to lawbreakers’. The use of ‘dole out’ makes the reader aware of how much money is actually used, or in the view of the writer: wasted on ‘lawbreakers’ these hippies who continue to go against the law but still receive benefits. This creates an image of people who don’t work and still can live, because of their money. This persuades the readers to agree with the journalist’s comments. The article is a follow-on article; it follows an article written earlier on in the week on the same issue. It goes as far as to refer to a newspaper report that social security employs special staff to wander around the country servicing these vagabonds (trampy style robbers who are homeless). This reinforces the opinion that people are needed just to look after these hippies because of their uncertain behaviour. In the fifth paragraph the journalist takes it into his own hands to reply for the policeman, but he does this unfairly (in my opinion) and uses a lot of opinion rather than being fair and using facts. The writers use of ‘resisted the provocation’ implies that the policeman would have intentionally chosen to provoke the hippies but had to resist the temptation to do so. His use of the rhetorical question to end his article invites the reader to give his/her opinion on the issue. Article 4 uses extremely descriptive words to create a vivid image in the mind of the reader. The story about the hippie and the boy only being able to find a dog to generate some form of love and care, immediately implies the saying ‘a dog is a man’s best friend’ the writer intends for the reader to feel guilty. The emotive language draws the reader into the article. The use of the phrase ‘hunched against the wind’ implies not only that the hippies are vulnerable and homeless, but even a natural source like the wind is against them. The involvement of a child in the article immediately produces a sympathetic response from the readers. ‘Land that had briefly been his home’ informs us that they’re homeless and live wherever they can survive. The journalist of article 4 doesn’t give any evidence or use any media sources, as article 3 did. This is probably because of the sympathetic view he has opted to take. Use of ‘confusion’ and ’empty pockets’ tells us that poverty does occur and people around us do struggle to survive the harsh real world. The policeman’s image is defined as ‘impassive’ and implies that he does not care. The use of the word ‘towering’ says that the policeman is of more importance than the hippie and has authority. This is a very sharp contrast to the ‘HUNCHED’ image of the child at the start of the article and shows there is a massive leap from a hippie to a policeman. In paragraph five the repetition of ‘the only’ implies that the hippies value any sort of affection or care shown towards them. A Labrador, a dog, which is regarded as a man’s best friend, insults the adults of society because adults who are supposed to be a mature and sensible group within society can’t help each other and a pet can be better than people sometimes. ‘A confused child, a ragged, hope-crushed man and a friendly old dog,’ the poor and scared descriptions given to the hippies in this sentence reinforces the lifestyles they lead. The final statement ‘All on the Road of Rejection’ reinforces the whole article. These two articles differ and take opposing, but valid views on the issue at stake. Both journalists have used persuasive techniques to manipulate and influence their readers. Both their techniques vary and both journalists write to get a point across. I would like to end my analysis by giving my opinion on this issue. In general I feel both journalists have given valid views on the issue. The journalists make it clear that they have different attitudes and feelings towards the hippies. They are two very well thought-out and clever articles that involve the reader. I thought the techniques used by the journalists are quite clever. I think one of the reasons that the articles were written was to get the readers involved in this particular argument. This was the aim, and I think that both the journalists succeeded in doing so.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Japan in World War II

Using these four passages and your own knowledge, asses the view that Japan was driven into war with the western powers in 1941 by American policies. Both interpretations B and D prove that America was the only driving force that caused a war in the Pacific. The oil embargo that America enforced in 1940 was an incentive for Japan, a country very reliant on imports of which most primarily came from America feeding its daily usage of 12,000 tons of oil,to declare war on the country that was slowing its progress to conquer China.Interpretation B states that â€Å"moderates and militants alike saw American pressure as provocative† thus creating a tension in the Pacific, with the American foreign policy at the forefront of the Japanese aggression, this would leave Japan with no choice but to declare war. Japan’s reluctance to enter a war with America is also shown in this interpretation where numerous times they extended a deadline to lift the oil embargo â€Å"by 15thOctob er. The date was later extended to 25thNovember and then to 30thNovember.†Japan would have to fight America if the â€Å"life strangling embargo† was not lifted as it was their only choice out of a possible two the other was â€Å"pulling out of China and no Japanese leader counselled the latter. †This proves that without America’s strict oil embargo than a war in the Pacific may never have occurred. However America would never have left China to the aggressive advances of Japan. On the other hand interpretation B disagrees and displays Japan as irrational and links with interpretation A in seeing Japan as â€Å"naive and unthinking†.This is presented by the comment made by the Japanese general in interpretation B which reads â€Å"sometimes a man has to jump with his eyes closed from the veranda of aKiyomizu temple. † The remark confirms the argument that Japan’s leaders were unthinking and made decisions without knowing the consequen ces for example the attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. Overall this interpretation sees US pressure as a significant cause for aggression; Japan was being starved of its essential oil that it used to fuel its conquests.However American concern for the safety of Asia would ultimately lead to a war in the Pacific and Japanese hostility was solely to blame. Interpretation D also shows Japan’s aggression being sparked by American decisions. For example â€Å"America, most of all, stood in the way stood in the way of this through their control of resources in South East Asia. † America’s grip on all vital resources in the Pacific would have driven Japan to war as it was the only alternative to stop America whilst still keeping control over China.The leading philosophies of the time, â€Å"assumed that acquiring an empire provided the basis of prosperity and future national security. † This on the other hand contradicts the interpretation as it presents Japan as an empire with clear instructions on how to achieve wealth through imperialism. This is shown throughout the passage where â€Å"by the time the war in China began in 1937 politicians favouring expansionism were in high offices of state. † America is no longer the only reason that war began as the views of the leaders in 1937 were evidently expansionist.Japan does not want any relations with America as â€Å"in the eyes of Japan’s leaders that would have entailed a colossal loss of prestige with incalculable internal consequences. † Japan and the US both operated with an imperialist mindset, but Japan government had mishandled the position they found themselves in Overall this proves that Japan had their own aims and expansionist policies and America â€Å"stood in the way† of Japan and war would have been inevitable between to very imperialist countries that both sort out an empire.To summarise this interpretation although it shows that America holds back Japan through its strict rationing of resources in the South East Asia, Japan’s leaders had their particular policies which involved expansion and so American decisions would not have changed the inevitable outcome of war. However the reliability of the interpretation is undependable as the argument against the leaders â€Å"fateful choices† were the decisions of â€Å"mentalists† and no such evidence and or facts were used to justify the historians view and Japan’s actions as to why they made the decision to advance south in 1940.Interpretations A and C both make arguments that it wasn’t America’s foreign policy’s causing war. Interpretation A makes the dispute that â€Å"nothing could have prevented a Japanese-American war after Japan’s takeover of French Indochina in July 1941†, America had a reason to be worried about the future of the Pacific as before July 1941 â€Å"lay the shadow of Japanese aggressio n in China† again the Japanese aggression and expansionist policies linked with interpretation D is evidence that it was Japan’s policies not America’s that were driving them closer that would eventually lead to war.Japan had no real plan as to how they would fight off the â€Å"Menace†. Again this speculates that Japanese aggression was not thought through and they were â€Å"blinded by easy victories†. This meant that Japanese violence had no end in what the thought they could accomplish leading them to start a war they could not win. However the interpretation perceives that America knew that â€Å"Japanese aggression could only be strangled by stopping the flow of essential war materials†, and with this knowledge this American Policy they could stop Japan.This would lead Japan to a war as America was holding back there essential resources that the required to survive the war with China. However the interpretation does not state whether th ey imposed the embargo. The U. S. government froze all Japanese assets in America and launched an oil embargo after July 1941, to protest Japan's aggression in China and Indochina. Trade was terminated with Japan's attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.Interpretation C is also against as it evidently shows that Russian policy was a cause of war. Japan was having difficulty keeping Russia out of Manchuria and there were several disputes along the Soviet – Manchukuo border. The major conflicts included â€Å"the Tauran incident in March 1936; the Kanch’atzu incident June-July 1937, the Amurincident June-July 1937, the Changkufeng incident July-August 1938; and the Nomoham incident May-September 1939. † Japan was rightfully worried about the Russian borders and so therefore not America.In total the Imperial Japanese Army recorded a total of 152 minor incidents on the border of Manchuria between 1932 and 1934. That number then increased to over 150 per year fo r the next two years and the scale of the incidents became larger. The Japanese would later sign the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality pact on April 13th 1941. The amount of defeats that Japan endured along the Soviet – Manchukuo border would have Japan’s highest concern and not America over the Pacific.This is also shown when Japan released a new foreign policy concerning the progressive development of Manchukuo. The document stated that â€Å"thwarting the USSR’s aggressive intentions, therefore had become the most crucial element in our diplomacy† thus proving America Policies were not the only, and Japan was concerned about aggression from the eastern powers. Japan’s wariness about Russia also lead it the Japanese-German pact the building block for the Anti-Comintern pact; this and not America would lead to war.Western anxiety about the Tripartite Pact, which was signed by the three leading Axis in 1941, is also shown in this interpretation as an argu ment against the American involvement as this displays a growing concern from Britain, the Soviet union and America. Conclusion The overwhelming majority of the interpretations are against the interpretation that America's policies where the cause of War 1941; the mention of other European powers that took the attention of Japan away from America. The Manchukuo border was Japan's top priority as it guarded there empire whereas the Pacific was between them and America.It wasn't just other countries power and aggression that sparked the war Japan too had plans for a large empire in China to ensure there prosperity. Interpretations A, B and D are linked and show Japan as a key factor in the beginning of a war as there aggressive expansion led to their inevitable involvement in World War II. It was the â€Å"naive and unthinking† choices made by the leaders of Japan in the 1940's to attempt the invasion of America. Almost all interpretations argue against the statement that it wa s American policy driving Japan to war.However interpretation B proves that America's oil embargo was threatening Japan's vital oil supply and in interpretation A the American Public and Press establishes that to â€Å"continue supplying such materials to an aggressor was an abet to aggression. To conclude the argument that the majority of interpretations are against however the fact that Japan's attention was drawn to the Manchukuo border cannot be forgotten as that used around 80,000 men of which they lost about 29,000 of them and shows that the policies of the Allies were pressuring Japan.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Nix V. Williams

Case Citation:Nix v. Williams – 467 U. S. 431 (1984) Facts: In 1968, 10 year old Pamela Powers was abducted and murdered outside of the YMCA in Des Moines, Iowa. A young boy claimed to have seen Williams, outside the YMCA carrying a bundle wrapped in a blanket with two white legs hanging out. The following day Williams, car was spotted approximately 160 miles outside of Des Moines. Additionally, several of the young girls clothing items were found. ; Along with Williams and with the blanket as described by the witness.Based upon these findings, a warrant was issued for Williams’ arrest. While a search was under way, Williams surrendered to the Davenport police, and obtained counsel. Des Moines police advised Williams counsel that they would not question him while transporting him back to Des Moines. However during transport, one of the officers began a conversation with Williams, and urged him to tell them where the body was located, so she could have a â€Å"proper Ch ristian burial. Williams conceded, and directed them to the girl’s body, which was over two miles from the closest search team. Procedural History: Williams filed a motion to suppress the evidence of the body, because it was obtained as fruit of an unlawful interrogation. The court denied this motion, and Williams was subsequently convicted by a jury of first degree murder. The trial court denied the motion, and a jury convicted Williams of first-degree murder.Williams’s state appeal was affirmed by The Iowa Supreme Court. Williams then petitioned the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa for a writ of habeas corpus, and the court reversed the conviction. The court held that the evidence should have been suppressed. During Williams’ second trial, the prosecution did not offer evidence of the interrogation; however evidence was presented in regards to the condition of the victims body.The trial court allowed this evidence, and concluded t hat the prosecution had shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the victim’s body would have been discovered without Williams’ help. Williams was again convicted by a second jury and sentenced to life in prison. Upon another appeal, the Supreme Court of Iowa affirmed the conviction and the U. S. District Court denied habeas corpus relief. The U. S. Court of Appeals reversed the district court's denial of habeas corpus. The matter then came up before the Supreme Court in certiorari.Issue: Should illegally obtained evidence become admissible in state court if it would have been ultimately discovered by lawful means? Holding: Yes. Evidence that is obtained through unlawful police conduct that would have been discovered inevitably during the course of an investigation does not have to be excluded from trial Reasoning: Justice Burger wrote the decision of the Court, joined by Justice White, Justice Blackmun, Justice Powell, Justice Rehnquist and Justice O’Conno r, and reversed the decision of the appellant court. 1. The Inevitable Discovery Rule If the prosecution is able to establish through a preponderance of evidence that the information ultimately would have been discovered lawfully, then the evidence should be allowed. It was inevitable that the body would have been found. If Williams had not led the police to the victim’s body, the search teams would have eventually discovered the body. The body was located only 2 and half miles away from where the nearest search team originally started looking. 2. ) Exclusion would not result in fairness.Evidence has demonstrated that at the time of unconstitutional interrogation, a search was already in place for the victim, and the body would have inevitably been found. This means had there not be illegal conduct by the police officers, the fairness of the trial would have remained the same. 3. ) Absence of bad faith is not required The justices held that in order to establish the admissibi lity of evidence, the prosecution does not need to carry the burden of proving the absence of bad faith to secure the evidenceConcurrence: Justices White concurred with the holdings, but added that the police officer's action was not unlawful or unconstitutional Justice Stevens, concurred with the holding, however advised that the police officer’s conduct was unconstitutional however because the body would have been discovered anyway the prosecution should be held harmless. Dissent: Justices Brennan and Marshall both dissented stating that though the inevitable discovery doctrine is constitution, the prosecution had the burden of prove that the evidence would have been discovered if an ndependent investigation were allowed to be proceed. Comments: This case resulted in the creation of the Inevitable Discovery Doctrine. However I believe that it undermines the â€Å"fruit of the poisonous tree† doctrine, and enable law enforcement misconduct. The justices stated that th e evidence supports that body would have been found with or without a confession. One might argue that a correctional officer can beat an inmate that is on death penalty to death, because he was going to be killed by the state anyway.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Concerted Cultivation VS. Natural Growth

Concerted cultivation and natural growth are two different types of educating a child by his or her parent’s. Each type of educational technique created a â€Å"class† individual. Natural growth created a â€Å"working class† individual, while concerted cultivation created a â€Å"middle class† individual. Concerted cultivation is a middle class child educational technique parent’s use on a child to improve their children’s talents. Middle class parents do this through scheduled activities. Concerted cultivated parents also practice the language of reasoning with their child.The parents believe that their children have the right to find an agreement with each parent. Middle class parents also take more consideration with authorities that are connected with their children. Children from concerted cultivation households spend much time in after school classes or programmers such as taking dance lessons or being on a football team. Parents in th ese families are very involved in their children’s free time, transporting them from activity to activity, which, often, some moms are called â€Å"soccer moms† for the children who play soccer.Concerted cultivation parents also emphasize negotiation, encouraging their children to question authority figures, including themselves. As a result, children from concerted cultivation homes tend to be less intimidated by authority, such as teachers, and attain a sense of â€Å"power†, believing they are â€Å"worthy of adult interest† and can â€Å"customize† their environment. Natural growth is used by the working class or poor class. These parents focus on their children’s safety and discipline.These children usually do not have scheduled activities, but have a wide range of activities to choose from for the entire days-worth. Siblings of the children approached with the natural growth technique have a stronger bond because they are often togethe r and not separated by schedules, which exist in the middle class family and fall under the concerted cultivation. Unlike children who go through concerted cultivation, natural growth children cannot practice their use of reasoning.Parents usually have the upper hand in arguments and allow no questioning from the children; not to mention that punishment is taken into the hands of the parents, tending to be more severe, beatings are optional. The working and poor class families also view teachers and other authorities as high positions, and do not feel the need to confront them with issues. With concerted cultivation, Lareau gives the example of middle-class ‘Alex’, who is taken to the doctor’s by his mother. In the car, she tells her son that he should not be shy and ask the doctor anything he wants.Alex interacts in a relaxed way with the doctor, asking him questions and even interrupting him when he gets his age wrong and uses a word Alex does not know. The Doc tor notes that he is in the 95th percentile in height, Alex interrupts him. â€Å"Alex: I’m in what? Doctor: It means that you’re taller than more than ninety-five out of a hundred young men when they’re, uh, ten years old. Alex: I’m not ten Doctor: well they graphed you at ten. You’re- nine years and ten months. They-they usually take the closest year to get that graph†.The act of interrupting a person of authority is a display of entitlement. It is also indicative of middle-class child- rearing priorities; the incivility of interrupting a speaker is overlooked in favor of encouraging children’s sense of their individual importance and of affirming their right to air their own thoughts and ideas to adults. (lareau, 2011, p. 124-125) Children from poorer class, natural growth, homes usually spend most of their time playing outside with siblings and other children from their area.Parents spend little time at home because they are worki ng, waiting for public transportation or waiting in line at social service agencies. They do not â€Å"schedule† their children’s time or care much about cultivating, or promoting, their children’s talents and interests. Parenting is usually strict and children are following commands without negotiation. Around authority figures, such as teachers, working-class children and their parents tend to be quiet and inactive, looking at the ground and not asking questions.

Friday, September 13, 2019

A Game of Chance: Eat at Your Own Risk around Northeastern Essay

For freshmen, it's about getting away from the cafeteria. For upperclassmen, it's either not knowing how to cook or not having enough time to cook. When it comes to food at Northeastern University -- eating out is king. However, many students never consider what goes on behind the scenes at one of the local eateries on or near campus. Most probably don't want to know, caring more about the cheap menu than how the food is prepared. The feeling remains that as long as the food is good, then the restaurant too is good. Yet, when someone gets sick from the meal, it then becomes an issue. In and around campus, some restaurants are giving some of their customers more than they bargained for. According to the Boston Inspections Department's health inspections reports, some of the restaurants around campus such as University House of Pizza and Chicken Lou's have serious health infractions and often times, those restaurants are guilty on numerous occasions. At mayorsfoodcourt.com, the Inspections Department has reports on thousands of restaurants in metropolitan Boston. They categorize health infractions into three categories: Foodborne Illness Risk Factor Critical Violation, Critical Violation and Non-Critical Violation. A Foodborne Illness Risk Factor Critical Violation is an infraction that occurs when improper practices or procedures are identified by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the prevalent contributing factors of foodborne illness or injury. This is the most serious infraction that a restaurant can have. An example of one such violation is the restaurant not advising customers against ordering uncooked, or rare, meat. A Critica Pizzeria Uno - 280 Huntington Ave. - Inspected September 24, 2003 7 Risk Factor Critical Violations 3 Critical Violations 14 Minor Violations A Taste of Asia - 267 Huntington Ave. - Inspected July 15, 2003 1 Risk Factor Critical Violation 1 Critical Violation 5 Minor Violations Vinny T's of Boston - 867 Boylston St. - Inspected January 29, 2003 4 Risk Factor Critical Violations 2 Critical Violations 15 Minor Violations University House of Pizza - 452 Huntington Ave. - Inspected October 9, 2003 10 Risk Factor Critical Violations 2 Critical Violations 11 Minor Violations To view the entire inspection reports, visit mayorsfoodcourt.com. To make a complaint about a restaurant, visit the website, call the Division of Health Inspections at 617-635-5326 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call the mayor's 24-hour hotline at 617-635-4500.

British Imperialists' Motives in Scramble for Africa Essay

British Imperialists' Motives in Scramble for Africa - Essay Example Nevertheless, imperialism is a many-faceted phenomenon; which had political, economic and social roots. Indeed, Socialist and Marxist critics narrowed its definition down and applied the term to a certain stage of capitalist societies when discussing social and and economic conditions (p.2).Thus, any attempt to give an account on the British imperialism must highlight the underlying political, social and economic motives. As Robinson and Gallagher (1961, pp. 19) stated â€Å"a first task in analysing the late-Victorians’ share in the partition [of Africa] is to understand the motives of the ministers who directed it, and the study of official thinking is indispensable to this†. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize British Imperialists' motives in scramble for Africa in three respects: political, economic and social. The Scramble for Africa begun in the last quarter of the 18th century and lasted until the WWI. While the decline of the Ottoman influence created a power vacuum in the region, the colonial powers of Europe, following the lead of the British imperialists, have begun to fill that void. In Africa and The Victorians, Robinson and Gallagher examined the relationship between the partition of Africa and British decision-making process. According to them, the Victorians' political relations with Africa changed radically after 1882. Lord Salisbury stated that: â€Å"I do not exactly know the cause of this sudden revolution. But there it is† (Quoted by Robinson and Gallagher, 1961, pp. 17). Late-Victorians were more eager to dominate Africa than their predecessors and the British forces invaded Egypt in 1882. The collapse of weak African governments may also have played role in the partition. In fact, British divide and rule policy was also an important factor in the national unrest and disorder in Africa. However, Robinson and Gallagher focused on the British policy-making as the underlying political factor. In fact, according to them , as also indicated by Schumpeter, â€Å"The possibility of official thinking in itself was a cause of late-Victorian imperialism† (pp. 21). Indeed, England had a long tradition of imperial rule and the that policy tradition inherited from Pitt and Channing to Palmerston and Clarendon (p.22). They also highlight ed (pp.22-23) policy makers' ignorance of Africa, as the partition was made â€Å"at house parties† without any public interest or participation. In fact, the interests, and thus motives, of policy makers were different in each country. In Egypt, it was due to the collapse of the Kedive regime. In east and west Africa, British interests were related to the Egyptian occupation. In Southern Africa, â€Å"imeperial intervention against the Transvaal was designed above all to uphold and restore the imperial influence which economic growth, Africaner nationalism and the Jameson fiasco had overthrown† (pp. 463). In Rhodesias and Nyasaland, the motives were mer ged with imperial aims in Cape colonial expansion and balance the rise of the Transvaal (pp. 463). However, Robinson and Gallagher stressed that commercial or financial concerns were rather inconsequential in ministers' decision on which territories should be occupied (pp. 463). For Robinson and Gallagher, ministers' private calculations played the most important part in decision-making process and again for different reasons. However, the security concerns seem to have prevailed. In Rhodesia, it was the safety of the routes to the East, in Southern Africa it was the preservation of the colonial rule, while the safety of the routes to India was the prominent imperative (pp. 464). In fact, Robinson and Gallagher (1961, pp. 464) noted that â€Å"

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Critique assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critique - Assignment Example In this context, it is clear that the model has solemn faults when used as a cognitive and psychosocial explanation of religious faith, but to some extent, it has strong points to be noted. The Stages of Faith and moral development model is characterized by Fowler’s designation of faith. He defines it as â€Å"worldwide quality of human being meaning making†. It describes the fundamental meaning-making process utilized by all individuals regardless of their beliefs. To the author, faith occurs as persons place individual loyalty and trust in or many â€Å"centers of value† such as money, religion, power, and family The model of development suggests that this structure remains uniform in spite of whether individuals are side with a spiritual or unspiritual centre of value (  Fowler 67). As a result, the faith development model centers at the psychological issues that make possible the operation of faith but does not address any detailed faith content; that is, t he specific faith beliefs and values of a given religion. The use of a structural technique by Fowler to systematize the faith developmental phases and how he defines faith are challenging in a manner. Being a structural theory, most readers assume that faith development clarify in a consistent way across hierarchical, universal, and irreversible stages. According to psychological research, development entails much more variability and a rigid stage as theory is inadequate in its capability to confine diversity and richness of religious development. Further, critics differ with the logic behind Fowler’s elimination of sacred content from the development stages of faith. The exclusion was based on the concept that faith entails trust and loyalty to centre of value and has no need of intellectual accord to any definite assertions. One scholar by the name of Jones T.P (20040 criticized this element of Fowler by arguing that Christianity involves trust and loyalty in Jesus Christ . As a centre of value, yet at the same time, it is a â€Å"content-requisite faith† that is base on recognition of certain beliefs like the existence of God, Jesus’ resurrection from the departed, and Jesus as the son of God and messiah. Agreeing to other contents and beliefs apart from Christian principles is regarded as idolatry. The weakness of Fowler’s description of faith as a worldwide construct detach from religious context is that it is contrary to faith’s definition of content requisite spiritual groups (  Fowler 70). 3 strong points of James Fowler’s theory Concrete operational thinking This is a strong idea developed in the first stage of Fowler’s theory. Affectively, the decree of oedipal factors or their immersions in latency are vital accompanying factors. In the middle of transition from one stage to another is a child’s growing concern to basically know how things are and to make clear personally the foundations of differences between what is factual and what solely seems to be. The birth of imagination This is a strong point in the first stage of Fowler’s theory. He puts forward the ability to grasp and unify the experience-world in influential images as illustrated in