Civil rights in philosophy

Civil rights in philosophy essay 10 BY BillBBowers Fighting For Rights and Justice: Civil Disobedience Summary With Mill's argument for a limited or possibility for no government and then Hobbe's view that society and men where selfish and needed a sovereign offer to get along, brings us to the work of Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau is famous for his isolation of society and his work Walden, he seen this approach of no government and see's selfish man kind to, so his is an mixed theory.Thoreau knew that living in ociety was important, but didn't think that the government should have such a say into ones personal life. Thoreau writes, â€Å"Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the last degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? † He thought that the Just laws and government should be more important, similar to the same concepts ofa later famous philosopher, Martin Luther King. King took this same thought process when he protested a nd fought for rights and Justice in a civil disobedience way ObjectionsMill's argument for a limited government does't seem that intelligible or reliable to me; I personally don't think that would work at all. I would agree more with Hobbes's view that men are selfish and need some kind of sovereignty for an overall peaceful environment. However, a someone mix between the two like Thoreau tried to do would be beneficial, but I don't see mankind willing to change and accepts new ways of government, especially not one so extreme. It's a good concept, but like most say, â€Å"you can't teach a old dog new tricks!Definition Philosophy is a such a broad and complex field that its offended hard to give a basic, simple definition. In a quick course, we've learned that Philosophy deals with subjects like religion, knowledge, reality, self, mind, body, freedom, ethics, and Justice. Each subject builds on top of the other, from religion we get our beliefs about how we got here and why. Which moves to our knowledge of why we learn, our brains and the way we learn over processes. Then we go into our reality in which we touch ack on knowledge and religion of what we really know and can prove, and why we are here.This moves back into a broad subject of the self, like who we really are why we think and learn different and our mind-body controversies. Fromm there we learn that our freedom is important and move into modern philosophy problems like ethics and, recently read, Justice. These are modern problems of how we rule, whats affective, whats not, how people want to be treated and ruled. These are important to philosophy as a while because we cant really say what the right answer is.

Modern Family Essay

Modern Family is a documentary-style comedy about three branches of the extended Pritchett family: Dad Jay has married a younger woman and is now raising a teenage stepson; his daughter Claire has a husband and three kids of her own; and his gay son Mitchell has just adopted a Vietnamese baby with his partner. Modern Family premiered on ABC in September 2009 as part of the network’s new Wednesday comedy lineup, and was immediately met with positive reviews and strong ratings, becoming the breakout show of the night. Modern Family was created and is executive-produced by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, who worked together as writers and producers on Frasier, and co-created the short-lived sitcom Back to You; Levitan was also the creator of Just Shoot Me. This investigation will highlight the key aspects which has made Modern Family a very likable program over the last few years. the way in how the show appeals to viewers will be discussed as well as the values and attitudes of society are re? ected through the main characters. I Will also indicate some of the controls and constraints that Modern Family has to deal with in order to make their show successful and appropriate. Also featured will be the discussion of some of the obvious stereotypes which the show portrays and the impact of Modern Family on Todays society. But to be able to understand all these aspects, you will need to familiarise yourself with the main characters ? rst. Characters Jay Pritchett: The father of Claire and Mitchell, husband of Gloria, grandfather of Lily, Luke, Alex, and Haley, and the stepfather of Manny. He is the owner of a construction ? rm and is presumably the wealthiest family member. Jay has a dry and sarcastic sense of humor. Like both his son and daughter, Jay is generally more realistic, mild mannered, and sensible than his partner, Gloria, who is unashamed of the fact Jay is many years her senior. A recurring plot involves Jay’s relationship with his son Mitchell, which became more complicated due to Jay’s reaction to Mitchell’s sexual orientation. Gloria Pritchett: Jay’s wife and Manny’s mother. She is from a small village in Columbia. She is a very loving wife and mother despite the age difference between her and her husband. Her voluptuous ? gure and overall beauty is often remarked or noticed by other characters on the show. One of her most distinctive traits is her very thick Colombian accent, which sometimes leads her to mispronounce English words, such as â€Å"ultimatum† as â€Å"old-tomato† and â€Å"earrings† as â€Å"hair-rings†. She often supports Manny when Jay tries to tell him to be less sensitive or hide his cultural background. Manny Delgado: Gloria’s 14-year-old son from her ? rst marriage. He is very outgoing and not the least bit self-conscious. He is very intelligent, mature and intuitive for his age and is often shown doing adult-like things, such as having conversations with Claire about her marriage and kids, and drinking coffee. He has inherited his mother’s passion for life, though Gloria has also said, â€Å"Manny is passionate, just like his father. † This causes Manny to be very romantic. Manny is not afraid to take chances, leading him to ask out older girls, and develop a crush on Haley. Phil Dunphy: Claire’s husband of 20 years who sees himself as the â€Å"cool dad. He dotes on his wife Claire and constantly tries to ? nd ways to bond with his three kids. He is seen as very competitive, one example being his nature of always beating his son at basketball. He has a very juvenile attitude, and is referred to by Claire as the â€Å"kid [she’s] married to. † He uses a parenting method that he calls â€Å"peerenting†, which is a combination of talking like a peer but acting like a parent. He is a real estate agent who is very con? dent in his work, once saying â€Å"I could sell a fur coat to an Eskimo. Claire Dunphy: the daughter of Jay, Mitchell’s older sister, and the helicopter soccer mom of the Dunphy family and its three very different kids. She was once a wild-child who made a lot of mistakes over the years, and she is fearful that her children could make the same mistakes, especially her oldest daughter, Haley. She is often exhausted from stress created by her family but is still a loving mother. When it comes to her kids she has dif? culty controlling Haley’s independence and irresponsibility, Alex’s manipulative nature, and Luke’s lack of common sense. She also gets annoyed with her husband, Phil, constantly. Claire is a very competitive person, much like her husband, and is portrayed with a personality that causes her to freak out easily, and get angry. She is very strict about a clean house. She is seen as an experienced parent by Cameron and Mitchell, so she is called upon for her parenting advice Haley Dunphy: the daughter of Claire and Phil, who is portrayed as the stereotypical teenager who is often embarrassed by the presence of her parents. Haley is 15 at the beginning of the series, and is a freshman in college as of Season 4. Haley is depicted as being a bit of a bimbo, who focuses more on social status than studies. She is a little naive, especially when it comes to arguing with her parents. She is concerned about her popularity at school, as well as her social and sexual life, which contributes to her being embarrassed by her parents. Alex Dunphy: the 15-year-old daughter of Claire and Phil, and also the most erudite and intelligent of the three siblings. She is very bright and cares much more about her studies than friends/social life and boys. As the middle child to a shallow big sister and a goofy younger brother, she enjoys messing with them when they are rude to her, which is fairly often. Often taking advantage of their naivete by fooling them into believing unrealistic things, she at one time convinced Haley and Luke that they could charge electronics by rubbing the battery on their heads (Haley) and putting it in their mouths (Luke). She, as a stereotypical precocious kid, displays a sense of superiority because of her erudition, constantly putting her accomplishments on display and demanding recognition for them. Luke Dunphy: Phil and Claire? s 14-year-old son, who is often doing his own thing. At times, he can be a troublemaker, once shooting his sister with a toy gun and getting into a ? ht with Manny at school. Luke is playful, very innocent and does not always understand the repercussions of his actions, like most children; he once announced at a family gathering that his mom thought her dad’s new wife was a â€Å"gold digger†, although he misheard it as â€Å"coal digger†. Mitchell Pritchett: Also referred to as Mitch, is Jay’s son, Claire’s younger brother, Luke, Alex and Haley’s uncle, one of Lily’s fathers, and partner of eight years to Cameron. He is a low-key, mild-mannered person. At most times he is the exact opposite of Cameron which usually causes disagreements. Cameron acts as a counterbalance to Mitchell’s uptight, worrying ways. He usually responds to homophobia (whether real or perceived) by giving â€Å"speeches. † Because of his mild-mannered, uptight nature, he is sometimes embarrassed by Cameron’s ? amboyance. Cameron Tucker: Also referred to as Cam, is Mitchell’s partner of eight years, and one of Lily’s fathers, who has a very big dramatic personality. His bubbly outgoing personality contrasts to Mitchell’s uptight manner, which causes them to have opposing character traits. Cameron was born on February 29, 1972 and grew up on a farm in Missouri. Lilly Tucker-Pritchett: the adopted Vietnamese daughter of Cameron and Mitchell. When she was introduced to the family, they accepted her with open arms, although Mitchell originally wanted to wait to tell them about her. She is at times doing activities with both of her fathers but remains with Cam at home while Mitchell works. How Does It Appeal? A key aspect of the show? s appeal is the similarities people ? nd between the extended family and their own family. Some characters from the show are Phil Dunphy, Claire Dunphy, Jay Pritchett, Gloria Pritchett, Mitchell Pritchett, and Cam Tucker. There are many other characters that make up this family, which make for much more diversity. The dynamic between these different immediate families and their values (including traditional, gay, straight, and multicultural) are what gives Modern Family its large demographic. The diversity of the Pritchetts helps reach a large audience. The ? rst part of this family is the Pritchett-Delgado family. This consists of Jay, the family patriarch, Gloria, the younger second wife, and Manny, her son. The fun part in watching this family is the culture clash between Jay and Gloria. Gloria and Manny are Hispanic, while Jay is white. It is interesting as they try to make sure that Manny gets a combination of both cultures in his life. Next in this family is the Dunphy family. This has Claire, Jay? s daughter and mother of three, and Phil, Claire? s fun husband. Their children are also in the show. First is Haley, the epitome of some teenage girls who seem to only care about their social lives as opposed to spending time with their family. Second is Alex, the smart child and Haley? s opposite. Last is Luke, the youngest and most rambunctious of the three. He is very close to Manny. The Dunphy? s are a very traditional family, but has had some of the more memorable moments in the show. Some of them come from Phil, who is known for having a very fun sense of humor. Finally there is the Pritchett-Ticker family. This is made up of Mitchell, Jay? s gay son and Claire? s younger brother, Cam, his partner, and Lily, their adoptive daughter from Vietnam. It is fun to watch their family and see how different they are from the other two parts of the family. It? s also important because it helps to put the similarities into perspective for many viewers, and that is very valuable these days. Stereotypes Stereotypes are an inevitable part of modern culture. They are standardized and simpli? ed views of groups and minorities based on prior assumptions. â€Å"Modern Family† constantly utilises and plays with the notions of Stereotypes. â€Å"Modern Family† attempts to create a new stereotype by conforming and altering old stereotypes. There is Jay, the Grandfather who remarried to a beautiful, busty Colombian woman Gloria and her son, Manny. Jay? s daughter, Claire, married to Phil, who have 3 children, Haley, Alex and Luke. Finally, Jay? s on Mitchell has an adopted Vietnamese daughter with boyfriend Cameron. The entire program works by challenging and changing stereotypes, in particular that of Gay parents, Cam and Mitch. Cameron and Mitchell are, in a way, a stereotypical gay couple. However, the humour and the message is portrayed through their confrontation of that stereotype. In one episode, they are confronted with the notion that one of them in the couple is â€Å"the woman. † This stereotypical view, that society is asking them to conform to, forces not only a humorous situation, but also challenges the characters? Gender and Identity. The show cleverly alters the ideas of stereotypes, and plays to into them, but also puts â€Å"name to a face† as it were. Stereotypes are not necessarily formed solely on against minorities, and this show challenges every one. Each character is a â€Å"stereotype† in their own right – be that â€Å"the dumb socialite,† or â€Å"the only child† or â€Å"the loud Colombian woman†. In season 4 there is an episode titled â€Å"Fulgencio† Which con? rms the perception that Latinos working in America are poor and struggle for money but still work very hard. Gloria? family comes to visit the new born baby in the family and the Columbian family endeavors the entire episode to clearing the house, especially Gloria? s sister. it is a positive representation of Latinos because they want to work even if they are on a holiday. But the beauty and hilarity of Modern Family is that each character confronts each of their stereotypes and we, as an audience, see that there is a lot more than meets the eye. Instead of simply accepting some of these stereotypes, Modern Family challenges some of these and in doing so creates a new opinion on the viewers Controls and Constraints There are many controls and constraints that will affect any media production, and Modern Family is no exception. Time: Time is one of the main factors that affects the production. Each episode is meant to run for approximately 20-23 minutes excluding ad-breaks. This means that the group of people who are putting together an episode, must avoid making a very long plot and address the main issue of the episode almost immediately. Another constraint of the show is its budget. Budget: The budget of any program is an outline of how much that production will cost, or how much the director is willing to spend. In its ? st three seasons. There has been episodes ? lmed in Hawaii, and a ranch. These episodes were have been ? lmed in these locations and not a studio with a backdrop of that location. This would have possibly meant that the budget for those 2 episodes would have been greater than some of their other episodes. It is also rumored that the ABC is planning to ? lm a future episode in Columbia in which the viewers will be introduced to Gloria Pritchett? s family. Taking into account the budget of a normal episode, and adding to that international ? ights for the cast and crew, this could very well be the most expensive episode yet. Rating/Audience: One of the most important controls and constraints which affect a media production, is the audience and their expectations. The producers of the show will give a classi? cation or rating so that viewers have some idea of what to expect. Modern Family has a rating of PG13. A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. The PG rating indicates, in the view of the Rating Board, that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, and parents should make that decision. The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. However, these elements are not deemed so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture. Since people under the age of 13 are still likely to watch the show, The writers of an episode must be very careful about any potential jokes that might affect a child. E. g. Modern Family is not allowed to make a joke about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the tooth fairy not existing because a young person watching the show who believed they existed could end up being very upset. An example of this is from an episode from season 1 when Cameron and Mitchell take their adopted daughter Lilly to go an see Santa Claus at the local mall. The reason all types of ? lm media have these ratings, is to protect the viewer from seeing something they might not want to see. Values and Attitudes Re? ected Through Characters In mainstream media, there seems to be different views on gay marriage, but it seems to be slightly more in favour of accepting the life choices made by these people. In Modern Family, there is a gay couple called Cameron and Mitchell. The way that they positively re? ect the values and attitudes of society is the fact that they are very open about being gay. Another way it is positively re? ected is through the other main characters. They all seem to be very accepting even the Patriarch of the family Jay Pritchett, he accepts his sons choice even though he is uncomfortable with it. In one of the early episodes of season 2, the couple shared a kiss which pleased the audience. Ultimately, then, the show re? ects the experiences and insecurities of its creators and assumed audience, middleclass, middle-aged straight white men. Also in its Pilot episode, Cam and Mitch announce to the family that they have adopted a baby from Vietnam and the whole family (Including Mictchell? s homophobic father Jay) are very accepting of their choice. It reassures them that being tolerant is as good as being inclusive and that heterosexual white families with shrill stay-at-home wives are the norm. Its exploration of the pressures of feminine ideals is considerably less sympathetic meaning that Phil? s wife Claire Dunphy is arguably the least likable character, and story lines have included three women getting their period at the same time and going â€Å"crazy†, and ? ery Latina Gloria needing to be chaperoned because her pregnancy brain makes her too forgetful to function. Modern Family is one of very few to feature main characters who are gay (one of whom is played by a character who is actually gay outside of the production) and people of color, and it shows Cam and Mitch to be caring, capable parents. t challenges some of the values and attitudes which are evident, and the fact that Modern Family presents this unit in such a non-threatening way may be the key to its acceptance. Impact On Society Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Casted as Mitchell Pritchett) said that Modern Family might be doing a lot to change the views on gay marriage. The actor said he has had several people approach him and remark how the show has had an impact their lives and their views. It’s impossible to measure how wide the impact is, but the fact that even one person changed their mind says a lot about the depth of the show. Modern Family† is hardly the ? rst show to feature gay characters. However, it is one of the ? rst that doesn’t really make an issue out of it. In fact, it is easy to forget that Cameron and Mitchell are a gay couple. There are no political statements or agendas. They are just two people living their lives. The fact that it has affected the views of other people indicates that it is a very important show. It takes something special to alter the mindset of an individual. This show ? ts the bill. They keep doing what they do. â€Å"Modern Family† shouldn’t try to change the world. However, if they change a few minds while carrying on as normal then there is nothing wrong with that. Modern Family has also made people who watch the show feel better about themselves because viewers now know that there own family isn? t the only family who has troubles. It is happening all around them. This helps us to understand that Modern family is one of the most realistic television sitcoms going around at the moment. Conclusion It is quite evident that Modern family has had an impact on todays society in a positive way along with providing the viewers with plenty of laughs along the way. For people to want watch a program and understand some of the meaning it constructs, then the show must appeal to the viewer in the ? rst place, and Modern Family does this by creating a storyline that most people can generally relate to. Once people become immersed in the show they start to pick up some of the stereotypes that are evident, e. g. Gay couple, loud South Americans etc. Because we relate with the characters, we feel inclined to display the same values and attitudes that the characters do which is respecting people even if they? re gay or of a different nationality. This leads to its impact on society which is without a doubt a positive one. Perhaps Modern Family is changing the views towards gay marriage and it is better that they? re doing it in a way where people can watch a television program that people can enjoy, but also learn from it. It is amazing to consider how successful a TV show can be due to the controls and constraints it faces, and Modern Family perfects it.

An Assessment between the Movies, Japans War in Color and Why We Fight

An Assessment between the Movies, Japan's War in Color and Why We Fight The films â€Å"Why We Fight† and â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† are vastly different from one another due to objectivity of the films. The ways that these two films present themselves give hint to the purpose that these films were trying to make. The film, â€Å"Why We Fight† was commissioned by the Department of Morale, and was meant to give reason for America’s involvement in Asia. The film’s purpose is obviously meant maintain and gain support for the war effort on America’s mainland. The film is targeted at American citizens living in places like Atlanta, Georgia, Washington D.C., or in Portland, Oregon. The film, â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† offers an analytical approach to the various causes of the war in Asia. The objective of this film is to provide a more accurate depiction of the causes and effects of the war in Asia. This film being targeted towards scholars of this area of history. The first contrast that needs to be made between these two films is the nature of their narrators. It seems to be that in the film â€Å"Why We Fight†, the entire dialogue is made by what seems to be a masculine American voice. When the narrator is interrupted, it is in place of an American source, such as the ambassador of China speaks about Japan’s occupation in China. Even when the US ambassador is speaking, he seems to be reading allowed cue cards. Now this is purposively done in order to make the US a hero as much as possible. Even the use of a masculine voice is done purposively to bring about sentiments of honor and duty. Now in the other film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color†, different perspectives are given, which themselves are spoken in a Japanese dialect. Both sides are shown, such as small pockets of rebellion against the military emperorship of Japan, and even hardline militarist Japanese testimonies. What makes that special is that little room fo r biases are left, since both sides are shown in equal proportions. Now this is done simply because this how the academia works, evaluation and detective work must be done. Next what needs to pointed out is what type of footage is shown between the two films. I could not but help but get a sense that military demonstrations were the bulk of the film â€Å"Why We Fight†. Then oddly enough, a few scenes seem to be taken from Hollywood films, especially when they were describing the old Chinese culture. One scene describing the Great Wall of China, the footage of men on horse back in what seemed to steppe bandits looked very Hollywood clichà ©. But the over use of military demonstrations, marches, soldiers storming trenches, close ups on Japanese soldiers looking menacing is done with the objective of making the US seem a hero in comparison of the Japanese. Even the depiction of the Chinese make it seem that they are under the US responsibility. The use of debasement is placed on the Chinese, sense one they are not given any representation other than the narrators own view of them, and makes it seem that they can not help themselves from the Japane se forces. The footage in the film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† is extremely different from â€Å"Why We Fight†. First off, footage of typical Japanese life is shown, such as people working in the fields, footage of Tokyo on a normal day, footage various festivals. The footage attempts to encapsulate the whole human experience in the 1930’s and early 1940’s in Asia. Indeed, there is footage of war, but in this film it is hard at times to distinguish who is harming who. War is depicted as messy and full of collateral damage. Much rather this film isn’t attempting to call for more war, but expose the vices of war. While trying to find some similarities between these two films, they only seem to agree based on the large historical facts, for example Japan’s occupation of Korea and Manchuria, Japan being the single most powerful state in Asia, and Japan’s imperialist campaign in Asia. But how these are expressed and analyzed are in different formats. For example, in â€Å"Why We Fight† these events are expressed in a outsiders point of view, which in this case is described as Japanese aggression. In the film, â€Å"Japan’s War in Color†, opinions are expressed from mainland Japan, people in China, intellectuals, soldiers on both fronts opinions are expressed to see their motives and explanations for taking part in the war. In summary, the contrasts overweigh the similarities between the films. These two films have two complete different objectives. The makers of each film had in mind a certain way of depicting the war in mind. In the â€Å"Why We Fight†, it was a propaganda film meant to maintain support for the war in America. Certain things were done to achieve this such as refusing to use Japanese sources, focusing on the military aspect of Japan, and debasing the Chinese as helpless people needing American assistance. The film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† was a academic piece meant to expose the different views that were held during this time in Asia. To explore both the militarist, the common folk, the liberals, the radicals, and the unaccounted for. The film was meant to explore the human experience that occurred in this time of human civilization.

Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Conflict Management - Essay Example Conflict management is the key strategy utilized to battle conflict. It involves acquiring skills related to conflict resolution, self-awareness about conflict modes, conflict communication skills, and establishing guidelines for managing conflict in the person’s environment (Foundationcoalition). Conflict in itself typically is an occurrence that disrupts the flow of work and lowers the productivity of the workers. The best approach is to find ways minimize conflicts in the workless, since eliminating is practically impossible since conflict is associated with uncontrollable factors such as human emotions. There are two types of conflicts: substantive conflict and emotional conflict. Substantive conflicts occur when there is a disagreement over the best of action that should be pursued to accomplish a specific goal. An emotional conflict is associated with circumstance in which interpersonal difficulties such as anger, fear or mistrust manifest themselves. A conflict provides positive consequences when there is constructive conflict involved. Constructive conflict brings positive benefits to the people involved in the ordeal. For example conflict is good if the event allowed an unforeseen issue to surface which may have remained undiscovered otherwise. A constructive conflict also provides added information that can be utilized for decision making purposes. During the resolution process a conflict can provide an opportunity to apply creativity, problem solving skills and develop the human resources of the company as well as organizational processes. for a company. Such a conflict diverts energies, hurts group cohesion, promotes personal hostilities, and creates a negative environment for the employees of a firm (Schermerhorn, et al. 2003). Other factors that are directly and indirectly associated with conflict are increase in employee absenteeism, decrease in

Independent critical evaluation of a planning model Essay

Independent critical evaluation of a planning model - Essay Example When we differentiate and assign the derivative to zero. Hence, and , so So profit is maximised when the output (q) is set to 10 Now, let us consider how we can investigate the model as a case study. The profit model is made up of two distinct sections i.e. Revenue and Costs. Revenue is based upon the linear demand equation and linear demand, consists of an intercept term and a slope term. Costs on the other hand, consist of two distinct entities i.e. a Fixed Cost (the cost of maintaining a business irrespective of level of output) and, a Variable Cost (the additional costs associated with changes in output). If we consider Revenue, then we are considering the product of the linear demand equation and output ('q'). We know that the linear demand equation consists of an intercept term and a slope term. Hence by creating changes in the coefficients associated with the linear demand equation, we can create changes in the Revenue equation. So, we can change the value of the Intercept term and/or the Slope term. Changes in either will create changes in the Revenue equation. Creating changes in the revenue equation will ultimately create changes in the Profit equation! Similarly, the cost equation consists of a fixed cost and a variable cost. Changes in either will cause changes in the Profit equation. Hence, the case study analysis is set up as follows: we will consider changes in the Fixed Cost, then changes in the Variable Cost, followed by changes in the intercept term and then in the slope term of the linear demand equation. Speaking about changes in the Fixed Cost look at graphs changes. Simply vertically moves the position of the graph of the equation. In the case of the Profit graph, a decrease in the... ), i.e. the minus sign outside the brackets of the TC effectively changed the sign of every term within the brackets when the brackets were removed! So 000 is our profit equation! Notice how it represents a quadratic equation with a negative sign in front of the 'squared' term. Such an indication tells us that we are looking at a MAXIMUM point. Let us plot a graph of our profit equation! Costs on the other hand, consist of two distinct entities i.e. a Fixed Cost (the cost of maintaining a business irrespective of level of output) and, a Variable Cost (the additional costs associated with changes in output). Hence by creating changes in the coefficients associated with the linear demand equation, we can create changes in the Revenue equation. So, we can change the value of the Intercept term and/or the Slope term. Hence, the case study analysis is set up as follows: we will consider changes in the Fixed Cost, then changes in the Variable Cost, followed by changes in the intercept term and then in the slope term of the linear demand equation. Speaking about changes in the Fixed Cost look at graphs changes. Simply vertically moves the position of the graph of the equation. In the case of the Profit graph, a decrease in the value of the fixed costs moves the profit graph upwards (and vice versa). Hence, the constant values (-2,000 and 150 in this case) are technically

The Loyalty Card as a Promotional Tool to Improve Customer Essay

The Loyalty Card as a Promotional Tool to Improve Customer Satisfaction - Essay Example From this discussion   it is clear that loyalty cards are the prominent loyalty cards used in maintaining customers to attain maximum profits. The aim is to provide customers with shopping loyalty cards that accumulate points on every shopping visit. Accumulation of the points aids the customer at a future date to redeem the points by purchasing products from the store without using liquid cash. Customers also get access to special discounts as long as they have the card.Consumers are spending less on non-essential items. The use of loyalty cards to secure and retain customers is a scheme used by many individuals to attain profits. The project aims to analyze and evaluate the impacts of the current financial crisis on consumer buying behavior. Tesco as a store gets a huge number of clients on a daily basis. It is important for them to seek interest on the impact of loyalty cards on customer satisfaction and retention. With the loyalty cards program, Tesco ensures that they purchase non-essential items with the use of the loyalty cards with the hopes of securing a sale in future. As the study outlines Tesco is a company with a large customer clientele hence retaining the customers remains a big challenge for them to achieve. The main objective of using loyalty cards is to offer a clear analysis by offering existing customers the cards. Every customer who purchases a certain amount of products is provided with a card that will be used to obtain points. The objective is to have all clients in the database enabled for use of the reward scheme. The research will ensure proper usage of resources to attain the maximum number of clients. As the research analysis continues collecting information on how clients view the study comes in as an important aspect. Tesco is an international chain of stores. The company sells products ideas to customers willing to experience first customer service.  

Ethan frome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethan frome - Essay Example This problem is evident in the character of Ethan in the movie. He is vocal about his feelings in the movie as compared to the book. He rarely interacts with Mattie in the novel, but in the movie, their style of conversation is active and noticeable. The kitchen scene is the key to understand this difference. In the movie, from the beginning Ethan is quite vocal and expressive about his feelings to Mattie but in the book there exists a studied silence between the two. The other incidental difference in the kitchen scene is, in the movie the cat breaks Zeena’s dish; in the book Mattie breaks it. In the movie the character of Ethan is not as pivotal as it is in the book. In the book, the beginning and end are constructed from the point of view of the narrator, and Ethan’s actions figure prominently and his view on life pervades through the story. In the first scene in the movie the narrator arrives at Starkfield as a Minister and sees Ethan in the train station; in the book the story begins in a post office and Ethan picks up a package; there is no Minister in the book. Ethan is an entirely different personality in the movie. His communication with Mattie is shown in a different wavelength as compared to the book. His disposition with the people of Starkfield is also different. About the interaction of the people with Ethan Edith Wharton writes, â€Å"Everyone in Starkfield knew him and gave him a greeting tempered to his own grave mien; but his taciturnity was respected and it was only on rare occasions that one of the older men of the place detained him for a word.†(5)He prefers silence with them as per the depiction of his personality in the book, and in the movie he is quite vocal expressing his opinions with the bystanders who look upon him with curiosity kindled. The support to Ethan comes from different point of views in the novel

Social Response to Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Response to Technology - Essay Example In looking at these innovations and improvements it is necessary to see what the reactions and changes have occurred within society as a result. The social response to technology in the modern world Society represents people living in proximity to one another and our interactions that result from this. Just a short time ago in the United States society was based in the mutual understanding and assistance of one neighbor to another. In the modern world we text each other when separated by a room, and as neighbors we must know each other on a social networking site before being able to get together in person. Online Dating Magazine estimates that more than 120,000 marriages every year occur as a result of online dating. (Fernandez, 2009) Society as we know it today revolves around cell phones and I-Pads making our current generation one of the most technological of all. Technology of course is not all about communication, though this is a large part of it. Technological advances over t he past 100 years have made it possible to travel into space, fly around the world without stopping, drive from coast to coast and know where we are at all times. As a result of these innovations we are able to use indoor toilets and showers that use much less water than before. As a society we are able to do more in less time and travel more as well. This new approach to life is called the leisure class; while the leisure class has always had adherents it is far more prevalent with the added technological approaches and in our current modern society. Some have defined leisure class as those rich enough to not have to work. In our modern world there is far more access to greater wealth than ever before. As a result of technological advances that have helped enact a global economic system wealth is no longer based on one’s class or background so much as their ability to gather it. According to one research the modern leisure class is not always as relaxed as the leisure class in the past. In fact many times the modern leisure class is far more interested in how they appear to others as a result of the availability of venues where one can mingle in society without necessarily interacting on a regular basis. (Veblen, 2003 p.64) One of the largest changes in society is the applications of technological advances to law enforcement. With the advent of facial recognition software and easily deployed and maintained cameras that work in the dark or light as well as the ability to endlessly stream the footage the possibilities of security beyond what we knew before are available. One of the unfortunate side effects of this on society however, is the reduction in personal liberties. The argument can be made however that society embraces these changes simply because we do it to ourselves through social networks and the use of other technologies. A new system being deployed is the Incident Command System directly applied to Facebook, twitter and other social media s ites. In one study commissioned by the Red Cross, â€Å"74 percent expected help to come less than an hour after their tweet or Facebook post.† (Miller, 2011) In conclusion we can see that for every advance there is the possibility of social problems, we can also see that society itself promotes the use of these various tools within itself. Society may have some problems adjusting however; many of these advancements have been and will continue to be beneficial. While physical contact seems to have been reduced used properly technology can increase

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

History paper - Essay Example In the New York City and the Southern Colonies, the Dutch first introduced slavery which was later taken over by the English. The main difference was that the Southern Colonies stopped importing slaves. They laid strategies which increased the population of the slaves. They provided them with a health service, clothing, food and shelter conditions that were fair and encouraged them to reproduce. The number of American-born slaves increased in the southern colonies more than in the New York City. In the Dutch rule, slavery was introduced to the city of New York for the first time. Before this period, the Dutch agricultural laborers could work in Netherlands and get payment. It was not successful as the migrants desired to get more income in the well-paid fur trade and go back to their home nation in comfort. The company, therefore, preferred slavery and luckily, the Dutch colonies had established it in the Southern African, Southeast Asia, and Caribbean. Some Native Americans were first enslaved, followed by some Indians. However they could easily escape as they knew the terrains. The Americans also feared they could affect the lucrative fur trade if they continued enslaving the Indians. They opted for African slaves. The slaves’ principal works was to lay roads, clear forests and do other heavy work and services of the public colony. Over-reliance on African slaves by the company was due to lack of workers. The Dutch describe the African slaves as treacherous and pro ud, even though, the foundation of the coming of New York City was laid by the slaves. They started importing other seasoned African slaves from the Caribbean sugar colonies. The colony and the New Amsterdam were taken over by the English in 1644. There was a lot of work to be done, and they imported more slaves. The slaves from Africa performed both unskilled and skilled work in areas like

Doing business in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Doing business in India - Research Paper Example This view is changing rapidly due to the countries’ potential future. It is deemed that in the near future India will have the world’s largest market for goods, services, and development of infrastructure (Padmanand & Jain, 2000). India’s fast economic growth is due to its ready domestic market in the agricultural and service industry and its appealing demographic trend. The Indian government is also taking measures open up the country to foreign investment (Manian, 2007). The Indian Market The major barrier in penetrating the Indian economic barrier is cultural disparity. The chances of success are improved by understanding the influence of Hinduism and the Indians cultural norms. It is fundamental that investors study some of the cultural facts because such facts influence business in India. India’s official language is Hindu though the international language for commerce is English. Investors also need to understand that India is a hierarchical country (Bose, 2009). The legacy of the caste system influences attitudes towards business. The boss has the final word and cannot be questioned whether his instructions are correct or not. He cannot also been seen doing menial jobs such as making his own coffee or arranging chairs in a boardroom. His instructions are followed to the latter and micro- management works. This approach makes it necessary for potential investors to liaise with individuals with a final say over decision-making. Investors should not overlook the importance of etiquette in India. Using a Namaste handshake is a sign that one understands the Indian culture. During the first meeting, business cards are exchanged. It is advisable to have it translated to Hindi. Enhancing relationships is imperative because negotiations can be slow if trust is not established. Understanding cross-cultural divergences is a bonus in doing business in India (Business standard India 2010). The business law in India offers employees several protections. Foreign employees are required to present visas and Amaritt for such protection (Millar, 2006). Attorneys in India are allowed to practice across the states and most of the legal regulations are consistent across states. Most court cases drag for decades (Makar, 2008). Additionally, arbitration is preferred in solving disputes. The judicial system in India is poorly institutionalized and highly corrupt. Judicial procedures are expensive and influenced by politics. There is a high deficient in protection of property rights. The cost of licensing is very expensive and starting a business can take up to one month. The main source of employment in India is the unskilled informal sector, which is inefficient. The government controls pricing of commodities and this has seen the weakening of the rupee. Foreign participation in India’s economy is impeded by the dominance of the government in the financial sector. The government has also stripped down the citizensâ€℠¢ right in purchasing from low cost multinational stores. Excessive regulation by the Indian government has impeded economic growth (Manian, 2007). India’s economy after independence was the â€Å"socialist mixed model† the government controlled both the private and public sectors output, prices and licensing (Schmidt, 1991). Suppliers are unable to benefit from monopolies as tariffs for electricity consumption are fixed. The BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards set quality standards for products for consumer protection. In 1895,

Varying Activity Preferences Essay Example for Free

Varying Activity Preferences Essay I have found that a persons culture has an impact on which physical activities individuals participate in to stay healthy. There is a definite difference in the types of activities that everyone participates in, when culture is taken into account. It has a significant effect on what activities individual’s prefer. I interviewed three people about what kind of background they have, there age, and activities they do to stay in shape to prove it. The first person I interviewed was Harris Plourde a 37 year old born and raised Canadian. Harris says I love the speed of the sport. Not just of the players, but how fast things change. I realized that you have to be constantly on your toes. Also, unlike like basketball, football and soccer, I find hockey requires refined abilities and skills. Theres no other sport that you have to skate or use a stick. Everyone is born with the natural ability to throw or kick, but hockey skills are learned. He also says that hockey is very popular in Canada. He plays whenever he gets the chance. The next person I interviewed is Alex Torres a 17 year old high school senior, told me why he loved soccer so much, â€Å"soccer is actually a lot of fun. You have more planning and you don’t get hurt as much as you think. In fact you have to be more flexible then powerful to play the game.† I asked him if he thought that his heritage liked football more than other sports and he said, â€Å"Yes, because it was the only sport we could really play when we lived in Mà ©xico, all my friends there play it too.† Alex is very active, and has participated in many soccer games. My that interview was with Dakota Hall. He is a 19 year old American high school graduate. He loves American football. He actually wants to play professionally someday. He said he doesn’t stop talking and thinking about football. American Football is very popular here in the U.S. Dakota says â€Å"American Football is the best sport ever! I can’t believe there isn’t anything else like it in other countries. To me Football really shows how truly strong a player is. That’s why I want to be a professional football player.† He is very active in the sport and he exercises every day. In conclusion it is clear to say, from the information above, that the culture that one comes from, can effect what kinds of activities that one will like to take part in. And are culture is what makes us unique. And every sport is unique to certain cultures, and with each sport comes with its own mental and fiscally benefit that will keep us healthy. You can still find an exercise plan that suits your life and her interests within any culture.

Political Typologies Essay Example for Free

Political Typologies Essay Liberal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The political typology quiz categorized me under the liberal typology group. The liberal typology group belongs support the ideologies of Democrats. It is also the largest group among the nine typology groups. According to the quiz, the liberal group is open to several controversial issues that are the main themes and topics of debates and arguments. These issues include homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, etc. A most recent controversial social issue involves stem cell research. However, even if the liberal typology group is part of the Democratic Party, it still has distinct values apart from other groups that also belong to the same party. One that is particular to the liberal group is their stand on war. The liberal group is supportive of diplomacy as a means of promoting peace with other countries. Liberalist groups do not believe that war is the answer to conflicts and disagreements. In addition to this, the group does not support anti-terrorist laws, specifically the Patriot Act, that the U.S. government is implementing. Other issues include espousing same sex marriages and advocating the protection and the preservation of the environment. Moreover, the group is also sympathetic to the concerns of immigrants and labor unions. I agree with the results of the quiz because as I was reading the ideologies of the liberal group, I find myself agreeing to them. I do not believe in war, and I do not want to support it. I think wars just cause more wars. Instead of resolving issues, it makes it even more complicated. A lot of innocent lives have been lost just because of simple disagreements that the higher-ups should resolve by talking in peace, compromising, and deciding what is best for the country and other countries as well. I also respect other people in that I believe they have a choice whether to engage in same sex marriages, abortion, support stem cell research, adhere to any religious doctrine or not, etc. I think everyone has the right to decide for themselves and choose whatever it is that they want to do in life, well, as long as they do not do harm to others or the environment. That is a different case. In addition, the issue about labor unions and immigrants is also something that I agree with. There is no competition when it comes to immigrants and employment. They were qualified to work in the country; therefore, there should be no question whether they do harm or good to the economy. Moreover, the rights and concerns of labor unions should be addressed. I think large businesses should pay attention to them and practice humanitarianism in the sense that they should think more of the people who work for them than the money that they earn because of them. Works Cited The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. (2008). â€Å"Liberal.† Retrieved from The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 28 March 2008. http://typology.people-press.org/typology/results.php.

The Importance Of The Oleochemical Industry

The Importance Of The Oleochemical Industry Oleochemicals which is the chemical product that extract from plant or animal oil. The formation of oleochemical are from fatty acids, fatty alcohol, methyl esters and glycerine. In Malaysia, oleochemical started from early 1980s. The Malaysian Oleochemical Manufactures Group (MOMG) was established in January 1984 when the industry attracted more producer. MOMG uses the renewable natural raw material such as palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil which are environment friendly. Due to the global warming and depleting of fossil fuel, biodiesel will be the next great potential as a cost-effective feedback for fossil fuel. Palm oil or other vegetable oil can be used to create biodiesel for internal combustion engines. After mixed with petro diesel, biodiesel can use in any diesel engine. Normally vehicle manufacture limit their recommendation to 15% biodiesel blended with petro diesel. In Europe, biodiesel is most common. RD have research that biodiesel is more clean energy than fossil fuel, it release less carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide after combustion. Not only that, biodiesel is more economical as biodiesel can be use directly without changing or modified the vehicle engine. The importance and advantages of Oleochemical Industry (Biodiesel) in our Society The oleochemical industry that producing biodiesel have unpredictable profit potential since the fossil fuel sources are depleting over the years and this will cause the usage of biodiesel increases. Biodiesel is miscible with petroleum based diesel and this provides several advantages. For example, biodiesel can be obtained from a renewable and widespread availability of feedstock. Moreover, biodiesel has the same energy level for per gallon like petroleum-based diesel The biodiesel is produced from plants and other organic raw materials and the processes of producing biodiesel are harmless to the earth compared to drilling for oil which caused huge damages to the earth. Since we able to produce biodiesel and being used in domestic, there are no international complications will be involved. This will help strengthen our national security. Besides that, it can prevent the global situation to affect the price of biodiesel. The main reason of oleochemical industry can be so successful is because of the alternative biofuel such as biodiesel is a carbon neutral one which means it doesnt not emit any carbon gases in the form of carbon dioxide. As we know carbon dioxide is the main contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions. Besides that, biodiesel is biodegradable and less toxic than fossil fuel. Due to the lubricating effect by the biodiesel, the diesel engines lifetime is last longer and it is more efficiency. Therefore, biodiesel becomes one of the most important alternative fuel for combustion in diesel engines. The Supply Demand of Biodiesel Due to the declining of fossil fuels around the world, various governments all over the world have passed policies to help in the production and phasing-in of bio-fuels to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel. For example, the United States of America had passed a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2010 for the production of 650 million gallons of biodiesel in 2010, while in Brazil, all gasoline requires around 20-25% of ethanol blended into them and since Jan. 1 2010, Brazil had begun a B-5 mandate which requires the phasing in of 5% biodiesel into fossil fuels. In addition, due to the EUs (European Union) determined policies, biofuel consumption is set to increase sharply. Previously, the EU had set a goal for all their member nations to achieve a minimum target of 5.75% biofuel production by the year 2010, which was estimated to be around 14 million tonnes, and subsequently increase the amount to 10% biofuel production by the year 2020. South East Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines have also set a B2.5 mandate which requires the phasing in of 2.5% biodiesel into fossil fuel diesels in their internal market. Malaysia has also implemented a B5 mandate which requires all diesel fuels sold in the country to phase-in 5% of biodiesel. Therefore, with many countries supporting the concept of producing biofuels and the increasing worldwide demand, it shows that investing into the field of the production of biodiesel would be very profitable in the long run. Costs of producing biodiesel are dependent on the feedstock being used, the biodiesel plant design and size, and the way the plant is being operated. Basically, soybean oil and palm oil are the most commonly used feedstock being used in the oleo chemical industry due to their widespread availability and lowest priced for most of the time. Although algae are one of the feedstock which can have a high yield of biodiesel, palm oil is still preferred over algae due the high capital of algae. Besides that, countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which in 2012 had recorded roughly 18,500,000 metric tons of palm oil produced, will prove to be worthwhile countries to invest in for the production of biodiesel due to the fact that there are ample materials to produce biodiesel. Moreover, with the lack of suppliers producing biodiesel in the region (South East Asia), to invest in this field in the region would prove to be worth the effort. Procesess for synthesis of biodiesel from palm There are two main process for synthesis of biodiesel from palm ¼Ã… ¡ Palm Oil Extraction from palm Mechanical Extraction Solvent Extraction Traditional Method Of Palm Kernel Extraction There are 8 main processes for the palm oil extraction, those are bunch reception, and weighing, bunch quartering, bunch sterilization, bunch threshing/ stripping, oil palm fruit digestion, palm oil pressing, palm oil clarification, palm oil drying and palm oil storage (Figure 6.1). The extraction of palm oil can be done by three methods: a.) Mechanical Extraction, b.) Solvent extraction and c.) Traditional method of palm kernel extraction. 2. Trans-esterification Trans-esterification also known as alcoholysis. It is a chemical process that decrease the viscosity of palm oil and produce biodiesel by displace alcohol from an ester using another alcohol. This chemical process contains three subsequent reversible reactions: i.) Reaction between triglycerides of palm oil and alcohol to produce diglycerides and ester, ii.) Reaction between diglycerides and alcohol to produce monoglycerides and ester, iii.) Reaction between monoglycerides and alcohol to produce glycerol and ester (general equation in Figure 6.2). Transesterification can either be performed by the present of catalyst (catalytic process) or without the present of catalyst (non-catalytic process) (Figure 6.3). During the synthesis of biodiesel, there are some precaution steps need to be taken to ensure the whole process can be done in safe condition. One of the precaution step is always make sure that the tanks used in processing biodiesel are in good condition. Besides that, make sure that all the electrical powered are not over heated, over-pressurized and improperly installed. Use an explosion proof motor to avoid from leaving the motor and engage the professionals to install and maintain the pump. The Impact on the Environment The process of deriving oleochemical can be divided into Fat Splitting, Distillation, Fractionation by Crystallization, Fractionation by Distillation, Hydrogenation and Ion Exchange. All the stated process might have some impacts on the environment, such as: A power plant will be needed to supply a large amount of energy to the oleochemical industry. In order to install a power plant in the factory, space and fuel are essential. However, fossil fuel is not environment friendly because it will produce toxic gases such as CO and SO3, which could cause air pollution. Besides, greenhouse gases such as CO2, O3, water vapors, and CH4, released from the power plant, further contribute to greenhouse effects. Raw materials are limited. Human may suffer from food deficiency due to excessive usage of animals and plants fats as raw material for oleochemical industry. Animal fats, being a side stream from the meat production, have a limited availability, said European Oleochemicals Allied Products Group. Animal fats cover more than 50 % of the raw material requirements in the European Oleochemical Industry. The processes of deriving oleochemicals such as (splitting, refining, neutralization and distillation) will generate heat energy. Since water has a very high specific heat capacity, it will be used in cooling system. In the cooling system, heat energy will be transfer to the water, which increases the temperature of water. If we discard the hot water into river, the temperature will later disrupt the temperature of the river water. Even though it could be a very slight change of temperature, but it may cause death to the aquatic lives due to inadequate temperature which affects the activity of enzymes. There is no proof that neither raw materials nor products are safe to human, animals and plants even though its derived from plants or animals sources. Therefore, all the raw materials and products must be handled with care by relative field experts. The handling, storage, and transportation of these materials should to be managed properly to avoid or minimize the potential for environmental impacts . Pollutant, toxic and greenhouse gases will cause pollution and greenhouse effect if we release it directly into atmosphere. Existence of So3 and other toxic gases in atmosphere can cause respiratory problems on humans and animals. If the waste products of fat splitting process such as lipids, acids and alkali were discarded to ground, it will cause soil pollution. Plants will be unable to grow and this further destroys the habitat of the animals. When the factory is operating, machines and operating systems will generate noise and disturb nearby residence. A suitable and strategy location which located far away from town and residence area can be used to set the factory. A catalyst such as Pt or Ni may be required to speed up the rate of reaction. These catalysts are expensive and need to be recycled so that we can reduce the costs and also save the environment. The products might consist of new and unknown chemicals. To reveal the toxicity or other side effects, animal testing or animal trial can be conducted. This is an inhumane practice, which may affect the ecosystem if the toxic is spread among the flora and fauna. The worst uncontrollable case is that the chemicals cause cancer or mutation inside the animal body and spread among each other. Therefore, the practice of animal testing must be carried out in a small scale, and the number of animal used for testing should be as least as possible. Besides, the animals must be quarantined and separated from the others, as this could further minimize biological pollution. Future Potential of the Oleochemical Industry Oleochemical industry is one of the fastest growth industry for biofuels. In the next few years, products produced by oleochemical industry are expected to replace those from petrochemicals. Most of the oleochemical industry are based on palm and palm kernel oils, so other new raw material sources are hoped to be found out to replace them, which are cheaper and easy to be obtained. To protect the mother earth, costs of production should not be the first consideration while the environmental impact of a chemical to the user and environment is anticipated to be more important. Environmental issues such as biodegradation, non-toxicity and life cycle analysis are the main consideration that will be used in the future to determine whether a chemical should be commercially produced or not. Biotechnology aslo as known as biotransformation process is used to produce basic oleochemicals and intermediate products that based on chemical processes. This will be the future technology and will be used to produce functionality oleochemicals. Conclusion The world is facing the depleting of fossil fuels, so the demand of oleochmical products will continue exceed the supply. Oleochemical plays a very important role in providing an alternative to replace the fossil fuels because the products of oleochemical are environmental friendly. However, mass exploits of this industry will still harm the environment to a certain extent. Hence, precaution measures must be taken and careful deliberation over the issues that will happen before it creates a problem to our society. Reference 1) Jibrail B Kansedo, University Sains Malaysia, Synthesis Of Biodiesel From Palm Oil And Sea Mango Oil Using Sulfated Zirconia Catalyst. Available from: [ July 2009] 2) Siti Fatimah Arifin, University Malaysia Pahang, Faculty Of Chemical And Natural Resources Engineering, Production Of Biodiesel From Waste Cooking Oil And RBD Palm Oil Using Batch Transesterification Process. Available from: [May 2009] 3) Rhonda Day, eHow, Safety and Hazard Precautions In Biodiesel Production. Available from: 4) FAO Corporate Document Repository, Palm Oil Processing. Available from: 5) FAO Corporative Document Repository, Palm Kernel Oil Extraction. Available from: 6) Centre for Transportation Analysis, Global Supply and Demand of Biofuels, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Available from: [January 2011] 7) Future Potential of Oleochemical Industry. Available from: 8) Malaysia Palm Oil Production by Year, 1964-2012. Available from: 9)ASEAN Oleochemical Manufacturers Group, Country Section Malaysia. Available from: 10) ClimateAvene, the Use of Plam Oil as Biofule and Biodiesel. Available from: 11) ClimateAvene, Sustainable Palm Oil Cultivation and Climate Change. Available from: 12) Wolfgang Rupilius and Salmiah Ahmad, The Changing World of Oleochemicals. Available from: 13) International Finance Corporation, IFC, 2007, Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Oleochemicals Manufacturing [Online]. Available from: 14) Trudy, T., 2009, Synthetic Ingredients: The debate over synthetics [Online] Available at 15) European Oleochemicals Allied Products Group, APAG 2006, Challenges and potential of biomass biofuels for the European Oleochemical industry [Online]. Available at: 16) Ahmad, Mohd Jaaffar, and Tang Thin Su, 2005 Supply and demand of biodiesel in the European Union (EU). Palm Oil Dev 42 (2005): 8-14.

Single Parent vs. Traditional Family Essay example -- Parenting, Famil

Which behalf is the best side, the single parent versus the traditional family? A traditional family is defined or described as two parents working together to solve anything that goes on in their house. The advantage of a traditional family is that they are going to have a more stable income that will buy them a reasonable house or an apartment. â€Å"The traditional families have two parents, the mom and the dad, jointly raising kids with help and advice from each other† (Magnier). An accustomed family also expresses their feelings towards one another and has respect among others in their home. A dysfunctional family is usually described as conflicted adults living on their own. Although a dysfunctional family may sound inadequate, it is quite reputable. â€Å" Single parenting is already becoming a rapidly growing trend in the society† (Magnier). Single parents are very common in the US. Statistics say that one out of every two children in the US will live in a single parent household at one point before they reach their adult age. â€Å"The situations of single parents vary greatly: it may be that you are divorced, widowed or never married† (all-about-motherhood.com/advantages). Being a single parent states that an individual is strong enough to carry the parts of two roles in a house. Single parents are a good influence on their children and any other individuals because they can take care of their financial problems, have greater control over their kids, and the children tend to have greater independence when living with a single parent. One problem every single parent has is their financial situation. Single parents usually have a difficult time in supporting their child in every way financially. Divorced parents usually hav... ...ent to be able to nurture up a child in the right way by being a single parent. If the parent can build a strong foundation for the child, then consider that parent to be special and blessed because single parenting is not a walk in the park. Works Cited Magnier, Jenny. â€Å"The Effects of Single Parenting on Children†. Ezine Articles. n.p. n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. McGrath, Victoria. â€Å"Causes and Effects of Single Parents†.Ehow.com. n.p. n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Moore, M.F.T., Shellee. â€Å"How to Be the Best Single Parent You Can.† California Divorce Online: Orange County Divorce: Do It Yourself. Divorce Wizards: Expert Sources, Guidance, Lower Costs, 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. â€Å" The Advantages of Single Parenting†. All- About- Motherhood. n.p. n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. â€Å" The Disadvantages of Single Parenting†. All- About- Motherhood. n.p. n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.

Analysis of the First Two Acts of Brechts The Caucasian Chalk Circle :: The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Set shortly after World War two, the Prologue commences with two groups of peasants seated in the ruins of a Caucasian village, present is a delegate from the State Reconstruction Commission. We are introduced to the two parties as they argue the retrieval of a valley; the goat herders (on the right) originally owned the land and therefore believe that as they were there first they should hence keep the land, whereas the party on the left (the fruit farmers) argue that they could put the land to better use by means of superior production. The delegate moderating the debate chooses the fruit farmers. This introduction not only sets the plays structure but also possesses many communist undertones as in a capitalist government the land would be returned to its original owner, yet under Communist supervision the "logical" explanation is to give the land to whoever will put it to the best use. In order to celebrate the peaceful resolution to the dispute the peasants on the left provide a singer named Arkadi to sing a song entitled "The Chalk Circle." The positioning of the two parties on the stage is very effective, as one immediately comprehends the political significance. The party on the right representing right-wing beliefs and that of the left conveying that of the communists, the fact that the delegate selects the Communists to receive the land suggests the topic of the play and the eventual outcome of it, resulting in a foreboding and somewhat confusing atmosphere. The prologue serves as a means for Brecht to present his ideas before the play essentially commences thus allowing the audience to accept the moral of the play and be inclined to acknowledge the Communist message before the actual production begins. The singer appears to be symbolic of wisdom throughout the play; he narrates the fable in a lyrical and poetic fashion with metaphors that offers insight on the various characters feelings and clarification of the various scenes. The prologue appears historically accurate yet the initiation of Act One presents an entirely different mood; the singer causes his story to be perceived as a fairytale. By speaking in verse all realism is taken away and the audience is transported to a fabled world created by the singer. Though not announced, the Acts having titles emphasizes the storybook theme. The play commences with the singer seated on the floor surrounded by a group of listeners (the chorus) in his hand is a book, as he commences his tale he does not read from the book but rather narrates from memory "the manner of his recitation makes it clear that he has told his story over and over again.

The yellow wallpaper -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† comes from a moderation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s personal experience. In 1887, just two years after the birth of her first child, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell diagnosed Gilman with neurasthenia, an emotional disorder characterized by fatigue and depression. Mitchell decided that the best prescription would be a â€Å"rest cure†. Mitchell encouraged Gilman to â€Å"Live a domestic life as far as possible,† to â€Å"have two hours’ intellectual life each day,† and to â€Å"never touch a pen, brush or pencil again,†(Gilman 20) as long as she lived. After three months of isolation, abiding by Dr. Mitchell’s orders, Gilman realized she was becoming insane. She abandoned Dr. Mitchell’s advice and, after recovering, she wrote an exaggerated version of her experience. Written in 1892, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† reflects the social mindset of United States’ citizens just after the Civil War. This was a time of cultural and economical growth, expansion, and development. Women received little political and social freedom; their actions were greatly influenced by their husbands’ wills. The wallpaper’s chaotic pattern represents the metaphorical bars that Jane feels trapped in as a woman. The woman in the paper represents Jane trying to escape and become free from the reigns of her husband. Women were not expected to have a career or a â€Å"public life;† instead, they were expected to focus on the upkeep of home and family. People in this time lived ... The yellow wallpaper -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† comes from a moderation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s personal experience. In 1887, just two years after the birth of her first child, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell diagnosed Gilman with neurasthenia, an emotional disorder characterized by fatigue and depression. Mitchell decided that the best prescription would be a â€Å"rest cure†. Mitchell encouraged Gilman to â€Å"Live a domestic life as far as possible,† to â€Å"have two hours’ intellectual life each day,† and to â€Å"never touch a pen, brush or pencil again,†(Gilman 20) as long as she lived. After three months of isolation, abiding by Dr. Mitchell’s orders, Gilman realized she was becoming insane. She abandoned Dr. Mitchell’s advice and, after recovering, she wrote an exaggerated version of her experience. Written in 1892, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† reflects the social mindset of United States’ citizens just after the Civil War. This was a time of cultural and economical growth, expansion, and development. Women received little political and social freedom; their actions were greatly influenced by their husbands’ wills. The wallpaper’s chaotic pattern represents the metaphorical bars that Jane feels trapped in as a woman. The woman in the paper represents Jane trying to escape and become free from the reigns of her husband. Women were not expected to have a career or a â€Å"public life;† instead, they were expected to focus on the upkeep of home and family. People in this time lived ...

Principles of Marketing (MRKT 310) Study Guide Essay

Overview Welcome to the Student Study Guide for Spring 2010. This document will assist you study throughout the semester and as you prepare for the common final exam required for all sections of MRKT 310. Your faculty member has been instrumental in the design of this test. Continue to seek his or her help understanding the material as the semester progresses. Many of the text concepts are not included in the final exam and your faculty member through written assignments, case studies, conferences, or other methods will assess your understanding of them. UMUC requires all proctored final exams in the School of Undergraduate Studies be closed book. Therefore, no notes or other study aids will be allowed in the testing center. This is a comprehensive final exam covering the entire course. All policies and procedures required by UMUC and the testing center apply. For those of you taking the paper and pencil version of the final exam, there are two versions (Version A and Version B) each consisting of an eight-page Test Instrument and a six-page Answer Sheet (pages 9 through 14). You may find it useful to detach the Answer Sheet from the Test Instrument to allow you easier access to both documents. Write your name and section number (e.g., 6980, 6981, 6982, etc.) on the Answer Sheet. You may write on the test instrument, but only responses on the Answer Sheet will be graded. For those of you taking the online version of the final exam, all instructions will be noted on your computer screen. The online final exam is identical to the paper-and-pencil version except for the question order. We strongly encourage you to sign up for the online version if it is available at your testing site. Please be warned that this is not an easy test and you should be prepared to spend the entire three-hour time allotment at your proctored testing center. Most of your time should be spent on the short and long essays. Do not dwell on the definitions and the multiple-choice sections. You will either know them or you won’t, depending on your preparation, and you will waste valuable time you will need for the essays. You should be receiving this common student study guide at the beginning of the semester. Print it out and keep it close at hand. Be sure to review it carefully and ask your faculty member any clarifying questions on either test format or content prior to the first day of finals week. Once finals week has begun, your faculty member will not be able to answer any questions regarding the final exam. When you finish your exam, return BOTH the Test Instrument and your completed Answer Sheet to your proctor. Answer Sheets returned without the Test Instrument will not be graded. Part I – Definitions (25 percent) You will need to know the definitions for 25 marketing terms. You will read the definition and select the correct answer from the Word Bank. Then, print the number of the correct term on your answer sheet. Following is the exact Word Bank as it will appear on your final exam. WORD BANK All correct terms for the above 25 statements can be found on this list. 1. Brand 2. value proposition 3. sales promotion 4. maturity 5. motive 6. economic environment 7. microenvironment 8. direct marketing 9. consumer perceived value 10. lifestyle 11. marketing mix 12. market segmentation 13. consumer market 14. Marketing information system 15. product mix 16. value delivery network 17. SWOT analysis 18. intensive distribution 19. price elasticity 20. positioning 21. commercialization 22. Product life cycle 23. product 24. target market 25. culture 1. Brand – is a name, sign, symbol, slogan or anything that is used to identify and distinguish a specific product, service, or business. 2. Value proposition – is an analysis and quantified review of the benefits, costs and value that an organization can deliver to customers and other constituent groups within and outside of the organization. 3. Sales promotion is one of the four aspects of promotional mix. (The other three parts of the promotional mix are advertising, personal selling, and publicity/public relations.) Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability. 4. Maturity 5. Motive – An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action. 6. Economic environment – Economics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. 7. The micro-environment consists of stakeholder groups that a firm has regular dealings with. The way these relationships develop can affect the costs, quality and overall success of a business. Suppliers, distributors, customers and competition. 8. Direct marketing – is a form of advertising that reaches its audience without using traditional formal channels of advertising, such as TV, newspapers or radio. Businesses communicate straight to the consumer with advertising techniques such as fliers, catalogue distribution, promotional letters, and street advertising. 9. Consumer perceived value – The value of a product is the mental estimation a consumer makes of it. Formally it may be conceptualized as the relationship between the consumer’s perceived benefits in relation to the perceived costs of receiving these benefits. It is often expressed as the equation: Value = Benefits / Cost 10. Lifestyle – A manner of living that reflects the person’s values and attitudes. 11. Marketing mix – Product, price, place and promotion. Packaging, People, Public Voice, Pamper, Politics and Physical Evidence. 12. Market segmentation – Market segmentation is a strategy that involves dividing a larger market into subsets of consumers who have common needs and applications for the goods and services offered in the market. These subgroups of consumers can be identified by a number of different demographics, depending on the purposes behind identifying the groups. Marketing campaigns are often designed and implemented based on this type of customer segmentation. 13. Consumer market – A defined group of consumers. Buyers and potential buyers of goods and services for personal and household use 14. Marketing information system – Set of procedures and practices employed in analyzing and assessing marketing information, gathered continuously from sources inside and outside of a firm. Timely marketing information provides basis for decisions such as product development or improvement, pricing, packaging, distribution, media selection, and promotion. See also market information system. 15. Product mix – Range of associated products which yield larger sales revenue when marketed together than if they are marketed individually or in isolation of others. 16. Value delivery network – A Value Delivery is a company’s supply chain and how it partners with specific suppliers and distributors in the process of producing goods and delivering them to market. It involves using competitive advantages external to the firm (suppliers, distributors, customers). 17. SWOT analysis – A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be classified as strengths (S) or weaknesses (W), and those external to the firm can be classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis. 18. Intensive distribution – Marketing strategy under which a firm sells through as many outlets as possible, so that the consumers encounter the product virtually everywhere they go: supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, etc. Soft drinks are generally made available through intensive distribution. 19. Price elasticity – Is an elasticity used in economics to show the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price. 20. Positioning – In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization. 21. Commercialization – is the process or cycle of introducing a new product into the market. 22. Product life cycle – A new product progresses through a sequence of stages from introduction to growth, maturity, and decline. This sequence is known as the product life cycle and is associated with changes in the marketing situation, thus impacting the marketing strategy and the marketing mix. 23. Product – An item that ideally satisfies a market’s want or need. 24. Target market – Involves breaking a market into segments and then concentrating your marketing efforts on one or a few key segments. 25. Culture – Represents the behavior, beliefs and, in many cases, the way we act learned by interacting or observing other members of society. In this way, much of what we do is shared behavior, passed along from one member of society to another. Part II – Multiple Choice (20 percent) There are 20 multiple-choice questions from which you can select a, b, c, or d responses. Be careful as most multiple-choice questions will have at least two choices that look feasible. Select the one that is the most on point. The multiple-choice questions are both definitional and application types. Select the correct letter of your choice and write it on the Answer Sheet in the appropriately numbered box. The following list comprises those concepts from the text, which you can expect to be assessed via the final exam. They are presented in order of the course objectives. Course Objective 1 – understand how marketing strategy creates a positive relationship between a firm and its customers. (Chapter 1) 1. Relationships between needs, wants, demands – is the process by which companies determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development.[1] It is an integrated process through which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return. Marketing is used to identify the customer, to keep the customer, and to satisfy the customer. With the customer as the focus of its activities, it can be concluded that marketing management is one of the major components of business management. The evolution of marketing was caused due to mature markets and overcapacities in the last 2-3 centuries. Companies then shifted the focus from production to the customer in order to stay profitable. The term marketing concept holds that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions.[2] It proposes that in order to satisfy its organizational objectives, an organization should anticipate the needs and wants of consumers and satisfy these more effectively than competitors. 2. Marketing management orientations – An organization with a market orientation focuses its efforts on 1) continuously collecting information about customers’ needs and competitors’ capabilities, 2) sharing this information across departments, and 3) using the information to create customer value. 3. The market orientation simply defines an organization that understands the importance of customer needs, makes an effort to provide products of high value to its customers, and markets its products and services in a coordinated holistic program across all departments. In what we call the â€Å"Marketing Concept,† the company embraces a philosophy that the â€Å"Customer is King.† The Marketing Concept is an attitude. It’s a philosophy that is driven down throughout the organization from the very top of the management structure. The Marketing Concept communicates that â€Å"the customer is king.† Everything that the company does focuses on the customer. Via the Marketing Concept, a company makes every effort to best understand the wants and needs of its target market and to create want-satisfying goods that best fulfill the needs of that target market and to do this better than the competition. The term  marketing concept holds that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions.[2] It proposes that in order to satisfy its organizational objectives, an organization should anticipate the needs and wants of consumers and satisfy these more effectively than competitors. 4. Partner relationship management – is a business strategy for improving communication between companies and their channel partners. 5. Importance and process of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – is a company-wide business strategy designed to reduce costs and increase profitability by solidifying customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. True CRM brings together information from all data sources within an organization (and where appropriate, from outside the organization) to give one, holistic view of each customer in real time. This allows customer facing employees in such areas as sales, customer support, and marketing to make quick yet informed decisions on everything from cross-selling and upselling opportunities to target marketing strategies to competitive positioning tactics. Course Objective 2 – Appreciate the importance of ethics and social responsibility in marketing. (Chapter 20) Differences between consumerism and environmentalism – is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods or services in ever greater amounts. environmentalism – is a broad philosophy and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the state of the environment. 1. Sustainable marketing principles 2. Role of ethics and corporate responsibility Course Objective 3 – Understand the role of marketing within an organization and how marketing relates to and drive customer-focused company strategy. (Chapter 2) 1. Marketing’s role in company wide strategic planning 2. Difference between value chain and value delivery network 3. Contents of a marketing plan and general idea of what is included in each section 4. Consumer (or customer-driven) oriented marketing strategy Course Objective 4 – Describe the impact of external and internal environments on marketing strategy. (Chapters 3, 18) 1. Major actors in a company’s microenvironment 2. Major forces in a company’s macroenvironment 3. Competitive positions Course Objective 5 – Demonstrate ability to analyze, synthesize and integrate key marketing concept of market research, consumer behavior, segmentation, targeting and positioning on practical situations. (Chapters 4, 5, 7) 1. Difference between a marketing information system and marketing intelligence 2. Psychological factors affecting a person’s buying choices 3. Marketing targeting strategies Course Objective 6 – Define and apply the marketing processes underlying product, price, place, and promotion decisions. (Chapters 8, 9, 10, 12, 14) 1. Product and service classifications 2. Three levels of products 3. Branding strategies 4. Customer equity 5. Characteristics of services product life cycle strategies 6. Role of profits in delivering customer value 7. Setting prices based on customer perceptions of value 8. Differences between direct and indirect marketing channels Part III – Short Essay Responses (25 percent) There are six short essay response questions; but you need to complete ONLY FIVE. All of the short essay questions are looking for something specific and may involve a listing of steps or stages in a marketing process. It will be difficult for you to answer these questions unless you know the material. You do not have to use the exact terminology, but you do have to demonstrate you know the steps or stages for maximum credit. Your essay responses need to be recorded on the Answer Sheet in the space provided (approximately l/3 page), but if you need additional room you may use the backside of the Answer Sheet. Be sure to mark the continued question number clearly. Leave the essay question you are skipping blank. Each short essay response is worth 5 points. Chapter (one question per chapter) Marketing concept to be tested 2 Elements in a company’s microenvironment and why each group is important to create value 20 Be prepared to name a company you believe practices enlightened marketing and defend your selection 8 Importance and selection of the four brand strategy decisions. 8 Characteristics of services 9 Marketing strategies for each stage of the product life cycle 11 Pricing strategies for new products There are three long essay questions that will require you to merge multiple marketing concepts and apply them to a specific scenario. You ONLY NEED TO ADDRESS TWO OF THE THREE LONG ESSAYS. The more specifics you can demonstrate the more credit you can earn. You may want to outline your response on the backside of the Test Instrument prior to writing your response on the Answer Sheet so you can organize your thoughts and in the sequence you want them presented to your faculty member for grading. Each long essay question is worth 15 points. The long essay questions will cover the following marketing topics: 1. Integrated Marketing Communications – Be prepared to recommend an IMC strategy including a marketing communications mix and rationale for a new consumer product 2. Customer Relationship Management – Be prepared to outline a CRM strategy for a small business, including recommendations for specific CRM tools to capture customer value for that company’s most valued customers. 3. Segmentation, targeting and positioning – Be prepared to outline the characteristics of at least three distinct market segments for a national chain referring to the criteria for effective segments. Be prepared to defend your choices. From all your marketing faculty members — good luck on this exam and the remainder of your academic career.

Compare the Ways in Which Larkin and Abse Write About Settings in Their Poems. Essay

Compare the ways in which Larkin and Abse write about settings in their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at least two of Larkin’s poems. In ‘Mr Bleaney’ Larkin explores the setting of an old house, still ever present with the spirit and legacy of its last occupant. Setting is presented as impressionable on its inhabitant, restricting and institutionalising their lives. Similarly, Abse’s poem ‘Leaving Cardiff’ also displays themes regarding setting giving you an identity, which is defined by one place, leaving the persona institutionalised. Regarding setting, another of Larkin’s poems ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ also supports the theme of settings being very impressionable. However, like ‘Leaving Cardiff’, this particular poem hints at settings also contributing to a disappointing, anticlimactic and overrated journey. In ‘Mr Bleaney’ Larkin presents setting as an extremely reclusive place which has an everlasting and overpowering effect on the persona, making him very agoraphobic. The repetitive and constant ‘ABAB’ rhyme scheme throughout this poem hints at the continual and dull life the persona leads, being forced to live a constant, boring life sculpted by Mr Bleaney’s previous existence. The lexis ‘stayed’ also reiterates the lack of ambition the persona feels towards being any different to Mr Bleaney. The previous occupant Mr Bleaney relied on his house ‘the whole time’, and the persona is starting to behave similarly. The end of the poem ‘I don’t know.’, ending with a caesura displaying irony, is a powerful ending which is the personas way of justifying superiority or difference, and the irony that he is actually like Mr Bleaney, a reclusive and restrictive man. The metaphorical use of pathetic fallacy ‘frig id wind’ is hinting at the outside world trying to torpon the previous occupant to come outside more frequently, but due to his contentment with confinement, he chose never to. ‘That how we live measures our own nature’ is showing how home sculpts you to how you are and your life is evaluated based on your home. Therefore, the previous occupant Mr Bleaney is leaving an everlasting impression on his home, rubbing of onto the way the persona lives his life. In addition, the lexis ‘home’ is used when describing this particular setting. On the whole, this prison like venue is  quite the opposite of a homely environment and the irony is that evidently the setting in this poem is more like a ‘hired box’, hinting at a coffin like atmosphere created within the ‘home’. On the whole, the setting in this poem is not described very positively, and the persona should definitely not be happy within the confinement of an everlasting, dominant presence overshadowing the joy of life through obsession with imprisonment. Similarly, Abse’s poem ‘Leaving Cardiff’ also hints at setting being accountable for your identity. ‘Can I be the same man twice’ is a prime example of setting, in this poem Cardiff, defying your distinctiveness. The persona within this poem is reflecting on how Cardiff once distinctively defined who he was, and now he is leaving, he will never be the same person that Cardiff once moulded him into. To show the persona and the setting are strongly linked with a bond, the metaphorical usage of pathetic fallacy ‘knots of water flow’ is hinting at the emotional response that Cardiff has on the persona, linking them together strongly and showing how dominant setting is in his life. In addition, the materialistic use of ‘now the funnels negations blow’ shows how Cardiff was dominant in every aspect of the personas life. Due to funnels blowing out rings of smoke, they are metaphorically signifying the repetitious and vicious circles the persona will face in always being linked to Cardiff, bringing him back to where he started. Also, the rings of smoke signify the emptiness within his life, and how once he leaves Cardiff a segment of his identity will be left behind. Alternatively, setting in Larkin’s ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ is predominantly described through a journey on a train, contributing to the disappointing and overrated impression of setting. Although Larkin claims there was nothing of himself in this poem, his biographer maintains there was everything of the poet in this poem, critiquing the homogeneity of life. In one sense, the persona is experiencing a stereotypical journey within the setting of a train, on looking on the ‘houses’ and ‘streets’ surrounding him. However, in another sense the persona is looking at the mass production of newlyweds during ‘The Whitsun Weddings’, a religious festival, unprepared for their hopeful and artificial journey ahead. Phillip Larkin is very critical of marriage, believing too much credence is put on it and the  reality is that it will not last. ‘A slow and stopping curve southwards’. This is hinting at the reality of life going downhill after marriage, and the expected journey will not succeed. In regards to setting, the setting of a train is extremely significant. As the newlyweds pile on the train polluting true love, the train is symbolically signifying the deteriorative journey that will take place in their love lives. Generally, this poem is very negative towards the journey that married couples will face, symbolical of the setting of a train. However, the slight break of the ABABCDECDE’ rhyme scheme when ‘grass’ and ‘cars’ rhyme is to show a slight blip of happiness in marriage, in contrast to sorrow. This is because Larkin wanted to show how this is only his opinion on the journey of marriage. Also, the breaking of the rhyme scheme could symbolically show how in fact in later life the couples may separate and evidently their marriage could break down. The setting of a train is to also show the normalisation and journey of a marriage. Abse’s ‘Leaving Cardiff’ also uses journey to contribute to the setting, just like Larkin does. The journey that the persona is facing in this poem is that he is leaving Cardiff for good. ‘Upload and move on’. This particular metaphor is showing how the persona is leaving the setting of Cardiff, but will never forget the journey he has been on whilst he is there, and evidently the Journey he will face in the future.