Bom Paper

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION NO MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY SECOND TRIMESTER FINAL EXAMINATION, 2009/2010 SESSION BOM 2O64 – QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (All Sections / Groups) DECEMBER 2009 a. m. – a. m. (2 Hours) INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENT 1. This Question paper consists of 9 pages with TWO SECTIONS. 2. Attempt ALL questions in Section A and B. The marks for each question are given. 3. Answer Section A in the OMR Form provided, and answer Section B in the Answer Booklet provided. BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 SECTION A Answer ALL questions in this section. 40 Marks) 1. Manufacturing work sent to other countries is called: __________________. A) downsized B) outsourced C) internationalization D) vertical integration E) entrepreneurial ship 2. Production systems with customized outputs typically have relatively: ____________. A) high volumes of output B) low unit costs C) high amount of specialized equipment D) fast work movement E) skilled workers 3. Which of the following is not emphasized in a lean production system? A) falling prices B) high quality C) worker involvement D) continual improvement E) customer satisfaction 4.Which of the following is not a benefit of using models in decision making? A) They provide a standardized format for analyzing a problem. B) They serve as a consistent tool for evaluation. C) They are easy to use and less expensive than dealing with the actual situation. D) All of the above are benefits. E) None of the above is a benefit. 5. Which of the following is not an ongoing trend in manufacturing competition? A) globalization B) quality improvement C) flexibility and agility D) mass production for economies of scale E) technological advances . Product design and choice of location are examples of ______________ decisions. A) strategic B) tactical C) operational D) customer focused E) design Continued†¦ TPK page 1 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 7. A productivity in crease in one operation that doesn’t improve overall productivity of the business isn’t:__________________. A) effective B) efficient C) politically justified D) productive E) financially justified 8. Which of the following is true? A) Corporate strategy is shaped by functional strategies.B) Corporate mission is shaped by corporate strategy. C) Functional strategies are shaped by corporate strategy. D) External conditions are shaped by corporate mission. E) Corporate mission is shaped by functional strategies. 9. The external elements of SWOT analysis are: ___________________. A) strengths and weaknesses B) strengths and threats C) opportunities and threats D) weaknesses and opportunities E) strengths and opportunities 10. For an organization to grow their market share, they must: _______________.A) advertise using multi-media B) lower their prices C) meet minimum standards of acceptability for their products or services D) establish an internet website E) broaden thei r mission statement 11. A disadvantage of global teams for product design is that:_______________. A) Customers may have different needs in different countries B) The product designed may have increased marketability and utility C) The diversity of an international team may be a detriment D) Ease of face to face meetings is absent since members are located everywhere E) Technology allows constant contact with team members 12. One step that isn’t part of service lueprinting is: _______________. A) Eliminate boundaries for the service and decide on the level of interaction needed B) Identify and determine the sequence of customer and service actions and interactions C) Develop time estimates for each phase of the process D) Understand the time variability involved E) Identify potential failure points and develop a plan to minimize them Continued†¦ TPK page 2 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 13. The process of dismantling and inspecting a compet itor's new or revised product for the purpose of gleaning design ideas is called: ____________________.A) design by imitation B) product analysis C) reverse engineering D) benchmarking E) disassembly 14. Which of the following is an issue that designers must take into account in product and service design? A) legal, environmental, and ethical issues B) reliability C) standardization D) range of operating conditions E) all of the above 15. A formal way to document customer requirements is: __________________. A) consumer surveys B) quality function deployment (QFD) C) focus groups D) Delphi technique E) sales/marketing matrix 16. Which of the following is not a goal of supply chain management?A) fewer suppliers and long-term relationship B) small lot sizes C) on time deliveries D) lowest possible transportation costs E) delivery often to the place of use 17. Vendor analysis has the greatest potential for savings for items which have: ____________________. A) low cost per unit B) low annual cost-volume C) high cost per unit D) high annual usage E) high annual cost-volume Continued†¦ TPK page 3 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 18. Which of the following is not true of vendor analysis? A) It involves an examination of the function of purchased parts or raw materials.B) Its purpose is to reduce costs and/or improve performance of purchased goods or services. C) It is usually performed only periodically. D) Representatives from design and operations may work with purchasing. E) If improvements are identified, purchasing implements those that purchasing agrees are justified. 19. Which of the following would not usually be a main factor in selecting a vendor? A) location B) price C) quality D) inventory turnover E) vendor services 20. Which of the following is part of the purchasing cycle? (I) Purchasing selects a supplier. II) Orders from vendors are received. (III) Purchasing receives a requisition. A) B) C) D) E) II and III I, II, and III I only I and II I and III 21. An operations strategy for inventory management should work towards: _________. A) increasing lot sizes B) decreasing lot sizes C) increasing safety stocks D) decreasing service levels E) increasing order quantities 22. Which one of the following is not generally a determinant of the reorder point? A) rate of demand B) length of lead time C) lead time variability D) stockout risk E) purchase costContinued†¦ TPK page 4 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 23. The fixed order interval model would be most likely to be used for this situation: A) A company has switched from mass production to lean production. B) Production is done in batches. C) Spare parts are ordered when a new machine is purchased. D) Grouping orders can save shipping costs. E) none of these 24. All of the following are possible reasons for using the fixed order interval model except: ___________________. A) Supplier policy encourages use.B) Grouping orders can save in shipping costs. C) The required safety stock is lower than with an EOQ/ROP model. D) It is suited to periodic checks of inventory levels rather than continuous monitoring. E) Continuous monitoring is not practical. 25. The need for safety stocks can be reduced by an operations strategy which: A) increases lead time B) increases lead time variability C) increases lot sizes D) decreases ordering costs E) decreases lead time variability 26. The comprehensive approach used in JIT systems to deal with quality includes: ________________.A) designing quality into products and processes B) insisting vendors provide high quality materials C) making workers responsible for producing high quality D) A, B and C E) 100% inspection of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods 27. Which of the following is not a benefit of small lot sizes in JIT systems? A) In-process inventory is considerably less. B) Each product is produced less frequently. C) Carrying costs are redu ced. D) There is less clutter in the workplace. E) Inspection and rework costs are less. Continued†¦ TPK page 5 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 28.Which of the following is not characteristic of preventive maintenance in JIT systems? A) maintaining equipment in good operating condition B) replacing parts when they are worn but before they fail C) workers maintaining their own equipment D) eliminating supplies of spare parts to reduce capital investment E) perceiving breakdowns as an opportunity for improvement 29. The Kaizen Philosophy applies to: _______________. A) Employee development B) Safety stock C) Waste D) Supply Chain Management E) MRP III 30. An operations strategy toward the JIT philosophy of production should recognize that JIT: __________________.A) is most suited for non-repetitive manufacturing B) cannot be implemented sequentially C) requires a wholesale commitment from the outset D) may provide a competitive advantage E) all of th e above SECTION B Essay and Calculation Questions: Answer ALL THREE questions. (60 Marks) QUESTION 1 The general manager of a building materials production plant feels that the demand for plasterboard shipments may be related to the number of construction permits issued in the country during the previous quarter. The manager has collected the data shown in Table 1. 1. a) Review the scatter diagram (Figure 1. ) to see whether the data can be satisfactorily described by a linear equation. b) Determine the linear regression equation for the data [2 marks] [15 marks] c) Determine a point estimate for plasterboard shipments when the number of construction permits is 30. [3 marks] [Total Marks = 20] Continued†¦ TPK page 6 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Table 1. 1 Construction Permits (X) 15 9 40 20 25 25 15 35 Plasterboard Shipments (Y) Shipments Y 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 Permits X 6 4 16 6 13 9 10 16 igure 1. 1 QUESTION 2 a) What are the principles underlying TQM? 10 marks] b) Discuss the long-run effects of quality improvement on a firm's profitability. [10 marks] [Total marks = 20] QUESTION 3 The Goliaq Tool Company produces slip – ring bearings, which look like flat doughnuts or washers. They fit around shafts or rods, such as drive shafts in machinery or motors. At an early stage in the production process for a particular slip – ring bearing, the outside diameter of the bearing is measured. The company has taken 10 samples (during a 10 – day period) of 5 slip – ring bearings (i. e. , n = 5) and measured the diameter of the bearing.The individual observations from each sample are shown as follows: TPK page 7 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Continued†¦ Sample k 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 5. 02 5. 01 4. 99 5. 03 4. 95 4. 97 5. 05 5. 09 5. 14 5. 01 Observations (Slip – Ring Diameter, cm) 2 3 4 5. 01 4. 94 4. 99 5. 03 5. 07 4. 95 5. 00 4. 93 4. 92 4. 91 5. 01 4. 98 4. 92 5. 03 5. 05 5. 06 5. 06 4. 96 5. 01 5. 10 4. 96 5. 10 5. 00 4. 99 5. 10 4. 99 5. 08 4. 98 5. 08 5. 07 5 4. 96 4. 96 4. 99 4. 89 5. 01 5. 03 4. 99 5. 08 5. 09 4. 99 [6 marks] [10 marks] [4 marks] a) Determine all sample means and the mean of all sample means. ) Calculate upper and lower control limits. c) Is this process in control? [Total marks = 20] Relevant Equations 1) CL = X UCL, LCL (X – bar) = X ? A2 R UCL ( R) = D4 R LCL ( R) = D3 R Table for X – bar & R Charts No of Observation In sub group n 2 3 4 5 6 2) UCL ? = c + 3v c LCL ? = c – 3v c Continued†¦ TPK page 8 of 9 A2 1. 88 1. 02 0. 73 0. 58 0. 48 D3 0 0 0 0 0 D4 3. 27 2. 57 2. 28 2. 11 2 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 3) p = Total No of Defective from All Samples/ (No of Samples X Sample Size) Sp = v [ p (1 – p )/n] CL = p LCL = p – 3 Sp UCL = p + 3 Sp ) Capacity Utilization = Capacity Used / Best Operating Level 5) r ? n ? XY ? X ? Y ? ?n ? X 2 ? X ? 2 ? ?n ? Y 2 ? Y ? 2 ? ? ? ? ? a ? Y ? bX b= ? XY ? n X Y ? X 2 ? nX 2 6) Exponential smoothing Forecast for the month t: Ft = Ft – 1 + ? (At – 1 – Ft – 1) 7) Exponential smoothing with trend adjustment Forecast for the month t: Ft = ? (At – 1) + (1 – ? )(Ft – 1 + Tt – 1) Trend for the month t: Tt = ? (Ft – Ft – 1) + (1 – ? )Tt – 1 FIT = Ft + Tt 8) Inventory Management: EOQ = Q * ? 2 DS H 2 DS H p p ? u TC ? Q D H? S 2 Q EPQ = Q0 ? I max ? Q ( p ? u) P TC= I m ax D H? S 2 Q End of Page TPK page 9 of 9

Nonviolence and South Africa Gandhi Essay

War is defined a state of hostility conflict or antagonism. But this definition would be thrown aside by a man named Mohandas Gandhi a man who would soon come to revolutionize India through the power of peace. Gandhi’s protests and civil disobedience would soon help create the India we see today. Gandhi did take India back from the British but not violently as one might expect, but peacefully through civil disobedience. This means that laws that Gandhi and his followers would refuse to obey any laws that they viewed to be unjust, not by striking blows but by carrying on with there daily activities while refusing to follow certain laws that they feel practice a system of apartheid. But keeping in mind never to strike back but to always keep your head up and never give up. Gandhi developed this idea of civil disobedience after his experience of apartheid while in South Africa. Gandhi while in South Africa Gandhi witnessed first hand the great injustices people of color faced simply while walking down the street. For example the need for a pass book by those of color. Gandhi saw this injustice and interjected, holding a public protest burning passbooks and symbolically burning the separation between people of color in South Africa and the British. But Gandhi did not stop there he went on to take this system of civil disobedience to India. In India he continued to gain followers and slowly take back India through his peaceful movements such as his salt march and cloth burning. Finally over the course of his adult life Gandhi had taken back India from the British all without India striking a blow. Gandhi clearly revolutionized India into its current state through peace. Gandhi, through peace, has helped change the way we see war.

THERAPUTIC HYPOTHERMIA FOR NEUROPROTECTION POST ADULT CARDIAC ARREST Essay

THERAPUTIC HYPOTHERMIA FOR NEUROPROTECTION POST ADULT CARDIAC ARREST - Essay Example Once these ischemic injuries set in, they leave patients with symptoms including high body temperature and other neurological dysfunctions. In such cases, the need to find protective interventions to deal with these aftermath effects becomes highly important and urgent. In this paper, one critical intervention to dealing with post adult cardiac arrest, which has effects like risk of ischemic injury to tissue, which is therapeutic hypothermia discussed for its effectiveness and efficiency as a care approach. Neurological anatomy and physiology is discussed due to the relationship between neurological wellbeing and post cardiac arrest. As Arrich, Holzer, Havel, Mà ¼llner and Herkner (2012) note, â€Å"Good neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest is hard to achieve†. An understanding of the neurological anatomy and physiology will therefore make it possible to know why this is so and how this situation can effectively be tackled using therapeutic hypothermia. Quote (year) explained that neurological system comprises of two major components, which are the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Whereas the PNS is mainly made up of nerves that exit from the spinal cord, the CNS comprises the brain, the spinal cord, and the cranial nerves. Three major organs can therefore be anatomically and physiologically identified, which are brain, spinal cord and the vertebral column. Functionally, the brain is responsible for functions including â€Å"imagination, memory, speech, and limb movements to secretion hormones and control of various organs within the body† (Sehati, 2009). These functions are however made possible by the collective functioning of other cells, tissues and organs including brain cells, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid (csf), ventricles, brainstem, thalamus, cerebellum, lobes, cerebrum, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, basal ganglia, pineal gland, and cranial

History essay- Reading and comprehension of the book Taken Hostage by Essay

History - Reading and comprehension of the book Taken Hostage by David Farber - Essay Example 4, 1979 which turned it into a revolutionary day which is, and will be remembered for a long time; maybe forever. This paper will clarify the reasons behind the hostage crisis in Iran along with its impacts on the US government and its economy. We will also see the facts this event exposed about US government and about the President of that time. Numerous words will be added from the book ‘Taken Hostage’ to justify the claims and to clarify all the details with substantiations. Taken Hostage- Background & Causes of the 1979 hostage crisis After reading the book taken hostage: the Iran hostage crisis and America's first encounter with radical Islam, I have become a big fan of David Farber. Every word of the book holds a clear background of the story that revolves around the historic hostage situation that continued for 444 days. The story, on which the book is based, holds enormous depth within. David Farber’s analysis is based on a narrative point of view which lo oks beyond the day-to-day circumstances of the predicament with the interpretation of the lessons for America’s contemporary war on terrorism.... The reason behind the hostage situation was the anger that many Iranians felt over Jimmy Carter, the US president of that time. Iranians were angry on the US president for allowing Shah Reza Pahlavi, who was the deposed ex ruler of Iran to enter the US for a medical treatment. Broadly, the United States had helped to establish the Shah Reza Pahlavi in the 1950's, and had powerfully backed his regime, despite the fact that Shah's government was dishonest and its human rights record was terrible. It was believed in Iran that this was just the aperture move leading up and American-backed return to the power by the Shah Reza Pahlavi. This became a state that was nothing less than a war, and as a result; Jimmy Carter’s presidency was broke. It was the Ayatollah Khomeini, who after Shah's entrance into the U.S., called for anti-American street demonstrations. The situation got this worst because Americans were not prepared for the crisis which came suddenly and made it the most diff icult decade for America in their entire history (Farber, 12). As stated by Farber (2005), â€Å"A furious mob rallied outside the American embassy in Tehran. There were thousands of people who appeared to be students, mostly men but, woman too. The women were in black, shrouded in chador. A small group cut the thick chain that secured the main gates and filed into the twenty seven acre embassy compound†¦ the embassy personnel were blindfolded with hands tied behind. Now, the 444 days of captivity had begun† (p. 12). At this moment the environment of serious hostility began between America and Iran and is still intact on the present day. This hostage crisis showed entire world the inability of the Carter

Case Study - Small Business Management Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

- Small Business Management - Case Study Example Within three years (1997-2000), profits increased by 350%. OBO is Simon's third business venture and he has learnt considerably from each undertaking. Simon invests heavily on research and development which fuels his desire to improve his existing products and to develop new ones. He has also kept up with the changing technology and offers a website that encourages customer focus groups, gives playing tips, product information and also sells the product online. Simon believes that consumer market research is essential in product development. At present, OBO has a very strong distribution network and a formidable brand value. OBO is a strong company and has a far sighted CEO Simon Barnett, who has over a 20 year experience, ranging from manufacturing table tennis table to selling and distributing hockey equipment for Ishan. Eventually however, he also went into production and specialized in making protective hockey equipment for goalies. Simon is an ambitious individual, a visionary leader who believes in managing by setting his own examples. He is a creative person who invests heavily on product research. Simon is of the opinion that it is important to bring changes in the product so that it seems fashionable as well as useful to the customer. His sound distribution networks and brand value has made OBO the market leader in its industry. Simon holds a strong relationship with his agents and also with his customers. He encourages his customers to express their opinions and ensures that new products are made keeping in mind the customers' changing needs. Moreover, OBO gives a lot of attention to product quality which is their key competitive advantage. Although OBO operates in a niche market, it is still a big name. It is doing well in the market and had a profit of $450,000 in the year 2000. However, if OBO decides to step into a new market of making cricket equipment it will be big change for the company. This 'big change' brings with it a lot of risk. Simon's financing policy has always been to avoid bank loans. He prefers to reinvest his retained earnings. For a venture as huge as cricketing equipment, heavy investment will be needed and with Simon's current policy this can be a huge gamble. OBO has limited staff and a new venture would certainly mean expanding the personnel base. Apart from this, Simon depends very strongly on 2 key personnel. Simon acts as a facilitator and the manufacturing and designing sides are looked after by two men. Such excessive reliance can be dangerous as even if one of them quits, Simon can be in big trouble. Although Simon has ample experience in business, a cricket venture will still be a new area. The requirements of cricketing equipment will be very different from hockey as the two games vary greatly in the way they are played. External Environment In terms of opportunities, there are many. OBO operates in a niche market and in comparison cricket will offer a bigger market. For hockey a team would at a maximum need 2-3 pairs of protective pads, but for cricket, all the batsmen will need pads along with the wicket keeper. If OBO is able to manufacture pads that are lighter and allow players more speed and agility then there will certainly be a lot of scope of the product. Also cricket is a game that is more popular all over the world and is played by many countries at a national level. With time, OBO can also expand towards

Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences - Essay Example While conducting ELISA tests mild detergents are normally used in washing out the proteins that are not bound to any particular substrate. ELISA has been widely used in pregnancy tests. Chorionic Gonadotrophin is a hormone largely produced by developing placenta during pregnancy. Peptide hormone detection is used in pregnancy tests and many other tests such as abnormally growing cell tumors most importantly the germ cell tumors. Chorionic Gonadotrophin hormone is also useful in man in the determination of cancer of the testicles. 3.A typical graph plotted will assume a sigmoid shape. This is mainly attributed to the wells from column 4 which indicate a yellow color showing positive results. However, there is increased absorption as the concentration increases. Wells that did not contain the serum showed little or no absorbance. For the wells which did not have the substrate indicated the least absorbance. This type of ELISA has been known to require the use antibody pairs which are m atching. In this case, the antibody is first coated in the pate well by an antigen molecule. The next solution known as the analyte is then applied to the well. This is then followed by addition of another antibody layer, which helps in measuring the concentration of the analyte. Capturing and detection of the analyte are possible through the use of polyclonal in sandwich ELISA is variability is allowed. In cases where the enzyme is conjugated to the detecting antibody, the process is known as direct sandwich ELISA. reduce the errors.

Relevant theories use in CESIM simulation program Essay

Relevant theories use in CESIM simulation program - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that among the marketing theories applicable to marketing the brand of mobile phones includes the game theory, signaling, and innovation theories among many others. Just as the name suggests, game theory analyses the position and effects of competition on the success and profitability of a brand. The theory asserts that a business must strive to achieve the best and most preferred outcomes despite the competition. Marketers must, therefore, observe the behaviors and product features of their competitors in order to develop appropriate brands to counter such. Signaling just as with the game theory advises marketers to observe the actions of the competition, this way it becomes possible for the marketer to position his product strategically. Innovation theory, on the other hand, requires marketers to develop creative products in order to influence the reception of the brand in the market. Marketing a mobile phone requires marketers to conside r the theories thereby positioning the product strategically. Besides the marketing theories, marketers must employ several other strategies to enhance the positioning of the product in order to enhance productivity as the discussion below portrays. Marketing is a fundamental management function whose primary objective is to determine, anticipate, and satisfy the market demand. By doing this, the marketing team meets the current demand while influencing effective production in view of increasing its market share.

Business and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business and Management - Essay Example It sells more than 2.5 million products to more than 190 countries around the world, which gives an indication towards the company's rapid global expansion (Nissan Motor Co Ltd, accessed 07.01.2006). According to the company's annual report for the year ended 2005, Nissan is basically a Japanese-based company and other than its home country, it has a major market for its products in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, China, Egypt, Brazil and other 150 countries around the world where Nissan automotives and their components are sold. Nissan is a publicly traded company and listed on major stock exchanges of the world. According to the company's annual report for the year ended 2005, the company keeps a double management team comprising the Board of Directors and a Statutory Audit Committee based on their duties and responsibilities under the Commercial Code of Japan. The company's major stakeholders are its customers, employees, shareholders and suppliers etc. Currently, the company has nine members of the board of directors, of which only one is external. The company's Statutory Audit Committee comprises four auditors out of which three are external statutory auditors. The company's management structure is designed in a way that the Board of Directors is responsible for taking the entire management decisions whereas the Statutory Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing the Directors' performance.NISSAN- GLOBAL STRATEGY As mentioned above, Nissan is an international company having its business operations in more than 190 countries around the world. But its major markets include the home market Japan, the North America, Europe, China, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The company maintains its global sales strategy and plans to enhance its sales in all the major areas of its operation. According to the company's Annual report, the company's strategy in Japan is to expand its sales by the enhancement of its marketing strategy and the establishment of an efficient dealership network. But despite all that, the company's sales in its home market are declining. The automotive industry in Europe is highly diverse having a great number of manufacturers engaged in car design, production and sales. To maintain its profitability in the European market, the company's strategy is to design and provide the unique and stylish products that could earn more profits for the company. The company's wide range of products is very popular in North America and China. The strategy behind the success in these areas is to provide its products at a price that is acceptable to its customer group. In the Asian market, the company has planned a strategy to penetrate into new growing markets. In the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean countries, the company is making its profit by adapting a strategy to remain flexible with the market conditions in terms of production. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT PROBLEMS AND ISSUES After the in-depth analysis of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., it can be seen that the company has to confront with major issues that could affect its sales and profitability for the years to come. Some of the major issues are analyzed and discussed below: Increasing Cost of Sales Although the company has been successful in generating sales for its business for the current year, but still the

Human Papilloma virus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Papilloma virus - Essay Example They each have their own surface that they prefer to attack. Some like the moist areas such as the mouth, anus and genitals while others prefer the hands, face and scalp. â€Å"When HPV does take hold, it grows a lump of thickened skin. Thats the wart.†(Davis,2011). The wart will shed its skin in time and that skin will carry, and transmit the virus. They will form painlessly on the hands, face or scalp. The â€Å"Plantar† wart will form on the soles of the feet and are the only painful form of wart. On the genitals a painless cauliflower like growth will form. In extreme cases HPV can cause cancer of the cervix, penis, vagina or anus. The wart will cultivate its own blood supply and nerve and this makes it very difficult to just go away on its own. The body will eventually recognize and fight the virus by creating its own antibodies to HPV and will cause the wart to drop of, but, this takes time and normally will take one to two years. There are over the counter remedies including Salicylic Acid which will irritate and eliminate the wart. There are also prescribed therapies such as Antiviral Creams that stimulate the immune system and stunt the growth of warts and you can also have the wart surgically removed. Vaccinations are available for girls at 11-12 years of age and for boys from 9-26. I am not a medical expert, but it seems to me that warts are just a relatively innocent, annoying part of human life in much the same vane as pimples. We have medical experts who like to dramatize some aspects of medicine and try and frighten us with their fancy words and researches. â€Å"HPV Infection is Usually a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and is Easily Spread by Having Sex with an Infected Person†.(Mayo Clinic,2010.) .There is a stigma as soon as â€Å"Sexually Transmitted† is quoted. Well guess what? you can catch the common cold if you have sex with someone who has the Flu. Does that make the common cold a sexually transmitted disease?, I think not.

Investigation into Virtual Organisation facilities Coursework

Investigation into Virtual Organisation facilities - Coursework Example Growing complexity in the business environment makes "business as usual" ineffective. (Keen, 1991) Globalization calls for communication and synchronization across diverse time zones and locations. Time constraints require reduction in reaction time, driving businesses to just-in-time inventory, orders, scheduling, payments, manufacturing, distribution, etc. Change has become the norm, an unpredictable basic reality. The fresh economic cutting edge is the knowledge economy, and right now about 97% of all employment expansion is coming from knowledge work. Wealth today is generated principally by the value people add through new ideas. (Moyer, 1994) What members of these workgroups do is called collaborative work and they must often overcome barriers of time zones and geography to document what has been accomplished. (Stuck, 1995) To stay aggressive in today's business atmosphere requires new levels of collaboration and dexterity, both within and between organizations. Communications networks and IT are the tools that make possible this "working together apart," and telecommuting (or home working) is making workgroups more productive. (Stuck, 1995) IT plays a fundamental role in supporting critical activities, enabling organizations to make efficient and effective changes in the manner in which work is performed (Turban, 1996) and offering real potential for changing the way in which people work (Daniels, 1995). For example, the Internet provides a way for small businesses to create a virtual organization to complete projects (Blotzer, 1995). Companies are forming worldwide mutual provisions as the basis for developing a competitive advantage from technology (Bailetti, 1993). Coordination of IT management presents a real challenge to these firms which have to deal with detached, decentralized IT practices (DeSanctis, 1994). While decentralization may bring litheness and fast response to changing needs, it also makes systems integration difficult, presents' obstruction to standardization, and acts as a disincentive for achieving economies of scale (DeSanctis, 1994). In juxtaposition with rapid changes in the business environment, the way in which business is conducted is also changing at a rapid pace. Groups, not individuals, have become the fundamental unit of work in modern organizations, with non-routine and new work most often being accomplished through teams, committees, or ad hoc workgroups (Finholt, 1990). Groups and group behavior are momentous for both organizational performance and individual group members. Computer-based technology may affect these groups and their behavior. At least some electronic groups behave

Frederick Douglass Essay Example for Free

Frederick Douglass Essay Life has many ups and downs. It is like a roller coaster ride in that it takes many turns. All the way through the life of a person, there will be good times and celebrations along with bad times and grief. The most significant thing to remember is to think positive and always stay strong mentally even at your lowest points. Frederick Douglass is a name of struggle. Being born into slavery, he faced many hardships throughout his life that people of today will never know, but overcome all of them because of his relentlessness to never give up, his passion to learn, be his own man, and more significantly staying strong mentally and keeping faith in God. Mental stiffness is when all things seem to be going wrong and there are no signs of hope, but you continue to strive for what you believe in, and Douglass did a good job of that. Douglass never gives up even when there appears to be no hope, and in the end is rewarded for all of his commitment. After the whole thing Douglass goes through, in the end he is not granted his freedom, but instead takes it on his own and his dream of being free is no longer a dream but in fact reality. Douglass resided in Baltimore intermittently from his arrival in the city in 1826 at the age of eight until he escaped from slavery twelve years later. Reflecting the uncertainties of black life in antebellum Baltimore, Douglass could state that â€Å"a city slave is almost a free man compared with a slave on the plantation† and lament that while in Baltimore â€Å"I often found myself regretting my own existence and wishing myself dead† (Narrative 50, 56). Douglasss conflicting impressions of his adolescence as a slave in Baltimore, impressions of comparative liberty and abject despair, reflected the larger paradox of African-American life in the city that claimed Americas largest black population at the time of the Civil War. Located on the border of slavery and freedom, Baltimore created space for African Americans to develop dynamic institutions that proved very important to their post-emancipation history. Yet these institutions developed under harsh restrictions on the freedom of non-slave African Americans that white Baltimoreans devised to replace the increasingly impractical bonds of slavery. Black agency amid the constraints and opportunities of an urban slave society gave Douglass with his first classroom in the limits of freedom for nineteenth-century African Americans. When Douglasss mother Harriet Bailey died he was hardly affected by the news for the reason that he rarely seen her. Douglasss father was a white man; slaveholders usually impregnated their females slaves to increase the number of slaves they owned. As a child Douglass didnt work in the fields because children werent strong enough. Therefore, he had free time to do other things besides tasks. Sometimes he would go along wit the Colonels grandson, Daniel, as a servant when he went hunting. Daniel in time became close to Douglass which was an advantage. But, Douglass still suffered because slave children were only given a long linen shirt, therefore in the winter he would be really cold. When Douglass was eight years old he was selected to go to Baltimore to live with Hugh Auld. Douglass was not sad to leave the plantation because he had no family or any sense of home that children usually had. He believes that if he had not been removed that he would still be a slave today. Douglass was amazed how kind his new was; unlike other white women she did not punish him for looking her in the eye. But, after some time, her kindness turned to cruelty, and she completely changed as a person. When Douglass first moved in with the Aulds, Mrs. Auld began teaching him the alphabet and some small words. When her husband found out he ordered her to sop because education ruins slaves, making them unmanageable and unhappy. Douglass overhears this and comes up with the strategy of what white men use to enslave blacks. From that he now understands what he has to do to win his freedom. Douglass lived in the Aulds household for seven years, he was able to learn how to read and write. Mrs. Auld became hardened and cruel and no longer tutored him. But, Douglass already learned the alphabet and was strong-minded to learn how to read. Auld rents Douglass for one year to Edward Covey, who was known for breaking slaves. For the first six months Covey worked and whipped everything out of Douglass to the point where he no longer cared about reading or freedom. This all changed when Douglass and Covey had a clash and after the fight Covey never touched Douglass yet again. Douglass was then rented to William Freeland, even though Freeland was milder and a fairer man, he was still going to escape. Frederick went on to become a famous orator, U. S. minister to Haiti, and a leader of his people. Douglass, like the other slaves is not born with this mental toughness, but acquires it mainly through his faith in God, hard work, and learning to read and write. Douglass faith in God is crucial because Douglass can turn to God at any point in his life. When Douglass is at his lowest, his faith in God is always there to lift him up. O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! (72). Their are times where Douglass questions God because of brutal conditions with Mr. Covey, but Douglass still stays strong mentally and spiritually, and that is key to taking his freedom. Douglass has a strong mind of his own, and does not let anyone or anything change what he believes is right. Conditions for slaves are pretty much severe everywhere they go. Slaves work long hard hours, for pretty much nothing, and to go along with that are poorly nourished. Douglass is lucky enough to be sent to Baltimore to live with the Aulds because conditions are a slightly easier there, but most importantly because that is where he learns to read and write. Luckily for Douglass, Mrs. Auld teaches him the alphabet and small words before her heart turns to stone. Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. (45). Although reading lessons with Mrs. Auld eventually stop, this does not stop Douglass in trying to acquire as much knowledge as possible. This makes Douglass even hungrier for knowledge because he knows that being literate is key to being free. The poor white children of the neighborhood eventually teach Douglass how to read in return for some food. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. (49). This is crucial for Douglass to gain his freedom, and help him believe in himself. Although brutal times are shortly ahead for Douglass at Mr. Coveys, the slave tamer, this knowledge and insight is definitely one of the major factors that helps him get through it. Before going to Mr. Coveys, Douglass been through a lot of mental and physical pain, but he does not know the worst is yet to come. Because of his disobedience and excessive curiosity in Baltimore, Douglass master sends him to Mr. Coveys, who is one of the cruelest slave tamers around. Douglass states that the first six months with Mr. Covey are unbearable. Douglass first task is to guide the oxen, and when he fails he barely leaves with his life. Covey whips him repeatedly, and continues to do so for weeks. Coveys extreme work and brutal punishments drain Douglass mentally and physically; he feels his hope for freedom is slipping away. This is where Douglass faith in God is crucial because he literally has no one else to turn to except God. It seems as if Douglass is about to let Mr. Covey win, and believe that all he is put on this earth to do is slave for others. But one day as Mr. Covey tries tying Douglass up for another brutal beating; Douglass defends himself and finds the courage within him to stand up to Mr. Covey by fighting back. Douglass injures Mr. Covey to the point where he is bleeding. Because of his courage to stand up for himself, Covey never lays a finger on Douglass again. This part of the autobiography is indeed a turning point because it restores Douglass confidence that he always had inside of him, and makes him believe that he will one day be a free man. This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning- point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. (78). This is indeed the turning point in his life because he stands up for what he believes in and actually wins. After this point Douglass is extremely confident in himself, and due to the knowledge he gains and his mental strength he is able to get through possibly his hardest obstacle in his life. I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me. (78). This is such a powerful line in that it shows Douglass relentlessness to never give up, and it shows that he is once again strong, not necessarily physically, but more importantly mentally. This turning point helps Douglass stay on track, and eventually helps him escape to New York City. After New York Douglass goes to Massachusetts were he meets abolitionist Garrison, and is eventually employed as an abolitionist. All in all, Frederick Douglass achieves his goals due to hard work and his passion to learn. After all, the struggle throughout his life, Douglass dream finally comes true, and it could not have happened to a more deserving man. One more Douglass master was Mr. Gore who was a key example of the many white people who let their power go to their heads. Frederick Douglass lived a hard life as a slave as pretty much all slaves did. He is pushed to the limit mentally and physically, and although there are times Douglass almost breaks down, he never lets that happen to him. By learning how to read and write he realizes that knowledge is power, just like it is today. Ignorance is ugly, and he does not want that to happen to him. Douglass knowledge helps open doors for him that he would never have opened if he was not educated. Frederick Douglass is an amazing man, and shows that if you are strong mentally you can accomplish anything you put your mind too. Douglass accounts in his thrilling and morbid firsthand account of slavery in the south. Douglass lets the reader look at slavery in a style that reflects the desperation of slave life. Points covered range from the exploitation of slave women by their white masters to the violent treatment, and in some cases murder of slaves, to the back-breaking labor and lack of personal time. The biography includes chilling accounts of his mother. She walked twelve miles every night to see him, in infancy, and when she died, Douglass was not even allowed to witness her burial. This was common practice in those times, but to the modern reader, this is quite appalling. Douglass life was only made more complicated by the accusation that his master, Captain Anthony, was also his father. The treatment of these mixed children was often worse than that of regular slave children due to the fact that the mistress of the house felt animosity towards them. As a result, Frederick had to face the wrath of Captain Anthonys wife. What made Douglass experiences truly unique was the fact that he learned how to read and write. Most slaves were killed if they were caught doing so but in Douglass case, he was very lucky. When he was sent to Baltimore, Sophia Auld, his new mistress, taught him how to read a few simple words. From that point, he taught himself new words everyday through The Columbian Orator, a collection of speeches and essays dealing with liberty, democracy, and courage. Douglass saw this as his ticket to freedom. Douglass sheds some light on several areas such as the reason behind the slave songs and what it feels like to watch a family member be beaten and abused. His narrative does a very thorough job of conveying the slave experience to an audience that has no idea. The image conjured of slave owners and all of southern society in the 18th and 19th century is a negative one. This caricature holds shockingly true in Douglass narrative. However, there is a lot more complexity to Southern society show in Douglass well-crafted words. There are different kinds of slave owners in different parts of the south. People like Captain Anthony and Thomas Auld, who reside in the deep south, are cruel to the slaves they own, as they are property. Like the cotton gin, they are there to turn a profit. As long as they can work and do work, nothing else really matters. In Baltimore, a different type of slave owner is known. Sophia and Hugh Auld live next to neighbors that do not own slaves and are therefore, conscious of how they treat their slaves in public. Sophia had not even owned slaves before Douglass, so in the beginning, she was very kind and treated Douglass as you would treat any child. The abolitionist movement is a larger concern in Baltimore, because it is in the very streets. In the deeper south, though they are concerned about slaves escaping and abolitionists, the threat is not as axiomatic. Douglass also exposes the false piety of slave owners. Though many of them are bible thumping, none of them truly understands the lessons they are preached. Douglass analyzes the moral woes of slavery and the unnatural state that all involved are subjected to. Douglass words give the reader a depiction of southern life and morality in an intricate and intriguing way, which is fair and abrasively honest. In modern times, people think of slavery and think that it was north against south. In reality, many Northerners were indifferent to the plight of slaves. When Fredrick Douglass first escapes to the north, he finds that there are many people who support slavery and many that oppose it, but most of them are indifferent. This is because most northerners have no idea what is going on in the south. Therefore, they are ignorantly blissful with their lives. Douglass addressed this issue in letter to an abolitionist associate. Douglass moved to New Bedford in the year 1838 and found work as a caulker for whaling ships. In New Bedford, he decided to drop the name Bailey, in order to defend himself from slave catchers, and became famous as Frederick Douglass. Between the time of 1790 and 1860, the institution of slavery declined in Baltimore but the boundaries of African-American freedom narrowed significantly. When free black people posed little threat to white people, as in the 1790s, whites imposed relatively few limitations on them. But as the free black population grew so did racial competition for jobs and social power. White privilege responded to the dynamism of free blacks by circumscribing their liberty. Douglass lived in Baltimore when free African Americans made considerable economic gains and expanded an already powerful network of black institutions. By the time of the Civil War whites rolled back many of the gains of the 1830s and pushed free blacks to the edge of slavery. Douglass first witnessed white racism towards free black people during this tightening of Baltimores restrictions on non-slave African Americans that coincided with slaverys end. Work cited Browne, Gary Lawson. Baltimore in the Nation, 1789-1861. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1980. Douglass, Frederick. Letter to an abolitionist associate. In Organizing for Social Change: A Mandate for Activity in the 1990s. Edited by K. Bobo, J. Kendall, and S. Max. Washington, D. C. : Seven Locks Press. [1849] (1991) Douglass, Frederick. Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. 1892. New York: Collier, 1962. Douglass, Frederick. My Bondage and My Freedom. 1855. New York: Dover, 1969. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. 1845. New York: Penguin, 1968. Fields, Barbara Jeanne. Slavery and Freedom on the Middle Ground: Maryland during the Nineteenth Century. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1985. Frey, Sylvia. Water from the Rock: Black Resistance in a Revolutionary Age. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991. Gardner, Bettye. Ante-bellum Black Education in Baltimore. Maryland Historical Magazine 71 (Fall 1976): 360-366. Gardner, Bettye. Free Blacks in Baltimore, 1800-1860. Diss. George Washington University, 1974. Garonzik, Joseph. Urbanization and the Black Population of Baltimore, 1850-1870. Diss. State University of New York, Stony Brook, 1974. Graham, Leroy. Baltimore: The Nineteenth-Century Black Capital. New York: University Press of America, 1982. Maryland. House of Delegates. An Act Relating to Paupers, Beggars, Vagrants, Vagabonds and Disorderly Persons in the City of Baltimore. The Laws of Maryland ch. 116. March 10, 1854. Muller, Edward K. and Paul A. Groves. The Emergence of Industrial Districts in Mid-Nineteenth Century Baltimore. Geographical Review 69 (1979): 159-177. Steffen, Charles G. The Mechanics of Baltimore: Workers and Politics in the Age of Revolution, 1763-1812. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1984. Wesley, Charles H. Richard Allen: Apostle of Freedom. 1935. Washington: Associated Publishers, 1969.

Leading The Industry Topshop Marketing Essay

Leading The Industry Topshop Marketing Essay Topshop was the most influential brand in the British Fashion community, edging out HM for number one position and dominating all other competitors. They distinguished themselves through their immensely popular range of clothing, accessories and makeup and a portfolio of successful product-led marketing initiatives such as Topshop Unique and Kate Moss Design Collaboration. Topshop integrated multiple marketing initiatives into one connected program creating a network effect which resulted in increased traffic through their sales channels. Our methods We use patented technology and methods from our research partner Linkfluence the world leader in social media analysis. Â  To gauge who is the most influential womans High Street fashion brand in the UK, JOYN analysed all social media activity from the 1000 most influential social websites in the UK Fashion Community published from July to December in 2010. Â  The most relevant opinions were selected, coded and analysed by our team of fashion experts. Unpick the Market Leader The most signficant finding of our research was high quality products and range are the foundation of a successful digital strategy. Almost 70% of all conversations about Topshop directly related to their products, their conventional marketing activities were a fraction of that figure. Top Shops products enjoyed a cult following in the British Fashion Community. Popular lines such as Mainline, Premium, Boutique and Unique position their brand as an astute follower and creator of trends. This resulted in over 115 mentions every month amongst the most influential blogs, online magazines and traditional media, none of which they paid for. Topshops ability to earn enormous media coverage from fans, influential bloggers and online magazines is proof of their position as most influential brand. Topshop Success Stories in 2H 2010: Alluring products London Fashion Week Engage emerging designers Spread marketing investments Author influential blog A Clear Brand Position A key ingredient in any successful brand is a clear and identifiable brand position that people trust and believe. Topshop set out to copy the catwalk, but what they have ended up doing is to develop something that has much more personality and character of its own. With many competing brands all offering fashion and quality at the best price, Topshop differentiate themselves as a fashion-led trendsetter inspired by London youth culture and fashion. An example of the value of taking a stand was Topshop being the only High Street brand showing at London Fashion Week. There commitment to this initiative extends to financially supporting and stocking emerging designers. The support and enthusiasm from the UK Fashion community was huge, Topshop Unique earned over 200 articles within the British Fashion Community reaching a potential audience of millions. Earned media coverage is a proven sales driver and created a halo effect of good-will and credibility to Topshops other ranges. This kind of media is fueled by consumer satisfaction and advocacy, its proof that Topshop have earned their space in their customers hearts. Winning Design Collaboration The Design Collaboration strategy outperformed celebrity endorsement. Topshops long-standing design collaboration with an outspoken and controversial fashion icon successfully drove word of mouth. The Fashion Community wrote 1069 online articles about Topshop between June and December 2010, 217 were in relation to Kate Moss. HM attained similar levels of success. Their designer collaboration with Lanvin attracted 223 articles during this period a fantastic result. However the pressure to go bigger and better requires significant financial investment and carries increased risk. Mango and Uniqlo both pursued a celebrity endorsement strategy which barely registered amoungst key influencers. Their high-profile endorsements from Terry Richardson, Orlando Bloom, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson and Olivia Palermo were largely ignored. The Kate Moss Collection set the benchmark for success demonstrating the value of authentic design collaborations. What this means for your brand 1. Commit to social media The leading brands are investing in social media because they realise their customers have stopped trusting advertising and are increasingly influenced by online word-of-mouth and customer recommendation. Thanks to the growth of social media, traditional advertising and celebrity endorsement is no longer leading consumers to your door, now, a multitude of bloggers, online magazines and social networks drive sales. This means traditional advertising strategies must be reconsidered, or scrapped to make way for a new understanding of when at what touch points people are most open to influence and how best to talk to them at those points. 2. Use social media research to learn about your customers Evaluating perceptions of your brand in social media will reveal what people are really think about you- good, bad or indifferent. Â  When we looked at Mango we saw their products and marketing failing to capture the imagination of the fashion community a social media listening strategy would have alerted Mango to this problem. Most people assume Google Analytics does this job, but this simple tool only allows you to analyse visitors to your website. The real insights come from listening to the spontaneous conversations happening throughout social media that impact your brand. This can reveal current and potential groups of customers, popular online retailers, product preferences, online influencers and lead users.

Holding Media Accountable

Holding Media Accountable Question: Are the news media adequately accountable for their reporting? Is there a need for legislative reform? There is a common concern that the news media in the modern age is no longer being held accountable for its reporting; that is, not fulfilling the expectation that it behaves in a certain way that contributes to the public good (particularly in relation to the political sphere). Since the late 17th century the medias vital role in democratic governance has been evident as a result of its significant power and function to oversee the actions of the government (Schultz 1998). To this day this role of the media remains to be a fundamental aspect of both modern democratic theory and practice. In this essay, the news medias general role in a democracy will be examined, such as the way in which it promotes it and its impact on the protection of human rights. Additionally, the various constraints in certain democracies that can limit the medias ability to always hold a positive role will be explored in order to expose possible legislative reforms to enhance media accountability. Finally, th e ways in which the media is used in order to support development and democracy will be examined, such as its historical victories in exposing government corruption and instigating reconciliation between warring groups. Whether or not the news media is adequately accountable for its reporting depends on the particular democracy in which it exists as they can vary greatly. This essay will contend that in developed democracies (such as Australia) the medias accountability can be perceived as adequate at this point in time, however it will also acknowledge that legislative reform is certainly needed in many other democracies that are less established. Democracy is near impossible to be achieved without a free press; through playing a myriad of key roles that will be discussed an adequate level of accountability to the public can be maintained for the medias reporting. The press is widely called the Fourth Estate to describe it as a somewhat additional branch of government that ensures those governing are kept in check (Schultz 1998). Without the providing of this check and balance, governments cannot truly be effective. Thomas Jefferson as a key historic governmental figure supported this idea, arguing that the truth of any matter will only emerge through the exchanging of information via the press (Holmes 1991). The notion of the media being a watchdog is widely accepted; that is, it acts as a guardian of the public interest that ensures citizens are consistently well informed on the actions of political officials and institutions (Schultz 1998). Particularly in those democracies that are less developed where legislatures and jud iciaries are either powerless or corrupt, the media is often left as the last bastion against the abuse of power (Schultz 1998). Furthermore, the presence of the media provides for a vital arena of public debate between those that govern and the governed. This increased level of debate not only ensures that every citizen is given the opportunity to contribute, but it also allows for enhanced decision making due to the collaboration of many different views and ideas (Holmes 1991). In contrast (for further elaboration), during authoritarian rule, obviously the quality of the laws and policies established were significantly lower due to minimal discussion and debate and the absence of a free and accountable media to help build a civic culture (Schultz 1998). Sen (1999 Pg 43) described critical public discussion to be an extremely important requirement [for] good public policy. Additionally, the medias accountability is particularly evident when one looks at disaster. Sen (1999) makes a further point in relation to this, asserting that a free press in a functioning democracy contributes greatly through the spread of information (which somewhat acts as an early warning system) that can significantly impact policies for (e.g.) famine prevention. The United Nations Development Programme (1997) adds to this, contending that if (for example) poverty is to be addressed, equally as important is the transfer of information to those in need. This is due to the fact that it would allow for them to participate in the political process and public life; it is difficult for an individual to assert their rights if they dont even know they exist. Through the media involving those that are marginalised, their views and issues become part of public debate, and thus the likelihood that these views be addressed is obviously far more likely than if they remain unheard (Sen 1999). The media plays a very important role via its accountability in a democratic society; nonetheless constrai nts do exist in some democracies that attempt to compromise this role. Particularly in newly established democracies, the reality is that the medias accountability can be affected negatively, prompting the potential need for legislative reform. Despite constitutional guarantees, in many democracies the media is greatly restricted by over-bearing laws, monopolistic ownership, and sometimes even physical force. In 2002, 136 journalists were imprisoned and 20 were killed as a result of their reporting in new democracies not satisfying the authorities (Committee to Protect Journalists 2003). In addition to state control constraints, a mostly global trend is beginning to dominate media markets in the modern age as a result of increased organisational competition. This involves a dumbing down of the news; in other words, an increased focus on shallow and sensational topics that aim more so to entertain rather than inform audiences of matters that are far more important (Selizer 2004). Consequently, public discourse is also negatively impacted as populations r espond to this dumbed down news that they are receiving (Selizer 2004). So not only does this modern worldwide trend compromise media accountability to the public, it also affects the publics own ability to recognise good news from bad news, making demands for change far less likely to substantiate. Moreover, in many countries ownership of the media is often controlled by just a few large dominating corporations that have taken over all smaller news organisations. With this high concentration of media ownership, there is not only minimal diversity but also strong biases in the news being presented to us (Djankov 2001 et al). Media tycoons (particularly in new democracies) tend to use their broadcast stations or newspapers to pursue their own vested interests such as the promotion of their business interests and political agenda (Djankov 2001 et al). In essence, the interests of these few people are manipulating the media through themselves determining the content that is to be publi cised. In order to address some of these constraints on the media, recommendations can certainly be made to attempt at instigating action for change where it is needed. For instance, sometimes the media is targeted by particularly powerful people and groups that endeavour to silence it to benefit their own interests. Primarily in developing democracies where (for example) strict licensing requirements may be demanded of the media, it is of paramount importance that authoritarian laws such as this are repealed and replaced with more liberal legislation (Committee to Protect Journalists 2003). Additionally, legal and judicial reforms are vital to ensure that journalists rights are enforced in court while those that do them harm are prosecuted. Only this way can it be ensured that the media has the freedom to report on important issues and remain accountable to the public. It is to be acknowledged that media laws in developed democracies are certainly far from perfect, and indeed they could be tweaked to improve media accountability. However, the Australian media for example, enjoys a large amount of freedom with guaranteed rights protecting it and is thus significantly safe from harm or stringent laws. As a result, it can be argued that legislative reform is not of immediate importance. A final area to be discussed in this essay is the medias practices that have promoted democracy and positive governance, shedding light on its accountability to the public. News organisations in many countries epitomise the democratic ideal of the media as a tool for information, a public forum, and as an establisher of consensus and harmony. If a society is to be truly democratic citizen participation is paramount; the media acknowledges this through ensuring that the populations are consistently engaged with the latest in the political sphere (Schultz 1998). For example, aiding them to make informed choices in regards to whom they should vote for and the particular policies that should and shouldnt be supported. Through mediums such as public-affairs programs the media provides enough detailed information to equip voters with the ability to be able to critically analyse the political sphere and are thus likely to engage with it far more than they would otherwise be capable of (Schultz 1998). In the modern age of widespread global travel it is especially difficult for a countrys media to inform all of its citizens when they inhabit other areas across t he world (Zelizer 2004). As a result, the use of the internet as a medium for the transfer of information has been adopted and proven to be highly effective. For example, early in the 21st century in the Romanian local elections, a large array of online information portals were established to ensure access to the latest political news was available to even citizens living on the other side of the world (Ulmanu 2000). Once again, this is evidence of the media endeavouring to fulfil its accountability to the public; in this way it is through acting not only as an information tool but as a public forum for critical debate. Also related to this is the way in which the media acts as a builder of peace and consensus. This is relevant because if violence and strife exists within a democratic society, the political process cannot consequently thrive as a result of peaceful critical discussion likely to be non-existent. In many societies the media tends to play a key role in providing method s of mediation to warring groups with the aim of public order being re-taken as promptly as possible (Bambang 2002). Many critics argue that this is not the case, and that the media itself often fuels violence via (e.g.) reporting incorrect facts and reinforcing prejudices (Bambang 2002). For example, in the midst of the mass conflict in Rwanda during the 1990s, a radio station (funded by international donations) was being used by extremists in support of genocide (Bambang 2002). While there are indeed cases in the past that depict poor actions on the medias part in fulfilling its accountability, much has been done to reverse this. For instance, many media organisations worldwide now train their journalists in what is dubbed peace journalism (Bambang 2002). This consists of the promotion of reconciliation via careful reportage that does not take stances on particular topics but rather gives voice to all of the differing viewpoints. Further, peace journalism resists justifications fo r violence, and rather than focusing on the violence itself it magnifies the affects it is having upon innocent individuals and communities (Bambang 2002). Not only this, it also attempts to bridge differences between warring groups in the hopes of a resolution being achieved. In the modern age (particularly in highly developed democracies) this form of reporting is the default method in times of war/crises. It can be concluded that the news media is indeed adequately accountable for its reporting, and at this time it does not need to be a priority to attain further legislative reform. Of course, it is important to recognise that this certainly depends upon the particular democratic society in which is being focused on as they can vary significantly in regards to their medias and their levels of accountability to that particular society. However, in most developed democracies the medias reporting can be perceived as currently adequate. This has been supported in this essay through referring to the various roles the media can be seen to play in the publics interest. It acts as a watchdog (or more formally as the Fourth Estate) in order to ensure the government is kept in check and power is not abused; additionally it often acts effectively as a bridge between the public and the government when there is corruption amongst institutional bodies. It acts as a public arena in which all citizen s are given the opportunity to contribute to the political process; this allows for improved decision making which leads to the establishment of laws that apply to the population as a whole (including those living in poverty that would otherwise have no knowledge (or access) of political participation. Secondly, this essay addressed the various constraints upon the media (particularly in those democracies that are relatively new and less developed). In some of these cases media accountability is not adequate and legislative reform would be ideal to (for example) protect journalists from any form of harm or harassment that compromises their ability to report truthfully and remain accountable to the public. Finally, the media plays the role of an information tool and public forum, educating voters on the latest political updates (regardless of their location) and thus protecting the threads of democracy that citizen participation is central to. In addition to this, such participation is made possible through the media promoting peace and consensus, endeavouring to keep conflict and violence levels low so as to not disrupt the political process and voters vital role in it. The media acts as a very important mechanism for democracy through public accountability. While this can at times be compromised, all in all it is adequate at this time and legislative reform should not be considered a priority. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bambang Wisudo. P (2002), Broadening Access to Information as a Way of Ending War Journalism, paper presented in a conference on Access to Information in Southeast Asia, Thailand. Committee to Protect Journalists (2003), Attacks on the Press in 2002, New York: Committee to Protect Journalists. Djankov. S, McLeish. C, Nenova. T, Shleifer. A, (2001), Who Owns the Media? Draft paper for the World Bank’s World Development Report. Holmes, Stephen (1991), Liberal constraints on private power? Democracy and the Mass Media, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 21-42. Schultz, Julianne (1998), Reviving the Fourth Estate. Democracy, Accountability and the Media, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sen, Amartya (1999), Development and Freedom, New York: Anchor Books. Ulmanu, Alex (2000), â€Å"Romanian Election Enters Net Battleground,† in Online Journalism Review, retrieved from http://www.ojr.org/ojr/technology/1017962590.php. United Nations Development Programme, Corruption and Good Governance: Discussion Paper 3, (1997), published by the Management Development and Governance Division, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. Zelizer, B (2004), Taking Journalism Seriously: News and the Academy, London: Sage.

psychology: male eating disorders :: essays research papers

Eating Disorders are psychological disorders that result from a drive to be thin. They are broken down into three categories, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is diagnosed according to the DSM-III-R in individuals with body weight that is significantly lower than the norm, extremely concerned with weight and shape, distorted self-image, and an absence of three consecutive menstrual periods, in women. Bulimia Nervosa is diagnosed according to the DSM-III-R in individuals who have recurrent binge eating episodes, have weight and shape concerns, have a lack of control over such behavior, and have compensatory behaviors (e.g., vomiting, fasting, misuse of laxatives, or excessive exercise). Binge eating disorder has much of the same criteria as Bulimia Nervosa with the exception of the compensatory behaviors. This study has several goals. First, the authors compare men with eating disorders to women with eating disorders, specifically to find clinical similarities. Because eating disorders are considered rare in men, the authors set out to investigate the differences between the two sexes. Second, the authors wanted to find differences in men with eating disorders and normal men. The authors also set out to find a representative sample that would provide the greatest validity. Concentrating on men with eating disorders, the authors also were looking for a correlation between eating disorders and other psychological disorders, such as affective disorder, anti-social personality disorder, and substance abuse. On the subject of sexual orientation, the authors explain, "...although an obvious area of investigation, (sexual orientation) was deemed too sensitive a topic for a government-sponsored survey and unfortunately was not assessed". METHOD Subjects Sixty-two men meeting the DSM-III-R criteria of an eating disorder, 212 women with equivalent eating disorders, and a control group of 3,769 men who had no presence of an eating disorder. Measures Community survey. Random houses were selected in Ontario. From each household an individual aged fifteen years and older was chosen at random and then administered the Mental Health Supplement to the Ontario Health Survey. The individual was then asked to submit written informed consent prior to the interview. A sample size of 9, 953 individuals was obtained by these means. Subject reduction. Using the University of Michigan's version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview, the subjects were narrowed down. During this process, individuals were interviewed for one to two hours by trained interviewers. The subjects were assessed for anxiety disorders, substance use and or abuse, affective disorders, anti-social personality disorder, and of course eating disorders.

Rethinking the American Dream in Coney Island of the Mind, Why Wallace?, and Goodbye, Columbus :: Coney Wallace Columbus

Rethinking the American Dream in Coney Island of the Mind, Why Wallace?, and Goodbye, Columbus      Ã‚  Ã‚   Webster defines a dream as "something notable for its beauty, excellence, or enjoyable quality." This seems, logically, something that everyone desires to obtain. However not everyone is the same therefore each dream is not the same. According to certain works of literature regarding the 1950's-60's though, it appears as if many people are quite disillusioned and believe their dream is the one and only dream suitable for everyone. This American Dream consists of a nice job, nice spouse, nice house, nice kids, nice car and all the money, money, money you can get your hands on. Anyone who desires differently is unacceptable.    But what happens when people finally start to realize, heaven forbid, that this one dream isn't a dream at all and is not the ultimate source of happiness? A rebellion against this materialistic society takes place. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, in his poem "A Coney Island of the Mind," illustrates this dissatisfaction with American society:    "...on a concrete continent spaced with bland billboards illustrating imbecile illusions of happiness The scene shows fewer tumbrils but more maimed citizens in painted cars and they have strange license plates and engines that devour America" (Ferlinghetti,131).    America is supposed to be the great capitalistic society, but Ferlinghetti sees otherwise. Billboards feature material assets in a style showing its necessity for human happiness. By calling this happiness the billboards represent an illusion, Ferlinghetti is speaking out against materialism. This materialism has apparently also horribly disfigured America and it's citizens. The citizens believe that the more material possessions one has the happier they will be. Ferlinghetti says these material possessions such as cars and fancy license plates devour them instead and are possibly dictating their life.    Addressing this issue of a materialistic society is a common theme among many of the writer's during the 1950's and 1960's. In their writings Phillip Roth and Michael Novak both depict a family of this society. The parents of these writings have an "ideal" lifestyle and a standard for their children, which gives the children every reason to want to rebel. They want to break away from the thoughts and standards of their parents and society. In Roth's novel, Goodbye, Columbus, the character Mrs. Patimkin is much like the Andy Restek of Novak's "Why

Hindu Creation Myth vs Earth’s Age According To Evolution :: essays research papers

Hindu Creation Myth vs Earth’s Age According To Evolution The Hindu creation myth that I found goes like this. As Brahma meditated beings were born from his mind. He thought about a body made of darkness and out of his rectum came a wind were the demons were born. Then Brahma discarded the body of darkness and the body became night. He then thought of a new body that was made mostly of goodness and light. Out of his mouth now came the shining gods or devas. He then brought out of his body something else that has now become day. Still today it’s during the daytime that people visit the temples and worship the gods. He took a third body that was all goodness. Brahma happened to be thinking beautiful thoughts of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, and then the ancestor spirits were born. These spirits appear in the dusk and the dawn, where day and night met. Brahma then bought out of his third body and brought a fourth something that was made of the energy that emitted from his mind. With these thoughts human beings the thinking cr eatures, were created. Then he made this body and it became the moon. To this day human beings love the moonlight for dancing, singing, and making love. Brahma now had a strange thought that he though was a fifth body made of both energy and darkness which caused him to emit horrible creatures that wanted to devour the primordial sea of chaos those were the ogres. Brahma was really disturbed by his last creation that all the hairs on his head fell out. Those hairs became all the creatures that crawl around on the ground the snakes and other reptiles. They remember their origins by hiding in swamps, brush piles, under rocks, and other dark places. Brahma was still troubled about creating the ogres and, thinking dark thoughts, he created the horrible Gandharvas, or ghouls. By this time Brahma had again got back his power and began thinking pleasant thoughts. His mind went back to the peaceful and happy time of his youth. In this state of happiness, the birds were created. Now from the body of Brahma much more came mammals, plants, and other forms of life. The qualities that all living things have today are the products of what Brahma's thoughts were when they were born and these features remain alive as long as the world lasts.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet Essay

Nowadays, the Internet is growing rapidly. Many people open Internet because it assists a lot of benefits to humans. However, many people become victims after accessing the internet. In this essay, I will discuss the benefits and dangers of the internet. The internet has many benefits. One of these benefits of Internet is it is the medium of communication. There are many facilities on the internet helps us to communicate such as E-mail, Facebook, Twitter and others. All these facilities enable people to communicate with other people from different countries in the world so that it can explore other cultures of different ethnicity. Also, Internet is a medium of information. Today, a lot of people need the information from the internet. Because every second on the internet, updates the information required by humans. For instance, Google and Yahoo are search engine information on the internet that provide all kinds of topics the information we need. Furthermore, Internet is a medium of entertainment. Internet becomes successful because it provides a lot of entertainment that humans need. For example, today many people are watching or downloading free entertainment on the internet, and many people are playing on-line games. In contrary, the internet has a lot of disadvantages. The fact of the matter is that the internet has thousands of porn sites. This is the greatest threat to human life, especially the children. There have been many people who became victims of pornographic sites on the internet. For example, now in Indonesia, many teenage girls do not have virgin. That is because porn sites affect their lifestyle so that they eliminate the virgin with boyfriend easily. Also, the Internet sends viruses to your computer. When your computer connects to the internet it is often the case that a virus attacks your computer hard disk. In addition, many people steal personal information on the internet. The case is often occurring in today’s world, when people save personal information such as name, address, credit card number, and others, so many criminals will access the data. Therefore, beware of internet because he has a lot of harm to human life. In conclusion, I believe that the Internet helps people in the communications, information and entertainment. However, the Internet also has much negative side. Therefore, use the internet for positive things so that we get a lot of benefits. Advantages and disadvantages of using the internet Essay Nowadays, the internet is a widely used instrument, without which the modern human might find it difficult to properly function. Every new technology has its ups and downs and the internet is no exception to this rule. Among the positive aspects related to the internet, one can mention the huge amount of information that can be found, helping the users stay informed and able to search for any type of data. The internet can also ease all kinds of daily activities that would usually be time consuming, in a world where wasting precious time is not an option. For instance, one can buy groceries, pick a present for his loved one, pay his bills, check his bank account and search reviews for that laptop that caught his eye passing by the electronics store. All this can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. However, some might say that the negative aspects of the internet are the ones that prevail. Not all the information available is correct, and it can also be easily manipulated. Also, the internet is not represented only by wikipedia.com, economist.com, or imdb.com. Read more:Â  Use of Internet in Education There are tons of websites that promote violence and pornography and even if an adult might be able to make good choices in his internet activities, monitoring a child’s activity in relation to these websites might become difficult. Other disadvantages are represented by the viruses that may harm the performance of the device connected to the internet or even exploit security vulnerabilities to spread automatically to other computers through networks. Among the negative aspects, the possibility of becoming a victim of online fraud should also be mentioned. Even if there are many disadvantages to consider, the internet is still a necessary evil. It helps mass communication to become a process that is completed in only a few seconds, it is useful in relation to all types of daily activities and we all have developed some kind of dependency on its functions.

Becoming a U.S. Soldier

The United State Army was founded to defend our country, the United States of America, two hundred and thirty-three years ago. The U. S. soldiers had been in different battles; from the Revolutionary War to the global effort to combat terrorism, they have remained Army Strong, drawing their commitment to their values and beliefs.The U. S. Army has achieved and is continuing to achieve excellence both here and abroad. They have shown willingness to make sacrifices in order to build a better future for our country (â€Å"The 233rd United States Army Birthday†). The U.S. Army’s mission is to provide prompt and sustained land dominance over a full range of military operations in order to fight and win our country’s wars. They operate across a spectrum of conflict, supporting combatant commanders. Title 10 and Title 32 of the United States Code direct the U. S. Army to equip, organize and train forces in order to conduct sustained and prompt combat operations on land. The U. S. Army is tasked to accomplish missions that are assigned by the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and combatant commanders.(â€Å"Mission†) A key component of the U. S. Armed Forces, the army is made up of the most dedicated, most respected, and best-trained soldiers in the world. They protect America’s freedom both home and abroad, secure our homeland, and defend democracy worldwide (â€Å"About the Army: Overview†). The army is one of the three components of the U. S. military. The other two are the navy and the air force. These three report to the Department of Defense. The U. S. Army has two major components of equal importance. They are the Active Duty and the Army Reserve (â€Å"Organization†).Those who work in the two distinct components of the army, the active and the reserve components, are enlisted soldiers, warrant officers, commissioned officers, and non-commissioned officers (â€Å"About the Army: Personnelà ¢â‚¬ ). In either component, the army conducts both institutional and operational missions. The operational army is consisted of numbered armies, divisions, corps, brigades and battalions, which conduct extensive operations around the world. On the other hand, the institutional army provides support for the operational army.They provide the necessary infrastructure to train, raise, deploy, equip, and ensure the readiness of the army forces. Military skills, as well as professional education, are provided by the training base to every soldier, together with members of allied forces. The institutional component of the army also allows the army to expand in a rapid manner during time of war. The army is provided with world-class logistics and equipment by the industrial base. Power-projection platforms are provided by the army installations.These are required to position land forces readily to provide support to combatant commanders. Once the forces are positioned, they are provided w ith needed logistics by the institutional army (â€Å"Organization†). The army is composed of a large number of soldiers. There is a necessity to organize the army into units because of its large number. Each unit has its own leader and reporting structure. Each unit was created in order to respond to any mission, regardless of complexity or size (â€Å"About the Army: Personnel†).According to the Soldiers Almanac, soldiers are grouped into units, each with specified numbers. A squad is composed of 9 to 10 soldiers; a platoon consists of 16 to 44 soldiers; a company has 62 to 190 soldiers, a battalion is composed of 300 to 1,000 soldiers; a brigade has 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers, a division consists of 10,000 to 15,000 soldier; and the corps is consisted of 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers (â€Å"About the Army: Personnel†). Becoming a soldier is both a challenging and a rewarding life. There are three primary steps on how to become a soldier. The first one is to work wit h a recruiter.The next step is to attend the Basic Combat Training after you have signed up and sworn in. After that the Basic Combat Training, a soldier will learn valuable skills by attending the Advanced Individual Training (â€Å"Soldier Life: Becoming a Soldier†). Basic Combat Training (BCT) is a training course that transforms civilians into Soldiers. Over the course of nine weeks these recruits learn about the Seven Core Army Values, how to work together as a team and what it takes to succeed as a Soldier in the U. S. Army. A civilian is transformed into a soldier by attending the Basic Combat Training.This is a nine-week training course where recruits are taught of the Seven Core Army Values, working together in a team, and succeeding in the U. S. Army (â€Å"Soldier Life: Basic Combat Training†). After soldiers complete the Basic Combat Training, they will attend the Advanced Individual Training to learn the necessary skills to perform their army job. They rec eive hands-on training, as well as field instructions, to make them experts in a specific career field. In this training, they gain discipline and work ethic (â€Å"Soldier Life: Advanced Individual Training).When the Congress passes the Defense Authorization Act each year, they indicate how many soldiers can be on active duty during that year. Congress also places a limit on what percentage of the whole active duty force can serve as warrant officers, how much percentage of the total active duty force can be posted as enlisted officers for the positions of sergeant and above. However, there are no statutory limits on positions of private, private first class, and corporals (Powers, n. d. ) For the positions of sergeant and above, there must be a vacancy in the next level in order for them to get promoted.However, soldier ranking private first class, and corporal are promoted through decentralized promotions. Decentralized promotion means that the unit is in-charge of promotions; h ence they are the promotion authority. The commander decides who should get promoted based on the promotion criteria set by the U. S. Army to preserve the promotion flow (Powers, n. d. ) There are 146,000 American troops in Iraq, including service and support personnel. The soldiers stationed in Iraq play various roles. Some of them are stationed as combat troops.Combat soldiers, according to the military, â€Å"those whose primary mission is to engage the enemy with lethal force. † However, these combat troops are scheduled to leave Iraq by June 30, 2009. This is in accordance with the agreement between Iraq and the United States, as stated in status-of-forces agreement (Bumiller, 2008). In spite of the agreement that combat troops will leave Iraqi cities, many military men are will be left behind as advisers and trainers. This new set of troops will be tasked to train and offer support to the Iraqi people so as not to risk the â€Å"fragile and relative Iraqi stabilityâ₠¬  (Bumiller, 2008).Truly, the United States Army have played and continuously playing a vital role in our society. They have assured us of our liberties and made an effort to assure the liberties as well of those who are offshore. The soldiers in the U. S. Army have dedicated themselves in the service of the American nation and there is no reason available for us not to be proud of them. References: â€Å"About the Army: Overview. † Army Strong. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. goarmy. com/about/index. jsp. â€Å"About the Army: Personnel. † Army Strong. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. goarmy. com/about/personnel. jsp.Bumiller, E. (2008). â€Å"Trying to redefine role of U. S. military in Iraq. † International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. iht. com/articles/2008/12/22/america/22combat. php. â€Å"Mission. † The Official Homepage of the United States Army. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www . army. mil/info/organization/. â€Å"Organization. † The Official Homepage of the United States Army. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. army. mil/info/organization/. Powers, R. â€Å"Army Enlisted Promotion System. † Enlisted promotions made simple. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from file:///D:/httpusmilitary. about.com-cs-armypromotions-a-armypromotions. htm. â€Å"Soldier Life: Advanced Individual Training. † Army Strong. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. goarmy. com/life/advanced_individual_training. jsp. â€Å"Soldier Life: Basic Combat Training. † Army Strong. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. goarmy. com/life/basic/index. jsp. â€Å"Soldier Life: Becoming a Soldier. † Army Strong. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. goarmy. com/life/becoming_a_soldier. jsp. â€Å"The 233rd United States Army Birthday. † The Official Homepage of the United States Army. Retrieved 21 February 2009, from http://www. army. mil/birthday/233/.

Wizard of Oz Political Allegory

â€Å"There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home†, repeated Dorothy. A young girl trying to go back home to Kansas after a cyclone lands her and her dog, Toto, in the Land of Oz. There Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the TinMan, and the Cowardly Lion who are all in need of something that is considered important to them; a brain, a heart, and courage. Along the way, they have to travel to Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz, directed by the Good Witch of the North, especially for Dorothy to get back home.However, Dorothy and the gang run into problems with the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants Dorothy’s ruby slippers (which was originally the Wicked Witch of the East shoes). In America, in the late 1890’s, the Populist Movement was in full throttle. Populism is â€Å"government of, for, and by the people†. The Populist Party was a political party, which was a collection of various social groups ag ainst monopolies and the rich. In these social groups, included poor white farmers from the South; wheat farmers in the Mid-Western states such as Kansas, Nebraska; African- Americans; and Northern factory workers.These oppressed groups naturally didn’t agree with banks, railroads and the rich. The Populist Movement relates to the Wizard of Oz because it portrays the people of these places as fools because some actually do listen to these presidents who really don’t have the American people best interest at heart. Also, the events that occurred during the Populist Movement involving farmers, their hardships, oppressed workers, and politics mirrored Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion. Therefore, this shows how the Wizard of Oz proves to be a political parable.In the text, Dorothy is a young girl who is always laughing and playing with her dog, Toto. She lives in the dry, Great Plains of Kansas with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, who is a farmer. The y live in a rundown looking house, and all around them was dull and grey. Dorothy represented an everyday women living in Kansas, just living a normal life during this time period. She also represents their values as well. Auntie Em and Uncle Henry show the everyday farmer. In the historical content, they portray the farmer who works day in and day out, but not seeing any benefits from their farming.In the book, a cyclone appears to come and takes Dorothy and Toto to this magical land named the Land of Oz. It turns out Dorothy’s house landed and killed the Wicked Witch of the East. The cyclone is supposed to represent the Populist Movement and the political upheaval it brought involving William Jennings Bryan, and the Granger movement. The cyclone could also represent a Silverite victory, when the Senate adopted a bill that prohibited the government from issuing money bonds without the consent of the Congress. It was basically to stop the government from using only gold at ti mes.During this time, farmers were suffering from issues involving supply and demand. They were making more and more of wheat/grain but the value of it was becoming less and less. They were receiving less money for their goods. They wanted money to be both silver and gold so it can be easy for farmers, and workers to make the same money, and have the rich make their money. The Land of Oz is a utopia where there was color, flowers, beauty, and birds singing in the tree. In the Land of Oz, lived Munchkins. They were supposed to represent other average American workers as well.When the Wicked Witch of the East died, they were freed of oppression. The Wicked Witch of the East represented factories and industrialized settings. Many of the farmers from the West blamed their problems on the wealthy and industry. Later on in the text, Dorothy meets the Good Witch of the North. The Good Witch represents a Northern electorate who had supported populism. The Good Witch sends Dorothy to go to t he Wizard of Oz, down the yellow brick road to Emerald City, who has the power to send her back to Kansas.The Good Witch also gives Dorothy the silver shoes, which also serves as protection. This can relate to the Bimetalism vs. Gold Standard. I say this because Dorothy shoes are silver and she is sent to go down the yellow brick road, which can be seen as gold bricks. This can be known as gold money. In this time, it was clear that silver vs. gold was important to the farmers involving the economy. The silver was supposed to be available for the working class, and would increase the amount of money for the working class. In the text, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion.The Scarecrow represents the western farmers, and how their hardships and troubles from inflation caused them to have doubts and problems with their money. The Tinman represents the American worker who mostly has populist views. He also represents how the worker felt dehumanized and was hel pless. In addition to this, the Wicked Witch of the East put a spell on him that every time he swung his axe, he would chop a piece of him off. This would make his body smaller, in relation to his work being minimized by the government.The Cowardly Lion represents William Jennings Bryan. He supported the free silver movement. Bryan had a large impact during the Populist movement and fought for the rights of the common people. He wanted to make silver available as money for the working class, and not only support the industry and the rich. Together, all four of them took the yellow brick road to Emerald City. Emerald City represents Washington, D. C. The city is green and stands for money, and the economy. The green spectacles could be used as propaganda to cloud American people mind.When they get to the Wizard, he is a powerful and majestic character that seems to hold many powers. He orders Dorothy and the rest to kill the Wicked Witch of the West and bring back her broomstick. In the text they go through many obstacles due to the Wicked Witch. Soon after Dorothy, kills the Witch with water. It shows that the Wicked Witch of the West represents the untamed, and dry, drought plains in the West. When they returned back to the Wizard of Oz to bring back the broomstick, it was revealed that the Wizard was a regular, ordinary man, who really didn’t hold great power like his title.He represents a president, presumably from Grant to McKinley. It shows he fooled people into thinking he’s something that he’s not. He helps the scarecrow, the tinman, and the cowardly lion by giving them a brain, a heart, and courage. At the end of the story, it showed the wizard provide objects of self-illusion to clearly make the scarecrow, the tinman, and the lion feel better about themselves. The Good Witch of the South tells Dorothy that all along she had what it takes to go home, and by tapping her shoes three times she was able to go home.The fact that they ha d to have a â€Å"wizard† â€Å"fix† them and then at the end for Dorothy to lose her silver shoes showed that in the beginning, populism was strong but after the election of 1896, McKinley won, the issue of silver decreased. In conclusion, this story showed that the characters and events depicted in the text relate to American history. It showed problems with American society, economy, and politics. It therefore shows in some way that this is a political parable.