Saturday, August 31, 2019

Drinking Age

Kaitlyn Turner Fall 2010 CA 110 Mr. Foutz Introduction Attention-Getter: How many of you are 18? For those of you who are, 18 years old you are considered adults in nearly all aspects of the law, including voting rights and the ability to join the military, yet the United States still treats you as minors when it comes to drinking. Establishment of Credibility: According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 7,000 teenagers under the age of 16 have already had their first sip of alcohol. Teen alcohol) According to the Century Council 10 million teens from the ages 12-20 admit to consuming alcohol in the past 30 days. 2% of 12 year olds drink, 22% of 16 years olds drink, and 56% of 20 year olds drink, and these percentages are steadily increasing. (Underage drinking statistics) Thesis/ Purpose: During my speech today, I will talk about how alcohol is ever-present in today’s American society. I will also talk about how alcohol is present all around people under 21 who ar e not allowed to consume it, but in reality most people under 21 drink alcohol and abuse alcohol.Throughout this speech I will try to persuade you to believe that the United States should lower their drinking age to 18, and begin educating teens on consuming alcohol responsibly. Preview of Main Points: First, I will discuss the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries. Then, I will discuss the effects that the current legal drinking age has on America. Finally, I will talk about the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. ,, Body Main Idea 1: (Transition) Now, I am going to tell you about the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries.A. United States 1. According to Alcohol Problems and Solutions legal drinking age in the United States is 21. i. Alcohol Problems and Solutions states, â€Å"The minimum drinking age of 21 in the U. S. appears to be not only ineffective but actually counter-productive. Although it was passed wit h the best of intentions, it has had some of the worst of outcomes. † 2. Legal drinking ages in the United States are under control of the states, which means the states get to decide how old they want their residents to be before being able to consume alcohol. . National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 ii. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required that states prohibit persons under the age of 21 from purchasing or publicly possessing alcohol beverages as a condition of receiving State highway funds. B. In Other Countries a. According to Alcohol Problems and Solutions countries legal drinking ages vary from zero-21. i. Some countries with no drinking age Jamaica, Viet Nam, and Morocco. ii.Some countries with a 16 year old legal drinking age are Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, and Spain. iii. Some countries with an 18 year old legal drinking age are Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Ireland, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. (Transition): Now that I have told you about the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries, I will discuss the effects of the current drinking age. Main Idea 2: The United States legal drinking age of 21, has many negative effects on those who are under age. A.Alcohol is considered a, â€Å"Forbidden Fruit†. Alcohol is considered a forbidden fruit because prohibition increases the harm that it is supposed to reduce. a. Because the United States as such a high drinking age, teenagers are driven â€Å"underground† to drink alcohol. i. According to Parade. com Since teenagers are not allowed to drink openly in public, teens take their drinking to dorm rooms, isolated areas, or at unsupervised house parties. At these gatherings teens usually binge drink, because they are scared their party may be stopped. (Flynn) ii.Also according to Parade. com when teens come about a problem, such as someone drinking too much alco hol at these parties, or assaults, they are less likely to call for help because they are scared of getting in trouble. (Flynn) B. High Rates of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction b. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention binge drinking plays a huge part in Alcohol Abuse. Binge drinking is excessive drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to . 08 percent or above. iii. Men – 5 drinks in two hours. iv. Women – 4 drinks in two hours. v.About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks. Main Idea 3 (Transition): Now that I have told you some of the negative effects of underage drinking, I will tell you about the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. A. Potential Benefits of a Lower Drinking Age a. Young people will learn to drink alcohol more responsibly. i. According to the group Choose Responsibility, if the drinking age is lowered to 18, everyone will be requ ired to take an alcohol education class before they turn 18 to inform them on the dangers of alcohol. . Would lead to less alcohol abuse and addiction ii. Since alcohol would no longer be considered a forbidden fruit, teens could drink in more open environments such as social events and bars where their consumption could be monitored. iii. Some teens may also feel as if they have a more freedom; therefore, they would make more responsible decisions when it comes to consuming alcohol. Conclusion Signal the End: Today I have hopefully persuaded you to believe that the United States should lower their legal drinking age.Review of Main Points: I have told you about the United States and other countries legal drinking ages. What the current legal drinking age does to American teens. Also, the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. Closing: Now that I have told you reasons to lower the drinking age I hope you agree that by lowering the drinking age, the United States can begin to rai se more responsible drinkers, who will not be as prone to alcohol abuse or addiction as today’s Americans are.Works Cited â€Å"15 Reasons Why Drinking Age Should be 18. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Alcohol Policy Information System. â€Å"The National Minimum Drinking Age Policy of 1984. † Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Binge Drinking. † Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Choose Responsibility. † 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Flynn, Sean. â€Å"Should the Drinking Age be lowered? † Parade. 2007. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Ages around the World . † 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Teen Alcohol† 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Underage Drinking Statistics. † 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Costa Coffee Essay

The remote environment comprises factors that originate beyond and usually irrespective and out of Costa Coffee’s control. Economic factors Since Costa Coffee is a multinational business, top-level managers must consider the economic situations on both the National (Egypt) and International levels. Currencies exchange rate (Forex) affects Costa Coffee’s final products’ prices as well as operation costs. Costa Coffee imports high quality coffee beans from rainforest farms where it pays for in local currency, and sells as coffee in another country with its local country. Hence, when the Egyptian Pound depreciates, the cost of beans relatively increases; therefore, causing a fall in profit margin and vice versa. If depreciation is too much, then Costa might increase its selling prices. Moreover, interest rate is vital for a business considering expansion as Costa Coffee. As interest rates increase, Costa Coffee’s ability and willingness to expand or open new branches decreases; due to the high cost of capital. Furthermore, the stock market plays a significant role in encouraging investors to invest in Costa Coffee due to the increasing profits and the good reputation. Finally, high economic growth rate of a country leads people to increase their consumption of Costa Coffee’s products; since they have more income. Social Factors Egyptians’ culture and lifestyle has dramatically changed in the last 10 years. People are more willing to go to cafes for lunch, dinner or simply a snack. Considering the Egyptian demographics of lifestyle and age groups, most of the Egyptian population falls in the youth age group. Hence, Costa Coffee plays music and offers an atmosphere that is convenient for all ages with special attention to youth. Costa Coffee respects the religion of each nation in which it operates. To clarify, Costa Coffee neither sells alcoholic drinks nor pork-containing food. In addition, Costa Coffee’s menu is written in both English and Arabic languages. English is the most widely spoken language, and Egypt is known as a touristic attraction. Plus, Egyptians like to come across a menu written in their own language for simplicity and showing cultural respect. Also, many people nowadays are concerned with their health; Costa Coffee is providing low-calorie food, a variety of fresh salads, sandwiches, and fresh fruit juice. Political Factors Governmental rules and regulations could affect the firm’s suppliers and the price of the raw materials. Imposed taxes or tariffs on the imported coffee beans add to raw materials cost. Rules regarding social insurance add to labor costs. Political instability and strikes do affect labor and consumers of Costa Coffee. Technological Factors Advanced machines affect the firm’s performance and efficiency through producing tasty coffee as quick as possible. High quality and speed of service affects customer satisfaction and loyalty. Costa Coffee uses highly advanced brewers and coffee makers for the best coffee cup. Besides, the use of the Internet to facilitate transactions between Costa and its suppliers lowers transaction costs and decreases lead time. As a result, stakeholders are more satisfied with increased profits and lower costs. Ecological Factors Costa Coffee uses recyclable paper bags and paper cups. And, it tries to reduce its energy consumption as steps towards a greener environment. It also ensures adherence to responsible farming practices, so that natural habitats are protected thereby reducing deforestation and carbon emissions. Furthermore, Costa is working to deliver green (LEED) certification for new stores beginning later this year and is working closely with its suppliers to develop more environmentally friendly packaging. Industry Environment Operating Environment A firm’s operating environment is related to environmental factors that directly affect the firm and its success in obtaining necessary resources. Yet, they are still factors beyond its area of control. 1. Competitors Costa coffee in Egypt faces high direct competition where around almost every corner in the cities, a coffee shop exists. Therefore, product differentiation is a must, and persistent high-quality is the way to keeping customers. Whichever Costa Coffee shop you enter, you are greeted the same, indulge in the same taste and pay what you see in the menu. Menu prices are tax inclusive which is different than most of other coffee shops. Competitors include, but are not limited to, Starbucks Coffee, Cilantro and Beano’s cafe. Creditors Costa’s past payment records and working capital position are the main attributes affecting creditors decisions. Considering the Egyptian markets, banks are not rare to find. Costa might be dealing with several banks, and may be granted loans from several areas. Hence, creditors have little leverage; since interest rates are controlled by central bank of Egypt as well. Customers Costa coffee is a service firm. Therefore, its utmost goal is customer satisfaction and loyalty to yield profits. Constantly monitoring Egypt’s demographics is essential in keeping a convenient atmosphere. For instance, Costa must always recognise what the youth are listening to these days to be able to play the optimum collection of songs in its branches while abiding by the brand’s image. Accessibility of location and parking spaces are of the main issues regarded by people when deciding on their hang-outs. And, the customer buyer behaviour of whether they prefer more salads and sandwiches rather than desserts; affects how much of each should be available at Costa’s branches. Labor Costa’s reputation and image is kept through its workers. Costa has to respect labor rights especially now that people are more aware of the rights than ever before. Also, Costa has to be selective in its waiters and baristas to keep the brand’s image and reputation. As a result of Costa’s reputation, highly-qualified workers apply for jobs at Costa Coffee. Suppliers Supplier relationships are as important as customer relationships. A good supplier relationships decreases yield time and enhances firm’s productivity. In Costa’s case, supplier power is not high as Costa has multiple suppliers, with low switching costs. However, supplier relationships are well-attended to at Costa Coffee; as part of its social responsibility towards coffee-growing countries.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Freedom of Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Freedom of Speech - Essay Example Because freedom of speech carries such importance, it also carries the danger of being misused. People use speech to cause other people pain, and for their own personal gain. Media often takes their freedoms too far, impinging on the private lives of civilians. Despite these problems, speech must be protected. By look at the arguments made by Charles R. Lawrence in his essay "On Racist Speech" and by Susan Jacoby in "A First Amendment Junkie," the reader is clearly drawn to the conclusion that, while speech can be misused, all speech must continue to be protected, since any limitations could cause major implications for everyone. Yet should freedom of speech be censored Charles R. Lawrence, in his essay, explains "when racist speech takes the form of face-to face insults, catcalls, or other assaultive speech aimed at the individual or a small group of persons, it falls directly with the "fighting words" exception to the First Amendment protection" (Lawrence 1). Yet even angry words, words meant to provoke, have value, and are speech. What about words not meant to provoke, but do For example, people everyday in the United States are beaten or raped for being gay or lesbian and all they said was "I am gay." Those are not fighting words, but because they incite someone to violence, then are they not protected By excluding any words, all words are under danger of attack. Lawrence goes on to explain that the United States Supreme Court has described "fighting words" as that "by their very utterance to inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace" (Lawrence 1). Could not all words fall under t his category Injury to a person varies from person to person, and while words may be unkind, they are never cause for violence. It is when an exception is made saying that some words are so hurtful that a person must physically hurt another person to fix the wrong, that words become dangerous. All first amendment rights must be protected and upheld, no matter how hurtful the words can be, because if they are not, people will start to find "fighting words" everywhere and there will still be no peace. Susan Jacoby, author of "The First Amendment Junkie," is s strict interpreter of the First Amendment rights. She insists in her article that "You can't OD [overdose] on the First Amendment, because free speech is its own best antidote" (Jacoby 31). She suggests that all speech, regardless of the level of offensiveness it has, should be protected. Honestly, she is right. While one group may argue against the use of racist speech, another against sexist, and another still against pornography, they are both arguing for and against the First Amendment. They are using speech to demand the limitation of speech. Most importantly, they have opened a dialogue. Now people will think about what they are saying. If a good point is made, maybe there will be limitations. That has happened with sexist speech. People opened a dialogue, and changes were made. Now, nasty gender based jokes are not allowed in the workplace, to limit the negative environment. Is that limiting speech Yes, and no. Yes, b ecause a person can not be sexist at work, no because it is allowed in other places (e-mail, bars). Most importantly, they fought with words, not with violence. When people chose to use words instead of violence, they are being safe. They

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society Essay

Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society - Essay Example This essay "Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society" outlines the positive and negative effect of the gender role and accompanying expectations on the society. From man’s early childhood years, gender role expectations already dominate both genders. The pretty pink colors are for girls, and the â€Å"boyish† shade of blue are for boys. As they progress in their physical development, their toys are gradually differentiated from each other. According to the Pan Health Organization (PAHO), a regional office of the World Health Organization (p. 1), by age five, most children already know how to be boys and how to be girls. They know which toys to play with, which clothes to wear, which colors to choose, and whether or not they should cry or hit back (PAHO, p. 1). These gender roles and expectations assigned to children have serious implications on their future—most of them negative. Their access to food and education, participation in the workforc e, their relationships, as well as their physical and psychological health are all impacted by these gender expectations and stereotypes. In a study by the WHO (PAHO, p. 1), the agency points out that gender role expectations impact on people’s access to food. The study pointed out that in many countries, girls manifest with lower nutritional health and a decreased access to food as compared to their male counterparts (PAHO, p. 1). Such limited access for girls is highly detrimental to their health and their future development. Girls’ nutritional deficiencies also contribute to their vulnerabilities to childhood illnesses. Their vulnerability also exposes them to physical and sexual abuse (PAHO, p. 1). They also become vulnerable to decreased access to health services. Based on various reports, more often than not, girls’ health conditions turn worse before they are actually brought to the hospital or to a doctor for medical attention. In some developing nations, the mortality rate for girls are higher as compared to boys’ (Elsa). In terms of education, girls are often less likely to be sent to school. They are mostly kept at home to assist in the household chores and other duties. In effect, they are also learning from their mothers how to take care of the male family members – how to cook, mend clothes, clean house, do laundry, and other household duties (PAHO, p. 2). As a result, these girls would likely be stuck in the same pattern in which their mothers and other women befor e them have been stuck in – unable to have careers and other less domestic possibilities in their lives. In some areas like Africa where the HIV/AIDS afflicts a large number of the population, these girls are often

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Meno and Phaedo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Meno and Phaedo - Essay Example The following will present three succinct (and related) arguments which defend the position concerning the immortality of the soul. The arguments in question, are as follows (1) ‘argument from opposites’ [69e-72e], (2) argument from recollection [73-78b], and finally, (3) ‘the argument from affinity’ [84c-88b]. The focus of this analysis will be on the above three sections, however, both a consideration of some of the objections will follow, and finally, the final or summary refutation provided by Plato’s mouthpiece (Socrates). The first position in question, is the argument from opposites. This is an argument which is based on an inference which is an extension of observation. What we perceive around us, is a process in nature where opposites turn into each other. In this section in question, Plato observes the following opposites which typify this process of â€Å"becoming† [72B], namely, the opposites of ‘small/larger’ [70E]â₠¬Ëœfaster/slower’, ‘waking/sleeping’[71D], and ‘hot/cold’[71B]. As mentioned, these are processes whereby opposites turn into one another. There are, however, some problems with this argument. First, the very notion of ‘opposite’ is problematic. ... in Celsius) between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’, but they are not opposites in the contradictory sense of ‘life’ and ‘death’. In other words, ‘life’ and ‘death’ are binary opposites in the sense that a person is either ‘alive’, or they are ‘dead’. A difference in the sense presented by Plato with respect to ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ or conversely, ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ are not binary opposites – the admit of a middle ground, and moreover, they are united or related in some sense. They are related in the sense of being relative to another. While a tortoise is relatively slow when compared with a hare, a hare is slow when compared to the speed of light. Thus, is the ‘hare’ fast or slow? In normal logic, one cannot predicate real opposites of the same thing, this is the law of non-contradiction [Wagner 28] and this is actually that which brings into question some of what Plato is claiming concerning these opposites. This said, Plato is claiming that â€Å"all things come to be in this way, opposites from opposites† [71A]. Further, he infers that among â€Å"all† of these â€Å"things†, must also be the soul and the body. Thus, if everything turns into its opposite, then, the soul must turn into the body, and the body must turn into the soul. Phrased in terms of a syllogism, (1.) if it can be said â€Å"that to be dead is the opposite of being alive† [71D], and (2) â€Å"all things come to be in this way, opposites from opposites† [71A], then, (3) it can be inferred that the body and soul turn into each other. As has been noted, the form of this argument is an inference, and there are some problems, and second, his very notion of opposites includes ‘contraries’ and not just ‘contradictories’ – that is,

Monday, August 26, 2019

Assistant rotation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assistant rotation - Essay Example I was lucky to be able to help put them in place. Then, the most important aspect about the processor is listening in order to put down on the paper. Some children’s parent did not want their kids to have fluoride, and were to follow the parent’s request. These factors included: health risk, allergy, or other medical factors. All the children behaved extremely well in the entire process. I did not have any problem performing FL to them. Subsequently, I noticed by wearing the gown, mast, and loupe might worry them a little. Because I was cheerful in the process of treatment, the children were happy to cooperate with the FLvitamin. This was because we learned about the fluoride topic in the preventive class which helped me to know how to explain simple sentient to them in order for them to understand. For me, the most important experience of this exercise was teamwork. The doctors and the assistant updated the health history for any oral lesion or cavity. We went over the paperwork and applied the FL procedure. The coordinator made sure all the documents were accurate in each block and any waste unopened FL was to be reported. In addition, I was able to take the time to interact with kids and in the process the rotation was also a great improvement on my knowledge and clinical skills. In this regard, I do not have any negative aspects to add because we all had a great experience on this wonderful

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Reading Respond#3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading Respond#3 - Essay Example U.S, and of the armed forces of the numerous states, when given the actual service of America and commission all the service personnel of the United States (The Founders Constitution 1). The separation of war powers within the U.S Constitution does not appear so uncertain. While the President is given some exclusive authorities (Straub 1-2), the immensity of the authority to take the country to war depends on Congress (Kinkopf 2). According to U.S. Constitution, there is separation of powers of war. With Congress having the power to proclaim war, select and sustain the armed forces, and manage war funding (Article I, Section 8). At the time the Constitution was outlined (Kinkopf 2), the framers evaluated the singular willpower of the Executive against the Legislature’s consultative function, whose components would ultimately carry the cost of battle (The Founders Constitution 1). The ultimate responsibility for any military engagement is held by the congress. This is clear as it is supported by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has been fast to remind the people that, where overlaps in the authorities given by the Constitution prevail, reverence goes to Congress. This is a clear declaration of Supreme Court that when Congress, acting in the vast aspects of overlapping authority, tells the President no, the President ought to comply (Kinkopf 2). Straub, Steve. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Paper #69, On Command of the Army and Navy. On March 21, 2011. Accessed from

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Network - Essay Example So, we use repeaters and hubs (as shown in Figure 1). Repeaters buffer the input signal and send the amplified version of the same signal to only the output port. Hubs are basically broadcasters (multiport repeaters). The signal is repeated to all ports other than the input port. Ethernet is a shared medium, so, all nodes use the same medium for transmission of data. When two nodes send data at the same instant, the data collides and its validity and integrity is compromised. Data has to be sent again. Although Ethernet uses CSMA/CD (Tanenbaum 2003) for collision yet there are still delays. So, networks are designed to avoid collisions while ensuring efficient utilization of bandwidth, providing good network throughput. In Figure 1, in case two nodes broadcast at the same time, collision occurs. Hubs/repeaters also limit the number of nodes that can be supported (see Table 1 (Technick n.d.)). So networks cannot expand beyond a limit. As at a time, the entire bandwidth can be utilized by only one node, so the overall throughput is limited. For avoiding collisions, the network traffic needs to be isolated. So the big networks are divided into smaller segments. These segments are connected together through bridges and switches. Bridges and switches (bridges with enhancements) are transparent intelligent devices that facilitate growth of LANs with the same underlying functionality. They can connect a node or a full Ethernet segment (with its own set of switches, hubs and repeaters) of even different LAN technologies on each of their ports (see Figure 2). They map the MAC addresses of nodes to each port. For each incoming frame the bridge/switch checks the destination MAC address. If the destination MAC lies on another port, only then it forwards, else it filters the frame thus keeping it within the segment it came from. The collision domain is separated. If there is a collision in one segment, the effect

Friday, August 23, 2019

How The Blood Diamond War Has Affected International Trade & Business Term Paper

How The Blood Diamond War Has Affected International Trade & Business - Term Paper Example t intervention in 2003 by the international diamond producers under the auspices of the United Nations, created several unforeseen negative externalities for African countries that have become dependent upon revenues from diamond production to support their domestic programs. The paper concludes that the Kimberley Accord process has not been effective in preventing the production and distribution of blood diamonds. In fact, it has spawned an entirely new illicit diamond distribution network through countries such as Lebanon, Guinea and Venezuela. The author posits that the civil wars funded through the sale of blood diamonds will continue in Africa. Conflict between rival factions has been a part of the continent’s culture for centuries. First it was ivory that was sold on the black markets of Europe and North Africa. Then wars over the gold deposits in South Africa killed thousands of innocent people. Today, the culprit is blood diamonds. Unfortunately, the political and economic realities of the region dictate that the future will mirror the activities and events of the past. The name â€Å"blood diamonds† is derived from the fact that these diamonds are mined and sold by rebel armies, terrorist groups and local warlords to fund their purchase of weapons. These insurgent groups then use the weapons to attack government forces or individuals loyal to the government. Blood diamond revenues (also called conflict diamonds) have grown significantly since the early 1990s. Examples of conflicts funded through this revenue source include wars in Sierra Leone, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of Congo. The blood diamond trade and the human rights atrocities associated with it, received international attention through the 2006 film â€Å"Blood Diamond† starring Leonardo diCaprio. The movie created such a public outcry, that De Beers and The World Diamond Council were forced to respond with a public relations campaign that claimed that ninety-nine

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

History - Assignment Example The increase in the amount of coffee taken to the factories marked the economic resurgence of the United States. In the last years of the 18th century, there was an increase in the amount of cotton production. This was because of the acquisition of slaves from Africa and other economically poor countries in the world. The main reason as to why the United States carrying out their census is so that they can understand and have the ability to plan their future without the fear of having misconceptions on the issue. The compromise that assisted the country to deal with its debt problem was that it had immense national relations with other countries. The fact that its relations with other countries made sure that it received the necessary advice that it required on how to resolve its issues. It learned how to utilize its resources fully while using minimal of them and taking the least amount of time and money. Fallen timbers are stores packed with entertainment material located in the United States in the state of Ohio. The second revolution that terrified many of the United States citizens was the concept of recession. Recession was a factor that faced the United States at the beginning of the 19h century. The country faced a hard economic time during that period and it characterized by hiked prices of basic commodities. The hike in prices instilled a lot of fear in the citizens of the United States. Thomas Pickney became the vice president of the United States of America due to his increased popularity. He also had very strong economic points that gave him a competitive advantage. There was the increased popularity basing from his knowledge in the field of economics. With this background, people had strong backing for him and that was the reason he took the vice president’s position in the country. The XYZ affair refers to the diplomatic actions that took place between the United States and France. The episode involved the two nations making

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Measurement and Assessment in Teaching Essay Example for Free

Measurement and Assessment in Teaching Essay Once cargo has been packaged it must undergo standard checks at the inspection offices for goods entering or living the country through various shipping methods. The most acceptable measurement and inspection methods for the cargo are the sampling method. This method is preferred because it cares for both the quality of the products and total inspection cost. The method is generally timely, cost effective. The international standards of inspecting cargo universally agree on the use of sampling method to reduce the cost of inspection, if it were to be done on single entities. More so, there are set standards and levels of specifications on the maximum errors allowed for a product packaging, (Hunt, 1989). There are limited levels of defects and variation for the quality of product. A package should not exceed the maximum errors allowed. If the level is exceeded then the product or cargo is rendered unworthy and can not be delivered to the owners due to the defects that compromise the quality of the product. The cargo at this point is said to have failed the inspection as per the set code of standards; ISO 2859. inspection must follow the set standards regardless of whether the client request for specific tests or not. Clients are allowed to make specific test requests at will before the inspection begins, otherwise inspection will be done as stipulated. The set standards for international inspection must be adhered to by the test auditors and inspectors. Industrial standards that are legally accepted include NFK06-021/022, ANSI/ASQC Z1. 4-1993, ISO2859 (AQL Tables), DIN40. 080, ISO 14000, SA 8000, ANSI/ASQC Z1. 4/BS6001 and MIL-STD-105E/ ABC-STD 105. Each of these standards has its own specification for which industry products must have before they are packaged. The rule is that the standards must meet the social accountability and legal standards. When the commodities are found to contain any defect they may further be classified as critical, major, or minor depending on the level of contamination or the defect. Critical defect is hazardous for human consumption or it is bound to cause harm to the product’ consumer. This affects the functionality of the intended use of the product. When this kind of defect is detected it must be corrected. The product is not consumable under all circumstances and therefore it can not be shipped. It must be refined or discarded completely to avoid unsafe use of the product, (Dangerous Cargo Handling, 2008). On the other hand, major defects are those that may result in the interference of marketability of a product though not harmful in use. It may negatively affect the functionality of the product if uncorrected. Most clients may request for replacement if they are sold to these products. Minor defects entail the availability of foregone substances in the commodity such that they do not affect the functionality of the product negatively. It is expected that when this product is brought to the market it may satisfy majority needs. There are three different levels of inspection used in the international cargo inspection. They are the general inspection levels; general inspection level I, general inspection level II, general inspection level III. The most commonly used inspection level is the general inspection level II, which takes audit and quality tests on the product. There is a fourth category of inspection called the Special inspection level which is used for wider range of samples to eliminate more risks. It is used to test products that are suspected to be dangerous. General inspection level I is used for products that need less attention, it is for basic tests. General inspection level III is used for most discriminative requirements on the test samples. It uses engineering principles of testing the products’ quality. General inspection level III is time consuming and expensive though it can be used for elimination of large risk levels. 2) Interpreting the legal requirements in relation to the carriage of dangerous goods, present very different challenges for good assessment and evaluation The definition of dangerous cargo as stipulated by the international maritime law entails all substances or cargo that may harm the ship, the carriage, and other cargo that may be on board. Dangerous cargo handling required specialty and expertise to avoid hazardous events that may befall a carriage. There are examples of recent events of dangerous cargo harming the carriage. For instance, case involving major containership subject in which, â€Å"MSC Napoli† caused real destruction and pollution to the England’s South Coast. The carriage was beached on a natural beauty scene at the Coast yet on board was dangerous cargo worth million dollars. It had on board, 1700 tons hazardous cargo whose cost is over $ 100 million. All these went in to waste and caused more destruction to the environment, (Bergendorff, S. 1998). Poor containerization causes danger to many casualties. Massive explosions and fire outbursts are common with improper handling and outlawed procedures in dangerous cargo carriage. The international community has formulated laws and code of ethics regarding the international transportation system in which laws regarding handling of dangerous cargo have been clearly set out. This is aimed at minimizing or curbing poor handling and packaging of cargo at the terminals. This has in the past resulted in damages worth billions of money hence low economic growth and poor environmental conservation. The â€Å"International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, the IMDG Code,† is a formulation of codes of safety that must be adhered to by any personnel handling dangerous cargo within the international community, UAE, (IMDG, 2007). This law is designed in accordance to the UAE international convention of 1974 in which signatories were signed for â€Å"Safety of Life At Sea, SOLAS. † UAE maritime code has the provision for the carrier to destroy or remove any dangerous cargo if it deems necessary. For instance, if the cargo owner would decline ownership incase of misfortune or if there were no proper agreements for international transmanship ethics. This cargo may be destroyed without compensation. Dangerous cargo may include explosives or highly inflammable. This is according the Article 271. In addition, dangerous cargo that has been loaded with proper consultation from the carrier, and it becomes a threat to the carriage then it can be destroyed without blame on the carrier. More over, when goods which are not necessarily dangerous are packed in the carriage and are not properly declared on the bill of lading are discovered on board, they can be jettisoned to avoid damage or fines on the cargo on board. This is further aggravated by the condition of the goods; if the goods are legally prohibited for sale or export, they must be destroyed or offloaded from the cargo transit. According to the law, the shipper is held responsible for any irregularity on goods he delivers that are reflected in the bill of lading, (Government of Alberta, 2010). In other words, the shipper is responsible for giving the correct information on shipping particulars and will be answerable for any damage on the cargo on board or the carriage itself, unless he gives a timely notice on any kind of irregularity. The law requires a shipper to ship only those goods that they have a clear consent of their level of toxicity and nature for which the carrier is defined. Third party who may fall victim of damage caused dangerous cargo, according to UEA law of 1985, Article 282 the civil Code shall hold the shipper responsible. This enables the shipper to ensure that they cross check their cargo and ensure that they transport only the required cargo. The shipper must ensure he does not ship wrongly described goods, since any damage caused to the cargo shall be charged on him. The law has environmental law clause concerning the protection for environment. This is found within the federal laws of UEA of 1999, â€Å"Protection and development of the Environment. † According to this law, omissions or acts that threaten the environment are punishable by the law, (Ziegler A. 2009). Criminal laws are also applicable in the cases where shipment of dangerous cargo causes death or injury to persons. The owner must ensure that they are authorized by the law to transact with the dangerous goods. In other words, international law regarding dangerous cargo shipment must be adhered to, if at all persons are to be free from blame in case of danger resulting from the shipment. The principle objective and learning instructional task in both dangerous cargo handling and assessment is to ensure that personnel dealing with shipment of different good have the basic knowledge and practical application towards quality of services and safety of the sea. The training involves important aspects like navigation, maritime laws, meteorology, and weather forecasting, watch-standing; handling small boats and ship-handling, deck operations and equipment, line handling and rope-work, communication for sails within the port, towing operations, dangerous cargo handling, attention to emergencies, storage of cargo, fire fighting and sea and is survival skills. The learning guide for cargo handling is well designed with the objective of meeting market requirements of loading and unloading of cargo. It is practice oriented with good features of on-site training to ensure advanced training for in service training and those who intend to join the shipment crew, (Fox, N. 1997). Another objective is to train staff on high technologies of cargo assessment and test procedures with the aim promoting safety and security in cargo handling. There are different principles of assessment that must be adhered to when assessing cargo. First is the type of cargo to be shipped, the type of container or package required and legal documentation of the carriage. Environmental conservation principled should be taken in to account when assessing the cargo and its package quality. Also safety of both the ship or carrier and the people involved as well as security of other cargo on board. Material labeling should be done conspicuously. Each type of cargo has its specification for packaging and secure material to use while handling it. Assessment is based on the general specifications found on the consignment and legislation regarding packaging and delivery of cargo from different origins and destinations. For instance, legislative requirements set for different cargo offer restriction to certain volumes and weights below which or above which the consignment should not be signed for transit. More over, the uses of packing material which can be recycled have become a requirement for certain types of cargo. If this is not done then the consignment may not be delivered to its destination. In addition, environmentally friendly material is requiring for packaging. Assessment tests shall only allow transit of well packaged commodities and pallets that meet the quality to be delivered for certain specifications. Packaging could be done on disposable or reusable packages for environmental safety purposes, (Devusy, et. al 1998). For instance, reusable packages may include load carrier which include flat wooden pallets, skeleton container pallets, liquid containers and universal small load carrier. The disposable packaging could include disposable pallets, disposable protective packaging, disposable liquid containers, disposable packing aids, and cardboards that are disposable. It is also required that the package be easy to clean if reusable, and easy to dispose if disposable. This packaging must be done in accordance to the environmental law. In conclusion, cargo pallet assessment and test procedures followed International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code has defined the safety procedures for packaging and transportation of cargo. Dangerous cargo has its set laws and regulation regarding test and assessment of quality and nature of the product. The law requires those handling the cargo to be careful with every step of packaging, assessment, documentation, shipment and delivery, (Batemen, et. al. 2007). It is required that environmental conservation is taken in to account since there are penalties associated with hazardous cargo that affects the environment upon mishandling or improper assessment and packaging procedures. There are objective for training those handling cargo of different natures and characteristics. Cargo characteristics must be defined in terms of quality and any defects found on the cargo must also be categorized to ensure corrections before repackaging. Generally, cargo handling is secured under the international law. References Bergendorff ,S. (1998). The Sky Came Down: Social Movements and Personhood in Mekeo Society. Oceania. Vol. 69 Batemen, S. , Mathai, M. Joshua Ho. (2007). Shipping patterns in the Malacca and Singapore Straits: An Assessment of the Risks to Different Types of Vessel: Contemporary Southeast Asia. Vol. 29 Dangerous Cargo requirements, cargo, handling Dangerous Goods: retrieved in 2010: http://web2. gov. mb. ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/d012e. php Dangerous Cargo Handling: retrieved in 29 October, 2008. http://adriamare. net/Training/courses/dangerous-cargo-handling/ Dangerous Cargo guidance Principally, Evergreen observes the IMDG. Retrieved on 01 July 2007: http://evergreen-marine. com/tbn1/html/DCGuidance. pdf Devusy, D. , Campton, P. , Hens, L. Nath B. (1998). Environmental Management in Practice; Volume 1: Instruments for Environmental Management -Vol. 1. New York: Routledge. Fox, N. (1997). Spoiled: The Dangerous Truth about a Food Chain Gone Haywire. U. S. Basic Books. Government of Alberta Ministry of transport: Dangerous Goods. Retrieve in 1995-2010. http://www. transportation. alberta. ca/519. htm Hunt, G. J. F. (1989) A Behavioral Approach to Instructional Design: A programmed Text. Plamerston North: Dunmore Press. Ziegler A. (2009). The Liability of the Contracting Carrier. Texas International Law Journal. Vol. 44

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

The Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases Infectious diseases have always existed and have had a major impact on human development. It is widely believed that our immune systems and genetic makeup have evolved over many years under the selective pressure of potentially fatal diseases, such as malaria (Haldane 1948; Weatherall 1996). In addition, epidemics of infectious diseases have decimated entire communities, and have sometimes changed the course of history. Examples In Europe in the 14th Century, there were about 25 million deaths from bubonic plague out of a population of approximately 100 million. In 1520 the Aztecs lost about half of their population of 3.5 million from smallpox, introduced by the more immune invading Spaniards. This has been proposed as an important feature in the defeat of the Aztecs by the Spanish invaders. In 1919, after the First World War, the global epidemics of influenza killed an estimated 20 million people during one year more than died as a result of the war. During the 20th century, important advances in the prevention and control of many infectious diseases were achieved with the development of vaccines and antibiotic drugs. This has sometimes created the impression that infectious diseases are no longer a major threat to public health. However, this is far from being the case. The following is a quote from Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Director-General of the World Health Organization: Illness and death from infectious diseases can be, in most cases, avoided at an affordable cost. It is in everyones interest that these obstacles to development be removed. Because of drug resistance, increased travel and the emergence of new diseases, we may only have a limited time in which to make rapid progress. In the following, you will see some of the reasons why infectious diseases are still an important challenge to public health at the beginning of the 21st century. Mortality Infectious diseases are a leading cause of global mortality, causing more than 13 million deaths a year. They are still the main cause of death among children under 5 and the main single cause of premature death in persons under the age of 45. Morbidity Infectious diseases are also a major cause of global morbidity. They are responsible for a huge amount of disability and suffering in the world as measured in DALYs. DALY Disability Adjusted Life Years, a measure of disease burden. It includes years of life lost due to premature death, and years of healthy life lost due disability or illness. Recurring episodes of illness and long-term disability have a major economic impact on the developing countries most affected by infectious diseases. Role in chronic disease Infectious diseases are increasingly being implicated in the pathogenesis of many important diseases that were previously thought to have a non-infectious origin. Cervical cancer is now known to be associated with human papillomavirus infection. Cervical cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the most common cancer in women in many developing countries. In the past two decades, evidence has grown on the role of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, gastric cancer and gastric-mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Chronic infection with hepatitis B or C can cause primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is among the most common cancers in many parts of Africa and Asia. Potential for epidemic spread A specific feature of infectious diseases is their ability to be transmitted between individuals. This can result in the occurrence of large outbreaks. Between 1997-2000 there were more than 600 outbreaks of disease considered by the WHO to be of international importance. Outbreak The term used to describe a localised epidemic, e.g. in a village, town or city. The term large outbreak is increasingly being used instead of epidemic, as it is less emotive. With increasing urbanisation and international travel, the world is becoming a smaller place, and the routes for transmission of infection are increasing. Aeroplane journeys enable individuals to travel within the incubation period of most infectious diseases. This allows infections to spread to distant places within very short periods of time. An example of this is the annual global dispersal of meningococcal meningitis by pilgrims returning from the Haj Muslim religious festival (Saudi Arabia). Newly emerging diseases Over the past three decades, over 30 new infectious diseases and pathogens have been identified for the first time in humans. These include diseases with a very high case-fatality rate, such as new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD) and Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Some of these new infections are highly prevalent, for example Hepatitis C and rotavirus. Other infections, such as HIV, have rapidly spread around the world. New variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD) A new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was described in the United Kingdom in 1996. The agent is considered to be the same as that causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a disease that emerged in the 1980s and affected thousands of cattle in the United Kingdom and other, mainly European countries. Ebola The first outbreaks of Ebola haemorrhagic fever occurred in 1976 and the discovery of the virus was reported in 1977. Cases reported to WHO up to June 1997 indicated a case-fatality rate of over 70%. A major outbreak in Uganda in 2000 was thought to be associated with spread of the virus by soldiers moving across the country. Hepatitis C This virus was identified in 1989, and is now known to be the most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis worldwide. So far, up to 3% of the world population are estimated to be infected, among whom 170 million are chronic carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. Rotavirus First recognised in 1973, rotavirus is the most common cause of childhood diarrhoea worldwide. 20% of all diarrhoeal deaths and 5% of all deaths in under-5 year olds are due to rotavirus. HIV Although the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was recognised in 1981, the causal virus, HIV, was first isolated in 1983. It is estimated that, since the start of the epidemic, 30.6 million people worldwide have become HIV-infected and nearly 12 million have died from AIDS or AIDS-related diseases. Re-emerging diseases In addition to the emergence of new infectious diseases, many old diseases that had previously been under control are starting to appear in increased numbers or in previously unaffected populations. Resurgence of infectious diseases can occur because of any of the following reasons: changes in social or environmental conditions, failure to maintain immunisation programmes, increased drug resistance Drug resistance is currently an increasing problem for a number of diseases worldwide, and we are often in a race to develop new treatments faster than the pathogens can develop resistance. Example Since the mid-1980s there has been a major resurgence of diphtheria in several countries of Eastern Europe, which had previously been progressing towards elimination of the disease. In 1993, 15,211 diphtheria cases were reported in Russia and 2,987 cases in Ukraine. The main reason for the return of diphtheria in these countries was a decreased immunisation coverage due to an irregular supply of vaccines and large-scale population movements (Galazka et al 1995). Example Mortality and morbidity rates from tuberculosis (TB) in industrialised countries declined during most of the 20th century. However, from the mid-1980s onwards, many of these countries have seen an important increase in the incidence of TB. This is mainly due to a decline in TB control programmes, the increased incidence of multi-drug resistance TB and the effect of the HIV epidemic (Grange 1998). Potential for prevention and control The mechanisms involved in many infectious diseases are well understood, from the molecular aspects of the infectious agent to the demographic characteristics of host populations. This level of understanding has enabled potentially very effective prevention and control measures to be developed for some infectious diseases. With efficient intervention strategies and the advent of national public health agencies, elimination of specific infectious diseases has become feasible. In some cases, there has even been the possibility (or reality) of global eradication. Following the successful WHO programme for the global eradication of smallpox through vaccination, the last naturally acquired case of this disease occurred in October 1977 in Somalia. The countries of the Western Hemisphere have set a target for the elimination of measles by the end of the year 2005. Polio and guineaworm are now also on the verge of eradication, after intensive, globally co-ordinated programmes. Strategies to immunise millions of children on the same day have resulted in few countries now reporting cases due to wild poliovirus. Infectious disease epidemiology In epidemiology, we are interested in describing and explaining the distribution of diseases in populations. The distribution of an infectious disease depends on the transmission of the infectious agent within the host population. This is a dynamic process, which is influenced by characteristics of the specific infectious agent, characteristics of the host population and characteristics of the relationship between the infectious agent and the host.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Amul as a brand name

Amul as a brand name Company information Amul as a brand name is familiar to almost every individual in India, Amul is known for its quality products purity and hygiene. For over more than the past 50 years Amul has been serving the consumers of India with a variety of quality products. Amul follows a business model to provide products to customers which provides value for money to the consumer. Amul has enjoyed its status of market leader in products like butter, cheese and dry milk, by providing customers with quality products at competitive prices. It is one of the largest food products manufacturing organisation of India. It is a Dairy Cooperative of Gujarat, also known as The Gujarat Cooperative milk marketing federation Ltd. Gujarat as a state of India is a leader in organizing dairy cooperatives and its success is not only limited in India but acts as a model for rest of the World. Over the last fifty odd years, Dairy Cooperatives in Gujarat have created an economic network that connects more than 2.8 million village milk producers with million of consumers in India and abroad through a cooperative system. These cooperatives collect on an average 7.5 million litres of milk per day from the producers. Amul has brought a significant change in social and economic situation of our rural people. The Dairy Cooperatives have helped to bring an end to the exploitation of farmers and has increased the level of benefits to our rural producers of milk. The turnover of Amul during 2008-09 was Rs. 67.11 billion. Amul currently markets the products which are produced by the district milk unions in 30 dairy plants which work under the renowned brand name Amul. The total production capacity of these plants is 11.6 million litres per day, four of the dairy plants mentioned are having processing capacity of more than 1 million Litres per day. The Gujarat Cooperative milk marketing federation Ltd.(Amuls) Total Quality Management ensures that the quality of products meets its standards right from the starting place of milk producer through the value chain until it reaches the consumer thus Amul is trying to provide value to its customers which not only satisfies the customer needs but delights the customer. Amul cannot be considered as business enterprise which works primarily for the generation of profits. It is an institution created by the milk producers to primarily safeguard their economic and social interest. Business houses generate profits in order to distribute profit to shareholders in shape of dividend, whereas in case of Amul the surplus is ploughed back and distributed back to farmers through village societies. Amul has time and again came up with innovative advertising which has helped Amul to develop itself as a brand which appeals people with assurance of its quality. The creative advertisement of Amul has created a position of its products which is generating higher sales for Amul. For 30 odd years Amuls Utterly Butterly girl has managed to keep her fan following intact, the advertisements are now ready to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest running campaign ever. Business Mission As we take strides towards our future, we need a mission which create an objective for our organization so that we can direct our efforts in order to achieve organizational growth, this mission must be backed up by a set of action plans which may help us in achieving our objectives in a best possible manner Amul has prepared a comprehensive roadmap in order to guide that the dairy cooperatives of Gujarat to have a group turnover of Rs. 27000 crores by the year 2020. The company is planning on its expansion and through expansion the company will create fresh avenues for growth by catering to the rising demand for new products, this would include increasing the capacity for major product categories including milk powders, Ice-cream, paneer, cheese, curd, ghee and other dairy products. Milk drying capacity will also be enhanced. in order to to strengthen the presence of company in the large market, for liquid milk Special emphasis will be given to metropolitan cities.The company is plan ning to double its processing capacity of its plants to 20.7 million kg per day.The basic raw material of Amul products is milk and for increasing milk production nutritious feed should be provided to animals. For this very purpose the company is planning to expand its cattlefeed manufacturing capacity by 2020. Amuls achievement of its mission will not only be beneficial for the organization but it will be helpful for the development of economy as a whole. Marketing objective As a company the marketing objective of Amul is to provide quality products to the customers that satisfies their requirements. The company is manufacturing only those products which are not hazardous for the human consumption. In food items Amul is providing nutritious and good quality food to its customers at affordable prices, which is one of the main reason of its quality image in the mind of consumer. With the introduction of noodles to our product range we are providing a healthier product for our customers in shape of noodles with varied tastes and flavours. Regarding our sales objective we have set aggressive yet achievable objectives for the first, second and continuing years of the launch of our product . First year objective ( jan 2010 to dec 2010) We want to achieve sales for 40% of our existing capacity gaining at least 20% of market. It will be backed by strong advertisement and sales promotion as at least 20% of customers of the total market share may not be loyal towards a certain brand of noodles Second an continuing year objectives (JAN 2011 TO DEC 2011) We want to achieve at least 10% growth in sales on quarterly basis. Marketing plan Organizations use marketing plans for several purposes, which are connected with creation and retention of a customer. Several purposes for which marketing plans are used are : Finding out the market for the products. Tastes and preferences in terms of customer likings. Competitors their strengths and weaknesses. Outlining a plan for getting and retaining customers. Recognizing and predicting change. The main feature of a good marketing plan are: To know the customer. What he likes and what he doesnt like. What he expects out of a product. Know your competition, related products, strengths and weaknesses. Determining these factors can help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competitor, needs wants and desires of a customer and changes in the market. A marketing plan should be able to cover all of the above features so as to be successful in terms of achievement of objective In order to make a successful marketing plan it should follow the following steps Remember the four Ps of marketing. To obtain your goal, your plan should consider product, price, place and promotion. Describe your target market. This can be done in many ways including segmenting on the basis of: age, gender, career, income level or where customers live. Recognize your competition. This can be done through market research data, product demand, determining strengths and weaknesses of competitors. Define your product, and try describing it from a customers point of view. Successful marketers know or have some idea of what their customers want or expect from them, companies working on the needs of the customers and marketing products keeping in view customer values usually experience a rapid increase in sales. Make a marketing budget for your plan. This is one of the necessary step in market plan as companies become prepared for what they have to spend on advertisements as it includes money needed for advertising and promotions, materials and a list of media use, as a practical marketing plan needs money. Create a pricing strategy. A company should also develop a pricing strategy, by doing this, you can get a complete knowledge of how to price your product, whether it is in line with competitors price and how you can bring the prices in line. To be successful, you should have a well-planned strategy, establish your policies, and always check prices and operating costs in order to maximize profits. Make an efficient promotional strategy. An efficient promotional strategy can be helpful for the cause of the organization which can lead to increased sales like advertisements in magazines, TV, radio, etc. your strategy should use different outlets to advertise and continue using the ones that work in order to reap high benefits. Existing product range: Situation Analysis FMCG as an industry has had a vast development in terms of the type of products, increasing competition and increasing change in techonology. Due to the ever increasing customer requirements for the processed foods it has created tremendous increase in the production of processed foods. Products launched by Amul during the early 2000 were Amul Pizza, Cheese and Amul slice cheese, Amul ice-cream etc. Amul ice cream has now became the 2nd largest brand in the country and has taken major share in its existing markets in a short period of time. Amuls ice-cream manufacturing unit is located at Gandhinagar which is considered to be Asias largest and most modern integrated ice-cream manufacturing plant. Amul has became very popular due to its excellent and dynamic marketing strategies. Amuls marketing strategy is to understand the needs of the consumer and produce such products that provide superior value to the customer at a very low price. Amul has created an excellent distribution channe l to provide its products to the consumers who are living in the nooks and corners of the country, thus its products available in each part India. Amul is currently producing ready to serve soups like Masti Tomato Soup Masti Hot Sour Soup and is planning to launch noodles as this marketing plan is being prepared for the introduction of noodles into the market by Amul. Before diversification it is good for the firm to analyse competitors, and in order to analyse the competition in India it should compare its product with maggi, as it has been the most successful brand of noodles in India the company should also consider its strengths opportunities weaknesses opportunities and threats. Competitors As this marketing plan has been prepared for the launch of noodles by Amul, it is better to consider the competition the competition in this very segiment. In india the market leader for noodles is Maggi, Maggi has been familiar to every individual in India for more than 25 years. Maggi as a brand came up in 1983 , this brand has been able to create a market for itself as when it was launched it was a new product for Indians. Maggi made noodle a household product by generating its requirement in the masses in India. To lay an emphasis on its silver jubilee, Maggi is running an advertisement campaign Me Meri Maggi. The new campaign is designed to be interactive with the brand, inviting its consumers to share interesting stories Maggi which have a linking in their life. Maggi became a successful product because it understood the needs, wants and desires of the consumers. Maggi slowly attached itself to Indian consumers needs without disruption of his other food habits. Maggi took into consideration preferences of the consumes, as when consumers wanted healthy food, Maggi launched Atta Noodle. Maggi over these years have made lot of mistakes due to its experiments which it has been time and again trying to make with its products. Although there are other competitors for noodles in India like Top Ramen and Chings veg noodles but they are having a limited market share in the Indian market SWOT Analysis Strengths Increasing demand of existing products: A high demand is expected in milk and milk products in future due to the increasing income of the consumers as milk is considered as a necessary product, the demand will increase with the development of an economy, and the projections from various analysts state that India has good prospects to develop in the coming years, thus the sales of Amul are expected to increase over a period of time. Well established brand image: Amul has been able to maintain its value in the mind of consumers in such a way that it is considered as one of the most loyal brands, which will be one of the major strengths of Amul to generate sales for its newly launched related products if the company wishes to diversify in related product lines. High profit and low per unit Margins: Amul is earning a reasonable profit, even on packed liquid milk, it is enjoying the benefits of economies to scale. Whereas the margins per unit limit the entry of potential entrants as it may be a high risk situation for them to enter the market with a low percentage of profits. Flexibility of product lines: Amul has been adding a wide range of products to its product line and has had a high success rate in its diversification, therefore it is providing an option of producing other related products in its diversified product lines. Availability of raw material and labour supply: There is abundant supply of raw material for Amul products in India, besides there is availability of cheap and skilled labour force in India which can lead to high productivity with minimal costs. Amul has a professionally trained human resource pool that possess good experience and varied technical skills. Increasing purchase power and changing tastes of the consumers: The robust economic growth has pushed the disposable incomes of the consumers, 45 per cent of which are spent on food items. In addition to this population growth is also playing a major role in triggering the demand with baby food items showing the great potential to grow at a faster pace The growing urbanisation, nuclear families, increasing number of working women, etc., are slowly influencing the consumption habits and patterns, shifting the consumer preferences in favour of ready-to-eat preparations, thus in turn accelerating the demand for these products and expanding the scope of the industry. Increasing number of NRI-supported families and NRIs themselves visiting the country apart from the increasing number of foreigners residing in the country, are also responsible for changing composition of the consumption basket to some extent, in turn boosting up the demand of food processing companies like Amul. Weaknesses Perishable nature of its products: the products of Amul are perishable in nature and there is a proper requirement of cold storage, the company on its part is playing a vital role for maintaining the freshness of their products but they can get disturbed through the supply of milk from vendors and the sellers of their products in the market although Pasteurization has overcome this weakness partially. Amul Dairy is also taking steps to store milk at the vendors end to improve life of its products. Uncertainty of availability of adequate raw material: There is little control over yield of milk and its price, as a lot depends upon the monsoon in our country. This is due to the reason that quality of cattle feed that would be produced will not be having the required nutrition that can lead to the high productivity of milk. Logistics and insufficient means of transport for perishable food items: Bad roads and inadequate transportation facility make transport of milk a problem. All these factors lead to perishing of the procured milk which can create problems for Amul, but with the overall development of Indian economy, these issues would also get resolved. Lack of adequate Infrastructure: The infrastructure available is not up to the current standards non-availability of adequate infrastructural facilities, like cold chain systems, refrigerated transport and cabinets, etc. Besides there is use of technology in various global dairies which start from the collection of milk up to its distribution to the end consumer which is one of the weakness of Amul Opportunities Processing raw materials for adding value: There is a vast scope for processing milk and making a variety of products from the same. Amul can come up with a diversified range of products as there is the availability of all primary resources like raw material, labour, finances etc, also with a well established brand image, Amul can produce related products and reap the profits from the same. Globalization And increasing Export potential: Amul is exporting its various products to various countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and the Middle East. Opportunities for the export of agri-products are increasing in general and the increase in export of dairy products is also expected. Globalization has integrated the world market and has increased opportunities of various companies like Amul. Diversification into related products: Amul can diversify into related products which may be already in the market, it may take a large chunk of the market share from the existing producers due to its brand image, which can help in generating the sales for its newly launched products. Threats Milk vendors can degrade the quality of raw milk: Milk vendors can pose a threat to the company as they are only concerned with the profit they are going to earn from milk. The quality of the milk is found to be poor as compared to the international standards. Companies like Amul have now to check the milk properly before it is sold to the end consumer. Threat form the global companies: Due to globalization a large number of multinational companies may get attracted towards manufacturing their products in India due to abundant availability of raw materials and cheap labour force, which may increase the competition for Amul. It may create shortage of milk in our country and can adversely affect the companies like Amul and the increase in the price due to shortage of milk may effect the end consumer. Use of technology by foreign companies and quality consciousness of foreign consumer: of Foreign companies are having improved technology like the collection of milk from cattle can be done with the help of machines this leads to efficiency in terms of less wastage of time and, further it is automatically disposed to various channels for processing or packaging of milk, ultimately this helps in higher productivity involving less variable costs of labour and ultimately low cost of production. However this type if system is not yet prevailing in India. Many European customers emphasize on the collection of milk through machines due to their quality consciousness. Because of these reasons they are reducing the market potential of Indian milk products. The study of this SWOT analysis displays that the strengths and opportunities of Amul outweigh its weaknesses and threats. Amul has a big market share in India where as in European nations it can create its market demand by making the products which satisfy their standards. Thus any investment idea can generate profits for you if a company is having three essential ingredients of: The ability to take risks as an entrepreneur. An innovative approach in product lines and marketing. Maintenance of quality and considering ethics and society. Target market identification and strategy In a market different consumers have varying needs and wants, every person may not like the same food due to their varying tastes and preferences, therefore marketers start dividing the markets into various segments. They identify the features of various consumers who may require the same products and services by checking their utility for the product, like if a marketers starts marketing of newspaper to illiterate, cigarette to non smokers etc, the sellers products will not satisfy any need of consumer and hence the consumer will not purchase the product. Thus a marketer should properly segment the market on the basis of needs and requirements of the consumer in order to determine his target market. In case of noodles we will segment the markets on the basis of age which would determine the target market for our company. We have further fragmented our target market on the basis of tastes of people, some of the prospective customers may like sweet dishes where as some among the people in our target market may like salty dishes whereas there are others who prefer classic noodles with masala. Therefore in order to cater to all the fragmented markets we are coming up with products for all of them in order to have maximum share of the market. In India potential consumers who consume noodles are the people who are of the age group of 3-20 years, and we would target the consumers from the same segment by framing our promotions and advertisement campaigns to attract people from the market segment based on the mentioned age group, by doing this we would be able to focus on the large chunk of people who consume noodles in large quantities and can be our prospective customers. This can onl y be achieved by creating awareness about the product through promotions and advertisements which composes the marketing mix of our company. Marketing mix Product We are manufactured 100% vegetarian noodles in order to target the wide market in India as a lot of people in India have only veg. food we have further prepared a lot of flavours of our noodles in order to give variety to customer. We have further fragmented our target market on the basis of tastes of people, some of the prospective customers may like sweet dishes where as some among the people in our target market may like salty dishes whereas there are others who prefer classic noodles with masala. Therefore in order to cater to all the fragmented markets we are coming up with products for all of them in order to have maximum share of the market. Our product is easy to cook and is at a price which is providing consumer surplus to our customers, thereby we provide value for the worth spent by our customer. If u are not able to cook anything and you are alone, our product can be prepared as they are easy to cook and takes just 2 minutes. The features which differentiate our products from that of our competitors are: Quality raw materials used It tastes great and is good for health Value for money Easy to cook Ready in 2 minutes Add anything you want (make your own recipe) 100% vegetarian Family packs at low prices Product launch information There are three variants in our product: sweet, salty and classic Out of the variants sweet and classic would be introduced in Market in the first stage, that is in the first year or on introduction,. Salty would be introduced during the following year Brand name of our product Branding is all about creating differences between products by letting the consumer differentiate the similar products himself. In order to make a branding strategy successful and to create a brand value, consumers must be convinced there are meaningful differences among brands in the product or service category. The name of our noodles have been set in order to give the buyer a clear idea of the manufacturer, as we are having a good reputation in the market, our newly introduced products that are having a similar name of that of the company may generate huge sales in the initial stage of its launch. We have given brand name of our noodles as Amul classic noodles, Amul sweet noodles and after one year of our successful launch of our product we are going to launch Amul salty noodles, thus the branding strategy which would be used gives corporate name combined with individual product name of the company. Place/ Distribution: Amul noodles will be set out for sale in India for the first year of its launch. During the first year of its launch we will plan for the various nations where the availability of our product will generate some demand by considering the values and needs in those countries. Further we are planning to launch our noodles in Asian nations in the second or third year of the launch of our product which will be determined by the market demand of our product in India. Regarding the distribution channel of our product we already have an existing distribution channel where we sell our products to a distributor and then he further sells the products to a whole seller and then to retailer we have specified the margins separately for each of them, our existing channel of distribution is well established and cover almost all the parts of India. Therefore we would consider our existing distribution channel for our noodles so as to make our product available in the market in a very short period of time. We can see from figure that Amuls distribution channel is simple and clear. The products move through three parties before it reaches to the final consumer. First of all the products are stored at the Agents or distributors and who are mere facilitators in the network. Then the products are sold to wholesale dealers, then they sell the same to retailers and then the product finally reaches the consumers. Distribution Channel Promotion Objectives of Promotion Strategies Before determining the promotion strategies, we need to be very clear about what are the objectives we need to achieve through promotion. Therefore we would first determine the objective behind the promotion of our product, this helps in devising a promotional strategy which is in line with its objectives. The main objective for the promotion of our product is to generate sales, though the objective of promotion is also to some extent determined by our target market, therefore we would devise promotional campaigns that have an impact on the target market. Then we identify the channels for promotion which include various media for advertisement. Which include: Online Advertisement Television Advertisement Radio Advertisement Newspaper Advertisement Pamphlets Sign boards Posters catalogues Marketing Campaigns Price According to economic theories the price of a product determines its demand in the market, thus a firm should be able to visualise its demand for a product before setting its price so as to set a price where it is at least able to reach its break-even point. The different prices for our variants in noodles are set, although they have the same manufacturing costs involved. We have set a price for our classic noodles equivalent to the price of noodles of current market leader in noodles i-e Maggi. We have set such a price to take a share in market of those customers who are loyal towards our brand Amul, and the pricing strategy in the future years will be determined by our relative share in the market. Whereas for our Amul sweet noodles, we have set a high price in the initial stage as there is no availability of sweet noodles in the market and our product will be the first of its kind, so the people will be ready to pay higher price, consequently this can induce competition in the market, therefore we will have to revise the pricing strategy of our sweet noodles accordingly. Determination of price The Cost price is estimated at Rs 5 per 100gm per packet which includes cost of raw material, labour, duties excise , sales tax, transportation costs and cost of packaging and other indirect expenses including advertisements. The retail selling price (Mrp.) for the same will be set at Rs 9 for our classic noodles .The product will be sold to distributor at Rs 6 who will, after having the margin of 80 Paise sell it to whole seller at Rs 6.80. the whole seller will inturn sell the same to retailer at 7.50, and at last it can be purchased by the end consumer from retailer at Rs 9. Whereas our sweet noodles will have Mrp. of Rs 15 per packet, This product will be sold to distributor at Rs10 who will, after having his margin sell it to the whole seller at Rs 11.20, the whole seller will in turn sell the same to retailer at 13, and at last it can be purchased by the end consumer from retailer at Rs 15. Implementation, evaluation and control Bibliography http://www.mydigitalfc.com/companies/capital-foods-launch-ready-cook-meals-384 http://finance.indiainfo.com/2009/04/07/0904071821_nestle_to_add_maggi_variants.html www.amul.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amul http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_plan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi_noodles http://blogs.siliconindia.com/atuldeshpande/Celebrating_25_Years_of_Presense_Maggi_Noodles-bid-V9YZX6We51613711.html http://www.scribd.com/doc/6519321/Maggi-2-minute-noodle

Monday, August 19, 2019

Pudd?nhead Wilson Essay -- essays research papers

A Character Analysis of Tom Driscoll   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain, the story of two boys, who were switched at early childhood, is told. One of these boys, Tom Driscoll, displays many characteristics in the novel. Tom shows how he is rude and a liar, but he also exhibits his ability to change his ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From his childhood to his later years, it was evident that Tom Driscoll was a rude character. For example, during his childhood, Tom and Chambers (the boy with whom Tom was switched with and who was also Tom’s slave) always went an â€Å"played† together. On such instance was when they went swimming with Tom’s friends and were diving off of canoes. Chambers was an excellent diver, however, Tom could not dive for it gave him splitting headaches. And for this reason (Chambers could do something that Tom could not do), Tom pushed the canoe under Chambers as he was in a mid-air dive. The result was that Chambers was unconscious and Tom’s spirit was gratified. Later on, when they were about fifteen, the boys were swimming in the river as usual, Tom fell ill to a cramp in the water and Chambers saved his life. Instead of being grateful to Chambers and thanking him, Tom said that â€Å"anybody but a blockheaded nigger would have known he was funning and left him [Tom] alone† (23). Furthermore, after Tom had gone to college (Yale) and returned back to Dawson’s Landing, he still carried this trait. This was evident when he was h...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Oppression in Jane Campion’s The Piano Essay -- Jane Campion The Piano

Oppression in Jane Campion’s â€Å"The Piano† Jane Campion’s â€Å"The Piano† relates the story of a Scottish woman who is sent to New Zealand, during the Victorian Era, for an arranged marriage with a farmer. Ada voluntarily gave up speaking at the age of 6 and communicates by either signing for her daughter, writing on a small paper tablet around her neck, or, more joyously, through playing her piano. After a long and arduous journey with the piano, Ada is forced to leave it on the beach where her boat landed. Left without her musical passion, Ada must learn to adapt in very male world. A native white man who has adopted the culture of the Maori Indians named Baines quickly discovers what the abandoned piano means to Ada. Baines secures the piano by trading 80 acres of land to the farmer and husband of Ada, Stewart. After getting the piano back to his home, he employs Ada to give him lessons, but really wants to have sex with her in exchange for the piano. Her passion for the music allows for this and an affair is born. The affair is discovered by Stewart and he goes irate eventually cutting off Ada’s forefinger in a backwards attempt to win her love. When he realizes the futility of winning her love, Stewart sends her off with Baines. On the boat to a new home and life, Ada insists of getting rid of the piano and almost commits suicide as the piano sinks to the bottom of the ocean. This movie is beautiful to watch, yet difficult. It is raw, yet the cinematography is breath...

Essay on Contrasting Settings in Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles

Contrasting Settings in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles The setting or settings in a novel are often an important element in the work. Many novels use contrasting places such as cities or towns, to represent opposing forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. In Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, the contrasting settings of Talbothays Dairy and Flintcomb-Ash represent the opposing forces of good and evil in Tess' life. A significant portion of the novel taks place at Talbothays Dairy, which represents the force of good in Tess' life. At Talbothays, the air is "clear, bracing, and ethereal"; the river flows like the " pure River of Life" and the air "set up [Tess'] spirits wonderfully." The author describes the valley as a kind of paradise, with clean, fresh air and a flowing river. Upon entering the region, Tess reaches an emotional high encouraged by the beautiful atmosphere. At Talbothays, the milkers form "a little battalion of men and women," often "singing songs to entice the cows...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Global Issues: Obesity, Inactivity, and Water-Crisis

Health is a precious gift that needs to be cherished. Unfortunately, there are three global issues that are destroying people’s health and killing them. These health concerns include inactivity, obesity and lack of safe drinking water. The positive side of these issues is the fact that they are all preventable through making the right decisions and taking action. Due to higher trends of sedentary lifestyles, inactivity has become one of the critical current global issues. Inactivity is defined as a failure to meet the daily minimum physical requirement of moderate exercise.According to New York Times, worldwide, 31. 1% of adults are inactive, from which 43. 4% of North America, 34. 8% of Europe, 30% of Russia, 30% of the Middle East, and 27% African. Based on these percentages, it is reasonable to assume that the wealthy the region is, the more inactive it is likely to be. Sedentary lifestyles have recently been linked to many health issues such as heart disease, Type 2 diabet es, colon cancer and breast cancer. As stated in the New York Times, globally, around 5. 3 million people die from health issues that are related to physical inactivity; however comparatively, 5. million people die due to health concerns that are related to smoking. It is unfortunate that people do not understand the magnitude of the importance of physical activity due to the fact that inactivity is as deadly as smoking cigarettes. In the United States, inactivity level is the highest in the world, which makes it an undeniable concern. The average American lifestyle consists of driving to work, sitting at a desk all day, then sitting in front of a computer or a TV screen until falling asleep. The common trend of this routine is a lot of sitting and very little exercise.Although, the good news is that health issues correlated with inactivity can be easily prevented by meeting the minimum exercise requirement, which is a twenty-minute walk per day. Additionally, as for worldwide preve ntion, governmental intervention may be necessary. Some examples are to build more parks, promote the importance of exercise, and set up financial incentives. Obesity is another growing global concern, which is defined as an â€Å"abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health,† which is caused by an â€Å"energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. According to the World Health Organization, as of 2008, there are 1. 4 billion adults that are overweight, of which 200 million men and 300 million women were obese. Obesity is the fifth leading risk for deaths around the world; around 2. 8 million adults each year die due to health issues concerning being overweight or obese. Some medical conditions are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and several types of cancers. Globally, obesity has been a growing concern, due to consumption of high calorie processed foods. In addition, an increased level of inactivity adds to the growing number of obese people.The bright side of obesity is that it is very easily preventable. On an individual level, obesity can be prevented by limited intake of highly calorie processed foods, increased intake of fresh produce such as vegetables and fruit, and regular exercise. The United States, also known as the fattest country in the world, has been battling with the growing issue of obesity. The fast pace and busy lifestyle does not help this fast food loving society. American’s love for McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, and other fast food joints is not helping the battle with the expanding waistlines.In response to this concern, there have been several preventable initiates, such as Michelle Obama’s â€Å"Let’s Move† campaign that aims to teach kids the importance of eating healthy and exercising regularly. Overall, obesity is a fast growing concern but it can be prevented by the correct actions, knowledge and initiatives. Furthermore, the lack of safe drinking water is another critical global concern. According to WHO, unsafe drinking water causes diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, lymphatic filariasis, and trachoma.The availability of safe drinking water is the essential to staying healthy. The human body is made up of mostly water; thus, to stay healthy, we require clean water just as much as we need proper nutrients from food. The developing areas of the world have the lowest availability of safe cleaning water due to insuffient governmental capital funds. However, clean water concern is not limited to only really poor areas such as Africa and Southeast Asia. Eastern European countries are also suffering from the problem of not having clean drinking water.From my own experience of living in Kiev, Ukraine, the water that comes out of the faucet is pigmented yellow and is not recommended for drinking. There, most people opt for drinking only bottled water. The good news about the issue of unsafe drinking water is the fact that according to the WHO, â€Å"89% of the world’s population had some form of improved water supply. † In order to continue improving the world’s water supply, local governments need to invest in necessary precautions to make the drinking water safe, such as distributing water filters, water bottles, and building protected dug wells.Overall, the three current issues that are affecting global health are inactivity, obesity and lack of safe drinking water. A person cannot be healthy if they sit around all day, consuming more calories than their body knows what to do with and drink contaminated, dirty water. Physical activity, healthy eating patterns and clean water are essential to our everyday health; thus, actions need to be taken at the individual and governmental level in order to save and prolong human lives on this planet. Works Cited â€Å"How does safe water impact global health? † WHO. 9 Sept. 2012 . â€Å"Obesity and overweight. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 . â€Å"The C ouch Potato Goes Global. † Well. 19 Sept. 2012 . â€Å"Water-related diseases. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 . â€Å"Water, sanitation and hygiene. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 .

Friday, August 16, 2019

Us history

We take nothing by conquest, Thank god. Zinn uses this statement to present how atrocious the conquest really was since there was a conquest. America wanted to hide it's evil ways behind the facade of saying that America acquire land always through peaceful purchases. The war was very unpopular to many.Polk said that the war was to gain California and also said that Mexicans invaded first. On this chapter Zinn focuses on the Mexican American war and how it really was a conquest caused by Polk. In 1821, Mexico won it's independence in a revolutionary war against Spain. Mexico was a large country which included Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and part of Colorado. In 183 Texas broke of from Mexico and declared itself † The lone star republic† and in 1845 the U. S Congress brought it into the union as a state.Later in spring of 1846, all that was needed was a military incident to begin the war Polk wanted. It happened after General Taylor's quartermaster, Colonel Cr oss isappeared. His body was found eleven days later. It was assumed that the Mexicans had killed him. A lot of the Anti-Slavery congressmen voted against all war measures. Seeing the mexican campaign as a means of extending the southern. Slave territory Joshua Giddings explains his vote against supplying men and arms for the war.To Howard Zinn looks like Polk was the only one that wanted California to be part of his nation. The war barely begun in the summer of 1846, when a writer who lived in Washington refused to pay his Massachusetts poll tax. Denouncing the mexican war. He was put into Jail and spent the night there. Zinn argues that the president Polk pushed for the war because he wanted to expand. He wanted to go as southwest as possible. He thought the United States needed to be larger. Polk wanted California for America before anyone else could get it.It was not right for him to move his troops into an area that was already claimed by Mexicans. The war was not popular and t he soldiers wanted to go home. Like Zinn said † I don't think it was right to Just take land from Mexico Just because the president wants it. I think thats ot fair. Polk's leadership as president ofa nation that was quickly expanding not care for the mexican people already living there. Zinn gives a quote from the diary of Colonel Ethan Allen Hitchcock, who opposed measures taken by General Taylor to annex Texas.Hitchcock explains, â€Å"He seems to have lost all respect for Mexican rights and is willing to be an instrument of Mr. Polk for pushing our boundary as far west as possible,† (A people's history of the United States page 150). The feelings for this burst of expansion were varied; some believed it unnecessary to ifferent degrees and opposed or refuse to go into war with Mexico Just to take their land , while others strongly favored the extra land.In fact, a new attitude was developed during this time, the one of â€Å"manifest destiny'Americans technically wen t into conquest because Cross was found dead eleven days after he disappeared and Mexicans were responsible for it. They didn't know who killed it so they actually went into conquest because Polk was already planning on taking California from Mexico. Americans assumed the war begin by the mexicans after killing Cross. No one wanted to go to war with anyone. The American people were not excited or impatient for this.In conclusion a part of me was shocked while another part of me knew that these actions were not uncommon. While it is hard for me to determine what the United States' goal is right now (perhaps stability) it's easy to see what kind of mindset these powerful leaders back then had. It was all about the idea that Americans were entitled to the land they set their eyes on. knowing that the united states of America used to be so grossly land-obsessed. Then again, who knows what our country is obsessed with today; it could be land once again. Us history We take nothing by conquest, Thank god. Zinn uses this statement to present how atrocious the conquest really was since there was a conquest. America wanted to hide it's evil ways behind the facade of saying that America acquire land always through peaceful purchases. The war was very unpopular to many.Polk said that the war was to gain California and also said that Mexicans invaded first. On this chapter Zinn focuses on the Mexican American war and how it really was a conquest caused by Polk. In 1821, Mexico won it's independence in a revolutionary war against Spain. Mexico was a large country which included Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and part of Colorado. In 183 Texas broke of from Mexico and declared itself † The lone star republic† and in 1845 the U. S Congress brought it into the union as a state.Later in spring of 1846, all that was needed was a military incident to begin the war Polk wanted. It happened after General Taylor's quartermaster, Colonel Cr oss isappeared. His body was found eleven days later. It was assumed that the Mexicans had killed him. A lot of the Anti-Slavery congressmen voted against all war measures. Seeing the mexican campaign as a means of extending the southern. Slave territory Joshua Giddings explains his vote against supplying men and arms for the war.To Howard Zinn looks like Polk was the only one that wanted California to be part of his nation. The war barely begun in the summer of 1846, when a writer who lived in Washington refused to pay his Massachusetts poll tax. Denouncing the mexican war. He was put into Jail and spent the night there. Zinn argues that the president Polk pushed for the war because he wanted to expand. He wanted to go as southwest as possible. He thought the United States needed to be larger. Polk wanted California for America before anyone else could get it.It was not right for him to move his troops into an area that was already claimed by Mexicans. The war was not popular and t he soldiers wanted to go home. Like Zinn said † I don't think it was right to Just take land from Mexico Just because the president wants it. I think thats ot fair. Polk's leadership as president ofa nation that was quickly expanding not care for the mexican people already living there. Zinn gives a quote from the diary of Colonel Ethan Allen Hitchcock, who opposed measures taken by General Taylor to annex Texas.Hitchcock explains, â€Å"He seems to have lost all respect for Mexican rights and is willing to be an instrument of Mr. Polk for pushing our boundary as far west as possible,† (A people's history of the United States page 150). The feelings for this burst of expansion were varied; some believed it unnecessary to ifferent degrees and opposed or refuse to go into war with Mexico Just to take their land , while others strongly favored the extra land.In fact, a new attitude was developed during this time, the one of â€Å"manifest destiny'Americans technically wen t into conquest because Cross was found dead eleven days after he disappeared and Mexicans were responsible for it. They didn't know who killed it so they actually went into conquest because Polk was already planning on taking California from Mexico. Americans assumed the war begin by the mexicans after killing Cross. No one wanted to go to war with anyone. The American people were not excited or impatient for this.In conclusion a part of me was shocked while another part of me knew that these actions were not uncommon. While it is hard for me to determine what the United States' goal is right now (perhaps stability) it's easy to see what kind of mindset these powerful leaders back then had. It was all about the idea that Americans were entitled to the land they set their eyes on. knowing that the united states of America used to be so grossly land-obsessed. Then again, who knows what our country is obsessed with today; it could be land once again.