Australian Property Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Australian Property Market - Essay Example However the interest rates have all along been one of the dominating factors in determining the demand and supply position of the residential properties, as the initial investment is heavy in the case of large residential property developments and the gestation period is also long to get back the investments. This paper analyses the impact of interest rates on the demand for residential properties. On an analysis it is found that the residential property market in Australia is getting stronger every year. There are several factors that affect the growth of the property market in any country. It so happens that any factor affecting the residential property market in the major cities will follow course to smaller towns and cities and affect the country as a whole over the period. The prices of residential properties continue to increase during the period 2003 through 2005 in spite of a slight increase in the interest rates of up to 0.5 percent. However this increase caused a slow down in the property market in Sydney and Melbourne for some period, but the boom in the property market continued despite the increase in the interest rate. The demand for the house properties remained strong during the period, due to the fact that the Gross Domestic Product of Australia in general remained stronger showing an enhanced progress of the economy. Similarly the support from the government in the form of certain tax cuts and other measures had improved the household disposable incomes and raised the consumer confidence. This also gave rise to the boom in the property market. Another factor that led to the increase in the demand for the house properties is the change in the general attitude of the people in getting the financial support form families making the purchase of property as a life time dream comes true. But in spite of all these positive factors there was a decline in the demand. Analysts point out various factors responsible for this slowness in the property market. Though not the only reason, increase in the interest rates was cited as one of the factors responsible for the reduction in the demand for the properties. With this background I intend to present this paper reporting in detail the impact of interest rates on the residential property market in Australia. 2.0 Aims and Objectives: This research will mainly center around the impact of the interest costs among other factors on the demand position of the residential properties in the Australian property market. To achieve the main objectives of the research study, the level of the interest rates during the historical period will be analysed and the demand for the residential properties during the corresponding period will be correlated to report the trend of the demand position on the basis of the changes in the

The British Government Essay Example for Free

The British Government Essay Censorship played a vital role in hiding the negative effects of the war and controlling public opinion. Censorship is hiding or deleting parts of information. Photos, texts, statistics and information were all edited. The government had overtaken the media and carefully selected positive information and sometimes-irrelevant information to mislead civilians and control peoples opinions. Censorship was a strategic military action to mislead the enemy into thinking Britain was winning. The most important factor for censorship was to prevent the enemy from getting too much information. It was used to boost civilians morale because if they knew the truth, they might riot in the streets, forcing the government to surrender. One of the most significant and successful methods of censorship was the use of the radio. Many people had radios. It broadcasted happy and patriotic songs to keep up the morale. Demoralizing information was censored and statistics were exaggerated to their advantage. A good example of the need for censorship is the Bethnal Green Tube station incident where 173 people suffocated because a woman fell over. They censored information similar to this because they didnt want people to stop using shelters and people dying, if they died trying to reach safety, they might feel nowhere is safe and it would lower morale. If it wasnt censored, the Germans would exaggerate it to be a huge victory and the British would assume they were losing. The government blamed it on the bombing reassured people that it was safe. Censorship didnt quite boost morale but it definitely kept it from going down, propaganda was used mainly for boosting morale. Propaganda is information that is spread to promote a cause. The most important reason for propaganda was to boost morale in times of hardship. Also, it was used so people would contribute to the war effort. Even though sometimes the items werent used, but it made people feel as though they had done their bit. It was used to pressure parents to send their children away to the countryside. Most propaganda was positive and mostly funny also, to keep spirits high and to show the enemy they were surviving. It was also funny because it was uplifting and not to frighten people. Some propaganda used fear to make people do what the government wanted such as recycling. Propaganda was suitable for everyone and gave instructions incase of attacks. Another important use of propaganda was to make people obey the governments advice for example building a shelter or a wartime garden. Propaganda was also used to ensure civilians to use resources sparingly so that Britain could be self-sufficient because sailors getting the foreign goods were often at risk. Propaganda was shown in many ways such as films, the radio and posters, which were everywhere. The most significant and successful method of propaganda was posters because they were everywhere and it promoted safety precautions. They were designed to have catchy phrases and made people laugh, this would make them remember the message within the poster. Propaganda also promoted unity so that people wouldnt turn on each other. Normal life was also promoted so people didnt panic and cause riots. The duty of women was emphasized because they were important in keeping the family together. Stories were invented and victories of the R. A. F were exaggerated to again, boost morale. Statistics were also exaggerated, perhaps in an attempt to trick the enemy into believing they were losing.

Millennialism and Apocalypse Thought in S. T. Coleridge and William Wor

missing some works cited "Tintern Abbey": Millennialism and Apocalypse Thought in S. T. Coleridge and William Wordsworth's Poetics Storming of the Bastille 1789 [1] During and in the aftermath of the French Revolution, millennialist thought – independent of the myriad of economic and historical reasons for its precipitation – influenced many authors. Many people perceived the French Revolution as a foreshadowing of an Apocalypse that would usher in a new millenarian epoch, one levelling social distinctions between people and bringing about what was believed to be Christ's absolute rule. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was such a writer influenced by millennialist and apocalyptic belief in the late-eighteenth-century. His early writings and visions, such as in Religious Musings (1794-6), and Pantisocracy (1794), as well as his proposed communal experiment on the Susquehanna River in the United States, mark his belief in a millennium that would eliminate the social evils that he saw as detrimental to both individuals and the society in which he lived. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Revelations 6 : 1-8, detail from Albert Durer [4] The belief in millenarian and apocalyptic movements is one that was, and remains, today pervasive. Its origins are not entirely understood, but as Hillel Schwartz notes, "its root term, millennium, refers to a first-century eastern Mediterranean text, the Apocalypse of John or Book of Revelation." [2] Schwartz further notes that: "Among the world religions we can locate two constellations of millenarian thought about an epochal pulsing of time, one Zoroastrian-Jewish-Greek-Christian, the other Hindu-Buddist-Taoist-Confucian." [3] Broadly defined, it is: The belief that the end of the w... ..., in Romanticism: An Anthology, with CD-ROM, 2nd ed. Oxford & Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2000. [BACK] 11. Earl Leslie Griggs, Ed. Collected Letters of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Vol. I. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1956, 395, 397. [BACK] 12. Duncan Wu and David Miall, eds. Romanticism: An Anthology, with CD-ROM, 2nd ed. Oxford & Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2000. ( 271). [BACK] 13. Ibid, 191. [BACK] 14. Ibid. [BACK] 15. Wordsworth, "There is an active principle" (1798), 9-11. [BACK] 16. Coleridge, quoted in Peterfreund, Stuart. "Coleridge and the Politics of Critical Vision." Critical Essays on Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Ed. Leonard Orr. New York, Toronto: Maxwell Macmillan International, 1994, 39. [BACK] 17. Earl Leslie Griggs, Ed. Collected Letters of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Vol. II. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1956, 1013. [BACK] 18. http://www.new-harmony.com/

Handmaids Tale Essay -- essays research papers

Many of the principles of Gilead are based on Old Testament beliefs. Discuss Atwoods use of biblical allusions and their political significance in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ‘The Handmaids Tale’ is a book full of biblical allusions, before Atwood begins the text an epigraph gives us an extract from Genesis 30: 1-3 â€Å"And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.† This principle from the Bible is used throughout ‘The Handmaids Tale’, the principles being that it is the idea of both assemblages that a women’s duty is to have children and that it is acceptable for a man to be angry if a women can not produce a child. Both these beliefs show that in jointly the Bible and ‘The Handmaids Tale’, women are completely defined by fertility and are classed as ‘walking wombs’. ‘The Handmaids Tale’ recreates the selected stanzas from the bible with Jacob, Rachel, Leah and the two handmaids. The tale is an Old Testament story about surrogate mothers, on which the novel is based. The section gives biblical precedent for the several practices of Gilead, by doing this it paves the way for Atwood to comment on patriarchy where women are undervalued and abused in all walks of life. The idea is also expressed later when we discover the ‘Red Centre’ governmentally known as the ‘Rachel a nd Leah Centre’. As the basis of the novel it is replicated many times throughout the text, for example, it is found in the family reading before the monthly ceremonies, and in Rachel’s plea ‘give me children, or else I die’. This clearly lays emphasis on the threat to the Handmaids life. By failing to produce a child, they will be classed as Unwomen and sent to the Colonies to die. Atwood, to coordinate with biblical references has employed a biblical name for the place where the book is set. Gilead is the name Atwood saw fit to call her town. The fundamentalist Republic of Gilead is named after a place in the Old Testament, a mountainous region east of Jordan. Gilead is closely connected with the history of patriarch Jacob, and the prophe... ...ical references, for example, the lords prayer in chapter thirty where she changes the ‘norm’ and asks for the things that she really wants. Just like the commander and the teachers of regime do in order to get what they want. â€Å"Now we come to forgiveness. Don’t worry about forgiving me right now. There are more important things. For instance: keep others safe, if they are safe. Don’t let them suffer too much. If they have to die, let it be fast. You might even provide a heaven for them. We need you for that. Hell we can create ourselves.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gileads official discourse is a hybridised rhetoric, which combines biblical language with traces of American capitalist phrases; for example, ‘in God we trust’ is the motto on the dollar bill. Marxism and feminism. It uses and abuses the bible in the same way as it uses the slogans of the liberal ideology it has overthrown.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Handmaids Tale’ is a blunt warning to modern society, Atwood underlines that all the points in her novel have occurred in the world previously, and if propaganda establishes itself it could take place again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Levendary cafe case study Essay

1. Statement of Problem: What are the problems being faced and the most important 3-4 decisions the company needs to make regarding the situation of the company in China. The company transformation from private equity ownership with an immediate shift of CEO marked new challenges for the company. The company has been going through rigorous changes to keep up with the strong performance track record. However, the distinction of the profiles and management approach of the two CEOs was obviously noticed by the subordinates. The intelligent handling of management issues and concerns with subsequent impact on the employees and consumers mark the importance and sensitivity of the decisions of Mia Foster. The response and performance of China Market are the primary problematic area of the company. The management is piled with issues and skepticism on the ground of the equation generated out of new CEO, new Market, new strategies and new reporting procedures. The dire need of management is to visit location with ample supporting information and vigilant approach to take hold over the situation. The core areas to be addressed in this reference includes the dil emmas of swirled market reputation of the company, skepticism over the company’s potential to grow as a multinational brand, competitor’s rivalry and in house mismanagement issues. An immediate and focused response to the illustrated concerns is essential at this point of time to take hold of the situation before it gets any worst. The solutions devised in this reference are illustrated below; a.  Product Image in Market. b. Communication plan (Internal / External) c. Documentation of Policies and procedures d. Marketing strategy development 2. Alternatives: What are three different courses of action she can take to deal with Louis Chen and solve these various issues? Clearly explain. The importance of the concerns with the necessity to strategically move to address the issues is obvious. The different courses of action that can be adapted to respond the requisites are referred below: a. Department Heads are to be aligned over a platform with allocation of KPI in their respective fields in the light of the strategic objectives. b. The board of directors is to be supported by an in house team to monitor and coach the resolutions. c. A third person consultation service can be hired with an objective of desired goals. 3. Decision: Recommend one course of action. Convince us why this one is best and will help fix the problems. Address any criticism that this decision is likely to face Amongst the suggested options the first option of allocation targeted objectives as KPIs of the department head is the most suitable, as it will utilize in house resources and direct monitoring of the in charge. At the same time, the possibility of information leakage or blame game is further at the diminished end if this option is opted. 4. Action: List and describe 4-5 action steps to turn your plan into reality and implement the plan A comprehensive and concise action plan to support the strategy is suggested below for your perusal. a. Development and establishment of company processes and policies. b. The communication of policies amongst all branches. c. Development of communication model that is separate links for internal communication with a user friendly website for consumers. d. The hiring of a regional media manager and financial analyst to keep the track on the path. e. Regular observation of agendas over the Board meetings. f. Allocations of target oriented KPI’s under the observation of the strategic goals.

What is Irony The 3 Major Types of Irony (with Examples)

What is Irony The 3 Major Types of Irony (with Examples) What Is Irony and How Should You Use it? Last updated: 04/18/2019Many of us probably know it when we see it, but few of us can articulate what irony really is - much less identify the different types. However, it’s important for writers to understand this literary technique, as it can really add depth to your story - so long as you’re not using it in a hackneyed or incorrect way (like the much-debated Alanis Morissette song).In this article, we will define and analyze the various types of irony and how to use them in your writing. These types include dramatic, situational, and verbal irony, along with their offshoots and related terms. We’ll also give examples of each type in literature, films, and other media. Finally, we’ll debunk the concept of "rain on your wedding day†Ã‚  - which might be inconvenient but certainly isn’t ironic. The 3 different types of irony how to use them What is irony?Irony is a storytelling tool used to create a contrast between how things seem and how they really are beneath the surface. The term comes from the Latin word ironia, which means â€Å"feigned ignorance.† The three main types used in literature are dramatic, situational, and verbal, as mentioned above.People often conflate irony with sarcasm, coincidence, or bad luck. While these concepts can have ironic characteristics, they’re not interchangeable with irony.So for example, if you run to catch the bus and miss it by two seconds, that’s not ironic - unless the reason you’re late is because you were bragging about how you wouldn’t miss the bus. This creates an unexpected and comic contrast to what would otherwise just be an unfortunate situation. More on that later. The stages of dramatic ironyNow that you have a solid handle on what it is, let’s break down the three stages of dramatic irony.  We’ll use another Shakespearean example, this time from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (which has an ever-so-slightly different ending from the original play), to illustrate these stages.Stage 1. Installation: the information is presented to the audience, but withheld from the characters. Toward the end of the movie, Juliet fakes her own death to get out of marrying Paris. She sends a message detailing her plans to Romeo, but he never receives it - so the audience knows Juliet isn’t really dead, but Romeo does not.Stage 2. Exploitation: the author uses this imbalance to heighten curiosity and tension. Romeo finds out about Juliet’s â€Å"death† and buys poison in order to join her in the afterlife. The audience doesn’t yet know whether he will go through with it, however, and they're filled with anguished curiosity.Stage 3. Resolution: the characters find out the truth. In the Baz Luhrmann version, Romeo drinks the poison by Juliet’s side, but she awakens from her deep slumber just before he dies. Hence he does, eventually, find out the truth that she was never really dead - but of course, he’s already consumed the poison, which means all they have time for is one final kiss.In this case, the dramatic irony is also tragic irony; the characters in Romeo + Juliet find out the truth just moments too late to stop something horrible from happening. Heartbreaking, no? 💔How else is dramatic irony used?To induce feelings of fear or suspenseAlfred Hitchcock succinctly explains dramatic irony by describing two scenes:In the first, four people are sitting at a table, having a conversation, when a bomb explodes.In the second, we witness an anarchist enter the room, place a bomb under the table, and set it to explode at 1pm. Moments later, we watch as four people sit at th at table and begin a conversation. There is a clock on the wall that reads 12:45pm.In the first scene, we experience momentary surprise. In the second scene, an innocuous conversation becomes charged with prolonged suspense - dramatic irony.For some truly impressive suspense-building, check out this list of the 50 best suspense books of all time.To stir up sympathy for a characterIn the movie Ten Things I Hate About You, high school senior Kat is cold and reserved. After Patrick agrees to woo Kat in exchange for payment from a fellow classmate (who wants to date her sister), we see her warm to him. However, even as they fall for each other, we know that the truth about Patrick’s initial interest in Kat will inevitably come out - consequently, we feel sympathy for her as the reveal draws closer.To create comical situationsIn the season eight finale of  Friends, Joey picks up Ross’s coat and a ring tumbles out - a ring intended for Ross to propose to Rachel. When Jo ey kneels down to pick it up, Rachel assumes he is proposing†¦ and accepts.Hilarity ensues as misunderstanding and miscommunication take the day. But of course, ignorance can only remain bliss for so long. Once exploitation is underway, resolution must follow soon after. A character who remains oblivious for too long can start to seem unrealistic to readers, and tension turns to frustration; always keep this in mind when using dramatic irony in a story. Dramatic irony: when readers know something the characters don’t 😠² 2. Situational ironyWhen the truth contradicts an expected outcome, it's  situational irony - also known as â€Å"the irony of events.† Again, just to clarify, irony is not the same as "coincidence" and "bad luck." If you buy a new car and then accidentally drive it into a tree, that is both coincidence and bad luck. However, if a professional stunt driver crashes into a tree on their way home from receiving a â€Å"best driver† award, that is situationally ironic.Example of situational irony: Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsThroughout the seventh book of the Harry Potter series, readers follow Harry on his quest to find and destroy Voldemort’s six Horcruxes. At the end of the novel, we find out that there is a seventh Horcrux, so to speak  - and it's Harry himself.This unexpected twist also comes with the ironic realization that in order for Voldemort to die, Harry must sacrifice himself. So he willingly goes to meet Voldemort - and his own death. But when Voldemort uses the killing curse on Harry, it has the opposite of his desired effect. Harry lives while the Horcrux dies, bringing Voldemort that much closer to his greatest fear: mortality.In this way, Harry being a Horcrux is actually a double case of situational irony. Harry believes he must die in order to vanquish his enemy, whereas Voldemort thinks he is killing Harry, but he’s actually killing himself. Mind = blown, right?How to Write Dialogue: 10 Simple Rules (Plus 5 Mistakes to Avoid!) Read post This does rely on well-planned timing and context, however. A character needs to be properly developed, and the tone of a scene needs to be precisely conveyed, in order for dialogue to come across as ironic. Otherwise, there's a danger that the character’s statement may go over the reader’s head or be taken literally.For comic reliefOf course, sometimes writers use verbal irony simply to be funny. Whether it’s to highlight a sarcastic character (see: Chandler Bing) or to lighten tension during a dark or difficult scene, verbal irony typically does a very good job of providing comic relief.Final takeawaysHopefully you now understand the general purpose of irony: to create a contrast between appearances and underlying truths. When done properly, this can rather significantly alter a reader’s interaction with, expectations of, and insight into a novel. Indeed, irony is a hallmark of some of the most interesting and sophisticated writing in this day and age.Re member to use it with care, however, as it requires people to read between the lines. Irony can add a lot to the reading experience, but shouldn’t throw us so far off course that we can’t find our way to the truth. With that in mind, go forth and be ironic! (In your story, we mean.)What’s your favorite example of irony? Let us know in the comments!

Biography of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England

Biography of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England Elizabeth Woodville (1437–June 7 or 8, 1492, and known variously as Lady Grey, Elizabeth Grey, and Elizabeth Wydevill) was the commoner wife of Edward IV, who had a key  role in the War of the Roses and in the succession battle between the Plantagenets and Tudors. She is best known today as a character in Shakespeares  Richard III  (as Queen Elizabeth) and the title character in the 2013 television series  The White Queen. Fast Facts: Elizabeth Woodville Known For: A commoner who was destined to become wife of Edward IV, mother of Edward V, sister-in-law of Richard III, mother-in-law of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIIIBorn: About 1837 in Grafton, rural NorthamptonshireParents: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford and Sir Richard WoodvilleDied: June 7 or 8, 1492.Spouse(s): Sir John Grey (ca. 1450–1461); Edward IV (1464–1483)Children: Two with John Grey (Thomas Grey (Marquess of Dorset) and Richard Grey) and 10 with Edward IV (Elizabeth of York who married Henry VII; Mary; Cecily; Edward V; Margaret; Richard; Anne who married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey); George; Catherine who married William Courtney, Earl of Devon; and Bridget. The two princes in the tower were Richard and Edward V Early Life Elizabeth Woodville was probably born at Grafton in rural Northamptonshire, England, about 1437, the eldest of the 12 children of Richard Woodville and Jacquetta de Luxembourg. Elizabeths mother Jacquetta was the daughter of a Count  and a descendant of Simon de Montfort and his wife Eleanor, the daughter of Englands King John. Jacquetta was the wealthy and childless widow of the Duke of Bedford, brother of Henry V, when she married Sir Richard Woodville. Her sister-in-law Catherine of Valois also married a man of lower station after she was widowed. Two generations later,  Catherines grandson Henry Tudor married Jacquettas granddaughter, Elizabeth of York. Jacquettas second husband and Elizabeths father was the less highborn county knight Sir Richard Woodville. At the age of 7, Elizabeth was sent to another landed household (a custom of the period was to trade children so that they would have social contacts in the future), probably Sir Edward Grey and his wife Elizabeth, Lady Ferrers. There, she had formal lessons in reading, writing (in English, French, and Latin), and a grounding in law and mathematics. The Woodville family was wealthy when Elizabeth was born, but as the Hundred Years War wound down and the Wars of the Roses conflict began, the familys finances became straitened, and as a result, Elizabeth married John Grey (7th Baron Ferrers of Groby) in 1452 when she was about 14 years of age. The recently knighted Grey was killed at the Second Battle of St. Albans in 1461, fighting for the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth petitioned Lord Hastings, Edwards uncle, in a controversy over land with her mother-in-law. She arranged a marriage between one of her sons and one of Hastings daughters. Ancestry Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of King John of England, was the 8th great grandmother of Elizabeth Woodville through her mother Jacquetta.  Her husband Edward IV and son-in-law Henry VII were, of course, also descendants of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Elizabeth Woodville   Jacquetta of Luxembourg   Margherita del Balzo Sueva Orsini Nicola Orsini Roberto Orsini Anastasia de Montfort Guy de Montfort Eleanor Plantagenet John of England Eleanor of Aquitaine Meeting and Marriage with Edward IV How Elizabeth met Edward is not known for certain, though an early legend has her petitioning him by waiting with her sons beneath an oak tree. Another story circulated that she was a sorceress who bewitched him, but she may have simply known him from court. Legend has her giving Edward, a known womanizer, an ultimatum that they had to be married or she would not submit to his advances. On May 1, 1464, Elizabeth and Edward married secretly. Edwards mother, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, and Cecilys nephew, the Earl of Warwick who had been an ally of Edward IV in winning the crown, had been arranging a suitable marriage for Edward with the French king. When Warwick found out about Edwards marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick turned against Edward and helped restore Henry VI briefly to power. Warwick was killed in battle as were Henry and his son, and Edward returned to power. Elizabeth Woodville was crowned Queen in Westminster Abbey on May 26, 1465; both of her parents were present for the ceremony. Elizabeth and Edward had three sons and six daughters- Elizabeth of York who married Henry VII; Mary; Cecily; Edward V, briefly King of England (not crowned); Margaret; Richard, Duke of York; Anne who married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey; George, Duke of Bedford; Catherine who married William Courtney, Earl of Devon; and Bridget. Elizabeth also had two sons by her first husband- Thomas Grey, the Marquis of Dorset and Richard Grey. One was an ancestor of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey. Family Ambitions Her extensive and, by all accounts, ambitious family was favored heavily after Edward took the throne. Her eldest son from her first marriage, Thomas Grey, was created Marquis Dorset in 1475. Elizabeth promoted the fortunes and advancement of her relatives, even at the cost of her popularity with the nobles. In one of the most scandalous incidents, Elizabeth may have been behind the marriage of her brother, 19 years old, to the widowed  Katherine Neville,  the wealthy Duchess of Norfolk, 80 years old. But the grasping reputation was enhanced- or created- first  by Warwick in 1469 and later by Richard III, who had their  own reasons for wanting Elizabeths and her familys reputations to be diminished. Among her other activities, Elizabeth continued her predecessors support of Queens College. Widowhood When Edward IV died suddenly on April 9, 1483, Elizabeths fortunes abruptly changed. Her husbands brother Richard of Gloucester was appointed Lord Protector since Edwards eldest son Edward V  was a minor. Richard moved quickly to seize power, claiming- apparently with the support of his mother Cecily Neville- that the children of Elizabeth and Edward were illegitimate because Edward had been previously formally betrothed to someone else. Elizabeths brother-in-law Richard took the throne as Richard III, imprisoning Edward V (never crowned) and then his younger brother, Richard. Elizabeth took sanctuary. Richard III then demanded that Elizabeth also turn over custody of her daughters, and she complied. Richard attempted to marry first his son, then himself, to Edward and Elizabeths oldest daughter, known as Elizabeth of York, hoping to make his claim to the throne more solid. Elizabeths sons by John Grey joined in the battle to overthrow Richard. One son, Richard Grey,  was beheaded by King Richards  forces; Thomas joined Henry Tudors forces. Mother of a Queen After Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field and was crowned Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York- a marriage arranged with the support of Elizabeth Woodville and also of Henrys mother, Margaret Beaufort. The marriage took place in January 1486, uniting the factions at the end of the Wars of the Roses  and making the claim to the throne more certain for the heirs of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Princes in the Tower The fate of the two sons of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV, the Princes in the Tower, is not certain. That Richard imprisoned them in the Tower is known. That Elizabeth worked to arrange the marriage of her daughter to Henry Tudor may mean that she knew, or at least suspected, that the princes were already dead. Richard III is generally believed to have been responsible for removing the possible claimants to the throne, but some theorize that Henry VII was responsible. Some have even suggested Elizabeth Woodville was complicit. Henry VII re-proclaimed the legitimacy of the marriage of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV. Elizabeth was the godmother of the first child of Henry VII and her daughter Elizabeth, Arthur. Death and Legacy In 1487, Elizabeth Woodville was suspected of plotting against Henry VII, her son-in-law, and her dowry was seized and she was sent to Bermondsey Abbey. She died there on June 8 or 9, 1492. She was buried in St. Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle near her husband. In 1503, James Tyrell was executed for the deaths of the two princes, sons of Edward IV, and the claim was that Richard III was responsible. Some later historians have pointed their fingers at Henry VI instead. The truth is that there is not any sure evidence of when, where, or by what hands the princes died. In Fiction Elizabeth Woodvilles life has lent itself to many fictional depictions, though not often as the main character.  She is, however, the main character in the British series, The White Queen. Elizabeth Woodville is Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeares Richard III. She and Richard are depicted as bitter enemies, and  Margaret  curses Elizabeth with having her husband and children killed, as Margarets husband and son were killed by Elizabeths husbands supporters. Richard is able to charm Elizabeth into turning over her son and agreeing to his marriage to her daughter. Sources Baldwin, David. Elizabeth Woodville: Mother of the Princes in the Tower. Gloucestershire: The History Press (2002).  Print.Okerlund, Arlene N. Elizabeth of York: Queenship and Power. New York: Palgrave Macmillan (2009). Print.

Leroy A. Battle essays

Leroy A. Battle essays Leroy A. Battle was a young man in the mid-1940s who had just completed flight training, and earned his wings as one of the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen. Leroy Battle experienced a lot of things in life, while World War II raged on in Europe, and Asia. Battle, and 18 of his colleagues became part of a battle of their own against segregation on a military base, a battle that soon became known as the Freeman Incident. The Army and Air Force allowed blacks to become pilots. After being threatened with a lawsuit. The War Department established an air unit that was known as 99th Pursuit Squadron, for African-Americans near Tuskegee Institute, in Alabama. The Tuskegee Army Airfield was completely segregated at the outset, with fliers under the command of, and trained by white officers. The Jim Crow laws were tough for the blacks to deal with, because of them not being white, and dealing with the problems of them being Negro Officers that were discriminated. Opportunities for blacks in thi s state at the start of World War II were little better than those offered by the Army. In many towns blacks encountered so-called "Sundown laws," which forbade them to stay in the city after dark. In most aspects of their daily lives, from eating in restaurants to watching motion pictures, African-American faced discrimination and segregation. Leroy Battle has had different life experiences, including his encounter with fighting prejudice, discrimination towards blacks, and segregation. Prejudice played a big role of him being a Black African American that was in the newspapers, and taking the heat from Negro Officers being arrested, because of race being an issue. The major theoretical perspectives that are taking place are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspective. The functionalist perspective is taking place about Leroy Battle being punished under the social orders of his Jim Crows laws, and following the Sundown laws. Jim Crow ...

Discussion question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion question - Essay Example Effectiveness will determine the success of organizational performance, but efficiency only contributes to that success and does not play a direct role in performance outcomes. An organization may be extremely efficient and what they do, but if they are not effective then the short term and long-term goals and objectives will not likely be met. It is possible to simultaneously manage effectiveness and efficiency because these two concepts are linked to each other. However, effectiveness should be focused on first because if an organization is not effective then it will not matter how efficient it is. It is up to managers to put ideas into place that can assist in the efficiency of organizational performance. Efficiency can always be improved on later but effectiveness must be put into practice first because it will set the right tone throughout a work organization. Effectiveness concerns the board members and investors because they do not get to see the day to day operations of a bus iness, while efficiency is something that managers must be focused on because that will affect the effectiveness of organizational performance. ... Management theories must always take societal forces into account and also predict future changes in society that will have an effect on the workplace. For example, 100 years ago women were not common in the workplace, especially after they had a child. Because many women choose to pursue a career first instead of starting a family, management practices need to allow for the fact that most women do want to have a baby at some point. By taking this into account, managers can plan for the absence of a female employee, assist them in some way while they take time off, and help to reintegrate them back into the workplace after they have given birth. Another area that has changed over the last few decades is in terms of working hours. Previously most people would work a 9 to 5 job with very little room for flexibility, but nowadays it is commonplace for employees to allow their workers to adjust their working hours based on their own individual needs. New management techniques are a respo nse to these forces because managers are always going to want their workers to be efficient, and changing management techniques are inevitable to make this possible. 3- Based in your experience at work or school, describe some ways in which the principles of scientific management and bureaucracy are still used in organizations. Do you believe these characteristics will ever cease to be a part of organizational life? Discuss I do not really have any personal experiences with principles of scientific management, but I do think that Frederick Taylor's principles are still used through many workplaces and schools today. Although scientific management was first

Biogeochemical Cycles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biogeochemical Cycles - Research Paper Example le covers different regions from ocean to sky to earth and it covers all the Earth systems such as atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. â€Å"The movement of water in the hydrological cycle extends through the four parts of the total Earth system—atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere—and strongly depends on the local peculiarities of these systems.† (Kuchment, 2004, p 2). The importance of the hydrological cycle to life’s processes is generally recognized as all living organisms, including humans, depend on the hydrologic cycle for water and different activities of humans such as drinking, respiration, perspiration, and elimination of wastes form part of this cycle. Significantly, human activities have a great impact on the functionality of the hydrological cycle and those activities that change the land cover of river basins and are aimed at regulating the water fluxes in nature can greatly change the hydrological cycle of th e separate river basins, and even of large regions. â€Å"Due to human activities, the natural hydrological cycle of most river basins is becoming more and more transformed and regimented†¦ The major effects of reservoir construction on the hydrological cycle (excepting runoff control) are an increase of evaporation and a rise of groundwater table.† (Kuchment, 2004, p 30). Similarly, the impact of irrigation on the hydrological cycle is especially informative in the arid regions, although it is also substantial in regions with moderate climate where irrigation is of supplementary character. In conclusion, human activities have a great impact on the functionality of the hydrological cycle. Kuchment, Lev S. (2004). â€Å"The Hydrological Cycle and Human Impact on it.† Water Resources Management. Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems. p 2. Retrieved 07 October, 2009, from

Discuss the Moral Considerations Relevant to the Killing of Human Essay

Discuss the Moral Considerations Relevant to the Killing of Human Being - Essay Example According to those who oppose this  practice, they argue that the foetus is a human being or a person from the time of conception. Hence terminating it is the same as killing a human  being  which in itself is not  moral.  The foetus acquires  human  characteristics remarkably early in its  life  such that by the tenth week, it already has acquired a  face, arms,  and also  fingers and toes.  Also, the internal organs and the brain activity can be detected by this time. As every human has the right to life, also does the foetus. Every woman has the right to decide what should be happening in her body, but the foetus's right to life always outweighs her right to  make  a  choice  as to what happens in her body (Thompson 45). Many people who support abortion have  various  premises to support their arguments. One is pregnancy due to rape. They argue that this is reason enough to terminate the pregnancy. However, one cannot say that those who  wer e conceived  through rape have less  right  to live than others. Pregnancy due to rape results in the conception of a  baby  that also has the equal right to life just like all the other conventional methods of conception (Thompson 56). Hence Judith wonders what will happen when the mother's life  is threatened  by the pregnancy, whether it is morally relevant to  abort  the pregnancy or not. ... This means that abortion is morally permissible in some situations while in others it is not (Thompson 58). Judith's considerations on the  morality  of human  killing  are similar to the argument of Dan Brock who argued about the  morality  of voluntary, active euthanasia. Provision of  relieve  from suffering is among the many ways doctors take care of the patient`s wellbeing (Brock 30). Yet from a third-person point of view, it  is not known  whether an individual`s quality of life is extremely low that it  is burdensome  for the individual. Hence an  individual  might  regard  the continuation of his life to be unbearable because of the severity of his suffering; and  want  a doctor to end his suffering  immediately  by ending his life. This means that an individual acting on his values is morally permissible if his doing so is consistent with permitting others to the same freedom. This is  mostly  self-determination and the  value  of  equal  liberty. Hence an individual`s  choice  of  voluntary, active euthanasia is  more  consistent with permitting others the same freedom. Therefore, an individual  choice  of  voluntary, active euthanasia and the doctor's fulfilment of this request are morally permissible. However, voluntary, active euthanasia involves the deliberate killing of individuals, which is wrong. Hence voluntary, active euthanasia is also wrong. Removing life-sustaining  treatment  also amounts to deliberate killing of innocent people yet it  is thought  as morally permissible (Brock 32). This  is only done  when it is  consistent  with the well-being of the patient and his  self  determination. Hence voluntary, active euthanasia is morally permissible when it is  consistent  with the autonomy and the well-being of the patient (Brock 35). According

The Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Holocaust - Essay Example He mentions the inhumane agony that the soldiers put prisoners through only because they were homosexuals. Their uniforms were marked blue to identify them. He complains that to this day there would be several other prisoners like him who witnessed the torturous death, Pierre’s loved one; an eighteen year old boy was put through in front of all prisoners and yet they choose to be silent about it (Seel, 1995). Going through these testimonies, historians can do a lot in developing our understanding of the holocaust. They can shift our focus to the main matters that made people victims, the society, the choice that people made which the soldiers thought were punishable at that time. The ways that were adapted for punishments; the killing centers, extermination camps (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum), and such and spread the knowledge so people may know what their ancestors had to go through for them to get here. The modern society has much to learn from the Holocaust. Believing on differentiating and dividing everything never helped anyone. Defining someone from their differences from others is not the way a society is supposed to be. The modern society, instead of following into the footsteps of such people, should learn to make a difference by developing a sense of acceptance and proving themselves greater. History should not be repeated, it should be made.Bibliography Seel, Pierre, and Joachim Neugroschel.  I, Pierre Seel, Deported Homosexual: A Memoir of Nazi Terror, 25, 26. New York: Basic Books, 1995. Accessed July 27, 2012.

Corporate Social Responsibility Plan Research Paper

Corporate Social Responsibility Plan - Research Paper Example to the need to incorporate these plans directly into corporate social responsibility and so the plans are implemented isolated differently from corporate social responsibility plans. Until such a time that the corporate strategic plans of the company are integrated into the corporate social responsibility plans, the full potential of the company in terms of organizational growth cannot be attained. Nationwide Insurance is certainly in the financial industry, where it is expected to be a major stakeholder in the determination of the investment of people through insurance. Closely related to the background of the role of the company in offering secure investment policies for its clients are the vision and value statements of the company structured. The vision statement of the company is therefore given a â€Å"to become a competitive leader in the provision of risk-free insurance that meets customers at the points of their need†. The vision statement indicates clearly that the major focus of the company is the customer and that the company wants to put the customer first in all its business dealings. Much of the company’s ways of going about its business is directed at achieving the vision of the company. This is however done in a well laid out format that is backed by the use of empirical themes. For example, there is the use of three spheres and the environment, which together makes economic, political, civil society and the environment. In all of these thematic areas, the company tries to give to the customer value oriented service and business product that satisfies the demanding conditions of the company. On a scale of ten therefore, the success rate of programs that are currently in use in line with the four themes could be said to 8 out 10 successful. It was recently discovered that one of the best ways to achieve a holistic goal for all four themes is to make use of corporate social responsibilities (Urwick, 2003). This led to the designing of a series

The Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Holocaust - Essay Example He mentions the inhumane agony that the soldiers put prisoners through only because they were homosexuals. Their uniforms were marked blue to identify them. He complains that to this day there would be several other prisoners like him who witnessed the torturous death, Pierre’s loved one; an eighteen year old boy was put through in front of all prisoners and yet they choose to be silent about it (Seel, 1995). Going through these testimonies, historians can do a lot in developing our understanding of the holocaust. They can shift our focus to the main matters that made people victims, the society, the choice that people made which the soldiers thought were punishable at that time. The ways that were adapted for punishments; the killing centers, extermination camps (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum), and such and spread the knowledge so people may know what their ancestors had to go through for them to get here. The modern society has much to learn from the Holocaust. Believing on differentiating and dividing everything never helped anyone. Defining someone from their differences from others is not the way a society is supposed to be. The modern society, instead of following into the footsteps of such people, should learn to make a difference by developing a sense of acceptance and proving themselves greater. History should not be repeated, it should be made.Bibliography Seel, Pierre, and Joachim Neugroschel.  I, Pierre Seel, Deported Homosexual: A Memoir of Nazi Terror, 25, 26. New York: Basic Books, 1995. Accessed July 27, 2012.

Issues of drugs use in public schools Research Paper

Issues of drugs use in public schools - Research Paper Example The second sub-question is the rules and regulation that might be needed to guide the processing of identifying drug users among teachers and students. The other sub-question is how the effectiveness of a drug identificationtechnique chosen could be improved. Analysis in this researchis based on these sub-questions. The research concludes that none of the drug identification techniques is sufficient; it therefore recommends use of other drug identification techniques before deciding to undertake drug testing among teachers and students in public schools. CHAPTER 1: Introduction Context of the problem Drug use in public schools has been identified as a key issue affecting education in this country. Principals and other education administrators have found students in their schools using or in possession of illegal drugs like marijuana (Samaha, 2012). Moreover, there are teachers and other school employees who have been foundusing drugs by the school administrators while in their line o f duty. Therefore, the issue of drug use is a problem that affects the whole public schools fraternity. In the past, students were tested for drug use only when participating in athletics or when undertaking major co-curricular activities (Dempsey, 2011). This proved to be ineffective since the majority of drug users turned to be the idle students who did not engage in any form of sports or co-curricular activities. Furthermore, drug users tended to avoid sports and co-curricular activities to avoid being tested for drug use. However, recently a random drug test routinehas been introduced in the majority of public schools in this country. According to Leonard (2011), this approach of testing drug use has been providing great promises both as a preventive tool for drug use and as a means of reducing the costs of drug use in the society.However, teachers and other members of the public schoolfraternityare not included in this drug testing process. Drug use in public schools has severa l negative effects. Gasper (2009) identifies the issue as one of the major causes of students dropping out of schools. This is because of the fact that it could make the students feel unfit for the learning environment provided in public schools. It is also related to social problems like lack of discipline in schools, premarital sex, and spread of STIs (Ryan & Cooper, 2008). This indicates that if allowed to increase, it would result to increase in these identified social problems. Drug testing is one way of identifying drug users in public schools. As a policy, it requires that the test results be kept in confidential files and be released to educationpersonnel only when needed (Alexander & Alexander, 2011). However, very few school administrators meet what this policy requires. This results in violations of people’s privacy and victimization of students in public schools.Such outcomes have motivated human rights advocates to propose that drug education should be employed i nstead of drug testing. According to Wilson and Kolander (2011), drug education encompasses all activities aimed at teaching and communicating issues related to drug use to people in order to assist them in avoiding such harm. This might eliminate the negative effects of drug testing and yet achieve the required results in terms of

Macroeconomics Song Essay Example for Free

Macroeconomics Song Essay The poem’s major theme revolves around the unravelling of the US financial sector – and particularly its impact on investment banks in the wake of the recent global economic recession that affected the US and most of the world economies. Some of the macroeconomic concepts addressed – tacitly and explicitly – include: executive compensation, and the business cycle (Paxton, 1). The crisis is said to have primarily been triggered by the sub prime mortgage crisis. Traditionally, investment banks and other lending institutions have financed their customers’ borrowings from the deposits they collect from the members of the public. With the demand for credit finance to purchase essential items such as homes rising exponentially, the deposits became inadequate to finance the borrowing requirements and many of these financial institutions resorted to innovative financial products such as the securitization model or mortgage backed securities. Here, the financial institutions sell bonds. Those buying the bonds are guaranteed of getting their money back after a certain duration plus an attractive interest, and the money raised from floating these bond is advanced to the borrowers (in this case, prospective homeowners). The bondholders will be paid back their money whether the borrowers pay the bank back or default. Thus, it can be seen that the investment banks here shoulder substantial risks (Zeese, 1; Rasmus, 3; BBC, 1). The main problem was that these loans were made out to a segment of the market that is considered risky due to its low income and poor credit history. This segment has been referred to as the sub-prime mortgage segment. As long as the prices of homes continued to rise, this model of financing home purchases made sense because the borrowers could refinance their home purchases. However, and against all expectations, the real estate bubble that had been so prolonged in the country burst, and home prices began trending south at a dramatic rate. The import of all these is that the sub prime mortgage borrowers were unable to pay back what they had borrowed. They defaulted, leading to massive foreclosures (Zeese, 1; Rasmus, 3; BBC, 1). The loans that had been made out by the financial institutions were in the tune of billions of dollars. When these borrowers defaulted, the banks were left holding toxic assets, which they wrote down leading to massive losses. A number of them were pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. These include: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, AIG, Merrill Lynch, Bears Stearns and Lehman Brothers (Zeese, 1; Rasmus, 3; BBC, 1). It is this backdrop that provides the context for the poem. The poet parodies the false sense of security that these institutions had projected – for long, investment bankers such as Lehman Brothers had been viewed as beacons of stability in the American economy, doling out priceless advice to Americans on maters economic. But as the poet shows, the sub prime mortgage crisis unmasked them for who they are, left them at a loss of what to do, and they have turned out to be â€Å"the blind leading the blind†(Paxton, 1). One wonders how, with all their wisdom, the investment bankers could have hedged their risks upon such a risky market as the sub-prime mortgage segment. One of the immediate responses to the financial crisis was the rollout of a bailout package by the US government (whose worth was â€Å"seven hundred million grand,† in the words of the poet) (Paxton, 1). The failing institutions were major beneficiaries of this bailout package. According to Nanking (1), Bears Stearns was bought by JP Chase for $236 million, with the Federal Reserve Bank providing a staggering $30 billion to facilitate its purchase. Courtesy of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the government is said to have put in some $400 billion in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The AIG on its part received at least four cash bailouts, all of them amounting to $180 billion in total (Nanking, 1). The poet strongly questions the ethics behind these bailout packages, given that the crisis that affected the investment banks was largely self-inflicted. For example, apart from poor judgment resulting in the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the problems which the banks faced were also catalyzed by poor management practices such as excessive executive pay. The problems facing the banks also broke out at a time the issue of executive pay was coming under the spotlight. For example, Linn (2) writes that in 1970, top executives were earning 44 times what subordinate workers got and that by 2007 this had jumped to 344 times what the subordinate employees got. More telling is the fact that the CEO’s of Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, two of the failed investment bankers, received a total of over $117 million in spite of leading their organizations down the drain (Bass and Beamish, 1). Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sach’s top honcho, got $54 million, when the bank made a loss, with the 116 investment banks that had been short listed for aid under the bailout package having paid a cool $1.6 billion as bonuses to their CEO’s. AIG was mulling paying its CEO $165 million, when it had made a loss of over $60 billion (Bass and Beamish, 1). Given that these banks had been advanced cash under the bailout plan (which itself is from taxpayer funds), it is logical to assert that it is the average American (who earns 344 times less what the CEO gets) who is being made to pay for the mistakes of the CEO’s. It is this obscenity that the poem seems to rant about. Listen to the poet: â€Å"And it said that failure was the only crime. If you really screwed things up, then you were through; Now––surprise!––there is a different point of view. All that crazy rooty-tootin’ And that golden parachutin’ Means that someone’s making millions––just not you!† Works Cited: BBC. (2007). The downturn in facts and figures. 21 Nov 2007. 28 May 2010.   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7302341.stm Bass, Frank and Beamish, Rita. (2008). AP Study Finds $1.6B Went To Bailed-Out Bank Execs. 22 Dec 2008. 29 May 2010.   http://corridornews.blogspot.com/2008/12/investment-bank-executives-pork-out-on.html Linn, Allison. (2009). â€Å"AIG flap gives ammunition to critics of high pay.† MSNBC. Mar 20th 2009. 29 May 2010. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29791834/ Nankin, Jesse. (2009). History of U.S. govt bailouts. 1 Nov 2009. 29 May 2010. http://www.propublica.org/special/bailout-aftermaths#penncentral Paxton, Tom. I am changing my name to Fannie Mae. Rasmus, Jack. (2008). Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac: phase two of the financial crisis. Sep 2008. 28 May 2009. http://www.zcommunications.org/zmag/viewArticle/18717 Zeese, Kevin. (2008). The causes of the auto crisis. 25 Nov 2008. 28 May 2009. http://www.countercurrents.org/zeese251108.htm

NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 1. Introduction 1.1 Ibuprofen, a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most commonly used and therapeutically effective groups of drugs in the medicinal field. They suppress inflammation in a similar way as steroids. They are also better than steroids in such a way that they cause less side effects of sedation, addiction and respiratory depression. NSAIDs act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2. This type of inhibition results in reduced productions of precursors such as thromboxane, prostaglandin and leukotriene that are involved in the inflammatory pathways. NSAIDs are poorly water-soluble drugs (Hassan et al., 2009). Often, they are microencapsulated using the emulsion solvent diffusion method (Leo et al., 2000) to modify and retard drug release from pharmaceutical dosage form. Further, encapsulation of NSAIDs into polymeric nanoparticles, followed by their encapsulation into polymeric microparticles has proved to reduce the release rate and suppress the undesired initial burst. For instance, Ibuprofen-loaded PCL (Poly-epsilon-caprolactone) nanoparticles inside ethylcellulose/Eudragit RS polymeric microparticles was successfully encapsulated, which effectively exhibited a control of both the release rate and burst effect (Hassan et al., 2009; Socha et al., 2007). Ibuprofen, an NSAID, was selected as the model drug in this study. The low solubility (0.03-2.5mg/ml) (Khang et al., 2007) and short plasma half-life of approximately 2 hours of Ibuprofen makes it an ideal choice to prepare a controlled release dosage form. Ibuprofen is commonly used to relieve the symptoms of mild and moderate pain and inflammation in conditions such as migraine, dental pain, dysmennorhea, headaches, back pain, muscular pain, rheumatic pain, cold and flu symptoms. Also, it is used to treat chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis in which a controlled release dosage form is desired for symptom relief (Leo et al., 2000). Although parenteral Ibuprofen formulation has been produced recently, there is no controlled release dosage form available in the pharmaceutical market. Considering that Ibuprofen is a anti-inflammatory agent used widely, this study of preparation of a biodegradable and controlled release parenteral Ibuprofen dosage form, based on nanoparticles will definitely of great interest. For example, the intraarticular administration of Ibuprofen would offer an effective management of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. Also, it will serve an alternative to corticosteroid administration to avoid the devastating side effects (Hassan et al., 2009; Fernandez-Carballido et al., 2004). Besides, two types of parenteral formulations of Ibuprofen are now available in the pharmaceutical market. One of them is Pedea which is used for the therapy of ductus arteriosus in preterm newborns (Hassan et al., 2009, Aranda and Thomas, 2006). Its use in human pre-mature newborns was also demonstrated to be able to improve the cerebral blood flow regulation and potentially offer some degree of neuroprotection (Aranda and Thomas, 2006). It is a normal aqueous solution dosage form which is injected into the bloodstream, allowing fast therapeutic activity. Another parenteral Ibuprofen formulation is marketed by Cumberland Pharmaceuticals recently– the injectable ibuprofen formulation named Caldolor which is used for the treatment of pain and fever. Caldolor has also proved to have the advantage of reducing pain and fever significantly within 30 minutes. Although rapid attainment of therapeutic effect can be achieved, the short plasma half-life of Ibuprofen would have resulted in frequent administration in order to maintain plasma therapeutic levels. For instance Caldolor needs to be administered intravenously every 6 hours in order to maintain efficient plasma therapeutic levels. Therefore, controlled drug delivery systems would be a better yet excellent alternative to multiple injections. And, in such case, polymeric nanoparticles will be the best candidate for parenteral drug delivery. This polymeric nanoparticulate drug delivery system would be potentially used to increase bioavailability, provide prolonged therapeutic plasma levels and reduce administration frequency. 1.2 Controlled Drug Delivery and Drug Targetting To deliver drugs from the administration site to the target site, a delivery system is needed as drugs could not deliver by themselves (Davis and Illum, 1998; Bala et al., 2004). An ideal drug delivery system will possess both the properties of targeting and controlling the drug release (Thassu et al., 2007). Targeting ensures high effectiveness of the drug and at the same time reduces the possible devastating side effects that may be experienced. This is particularly beneficial when dealing with drugs for instance, drugs used in cancer therapy to ensure that only affected cancer cells but not healthy cells are killed (Brannon-Peppas and Blanchette, 2004). The reduction of side effects can also be attained through controlled release dosing systems. This study will focus on the parenteral controlled-release dosage forms. 1.2.1 Rationale for Parenteral Controlled-release Drug Delivery Parenteral controlled-release dosage forms have been proved to be useful for treating disease (Kydonieus, 1992). However, there is no single controlled-release technology that has proved to be effective in treating disease because of the diversity of drug properties, dosing levels, treatment durations as well as patient acceptability and cost. Therefore, an excellent controlled release technology is needed to be selected for each drug and associated disease treatment. The distribution of drug in the body after parenteral administration well depends entirely on the physicochemical properties of the drug. Conventional drug delivery is typically illustrated by drug administered via bolus injection, in which the most of the therapeutic agents in the drug are released immediately after the administration, causing a rapid increase of the plasma drug concentration levels (Uhrich et al., 1999). Drug concentration is then seen to fluctuate between the side effect level and the minimum therapeutic level, resulting in alternate periods of toxicity and ineffectiveness (Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009). As a consequence, higher dosage drug is needed to be administered repeatedly to maintain the therapeutic drug concentration at steady state level. Problems, hence, arise as multiple injections are not favoured by most patients. Therefore, in order to improve efficacy, patient compliance and convenience, a controlled-release parenteral dosage forms that can last for longer period of time after a single administration will be more beneficial. This controlled release over an extended time is also of great benefits for drugs that are rapidly metabolized and eliminated from the body after administration. This is because controlled release maintains drug concentration at steady state level for a sufficient duration at the target sites, where the rate of drug release is equivalent to the rate of drug elimination, thus keeping the drug concentration within the ideal therapeutic window as well as avoiding substantial fluctuations. As a result, frequent injections can be avoided. 1.3 Nanotechnology for Controlled Drug Delivery In the endeavour to design a parenteral controlled release dosage form, a number of drug delivery systems, such as emulsions, micelles, liposomes and nanoparticles have been developed (Kydonieus, 1992; Hassan et al., 2009). In fact, injectable, biodegradable nanosphere products are the most recent technology developed for parenteral controlled-release dosage forms. This termed nanoparticulate drug delivery system, which comprises of colloidal particles of nanosize range, provides a suitable mean of delivering not only small molecular weight drugs but also macromolecules such as hormones, proteins, peptides and nucleic acids (Bala et al., 2004; Panyam and Labhasetwar, 2003). Furthermore, the nanoparticulate drug delivery system evidences the successful development of the nanotechnology. The prefix â€Å"nano† is derived from the Greek word dwarf (Thassu et al., 2007). One nanometer (nm) is equivalent to one-billionth of a meter. Materials in the nanometer size range can have substantial properties compared with the same materials at a larger size, for instance materials in the micrometer size range (Hans and Lowman, 2002). The term â€Å"nanotechnology† was coined in 1974 by Norio Taniguchi, a professor of the Tokyo Science University, Japan to describe materials in nanometers (Kydonieu, 1992). In recent years, nanotechnology has gained much attention that there has been an increasing investment trend from governments and private sector business in many parts of the world to expand research in nanoscale science and technology. Generally, nanotechnology means any technology performed on a nanoscale that involves both science and engineering (Bhushan, 2004). It encompasses the manufacture and application of biological, chemical and physical systems at scales that range from individual atoms or molecules to nanoscale dimensions. Also, it integrates the resulting nanostructures into larger systems (Bhushan, 2004). Controlled drug delivery nanotechnology has become one of the most advancing areas of science that contributes to human health care. This field of pharmaceutical technology has grown and expanded rapidly these days. And it is believed that such delivery system will definitely bring abundant advantages compared to conventional drug delivery system. 1.4 Natural and Synthetic Polymers in Pharmaceutical Systems Polymers are high molecular weight substances that are made up of repeating monomer units. In order to develop a successful nanoparticulate delivery system, it is essentially important to select an appropriate polymeric matrix. Polymers nanospheres employed to deliver drugs in a sustained release manner can be either biodegradable or non-biodegradable (Uhrich et al., 1999). The controlled release can be achieved by combining the biodegradable polymer with a drug so that the active agent is released from the system in a predesigned way. Despite the fact that controlled drug delivery has various advantages, the possible drawbacks cannot be overlooked: the undesirable by-products from degradation, potential toxicity or non-biocompatibility of the materials used, any surgery involved to remove or implant the system, the likehood of patient discomfort from the delivery device, and the higher cost involved compared with traditional pharmaceutical formulations (Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 200 9; Brannon-Peppas, 1997). Several polymers, including both natural and synthetic polymers have been investigated for formulating biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles. These include polylactide (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), which are biodegradable and biocompatible. Among these polymers, PLGA is the most commonly used due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility as well as flexible degradation kinetics (Sahana et al., 2007). In fact, PLGA has been approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for a number of clinical applications (Bhardwaj et al., 2005) such as synthetic resorbable sutures, surgical clips and other surgical implants (Kydonieus, 2005). 1.4.1 Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) as Polymers PLGA is a copolymer of PLA and PGA. It is synthesised by co-polymerisation of two different monomers, the cyclic dimmers of glycolic acid and lactic acid. During polymerisation, successive monomers of both glycolic and lactic acid are linked together by ester bonds, producing a linear polyester of PLGA. Different forms of PLGA can, thus, be yielded by altering the mixing ratio of lactide to glycolide used in the polymerisation process. A basic insight of physicochemical and biological properties of the PLGA polymer is vital as it allows the study of the mechanism and rate of drug release from the nanoshperes. PLGA degrades in vivo by hydrolytic cleavage of the ester linkage in the presence of water (Bala et al., 2004; Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009). However, the degradation process of polymers is affected by a number of factors. The polymer nature (polydispersity and copolymer composition), the degree of crystallinity, the glass transition temperature of the polymer, organic solvents, type and concentration of stabiliser used are all the common factors (Bala et al., 2004). The degradation profile of nanoparticulate systems, on the other hand, relies on the hydrophilicity of the polymer. The more hydrophilic the polymer, the higher its rate of degradation (Bala et al., 2004; Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009). In fact, the hydrophilicity of the polymer is determined by the crystalline to armorphous ratio, that is consecutively affected by the composition of the copolymer (Bala et al., 2004). Owing to the fact that lactide is more hydrophobic than glycolide, PLGA copolymers with high content of lactide units will be less hydrophilic, thus experiencing slower degradation process. For this reason, the rate of degradation and release profile of PLGA can be modified easily by varying the ratio of lactide to glycolide (Sahana et al., 2007). It is noted that PLGA copolymer with composition of 50:50 ratio shows the fastest degradability rate about 1-2 months in both in vitro and in vivo conditions (Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009; Nair and Laurencin, 2007). Extensi ve investigations were then carried out on different forms of PLGA by changing the ratio of lactide to glycolide. The results showed that the PLGA copolymers of 65:35, 77:25, and 88:15 lactide/glycolide ratios have progressively longer in vivo degradation times, with the 88:15 one lasting about 5-6 months in vivo (Bala et al., 2004; Jain, 2000). During the preparation of PLGA loaded nanoparticles in this study, lactide-rich copolymers will be of great interest in order to formulate a nanosphere with controlled release properties. PLGA is undoubtedly the ideal choice of polymer selected to be used in designing a controlled release nanoparcticulate delivery system. Because of its biodegradability, no surgical procedures are needed to remove the system when the drugs are depleted. Besides, it is degraded in vivo, by random, nonenzymatic, hydrolytic cleavage of ester linkages to toxicologically safe by-products (the original monomers- lactic and glycolic acid) that are either excreted renally or elimininated as carbon dioxide gas and water via Krebs cycle (Bala et al., 2004; Galindo-Rodriguez et al., 2005). Furthermore, PLGA has a glass transition temperature above physiological temperature (45-55 °C) that provides it adequate strength to be formulated as a successful controlled drug delivery system (Bala et al., 2004). Because PLGA have proved to be biocompatible and to have extensive toxicological documentation, their approvals for use in fabricating nanospheres will be less costly and more straightforward th an approvals of new polymers for fabrication in the pharmaceutical industry. For this reason, PLGA copolymers are selected as the colloidal carrier for parenteral controlled-release dosage forms in this study. 1.4.2 Therapeutic Uses of PLGA Polymers in Contemporary Clinical Formulations The use of the PLGA polymer for the development of new parenteral controlled drug delivery dosage forms appears to be very promising. Nanospheres with various release patterns can be prepared by altering the polymer species, molecular weight or monomer mixing ratio. FDA has approved PLGA for a number of medical applications. For instance, Lupron Depot ®, a controlled release formulation for treatment of advanced prostate cancer, was the first PLGA product cleared by FDA (Bala et al., 2004). The effective dose this formulation, which contains leuprolide acetate encapsulated in biodegradable microspheres of 75:25 lactide/glycolide polymer, was reduced 1/4 – 1/8 of that required in the conventional drug formulation (Sahana et al., 2007). Another successful development of controlled drug delivery systems includes anticancer drug, Doxorubicin formulated into PLGA nanoparticles, that exhibited controlled release over 1 month (Bala et al., 2004). In the following research work, Ibu profen loaded PLGA nanoparticles are intended to be prepared with a view to possess the identical desired controlled release properties. 1.4.3 Preparation of PLGA loaded nanoparticles Several approaches have been proposed for the preparation of PLGA nanoparticles. However, the choice of preparation method well depends on the type of the polymer and drug used, the intended use as well as the duration of the treatment. The standard procedures of emulsion-diffusion evaporation, salting-out and nanoprecipitation method are all widely used to prepare PLGA particles in the nanosize range. The first step of these methods often involves emulsification of a solution of drug in a solution of organic polymer (Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009). The dispersion formed is then processed in accordance with one of the aforestated methods. During both emulsion-diffusion evaporation and salting out approaches, the polymer PLGA is dissolved in an organic solvent such as chlorinated solvent, dichloromethane and chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, acetone or ethyl acetate. The mixed organic solution of both polymer and drug is later mixed with an aqueous solution containing both stabiliser and emulsifying agents. The emulsion formed is then exposed to a high-energy source for example an ultrasonic device, homogenizer or colloid mill to form a stable oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion. The organic solvent is later evaporated under reduced pressure or continuous stirring, resulting in the formation of fine dispersion of nanoparticles containing therapeutic drugs. Factors such as homogeniser stirring rate, concentration of polymer, presence of surfactants and stabilisers will influence the size of the particles formed (Bala et al., 2004; Stevanovic and Uskokovic, 2009). Therefore, it is important to standardise these parameters in order to produce particles of desired size range. The nanoprecipitation method, on the other hand, is based on the interfacial deposition of a polymer following displacement of a semi-polar solvent miscible with water from a lipophilic solution (Bala et al., 2004; Govender et al., 1999). The PLGA polymer and drug are then dissolved in a semi-polar water-miscible solvent, either acetonitrile or ethanol, forming the organic phase. The organic phase is then mixed with an aqueous solution containing stabiliser and stirred magnetically at room temperature to allow rapid solvent evaporation. The nanoparticles are finally purified using ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, gas chromatography, dialysis procedures to remove stabiliser residues or any free drug. This purification process must be carefully carried out to avoid any loss of biologically active ingredients. 1.5 Aims and Objectives Realising the benefits and importance of controlled drug release in clinical applications, the objective of the present study is to prepare and characterise Ibuprofen loaded PLGA nanoparticles for parenteral delivery, with a view to prolong the ibuprofen blood residence time after injection. The objective will be achieved by the following specific aims: 1. Preparation of Ibuprofen loaded PLGA nanoparticles. 2. Characterization of the nanoparticles for size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency. References Aranda JV, Thomas R, 2006. Systemic review: Intravenous Ibuprofen in preterm newborns. Elsevier: Seminar in Perinatology. Bala I, Hariharan S, Ravi Kumar MNV, 2004. PLGA nanoparticles in drug delivery: The State of the Art: Critical Review in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems. 21(5), 387-422. Bhardwaj V, Hariharan S, Bala I, Lamprecht A, Kumar N, Panchagnula R, Ravi Kumar MNV, 2005. Pharmaceutical aspects of polymeric nanoparticles for oral delivery. Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology. 1, 1-23. Bhushan B, editor, 2004. Springer handbook of nanotechnology. New York: Springer. Brannon-Peppas L, Blanchette JO, 2004. Nanoparticle and targeted systems for cancer therapy. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 56, 1649-1659. Brannon-Peppas L, 1997. Polymers in controlled drug delivery. Medical Plastics and Biomaterials Magazine. Davis SS, Illum L, 1998. Drug delivery systems for challenging molecules. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 176, 1–8. Fernandez-Carballido A, Herrero-Vanrell R, Molina-Martinez IT, Pastoriza P, 2004. Biodegradable ibuprofen-loaded PLGA microspheres for intraarticular administration. Effect of Labrafil addition on release in vitro. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 279, 33-41. Govender T, Stolnik S, Garnett MC, Illum L, Davis SS, 1999. PLGA nanoparticles prepared by nanoprecipitation: drug loading and release studies of a water soluble drug. Journal of Control Release 1999. 57, 171–185. Hans ML, Lowman AM, 2002. Biodegradable nanoparticles for drug delivery and targeting. Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science. 6, 319-327. Hassan AS, Sapin A, Lamprecht A, Emond E, Ghazouani FE, Maincent P, 2009. Research paper: Composite microparticles with in vivo reduction of the burst release effect. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. Jain RA, 2000. The manufacturing techniques of various drug loaded biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) devices. Biomaterials. 21, 2475–2490. Jiang BB, Hu L, Gao CY, Shen JC, 2005. Ibuprofen-loaded nanoparticles prepared by a co-precipitation method and their release properties. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 304, 220-230. Khang G, ChanYang J, TaeKo J, SooPark J, SukKim M, Rhee JM, BangLee H, 2007. Preparation and characterisation of ibuprofen using self-emulsifying drug delivery system in vivo. Key Engineering Materials. 342-343, 541-544. Kydonieus A, editor, 1992. Treatise on controlled drug delivery. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc. Leo E, Forni F, Bernabei MT, 2000. Surface drug removal from ibuprofen-loaded PLA microspheres. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 196, 1–9. Nair LS, Laurencin CT, 2007. Biodegradable polymer as biomaterials. Progress in Polymer Science. 32, 762-798. Panyam J, Labhasetwar V, 2003. Biodegradable nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery to cells and tissue. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 55, 329–347. Sahana DK, Mittal G, Bhardwaj V, Ravi Kumar MNV, 2007. PLGA nanoparticles for oral delivery of hydrophobic drugs: Influence of organise solvent on nanoparticles formation and release behaviour in vitro and in vivo using Estradiol as a model drug. Wiley InterScience. Socha M, Hasan AS, Lamprecht A, Ghazouani FE, Sapin A, Hoffman M, Maincent P, Ubrich N, 2007. Effect of the microencapsulation of nanoparticles on the reduction of burst release. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 344, 53–61. Stevanovic M, Uskokovic D, 2009. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-based Micro and Nanoparticles for the Controlled Drug Delivery of Vitamins. Current Nanoscience. 5, 00-00. Thassu D, Deleers M, Pathak Y, editors, 2007. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems. Vol 166. New York: Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Sciences. Uhrich KE, Cannizzaro SM, Langer RS, Shakesheff KM, 1999. Polymeric systems for controlled drug release. Chemical Reviews. 99, 3181-3198.

Ethical Judgments in the Arts and the Natural Sciences Essay -- Ethic

Ethical judgments limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss. When talking about ethics we have to take in account that it is based on the socially standardized concept of some things being good and some things being bad. Therefore what might be seen as socially unethical arts for some people, in another society or in another time, it probably won’t be so. The same is true for the natural sciences. And even if we take our western society as a base, there are some aspects of ethics and some specific topics of which people do not have a standardized opinion. The idea of it being ethical or not depends on thebeliefs of every individual. In this essay I am going to focus on the fact that some people carry out unethical investigations (in arts), experiments ( in the natural sciences) or processes ( in both), knowing that the people will not accept it. This is because they think that the unethical methods will lead them to an end that is of a greater good, or that will cause more good than bad. Therefore, the question is wether it is worth it to use unethical methods to achieve a goal that might or might not do a lot of good. There are two clear points of view, the one from the people that think that the end justifies the means and the one from the people who decide to follow the socially established ethical rules. First I will give an example of an unethical way to obtain knowledge in the natural sciences and I will show two points of view, then I will give an example of ethical limits in the production of knowledge in the arts and I will give two points of view. Animal testing is a good example of the problem of compromising ethics to achieve something good... ...it the methods that we use to obtain knowledge in the natural sciences and arts but those judgements do not always stop the people from using unethical methods. As long as the person carrying out the experiment or the performance believes that what they are doing ir right or rational, they will not stop doing it willingly. It is better to keep a balance between emotion and reason when deciding about if something is ethical or not and about weather something is worth to be done. The problem with this is that most humans are selfish by nature and they will probaly always choose what is best for them, what is more reasonable to them, not even caring about wether it is ethical or not. Works Cited http://www.peta.org/action/ http://visualmaniac.com/visualmag/videos/yolanda-dominguez-art-activism-on-9-vide http://condignart.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/vic.jpg

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed :: College Admissions Essays

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed "Hello?" The police dispatcher answers the phone. "Hi there," I say brightly. "My name is Aaron Mesh, and I'm from the News Chief. Could you please transfer me over to Major Thomas? I need to ask her a few questions about the wreck over on Havendale Drive this morning..." This is my job. I'm an intern reporter at the News Chief, a daily newspaper in east Polk County, Florida. I've been on the job for the past 27 months. Once a week, I come into the Chief's newsroom and get to work: conducting interviews, gathering information, writing stories. Most of my life, I've had a strong interest - some would call it an obsession - with newspapers and journalism. From a young age, I was drawn to the paper, running out to grab it off the driveway and devour the contents. I may be the only 17-year old with an edition of the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual sitting in his bedroom for light reading. Working for a newspaper has helped develop one of my best skills: working with information. I've always enjoyed gathering facts, interpreting them, and explaining to others what I've learned. My internship at the News Chief has let me discover what it takes to find out what's going on in the world, and to understand and relate events to people in a fair, objective way. Weaker areas have also been strengthened by my News Chief work. I have become much better at working in a group setting, making friends and generally being socially adept. (On the other hand, I still haven't learned to type properly. We all have our faults.) Although my News Chief employment is far from my only interest - I could spend multiple paragraphs relating my love of the 4-H program, for starters - working with a newspaper has been a unique and defining facet of my high school experience. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped solidify my goals for the future. My love of the print media has congealed into a desire to work in that media. My goal, at least at this point of my life, is to become an educated, well-rounded journalist - one with a strong grasp of history, philosophy and literature. This understanding will allow me, while recording and dispersing the facts about current events, to communicate the truth in a deep in meaningful way.

Learning from a Competitor’s Experience Essay

David Cook was known to be the father of Blockbuster Inc. In 1982, Cook founded the Cook Data Services, Inc which wholly offered software and computer devices. This company was founded in Dallas, Texas. Cook then ventured to another field of business by the recommendation of his wife. Thus, in the year 1985, Cook opened the first Blockbuster store (Microsoft Encarta 2007). Since then, the company has been hailed as one of the largest entertainment brands in the world. Blockbuster offers movie and gaming rentals on-store and online. With over 8,000 stores throughout the world, it serves not just as a rental store but also a retailer store for movies and other related media productions. To name a few, franchises of the company can be found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Ireland, Panama, Puerto Rico, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Brazil, Chile, Taiwan, Italy, Denmark, Venezuela and Columbia (Blockbuster Online). Besides its vast territory, the company also offers a wide range of selection of movies and other entertainment merchandise. Though it has just started at that time, it is the only video rental company that employs computer monitoring for its customers’ accounts. Not long, the company opened more branches in different parts of the United States where it first flourished. Later on, the company was then renamed to Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation and then further took its present name as Blockbuster, Inc. In 1987, H. Wayne Huizenga of the Waste Management, Inc. entered the company and expanded it overseas making it the largest video rental chain store not only in the United States but also in the United Kingdom. It was then owned by Viacom and after which became independent from the company (Microsoft Encarta 2007). Presently, the CEO of Blockbuster Inc. is James Keyes, former president and CEO of 7-Eleven (Yahoo Finance). The company offers a wide range of services to its clients. As has been mentioned earlier, it not only presents rentals but also retails movies and other media. Music and gaming merchandise can also be found in most of its stores. Store hours are mostly from 10:00am to midnight every day. Videos and other media are available in large quantities and a variety of formats in each store ensuring that all customer needs are satisfied. The customers can also choose from their various options for membership plans. Recently, the company has expanded not only with on-store rentals, but also by mail and via the internet, making it easy for customers who reside in places where no branches of the company are erected. The company also provides security for patronage of non-adult customers. No roughly violent films and pornographic videos are included in their broad selection. Although there are some videos that are sexy, the company ensures that no youngster could rent or buy such a movie without the consent of the parents if they have a family account. Even though Blockbuster is a fully-pledged investor company, it participates in many community affairs activities in its region. Its cooperation bears alliances involving Children’s Miracle Network and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. It also partakes in many cultural diversity organizations as well as entertainment events such as National Urban League and American Black Film Festival respectively (Blockbuster Online). Blockbuster Inc. is not the only chain of video rental stores although it is one of the competitive companies in the industry. It has its fairly viable competitors in the market both including on-ground and online stores. One of its on-ground competitors is Hollywood Video which is also a subsidiary of Movie Gallery. Just Like Blockbuster Inc. , Movie Gallery, Inc. focuses on retail stores and online subscription plans of video, gaming and music merchandise (Movie Gallery Website). Nevertheless, it is way behind Blockbuster Inc. when it comes to both in-store and online rental services. Another competitor is Hastings Entertainment, Inc which is also based in the United States. This company only operates in the domestic market. In addition, the company not only offers video, music and entertainment merchandise. It is a miscellaneous retailer of a wide variety of products from videos to t-shirts and books. It also has its website which offers its vast selection of products (Wright Investor Service). The most controversial competitor of Blockbuster Inc. is Netflix. Netflix was the pilot company to offer online service for video rentals and retailing. Due to this endeavor, it is the top online service for the said industry (Crunchbase). Nevertheless, Blockbuster Inc. tried to counter the company by building its own online rental and retailing service. From then on, although it never surpassed the quantity of members that Netflix has, Blockbuster has exceeded the number of visitors Netflix has on its website. Website Analysis Blockbuster Inc. started to embark on online rental service in the Unites States last August 2004 (Press Release). This is in counteraction of Netflix’s leading online movie rental service. The company’s website is popularly called Blockbuster Online and is somehow independent with on-ground stores. Visiting the website, observations can be formulated regarding the effectiveness and creativity of the website to online customers. The welcome page of Blockbuster Online is simple but effective. It is simple in a sense that no pop-ups can be found; there are no visual animations or advertising videos; no sounds and background music to entice the customers. Nevertheless, it is quite effective for the very reason that it uses the familial connection occurring with its customers. This can be evident through the use of a family picture in front of a television, assumed to be watching movies. It gives the customers a sense of home and belongingness. On another visit of the website, the featured picture is a woman lying down on a sofa in front of the television. These also give an idea that although movie viewing is comfortable in a family setting, it can also be done alone and still enjoy the activity. In both pictures, the people involve are holding remote controls. This very small detail gives an impression that each are about to watch a movie although if one looks at the pictures alone, the television is not visible. Furthermore, the movie guides and popcorn on the table in the pictures give a new dimension to movie home viewing. The said details represent the idea that satisfying movie viewing is not only possible in the big screens but also possible in the home. One would even be made to conclude that it would be a lot feasible and safe to watch movies in the home rather than in theatres. The color scheme of the website, with its blue, light blue, yellow and white major colors, is also very appropriate for the services it offers. The colors used give an impression of brightness and lightness of the website. It gives a serene and calming touch to anyone who visits the website. In the simplicity of the welcome page of the website, the customers may also be persuaded to think that the services it offers are practical and cheap. It makes them feel that fees are inexpensive and affordable. On the other hand, the welcome page can be seen as a very uncreative effort in designing. As one lingers longer on the page, it can be noticed that the website looks like an ordinary advertisement box in a newspaper page. This is unfavorable since it will decrease the customers’ interest in exploring more of the website. Although the welcome page is uncomplicated, it contains many promotional materials like the company’s offer for a free trial. It also presents free shipping and a step-by-step menu to help customers who are new to the website. The three easy steps to enjoy the rental service include select movies, receive by mail and return by mail or in-store exchange (Blockbuster Online). The various different links from the welcome page to the other pages of the website makes up for the simplicity of the welcome page. Complex links can be found in the different parts and corners of the welcome page. Links to a variety of web pages regarding the company are located at the bottom of the welcome page. This is very uneasy for the customers since it is in very small font sizes that it becomes unnoticeable. This part of the website includes the terms and conditions policy of the company. Nonetheless, the rent and buy movie links on the page are easy to follow. One particular detail that has caught attention is the link opening default settings of the website. In the links related to rental services and other customer-related topics such as movie categories and new movie releases, the links open on the current page. On the other hand, if the link leads to the company’s information or financial and business issues such as investing and the company profile, the link opens on a new window. This is very interesting since it implicitly draws the line between customer-related issues and internal issues of the company. Further on, the different links to the secondary websites are too many and are hard to track which may lead to the customer getting lost in the whole website. This may also be the effect of the website’s moderate organization of the links. Nevertheless, upon familiarity of the website links, customers can get used to the incomprehensible first impression organization of the website. The sign-up page of the website is simply designed too. A step-by-step process of the whole transaction of the rental service is included in a graphical and a worded method. It looks like a comic strip which accounts for its easy-to-comprehend characteristic. The big sign-up button is also interesting enough due to its large size and appealing color and font type. These properties of the page may convince the customer to sign up for a membership plan. Features of the rental service are also in the web page in brief making it a summary of the whole service that the company provides. The rent movies page is quite colorful and interesting especially for movie fanatics. It includes different categories and featured movies. In all of these categories, the movies featured all have small movie posters with the relative size of a DVD front cover. It gives a very unique influence on the customer since the customer can somehow see a glimpse of the movie. The rental page also provides a link on the procedure on how to rent via the internet. Like the rental page, the buyers’ page is also filled with the DVD front cover posters of on-sale movies. The structure also consists of different movie categories wherein the customer can choose from. However, in the buyers’ page, the movies in feature incorporate a button which adds the movie to the list of movies the customer wants to buy. Together with this element is the price of the movie. The payment terms can be done through credit card and other online wiring financial services such as PayPal. This is very secure for online clients, thus contributing with the website’s ease of operation characteristic. Another amazing element of the website is its trailers and video clips page. In this part, the customer can take a glance of the movies and also watch the trailer of the movie. It is very appropriate and efficient since most customers would first want to see clips of the movie before they rent or buy it. This amazing feature adds up to the website’s effectiveness. Some of the web pages in the site require information upload from the customers and members. Such web pages include the store locator and the contact page (Blockbuster Online). In the store locator page, the client is asked to type in the address and then a button is clicked to reveal stores near the vicinity. This is very useful for online customers who wanted to avail of in-store exchanges that the company offers. Although the feature is very simple, it has its own link page to set it apart from the rest of the website. On the contact page, the client can contact the company on certain issues such as membership and DVD issues. However, the system used is not that of a presentation method but rather an e-mail type. In this method, instead of giving the company’s contact numbers, headquarters address and email-address, the company asks the customer to input the category issue, the client’s information and contact details as well as the messages or questions concerning the company’s services. It is much like an e-mail web page where one can submit the mail directly to the company. The system that the company uses is very reliable and easy to manage for their part since they can somehow sort the mails that they receive. This method also prevents prank callers and mailers from dumping junk on the company’s telephone lines and mailbox. Nevertheless, the negative part for this process is that the customers may feel reluctant to communicate with the company since the company requires personal information from the client which can be jeopardized unintentionally. The help page is also available for the customers. In the help page, the customers can find a way to better understand the structure of the large website of the company. In this page, the customers can also clarify doubts and questions regarding rental services, membership plans and promotional materials. Similar to the rental and buyers’ page, the help page contains categories. In this page, help issues are categorized in different classifications so as to better answer the customers’ concerns. A very interesting section of the Blockbuster Online is its information page. Found on this page are the company profile, financial reports, investors page and others. It actually has nothing to do to the services that the company may offer to the clients but rather it consists of bits and pieces of the company’s needs such as employees and investors. In this page, business opportunities such as franchises and careers opportunities such as jobs for prospective employees are found. The financial reports of the company are also published on this area. It gives the company a sense of transparency for its customers. It enables the clients to see what has been happening inside the company. This is a very significant factor for such business establishments since it fosters trust from the customers. The webpage also offers a sidebar in almost all its links. For example, on the rental page, a queue list is on the right sidebar which enables the customer to view what movies he has selected for rental while on the buyers page, the customer has a shopping cart where the items he wishes to buy are listed. The sidebar also gives information on movies and other rental and retail issues. The sidebar is a good element to include in a website. Another noteworthy detail is the search engine located on the website which allows the customers to enter keywords and search the whole website. This feature is very helpful for the clients. In the help page, such search engine is also available to find answers on frequently asked questions. This gives the clients ease of access to the help page. In summary, the website is very effective in achieving its goal of reaching customers through the internet. Although the rental service via the internet and by mail is only available in the United States, the online service gives an outlook of the whole company. The layout and the consistent use of the color scheme give a unified theme to the website giving the excellent yet uncomplicated look and feel of the website. And though the web design is quite simple and moderately unattractive, it attains its goal to be an alternative and accessible way of rental service to customers in a variety of places. Service and Price Options Membership Plans and Retail Options Blockbuster Online renders two major membership or subscription plans for its customers. These two categories are Blockbuster Total Access and Blockbuster by Mail (Blockbuster Online). The only difference on the two major membership plans is that in Blockbuster Total Access, rental services include both by mail and in-store exchanges of movies while in Blockbuster by Mail, in-store exchanges are not allowed. The different plans under these two categories also vary. Blockbuster Total Access can either be premium or just ordinary. In premium, the customer has an unlimited number of in-store exchanges while in ordinary, limited in-store access is available. Regarding Blockbuster by Mail plans, the customer can order online for movie rentals and these are delivered by mail on the customer’s doorstep. Exchanges and returns of movie rentals are also done online and by mail (Blockbuster Online). Thus, in this type of membership plan, the customer need not go to a Blockbuster store. This membership plan is perfectly suitable for subscribers who do not have rental stores in their vicinity. Prices for rental services differ depending on the membership plan of the customers (see Comparison Chart). Retail services are by movie basis. Furthermore, online retail service is done via credit card or online wiring service. In addition to be able to buy movies on line, the customer has to have an account on the Blockbuster website. Prices of movies on sale depend on the movies’ producers. Nonetheless, new releases are much more expensive than old movie copies. Comparison Chart Movie Selections The company has a wide range of movie selections. It also offers TV shows and series as well as game software and music videos. The copies of movies are purportedly sufficient for its number of members and customers. However, the rental service is still subject to the availability of the movie copies. The number of copies also depends on the movie type. Classics have much less number of copies that new releases. Furthermore, most wanted videos have more copies than ordinary hit movies. The large selection of movies is simplified by the website through organizing the movies into different categories and subcategories. The major categories are action & adventure, animation, comedy, documentary, drama, family & kids, foreign, horror, music & performing arts, mystery & suspense, romance, science fiction & fantasy, special interest, sports & fitness, television, war and western. Under these categories are further subcategories of which some are listed below: Action & adventure – action comedy, action thriller, adventure drama. Science fiction & fantasy – sea adventure, swashbucklers, sword and sandal. Animation – animated musical, anime. Comedy – comedy drama, comedy thriller, dark humor, family comedy, heist/caper comedy. Documentary – adventure travel, art history, biography, history, language & literature. Drama – addiction drama, police drama, childhood drama, crime drama, medical drama. Family & kids – infant, toddler, children’s entertainment, family classics, kids’ fantasy. Foreign – Asian, Chinese, European, Filipino, French, German, Indian, Spanish, Japanese. Horror – alien invasion, ghosts & haunts, monsters, occult, nature-gone-wild. Music & performing arts – concerts, classical, dance, gospel, opera, musicals, singers. Mystery & suspense – crime, detective film, spy, whodunit, political thriller. Sports and fitness – extreme sports, Olympics, dance, diet & nutrition, yoga and Tai Chi. (Blockbuster Online). Competitor’s Information Application Blockbuster Inc. offers a lot of useful information and business experiences as well as practical guides for the establishment of a beginner. It gives insight that can be utilized in order to enter the market with security and stability. The long history and the many amendments to the company’s organization and management can be a lesson to future business establishments even in a different industry. Experienced website history is possessed by Blockbuster Inc. although they are not the first mover in the field of online rental service. Nevertheless, their advantage is that they have made possible and excellent revisions of competitors’ websites making their own website less prone to errors and negative feedbacks. It is therefore this very advantage that a new emerging business can take hold from the information obtained from Blockbuster Online. To further explain such circumstance, it is appropriate to give specific situations. For example, the simplicity of Blockbuster’s website instills over familiarity of customers which can lead to decrease of interest. Thus, if one has to build up a website on the same line of business, one has to make sure that the website include more interesting designs such as animations and video presentations. Addition of background music may also be added to increase the website’s attraction. Scroll over animations and flash presentations of step-by-step procedures may also be employed. It is also appropriate that confidentiality of customers’ information is prioritized. One very important detail that Blockbuster Online lacks must be included in this new website. This detail concern a web page dedicated for the employees of the company where every employee have access to more confidential data regarding the company. This will give an impression to consumers that the company values its own people. Furthermore, a web page containing a live chat room may be of help for quick answers of clients that regard their time too valuable to wait for questions on video rental services. The gathering of data from a future competitor of a budding business establishment is just the beginning of the many challenges and trials that the business will undergo to gain stability and prosperity. It is even the easiest way to accomplish. Data gathering is uncomplicated. What is important is the ability to evaluate the obtained data and utilize it for the benefit of one’s own company. References BlockBuster Online. —. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. blockbuster. com/. Crunchbase. Netflix. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. crunchbase. com/company/netflix. Microsoft Encarta 2007. (2006). â€Å"Blockbuster Inc. † Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007 [CD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation. Movie Gallery. Business Description. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. moviegallery. com/company/about. aspx. Press Releases. Blockbuster Inc. Company Profile. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. b2i. us/profiles/investors/ResLibrary. asp? BzID=553&ResLibraryID=6807&GoToPage=5&Category=27. Wright Investor Service. Hastings Entertainment, Inc. – Company Profile Snapshot. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://wrightreports. ecnext. com/coms2/reportdesc_COMPANY_418365102. Yahoo Finance. Blockbuster, Inc. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://finance. yahoo. com/q/pr? s=BBI.