Evaluation of Strenghts and Weaknesses of Morrison Supermarkets

[pic] Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses of WM Morrison Supermarkets Complied by: Karolis Petkus Student number: 2903678 Course tutor: Ian Edwards 2009 Contents or page index: †¢ Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. p. 3 †¢ Background †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦p. 3 †¢ Current strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦p. 4 †¢ Strengths †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. p. 5, 6 †¢ Weaknesses †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. p. 6 †¢ Opportunities †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ p. 6, 7 †¢ Threats †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. p. , 8 †¢ Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. p. 8 †¢ Appendices †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. p. 9 †¢ References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. p. 10 Introduction Wm Morrison is one of the most popular retailers in UK and it offers a great price and quality of food. For me, as a student and an athlete always looking for fresh, healthy food at good prices it is on of the best options to choose. That is why I have chosen this company to evaluate. Also, I will be able to find some new information about Wm Morrison, which will be useful for me as a customer. The essay includes information about background, current strategy, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and prospects. Background Wm Morrison was founded in 1899 by William Morrison, an egg and butter merchant. Now, it is one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK, offering a vide range of goods including other brands and own label products. The company is headquartered in Bradford, the UK and employs about 124,530 people. And it has assuranced to create about 5000 jobs this year. It operates over 382 stores and 287 petrol stations all over UK. With such a growth Morrison became a member of the â€Å"Big Four† grocery retailers. ttp://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2009/jan/13/morrisons-supermarkets (15/11/09) www. morrisons. co. uk/Corporate/About-Morrisons/Company-history1/ (15/11/09) Current strategy Wm Morrison has a vision called ‘Food Specialist for Everyone’. It has three different brand values: Fresh, Value and Service. Those three values should give them flexibility to react to market changes and customer tendencies. Brand values: Fresh The Company’s aim is to prepare more freshly food than any other retailer. That’s why they have more staff preparing food than others. The company is strong by having their own factories, production facilities and distribution network. With these facilities they can get food to stores faster so that it is always fresher. Value Value is the key to the vision and is very important in the market conditions. They offer quality and freshness at a price which people like. Their offers are about saving customers money. And their prices are great value across the ranges. Service Because they have their own distribution network, they can be sure that the right products are always available for our customers. The staff is well skilled so they give customers what they want – fresh food served by helpful, friendly, well-trained people. http://lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/record=e1000089 (15/11/09) Strengths Financial performance With high revenues of ? 14. 5 billion, Morrison is UK's fourth largest food retailer. The company operates 382 stores and serves 10 million customers every week. According to TNS market research, it has a market share of 12. 3 % in the grocery market. Morrison has achieved numerous of awards in 2008, including â€Å"Retailer of the Year†, the â€Å"Grocer of the Year† and many others. It develops the brand image of the company and provides a competitive lead. Vertically integrated operations Morrison is unique food retailer because it is the only one which owns and runs fresh food making and processing abilities. This company has 12 manufacturing places in the UK and a vide transport park. This is how the company provides economies of scale at a high level and is solid in its operations. Focus on conscious consumers In response to the recession Morrison has to offer something attractive to their customers. That is why company rolled out offers such as ? family meal deals, 2 for 1 offer on party foods and many others. With such a strategy Morrison can drive sales in a weak economic environment. www. marketlineinfo. com. lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/library/Default. aspx (16/11/09) Weaknesses Lack of taking part in online shopping Online shopping is growing every year in the UK. With such a high speed of growing online shopping, supermarkets start their online sales channel s to increase the revenues. ASDA, Tesco and Sainsbury in the UK have started their channels in the online shopping. However, Morrison has not started this trend which could limit growth opportunities. ww. marketlineinfo. com. lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/library/DisplayContent. aspx? R=A72DB36B-5734-4779-B792-270152CA738A=4294836834=IDA2XUJB#IDA2XUJB (16/11/09) Opportunities Optimization plan Morrison started an optimization plan by 2007 to develop operations by FY2010. As a part of optimization plan, the company completed the re-branding of all its stores and over 3,000 own-brand Morrison products received new packaging. One part has been completed, to re–brand all stores and over 3,000 own-brand Morrison products have new packaging. The Company also installed self-scan checkouts over half stores. Successful optimization plan could develop market share, brand value and success for the company. Growth in private brand markets The private brand market is about a strong growth in sales and is expected to reach about ? 52 billion by 2011. These products have high margin potential. . Morrison offers 18,000 product lines in a typical store, 32% of which are own-brand labels. The growth in private label products could be a major opportunity for the company and could increase its success. www. marketlineinfo. com. lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/library/DisplayContent. aspx? R=A72DB36B-5734-4779-B792-270152CA738A=4294836834=IDA2XUJB#IDA2XUJB (16/11/09) Positive attitude for healthy foods Natural and organic food products sector is one of the fastest growing categories in food selling. Morrison offers a range of organic products, through its own label â€Å"Organic†, including eggs, cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, tea bags and muesli. The growing market for organic products could largely increase revenues. Prospects Recessionary climate Like most economies, the UK is now on recession, as well. Because of recession, unemployment is increasing and consumers have to be more cautious of spending. As a result, the company's sales and margins will be under huge pressure during such difficult economic times. www. marketlineinfo. com. lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/library/DisplayContent. aspx? R=A72DB36B-5734-4779-B792-270152CA738A&N=4294836834&selectedChapter=IDA2XUJB#IDA2XUJB (17/11/09) Rising work costs in the UK Employment costs are on the rise in the UK. Te adult minimum wage has increased from ? 5. 73 in October 2008 to ? 5. 80 which will come into effect in October 2009. An increase in labor costs will increase Sainsbury's in service costs and impact its margins. Intense competition Morrison is facing intense competition in their business from other supermarkets and stores. Tesco drives trough multiple store formats. Marks and Spencer's and Waitrose supermarkets are planning development in the UK. Growing competition could lead to the pricing pressures, which would reduce the company’s turnover. www. marketlineinfo. com. lispac. lsbu. ac. uk/library/DisplayContent. aspx? R=A72DB36B-5734-4779-B792-270152CA738A&N=4294836834&selectedChapter=IDA2XUJB#IDA2XUJB (18/11/09) Conclusion Wm Morrison has a good vision to their further marketing. They put a lot of attention on a fresh and healthy food which becomes more popular between consumers. With a strategy like this, they can stand strong between top 4 retailers in the UK. However, Morrison is not interested in online shopping, which according to the statistics will increase very fast in the next few years. What is more, in such difficult economic times consumers are eating out less and looking for cheaper forms of entertainment. It will be tough to keep high revenues facing recession and intense competition from other supermarkets. Appendices Appendix 1: SWOT analysis overview Strengths |Weaknesses | |Strong market company |Lack of taking part in online shopping | |Vertically integrated operations | | |Focus on conscious consumers | | |Opportunities |Threats | |Optimization plan |Recessionary climate | |Growth in private brand markets |Rising work costs in the UK | |Positive attitude for healthy foods |Intense competition | www. maketlineinfo. com (16/11/09) Referenc es Websites: www. library. lsbu. ac. uk (16/11/09) www. marketlineinfo. com (16/11/09) www. morrisons. co. uk (14/11/09) www. guardian. co. uk (15/11/09)

How does Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s relationship change throughout the course of the play? Essay

Witches nowadays are seen as a bit of a joke and a laugh since they are used for entertainment like in the ‘Harry Potter’ novels, or when it is Halloween and children (and sometimes even adults) dress up as witches for fun or for trick and treating. Overall, Witches in modern times are not taken seriously but people were a lot more superstitious back when Queen Elizabeth I reigned as Queen of England; people in those times had a real fear and belief of witches. Their superstition was the product of the church’s teachings, yet, when Queen Elizabeth died and the new King James I of England and Scotland, succeeded to the throne; he was someone who was both obsessed and intrigued by witches. This new King was fascinated by the subject, a fact that William Shakespeare had to take on board. Shakespeare had to impress King James in order to enter his good books and keep his high status and wealth. This is because William Shakespeare was Queen Elizabeth’s official playwright and when she died, he risked losing his living and high social status. By using his playwright’s talents, some background research on the King’s ancestors and his fascination of witches to his advantage, he created his infamous play, ‘Macbeth’, which captured King James’ attention and kept Shakespeare as the official playwright. Macbeth was a successful soldier in the army of King Duncan. After the battle, Macbeth meets three witches who tell him that he is to become Thane of Cawdor and King. As part of the same prophecy, the Witches predict that future Kings will be descended not from Macbeth but from his fellow army captain, Banquo. â€Å"(First Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis. (Second Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. (Third Witch) All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter†. Banquo also receives a prophecy from the witches, â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none†. Shortly after, Macbeth receives news that King Duncan has honoured him with the title, Thane of Cawdor. Although initially prepared to wait for fate to take its course, Macbeth is ambitious and sudden confusion arises when King Duncan nominates his son Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth is tempted and writes to his wife giving her the news. Lady Macbeth, upon hearing Macbeth’s promotion, calls upon evil spirits to help them achieve greatness; she dabbles with the dark arts and performs witchcraft in order to help her and her husband make the witches’ prophecies come true. It is here that we see Lady Macbeth’s true colours, it shows us that she is the more ambitious of the two as she has immediately taken steps to fulfill the prophecy and that she is the one who is more dominant in her actions. â€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promis’d: yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’ th’ milk of humane kindness, to catch the nearest way.† (Act 1, Scene 5) Returning to his castle, Macbeth’s ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, tells her husband of her plan to murder Duncan and persuades Macbeth. It is here that we see the status of their relationship and realize that Lady Macbeth is â€Å"wearing the trousers† in this relationship. She is in control and can easily manipulate her husband. Macbeth realises that the murder of the king is the quickest way to achieve the destiny that her husband had been promised and when King Duncan pays a royal visit to Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth sees this as the perfect opportunity to bring the prophecy to life. It is here that we see the dramatic irony take place. Both Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the audience know that King Duncan will die once he stays over at Macbeth’s, but King Duncan himself does not know that his fate has been sealed. Here, we see the couple call each other endearments, for example, Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth â€Å"My dearest love† (Act 1, Scene 5), which suggests that they are a loving couple but at first Macbeth hesitates about killing King Duncan and Lady Macbeth is outraged, she takes control and scolds him, prevailing upon him again and again, which shows us she pushes and blackmails him revealing the positions in their relationship. She questions his manhood, â€Å"When you durst do it,† she says, â€Å"then you were a man†. Lady Macbeth wins out, she drugs the guards of the king’s bedchamber; then, at a given signal, Macbeth ascends to the King’s room and murders him while he sleeps. Lady Macbeth says she could not have killed King Duncan because he resembled her father, a figure which Lady Macbeth loved and cared for. â€Å"Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t†. Haunted by what he has done, Macbeth is once more scolded by his wife. It is here that we see Macbeth weaken and Lady Macbeth take almost complete control of their relationship. Suddenly, both are alarmed by a loud knocking at the castle door, but again, it is Lady Macbeth who takes control. The drunken porter of Macbeth’s castle opens the door to Macduff, a loyal follower of the king, who has been asked to awaken Duncan in preparation for the return journey. Macbeth, concealing the bloody truth, signals the location of the King’s room and Macduff heads towards it. He discovered the King’s body. When the murder is revealed, Macbeth kills the prime witnesses, the sleepy guards of the king’s bedchamber, and Lady Macbeth faints. The lords of Scotland present, including Macbeth, swear to avenge the murder. The King’s two sons flee in fear that they might be next, and this action raises suspicion that they might be the culprits. Donalbain flees to Ireland and Malcolm flees to raise an army in England. Macbeth is crowned the new king of Scotland, but, because of Banquo’s knowledge of the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth sees no other choice but to kill his friend, Banquo and his son Fleance, as he will be the successor after Macbeth. They both pose a threat to Macbeth but Macbeth does not tell Lady Macbeth of his plans this time, this shows he still cares for her and does not want her hands to be covered in blood anymore, thus taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. The hired murderers kill Banquo but Fleance escapes. At a banquet that night, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the dinner table and the audience see Macbeth weaken greatly as the ghost appears. Again, his wife tries to strengthen Macbeth. We see Lady Macbeth showing some of her irritation towards Macbeth, she is genuinely worried about him as she cannot see what he can and is trying to calm him, but on the other hand, she is also scolding him, desperate to save her neck and his, as she is trying to stop him from confessing Duncan’s murder. â€Å"O proper stuff: This is the very painting of your fear: This is the air-drawn dagger which you said Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts (Imposters to true fear) would well become A woman’s story, at a winter’s fire Authoriz’d by her grandma: shame itself, Why do you make such faces? When all’s done You look but on a stool.† (Act 3, Scene 4). In the next scene, Macbeth returns to the Witches. The Witches not only confirm that the sons of Banquo will rule in Scotland, but they also add a new prophecy: Macbeth will be invincible in battle until the time when the forest of Birnam moves towards his stronghold at Dunsinane, â€Å"Macbeth shall never be vanquish’d be, until Great Birnam Wood, to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.† (Act 4, Scene 1). They also predict that no man born of a woman shall hurt Macbeth, â€Å"Be bloody, bold and resolute: Laugh to scorn The power of man: for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (Act 4, Scene 1). Ignoring both of these predictions because he thought they were nonsense, Macbeth prepares for invasion. When he is told that Macduff has deserted him, Macbeth begins the final stage of his tragic descent. His first move is the destruction of Macduff’s family; his wife and children. In England, Macduff receives the news at the very moment that he swears his allegiance to the young Malcolm. Malcolm persuades him that the murder of his family should act as the spur to revenge, â€Å"Be comforted. Let’s make medicines of our great revenge, To cure this deadly grief.† Meanwhile, in Scotland, Lady Macbeth has been taken ill: She walks in her sleep and seems to recall, in fragmentary memories, the details of the murder. It is here that she has no control over their relationship, moreover, her own sanity. Macbeth hears of her sanity deteriorating, yet he does not sound like he cares in the slightest, he sounds cold, emotionless, all he does is tell the doctor to â€Å"Cleanse the stuff’d bosom, of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart†. In the end, she eventually falls to her death from the castle’s battlements. We do not know whether it was her insanity that caused her suicide, or the evil spirits that consumed her soul. Macbeth hears her scream, as he is informed of Lady Macbeth’s death, he acts as if he doesn’t care, he cold-heartedly said â€Å"she should have died hereafter†, his speech is pessimistic and full of despair which spells the end of their once loving relationship. Malcolm’s attacking army is advancing while Macbeth’s defenses are preparing. When Malcolm’s army disguise themselves with sawn-off branches from Birnam Wood, Macbeth sees what appears to be a wood moving towards his stronghold at Dunsinane. When he finally meets Macduff in single combat, his sworn enemy reveals that he came into the world by caesarean section; he was not, precisely speaking, â€Å"of woman born†, (Act 4, Scene 1). On hearing this news, Macbeth rejects one final time the Witches’ prophecy. With a loud cry, he launches himself at Macduff and is slain thus revealing the final twist to this tragedy. In the final scene, Malcolm is crowned as the new king of Scotland, to the acclaim of all. At first, Macbeth had a casual, loving relationship with Lady Macbeth. However, both their ambitions led them astray. Firstly, the relationship began to change when Macbeth became more dominant. This was when he ordered Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. â€Å"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck†, by saying this, not only is Macbeth protecting his wife, he is also taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. Clearly, he still loves his wife as he is protecting her. However, there is another twist in their marriage. In act 3 scene 4, we see the appearance of Banquo’s ghost at the banquet which only Macbeth can see, because of this; Macbeth is reduced to a weak, helpless man. Meanwhile, his wife, unsure of what is going on, appears to be sure footed and most definitely stronger than her husband. She scolds him and questions his manhood, â€Å"Are you a man?† Drawing to the end of the play, we see Macbeth take control again, while Lady Macbeth is slowly deteriorating along with her relationship to Macbeth, her mind is flooded with guilt and paranoia. We see the end of their relationship when Lady Macbeth falls off the battlements of the castle to her death. We do not know whether it was her guilt that caused her to commit suicide, or the evil spirits consuming her soul and driving her to die. Macbeth feels no emotion upon hearing of her death; instead he says life is meaningless and has no purpose, â€Å"is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.† This is the end of their relationship. The audience initially has a good impression of their relationship. They called each other endearments and protected each other. In act 3, scene 2, we see Macbeth protecting his wife from finding out the bloody truth, even though he had performed evil deeds, the audience would’ve thought of him as a ‘good person’ or a loving husband beneath the blood stained ambition. In act 1, scene 5 however, Lady Macbeth reveals her true colours by calling forth evil spirits to aid her ambition to kill Duncan. Also, in act 4, scene 1, we see Macbeth’s true colours when he meets the witches for help. The audience now sees him as too deep in the blood for him to carry on, his time will come. When Lady Macbeth dies, he shows coldness, which creates hatred from the audience towards Macbeth. Indeed, his time comes, when he faces Macduff, and is slain. The audience now sees the classic victory over evil, performed by the good. In conclusion, Macbeth’s relationship with lady Macbeth slowly deteriorates throughout the course of the play, it seems that the more blood drenched onto Macbeth’s hand, the more dominant he grew and this weakened Lady Macbeth’s mental state. The audience sees them as a loving couple at first, calling each other endearments protecting each other, but their actions caught up with them, and they faced the consequences of meddling with the evil spirits. Their relationship is like a candle, slowly burning, burning through the wax, slowly deteriorating, until there is nothing left.

Critically evaluate the development and application of the implied Essay

Critically evaluate the development and application of the implied duty of trust and confidence with reference to contracts of employment - Essay Example It would appear from the decided cases, that the primary purpose of the implied duty of trust is to ensure that the employer acts in good faith and does not unfairly or inequitably exercise his/her power under the employment contract.4 This paper explores the emerging concept of the implied duty of trust and confidence in the employment contract and argues that it is a significant development, used for the purpose of regulating and restraining the employer’s conduct in asserting his/her power under the employment contract. The implied duty of trust is a relatively new concept of employment law.5 The duty itself is most likely founded on the fundamental principle of co-operation required of parties to a contract generally.6 It is also part of the history of employment law and its shift away from the underlying tenet of the preexisting master/servant characterization of employment relationships. In this regard, the emerging duty of trust can be detected in Lord Slynn’s judgment in Spring v Guardian Assurance Plc [1995] 2 AC 196 in which Slynn J said: The changes which have taken place in the employer/employee relationship, with far greater duties imposed on the employer than in the past, whether by statute of by judicial decision, to care for the physical, financial and even psychological welfare of the employee.7 The duty of mutual cooperation merely dictated that parties to a contract tailor their conduct so as not to undermine the terms and conditions of the contract.8 In other words the duty of mutual cooperation did not impose upon the parties a positive duty. The implied duty of trust which was developed from the duty of mutual cooperation does impose upon the parties a positive duty to take specific action. For example in Scally v Southern Health and Social Services Board [1992] 1 AC 294 the court held that the implied duty of trust and confidence imposed upon the

Education and social class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education and social class - Essay Example Therefore, the people from the upper social class have a higher probability of securing high-paying job opportunities than their low-class counterparts. People from the high social class have the means to attend prestigious schools (Archer, Hutchings and Ross, 2003). People from the low-class cannot attend these elite schools because they charge a fortune.   For instance, an average college may charge US $25,000 per academic year while a prestigious college, such as Dartmouth College or Yale University, may charge nearly four times the amount. Given that the average American earns US $ 40,000 it becomes hard for most of the people to afford it (Fields and Morgan-Klein, 2013). High social class people also have the privilege of knowing where opportunities exist (Joyner, 2012). They have the relevant information to take advantage of the opportunities. For instance, high-class people may understand the procedure of applying for the prestigious schools which students from the low-class may not. As a result, they have a higher chance of being accepted in these prestigious schools and receive high quality education.According to Joyner (2012), education has always been perceived as the stepping stone towards crossing the social class boundaries. Most of the governments in the world have put systems in place and complementing policies to see to it that all the people, regardless of their social class, attain at least the basic education. The presumption is that education is the agent of change that enables the bridging of the gap.

Compare Emilia and Desdemona Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Compare Emilia and Desdemona - Essay Example Her speech here with lines like ,"So much I challenge that I may profess/ Due to the Moor my lord"(I, iii, 191-192) makes her appear to be an articulate woman who knows her own mind, a woman who has eloped with a racially disparate man, and is able to defend her choice with sagacity and courage. Desdemona's resolute profession of her love shows us the practical nature and the intensity of her affections: "My downright violence and storm of fortunes/May trumpet to the world: my heart's subdued/ Even to the very quality of my lord:/I saw Othello's visage in his mind,/And to his honor and his valiant parts/ Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate". ( I, iii, 254- 59)She is a woman in love, who is ready to go to strange parts in order to be with her husband, and is also a woman much loved, as we see when she is reunited with her husband at Cyprus. "Desdemona was a stranger, not just different in class from Emilia, different in species. Emilia watched her from a cautious distance, the impulsive girl whose giddy love, written on her incandescent face, demonstrated that she had nothing in common with her".(Rutter, 2001) Emilia's marriage is of long standing and she has seen the world with all its realities. Her husband does not lose a moment in putting her down in company, and does so viciously and with a barely concealed venom, slandering not just her but her entire kind: "Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors,/Bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens,/Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewifery, and housewives' in your beds". ( II, i, 113-117)We know from the very beginning that though loyal to her husband, she is living a loveless marriage. And beyond a few one-line dialogs, she indeed has no speech in the first scenes after her appearance. Having left her father's home and the confines of Venetian society for the first time, Desdemona is in a relaxed frame of mind. Somewhat guileless, her circumstances of living with her married love have made her cheerful, bantering, tolerant , as is evident from her good-humored response even to Iago's lack of taste in his very first conversation with her. She mislays her handkerchief, and lovingly nags her husband on Cassio's case by playing the shrew, fully assured of her power over Othello and her ability to make him do her bidding. She feels it her part to play the nagging wife and present it as a 'boon' to the husband: Her performance exploits and collapses the two male fantasies that most define early modern wives: the one, negative, of the shrew, and the other, the ideal of the submissive subordinate. Lest we believe the stereotypes and think Desdemona truly shrewish, she announces that she will play the shrew.....In merging the postures of good wife and shrew, Desdemona indirectly challenges the presumption of their difference enforced in marriage handbooks, homilies, church courts, misogynist pamphlets, and the like. Her performance highlights what that discourse masks: that to be a shrew is, in fact, to follow the rules, to be obediently disobedient, to fill a role created by (male) authorities who needed shrews in order to contain, by criminalizing, female speech. Conversely, Desdemona also places outspokenness within the perimeters of appropriate wifely

Communicative Technology - Short Messaging Service (SMS) Essay

Communicative Technology - Short Messaging Service (SMS) - Essay Example The user should have activated the service of sending text messages, this activation involves paying a cost to some mobile network whereas on most mobile phone networks the activation is free. However, each text message costs some amount per text message, though nowadays mobile service networks offer packages that allow you to send a limited number of text messages for a cost in bulk. Lastly, the user who wants to send an SMS should know how to read and type a text message on the mobile phone and the model they have and should have a recipient to whom they want to send their texts to and they are good to go. (Illinois State University 2014). In 1984, a man named ‘Friedhelm Hillebrand’ was experimenting with casual sentences and questions on his typewriter at his house in Germany. Whenever he wrote a question or a sentence he made a count of the alphabets, number and the spaces in between them. This led to an odd discovery, which further on became the idea behind the length of an SMS. He noticed that every time he counted, the total quantity of characters was less than one sixty characters. (Gayomali, C. 2012). It is said that the first ever text message sent in the world was: ‘Merry Christmas’. It was sent by a man named Papworth. He was a computer designer at ‘Sema Group Telecoms’. Since the mobile phones at that time did not have the ability to type as there were no keyboards he used his computer to send the greeting to his buddy ‘Richard Jarvis’ who was employed at ‘Vodafone’. (Erikson, C. 2012). In 1993 ‘Nokia’ became the pioneer to launch the first ever mobile phone set which allowed the users to send text messages. However, there were limitations to the SMS service, firstly, it could only be typed through a numerical keypad by the multi-tap system and most importantly the SMS service was only limited to one network.  Ã‚  

IT Component in MIS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Component - Research Paper Example When employed in an organization, management information systems transform the dynamics employed by the organization in order to operate efficiently. One of the main advantages of MIS is decentralization. MIS makes it possible for the operations of the organization to be monitored at low levels and goes further to free resources used by department managers while devoting time to strategic plans and actions. Such a system ensures specialized projects are well coordinated and the decision makers are well informed of the problems and issues in different departments. MIS also reduces information overload which is common in conventional businesses. In my organization, MIS was designed in such a way that it was in a position to effectively aggregate information, monitor the activities of the organization and enhanced collaboration as well as communication among employees. The above led to better planning within the organization and enabled the management to come up with means of measuring performances, facilitate compliance and manage resources according to government and industry regulations. The control achieved through the employment of MIS also helps in the accurate budgets preparations, forecasting and offers vital tools and information to business partners, top management and employees. The main aim of adapting MIS in my organization was to come up with processed and synthesized information from manual systems as well as computerized systems. By doing this, information was easily distributed to different levels of professionals and corporate managers making key executives become seamless in relation to the streamlined MIS. The system places the managers in such a position that they are able to make decisions that are informed, quick and timely.  

Humor is a Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Humor is a Philosophy - Essay Example In this regard, the philosopher has, I think, a family resemblance with the comedian, who also asks us to look at the world askance, to imagine a topsy-turvy universe where horses and dogs talk and where lifeless objects become miraculously animated. Both the philosopher and the comedian ask you to view the world from a Martian perspective, to look at things as if you had just landed from another planet. In its own way, a joke can reveal the pathos in laughter, grotesqueness in opulence and life's struggles' in the quiet that envelopes it. The power of humor in liberating the mind and enlightening it to see deeper also connects it to Zen. This is discussed in greater detail below. Zen says that reality can be understood in a way that is not conceptual. Zen philosophy believes that unitive point of view is not attained by logical dissection of reality but by the intutive method, which transcends subject and object and all logical categories including affirmation and negation. As pointed by Ha Tai Kim 1955: Zen transcends the logical bifurcation of subject and object, mind and matter, being and non-being, which always falls into the realm of relational knowledge. It is due to the thoroughgoing attitude of Zen that it pierces through relational knowledge, so as to acquire an absolute point of view. It attempts to see the world in its absolute wholeness (p. 21). This This is really the philosophical spirit and what connects it so beautifully with humor. Zen does not build any philosophical systems since it defies concept-making, much like comedy; for very often humor arises when a situation is viewed in its completeness with all its paradoxes and contradictions. Humor is related with people and situations, not concepts and objects. Just as Zen points to facts as they are, so does the comedy of recognition. Zen says, when you are offered tea, sip it, and, when you happen to take wine, drink it and that there is nothing more than this. Humor as a philosophy, too offers a view of reality by making one view situations in wholeness. Comedy of recognition for example reinforces status quo and does not criticize established order, much like Zen, which points to facts, as they exist. Paradox and Language Let us examine paradox. Paradox is apparent whenever there is incongruity. Humor, very often works by way of a felt incongruity between what one expects to be the case and what actually takes place in a funny situation. For incongruity to be humorous, usually, there exists congruence between joke structure and socially accepted norms. For example: "Someone's hat falls on the coffin in a freshly dug grave, the funeral loses its meaning and laughter is born"(Kundera, 1983, p.232-33). The incongruity that thus results and pricks, what is socially accepted, gives rise to laughter. Just like the incongruence in situations, there exists incongruence in what is being said, which can make statements comic. Language plays a crucial role here. Language is explained as "an approximation of thoughts through symbolic manipulation, and the gap between the expectations inherent in those symbols and the breaking of those expectations leads to laughter" (Wikepedia, 2005). The language connection and especially the paradox that can be inherent in language, reminds one of Zen. Zen teaching

Advocates violence Essay Example for Free

Advocates violence Essay A hate group is â€Å"a group or movement that advocates violence against or unreasonable hate or hostility toward those persons or organizations identified by their religion, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability† (Wikipedia, 2004). The ideology of hate groups is based on the inaccurate information using for disparagement. The members of hate groups prejudge each individual in the target group as low or contemptible. They believe in the supremacy of their race, religion and use the violence and intimidation as the tools of the infuence on the target groups. How they do it? Usual tactics of the hate group includes four main elements: dehumanizing or demonizing the target; use of the conspiracy, theories, possibly not well backed up or referenced; claiming for manifesting interests of majority, support of thef pseudo-scientific theories using as the background for their grudge against target groups. The Southern Poverty Law Centers Intelligence Project reckoned up that 751 hate groups were active in the United States in 2003 (http://www. tolerance. org/maps/hate/state. jsp? T=12m=2). The most infamous and oldest American hate group is the Ku Klux Klan. This movement joined more than 150 various hate groups. The target of the attacks of the Ku Klux Klan is blacks, Jews, immigrants and gays. Today the most active Ku Klux Klan organization in the USA is the Church of the American Knights of the KKK. This radical wing of the Ku Klux Klun is led by Jeff Berry and had strong prositions among other hate groups of the state of Indiana. While other KKK groups are trying to represent themselves as a civic organization for whites, the American Knights actively propagate strong measures against minorities. The credo of the American Knights is expressed in Jeff Berry’s speech: â€Å"We hate Jews, We hate niggers†¦. I’m a Yankee and I have never heard the word thank you in the nigger vocabulary†¦. We don’t like you niggers†¦ Tell me one thing your race has accomplished. † (ADL audio tape of Jasper rally, October, 1998 rally in Jasper, TX cited by http://www. adl. org/backgrounders/american_knights_kkk. asp). The same ideas we see in the Platform of the American Knights: Enemies from within are destroying the United States of America. An unholy coalition of anti-White, anti-Christian liberals, socialists, feminists, homosexuals, jews [sic] and militant blacks have managed to seize control of our government and mass media. This gang of criminals and degenerates has declared war on the hard working, tax paying, White citizens †¦ The American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan plan to change things for the better. We shall liberate our nation from these savage criminals and restore law and order to America. (cited by ADL backgrounder, 1999) But the hate groups do not only tell terrible words. They also do the terrible things. Every hour in the USA someone commits a hate crime. Every day at least eight blacks, three whites, three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime victims. Every week a cross is burned. Three crosses were burned in the yard of a mixed-race family in the March of 2003 (Ladoga, IN). Swastikas and offensive messages were burned into the lawns of four residences (St. John, IN). The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan distribute their flyers throughout a neighborhood. According to FBI statistic â€Å"the greatest growth in hate crimes in recent years is against Asian Americans and gays and lesbians† (http://www. tolerance. org/pdf/ten_ways. pdf). But the noble Knights of KKK do their business only with hidden faces: â€Å"It is essential to the organization to allow members to preserve their anonymity since, if members are not allowed to appear in public without being able to maintain their anonymity, they will not participate in public events† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_group

Transhiatal Approach Essay Example for Free

Transhiatal Approach Essay Abstract: Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a stretch-induced functional disorder of the spinal cord, which is directly related to filum fixation. Classic surgical approaches to the filum involve open surgery and include varying amounts of spinal bone removal. In an effort to reduce the morbidity and mortality of these procedures, we explored a less invasive method. We evaluated the ability, safety and feasibility for extradural endoscopic dissection of the filum terminale by performing upward orientated navigation in the sacral spinal canal through the sacral hiatus using a rigid endoscope. Four adult, phenol-formalin embalmed cadavers were used for extradural endoscopic dissection of the filum at the tip of thecal sac. After preparing the anatomical area of sacral hiatus, a rigid endoscope (Storz, of 3.8 mm external diameter with one working channel) was inserted into the sacral spinal canal and the filum was identified and cut easily. In all cases, it was possible to manipulate the rigid endoscope and inspect the full length of the extradural sacral spinal canal, especially at the S1-S2 level. Our results indicate that the tested transhiatal approach for upward orientated extradural endoscopy represents a minimally invasive procedure that provides an appropriate and feasible route to the extradural sacral spinal canal. Furthermore it is an attractive alternative for filum dissection in cases where tethered cord syndrome is not accompanied by any other pathology. Introduction Physicians and scientists have explored the clinical usefulness of spinal endoscopy over six decades. Endoscopic spinal surgery represents a major advance in the treatment of spinal disorders. It involves the use of small incisions that preserve normal tissues while allowing the spinal pathology to be fully treated. This technique carries interesting clinical benefits, and its utility continues to expand as technology advances. Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a manifestation of spina bifida occulta and can occur as a complication of surgically closed spina bifida aperta. The mechanical cause of TCS is an inelastic structure anchoring the caudal end of the spinal cord and preventing cephalad movements of the lumbosacral cord. Stretching of the spinal cord occurs in patients either when the spinal column grows faster than the spinal cord or when the spinal cord undergoes forcible flexion and extension. Symptomatic TCS can occur in adults as well as in children, manifesting with various clinical symptoms (Dachling, 1982; Kaplan, 1980; Klekamp et al. 1994), such as pain, neurological deficits, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Further studies have shown that early surgical correction in adults is recommended because of the high risk for irreversible neurological deficits (Bermans et al. 2001). In recent years, further research efforts of scientists have ranged from full-fledged neurosurgery to minimally invasive approaches and have involved the use of flexible and rigid endoscopes for diagnosis and treatment of certain pathological entities (Heavner et al. 1991; Sabreski Kitahata, 1995 1996; Warnke et al. 2001, I, II; Warnke et al. 2003). Encouraging results from the performance of co-axial downward orientated thecaloscopic procedures, with flexible steerable endoscopes in the lumbar subarachnoid space in living humans (Warnke et al. 2003), prompted us to study further thecaloscopic procedures for filum terminale dissection by using a rigid endoscope. This procedure usually offers a better optical view of the studied anatomic structures. The aim of the present anatomic study was not only to determine if the tip of thecal sac could be clearly visualized. Based on the fact that epidural endoscopy through sacral hiatus was proved to be safe and possible (Sabreski Kitahata, 1995 1996; Sabreski Gerens, 1998), it also sought to explore the possibility of using a rigid endoscope to untether prefixed filum terminale. Materials and Methods For this study, four adult phenol-formalin embalmed male cadavers from the Anatomy Department of the Medical School of the University of Athens were dissected using microsurgical and endoscopic techniques. Neurosurgical   technique Fig.2Insertion-of-the-rig Fig.1Sacral-Hiatus Cadavers were placed in the prone position. A midline skin incision was centered over the sacral hiatus [fig. 1]. After anatomical preparation, the rigid endoscope [fig.2] was inserted through the sacral hiatus and directed into the sacral spinal canal cephalad. It was angled in that manner in order that it would face the tip of thecal sac. The filum, which was holding thecal sac, was identified and dissected [fig.3]. The rigid endoscope used was a Storz with a 3.8mm external diameter and one working channel. For the documentation, a video-tape (Fuji VHS) was used and digital photographs were taken using a Fuji AS-205.    Results With the help of a rigid endoscope, it is possible to visualize directly the tip of thecal sac and to perform a dissection of the filum terminale. A rigid endoscope was inserted into the sacral spinal canal and, with the benefit of the visibility it granted, was advanced cephalad with relative ease. The rigid endoscope provided a large field of view, which enabled the anatomical structures to be seen. The filum can be easily identified in fine detail, as it is the only structure adherent to the tip of thecal sac at the S1-S2 level. This procedure represents a minimally invasive method for direct visualization of the tip of thecal sac and dissection of filum terminale. Discussion Diseases of the spine predispose persons to chronic complaints ranging from mild discomfort to intense pain. Endoscopy of the anatomic structures contained within the spine makes possible thorough examinations for existing pathology and facilitates the application of appropriate methods of therapy (Warnke et al. 2003; Sabreski Kitahata, 1996). Use of neuroendoscopy has become widespread in spinal surgery for conditions ranging from degenerative disease to deformity correction (Heavner et al. 1991; Sabreski Gerens, 1998; Sabreski Kitahata, 1995 1996). The growth in the number of minimally invasive spine surgical procedures being performed has been spurred by both technical advances and by its associated reduction in operative morbidity (1998; 1995; 1996). However, minimally invasive techniques are primarily employed in extradural procedures. Transhiatal extradural filum untethering provides the ability to untether a prefixed filum in a minimally invasive way. When referred to a neurosurgical clinic, adult patients with tethered cord syndrome tend to show significant progressive neurological deficits (Klekamp et al. 1994; Dachling, 1982).   Some authors (van Leeuwen, et al. 2001) have advocated prophylactic surgical treatment for the prevention of progressive neurological symptoms, which is, in this case, related to low morbidity. As an alternative to the risky open surgical treatment procedure, we evaluated the extradural endoscopic procedure for untethering of filum in cadavers. Extradural filum untethering could be indicated in cases of prefixed filum without other accompanying pathology such as meningomyelocele, CSF fistula, or arachnoidal cysts. It could also be performed before a surgical intervention, which generally include dura opening and removal of various amounts of spinal bone. During inspection of the sacral spinal canal with the rigid endoscope, the declination of the sacral spinal canal did not bring difficulties for the upward manipulation of the endoscope. Following the physical inclination of the sacral spinal canal, the filum could be approached and dissected before reaching the lumbosacral angle. In some instances, it was difficult to dissect the filum because of its elasticity. However, the minimally invasive nature of neuroendoscopy provided by this procedure, and by the employment of the rigid endoscope, allows for a larger field of view at the sacral spinal canal through a smaller incision. This access and the ability to perform extradural inspection and filum dissection using this transhiatal approach are comparable with other therapeutic interventions used in neurosurgery, such as the endoscopic epidural placement of catheters in anaesthesiology. Conclusions This method of extradural endoscopic dissection of the filum terminale minimizes surgical trauma and provides excellent visualization of and access to the extradural sacral spinal canal. Furthermore, it enables the filum to be identified and thus provides a minimally invasive alternative to current open surgical procedures indicated for filum untethering. Utilization of this procedure could: (1) facilitate untethering of prefixed filum terminale without opening the dura and (2) minimize patient morbidity thereby presenting an overall attractive alternative to current methods of filum dissection. At present, neuroendoscopy is most widely used in minimally invasive spine surgery, but novel uses continue to emerge in the literature. As technology evolves and more experience is obtained, neuroendoscopy will likely achieve additional roles as a mainstay in spinal surgery. References Heavner JF, Cholkhavatia S, Kizelsheeyn G. (1991). Percutaneous evaluation of the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   epidural and subarachnoid space with flexible endoscope. Reg. Anesth. 15 S1: 85. Iskandar BJ, Fulmer BB, Hadley MN, Oakes WJ. (2001). Congenital tethered spinal cord   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   syndrome in adults. Neurosurg. Focus 10(1): Article 7. Kaplan JQ, Quencer RM. (1980) The occult tethered conus syndrome in the adult.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Radiology 137:387-391. Klekamp J, Raimpondi AJ, Samii M. (1994) Occult dysraphism in adulthood: clinical   Ã‚   course and management. Child Nerv Syst 10:312-320. van Leeuwen R, Notermans NC, Vandertop P. (2001). Surgery in adults with tethered   Ã‚   cord syndrome: outcome study with independent clinical review.   J. Neurosurg.   Ã‚  Ã‚   (spine) 94: 205-209. Pang D, Wilberger JE. (1982) Tethered cord syndrome in adults. J. Neurosurg. 57: 32-47. Sabreski LR, Gerens, F. (1998) Safety of epidural endoscopy. Reg. Anest. Pain Med.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   23: 324-325. Sabreski LR, Kitahata LM. (1995) Direct visualization of the lumbosacral epidural   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   space through the sacral hiatus. Anest. Anal. 60: 839-840. Sabreski LR, Kitahata LM. (1996) Persistent radiculopathy diagnosed and treated with  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   epidural endoscopy. J. Anesth. 10: 292-295. Warnke JP, Tschabitscher M, Nobles A. (2001). Thecaloscopy Part I.: The endoscopy of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the lumbar subarachnoid space: Historical review and own cadaver studies.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Minim. Invas. Neurosurg. 42: 61-64 Warnke JP, Mourgela S, Tschabitscher M, Dzelzitis J. (2001) Thecaloscopy Part II:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Anatomical Landmarks. Minim. Invas. Neurosurg 44:181-185. Warnke JP, Kà ¶ppert H, Bensch-Schreiter B, Dzelzitis J, Tschabitscher M. (2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thecaloscopy Part III: First Clinical Application. Minim. Invas. Neurosurg   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   46:94-99.

Impact of Information Technology on the Military

Impact of Information Technology on the Military LT MUHAMMAD AMIRUL ZIKRI BIN TUMPANG IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE ROYAL ARMOUR CORPS IT, stands for Information Technology, and is pronounced I.T. It refers to anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies. Many companies now have IT departments for managing the computers, networks, and other technical areas of their businesses. IT jobs include computer programming, network administration, computer engineering, Web development, technical support, and many other related occupations. Since we live in the information age, information technology has become a part of our everyday lives. That means the term IT, already highly overused, is here to stay. What is information? This is processed data with a meaning or an organized, meaningful and useful interpretation of data. And what is technology? Technology is humans using objects (tools, machines, systems, and materials) to change the natural and human-made environment. Technology has always been an important part of war. Today, with information technology situated as the defining technology of our age it should be no surprise that IT (information technology) is a central part of war making. In fact, the US military has officially determined that information is the main force multiplier in battle, more important than numerical superiority or force of fire, the old standards. This is because, in the US militarys view, we now have the information technologies that cannot just make a crucial difference in battle, in terms of precision weapons, intelligence, and command and control, but that these technologies might actually allow the fog (uncertainly) of war to be dispelled so that total, almost painless victories, might be won against many opponents. The aim of this paper is to explain the impact of information technology to the Royal Armour Corps and does it giving any advantages to the corps. Before we go any further on this topic, we need to know the history of this information technology. Information technology has been around from a long, long time ago. Basically as long as people have been around, information technology has been around because there were always a lot of ways to communicate through technology available at that point in time. There are four main ages that divided up the history of information technology. Only the latest age (electronic) and some of electromechanical age really affects us today, but it is important for us to learn about how we got to the point we are at with today technologies. There are four stages revolution on the information technology: a. Premechanical b. Mechanical c. Electromechanical d. Electronic The premechanical age is the earliest age of information technology development. It can be defined as time in between 3000 B.C. and 1450 A.D. We are talking about a long, long time ago. Humans first started communicating between each other using language or simple picture drawings known as petroglyphs which were usually carved on the rock. Early alphabets were developed such as the Phoenician alphabet. As alphabets became more popular and more people were writing information down, pens and paper began to be developed by humans. In the early, it started off as just marks in wet clay, but later on paper was created out of the papyrus plant. The most popular kind of paper produced is probably made by the Chinese who made it out of rags. Now that people were writing a lot of information down, they needed ways to keep it in a permanent storage. This is when the first books and libraries are developed between those times. You have probably heard about the Egyptian scrolls which were popular ways to write down information to save. Some groups of people actually binding all the paper together into a book-like form. The first numbering system used is during this period of times. Around 100 A.D. was when the first 1 to 9 system was created by people from the India. However, it was not until 875 A.D. (775 years later) that the number 0 was invented. And now that numbers were created, people wanted stuff to do with them so they created the calculators. A calculator was the very first sign of an information processor known. The popular model of calculator during that time was the abacus. The mechanical age is when we first start to relate the connections between our current technology and its ancestors. The mechanical age can be defined as the time between 1450 A.D. and 1840 A.D. A lot of new technologies are developed as there is a large explosion in interest with this area. Technologies like the slide rule (an analog computer used for multiplying and dividing numbers) were created. Blaise Pascal has invented the Pascaline which was a very popular mechanical computer during that time. Charles Babbage has developed the difference engine which can tabulate polynomial equations using the method of finite differences. There were lots of different machines created during that period of times and while we have not yet gotten to a machine that can do more than one type of calculation in one, like our modern-day calculators, we are still learning on about how all of our all-in-one machines started from the beginning. Also, if you look at the size of the machines invented during that era compared to the power behind them it seems (to us) that it is absolutely ridiculous to understand why anybody would want to use them, but to all the people living in that time, ALL of these inventions were HUGE. Now we are finally getting close to some technologies that resemble our modern-day technology nowadays. The electromechanical age can be defined as the time between 1840 A.D. and 1940 A.D. These are the beginnings of the telecommunication. The telegraph system was created in the early 1800s. Morse code was created by Samuel Morse in the 1835. The telephone (one of the most popular forms of communication ever made) was created by Alexander Graham Bell in the 1876. The first ever radio were developed by Guglielmo Marconi in 1894. All of these were extremely crucial emerging technologies that have led us to a big advance in the information technology field. The first large-scale automatic digital computer ever in the United States was the Mark 1 computer created by Harvard University around 1940. This computer was 8ft high, 50ft long, 2ft wide, and weighed 5 tons; it is totally HUGE and heavy. It was programmed by using punch cards. How does your PC today match up to this hunk of metal? It was from these huge machines that people began to look at downsizing all of the parts available to first make them usable by businesses and eventually in your own home. The electronic age is what we currently live in nowadays. It can be defined as the time between the 1940 until now. The ENIAC was the first high-speed, digital computer that capable to be reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems. This computer was designed to be used by the U.S. Army for the artillery firing tables. This machine was even bigger than the Mark 1 taking around 680 square feet and weighing 30 tons. It mainly used the vacuum tubes to do its calculations. There are 4 main sections on digital computing. The first was the era of using vacuum tubes and punch cards like the ENIAC and Mark 1. Rotating magnetic drums were used for the internal storage. The second generation replaced the vacuum tubes with transistors, punch cards were replaced with the magnetic tape, and rotating magnetic drums were replaced by magnetic cores for internal storage of the computers. Also during this time, a high-level programming language was created such as FORTRAN and COBOL. The third generation replaced the transistors with integrated circuits, magnetic tape was still used throughout all computers, and the magnetic core turned into metal oxide semiconductors. An actual operating system was showed up during this time along with the BASIC advanced programming language. The fourth and latest generation has brought in the CPUs (central processing units) which contained memory, logic, and the control circuits all on a single chip. The personal computer was devel oped then (Apple II). The graphical user interface (GUI) was also developed. There is a lot more happened to all of these generations and ages but all we need to know is a just a rough overview on this. There are several characteristic of good information and technology. The following are all the characteristics. Good information: It has to be accurate Must be relevant to basic purposes Complete in respect to the key elements of the problem It has to be Timely (should be communicated in time to be used ) It has to be consistent and reliable It has to be Up-to-date Easy to understand It has to be tailored to the needs of managers and end users. Technology: Technology is human knowledge Technology uses tools, materials and systems. Its application will result into artifacts (human-made things ) Technology is developed by people to modify their environment. Information technology is important in the military operation including the Royal Armour Corps. These technologies convenience are connecting the commander and their subordinates. The connection is very important since both of them needs to communicate between each other to locate the position of the enemy, their own location, a place to make a hide and other information that they need to know and acknowledge. For the improvements that Malaysian Army had done for the Royal Armour Corps is the new installments of the SOTAS. It stands for Signal On Board Two Wire Audio System. This radio advantages is that it have a crystal clear communications, the size, weight and power that can be produced by this radio, the interoperability of the radio and many other feature that can gives us a boost for using it. SOTAS consists of a family of modular components that can be assembled and called to create perfectly fitting configurations for all vehicle types and missions. A light vehicles intercom only requires a single SOTAS unit. Larger and more complex systems are created by adding User Stations, Network Nodes, software packages and hardware option modules. Other than the SOTAS unit, Malaysian Army have made an upgrades for the PT-91M (Pendekar) tank by equipping it with a Battlefield Managements System. The key features of this new system is that it provides automatized reporting and graphical orders dissemination, integrated to secure data communications, IP interfaces for other communications media, peripheral interface for sensor displays. The capabilities for Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition are also the main key features that made Malaysia to buy the systems. The main characteristics of this systems is the integrated vehicular station for sharing situational awareness, can adapt and customize functionalities to roles and missions, scalable from battalion to dismounted soldier and mission preparation package with relevant cartography tools. The growth improvements of these information technologies have lead us to a new stage of warfare which is the information warfare. Most modern political and military C2 systems are based on high speed communications and computers. It follows that this information infrastructure, also known as an infosphere, will be the arena in which information warfare is waged. Any system or person who participates in the C2 process will be a potential target in an IW campaign. All of the countries have improved their information technology systems just to compete with other armed forces to secure their communications and prevents others from sabotaging it. Information warfare, simply put, is an orchestrated effort to achieve victory by subverting or neutralizing an enemy command and control (C2) system, while protecting use of C2 systems to coordinate the actions of friendly forces. A successful IW campaign seizes initiative from an enemy commander; the IW campaign allows allied forces to operate at a much higher tempo than an enemy can react to. The threat that already being posed by other countries is significantly high, since they have a far more advanced technology such as the ability to jam the communication by using aircraft as for the EA-6B Prowler. The aircraft is the primary tactical jamming aircraft of the US Navy, US Air Force and the US Marine Corps. So we need a prevention action from this kind of jamming method so that our information is not cut out and can be secured. Information is very important for the military since it can immobilize the entire forces down. Without the importance of information technology awareness, we will always take it for granted and not looking this as a major threat. While other countries have taken a big steps in improving their information and communications security. They have seen this problem as a major threat that can jeopardize their operations if they make it vulnerable to others and to let others take advantages of it. Information Warfare has significant implications for modern military theory. Under Information Warfare, the enemy soldier no longer constitutes a major target. It will focus on preventing the enemy soldier from talking to his commander. Without coordinated action, an enemy force becomes an unwieldy mob, and a battle devolves to a crowd-control issue. In the not too distant future, computer weapon systems will conduct software strikes against the enemy infosphere to disrupt command and control. Targets will be chosen for military, political or economic significance. IW opens new doors throughout the spectrum of conflict to achieve tactical, operational and strategic objectives. Malaysian Army needs to make their information security is at a high level just to prevent the enemy from taking an advantages from our communications problems. References: http://www.iwar.org.uk/iwar/resources/airchronicles/crawford.htm https://www.thalesgroup.com/sites/default/files/asset/document/fol_0260_05_12_sotas.pdf https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/canada/defence/tactical-battlefield-management-systems-t-bms-commnder http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/prowler/ http://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/ar25-1.pdf http://www.useoftechnology.com/importance-functions-information-technology/

jane austen Essay -- essays research papers fc

This 5 page paper considers the limited roles of men and women in Jane Austen's society and assesses the social conventions, enforced by gossip, that keep women in line. This paper specifically explores the characterization of Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and argues that she is a representation of a modern woman in a nineteenth century world. 6 pages in length. Typical of Jane Austen’s novels, the author strives to portray a more equitable relationship between the genders. In Persuasion, the character of Anne represents Austen’s conduit amid women and the patriarchal society in which they have been compelled for centuries to exist. The writer discusses the manner in which Austen perpetuates the ongoing struggles with regard to gender oppression is of critical importance in relation to Anne’s character; indeed, hers is represented by the author as one who exemplifies the need for a favorable and fair approach to professional and domestic life. Bibliography lists 7 sources. This 12 page report discusses Jane Austen’s novel â€Å"Mansfield Park† (1814). Jane Austen presents her late 18th and early 19th century world to readers of the 21st century with such clarity and distinction that it becomes impossible to not apply the universal truths of her time to the contemporary age. In â€Å"Mansfield Park† she presents the reader with a vision of stateliness, propriety, and the confines of good taste. â€Å"Mansfield Park† should also be thought of as Jane Austen’s venture...

Essay --

Used to turn the chickens out on the alfalfa on a sunny morning" reinforces the idea that everyone has a dream, a goal and a fantasy. Crooks may be negative, yet even he, the "nigger", has a vision of one day experiencing the pleasures of his equality again. Crooks Room Crooks room is clearly downgraded compared to all the other workers. As we see he lives in the stable with the horses, and the other workers get a bunkhouse. â€Å"this room was swept and fairly neat†; This shows that he is not an animal like other characters think he is. They also refuse to share a room with him, although this does allow him to leave his â€Å"possession lying freely around†. A number of these possessions reflect his personality; â€Å"a tattered dictionary† which suggests that he is quite articulate. Some of these items also highlight his treatment and segregation from society. He had â€Å"a few dirty books† suggesting they were pornography because he was not allowed into the cat house due to his skin colour or it could just be old books expanding on the fact he was an articulate or intellectual. Crooks did not have a bed as it was basically a hay stack, â€Å"Crooks bunk was a long box filled with straw on which his blankets were flun g†; showing how he was thought of by the boss. As many people saw black men the same as animals, they were treated in the same way; â€Å"Crooks had his apple box over his bunk and in it a range of medicine bottles, for himself and the horses†. Showing that he has no medicine for himself it is all he can gather. All of these possessions were deliberately emphasised by the author to show that Crooks was indeed equal to the others but no one thinks he actually is. How Lennie affects Crooks As Crooks has been so beaten down by loneliness and... ...s born right here in California†. This shows that Crooks does not seem himself as a Negro, he sees himself as an equal because he was born here, where they are born. Crooks tells Lennie about his past; how he use to play with other white kids and never knew why his father did not like it. But as he got older, he realised and has hated white people ever since, because of their treatment towards him. As Crooks is reminded of his hatred towards white people, who tries to show Lennie how it feels to be lonely in an injurious manner. As Crooks knows that Lennie does not understand anything that is being said, he takes this and uses it against Lennie. â€Å"His excitement had increased George can tell you screwy things, and it don't matter". Crooks tries to get Lennie to feel what it is like to be alone, but shortly after, he becomes threaten by Lennie physical power over him. Essay -- Used to turn the chickens out on the alfalfa on a sunny morning" reinforces the idea that everyone has a dream, a goal and a fantasy. Crooks may be negative, yet even he, the "nigger", has a vision of one day experiencing the pleasures of his equality again. Crooks Room Crooks room is clearly downgraded compared to all the other workers. As we see he lives in the stable with the horses, and the other workers get a bunkhouse. â€Å"this room was swept and fairly neat†; This shows that he is not an animal like other characters think he is. They also refuse to share a room with him, although this does allow him to leave his â€Å"possession lying freely around†. A number of these possessions reflect his personality; â€Å"a tattered dictionary† which suggests that he is quite articulate. Some of these items also highlight his treatment and segregation from society. He had â€Å"a few dirty books† suggesting they were pornography because he was not allowed into the cat house due to his skin colour or it could just be old books expanding on the fact he was an articulate or intellectual. Crooks did not have a bed as it was basically a hay stack, â€Å"Crooks bunk was a long box filled with straw on which his blankets were flun g†; showing how he was thought of by the boss. As many people saw black men the same as animals, they were treated in the same way; â€Å"Crooks had his apple box over his bunk and in it a range of medicine bottles, for himself and the horses†. Showing that he has no medicine for himself it is all he can gather. All of these possessions were deliberately emphasised by the author to show that Crooks was indeed equal to the others but no one thinks he actually is. How Lennie affects Crooks As Crooks has been so beaten down by loneliness and... ...s born right here in California†. This shows that Crooks does not seem himself as a Negro, he sees himself as an equal because he was born here, where they are born. Crooks tells Lennie about his past; how he use to play with other white kids and never knew why his father did not like it. But as he got older, he realised and has hated white people ever since, because of their treatment towards him. As Crooks is reminded of his hatred towards white people, who tries to show Lennie how it feels to be lonely in an injurious manner. As Crooks knows that Lennie does not understand anything that is being said, he takes this and uses it against Lennie. â€Å"His excitement had increased George can tell you screwy things, and it don't matter". Crooks tries to get Lennie to feel what it is like to be alone, but shortly after, he becomes threaten by Lennie physical power over him.

Morality in the Bible?

Many speculations and debates had been flourished about the base morality in the bible. The Holy Bible has been there for centuries but still many condemns it by not believing to what is writer. Many take the teachings into their personal interpretation and practice without proper understanding of what they are undertaking. Bible is said to be the base or foundation in solving human morality. It has all the solutions to the chaos and conflicts. Let’s take into account of one controversy: Stated in Leviticus 17: 10-14, â€Å"And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood; neither shall any stranger that so journeth among you eat blood. For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.† This verse explains well how important blood represents in the Bible. Like an example, the blood of Jesus Christ was used as the cleansing of the sins of the world. This believe is of the Christians. â€Å"Is it morally right for blood to be transfused from one person to another? Most religions permit it, but the Jehovah's Witnesses argue that biblical principles properly understood condemn it. Who is right? When the Bible was being written, the technology for transfusing blood didn't exist, so the Bible did not directly address this problem. The same is true of numerous other technologies now available to us. The transplantation of body organs (including even cross-species transplants), artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, genetic mapping, gene splicing–these are all technologies that were developed after the Bible was written, so what is the â€Å"correct† moral position to take on these issues? Through processes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transplantations, a woman in USA gave birth to her own grandchildren. Was it morally right for her to do this? What does the Bible say? Well, of course, the Bible doesn't say anything about this or any of the other technological procedures mentioned above. If we asked a hundred theologians to take their Bibles and resolve the moral dilemmas posed by these technologies, we would find ourselves hopelessly trapped in a maze of confusion when all of their answers were in (Till, Farell).† Many tribes across the world eat blood by including the blood in foods. Some drink it fresh. There are many ways how people intake the blood. What are the differences in blood transfusion and taking it in as food? Will this resolve the problem of moral ethics with regards to the notion of blood as sacred? As we may see, many views to this argument rise. This depends to how a person views this topic and has them believe as to what has been set by the norms. List of References Till, Farell. No Morality without the Bible. 28 Nov. 2003. The Skeptical Review Vol.5 #1. 01 December 2006 ;http://www.infidels.org/library/magazines/tsr/1994/1/1front94.html;. The American Stan

English Literature Romantic Period

Breeana Whitehead The Art in Romanticism The works of William Woodsworth and William Blake are some of many great examples of Romantic literature. Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that began in Europe in the early 1800’s. It was a reaction to the Industrial Revolution as illustrated in William Woodsworth’s â€Å"Michael. † This poem mourns the changes made by the Industrial Revolution. In Romantic texts, everything written is out of the ordinary and very fictional. The characters in a romantic piece of literature are created from nothing and the plot is often in imaginary places.All pieces of art and intellect were nothing but fantasy put to paper in one form or another. There is nothing realistic about Romantic literature. This is the Romantic Period. Every piece of art, whether it is music or paintings or drawings or literature, was created to make their readers think about their own emotions within the art. William Blake displays the Roman ticism in his poem â€Å"Garden of Love† by showing discussing an aspect of spirituality. He shows how with religion there is a disconnect of freedom. The poem speaks of a chapel that was built where the speaker, whether Blake or an unknown character, used to play.The speaker notices a sign saying â€Å"Thou Shall Not† on the door of the chapel and so he turned to the garden of love. The speaker soon notices that there are tombstones where flowers should be, and priests were walking around in black binding the character’s joys and desires. This shows the captivity that Blake believed came to a person when that person claimed religion. This shows a free thought that well expresses the idea of Romanticism. This shows the intellectual freedom that the Romantic Period brought forth. William Woodsworth showed Romanticism in his many works, such as his poem, â€Å"Michael. Woodsworth romanticizes or dreams up the characters of Michael and Luke. Michael is a shepherd that lives in the forest side of Grasmere Vale, and Luke was his son. Michael’s family happily lives off in this beautiful countryside when a financial burden falls upon them because of a contract that Michael had signed. Instead of selling his land, Michael sends Luke off to work to pay off this debt. While gone Luke prospers well for himself at first but them falls into a criminal line and has to flee. Michael mourns the loss of his son and soon thereafter Michael and Isabel, Michael’s wife, both die.This poem is a good example of the changes from the Industrial Revolution that spurred the Romantic Movement but it is also a great example of the fictional aspect of Romanticism. Another brilliant example of Romantic literature is the poem, â€Å"Hymn to Intellectual Beauty† by Percy Shelley. In this poem Shelley turns inward to this idea of intellectual beauty. This beauty is an intangible, spiritual idea that is different for everyone. This intellectual beauty becomes the freedom from the doom and gloom that Shelley describes the world to be.The spiritual aspect and emotional pull of this poem makes it a perfect illustration of a Romantic poem. The literature and other arts from the Romantic period were created to create emotion within a person and to make them think about their emotions. This poem does a great job at forcing its reader to look inward to determine his or her own intellectual beauty, whether it be love or hope or self-esteem. A final example of a Romantic poem is Lord Byron’s â€Å"When We Two Parted. † This poem definitely pulls at a readers heartstrings. The poem talks about two people who were lovers but something happened to break them apart.It seems that one of the two in the relationship had had an affair or somehow broke their vows and forced a separation between the two lovers. Byron’s poem brings out the emotions of the audience. The Romantic Age was basically an era of an outpouring of feelin gs. All of the works of this time period were based on an effort to make their audience feel something. The works were of religious and intellectual standards that caused the reader or the observer to stop his or her own life for a second and contemplate a deeper meaning to the work and to life.Artists and authors such as William Blake in his poem â€Å"Garden of Love,† William Woodsworth in his poem â€Å"Michael,† Percy Shelley in his â€Å"Hymn to Intellectual Beauty,† and Lord Byron in his emotional poem, â€Å"When We Two Parted,† developed pieces of art that brought this emotional appeal to the table. These pieces of literature represent and explain Romanticism and the Romantic Era perfectly with everything from the fantasy and fictional characters and plots and settings in the pieces such as â€Å"Michael,† to the emotional aspects as shown in â€Å"Hymn to Intellectual Beauty† and in â€Å"When We Two Parted. †

Wawa

A single tube of cerebration's fluid is received In the laboratory and the following tests requested: total protein, albumin, Gig quantization, microbial culture, Gram stain, leukocyte count and differential cell count. The specimen should be sent to the various laboratories in which order? A. Chemistry lab, homology lab, microbiology lab b. Homology lab, chemistry lab, microbiology lab c. Microbiology lab, homology lab, chemistry lab d. Homology lab, microbiology lab, chemistry lab 3. You need to prepare a 1 TTT (1 :4 or h) dilution off serum specimen using saline before analysis.Which of the following petting steps would result in this dilution? A. Pipette 0. 5 ml serum, then add 1. 0 ml saline b. Pipette 1. 0 ml serum, then add 2. 0 ml saline c. Pipette 1. 5 ml serum, then add 4. 5 ml saline d. Pipette 2. 0 ml serum, then add 5. 0 ml saline 4. The major components of a spectrophotometer are represented in the following diagram. Which component determines the factor â€Å"b† in Beer's law, A=BBC? A. Component A b. Component B c. Component C d. Component D At pH of 7. 4, which of the enzymes listed catalysts the following reaction? 5. Private + NADIA a. Lactate oxides b. Lactate dehydrogenate .Private kinas lactate * AND pH 8. 6 is used for serum protein electrophoresis so that 6. A. All serum proteins will have a net negative charge b. All serum proteins will have a net positive charge c. Electromagnetisms is avoided d. Heat production is minimized Seasonality measurements determine the 7. A. Activity of ions per kilogram of solvent b. Grams of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent c. Moles of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent d. Equivalents of dissolved solutes per kilogram of solvent Which of the following formulas can be used to calculate serum seasonality? 8. A. 2. 5 x An+ .An+ +K+ +CIA- +CO content c. (1. 86 x An+) + (1/18 x glucose) + (112. 8 x BUN) +9 (An+ + K+) -? (CLC- + HCI) 11. A serum sample is diluted 1 to 3 (1:3) before analys is and the following results obtained: Total protein – 4. 1 g/del Albumin- 1. 5 g/del Which total protein concentration should be reported? A. 4. 1 g/del b. 8. 2 g/del c. 12. 3 g/del d. 16. 4 g/del 16. Review the following serum test results: Creating 2. 5 MGM/del (0. 75- 1. 5 MGM/del) Cholesterol 220 MGM/del 126 MGM/del b. A serum glucose 200 MGM/del at anytime 38. If OLD receptors are non-functional due to disease, the plasma level of which lipid loud increase the most? . Fatty acids b. Cholesterol c. Cholesterol esters d. Triglycerides 39. Which of the following serum protein electrophoresis patterns is most typical of the nephritic syndrome? Albumin alpha alphas b. Normal d. Normal beta gamma 40. Which analyze is most likely to be elevated in a specimen drawn 2 hours after an uncomplicated myocardial infarction? A. KC- MBA (KC-2) b. Mycologist c. Titration I d. Titration T 41. Which of the following serum results correlates best with the rapid cell turnover associated wit h chemotherapy treatment regimens? A. Creating of 2. 5 MGM/del b. Potassium of 5. Mol/L c.Urea nitrogen of 30 MGM/del d. Uric acid of 10. 0 MGM/del 42. Which set of serum electrolyte results (in Mol/L) is most likely obtain from serum with an elevated lactate level? An+ a. 125 4. 5 b. 135 3. 5 c. 1454. 0 HCI 10 95 28 90 15 43. The following arterial blood gas results are obtained: PH 7. 28 APPC 53 meg POP 75 meg 26 Mol/L HCI- These results correlate best with patient experiencing a. Metabolic acidosis b. Metabolic alkaloids c. Respiratory acidosis d. Respiratory alkaloids 44. The patient with intermittent hypertension has an elevated value for urinary catecholamine metabolites (e. G. Malignancies acid [VIM]). This result may indicate a. Hyperventilation's b. Hyperthyroidism c. Idiopathic hypertension d. Phosphorescently 45. Blood from newborn has low thyroxin (TO) and elevated thyroid – stimulating – hormone (TTS) compared to reference ranges for that age. These result s are most consistent with a. Congenital hypothermia's b. Congenital primary hypothyroidism c. Congenital secondary hypothyroidism d. A normal response to pregnancy – induced changes in maternal thyroid function 47. The following results are obtained from a patient whose admission diagnosis is billiard obstruction TestResult Conjugated blurring increased Serum: Total blurring Blurring Urine: increased positive Which of the results obtained is inconsistent with the admission diagnosis? A. Serum conjugated blurring b. Serum total blurring c. Urinary blurring d. Urinary rebilling 49. Which of the following enzymes provides the best indication of obstructive liver disease, I. E. , schoolmates? A. Amylase b. Alkaline phosphate c. Separate nontransferable d. Lactate dehydrogenate 50. In a cerebration's fluid (SF) sample, which of the following proteins is quantitative to assess the permeability of the blood/brain barrier .Albumin b. Gig c. Transferring d. Preferable 51. The followi ng urinalysis are obtained: Glucose by reagent strip: negative Stones by reagent strip: positive These results are most consistent with a. Starvation b. Polynesia c. Diabetes mellitus d. Diabetes insipid 52. A patient with Type l, IDEM has the following results VBG Patient 1 50 MGM/del Ref Range 70- 110 MGM/del FSP 2. 6 Mol/L 2 – 2. 9 Mol/L 53. The patient has the following thyroid profile TTT: decreased OFT: decreased Thyroid peroxides anybody: positive TTS: decreased This patient most probably has a. Hyperthyroidism b. Hypothyroidism .A normal thyroid d. Grave's disease 53. Choose the diagnosis most consistent with the following: Serum total bill: elevated Serum direct bill: O MGM/del Serum indirect bill: elevated Urine blurring: negative Rebilling: decreased a. UDP – GET deficiency b. Posthypnotic bile obstruction c. Dublin Johnson syndrome d. Intramuscular hemolytic 5. When is a blood sample for determination of the trough level off drug proportionately drawn? A. D uring the absorption phase of the drug b. During the distribution phase of the drug c. Shortly before the drug administration d. Two hours after the administrationWhich of the following is used in the treatment of manic depression b. Lithium c. Calcium d. Chloride Which of the following is a commonly encountered xanthium that could potentially interfere with the determination of Diophantine? A. Nicotine b. Caffeine c. Amphetamine d. Proclaimed Which of the following drugs is used as an instrumentation in organ transplantation, especially in liver transplants? A. Metamorphose b. Emendation c. Cloistering d. Parenting Free drug levels can generally be determined by analyzing what body fluid? 9. A. Whole blood b. Illiterate of the plasma c. Urine .OFF of plasma 10. For what colorimetric reaction is the Trainer's reaction widely used? A. Acetaminophen b. Proponent c. Silicates d. Barbiturates 11. Anticoagulants whole blood is the preferred specimen in determining the exposure to what co mpound? A. Methanol b. Mercury d. Carbon monoxide 12. Free erythrocyte proprietorship (FEE) levels are useful as a screening method to which of the following metals? A. Zinc b. Lead c. Iron d. Mercury 13. Of the following specimens, which would be appropriate for determining the exposure to lead? A. DEED plasma b. Serum c. Whole blood d. SF 14.Identification of the urinary metabolite bioengineering would be useful in determining exposure to which of the following drugs? A. Codeine b. Cocaine c. Amphetamines d. Proponent 15. TECH is the principal active component of what drug? A. Benedictine b. Marijuana c. Morphine d. Codeine 17. When screening urine for toxic substances, which of the following will not be identified be Irenics Test? A. Bismuth b. Arsenic d. Cyanide 18. Which of the following tests would be particularly useful in determining sopranos exposure? A. Serum seasonality and urine acetone b. Urine seasonality and serum seasonality .Urine acetone and urine seasonality d. Se rum sodium and serum acetone 19. Which of the following methods would yield reliable quantification of ethanol in the presence of sopranos a. Reaction with permanganate and chronometric acid b. Conway diffusion followed by dichloride c. Alcohol dehydrogenate reaction d. Gas – liquid chromatography 20. Levels of 8 – 9% chronologically saturation of whole blood are commonly found in which of the following situations? A. Fatal carbon monoxide poisoning b. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning c. Non – smoking residents of rural areas d. Cigarette smokers

Good Agriculture Practices

AGRICULTURE AND MAN PRT2008 (KUMP 45) GOOD AGRICULTURE PRACTICES (GAP) IN MALAYSIA PROF . ZAHARAH ABDUL RAHMAN GROUP MEMBERS †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ NORAFIZZA BT MAHAT NUR AMIRA HANIM BT AZMAN CHAN WEE ANN LIEW HUI QING JIVITHA THANARAJAN 169797 168494 169638 168358 161812 INTRODUCTION †¢ The term Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) can refer to any collection of specific methods, which when applied to agriculture, produce results that are in harmony with the values of the proponents of those practices. †¢ There are numerous competing definitions of what methods constitute â€Å"Good Agricultural Practices†, so whether a practice can be onsidered â€Å"good† will depend on the standards you are applying. †¢ Lets us look at one particular definition of â€Å"Good Agricultural Practices† as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations †¢ Description of the UN FAO GAPs : i) Good Agricultural Practices are a collection of principles to apply for on-farm production and post-production processes, resulting in safe and healthy food and non-food agricultural products, while taking into account economical, social and environmental sustainability. ii) GAPs may be applied to a wide range of farming systems and at different scales.They are applied through sustainable agricultural methods, such as integrated pest management, integrated fertilizer management and conservation agriculture. †¢ GOOD AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IN MALAYSIA 1. Animal health ? Prevent the spread of disease onto the farm †¢ Animals that are identified of their disease status can only be allowed to be brought onto the farm. †¢ Cattle transport on and off the farm that do not carry any disease have to be ensured. †¢ The farm must have secure boundaries/fencing. †¢ If possible, limit access of people and wildlife into the farm. Have a flea control programme for the livestock. †¢ Only use clean equipment from the right and reliable source. ? Use only prescribed chemicals and veterinary medicines for farm usage †¢ Use chemicals according to instructions with appropriate dosages and observe suitable withholding periods. †¢ Only use prescribed veterinary medicines by veterinarians and observe specified withholding periods. †¢ Store chemicals and veterinary medicines securely and dispose of them properly. ? Train people appropriately †¢ Have procedures in check for detecting and handling sick animals and veterinary chemicals. Make sure all people are undergo sufficient training to carry out their tasks correctly. †¢ Choose reliable sources for advice. 2. Milking hygiene ? Ensure milking procedures do not injure cows or contaminate the produced milk †¢ Ensure suitable udder preparation for milking. †¢ Ensure consistency in application of milking techniques. †¢ Isolate milk from sick or treated animals. †¢ Ensure milking equipment is correctly installed and maintained. †¢ Ensure enough supply of clean water ? Ensure milking is carried out under hygienic conditions †¢ Ensure housing environment is clean at all times. Ensure milking area is kept clean. †¢ Ensure the milkers follow basic hygiene rules. 3. Animal feeding and water ? Ensure animal feed and water are of high level of quality †¢ Keeping animals healthy with high quality feed. †¢ Prevent water supplies and animal feed materials from chemical contamination. †¢ Avoid chemical contamination due to farming practices. ? Control storage conditions of feed †¢ No microbiological or toxin contamination or undesirable use of prohibited feed ingredients or veterinary preparations. †¢ Keeping animals healthy with good quality feed. 4. Animal welfare Animals are free from thirst, hunger and malnutrition †¢ Provide enough feed (forage and/or fodder) and water daily. †¢ Control stocking rates and/or supplementary feed ing to ensure sufficient water, feed and fodder supply. †¢ Protect animals from toxic plants and other harmful substances. †¢ Provide water supplies of good quality that are regularly inspected and maintained. ? Animals are free from pain, injury and disease †¢ Have an effective herd health management programme in place and inspect animals regularly. †¢ Protect against imbalance. †¢ Lactating animals should be milked regularly. Avoid using procedures and practices that cause unnecessary pain to the animals. 5. Environment ? Have a correct waste management system. †¢ Ensure wastes are stored to reduce the risk of environmental pollution to the lowest level. †¢ Manage grassland to prevent effluent runoff by spreading farm manures appropriate with local condition. ? Ensure dairy farming practices do not have an adverse impact on the local environment †¢ Use chemicals (fertilizers, agricultural and veterinary chemicals, pesticides, etc) appropriat ely to avoid contamination of the local environment. Ensure overall appearance of the dairying operation is appropriate for a facility in which high quality food is produced 6. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ?Takes into account the ecological factors and plant biology to minimize pest population to a minimum level without causing economic loss. †¢ Biological Control Pest control refers to the use of natural enemies that can influence growth, breeding and control of the pest population at a balance level. †¢ Cultural Control Cultural control is an agronomic practice used by farmers to increase their production.The followings are examples of cultural practices : a. Adopt and practice field hygiene, including in the surrounding areas, such as weeding and disposal of agricultural wastes (collect and destroy rotten fruits and diseased plant parts) b. Use of disease free planting materials c. Soil treatment like liming d. Pruning of pest infected plant parts e. Crop rotation f . Ploughing g. Use of resistant varieties h. Water management i. Selection of suitable sites j. Use of organic fertilizers to improve soil structure and soil †¢ Chemical Control 1.Chemical control covers the use of the following chemicals: i. Pesticides ii. Biopesticides like azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis 2. Chemical attractants like i. Pheromones ii. Protein bait 3. The use of chemicals must be based on the following factors: i. Chemicals are used only when the pest population had reached or exceeded the economic threshold value ii. Do not use broad spectrum pesticides iii. If pesticides are to be used, the usage shall be minimum and environmentally friendly iv. The use of pesticides should be the last alternative for pest controlExamples of Integrated Pest Management i. Pest Control for Bananas (Moko disease and Panama wilt) a. Use of disease free plantlets sourced through tissue culture and treatment of the planting materials if not sourced by tissue culture b. Mon itoring and destruction of diseased plants c. Crop rotation and follow d. Farm equipments should be treated and free from pests before use e. Good drainage f. Prevention by spraying benomyl †¢ Control of Tungro (Penyakit Merah Virus) of Paddy a. Inspection of disease and vectors b. Planting of resistant varieties c. Simultaneous planting d.Eliminate source of disease and alternative hosts e. Good drainage and land preparation f. Use certified paddy seeds g. Use of pesticides to control vector (Nephotettix virescens) when there is an outbreak of the disease h. Implement the recommended fertilizer programme 7. Site Management The farm should have a Crop-Soil Suitability Map, for the following purposes:a. To ensure only crops which are suitable are planted in the farm. b. To identify the types of soil limitations and to make suggestions on their remedial actions for optimum crop production c. To obtain high and quality yield, e. g. ased on topography and agroclimatic zone, mango i s suitable for planting in the States of Kedah, Perlis and Melaka. †¢ Factors taken into consideration for evaluating CropSoil Suitability are: a. Depth of soil b. Depth to acid sulphate layer c. Drainage d. Nutrient content e. Thickness of organic horizon f. Salinity g. Slope h. Soil texture/structure i. Stoniness Land Management: Terrace Example of A Corporation Which Practices GAP Example of A Corporation Which Practices GAP †¢ Sime Darby Plantation possess a strong commitment to sustainable development as shown through its plantation business. Sime Darby Plantation is one member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and has adopted the best of industrial techniques into its daily operations. †¢ Sime Darby Plantation acts as an industry leader in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). †¢ The good agriculture practices implemented by Sime Darby are as follows :i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. Land management Water management Zero burning replanting tec hnique Integrated pest management Palm oil mill effluent treatment system High conservation value forest in the estates Biodiversity Quality assurance THANK YOU