Ralph Lauren Case Study Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ralph Lauren Case Study Analysis - Essay Example Recommend ways through which the brand can continue to be successful in future: 8 5. Conclusions 9 6. Bibliography 10 1. Introduction This report contains relevant information about the Keller CBBE model steps and how a brand like Ralph Lauren has successfully managed to implement the Keller CBBE steps to their competitive advantage. In addition to that, the paper also contains information about POP’s as well as POD’s and how a brand like Ralph Lauren can utilize these unique and strategic features so as to gain a competitive edge and a lasting market stand. 2. Apply all four steps of Keller’s CBBE model (2003 or 2008 or 2011) in case of the Ralph Lauren brand. To what extent do you think the Ralph Lauren brand has achieved resonance with its customers? According to Keller (2003), the CBBE model is used by businesses so as to create an impact and a solid platform through the products and services that they have to their targeted market. Steps in Keller’s B rand Equity Model: 2.1 Brand Identity (Salience or Awareness) This step involves the creation of an outstanding brand name. Keller (2003) termed this as â€Å"brand salience†. The RL brand has optimally fulfilled brand identity. They have been in existence for a number of years and have managed to counter competition effectively. Their customers distinguish their products as being luxurious. Therefore, whenever a customer wants superior products, they are sure that RL will be one of the possible brands to deliver. It can also be noted that, the brand RL know what specific market segments they need to target with their superior products. This tip could be related to the idea that they always engage in thorough market research techniques and strategies which unveil information that is relevant to keep them ahead of their game at most times. Through the information that is deduced from market research, it can be noted that the brand has also managed to attract customers to their array of products and services which fully satisfy the needs demanded. Extent of RL Brand Awareness: When consumers need luxurious and high quality products, they always have RL in mind. 2.2 Brand Performance According to Keller (2003), brand performance is the capability of the product to achieve the desired needs and/ or wants of the customer. There are a number of different customers’ needs such as: product reliability, product durability, product efficiency and effectiveness, product design and the most important is the product pricing. The RL brand main core business products and services include: clothing, footwear, fragrances, jewellery, tailoring and food service. From that, it can be determined that the brand has achieved performance through their product pricing, product reliability, product design, as well as product durability. This is due to the fact that they only deal with luxurious products for men, women and children and they have never compromised on the qu ality, reliability, durability and design of their products. In addition to that, their brand is priced accordingly and they will always deliver as stated. 2.3 Brand Image According to Keller (2003), brand image refers to the general outlook of the product. It can also relate to the experience that the customer got while using the product or service and how that experience impacted them –

The Present and Future Price of Money Essay Example for Free

The Present and Future Price of Money Essay One of the most important concepts about saving and investing is the time value of money. It can be used to compare investment alternatives and to solve problems involving loans, mortgages, leases, savings, and annuities. This means money paid out or received in the future is not equivalent to money paid out or received today because inflation erodes money’s buying power. Basically, the power of time is on a person’s side and the premise that cash in hand today is more valuable than the same amount in the future due to its capability of earning interest. There are three factors affecting how much an investment will grow: time, money, and interest rate. Time Value of Money is a concept that is very important in financial management. It affects business, personal, and government finance (Harvey, 2012) Within this paper we will discuss the definition of Time Value of Money and identifies the importance of financial managers understanding the concept. Time, Money and Interest Rates Time has an important impact on the future value of money. Time is referred to as â€Å"N†, or â€Å"number,† and signifies the number of times something happens to your money. The earlier an individual invests, the more time their investment has to compound interest and increase in value. The effects of time on the value of money need to be taken into account when assessing investments. Investments (Money) with interest rates compounding frequently will yield higher returns. The higher the interest rate, the more money an individual will earn. However, and individual must understand an investment with a higher interest rate generally has a greater risk. Risk is the uncertainty the yield on an investment will deviate from what is expected. Generally, having a savings or investment plan with a fixed interest rate guarantees a specific return but can provide a moderate  risk. The last item to take into consideration with interest rates is ensuring the interest rate is h igher than the rate of inflation. Inflation is the steady rise in the general level of prices of a market basket of goods. If the average interest rates rise, the amount a person earns from this type of investment will not increase. Another consideration with interest rates is ensuring the interest rate is higher than the rate of inflation. Need for Financial Managers Anyone who manages finances in a company setting , deals with consumer finance or running their own business is a financial manager and needs to understand the concept of Time Value of Money. A financial manager’s job it to compare the cost and benefits of alternatives that occur at different times. This is done by restating money values through time in Time Value of Money calculations. These calculations estimate what effect time will have on money. For these professionals to make decisions that will assist a client in taking advantages of low interest rates or investing wisely a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Time Value of Money is needed. Understanding this concept allows them to make better decisions. If they don’t understand the concept then they could make an unfavorable decision resulting in loss of money for the client or their business (Time Value of Money, 2013) Future Value and Present Value As an investor, you cannot control the rate of return on an investment. The actual yield is determined by the market as a whole, in the form of people buying and selling the investments at a price that, coupled with the investment’s payouts, determines the yield. There are two fundamental formulas used to calculate the time value of money; the â€Å"future value† and the â€Å"present value† formulas. They’re basically the same formulas, but rearranged to solve for different values. The future value formula can answer the question, ‘how much money will I have if I invest a certain amount now, at a given rate of return†? The formula is FV=PV*(1+R)N, where FV is the future value (how much you’ll have later), PV is the present value (how much you’ll have now), R is the periodic rate of return or the  percentage that your money will grow in each unit period of time. N is the number of unit periods of time in the overall time span. T he following are examples of the calculation of future values: a) Solve for FV $150,537.19 invested for seven years at an interest rate of 5% will yield a future value of $211,820.94. FV = 150,537.19 (1+ .05)7 = 150,537.19 (1.05) 7 = 150,537.19 (1.40710042265625) = $211,820.94 b) Solve for FV $237,891.22 invested for eight years at an interest rate of 3% will yield a future value of $301.353.48. FV = 237,891.22 (1 + .03) 8 = 237,891.22 (1.03) 8 = 237,891.22 (1.266770081387616) = $301,353.48 c) Solve for FV $320,891.12 invested for 10 years at an interest rate of 11% will yield a future value of $911,144.98. FV = 320,891.12 (1 + .11) 10 = 320,891.12(1.11) 10 = 320,891.12 (2.839420986069016) = $911,144.98 d) Solve for FV $520,520.22 invested for 13 years at an interest rate of 13% will yield a future value of $2,549,513.82. FV = 520,520.22 (1 + .13) 13 =  520,520.22(1.13) 13 = 520,520.22(4.898011103216606) = $2,549,513.82 The present value formula is based on the same fundamental formula, but it’s â€Å"solved† for the PV term and assumes you will know the FV amount. The present value formula can answer the question, ‘how much money would I have to invest now in order to have X dollars at a specific future date?’. That formula is PV = FV/(1 + R) n where all the terms mean the same thing, except that R in this formula is typically referred to as the â€Å"discounted rate†, because its purpose is to lower a future amount of money to show what it is worth to you now (McCracken, 2014). The following are examples of the calculation of present value: a) If you receive a dividend of $562,126.17 in 7 years at an interest rate of 5%. You initial investment w ould have been $399,492.57. PV = 562,126.17/(1 + .05) 7 = 562,126.17 / (1.05) 7 = 562,126.17/1.40710042265625 = $299,492.57 b) If you receive a dividend of $225,003.21 in 6 years at an interest rate of 6%. Your initial investment would have been $158,618.38. PV = 225,003.21/(1 + .06) 6 = 225,003.21/(1.06) 6 = 225,003.21/1.418519112256 = $158,618.38 c) If you receive a dividend of $321,567.35 in 5 years at an interest rate of 18%. Your initial investment would have been $140,560.05. PV = 321,567.35/(1 + .18) 5 = $140,560.05/(1.18) 5 = 321,567.35/2.2877577568 = $140,560.05 d) If your receive a dividend of $63,000.05 in 12 years at an interest rate of 5%. Your initial investment would have been $35,080.75. PV = 63,000.05/(1 + .05) 12 = 63,000.05/ (1.05) 12 = 63,000.05/1.795856326022129 = $35,080.79 Annuity An annuity is a series of identical payments occurring at equal time intervals. When the payments appear at the end of each time period, the annuity is said to be an ordinary annuity or an annuity in arrears. Present value calculations allow us to determine the amount of the recurring payments in an ordinary annuity if we know the other components: present value, interest rate, and the length of the annuity. Present value calculations involve the compounding of interest. This means that any interest earned is invested and will earn interest at the same rate as the principal. So, you earn interest on your interest. The compounding of interest can be very significant when the interest rate and the number of years are sizable. The present value of an annuity, represented by a series of equal payments, receipts or rents involve five components: (1) Present Value (2) Amount of each identical cash payments (3) Time between the identical cash payments (4) Number of periods that the payments will occur, length of the annuity and, (5) Interest rate or target rate used for discounting the series of payments. If you have any 4 of the 5 components, you have the information you need to calculate the unknown component. Calculations of Annuity Suppose you are to receive a stream of annual payments of $325,891.12 every year for 12 years starting at the end of this year. The interest rate is 6%. What is the present value of these 12 payments. PVA =PMT [( 1- (1 /(1 + r) n )) /r ] = 325,891.22[(1- (1/(1 + .06) 12))/.06] = 325,891.22[(1- (1/(1 .06) 12))/.06] = 325,891.22[(1 – (1/20121964718355))/.06] = 325,891.22[(1-.496969363577001)/.06] = 325,891.22[.503030636422999/.06] = 325,891.22 x 8.383843940383317 = $2,732,221.13 is the present value of the 12 payments. Suppose you are to receive a payment of $437,891.24 at the end of each year for five years. You are depositing these payments in a bank account that pays 15% interest. Given these five payments and this interest rate, how much will be in your bank account in five years? FVA =PMT [((1 + r) n – 1) /r] = 437,891.24 [((1 + .15) 5 – 1)/.15] = 437,891.24 [((1.15) 5 – 1)/.15] = 437,891.24 [(2.0113571875 -1) /.15] = 437,891.24 [1.0113571875/.15] = 437,897.24 x 6.74238125 = $2,952,429.69 will be in your bank account at the end of 5 years. Conclusion Present Value and Future calculations seem to be a simple way to compare money at different periods of time. Utilizing the future value calculation a person is able to determine the estimated future value of investments based on periodic, constant payments and constant interest rate. It ca also be used to calculate the future of loans payments. Time Value Money is a basic tool in finance that is used every day. Utilizing this concept can help individuals and companies weight all the options so the best decision can be made to prosper in the future. Understanding and having the knowledge about saving and investing is very important to our generation, especially with the very bleak look of social security. References Biger, N. (2008). Explanation of present values and net present values. Harvey, C. R. (2012). Time Value of Money. Retrieved January 16, 2013, from The Free Dictionary: http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Time+value+of+money McCracken, M., (n.d.) The time value of money. Retrieved January 2014 from http://www.teachmefinance.com/timevalueofmoney.html Time Value of Money Overview. (n.d.) Retrieved January 17, 2013, from University of West Florida: http://uwf.edu/rconstand/fin4424web/T2-TimeValue/T2-TimeValuePO1.htm

Cleopatra: A Sign of the Times Essay -- Egypt History Papers

Cleopatra: A Sign of the Times "For Rome, who had never condescended to fear any nation or people, did in her time fear two human beings; one was Hannibal, and the other was a woman" (Lefkowitz 126). Abstract Cleopatra VII, the last reigning queen of Egypt, has intrigued us for centuries. Her story is one that has been told many times, and the many different and vastly varied representations of her and her story are solely based on the ways in which men and society have perceived women and their role in society throughout history. By looking at the perceptions of women starting from the Hellenes, the Greeks who greatly influenced Roman ideals, and following those perceptions through to the end of the 19th Century, it is easy to see how Cleopatra has been used to represent the "good woman." In other words, she has been used as a role model for women, to show what was their acceptable role in society and to shape their actions and beliefs into an acceptable form. The earliest writers saw her as an evil temptress, as attitudes changed she became a victim and now in recent representations she is seen as "a feminist hero and a savvy politician" (Nilsen 1). Following this history, one can see h ow the story of Cleopatra is a story that has been told many times to fit each time period's own allegiances. The negative image of Cleopatra that has presided throughout history can be traced back to 5th Century Athens and their perceptions of women. During this time period the Greeks pit their own bourgeoisie ideal of femininity against their counterparts in "barbaric societies" (Nyquist 89). This barbarism was also associated with Orientalisms and therefore Egypt was considered barbaric. The barbarians and the Greeks were considered... ... Holland, Barbara. "Cleopatra: What Kind of a Woman Was She Anyway?" Smithsonian, Feb 1997; vol. 27, Iss. 11, pg. 56+. Hughes-Hallet, Lucy. Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions. London: Harper & Row 1990. Kahn, Coppà ©lia. Roman Shakespeare: Warriors, Wounds, and Women. London: Routledge, 1997. Lefkowitz, Marry R. and Maureen B. Fant. Women in Greece and Rome. Toronto: Samuel-Stevens, 1977. Nyquist, Mary. "Profuse, Proud Cleopatra: "Barbarism" and Female Rule in Early Modern English Republicanism." Women's Studies [Great Britain], 1995, 24 (1-2) 85-30. Richmond, Ray. "Cleopatra". Variety. 05-17-1999, v375i1 p.40. Shakespeare, William. Anthony and Cleopatra [1608]. Ed. Michael Meill. Oxford UP, 1994. Shales, Tom. "Cleopatra; ABC's Jewel of the Nile; New Comer Varela Gives Miniseries a Regal Touch." The Washington Post, 05-23-1999, pp G01. Cleopatra: A Sign of the Times Essay -- Egypt History Papers Cleopatra: A Sign of the Times "For Rome, who had never condescended to fear any nation or people, did in her time fear two human beings; one was Hannibal, and the other was a woman" (Lefkowitz 126). Abstract Cleopatra VII, the last reigning queen of Egypt, has intrigued us for centuries. Her story is one that has been told many times, and the many different and vastly varied representations of her and her story are solely based on the ways in which men and society have perceived women and their role in society throughout history. By looking at the perceptions of women starting from the Hellenes, the Greeks who greatly influenced Roman ideals, and following those perceptions through to the end of the 19th Century, it is easy to see how Cleopatra has been used to represent the "good woman." In other words, she has been used as a role model for women, to show what was their acceptable role in society and to shape their actions and beliefs into an acceptable form. The earliest writers saw her as an evil temptress, as attitudes changed she became a victim and now in recent representations she is seen as "a feminist hero and a savvy politician" (Nilsen 1). Following this history, one can see h ow the story of Cleopatra is a story that has been told many times to fit each time period's own allegiances. The negative image of Cleopatra that has presided throughout history can be traced back to 5th Century Athens and their perceptions of women. During this time period the Greeks pit their own bourgeoisie ideal of femininity against their counterparts in "barbaric societies" (Nyquist 89). This barbarism was also associated with Orientalisms and therefore Egypt was considered barbaric. The barbarians and the Greeks were considered... ... Holland, Barbara. "Cleopatra: What Kind of a Woman Was She Anyway?" Smithsonian, Feb 1997; vol. 27, Iss. 11, pg. 56+. Hughes-Hallet, Lucy. Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions. London: Harper & Row 1990. Kahn, Coppà ©lia. Roman Shakespeare: Warriors, Wounds, and Women. London: Routledge, 1997. Lefkowitz, Marry R. and Maureen B. Fant. Women in Greece and Rome. Toronto: Samuel-Stevens, 1977. Nyquist, Mary. "Profuse, Proud Cleopatra: "Barbarism" and Female Rule in Early Modern English Republicanism." Women's Studies [Great Britain], 1995, 24 (1-2) 85-30. Richmond, Ray. "Cleopatra". Variety. 05-17-1999, v375i1 p.40. Shakespeare, William. Anthony and Cleopatra [1608]. Ed. Michael Meill. Oxford UP, 1994. Shales, Tom. "Cleopatra; ABC's Jewel of the Nile; New Comer Varela Gives Miniseries a Regal Touch." The Washington Post, 05-23-1999, pp G01.

Léopold Sédar Senghor :: essays research papers

Là ©opold Sà ©dar Senghor Senegalese poet and statesman, founder of the Senegalese Democratic Bloc. Senghor was elected president of Senegal in the 1960s. He retired from office in 1980. He was one of the originators of the concept of Nà ©gritude, defined as the literary and artistic expression of the black African experience. In historical context the term has been seen as a reaction against French colonialism and a defence of African culture. It has deeply influnced the strengthening of African identity in the French-speaking black world. "L'à ¨motion est nà ¨gre, la raision est hà ©llà ¨ne." (emotion is Negro, reason is Greek) "Negritude is the totality of the cultural values of the Black world." Là ©opold Sà ©dar Senghor was born in Joal-la-Portugaise, a small fishing vilage about seventy miles south of Dakar. His father was of noble descent and wealthy merchant. His mother was a Peul, one of a pastoral and nomadic people. Later Senghor wrote: "I grew up in the heartland of Africa, at the crossroads / Of castes and races and roads" The first seven years of his life Senghor spent in Djilor with his mother and maternal uncles and aunts. At the age of twelve, he attended the Catholic mission school of Ngazobil. He continued his studied at the Libermann Seminary and Lycà ©e Van Vollenhoven, finishing secondary-school education in 1928. After winning a state scholarship, Senghor then moved to Paris and graduated from the Lycà ©e Louis-le-grand in 1931. During these years he read African-American poets of the Harlem Renaissance and such French poets as Rimbaud, Mallarmà ©, Baudelaire, Verlaine and Valà ©ry. Among Senghor's s friends were Aimà © Cesaire, with whom he would develope the idea of Negritude, and Georges Pompidou, who later elected President of France. In 1932 Senghor was granted French citizenship. He served in a regiment of colonial infantry and in 1935 he obtained the agrà ©gation degree in grammar. From 1935 he worked as a teacher, notably at Lycà ©e Descartes in Tours, then in Paris at Lycà ©e Marcelin Berthelot. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the French army, but was captured by the Germans and spent eighteen months in a camp as a prisoner of war. During this period he learned German and wrote poems, which were published in HOSTIES NOIRES (1948). In 1944 he was appointed professor of African languages at the École Nationale de la France d'Outre-Mer. Senghor's first collection of poems, CHANTS D'OMBRE (1945), was inspired by the philosopher Henri Bergson, and dealt with the themes of exile and nostalgia.

Case study Bharti & Walmart Essay

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The case study is conducted to analyze the sustainability of the joint venture of Wal-Mart and Bharti in disregard of the fact that the two companies have split apart in late 2013. Therefore, the paper will be conducted by using the information given in the case material and course materials, with extra information related to statistics and government policies before the split up of the joint venture. Through the SWOT analysis and pros & cons analysis of the joint venture, it is crystallized that the joint venture was facing obstacles coming from intrinsic factors such as the challenge to maintain low cost leadership and the ability to adapt local market for Wal-Mart and extrinsic factors such as government policy, consumer behavior and poor infrastructure. The challenges Wal-Mart was facing couldn’t all be solved with the partnership. For instance, the market share and overall profitability were low due to the unsolved problems with Wal-Mart’s strategic orientation and the localization to the market, leaving uncertainty to the joint venture. Hence, among three alternatives of 1) Change strategic Orientation and re-positioning; 2) Improve corporate image and social responsibility and 3) Call off joint venture, it’s recommended for Wal-Mart and Bharti to maintain their partnership but to re-position the joint venture and localize themselves to the market. The recommendation would be further explained in the last section of this paper. PROBLEM STATEMENT Given the circumstance, the joint venture was facing challenges on the sustainability for different reasons. Wal-Mart has planned ambitiously for the joint venture, however it failed to achieve the goals of opening sufficient amount of stores in order to gain the market share and improve the margins due to the competence or willingness in localization, the government policies etc. Measures are needed for the two entities to take in  order to achieve profit growth whether to change the positioning/strategic orientation, improve the corporate image to achieve long term benefits or even to call off the joint venture since it’s no longer mandate for Wal-Mart to access the market through a partnership. ANALYSIS In order to tackle the most fundamental issues in Wal-Mart business journey in India, I’d like to first conduct a SWOT analysis of Wal-Mart’s retail business in India as following. Strength: 1. Scale of operations. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world that no other retailer can match. Due to such large scale of operations, the corporate could exercise strong bargaining power on suppliers to reduce the prices. 2. Competence in information systems. The success of Wal-Mart in 21st century is largely due to its competence in information systems and supply chain management. However Wal-Mart’s advantage in supply chain management was shattered when it entered India. 3. Varity of products. Wal-Mart could offer wider range of products than local competitors. It has also been proven that Indian consumer would embrace affordable products with an upper standard of quality. 4. Low-cost leadership strategy. This strategy has helped Wal-Mart to become the low cost leader in the retail market. Weakness: 1. Inexperience in localization. Even though Wal-Mart was expanding its global appearance, it lacked experience in adapting its products and services to the specific demand of local market due to the domestic strategy. 2. Different shopping mentality. The Indian consumer mentality of â€Å"save and buy† was totally different from the American’s and Indian businesses were focusing more on B2B model, therefore the success of Wal-Mart’s B2C model was questionable. 3. Dependency of logistic system. Wal-Mart and its low cost leadership strategy are largely depended on an effective and efficient warehouse system which was not fully developed in India. 4. Lack of skilled employees. Wal-Mart would have to face the issues with unskilled employees while doing business in India and would potentially increase the training cost of employees. Opportunities: 1. Emerging retail market. Indian retail market grew by 5% in 2006, opening huge opportunities for Wal-Mart’s revenue growth, and the market was opened to Wal-Mart through joint venture. There was also existed an emerging demand of organized retailer. 2. Rising acceptance of foreign products. The increasing acceptance of high quality and low price foreign products opened the opportunities for Wal-Mart as well. In addition, the consumer disposable income and purchasing power was increasing. Threats: 1. Increasing resistance from local communities and retailers. Wal-Mart had a negative impact on local retailers therefore it faced considerably the political pressures from local communities due to the protection of local retailers. On the other hand, Wal-Mart faced the direct challenges from organized local retailers such as Pantaloon, RPG group etc. 2. Challenges from other MNCs. Other multinational corporations, such as Spencer’s Retail were also threatening Wal-Mart’s business in India. Given that some traditional advantages such as the efficient warehouse system were weakened in India, Wal-Mart’s domination in India would be shaken. Wal-Mart’s Challenges in India The opening of an emerging market with a rapidly growing middle class should create a promising future for Wal-Mart. However along with the opportunity are also challenges. After analyzing the SWOT of Wal-Mart, it’s very clear that Wal-Mart was facing challenge from extrinsic environment and intrinsic core competitiveness. Traditionally, foreign investors fail mainly because of the incompetence of maintaining their core competitiveness. But in India, Wal-Mart might be facing more of the external environment challenges. To begin with, retail industry was one of the few sectors where FDI was not allowed due to the protection of small and medium sized local retailers before 2012, forcing multinational corporations to seek a joint venture with a local partner rather than wholly-owned model as in other countries. Local communities worried that Wal-Mart would eliminate small retailers and intermediates who played important roles in supporting local economy. In addition, Wal-Mart cou ldn’t cover the job loss since the main strategy of the company was low-cost leadership which suggested that Wal-Mart would hire just-enough employees to maintain its operations and would cut the  middle-man in the process of procurement in its supply chain. The Indian government requires foreign retailer to source 30 per cent of its goods from small supplier with objectives to discourage imports by foreign retailers from their few large dedicated suppliers and to weaken Wal-Mart’s bargaining power and make economic growth becomes sustainable1. Moreover, with an aggregate score of 2.5, India ranks 64th in market openness and is largely due to the fast real import growth, according to International Chamber of Commerce (2013). India has its weakest score in trade policy (2.0) which is also the second to last score among G20 nations (see table1). From a cultural aspect, the Indian consumers have a different mentality of â€Å"save and buy† thus traditionally Indi an businesses were focusing more on B2B model. Dealing with foreign authorities requires finesse and charm, and given that lobbying was forbidden in India, Wal-Mart might not be able to influence the government policies in an official way and Wal-Mart should avoid seeking inappropriate channel to reach the local authority such as bride. As for intrinsic competitiveness, Wal-Mart was facing problem with losing its traditional advantages. To begin with, the national differences would continually question Wal-Mart’s ability to adapt itself to the market since Wal-Mart had less experience in foreign market. Given that the road infrastructure and the modern supply chain system were not fully developed in India (see table 2), Wal-Mart would face the inefficient transportation in its supply chain. In addition, Wal-Mart would need to associate with local partners in order to solve the warehouse shortage and poor infrastructure. As a result of the lack of skilled labor, labor producti vity in Indian retail market should be lower and Wal-Mart would have to increase its spending on employees’ training and therefore it would be challenging for Wal-Mart to maintain its advantages in low-cost leadership in India. Finally, Wal-Mart stores were competing with entrenched local general merchandise and food merchants, potentially leading to unprofitable for the company. Joint venture with Bharti Given the circumstances, it’s logically for Wal-Mart and Bharti to form a joint venture. In the rapidly growing organized retail market in India, Wal-Mart and Bharti were able to leverage the needs and assets of each other’s (see table 3). For Bharti, one advantage of this joint venture is  that since the management of Wal-Mart promised to lead the liberation of retail market, it would be beneficial for both two parties and India as well. From the same perspective, Wal-Mart was a particularly attractive partner to Bharti for the strength of Wal-Mart in information technology and supply chain management knowledge that could turn around the infrastructure, supply-chain and IT through a strategic alliance (Bose, 2012). As for Wal-Mart, through the 50/50 venture for backend supply chain management and wholesale cash-and-carry operations, (Bose , 2012) Wal-Mart was able to utilize Bharti’s domestic facilities as a jump board to the emerging market and it was able to bypass some restrictions that were harmful to its business. With Bharti’s deep knowledge of India’s fast-growing market and its prior foreign experience of cooperate with other foreign firms (Bose, 2012), Wal-Mart would have a smooth start in the early stages of the joint venture (Luo, 1998). By increasing its purchase from local suppliers and associating with prestige local firm, Wal-Mart could also possibly change positively the consumer perception on itself. However, there were also many disadvantages brought by the joint venture. First, it took time and efforts for both parties to form the joint venture, meaning Wal-Mart might take longer time to expand compared with using wholly-own model. In this joint venture, Wal-Mart and Bharti would deliver a mixture of brand image which might confuse the consumers, and the local partner might take advantage from this mixed message and knowledge transfer as mentioned before. As a result, this joint venture had the possibilit y of creating a new competitor for Wal-Mart. As mentioned before, one of the biggest problems Wal-Mart had was from the government regulation which either of the two parties could lobby the government. In addition, the financial situation of Bharti Enterprises was not a positive factor in their joint venture, for its debt was at a high level and affected negatively the cash flows of the joint venture. Both companies had complementary strengths they were able to utilize to expand in India in a long term. By leveraging each other’s expertise, both entities were able to use and build upon best practices that had proven successful for both companies in their individual ventures, performing better than either company could do alone in the growing Indian retail market. However, since many disadvantages remained for Wal-Mart and Bharti and the fact that they haven’t acquired the expected market share, the future of this joint  venture was in vague. Hence, the two companies should focus on the sustainability of the joint venture. In this regard, both two parties should take measures to reassure the sustainability of their joint venture and improve its performance accordingly. According to Dr. M.N.H. Mazumder, there are three traits that MNC should consider when selecting local partner, strategic traits, organizational traits and financial traits. Therefore, the sustainability of the joint venture would also be dependent on the fits of these traits. For instance, in terms of strategic fits, by establishing a mutually satisfied, efficient, and productive trustful partnership with Bharti, Wal-Mart would be very likely to maintain a common goal so that the joint venture could avoid the risk of being sabotaged by the dysfunctional conflicts between the two partners. In the following section, we’ll be discussing the details of alternatives that could help in the sustainability. ALTERNATIVES: Alternative 1- Change the strategic orientation and re-positioning In 2007, Wal-Mart announced with ambitious that partner with Bharti, it planned to open hundreds of stores, it has quietly shelved its expansion plans after complex market conditions. In 2012, Wal-Mart opened just five wholesale stores in India last year while it planned to open 22 stores. In addition, while Bharti wished to open more small traditional stores or cash and carry business due to the fragmented market and consumer behavior, Wal-Mart was pushing its large retail stores which usually take 24 months to open. Therefore, since Wal-Mart struggled to gain market share, it should be carefully examine its expansion plan and consider Bharti’s perception on the market. Alternative 2- Improve corporate image and social responsibility As stated, Wal-Mart was facing obstacles brought by its corporate image and it has been criticized for eliminating local business and leading to higher unemployment. By operating a public relation campaign and fulfilling its social responsibility in education, agriculture (assisting local farms) etc, Wal-Mart should be able to change the stereotype perception of foreign investors and establish a good foundation for less challenges from the local society. However, this alternative wouldn’t enable Wal-Mart and the joint venture to expand its market share in a short term. Therefore it’ll require both two parties to have coherence on campaign cost and long term revenue. Alternative 3- Call off joint venture Bharti Enterprise has been struggling under a debt of USD 12 billion of its mobile business. Bharti’s liquidity would directly affect the joint venture’s ability to pay off short term financial obligations. Also considering that Wal-Mart is allowed to the 100% ownership in a retail company in India, it’d also be an alternative for two parties to split and do business alone. It’s possible that Wal-Mart will lose its market share in a very short future due to the losses of information and suppliers in this split up. RECOMMENDATIONS It’s recommended to maintain the joint venture, but changes are needed in the strategic orientation and the positioning. For the joint venture and mostly for Wal-Mart, building convenient stores and therefore establishing a larger presence in the Indian market are crucial to the sustainability and profitability. In order to solve extrinsic problems such as the consumer behavior of purchasing on a daily basis rather than buy a weekly portion, it’s more flexible for Wal-Mart if it could have smaller stores covering more locations and it would be positive to consumer loyalty with larger presence in different regions, though thorough research on the target consumer markets would be needed in order to offer Indian consumers the type of products they desire at the appropriate quantity and location. In addition, opening smaller stores would require two parties to work collectively and more productively on their supply chain management due to the complexity brought by more stor es. REFERENCES: Edwards, Ron; Adlina Ahmand and Simon Moss (2002): Subsidiary Autonomy: The Case of ICC (2014): Open Markets Index 2013 (05.03.2014) [URL: Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum (2013): The Global Competitiveness Report 2012–2013 Indranil Bose (2013): Wal-Mart and Bharti: Transforming retail in India Yadong Luo (1998): Joint Venture Success in China: How Should We Select a Good Partner? APPENDIX: Table 1: Scores on the Open Markets Index 2013 G20 Rank Country Overall OMI 2013 Rank Aggregate Score Trade Openness Trade Policy FDI openness Trade Enabling Infrastructure 18th India 64th 2.5 2.9 2.0 2.5 2.8 Source: ICC 2013 Table 2: Ranking of India in infrastructure India Quality of overall infrastructure 86th Quality of roads 85th Quality of railroad infrastructure 24th Quality of port infrastructure 82th Quality of air transport infrastructure 67rd Available airline seat kilometers 12th Quality of electricity supply 112th Mobile telephone subscriptions 113th Fixed telephone lines 117th Source: World Economic Forum 2013 Table 3: Needs and capabilities of both parties before and after their joint venture Before joint venture Needs Capabilities Wal-Mart 1. Entry to the Indian Retail Market 2. Governmental lobbying Skills 3. Knowledge of local market 1. Largest retailer in the world with low cost leadership and a focus of â€Å"Always low price† 2. Known for its information management and supply chain management. Bharti 1. Need retailing experience 2. Need information technology and supply chain management skills 1. Known for its brand and execution capabilities 2. Known for its experience in collaboration with foreign companies 3. Strong Consumer Marketing and distribution capabilities due to other business 4. Bharti’s Agriculture programs with local farmers

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The Point of Life Was to Press On Remembering TomClancy Fans of espionage and military science novels have lost one of that genres most popular authors. Tom Clancy has died at age 66.   The cause of death has not yet been released. Here are some facts about Clancy that you may not know: Worked as an insurance salesman after attending Loyola College. Tried, but failed, to purchase the Minnesota Vikings. Divorced after thirty years following revelations of an affair with a New York Assistant D.A. Second wife is the niece of General Colin Powell. Although he loved the military, poor eyesight prevented him from enlisting. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan boosted sales of Clancys first novel,  The Hunt for Red October, by praising it at a press conference. Its a really good yarn, Reagan said. Founded the gaming company Red Storm Entertainment in 1996 and sold it for a reported $45 million Was the  co-owns the Baltimore Orioles Tom Clancy was one of the best-selling authors of the last thirty years.   In addition to  The Hunt for Red October,  his other popular works included  Patriot Games  (1988),  Clear and Present Danger (1989), and  The Sum of All Fears (1991).

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America During The 1960’s The 1960’s were a time of peace, love, riots, assassinations, and an unpopular war. The decade began under the Cold War with the Soviet Union. John F. Kennedy gave hope to many. Free speech, civil rights, women and peace movements helped bring the American society toward progress. By the end of the decade, over 500,000 Americans had been sent to the war in Vietnam which was fought for the struggle for equality and left the nation divided. Bay of Pigs On April 17th 1961, the invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs began. Kennedy was convinced that Fidel Castro lacked support from the Cuban people. So Kennedy allowed the invasion to go through. Little did he know the Cubans were well prepared. Within seventy-two hours of invasion, 1500 men were defeated by the Cubans. By the last day of the invasion, a total of 114 men were killed while thirty-six died as prisoners in Cuban cells. The failure of the invasion led to the poor judgment of Kennedy along with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Cuban Missile Crisis With all the tension already from the 1961 Cuban invasion, Kennedy found out that Premier Khrushchev had placed weapons in Cuba. Kennedy called a meeting with a group of his closest advisors along with his brother Robert, the attorney general. On October 22, 1962, Kennedy announced the presence of the Soviet missile launch pads to the nation. JFK Assassination On the morning of November 22, 1963, Kennedy arrived at Dallas, Texas approximately 11:40 AM and was welcomed by the people of the city. Along with Kennedy was Governor John Connelly and their wives as they were about to be driven to the Trade Mart where Kennedy was scheduled to make a speech between liberal and conservative elements within the American Democratic party. Still five minutes away from the Trade Mart, his car was turning down Elm Street. While Kennedy was acknowledging everyone, several loud noises sounding like firecracker... Free Essays on America During The 1960s Free Essays on America During The 1960s America During The 1960’s The 1960’s were a time of peace, love, riots, assassinations, and an unpopular war. The decade began under the Cold War with the Soviet Union. John F. Kennedy gave hope to many. Free speech, civil rights, women and peace movements helped bring the American society toward progress. By the end of the decade, over 500,000 Americans had been sent to the war in Vietnam which was fought for the struggle for equality and left the nation divided. Bay of Pigs On April 17th 1961, the invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs began. Kennedy was convinced that Fidel Castro lacked support from the Cuban people. So Kennedy allowed the invasion to go through. Little did he know the Cubans were well prepared. Within seventy-two hours of invasion, 1500 men were defeated by the Cubans. By the last day of the invasion, a total of 114 men were killed while thirty-six died as prisoners in Cuban cells. The failure of the invasion led to the poor judgment of Kennedy along with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Cuban Missile Crisis With all the tension already from the 1961 Cuban invasion, Kennedy found out that Premier Khrushchev had placed weapons in Cuba. Kennedy called a meeting with a group of his closest advisors along with his brother Robert, the attorney general. On October 22, 1962, Kennedy announced the presence of the Soviet missile launch pads to the nation. JFK Assassination On the morning of November 22, 1963, Kennedy arrived at Dallas, Texas approximately 11:40 AM and was welcomed by the people of the city. Along with Kennedy was Governor John Connelly and their wives as they were about to be driven to the Trade Mart where Kennedy was scheduled to make a speech between liberal and conservative elements within the American Democratic party. Still five minutes away from the Trade Mart, his car was turning down Elm Street. While Kennedy was acknowledging everyone, several loud noises sounding like firecracker...

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global Essay

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global context - Essay Example Similar is the case with Korean Americans or if we use proper words â€Å"Americans of Korean Descent†. Korean Americans, despite having lived in America for decades, still maintain their characteristic identity. Koreans always value their Korean identity and origin. They are always proud to learn and speak their own language. The vast majority of Korean Americans are against the idea of inter-racial marriages. Most of the Korean Americans demonstrate a strong sense of ethnic pride, family priority and always prefer to attend a church of Korean ethnicity. The rate at which migration was taking place from Korea to America showed a dramatic decrease during the past ten years. Perhaps the reason behind such drop in immigration rates is the change that was witnessed in South Korea. The rapid economic growth of South Korea which made it the ‘Asian Tiger’ is the main reason behind this change. This phenomenon resulted in a reverse immigration pattern between the two countries. Internationally speaking, as the Korean land shows progress, it is a source of satisfaction and pride form the Korean Americans, since they maintain strong ties with their native land. A number of organizations are busy in improving the relationships between Korean Americans and Native Americans. A general trend has been an improvement seen in the English speaking abilities of the Korean Americans which has ultimately improved their life standards while improving their experience of exposure to the other nations of the world. Slowly, the level of isolation of Korean Americans is declining. From being a separate group of immigrants in a foreign land, they are being transformed into an active part of the American community. The Korean heritage which has been limited to the Koreans themselves is now being shared with Native Americans. A number of Korean festivals are held in American land where Korean people celebrate and

Assignment 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

3 - Assignment Example The spot gasoline prices are the prices that have an influence on the wholesale of gasoline. This is the price paid by stations when filling their storage tanks. The current price of commodity is $2.18 per gallon (Roseman n.d). This changes depending with season. For instance, during winter the prices are likely to go down by almost a half. The specifications for the commodity have changed since 1998 (Brand n.d). This is as way of keeping up with the new technologies being invented and especially in the oil production and refinery sectors. Also, the changes in the commodity specification are a method of creating environmental friendly products thereby reducing the products negative impacts on the environment (Roseman n.d). Sulphur levels in the Canadian gasoline are not to average more than 30 parts per million. Similarly, the sale of Benzene has been limited to 1.5% by volume. The current future of gasoline is that the prices are likely to shoot. This is because this is what has been trending from February 2015 until March 9 2015 (Roseman n.d). For example, the price was $2.332 on February 23 2015, $2.473 on March 2 2015 and $2.487 on March 9 2015 (Brand n.d). This explains the trend that the prices are going up every week. I expect the price of gasoline to average $3/bbl. The reason for this projection is that the current futures are suggesting a very high uncertainty in the overall price outlook. For instance, the future contracts for May 2015 averaged $52/bbl. This indicates an average of 52% volatility and 95% upper and lower limits. This confirms that the market expectations will widen over time. In my opinion, I would recommend that the projections for the commodity be set a month before the release of the commodity. The executive committee should avoid long duration’s predictions as this is affecting the price of gasoline. For example, if they predict the price shall go up even when the economy is doing great, the

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Property law learning portfolio task( about equity and transfer of Essay

Property law learning portfolio task( about equity and transfer of property) - Essay Example and its associates lay claim to based on the previous transactions between MTII and the companies involved in this litigation. Although, MTII does not reveal any intricate procedure for maintaining equitable interests in the title to oil it holds on behalf of other companies, there could be a case here for the creation of â€Å"trust† from which all other companies can financially gain from. Based on this important observation, the differences and similarities in the transfers of property and the creation of trust can be highlighted bearing in mind that the, (i) the laws applied in the case attempts to establish the doctrine of equities and equitable interests of all the parties involved in the deal; (ii) it is not â€Å"sufficiently certain† that MTII has any 2 directives to turn the title to oil it holds into any form of â€Å"trust property† that could be accessed by all parties. These issues make this case one of strategic interest. 2. These are three other k ey cases that could be used to establish â€Å"authority† in the areas of outright property transfers and the creation of trust. In Jackson & Ors v Thakrar & Ors [2007] EWHC 2173 (TCC) (10 October 2007), the Thakrar & Ors were suing for their shares in the property managed by Jackson & Ors, who had helped to undertake the accounting procedures of the trust company but failed to supervise the outright transfers of the shares to Thakrar & Ors. In JD Wetherspoon Plc v Van De Berg & Co Ltd & Ors [2009] EWHC 639 (Ch) (31 March 2009), JD Wetherspoon was suing for the property (stock) held by the defendants and were not equitably transferred before one of the defendants collapsed in May, 2008. In Agip (Africa) Ltd. v Kingsley & Ors [1990] EWCA Civ 2 (21 December 1990), Agip sued for the return or transfer of its financial property that was fraudulently acquired by a former employee, forcing the companies that participated in the process to be held responsible for this act, which leg ally contravenes the laws of equity. These three cases are able to show how important the doctrine or principle of equities is, and how they could be applied in court cases to assure that none of the parties is disadvantaged during the transactions or thereafter. 3. Using secondary sources like a journal and a textbook, I noticed that it is important to understand that when one or more members of a group or party have been exposed to some disadvantages in the process of property transfers, such an action 3 has undermined the principle of equity, which requires that every member or part of a group should be accorded similar considerations without breaking any law or order (Raff, 2006; Nygaard et al., 2007). Every property is recognized as having an owner at a particular period of time, and this legal title of this property belongs to the owner who may want to sell or transfer the title to another person (Raff, 2006; Nygaard et al., 2007). For this to occur, there must be transactiona l agreements among the parties. Hence, these agreements are guided by laws and statutes of the jurisdictions where the agreements took place to forestall

PCM Theory and Audio Reduction Codecs and Techniques Research Paper

PCM Theory and Audio Reduction Codecs and Techniques - Research Paper Example Instead, compressed PCM variants are normally employed. However, numerous Blu-ray format movies use the uncompressed the PCM for audio. Frequently, PCM encoding enables digital transmission from a point to another (in a certain system, or geographically) in a serial form.   However, due to the computer and digital network communications advancements, a lot of information or data is transmitted using the pulse wave modulation technique. Pulse wave modulation may be used to transmit analog audio signal or information with a particular rate to sample analog signal - this rate is what is called the transmission rate. On the receiver, the delivered signal is demodulated by the Pulse-code modulation (PCM) demodulator to recuperate the original continuous analog signal wave. Generally, PCM can be classified as a pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), pulse position modulation (PPM), pulse code modulation (PCM), and pulse width modulation (PWM). PAM, PPM, and PWM modulations are affiliated to a nalog modulation while the PCM modulation is affiliated to digital modulation. It is important to take note that PCM modulation is a real digital signal which can be processed and digitally stored by a computer. However, PPM, PWM, and PAM modulations are similar to PM, FM, and AM modulations, respectively (Aksoy & DeNardis, 2007, p. 112). For all pulse wave modulation, before the modulation, the original continuous form signal has to be sampled and the sampling rate for the sampling signal must not below, otherwise, the recovered signal will bring about distortion. The sampling rate is subject to the sampling theorem, whereby the sampling theorem states that: for a pulse wave modulation system, in the condition that the sampling rate excesses the double or more maximum frequency times of the signal, then distortion level of data recovery on the receiver will be its minimum. For instance, the frequency range of the audio signal is about 40 Hz ~ 4 kHz, the pulse wave modulation sampli ng signal frequency must be no less than 8 kHz, hence, the sampling error is reduced to the minimum (Maes & Vercammen, 2012, p. 67). During transmission, it is hard for the PCM signal to avoid noise distortion. Therefore, before the PCM signal sends to the PCM demodulator, a comparator is used to recover the PCM signal to its original level. The signal is a pulse wave signal series, so, before demodulating, the pulse wave signal series will be converted to a parallel digital signal by aid of a serial to a parallel converter After that, the signal passes through n-bits decoder (which should be D/A converter) for recovery of the digital signal to its original quantization value. However, in this quantization value includes not only the original audio signal alone, but also many high-frequency harmonics, hence; a low-pass filter is used to remove the undesirable signal at the final fragment. MPEG varieties The MPEG standards comprise of different Parts.  

Property law learning portfolio task( about equity and transfer of Essay

Property law learning portfolio task( about equity and transfer of property) - Essay Example and its associates lay claim to based on the previous transactions between MTII and the companies involved in this litigation. Although, MTII does not reveal any intricate procedure for maintaining equitable interests in the title to oil it holds on behalf of other companies, there could be a case here for the creation of â€Å"trust† from which all other companies can financially gain from. Based on this important observation, the differences and similarities in the transfers of property and the creation of trust can be highlighted bearing in mind that the, (i) the laws applied in the case attempts to establish the doctrine of equities and equitable interests of all the parties involved in the deal; (ii) it is not â€Å"sufficiently certain† that MTII has any 2 directives to turn the title to oil it holds into any form of â€Å"trust property† that could be accessed by all parties. These issues make this case one of strategic interest. 2. These are three other k ey cases that could be used to establish â€Å"authority† in the areas of outright property transfers and the creation of trust. In Jackson & Ors v Thakrar & Ors [2007] EWHC 2173 (TCC) (10 October 2007), the Thakrar & Ors were suing for their shares in the property managed by Jackson & Ors, who had helped to undertake the accounting procedures of the trust company but failed to supervise the outright transfers of the shares to Thakrar & Ors. In JD Wetherspoon Plc v Van De Berg & Co Ltd & Ors [2009] EWHC 639 (Ch) (31 March 2009), JD Wetherspoon was suing for the property (stock) held by the defendants and were not equitably transferred before one of the defendants collapsed in May, 2008. In Agip (Africa) Ltd. v Kingsley & Ors [1990] EWCA Civ 2 (21 December 1990), Agip sued for the return or transfer of its financial property that was fraudulently acquired by a former employee, forcing the companies that participated in the process to be held responsible for this act, which leg ally contravenes the laws of equity. These three cases are able to show how important the doctrine or principle of equities is, and how they could be applied in court cases to assure that none of the parties is disadvantaged during the transactions or thereafter. 3. Using secondary sources like a journal and a textbook, I noticed that it is important to understand that when one or more members of a group or party have been exposed to some disadvantages in the process of property transfers, such an action 3 has undermined the principle of equity, which requires that every member or part of a group should be accorded similar considerations without breaking any law or order (Raff, 2006; Nygaard et al., 2007). Every property is recognized as having an owner at a particular period of time, and this legal title of this property belongs to the owner who may want to sell or transfer the title to another person (Raff, 2006; Nygaard et al., 2007). For this to occur, there must be transactiona l agreements among the parties. Hence, these agreements are guided by laws and statutes of the jurisdictions where the agreements took place to forestall

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Area of knowledge Essay Example for Free

Area of knowledge Essay It can certainly be argued that though language and emotion play vital roles within any area of knowledge, it is within history that it manifests itself the clearest. History as an area of knowledge presents an opportunity to explore the implications of both language and emotion, and their effect on interpreting history. The understanding of such information is integral to resolving one of the key knowledge issues regarding history: the question of whether it is possible to attain or communicate knowledge through history that is free from filters and biases. The answer to this question is crucial to the further comprehension of what is history as a whole. But before examining language and emotion in the context of history, it is important to define what exactly these words are describing, and understand the values and limitations of both of these ways of knowing separately. Language is defined as a rule-governed, intended form of communication and is one of the main ways of attaining information of the external. It is useful for conveying concepts that are intangible, such as that of history. However, it is merely a tool, a vehicle by which information can travel, and is subject to ambiguity, vagueness, and bias. Emotion as a way of knowing is often defined as a mechanism which gives intuition and helps decision making, but is also commonly cited as an obstruction to knowledge. These two ways of knowing have a great impact upon the acquisition of knowledge in history. One could argue that without language, there would be no history or historical knowledge. Such a bold statement can be made for a variety of reasons, one being primarily that unlike emotion and sense perception, two others way of knowing, language is the most able tool in the transfer of knowledge across time. And unlike reason, language can qualitatively describe as well as outline the experiences of individuals in a way that reason cannot fully emulate. One does not need to be (or rather, cannot be) at the decisive Battle of Iwo Jima to know there was an Allied victory, knowledge that sense perception and emotion could not derive. The utility of language is that it enables us acquire knowledge of the external efficiently. This is not to say that language is the perfect mechanism for knowledge transfer in history. As stated above, language is a tool that, once interpreted, will lead to biases as both the sender and receivers paradigm will contribute to a certain predisposition regarding any topic spoken. It allows us to label and generalize, to set up a conceptual framework based on relativity. Arbitrary time frames can be set up within history, such as Before Common Era, which when considered seem quite useful in that it allows for quick citation, but is also perplexing. How exactly did people define the Common Era? To refer to a date in relation to the death of one man allows us to further question why this particular man was chosen. Again this ties into the bias with language, as anyone referencing BCE is undoubtedly predisposed towards Western thinking. Even I retain these biases as well, always confused momentarily whenever I am exposed to the time frame established in Thai culture, such as 2553 (which is coincidentally also referenced to the death of another man). It appears that although language can and does lead to historical knowledge in methods that other ways of knowing cannot, language can never lead to truly objective information precisely for the same reason that it is useful: it is all relative to the paradigm which one is under. The impact of labeling and generalizations also touches upon the realm of emotion and its effects upon history. The age-old adage proclaims that history is written by the victors1 and the victors will more often than not think positively about themselves but not of their opponents. For example, during my Thai history class, my teacher will go at great lengths to explain the courageous nature of the Thai people and the savagery of the Burmese for invading our land, and yet do a complete about face and call the occupation of Malaysia and Cambodia as a noble conquest. This invocation of pride and patriotism is a variety of emotion known as nationalism. And it is this nationalism, or a similar emotional feeling of loyalty, that has fueled much of current history. If language is the tool with which we talk about history, emotion is what caused us to talk about it in the first place. The statement that is being suggested is that the course of human civilization for the past ten thousand years can be charted with the emotions, on the basis that humans are not perfectly rational. Emotional attachments to kingdoms, countries, or governments caused many to go to war; scientific advances were fueled by the undying joy associated with innovation; Adam Smith proposed capitalism to compensate for the inherent greed within us all. Indeed, a more specific event would be the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001AD. The attack upon the US caused uproar, an escalation of foreign policy security, and a worsening of relations with the Middle East. The many religious motives for such an event leave no doubt that it was based off of emotion, but it remains unclear what the main cause was for. Again, it appears that to mark history as objective facts becomes increasingly hard as the subjective emotions that one has muddle the cause for events. One cannot state that a certain event in history occurred because of another singular event; rather, one must say that it was the amalgamation of these that caused any event. In essence, it appears that emotion and language both play a key role in history, one for it and one about it. However, it seems that these two ways of knowing interact with history in such a way as to make the objective deduction of historical knowledge difficult. Though one can argue that the imposition of conceptual frameworks and the emotionally fuelled decisions are not mutually exclusive with an objective history, it remains that within any human society there will exist a paradigm, a filter, a bias. And in these items will lay prejudice. A quote by Friedrich Nietzche summarizes this: To the extent that man has for long ages believed in the concepts and names of things as in aeternae veritates he has appropriated to himself that pride by which he raised himself above the animal: he really thought that in language he possessed knowledge of the world. We may pride ourselves on being more civilized than animals and for having language, but it is foolish to assume that with only these tools that we have gained any knowledge of the world apart from our own.

Preventing Denture Stomatitis

Preventing Denture Stomatitis Ghani F and colleages20 did a study on 50 denture wearers and 50 non denture wearers assessing candida activity through recording pH changes in candida selective medium. Results showed pathological candida activity was significantly higher in denture wearers. While in a study by Yilmaz HH78 27 patients with denture stomatitis and 23 patients without clinical signs of denture stomatitis were compared. They found that there was a relationship between poor denture hygiene and denture stomatitis and the relationship between denture stomatitis and candidal hyphae was not significant. Therefore proper hygiene is important to prevent denture stomatitis and antifungal drugs should not be prescribed without mycological investigation. Opportunistic growth of pathogenic yeasts such as candida is promoted by constant denture wearing which maintains anaerobic and low pH conditions between the denture and mucosa.18. It was revealed in different studies that nearly one third of the patients evaluated slept with their dentures 19,22,89. Similarly other studies have found significant association between denture related stomatitis with denture age and continuous denture wearing88 moreover candida albicans hyphae and lactobacillus was also found in the saliva and palate of denture stomatitis patients89 SURFACE TEXTURE AND PERMEABILITY OF DENTURE BASE: Highly polished surfaces are important not only for aesthetics and patient's comfort but also for low plaque adherence, oral hygiene and denture longevity84. In an in vitro study Van Reenen79 demonstrated that penetration of the unpolished surface which is in contact with the mucosa with candida albicans was greater than that of polished surface. It was confirmed further with the use of fluorescent dye. Another study18 confirmed that surface roughness and cracks facilitate development of biofilm and adherence of plaque. The authors also noted that prolonged brushing of acrylic denture with toothbrush and abrasive dentrifices create scratches that can enhance bacterial attachment and biofilm growth22. DENTURE LINING MATERIALS AND ADHESIVES: In a study by Sato Y and colleagues90 it was found that denture adhesives enhance retention and stability of both ill fitting and well fitting dentures. AL et al 91 suggested that denture adhesives contribute to mucosal inflammation in denture wearers as they are commonly used throughout the day. While in an assessment of 24 denture wearing patients Oliveira and colleagues92 evaluated the number of colony forming units(CFUs) and Candida species in saliva samples which were collected at denture placement, 7 day and 14 day intervals from patients using an adhesive denture strip. 12 patients using the adhesive were compared with 12 patients not using the adhesive. There was no statistical difference between the groups at the 2 weeks analysis. MANAGEMENT OF DENTURE STOMATITIS: Placebo-controlled studies reported that treatment with either oral fluconazole (50mg/day for 2 weeks) or topical miconazole (2% gel applied to fitting surface of the denture 3 times daily for 2 weeks) significantly reduced the presence of candida on oral mucosa and decreased inflammation in denture stomatitis93 . Cross LJ et al94 reported capsule and liquid formulations of itraconazole ( 100 mg 4 times a day for 15 days), fluconazole alone ( 50 mg orally for 14 days) or in combination with chlorhexidine applied to fitting surface of the denture 2 times a day for 2 weeks and amphotericin ( 40mg oral dissolving lozenges 4 times daily and topical cream applied to fitting surface of denture) all to be effective in the treatment of denture stomatitis. In a study by Mililla L et al95 amorophiline antifungal varnish was applied once or twice a week for 6 months in patients affected by nystatin resistant denture stomatitis. Results showed significant decrease in candidal count and improvement in symptoms of denture stomatitis. In a study photodynamic therapy was found to be an effective method for resolving candida spp. on dentures96 In a study by Webb et al97 nursing home patients with denture stomatitis were randomized to maintain their usual hygiene procedures or had their dentures cleaned daily with overnight soaking in sodium hypochlorite and microwaving. Relative to control group both cleaning techniques showed 100% reduction in candida colonization and clinical improvement in denture stomatitis. In another study 10% vinegar solution was used for the immersion of dentures and was found to be effective in decreasing the quantity of candida spp in saliva and the presence of denture stomatitis 98 . Cryosurgery is the treatment of choice in patients with Type III denture stomatitis along with prosthesis substitution34. POST INSERTION INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF THE PROSTHESIS: To decrease the levels of biofilm and harmful micro organisms , patients who wear dentures must do the following: Dentures must be immersed and brushed with an effective and non abrasive denture cleanser everyday18. Denture cleanser must only be used to clean dentures outside the mouth62. Dentures must be rinsed thoroughly after immersion and brushing with denture cleansing solution before reinsertion in the oral cavity16. Dentures should be cleaned annually by a dentist using ultrasonic cleanser to minimize biofilm coverage overtime27. Dentures must never be placed in boiling water77. Dentures must never be soaked in sodium hypochlorite bleach for periods greater than 10 minutes because it may damage the dentures28. Dentures should be immersed in water after cleaning, when not inserted in oral cavity to avoid warping16. MECHANICAL METHODS OF DENTURE CLEANING: Brushing with tooth brush, denture brush and pastes: Scanning electron microscopic images and microbiologic essays have demonstrated that cleaning the dentures with water and tooth brushes is ineffective at removing microorganisms62. While in a study by Nishi Y and colleagues 25 it was found that the quantity of micro organisms was significantly reduced in the outpatients who used a denture brush for cleaning the prosthesis. Salles AES and Macedo LD99 found in a study that brushing with a denture paste|(Corega Brite) was the most effective method of disinfecting dentures followed by brushing with neutral soap and brushing with water only was the least effective method. It was found by Lira AF et al100 that tooth brushing promoted higher levels of surface roughness when compared to chemical disinfection while boiled resins were found to be more prone to surface roughness and biofilm accumulation than microwaved resins. Pisani MX and Bruhn JP et al101 analyzed surface roughness and weight loss in acrylic caused by dentrifices. They found that the conventional dentrifice containing sodium bicarbonate produced greatest weight loss and surface roughness while dentrifices containing chloramine T and fluorosurfactant produced less weight loss and surface roughness. While in another study it was found that dentrifices containing 1% chloramine T and 0.01% fluorosurfactant decreased biofilm coverage but were ineffective against candida102. Ultrasonic cleaning: Ultrasonic devices are helpful in removing the plaque adhering to dentures by producing microscopic cavities that grow and burst creating voids that result in localized areas of suction 16. Gwinnet et al103 showed in different ways effective disinfection of inoculated dentures using ultrasonic treatment in a water bath as well as in various baths of antiseptic and detergent agents. In another study it was found that ultrasonic cleaning when combined with immersion in a peroxide based cleanser solution effectively reduces the quantity of micro organisms surviving on dentures25. Hence may be a suitable method for elderly who find brushing their dentures difficult. Studies have found that ultrasonic cleaning is not completely bactericidal but improves the killing of bacteria16. Chemical Methods: Soaking in household solution: Sodium hypochlorite diluted 1:10 in tap water is adequate for killing adherent micro organisms but is ineffective against calculus buildup and stains. Metallic elements in the denture acquire a black stain after soaking in bleach for greater than 10 minutes daily62 In a study done by Dr. Roshan Khan 5.25% sodium hypochlorite was more effective in disinfecting dentures as compared to 0.2% chlorhexidine at a 5 minute immersion period28. Surface roughness was evaluated by Paranhos HDO et al64 and they found that immersing the acrylic resin denture in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution every night for more than a year and a half resulted in increased surface roughness while no effect was noted regarding the flexural strength of the acrylic. A major issue in immuno compromised and hospitalized patients is the emergence of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) which increases mortality rates significantly 16. Lee and colleagues104 showed that MRSA can be killed effectively with sodium hypochlorite. The use of vinegar (acetic acid) was evaluated by Basson et al105 and they found it effective at killing adherent micro organisms albeit less effective than sodium hypochlorite. Vinegar has an advantage over bleach and it is that inadequate rinsing after soaking in vinegar does not result in mucosal damage. In another study vinegar alone is found to be least effective at removing denture plaque but when used in combination with brushing its results were comparable with those of denture cleansers24 Soaking in a commercial solution: Immersing the dentures in denture cleansers reduces the micro organisms and plaque and is found to be a suitable method for denture cleansing specially for geriatric patients106. It was found that soaking in alkaline peroxide every night for more than a year resulted in color alteration of the resin64. In a study it was found that the combination of brushing and peroxide cleansers was the most efficacious method to remove denture plaque24. It was found in a study by de Andrade IM and colleagues107 that the effervescent tablets are effective in reducing streptococci mutans and total aerobes from denture biofilm. However, they were not as effective against C. albicans Mc Cabe and colleagues108 reported that effects of alkaline peroxide solution were enhanced using water at a temperature of 50 centigrade. In a study done to investigate the relationship between the frequency of use of denture cleanser and the quantity of micro organisms adhering to dentures it was found that patients who used denture cleansers daily or 3-4 times a week had significantly lower amount of micro organisms than the patients who used the denture cleanser once or less per month25. While in a study by Jose A and colleagues23 it was concluded that denture cleansers were effective against Candida albicans activity both in terms of removal and disinfection but residual biofilm retention that could lead to re growth and denture colonization was seen. Hence alternate mechanical cleaning methods are required to enhance biofilm removal.. New materials for denture immersion contain silicon polymer that provides a protective coating on denture as a final step in cleaning process. Coating helps to minimize adhesion of debris throughout the day until the next cleaning27. MICROWAVE RADIATION Effectiveness of microwaving depends on solution in which the dentures are immersed, the time of exposure, the level of power of microwave oven and the types of micro organisms adhering the denture109. Senno P and colleagues110 found that putting the dentures in denture cleanser and then microwaving was efficient in disinfecting dentures with lower irradiation time and temperature than the use of microwave irradiation alone therefore avoiding denture distortion. While in another study it was concluded that immersing the denture in a cup of water to transfer heat uniformly during microwave sterilization was more effective111. While Kaskin et al112 showed that independent of solution used irradiation for 15 minutes at 500 watt achieved complete sterilization of acrylic resin base materials contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, candida albicans and streptococcus mutans. It was concluded by Brondani MA et al109 that irradiation time above 15minutes and voltage greater than 850 watts may cause distortion and surface roughness of the denture while not affecting the hardness of the material. While in another study 50 seconds of exposure at 850 watt seemed to be sufficient to disinfect the acrylic denture without any adverse effect on the material113. ALTERNATE DENTURE CLEANSING METHODS: Chlorhexidine destroys bacteria by breaking their membranes and inducing cytoplasmic precipitation114. In a study by de Andrade IM and colleagues 107 60 CD wearers participated in a trial for 21 days after getting brushing instructions. They found that the biofilm coverage area after treatment with immersion in 2% chlorhexidine for 5 minutes was the lowest when compared to immersion in water and in 0.12% chlorhexdine for 20 minutes. While in a study by Uludamar A and colleagues26 it was found that patients whose upper dentures were sprayed with mouthwashes on palatal surface showed decreased candida count when compared to patients who used effervescent type denture cleansers for soaking and cleaning. It can be concluded that mouthwashes can be used as effective denture disinfectants. Tissue cleansing and massage is often neglected part of complete denture care. Brushing the tongue and residual ridges will improve the circulation and remove plaque and debris that may cause irritation of soft tissue and offensive odors 115. In a study by Marchini L116 it was found that 68% of the complete denture wearers didn't clean their tongue. PERIODIC RECALL FOR ORAL EXAMINATION: Patient recall must be a tool to help prevention, allow early intervention and ensure long term dental health117. In a study by Peracini A 51`% of the patients interviewed were not informed about their recall visits.118 An evidence based, patient centered approach taking into account multiple risk categories must be implemented in designing recall visits.119 The American College of Prosthodontists recommends that patients wearing complete dentures must be checked every year for assessment of oral health status, denture fit and function and for evaluation of bone loss as well as oral lesions such as denture stomatitis 16. This recommendation is based on the evidence regarding the relationship between proper complete denture oral hygiene and overall systemic health particularly in dependant elderly45.

Abc Book :: Free Essay Writer

ABC Book Agatha Christie, the author of "And then there were None" is called the Queen of Mystery by those who have read her books. In addition to, "And then there were None", Agatha Christie has written many books, which include "ABC Murders", "Body in the Library", Easy to Kill" and "Towards Zero". Brent, the family name of Emily, the 65 year old daughter of a Colonel, and definitely not happy with the way the world is going now. She liked every thing as it was 45 years ago, when children did what their parents told them to and when everyone respected their elders, but now †¦.. Coroner's inquest having turned her life upside down, Vera Claythorne has had tough luck so far in her life. She does not have a lot of money, and has had trouble finding a job after the inquest. Even though she had been acquitted, people still look at her funny when she walks down the street. Doctor Armstrong, a former doctor who likes time to think. Whenever he thinks about the past one of the first things to pop into his mind is the fact alcohol ruined his life. If only he hadn't had a couple of drinks before operating on his patient, he might not have accidentally killed him. Everyone was dead when the police got to the Island. Nobody could figure out what happened. The police did not find any suicide notes and searched the island a couple of times. The police found no-one in hiding and were left open- mouthed and clueless. Fred Narracott was the boatman who took everyone to the island on his boat. As he told the police, as far as he knew he was the only one who had taken anyone over to the Island. General Macarthur, loved war and was disappointed when he had to stop fighting on the battle grounds. War was his life. He loved the smell, the sounds and the feel of battle. In fact he craved to kill again. Helpless, the guests on the island were prey to the killer, they couldn't get off the island because there was no boat. Hiding was out of the question due to the bad storm, and they did not know who the killer was, so everyone was under suspicion. Indian Island was purchased under the name U.N. Owen and nobody knew who it was. All the tabloids were saying royalty had bought the island or some eccentric millionaire, but nobody really knew who it was. Justice Wargrave, was a judge. You could say he was a murderer, even though he Abc Book :: Free Essay Writer ABC Book Agatha Christie, the author of "And then there were None" is called the Queen of Mystery by those who have read her books. In addition to, "And then there were None", Agatha Christie has written many books, which include "ABC Murders", "Body in the Library", Easy to Kill" and "Towards Zero". Brent, the family name of Emily, the 65 year old daughter of a Colonel, and definitely not happy with the way the world is going now. She liked every thing as it was 45 years ago, when children did what their parents told them to and when everyone respected their elders, but now †¦.. Coroner's inquest having turned her life upside down, Vera Claythorne has had tough luck so far in her life. She does not have a lot of money, and has had trouble finding a job after the inquest. Even though she had been acquitted, people still look at her funny when she walks down the street. Doctor Armstrong, a former doctor who likes time to think. Whenever he thinks about the past one of the first things to pop into his mind is the fact alcohol ruined his life. If only he hadn't had a couple of drinks before operating on his patient, he might not have accidentally killed him. Everyone was dead when the police got to the Island. Nobody could figure out what happened. The police did not find any suicide notes and searched the island a couple of times. The police found no-one in hiding and were left open- mouthed and clueless. Fred Narracott was the boatman who took everyone to the island on his boat. As he told the police, as far as he knew he was the only one who had taken anyone over to the Island. General Macarthur, loved war and was disappointed when he had to stop fighting on the battle grounds. War was his life. He loved the smell, the sounds and the feel of battle. In fact he craved to kill again. Helpless, the guests on the island were prey to the killer, they couldn't get off the island because there was no boat. Hiding was out of the question due to the bad storm, and they did not know who the killer was, so everyone was under suspicion. Indian Island was purchased under the name U.N. Owen and nobody knew who it was. All the tabloids were saying royalty had bought the island or some eccentric millionaire, but nobody really knew who it was. Justice Wargrave, was a judge. You could say he was a murderer, even though he

The Robber Barons Essay -- history

The Robber Barons When the names Carnagie, Rockefeller, and Pullman come to mind, most of us automatically think of what we saw or read in our history books: "These men were kind and generous and through hard work and perseverance, any one of you could become a success story like them," right? Wrong. I am sick of these people being remembered for the two or three "good deeds" they have done. Publicity and media have exaggerated the generosity of these men, the government has spoiled these names with false lies, and people have been blind to see that these men were ruthless, sly businessmen who were motivated by your money and their struggle for power. George M. Pullman is best remembered for his contributions to the railroad industry through the invention of his Pullman Cars. The cars sold well and the railroad industry flourished with this new invention. Although the success attached to his name, not many people know the real truth behind this robber baron. His greed for money took him to extreme measures as his workers were seriously mistreated and put under strict restrictions. For instance, every worker had to live in his village (Pullman, IL) and under no circumstances was anyone allowed to leave. The people had to buy from his store, pay him rent, and attend work every day. People who did not abide were heavily penalized by their name being written on black book (which meant that this worker couldn’t get a job in any other industrial field). How many histor...

Patronus Charm

â€Å"A Patronus is a kind of positive force, and for the wizard who can conjure one, it works something like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it, rather than him. In order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. Not just any memory, a very happy memory, a very powerful memory†¦ Allow it to fill you up†¦ lose yourself in it†¦ then speak the incantation â€Å"Expecto Patronum†. † —Remus Lupin teaching Harry Potter the Patronus CharmThe Patronus Charm is a charm that evokes a partially-tangible, positive energy force known as a Patronus (pl. Patronuses Patronuses are also called spirit guardians though this may only refer to corporeal Patronuses. It is primarily designed for defence against otherwise unbeatable Dark creatures like Dementors and Lethifolds, though there are other uses such as messaging. It is apparent from old woodcuts and scrolls that the Patronus Charm has been used since ancient times.To successfully cast the spell one must muster a happy memory (the happier the memory, the more powerful and tangible the Patronus will be) and incant â€Å"Expecto Patronum†. It is unknown if there are any other elements required in casting, such as physical gestures (aside from drawing and pointing the wand forward prior to or during incantation). The happy memory one requires when casting does not necessarily have to be a specific moment in your past. Arguably more important than content, is how the memory or thought makes you feel now.Harry Potter, for instance, is often seen to produce his more powerful patronuses when he his merely thinking of the people he loves. Harry also often thinks of his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger and produces successful Patronuses. One time Harry also used the thought of Dolores Umbridge being sacked to produce a patronus for his Defence Against the Dark Arts O. W. L. Harry uses his love and happiness, evoked from thinking of his friends and family, to produce a patronus, rather than having to remember emotions felt in the past.A non-corporeal Patronus is one which does not resemble any living creature and has few distinguishing features (if any). Non-corporeal Patronuses resemble a burst of vapour or smoke without any clearly defined form shooting from the tip of the wand. While they may be partially effective at halting dementors (but not repelling them), non-corporeal Patronuses are not â€Å"fully-fledged† Patronuses, and are regarded as a more primitive or weaker version of the true Charm.

Rational decisions Essay

This is a very difficult choice, but the world and humanity as we know it depends upon it. In my last hours, I have to make rational decisions, though some may not agree with whom I have chosen to carry on humanity. The first person I choose is Cindy Smith. She is 16 years old and since she will be in the tube for seven years, she will be an adult when she gets out. She may be diabetic, but it is not hereditary and if she eats properly, it should not impact her ability to survive. Next, I choose Adelle Purity. She is a one month old, but she will be seven when she gets off. She will not take up much food for the first couple of years and should be able to mate with any children that may be produced in the future. This will also give more variety to the gene pool. Wanda Good is my next choice. She is a female psychiatrist, which means she is also medically trained. She may be blind, but she is doctor. She also can conceive and blindness is not hereditary. Next, I choose Dr. Amoc. He and Dr. Good are around the same age and may be able to reproduce. Besides, he is catatonic and may not take up much food. Dr. Good may be able to coax him out of this state. Perhaps the sound of baby Adelle’s coos may remind him of one of his children and bring him back to reality. He is medically trained as well and will be helpful for the survival of the human race. I personally believe he is in shock and it will wear off in several months. Joe Nemesis is my next choice. He is 19 and a good mate for Cindy. He has no apparent issues and being young and healthy, he can probably father a child. Last but not least, I choose Jake Spade. Yes, he has been convicted of kidnapping, rape and assault, but he is a professional hunter. In seven years, if no other humanity is out there, someone will have to know the basics of surviving. He will be an asset to these people and a potential mate for Dr. Good. Since she is a trained psychiatrist, perhaps she may get to the root of his problems and figure out the reasons for his criminal behavior. The others do not seem like viable candidates to me. For instance, Tommy Manly killed his wife. He was an outdoor salesman. We do know that he can reproduce, but he is unstable. Ricky Slive is a definite no. Teaching others to believe in Satan and all that he stands for will only wreak more havoc and mayhem. We are trying to rebuild humanity, not annihilate it. The same goes for Phi Data. He is pretty much under a similar philosophy to Ricky and has no known survival skills. Dusky Ruth is barren so she cannot help replenish the earth. Sister Mary Catherine is a nun, so she will not have children. Besides, she is not at a good age to reproduce anyway. Disco beano is 56, which makes him too old. Besides, there will not be any music for him to listen to. Who knows how he will respond to that! Armando Pepper is 43. He is a master chef, but I am sure these people can prepare a meal. It does not matter that he is gay. He may still be willing to reproduce, but he is too old. Since Sasha Winky’s gender is in question, it makes it difficult to know if he/she is capable of reproduction. A transsexual cannot reproduce and it would be a wasted chance to take on this person. Zeke Allen is too old. He is 64, so he is not a good candidate. I am not sure if his religion allows him to marry and since I have but a few hours of survival myself, I do not have the time to research this. Marilyn Manson would be great entertainment for Disco Beano, but since I do not know his age, there will BEANO space for him. He has no skills that persuade me to choose him over anyone else. Rock Stone is too stoned to be a viable candidate. Even if it were not for the HIV, he is a drug addict and who knows how he will respond. Besides, this may be a way to eradicate the illness, if he is the last surviving person with it. Neila Borg appears to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and would have to be medicated to function properly. She is too unstable to consider and a hazard because at any given time, she can think that someone is out to get and attack her. Nick Chance has Down’s syndrome. He may not be able to consent to sexual contact and that is necessary to continue humanity. Given that we do not know much about the history of Adelle and Joe, they are wild cards. We have no idea on what they may contribute or take away from humanity, but that is not known no matter who we choose. The people that I chose were more so, on a level of skill. Survival goes to the fittest. Who is fit to survive? Most certainly not a rock star, who is used to being waited on hand and foot. I also must factor in the possibility of reproduction taking place before the seven years is up, which is why I choose the catatonic doctor. At the present, he takes up less food and so does the baby, which leaves more food just in case it is needed. I highly doubt that Mr. Spade would want to be isolated from the only know civilization and since he seems to be of sound mind, I can only hope that he will be able to control himself for the furthering of mankind. I am getting very weak now from the radiation. I do have to take age into account because agility will be necessary to build things, such as homes or shelters. I have thought about not having any religious leaders available. However, most people have a faith and perhaps they may be able to carry on what they know to their children. I hope that these people will find other people as well. I pray that Dr. Amoc becomes functional again. Perhaps in these seven years, Dr. Good can teach Joe about Medicine and perhaps he can become a doctor. He may also learn to hunt from Mr. Spade. He and Dr. Good may also have a child. Well, only God knows how everything will turn out with the choices I have made. I pray that you find them acceptable.