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Monday, September 30, 2019

Most Dangerous Game with the Lottery Essay

The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell and The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson portray the common theme that people remain indifferent to cruelty until they are the recipients of it. Both stories show that when the darker side of human nature centers on itself, evil prevails showing how man is innately evil and that convictions and morals can be compromised by circumstance. Both authors show that through both societal standards and learned behavior, many injustices and cruelties can be accepted as normal behavior. In The Most Dangerous Game, Connell describes Rainsford, the protagonist, as a renowned hunter. Connell uses the opening conversation between Rainsford and Whitney, Rainsford’s companion on the yacht, to enlighten the reader to Rainsford’s attitude of indifference concerning the prey that he hunts. As fate would have it, Rainsford is marooned on an island where he meets another hunter, General Zaroff. As the story progresses, Rainsford begins to see the faà §ade of civility disappear and the real nature of the General come to surface. The General explains how hunting  man is the logical progression of their art and that they are actually kindred souls. Rainsford is appalled by the comparison of their two natures and clings to the moral high ground. That is until the General forces Rainsford to now become the prey. Rainsford, now the prey, calls upon not only his vast knowledge and experience of the hunt but also his primeval instinct of survival. Connell takes the reader through many twists and turns giving hope for Rainsford around each corner only to take it away. Due to the cunningness and resourcefulness of Rainsford, the General is given literally the best hunt of his life. In the end, Rainsford outsmarts the General and kills him in the end. In The Lottery, Jackson gently weaves the reader into what seems at first to be a typical small farming community with a special event taking place. Jackson portrays how the event had lost most of its pomp and circumstance over time and that many of the townspeople wer e there out of tradition. The protagonist, Mrs. Hutchinson, is introduced in the middle of the story, rushing up to the crowd commenting how she had almost forgotten what day it was. As the names in the box are read, the heads of household robotically accept their papers. When the papers are revealed, Bill Hutchinson, Mrs. Hutchinson’s husband, discloses he has drawn the back dot. Mrs. Hutchinson’s demeanor now changes from nonchalant to seriousness as she protests that it wasn’t a fair drawing. Now as the Hutchinson family draws another paper from the box, Mrs. Hutchinson fatefully draws the black dot. The townspeople then began to pick up stones from the pile as Mrs. Hutchinson pleads with them that it isn’t fair. The townspeople then converge on her, stoning her. Both writers arrive at the same two-part conclusion although taking different routes. Connell shows at first how Rainsford is indifferent to the game that he hunts merely for pride. Jackson likewise shows the nonchalantness of Mrs. Hutchinson to the lottery and it’s repercussions at the beginning of the ceremony. Only with the introduction of dire circumstances to both characters do they begin to examine what at one time they would have considered one of their core beliefs. Both authors then confirm that the evil nature of man is more natural of a path to take than a moral one. Connell shows this by ending the story with Rainsford sleeping in the General’s bed, leaving the question for the reader if Rainsford has now become the General. Jackson also confirms this by telling how even the small child of the Hutchinson’s is given stones  to throw at his mother. In comparison of both stories the authors convey that man is inherently evil and that choices made based on societal standards, traditions, and learned behavior may not be the morally correct choice. This confirms the passage of Scripture from Jeremiah 17:9, â€Å"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?† (KJV) Man’s very essence is that of evil and selfishness.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Lord of the Flies- Leadership Analysis on Ralph

A leader is someone who directs or guides a group. However, good leadership is the ability to set priorities and accomplish what needs to be done with the feelings of the group in mind. In Lord of the Flies, Ralph demonstrates many traits that would be considered good leadership. At times he also lacks them, and if he had demonstrated them he could have helped the situation greatly. Ralph understands how people feel and has the ability to respect that and make decisions based off of people’s feelings. He also has the ability to be very serious, which is a good leadership trait if you want to accomplish something.Ralph was also very wise and always made the decisions that he thought were best for the group. In addition, Ralph is very hard working, once he knows what needs to be done he will work very hard to accomplish that task. Throughout the book Ralph demonstrates he is empathetic towards other people’s feelings, he is serious towards his goal, he makes wise decision s, and he is hardworking towards the task at hand. In the book, Ralph was empathetic and showed understanding towards the boys’ feelings. â€Å"‘Trouble is, we haven’t got enough people for a fire. You got to treat Samneric as one turn.They do everything together-’† (138) This shows that, even in a time of crisis, Ralph will consider everyone’s feelings before he acts. This trait also hinders Ralph because he does not realize how unproductive it would be to treat the twins as one boy until Piggy explains it to Ralph. This is an example of how he may understand the boy’s feelings, but he must use his wisdom to make the best decision for the whole group. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, â€Å"You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that's assault, not leadership. † This is a perfect example of the difference between Ralph and Jack.Jack lacks the quality of empathy, which is what divides Ralph from Jack and leads Ja ck’s group to chaos while Ralph’s still holds onto some civilization. Ralph also cared about Jack’s feelings in the beginning because he felt bad that he had all the power so he told the boys, â€Å"‘Jack’s in charge of the choir. They can be- what do you want them to be? ’† (23) This shows that he is willing to share his power, while Jack will later want it all for himself. In the book Ralph is also very serious most of the time. Ralph is serious because he knows what must be done and how to accomplish it.Ralph’s main goal is to keep the fire going and to get rescued. Ralph often sticks to this idea and prioritizes what they must do, while the other boys just focus on having fun. â€Å"‘You hunters! You can laugh! But I tell you smoke is more important than the pig, however often you kill one. Do all of you see? ’ He spread his arms wide and turned to the whole triangle. ‘We’ve got to make smoke up th ere – or die. ’† (69) This shows that Ralph can be serious, while the other boys do not try to be. In being serious, Ralph is able to focus on the main task at hand and make practical decisions, which in turn makes him a good leader.However, at first Ralph had fun with Jack and Simon when they all went to see if the island they were on was truly an island. This shows that he may have developed leadership qualities once he needed to. Being serious did not always help Ralph, the other boys joined Jack’s group because they thought it would be more fun. Had Ralph been able to have fun while trying to accomplish his important tasks (like keeping the fire going), he may have been able to have more boys stay with him. At the beginning of the book Ralph says, â€Å"‘This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grown-ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun. † (33) While Ralph was more open to fun, the group of boys held together tighter; the more and more Ralph tries to keep the fire going the more and more nobody listens. Ralph is also very wise for his age. He knows what needs to be a priority for the group, he says, â€Å"‘The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don't keep a fire going? ’† (80) and he continues on to say that they should die before they let the fire go out because Ralph knows that if the fire goes out they are as good as dead, and have no hopes for ever being rescued.He was always wise to try to keep order because he knew if it was lost there would be no way to regain it, he always insisted on sticking to the rules and everyone doing an equal part. Also, once order was almost lost Ralph knew not to call the boys back to the meeting, when they went with Jack, because he knew if he blew the conch then and it failed the power of it would be lost forever to the boys on the island. In the beginning of the book Ralph also knew that building huts should have been the priority over hunting. Ralph says, â€Å"‘If it rains like when we dropped in we’ll need shelters all right.And then another thing. We need shelters because of the-’† (52) At the end of the quote Ralph is referring to the beast all of the children are afraid of. This shows he is wise because he knows what needs to be the group’s priorities. Throughout the book, Ralph was also hardworking. He always knew what had to be done and was willing to put in the work to do it. He knew that it was more necessary to build the huts rather than to hunt and he worked hard, with only Simon’s help, to complete the shelters. Ralph says in an argument with Jack, â€Å"‘People don’t help much†¦ Simon. He helps. He pointed at the shelters. ‘All the rest rushed off. He’s done as much as I have. ’† (54) This shows that even with very little help from the rest Ralph will work hard to accomplish his goal, even if it makes him angry to do so. Ralph also works hard on trying to get the boys to make sure the fire keeps going. He insists on multiple occasions that it is the priority and tries very hard to get that idea ingrained into the boys’ heads. However, towards the beginning and the end of the book Ralph is not as hard working because he doesn’t have the goal of keeping the fire going.Towards the end of the book he gets confused and slightly confused by the savagery, which causes him to forget about the fire at times. Ralph says to the group of children, â€Å"‘The fire’s the most important thing. Without the fire we can’t be rescued. I’d like to put on war-paint and be a savage, But we must keep the fire burning. The fire’s the most important thing on the island, because, because-’† (142) Towards the end of Ralph’s speech he starts to forget the main importance of the fire. He doesnâ €™t recall until Piggy reminds him.Towards the beginning of the book Ralph says, â€Å"This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grown-ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun. † (33) This shows that Ralph is not as hardworking at first towards the goal of being rescued and takes the idea of being rescued for granted. He does not realize how hard he actually has to work to be rescued until he stayed on the island for longer and realized they must keep the fire going and cannot just rely on luck. Ralph demonstrated many leadership qualities throughout the course of the book.However, in some cases he lacks some of the same traits that would be necessary towards the situation. Throughout the course of the book his leadership skills develop because, at first, the only reason he was leader was because he found the conch. He had to develop some of his leadership traits afterwards to rise to the occasion. He was also not hungry for power; he developed the idea t o remain leader once he was elected. Jack wanted the power to begin with and came with most of the traits he displayed throughout the book, while Ralph develops a lot throughout the course of it.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Characterization of Zaroff In Richard Connells T Essays - Fiction

Characterization of Zaroff In Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" 1) In "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, the antagonist, General Zaroff, can best be described as sadistic, arrogant, and manipulative. 2) The worst trait of Zaroff is his arrogance. 3) He claims that he is superior to other people of different races and that because he is strong, it's his job to abolish the weak. 4) This idea is expressed when Zaroff states, "...Life is for the strong, and, if need be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure... I hunt the scum of the earth - sailors from tramp ships - lascars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels- ..." 5) This shows that Zaroff not only acts arrogantly, but also is sadistic. 6) His demented mind forces him to believe that it is moral to hunt all living creatures, when in fact, he's actually committing murder. 7) The worst part is that Zaroff considers his hobby of hunting other humans amusing. 8) Another trait of Zaroff is that he is extremely manipulative. 9) In other words, he can get other people to do exactly what he wants them to do without that person realizing that he is getting brainwashed. 10) For example, the general pretends to be very civilized and generous thus, people start to trust Zaroff, but as soon as Zaroff's victims feel comfortable around him, he forces them to play his "game". 11) This usually ends up in death for General Zaroff's poor captives. 12) Therefore, we can see that the antagonist in the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" is not only sadistic and arrogant, but also manipulative.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Industrial relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Industrial relations - Assignment Example Therefore it is essential for employers to maintain good relationships with workers and vice versa in order to collectively reach towards productivity and goals of the organization. Concept of industrial relations: Generally the term industrial relation comprises of two words; Industry and relations. The word industry has a general understanding of any work or activity by which an individual or group of individuals are engaged in order to give productivity. Moreover the word relation means the way in which two or more concepts, objects or people are connected. Or in other words relationships that usually happen or exist within the organization amongst employer and employees. Industrial relations system: Industrial relations system generally is a system, which has the complete range of relationships between managers and employees. This also includes management of the relations in terms of conflicts and cooperation. Moreover industrial relations system is considered to be in the ideal state if relations amongst management and employees are carried out considering mutual coordination, cooperation and harmony rather than carrying out conflicts, disputes and lack of sharing. Furthermore it provides or creates an ambiance which one way or other promotes economic efficiency, productivity and growth of the worker and in return receives loyalty of employee as a result mutual trust can be obtained. Keeping in view that the role of state is also involved in it (Godard and Delaney, 2000). Participants in industrial relations system: There are three main actors or participants in an industrial relations system which are directly involved in the system these are (Heery and Frege, 2006): government employees employers Government: The rules, regulations and legislations regarding industrial relations are usually made by government in most parts of the world. Though organizations tend to follow their own rules and regulations regarding hiring, firing and working conditions but overall standardization of rules are to be set by government and all organization are bound to follow those rules and regulations (Heery and Frege, 2006). Employees: Generally workers are the backbone of the industry and these workers are always willing to improve their conditions in terms of employment. If something is not working for them they always try to raise their voices in order to convince management about some particular issue. Moreover in some cases workers are willing to share decision making power in terms of management. Usually they tend to be united and form a union whose purpose is to raise their voices and issues and discuss this with management in order to find solution (Heery and Frege, 2006). Employer: Employers or bosses are the whole and sole of the company and are mainly responsible for hiring and firing of employees and choosing person for jobs. These bosses are usually strategic apex of the organization that in most cases have different managers working for them in order to run organization (Heery and Frege, 2006). Given below is the figure for better understanding of industrial relations process: Scope of industrial relations: Industrial relations can be classified in terms of employee and employer relationship that usually come from day to day operations however if we consider industrial relations in a broader spectrum it is the relations amongst employer and employee in order to carry out working of the industry to gain productivity. It may spread over the areas of marketing, quality control, price fixation and disposition of profits amongst others.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

An e-Business analysis of BarnesandNoble.com Research Paper

An e-Business analysis of BarnesandNoble.com - Research Paper Example Barnes & Noble history can be traced to its acquisition in the early 1960s by Leonard Riggio; this is the period when he began his bookselling profession while in New York University. By 1970, the company was succeeding and it included 6 other college bookstores; it acquired trade name Barnes & Noble and the flagship bookstore in Manhattan. Between 1970s and 1980s the company made several significant moves. In 1974, it became the first bookseller in U.S. to put an advert in television; the â€Å"Of Course! Of Course!† advert. In 1975, Barnes & Noble made a bold move and became the first bookseller by offering discount books in the United States; it offered New York Times bestsellers at a discount of 40 percent off the publishers’ list prices (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2011). The company has been offering book services for close to 25 years, it began with the mail order catalogue in 1970. The company tested selling the books online in the late 1980s through Trintex, an early generation venue. Trintex was a joint venture between IBM & Sears. The company sold its books on the CompuServe in the mid-1990s and later it opened a full-fledged a book superstore on the America Online in 1997. Barnes & Noble.com website (www.barnesandnoble.com) was launched in May 1997. Presently, the company’s website is the largest store and it enables the customers to order a book regardless of the time and place. The consumers have access to millions of out-of-print and used book titles, music DVDs and CDs through Barnes & Noble.com (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2011). The company’s publishing has been expanded through the purchases of SparkNotes.com and Sterling Publishing in 2001 and 2003 respectively. In 2009, the company acquired Fictionwise, a company leading in eBook in the marketplace. The company has its headquarters in New Jersey; it was founded in 2000 by Scott and Steve Pendergrast. In July 2009, Barnes and Noble introduced the world’s

The old Canadian Land Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The old Canadian Land - Essay Example However, there are no reasons to believe that he could be a bad man looking for trouble. It was because he did not bother people along his constant travel expeditions. He travelled by water. His travel machine was a canoe that he used to tour all the waters of the rivers and seas that he came across. No water body was too scarify to make him stop a journey. The people believed that he was a brave man, who would look out for anyone in harm. Everyone in the lands knew him as a man without fear. Thus, many respected him as he was a hero amongst them all. From his appearance, it was difficult to know much about him. He carried with him everything from all the places he went to. Physically, he dressed as an Indian. One could argue that he had Indian traits in him. Apart from the manner of dressing, his character had much do with the Indian lifestyle. Indians were just as courageous men as he was. They were known to be the most troublesome people to deal with during trade. They would settle every slight issue with a fight. In fact, they were ready to die. The same characteristics could be evident in Pasquinel. It was in his nature to walk into a dangerous place without thinking. He was ready for any attack. In fact, he always fought his wars alone. Apart from being a brave man, he was a good negotiator. Negotiation is a skill important when dealing with strangers, who need to be convinced on one intended purpose. As a trader, negotiation skills were important to convince new traders on certain items. Even without speaking the language of the traders, Pasquinel could convince them on his intended purpose and avoid unnecessary confrontation. The story of Pasquinel could be real or a fiction one. The reality of the story could be because of the use of known physical places. For example, the narrator uses known water bodies and ancient places such as France and New Orleans. In addition, the trading activities outlined in the story represent the lifestyle of the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

General Motors Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Motors - Case Study Example The managers at General Motors failed to cease and take control of the market in African and Asian countries for their products in the sense that the management was ready to manufacture cars that people in these countries could not afford. Survival of the business relies on the Company’s ability to generate profits and cash flow. Therefore, bad quality management of General Motor’s products is affecting the Company’s ability to survive since it is unable to maximize profits and cash flows.GM has faced a decrease in liquidity to $14 billion in the fiscal year 2008 from $27.3 billion in 2007. The increased losses are attributed to decrease in working capital and low sales volumes. In addition, research, development, and interaction or relationships with suppliers are negatively influenced by the decreased or reduced liquidity.There are certain activities for GM business in China and India. In China, the business for new autos is amidst a 14% development rate antici pated to reach over $97 billion in 2008. In the meantime in India, the business for new autos developed by 15.5% in 2008 to a dollar estimation of $28 billion. A sign that India will play a much greater is the anticipated increment to 2.5 million units before the end of 201. Steady development rates are anticipated in the following few years. The market's volume is required to climb to 21.5 million units before the end of 2013. The light business vehicles section was the markets biggest in 2008, creating aggregate volumes of 9.8 million units.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Sustainable industry analysis Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainable industry analysis - Lab Report Example The reviving of the company has resulted in the adoption of some marketing strategies which are aimed at ensuring the company gains a niche within the highly competitive automobile industry. The marketing strategies which the organisation has adopted since its revival are focused on ensuring sustainability of the business operations. The approaches which the company has adopted are discussed below. In seeking to ensure sustainability of the business operations the company has patented some components of the vehicles. The SP: 01 remains the main product which the company is focused on delivering to the market, and the brand in patented in order to protect the technology which the organisation has adopted (Stenquist 2013). The approach of patent marketing enables the organisation to ensure that the products cannot be imitated within the market while maintaining uniqueness in the market. Until the patent expires, Detroit electric will have exclusive rights for selling the patented products. This seeks to provide protection form the intense competition existing within the market for a given period of time; consequently ensuring in sustainability of the current market for the organisation. Through the patent marketing the organisation has been able to establish an element of continued demand for the product. The entry of similar products into the market has been eliminated throug h creation of a patent and this would ensure the organisation has a continued and sustainable demand for the automobiles into the future. Sustainable marketing seeks to deliver products which meet the sustainability demand presented to the environment in the manufacturing industry. Increased utilisation of sustainable energy ensures organisations are geared towards comprehensive sustainability in all aspects including marketing. While the company previously manufactured electric vehicles in the 20th century,

Monday, September 23, 2019

What are the strengths and weaknesses of seeing organizations as Essay

What are the strengths and weaknesses of seeing organizations as purely rational configurations - Essay Example In simple terms, a rational society system entails specificity of objective and formalization. Objective plan provides guiding principle for particular tasks to be accomplished along with a regulated allocation of resources whereas formalization endeavored to standardize managerial behavior. The aim of rationalization is the end former bureaucratic way of running organizations. The anatomy of the bureaucratic regime was characterized by well-structure line of command, specific job regulations, division of labor, impersonality, etc. (Bennis, 2001). These are the specific areas that rationalization confronts, and all through the approach has been facilitated by innumerable strengths in rationally configured organizations. However, there has not been anything as absolute or â€Å"pure† rationalization, for even Taylor- the founder of rationalization did not declare any purely or absolutely rational society (Mackenzie-Gonzalez, n.d). Rationalization has also drawn some prevalent weaknesses. In this essay, I seek to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of organizations perceived to rationally configured together with journey of rationalization. In this regard, the areas to be considered include rational human replacement with technology, perception of rational managem ent and linear system, rational predictability, and the rational calculability. In order to have a coherent understanding of the discussions of the weaknesses and strengths of perceiving an organization as purely rational, it is paramount to describe the journey the rationalization process. The organization in the past was characterized by bureaucracy and as it is well illustrated by Weber’s typology of an organization. In particular, Max Weber was apprehensive with what he regarded as the most rational structure of the organization, the bureaucracy, and the influence embedded in it. He then noted that bureaucracies, preceding the industrialization,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

American history Essay Example for Free

American history Essay In American history, there have been numerous instances in which a greater degree of damage and death which visited out shores. In the three day battle of Gettysburg, more than 51,000 soldiers fell. (Burns, 1989) The invasion of France on June 6, 1944 took more than 6,000 lives. Pearly Harbor claimed more than 2300 lives and introduced Americans to a war that would take more than 400,000 lives. However, the events which transpired on September 11, 2001 will always serve as one of the defining moments for those who lived through it. As with the assassin ion of John F. Kennedy was to our parents’ generation, September 11, 2001 will be for our generation. The news is filled with a multitude of calamities. The Asian tsunami in December of 2004 which claimed 200,000 lives or any number of events which take a toll on the human population, due to the fact that the evening news is saturated with events which should horror us but which really don’t as we have become apathetic against its stimulus, there are sometimes, national tragedies which affect the average American in ways that are hard to explain and fathom for those who are on the outside and looking in. This was the case for Natasha Jackson; a 27 year old African American female who lost two family members on September 11. For her, the day is more than just a time to rally behind the troops and to take time out of one’s day to remember those who died. For Natasha Jackson, 9/11 does not stop but continues 365 days a year. Natasha Jackson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. Her father was a police chief in DuPage County Illinois. Natasha was in college while the events of September 11 were transpiring. At the end of her 8am class, which ended at 9:15, and upon walking to her next class, she was overheard some talk about a major news event. She did not realize exactly what had happened until the professor in her next class, told her and the rest of the class what had happened. All of the details would not be known until months and years later. However, by the time the second plane hit the tower, it had become obvious that this was no accident. We had hoped that all of the more than 50,000 people, who, on a daily basis, worked in the Twin Towers, would have been able to vacate the building while it was still standing. This was not the case for nearly 3,000 people who perished when the towers fell. (Burns, 2003) Since I had not known anybody in New York or who were on those planes that were hijacked, I was glad that as for me, the event did not take any of my loved ones. However, I knew that was not the case for thousands of families across the country. America was now at war to defeat terrorism and this would take an additional four thousands American lives to date with more casualties being reported daily. I did not know that the events of September 11 would affect somebody so close to me as I would eventually find out to be the case. Towards the end of September, 2001, as clean up crews were still busy picking up the twisted metal from the site of Ground Zero and plans for a strike against Iraq were being discussed, I learned that two of Natasha’s relatives, were not only affected by 9/11, but were actually killed when the first tower fell. It was something that was hard to realize had hit so close to home even when it was not my relatives that had been affected. More than six years later, Natasha sat down to talk to me about the events of that day and what she felt then as well as now. Natasha commented: â€Å"That day is one that I will never forget for as long as I live. † I was horrified by what I saw on television. However, my reaction was one filled with a bit more panic than my classmates who were watching the same thing as I was. I knew that my aunt, Marilyn Jackson worked in Tower One at Canter Fitzgerald. I would later find out that nearly 800 employees of that firm would die on September 11. (Burns, 2003) † When asked exactly what her initial reaction was, Natasha still finds it difficult to accurately explain what she was feeling. â€Å"I though that I was seeing a movie and that the events in New York was an examples of special effects or something. I really didn’t know what to think. I sat transfixed at what I was seeing and I didn’t get around to calling my father until a couple hours after the towers fell. I just didn’t know how to react. † In the immediate hours after the first tower fell, I actually ran into Natasha. We were not our jovial self for obvious reasons but I assumed that it was due to the events in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon earlier that day. I did not think to ask Natasha if she had known anybody who was killed that day. I knew that she had always had a love affair with New York and hoped to complete her Master’s Degree at New York University one day. I did not know that she had two relatives who lived there in the city. Natasha then explained what her immediate actions were in the hours following the destruction of the first tower and then the second. â€Å"I called my father to ask him the whereabouts of my aunt. He said that he didn’t know and that he would not know for some time. Not only was the event very chaotic, but the fact that he was a police chief in a Chicago suburb, his force went on high alert as there was rumors that The Sears Tower might be targeted. People didn’t know what to think. Everything was a mess. I was a mess as well. I pride myself on being a rational and independent person. I never get anxious but am rather calm and have a strong demeanor. That day, I was not able to contain my composure which only compounded my feelings of anxiety as I did not know how to gather my thoughts. † Natasha then comments on the time when she heard that her aunt was missing and then, a few days later, believed to be dead. â€Å"The next few days, nobody knew where my aunt or many of the other were. I waited by my phone and could not go to class. I tried to separate myself from the various news accounts as there was no shortage of coverage on television. I tried to go for a walk or to go and work out. My attempts did not come to fruition and it only served as a momentary respite from the inner pain and confusion that I was feeling. Eight days later, I received a call from my father who told me that my aunt was probably dead and the possibility of there being any survivors of the attack from those who were in the towers at the time it fell, was very unlikely. The country would later learn that there would not be a single survivor from the fall of the Twin Towers. It seemed unlikely, even before being told that was the case, that anybody could survive that. I still held out hope until I received that call. † The terror that Natasha would feel, would not be confined to only the loss of her aunt, who alone, would be more than anybody could really fathom. What served as a source of added stress, not only was Natasha’s aunt murdered on 9/11, but so too was her uncle. The aunt was from her father’s side and her uncle came from her mother’s side. Gerald Smith was a firefighter and one of the 343 New York City firefighters who died trying to save others in the Twin Towers. (Burns, 2003) â€Å"It is really hard to fathom such a combination punch that misguided and evil people gave to our family. I had been close to my uncle as a child but when he moved to New York, we lost touch. However, as it is the case with most people, those who touch their lives as a child, even though communications might have dropped off, they still reside in an important part of that person’s heart. I had not known that my uncle was still a New York firefighter. However, when my mother called me, not more than two days after being told that my aunt had died, I was told that my uncle died as well. There are no words that could describe what I felt that week. I could not go to class, I barely ate and did not take any visitors at all for the rest of the year. If somebody told me that they I had their condolences and that they understood how I felt, I was so angry inside, that I had to restrain myself from simply punching them in the face. And I am not a violent person by any means. I have strong opinions but usually respect others and would much rather avoid an insulting argument than to engage in one. I just became a very angry and bitter person. † In perspective, I asked Natasha how she now viewed 9/11 and all of the ramifications that it has now had for the country. â€Å"I have considered myself a Democrat for most of my life. However, even though the war in Iraq has been mishandled on a dozen different fronts, I become so angry when I hear politicians from both political parties proclaim that we should simply leave Iraq and that terrorism is really not worth fighting. It seems to me that since America is a very disposable society, people have forgotten what happened on 9/11. I will never forget seeing people jumping 1000 feet to their deaths while the towers burned. When I hear reports of Glasgow, London, Bali and Madrid being victims of more terrorist attacks from a small portion of the Muslim community who have been steered the wrong way, I become very frustrated. Does one have to lose two members of their family in a terrorist attack to remember that America is a very dangerous place and that there are millions of people who would love to attack this country. I still am a Democrat and believe in the principles of the party. I just feel so frustrated, as does most Americans, about the level of unity and as a result, progress that is being achieved in this area. † Natasha spent most of the Fall of 2001, dealing with the deaths of her family members. â€Å" Since there were no remains that were found of both my aunt and uncle, I really didn’t know what to do. I still go to their grave sites but I know that their body is not there. In time, the body would slowly disappear but I wanted to have the same experience that anybody would want who receive some comfort in visiting the gravesite of their loved ones. At least, I wanted to experience that but have been unable to. However, I feel additionally cheated by the fact that the only place where I can visit my aunt and uncle is in my mind. † When asked, Natasha speaks about her life since 9/11. â€Å"I eventually graduated college and even though my plans to receive my Master’s Degree at New York University did not pan out, I still feel close to that city and always will. I went to Boston to work for the Democratic National Convention in the months leading up to the 2004 election. With a degree in political science, I always have been politically aware of my surroundings. I knew that I needed to expand my sphere of influence beyond college and felt that my effort in the DNC, although not successful, still did prove some good. I honored my aunt and uncle in that respect. † It was a trying but successful time for me as I actually got to meet President Clinton while dining at a restaurant in Boston. I walked up to both him and his wife Hillary and introduced myself beyond the Secret Service and Mr. Clinton actually said that he had heard that we were doing good work. Perhaps that was just lip service but it was a great honor for me nevertheless. †

Friday, September 20, 2019

Rationale For Qualitative Research Management Essay

Rationale For Qualitative Research Management Essay METHODOLOGY In a multichannel environment firms interact with their customers through the design, evaluation, coordination and deployment of channels with the objective of enhancing customer value through effective customer acquisition, retention, and development. While the relative value of a multichannel customer over single channel customers is known, but several research and managerial questions like consumer behaviour, channel evaluation, allocation of resources across channels and channel coordination strategies require further study. The objective of this research is to gain further understanding of these issues. In order to meet these objectives, literature on marketing channels, channel management and channel conflict were explored. The literature review provided assistance in developing the research methodology design (refer Figure 2-1). The exploratory research provided further areas for study in the following secondary and primary research. This methodology created the building blocks for a structured iterative research process that effectively related to the literature. The process balanced theory and practise to generate a comprehensive viewpoint on the subject. In the process of creating the methodology the author consulted various journals and books. The remainder of this chapter discusses the methodology adopted to achieve the outlined objectives. Figure 2-1: Research Methodology (Source Author) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY OLeary (2004:p.85) refers to Methodology as the framework associated with a particular set of paradigmatic assumptions that are issued to conduct research. For this research a qualitative approach was incorporated and the author used the inductive exploratory research methodology to unearth the issues. The research process can be best described as a cross-sectional study and involved three phases PHASE 1: RESEARCH PREPARATION This phase primarily involved setting the tone and direction of the main research by defining the parameters to the research questions and the key objectives of the research (based on Saunders et al, 2003). After the initial discussion with the mentor secondary desk based research was conducted with the help of industry journals, online resources, annual reports, industry reports. As the author wanted to expand his exposure to the relevant domain of the research a review of the literature was performed to get a better grasp of the subject. PHASE 2: REASEARCH APPROACH 2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW METHODOLOGY While devising the literature review the author addressed literature on Marketing Channels, Channel Management and Channel Conflict to determine particular concepts best suited to deal with managing conflict in a channel. The literature review was an iterative process that was continuously developed. This process can be depicted as follows (Figure 2-2): Figure 2-2: The Literature Review Methodology (Source Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A. (2007). Research Methods for Business Students (4, Illustrated ed.). Prentice Hall, adapted by author) The research methodology permitted the author to evaluate the relevance of existing literature in a specific real life scenario. The research methodology provided a structured guideline to a complicated enquiry. 2.2 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY This research takes the view of an interpretivism philosophy which is based on the view that the social world of business and management is far too complex to lend itself to theorising by definite laws in the same way as the physical sciences (Saunders, 2003). The author found that organisations cannot be generalised based on the challenges faced in the market place due to individuality hence it has been deemed necessary to discover the details of the situation to understand the reality working behind them (Remenyi et al 1998, cited in Saunders, 2003). The positivist view was not chosen as this type of approach adopts the philosophical stance of the natural scientist in order to produce law-like generalisations (Saunders, 2003) and was deemed inappropriate. 2.3 RESEARCH APPROACH In line with the research philosophy of interpretivism, the inductive approach is taken for the research as it focuses on theory building which follows the collection of qualitative data. Another reason why this approach was selected was due to the fact that the deductive approach tends to develop a methodology which does not allow for alternative explanations of what is happening (Saunders, 2003) which may limit explanations of why organizations experience certain challenges. Inductive approach is particularly helpful as the author was trying to understand why something is happening rather than being able to describe what is happening. Although inductive approach can be much more protracted but often the ideas, based on a much longer period of data collection and analysis, have to emerge gradually. On the flip side the author was aware that with inductive approach there is a constant apprehension that no useful data patterns and theory will emerge. 2.4 RATIONALE FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Creswell (2003) observes two research paradigms: Qualitative and Quantitative as described in Figure 2-5. Qualitative research stems from the social sciences and is utilised to understand, why people behave as they do (Denzin Lincoln, 2005) this would include knowledge, attitudes, beliefs etc. Whereas, quantitative research is more concerned with measuring things (Miles Huberman, 1994). Figure 2-5: A Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative research (Source Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches) As the purpose of the research was exploratory in nature, it was felt that the best approach was to conduct qualitative research through one to one interviews. It has been pointed out by Cooper and Schindler (1998) that the qualitative approach is best suited while undertaking exploratory research and enables the identification of emerging themes within the research process. Moreover, as has been pointed out by Saunders et al (2003), a qualitative approach allows us to understand the reasons for decisions taken by participant as well as enabling an understanding of their attitudes and opinions. Furthermore, as Saunders et al (2003) point out it also enables the discussion into areas that had not previously been considered but may be significant for understanding the issue. As observed by Henderson (2005) qualitative research by its very nature centres on perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes. Creswell (2003) further recommends the use of the Qualitative approach, for problems that are context specific with unknown variables requiring exploratory research. Moreover the research is reliable and verifiable due to the context bound specific scenario. (Creswell, 2003; Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2007). Although it was planned that, wherever possible interviews would be conducted in person but considering the time limitation of the research and the nature of the retail business, the author had to resort to telephone interviews with the pre-determined point of contact. As suggested by Saunders et al (2003) telephone interviews are an appropriate medium in cases where the interviewer has been able to establish their integrity and competence. However, as pointed out by Saunders et al (2003), the lack of standardisation in these interviews may lead to concerns regarding the reliability of the data. As has been observed by Easterby-Smith et al (2002), in qualitative research, reliability is concerned with whether alternative researchers have revealed similar information. However, the data from the interviews were cross checked along with data derived from interviews conducted with the key stakeholders in the company, as well as secondary research material such as the industry specific research reports available in the public domain. Moreover, the data collected was analysed after the interviews for any inconsistencies in what was said by the interviewee. These steps allowed a multiple triangulation of the data which enabled a higher degree of consistency in the data recorded as well as greater reliability. Each interview was tape recorded as it was felt that note taking may have lead to loss of quality information. The recording enabled the author to listen to the interview any number of times to produce a transcript which facilitated a better analysis of the responses. As pointed out by Saunders et al (2003) reliability of the data could be affected if there was interviewer bias (i.e. wherein the author could have imposed his personal beliefs while interpreting the data) as well as interviewee bias (i.e. wherein interviewees may choose not to reveal information if they perceive them to be probing or sensitive in nature). These were kept in mind during the interview process. 2.5 MULTI-METHOD APPROACH Since each method has its unique strengths and weaknesses (Smith, 1975) hence the results will be affected by the method used. Thus, it makes sense to use different methods to cancel out the method effect leading to greater confidence being placed on the conclusions (Saunders et al, 2003). The author employed the case study methods which involved interviews with the key stakeholders in the Organisation, in order to get a feel for the key issues. The author then embarked on the grounded theory approach where data and observation from the semi-structured interviews with the customers was used to develop the research theory. This gave the author the confidence that certain key issues were addressed with relevance to the research. The multi-method approach also enabled triangulation to take place, such that different data collection methods within one study ensure that the data are telling you what you think they are telling you. As in this case, the semi-structured interviews with the key managers in the Organisation. 2.6 DATA COLLECTION METHOD The authors primary desk based research approach had its limitations in terms of the data collection and authenticating the validity of the data from the online resources. In order to prevent this bias in collection and interpretation, the author also resorted to qualitative research technique. The author found the Qualitative approach to be more effective due to the importance of perceptions of channel members in the problem, which needed to be revealed and understood through personal interaction. The data for the research was collected using primary data collection techniques i.e. interviews as well as secondary data sources i.e. company publications, reports, journals and the internet. Based on the analysis of the various data collecting techniques the interview method was chosen. While conducting the interviews with the stakeholders, semi-structured interviews were used wherein some basic themes relevant to the research objectives and open ended questions were developed to investigate responses and ask follow up questions. This allowed the opportunity to probe answers and where necessary the interviewees could be requested to build on and explain the reasoning behind their statements (Saunders et al, 2003). Due credence was also given to the manner in which the questions are ordered was taken into consideration as it can affect the information collected (Lubin, 2005). In order to collect the secondary information company reports, academic journals and internet were used. Textbooks were used to provide the background information on multichannel approach and other relevant areas which can be seen in the literature review. A key limitation was the accessibility to appropriate information from the net can be costly when attempting to acquire journals from website requires a fee. PHASE 3: DATA ANALYSIS 3.1 DATA COLLECTION: METHODS AND TOOLS OLeary (2004:p.85) refers to the Methods as, the techniques used to collect data and Tools as the devices that help in collecting data. For the qualitative research methodology discussed the direct research technique was used, as below: Exploratory research was conducted in the first phase for greater understanding of the situation. This was followed by an extensive in-depth study of the literature from various publications. In order to authenticate these findings in-depth interviews through an inductive technique were conducted with all respondents, to probe the conflict causing issues. The interviews were developed to encourage the respondents, to express their detailed viewpoint. A semi structured (Adams Schvaneveldt, 1991) interview format was used to incorporate parameters specific to the area of authors research. Furthermore, throughout this process the Author took into account ethical considerations to prevent respondents from being misled in anyway. In order to conduct the research activities for data collection Saunders has introduced research onion as a useful framework to illustrate the idea that there are several layers which needs peeling off before the researcher decides the choice of data collection method (Figure 2-3). The following subsections explain research sampling, philosophy, approaches, strategies, and time horizon of the research study. Figure 2-3: The Research Onion (Source Saunders, Thornhill, A and M, Lewis, P., 2003) 3.2 RESEARCH SAMPLING A conclusion can be made from the sample about the population to achieve the research objective (Saunders et al. 2003). It is, therefore, uncommon for a research to survey the entire population due to time and financial constraints, especially, when the population is very large. The research followed a five-step procedure for drawing a sample based on Churchill and Iacobuccis (2002) and Wilsons (2006) suggestions. (Figure 2-4) Figure 2-4: Procedure for drawing a sample (Source Based on Churchill and Iacobucci 2002 and Wilson 2006) In order to obtain a broad and holistic picture, certain key individuals and stakeholders were identified who could provide and in-depth and unbiased view of the challenges being faced by the organisation in multichannel environment. Stakeholders identified included company owners, retail managers and trade counter employees. 3.3 RESEARCH ANALYSIS As Saunders et al (2003) observe while conducting qualitative research it is important to use a conceptual framework for organising the data. The analysis of the data was inductive; because of the exploratory nature of the market research there was no pre-determined hypothesis to direct the analysis (Saunders et al, 2003). The author started with the use of mapping technique to organize and collate all the data gathered through primary research and to understand and analyse the issues, key themes, and patterns and question how an argument fit together. The data was analysed using Thematic Analysis (Matthew Huberman, 1994). A conversation analysis was conducted, which evaluated the words, contexts and non-verbal cues in order to find emerging themes. The data was analysed and interpreted through a step by step process as depicted below (Figure 2-6): Figure 2-6: Data Analysis Methodology (Source Author) The findings were then compared to the data collected from secondary sources and the literature review after which conclusions were drawn. It thus enabled the author visualize the inter-relationships of the issues and give a sense of strategic direction while drafting the recommendations. Due to the use of in-depth and semi-structured interviews, it was felt by the author that a narrative style for discussing the findings would be the most appropriate method. As has been pointed out by Saunders et al. (2003), this approach is suitable where in-depth and semi-structured interviews have been used to collect data as it allows the interviewer to retain the integrity of the data (Coffey and Atkinson, 1996).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Tragedy of Child Abuse Essay -- Violence Against Children

Each day in the United States more than three children die as a result of child abuse (Giardino, 2010). This statistic is too high and there need to be changes to overcome this problem. As a parent you are expected to take of your children and treat them the right way. This is not always the case and children end up being abused in the home were they are supposed to feel safe. Changes need to be made to medical awareness to help keep children safe. Imagine being a child abused constantly by an adult who should be taking care of them. Instead you’re neglected, beaten, slapped, burned, or even molested. Since the advocates are the main ones performing the disservices somebody else must speak up, speak out for them. That’s where healthcare providers come in. These same children are brought to the doctor for various illnesses and checkups. Since those persons in the medical field are trained to recognize potential signs and symptoms abuse this may be the only chance of rescue for these children. There are several types of listed abuse: neglect, emotional abuse, parental substance abuse, abandonment, and exceptions. Child abuse or neglect means the physical injury or neglect, mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment of a child under age 18 by a person under circumstances that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened. (Giardino, 2010) â€Å"Maltreatment means an act or omission that results in circumstances in which there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child may be a child in need of aid, as described in except that for purposes of this chapter, the act or omission need not have been committe... ...Healthcare workers’ but in actuality its everyone’s job because it does take a village to raise a child. References Chancy, S. (2009); The truth about the sexual abuse of children and its aftermath. The trauma myth. New York, NY: Perseus Books Group. Chandler, M. (2010 Jul. 24). Laws on sex abuse in schools. (Retrieved from http//www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/07/24/AR201007240024 2_pf.htm) Evans, M. (2010 Sept.16). The painful tradition of foot binding in China. Retrieved from http://www.pattayadailynews.com//en/2010/09/16/the-painful-tradition-of-foot- binding-in-China/ Giardino, A., & Giardino, E. (2010 Jan.27).Child abuse and neglect. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/915664-print Simmons, M. T. (2011, February). [Interview with Dr. Michael Collins, Pediatrician, Pediatrics of Florence].

Software Patent/Copyright Issues in the PRC (People’s Republic of China) :: Software Technology China Essays

Software Patent/Copyright Issues in the People's Republic of China Introduction This paper is an analytical essay on global ethical issues on software intellectual property in China. It will focus on the software patent and copyright issues that are prevalent in the PRC (People’s Republic of China, including Taiwan (R.O.C. – Republic of China), and Hong Kong). The paper will include personal experiences encountered in this region of the world. In addition, it will include an in-depth analysis on the topic with industry and academic references to defend a particular moral/ethical position, in which software piracy may seem a part of the Chinese culture but is clearly ethically unacceptable. Background Information technology is a key driver in the globalization and growth of the world economy. The total worldwide package software market has been estimated at over $135 billion [1]. Piracy causes significant loss internationally. According to the Software Publishers Association (SPA), the worldwide revenues of business-based PC applications were over $17.2 billion. The piracy rate in China ranked amongst the highest at 96 percent. Software has the distinctive characteristics of digital goods – it is expensive to produce for the first copy (high-fixed costs) and inexpensive to reproduce and distribute for subsequent copies (very low, approaching zero, variable costs). These characteristics make it similar to a public good in that sharing it with others does not reduce the consumption utility of the product. One of the main causes for software entertainment copyright issues in China is that there is a huge imbalance between the people’s demand for filmed entertainment and its constrained â€Å"legitimate† supply. The government quotas severely limit import and distribution of films and television shows, cable television offers a sparse selection of entertainment programming options, and modern cinema screens are in short supply. Hence, the black market has emerged to meet this need that would otherwise go largely unfilled. [9] In addition, software piracy is big business with a lot of money at stake. Selling pirated goods at huge volumes make piracy highly profitable. And in a job-hungry economy, piracy creates hundreds of thousands of jobs that the government may be reluctant to threaten with more rigorous anti-piracy measures. [9] Personal Experience In the last five years, I have had the opportunity to travel to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, three times. Sure enough, a common theme in all three of these geographies is being able to buy pirated goods for cheap.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Exploring Earth Creationist Claims for the Age of the Earth :: Creationism Science Essays

The relative age of the earth is not often seen as a topic of controversy. Much of the scientific data published in school textbooks and taught to students indicate an age on the order of billions of years. Radiometric dating, as well as geological rock studies, have been used as evidence to support such a large expanse of time. However, a small but determined minority, mostly composed of fundamentalist Christians, has been vehemently challenging this age. These so-called â€Å"creation-scientists† have disputed the evidence in support of a young earth. They have added their own measurements and observations, as well as interpreted other scientists’ data, in an attempt to convince others of the possibility and ultimately, the â€Å"truth† of a young earth, one that is no more than 6,000 to 10,000 years old. The young earth idea has its roots in the Bible. If the lineages and families were traced back from known dates in the not-to-distant past, the creation of the world by the eternal Creator would have been around 4000 B.C. Because these creationists call their endeavors scientific, the question arises as to their method for making the claim of a young earth. Creation-science discussions of the age of the earth usually contain several standard items. The first is usually a criticism of the standard evolutionist methods for age determination, radiometric dating. Radiometric dating is the process of determining the age of a substance based on the ratio of isotopes in a given sample. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom defines a particular element. However, the number of neutrons in the nucleus can vary, giving rise to different isotopes of the same element. Some of these isotopes are stable, while others are not. These unstable isotopes radioactively decay to more stable, often lighter elements, called daughter atoms, thereby releasing energy in the form of high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. A particular isotope will have a characteristic half-life, based on the time that it takes for half of the population of the isotope to decay into the daughter elements.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

By 112 Study Guide

Silence of the Bees: †¢ How do bees communicate? Bees communicate through dance (the waggle dance). A methodic combination of buzzing, moving the behind in a figure-eight fashion that informs other bees about pollen/ food that is found in a particular area. †¢ Why are bees so important to the U. S. agriculture industry? Honeybees are the most important pollinator on the planet. They pollinate crops, which in turn creates food to eat. What percentage of the industry do bees account for? They account for one-third (more than 30%) of the food that is produced in America.They pollinate at least 100 of our most important crops (cotton, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. ) †¢ What are some natural dangers to the bee industry? Natural dangers to the bee industry would be natural disasters (wildfires, hurricanes, tornados), wild animals (mainly bears) †¢ What is considered adequate pollination? †¢ What is CCD? Colony Collapse Disorder. This is a phenomenon in whic h worker bees from a beehive/colony abruptly disappear. When did it become a noticeable problem? Winter 2006 is when the issue was noticed, but it wasn’t until the following spring that it was named CCD and was being researched heavily. What are characteristics of CCD versus other hive disturbances/illnesses? The bees are completely vanishing, as opposed to a mite infestation where the bees would be crawling on the ground. Also, other insects leave infected hives untouched †¢ What types of crops are affected by CCD? A lot of crops are affected, all the crops that are pollinated by bees! In the video, blueberries, oranges, apples, cantaloupes (travel 55 hundred miles per year). †¢ Where do we get new bee colonies in the U. S. for industry use? We import bees from Australia.The Australian bees are the bees that could have potentially carried CCD to the US. †¢ What are factors thought to possibly contribute to CCD? Pesticides (which impair bees ability to learn ca using them to forget their way back to the hive), cell phones interfere with be navigation, mites, or a pathogen causing this rare occurrence are all factors that scientists have thought to contribute to CCD †¢ If CCD continues, what would happen to the agricultural industry? Ultimately the agricultural business would die, food expenses would rise, unless we are willing to use hand pollination. What if any crops would be left? The crops pollinated by the environment (wind or rain) Examples are corn wheat, rooted crops (potatoes, carrots, etc. ) †¢ What is the approximate lifespan of worker bees? The approximate lifespan of a worker bee is 28-35 days †¢ What sex are worker and drone bees? Worker bees are female (collect pollen and pollinate other flowers) and drone bees are male (sole purpose= mate with queen) †¢ What is HFCS? High Fructose Corn Syrup †¢ According to the case study, what impact might HFCS have on CCD? If not stored properly, substances within HFCS will form HMF (hydroxymethlfurfural). According to the article used in the case study, what major issues/concerns were addressed by the authors? The first issue is how commercial workers are storing the HFCS in transportation. Also, how the apples will get pollinated if the bees keep dying/disappearing. †¢ What are the advantages to the commercial use of HFCS? It is easy to store if properly stored, stable shelf life (will hold for a long period of time), and cheap (because we have a lot of it; it is easy to find and purchase). It is used to sweeten foods. Earthworms: †¢ Which side of the worm did we cut into? We cut into the dorsal side of the worm (the back).The dorsal side of the worm was smooth and darker than the ventral side (the underside) †¢ Know the purpose of all the organs we discussed. Dorsal side is dark and feels smooth Ventral side is lighter and has a rough feel caused by setae Setae – Bristles that aid in providing traction for movement M etameres are the body segments that are internally separated by septa Clitellum – the light-colored cylindrical structure close to one end of the worm -a glandular organ that produces mucus for copulation -secretes the cocoon into which eggs are deposited â€Å"Head† or Anterior end of worm is the one closest to the clitellum – at he tip is the mouth Posterior or Caudal – anus (where waste is removed) is located here. Oviducts –small openings located on the ventral side where eggs emerge; followed by sperm ducts (located on segments 14 and 15) Cerebral Ganglion (â€Å"brain†) – located at the cranial tip of the worm Aortic Arches (heart) – 5 around the esophagus; pump blood in a closed circulatory system †¢ What is coelomic fluid and why is it important for earthworms? The coelomic fluid is located in the coelom (body cavity) that acts as a hydrostatic skeleton to support the body and aid in movement.What is the typhlosole ? The typhlosole is the fold or ridge in the intestine that increases efficiency. †¢ Why do we dissect Earthworms? We dissect earthworms because they are a great introductory specimen. They lack a skeleton which makes dissection easier. They have some organs of more highly evolved organisms such as a closed circulatory system and simple digestive system. †¢ What type of circulatory system do earthworms have? Earthworms have a closed circulatory system with hemoglobin and amebocytes. They are the simplest organism with a closed system.Blood is pumped by a heart through vessels and doesn’t fill the body cavity. †¢ What do earthworms eat? Earthworms eat organic matter such as leaf, litter, animal waste, etc. †¢ How do earthworms obtain oxygen? Earthworms must absorb oxygen via diffusion through their moist skin because they don’t have any respiratory organs. How does their habitat affect this? Earthworms are burrowers found within rich soil which stays moist, aiding in the earthworms obtaining of oxygen. If earthworms dry out or the soil dries out, they die (suffocate) because oxygen can’t diffuse into their skin.These creatures have adapted by doing two things: 1) slowing down bodily functions during dry spells to conserve water 2) they can lose up to 70% of their body water before dying in this condition. †¢ How do earthworms reproduce? Earthworms reproduce sexually even though they are hermaphrodites. During mating, both worms exchange sperm to fertilize the eggs. This is an advantage because it creates more genetic diversity. †¢ Be able to identify structures in drawings like those in the handout. [pic] [pic] [pic] †¢ Know directional terms. Posterior – towards the caudal end (foot/tail)Anterior – towards the forward end (head) Dorsal – back side of the animal Ventral – bottom side of worm; tummy side †¢ Know the definitions of the external & internal structures we discus sed while dissecting the earthworm. EXTERNAL †¢ Dorsal side is dark and feels smooth †¢ Ventral side is lighter and has a rough feel caused by setae †¢ Setae – Bristles that aid in providing traction for movement †¢ Metameres are the body segments that are internally separated by septa †¢ Clitellum – the light-colored cylindrical structure close to one end of the worm o a glandular organ that produces mucus for copulation secretes the cocoon into which eggs are deposited †¢ â€Å"Head† or Anterior end of worm is the one closest to the clitellum – at the tip is the mouth †¢ Posterior or Caudal – anus (where waste is removed) is located here. †¢ Oviducts –small openings located on the ventral side where eggs emerge; followed by sperm ducts (located on segments 14 and 15) INTERNAL Reproductive System: †¢ Know the path taken by sperm to exit the male body during ejaculation. Be able to explain includi ng all glands and secretions on the path.At the time of ejaculation sperm leaves the epididymis via the vas deferens. As it goes through the vas deferens to the urethra it picks up the following fluids in order: nutritive fluid from the seminal vesicles ( milky alkaline fluid from the prostate ( mucous fluid for lubrication from the Bulbourethral gland/Cowper’s gland. †¢ Why are so many sperm produced? So many sperm are created because not all of the sperm make it to the egg. Many die trying to fight their way through the acidity/stickiness of the female reproductive organs.Sperm must work extremely hard to reach the egg and once it gets to the egg it must continue its rough journey breaking through the zona (hard outer shell of the egg) †¢ Know the definitions of male and female reproductive terms discussed in class. MALE= penis Penis – composed of 3 cylinders of erectile tissue: o Corpus cavernosa – 2 cylinders on dorsal part of the penis o Corpus Sp ongiosum – surrounds the urethra; distal end is enlarged to form the glans penis Scrotum – thin membranous sac that houses testes. Testes o Produce approx. 200-300 million sperm/ 24hrs in each testes o Approx. 700 ft. f seminiferous tubules – 80% of testes. o Essential male organs o Proper function is dependent on temperature Epididymis: o Located over the top back portions of the testis o Store immature sperm Vas Deferens – Tube through which sperm leave the epididymis during ejaculation Seminal Vesicles – add nutrient rich fluid for sperm Prostate: o Golf ball size o Produces a milky alkaline fluid – possibly to help with proper function of the flagella Bulbourethral Gland/ Cowper’s Gland– produces a mucous fluid to act as lubrication during ejaculation. FEMALE= vagina ? Folds of tissue that are covered with hair on the outside ?Smooth and moist inside folds ? Located between bladder and rectum ? Capable of great expansion to allow fetal development ? Lined with endometrium ? lead from uterus to ovaries ? Have fimbriae extensions at end by ovaries to catch released eggs. ? Ova production begins about the 7th week of embryonic development ? At birth each ovary contains approx. 1 million follicles with the potential to develop into eggs ? Approx. 80% of follicles degenerate by puberty leaving about 400,000 ? Only about 400 eggs will mature throughout reproductive life of female †¢ Why do so many sperm not survive?So many sperm don’t survive because of their short lifespan and the environments each individual sperm encounters after entering the vagina. For example: the vagina is acidic so approx. 25% of the sperm die immediately upon entry. Once the environment becomes fluid again, the sperm remain viable for 28-48 hours before sperm run out of nutrients and starve. The female defense system attacks sperm as foreign invaders. And the sperm must make it through the cervix (usually thick mucus) which secretes a protein fluid called musin. Once it gets through the cervix, it enters the uterus moving through the uterine cavity.The flagella of the sperm must work harder to go up the fallopian tube (swimming against current) finally reaching the EGG! 60% of sperm is less than perfect. †¢ What is the difference between sperm and semen? Sperm is the male sex cell of semen that fertilizes an egg, whereas semen is the combination of fluids and sperm that leave the penis via the urethral opening. Semen is sperm mixed with nutritional fluid from the seminal vesicles, alkaline fluid from the prostate, and mucus from the Bulbourethral/cowper’s gland †¢ Be able to identify and label the male anatomy. [pic] Be able to identify and label the female anatomy. [pic] [pic] †¢ What are the male and female sex organs? Know the composition/purpose of each and be able to compare the two. MALE= penis Penis – composed of 3 cylinders of erectile tissue: o Corpus caverno sa – 2 cylinders on dorsal part of the penis o Corpus Spongiosum – surrounds the urethra; distal end is enlarged to form the glans penis Scrotum – thin membranous sac that houses testes. Testes o Produce approx. 200-300 million sperm/ 24hrs in each testes o Approx. 700 ft. of seminiferous tubules – 80% of testes. Essential male organs o Proper function is dependent on temperature Epididymis: o Located over the top back portions of the testis o Store immature sperm Vas Deferens – Tube through which sperm leave the epididymis during ejaculation Seminal Vesicles – add nutrient rich fluid for sperm Prostate: o Golf ball size o Produces a milky alkaline fluid – possibly to help with proper function of the flagella Bulbourethral Gland/ Cowper’s Gland– produces a mucous fluid to act as lubrication during ejaculation. FEMALE= vagina ? Folds of tissue that are covered with hair on the outside ?Smooth and moist inside folds to cap the ends of the corpus carvernosa (similar tissue to that of the corpus spongiosum in males) ? Located between bladder and rectum ? Capable of great expansion to allow fetal development ? Lined with endometrium ? lead from uterus to ovaries ? Have fimbriae extensions at end by ovaries to catch released eggs. ? Ova production begins about the 7th week of embryonic development ? At birth each ovary contains approx. 1 million follicles with the potential to develop into eggs ? Approx. 0% of follicles degenerate by puberty leaving about 400,000 ? Only about 400 eggs will mature throughout reproductive life of female †¢ What is the purpose of each reproductive structure covered in class? Answered in the above question. †¢ Know all of the glands and organs involved in the endocrine system along with their functions †¢ Consists of glands that produce hormones to regulate: growth, reproduction, metabolism, personality, etc. †¢ Hormones – highly specialized chemi cals that act as messages to organs; carried in the blood stream throughout the body. Pituitary gland (Hypophysis) – produces growth hormone and regulatory hormones †¢ Thyroid – produces thyroxin which regulates metabolic rate †¢ Hypothalamus – secretes regulatory hormones †¢ Parathyroid – regulates calcium and phosphate levels in blood †¢ Adrenal gland – produces corticosteroids, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine †¢ Pancreas – islets of Langerhans produce insulin; rest of pancreas produces digestive enzymes †¢ Ovaries – Estrogen, progesterone †¢ Testes – testosterone †¢ How many eggs are matured during one female cycle?Females are born with 1,000 eggs and over a lifetime only 400 eggs reach maturation, but during ONE female cycle a SINGLE is matured and sent out to be fertilized. †¢ How long is an average female cycle? An average female cycle = 28 days †¢ Know the ph ases of the menstrual cycle in detail. o Average of 28 day cycle o Involves release of mature egg, shedding of old endometrium and formation of new endometrium o Follicular phase – first 14 days of cycle ? 1st week: old endometrium is shed (menstruation); follicular development begins ? nd week: formation of new endometrium; follicular development continues ? Ovulation: release of mature ovum around the 14th day; egg has approx. 24 hrs. to join sperm. o Luteal phase – endometrium continues to prepare for possible implantation of embryo o If implantation does not occur by the end of the 28 day (average) cycle then menstrual bleeding occurs and the cycle begins again. †¢ Know the embryonic and fetal development discussed in the power point, video, and in your book. -Blastocyst – 5 days after conception -Implantation occurs within 10 days -4 weeks = arm buds, beginning of eyes 5 weeks = nose -6 weeks = leg buds embryo< 0. 5 inches -7 weeks = ? inch; clearly de fined fingers, visible internal organs and eye lenses -8 weeks = well defined fingers and toes -10 weeks = embryo=fetus; can move; approx. 2 inches long -14 weeks = fetus can bring hands together and suck thumb -15 weeks = sensory organs are almost complete -16 weeks = can actively turn -Fetal respiration = baby â€Å"breathes† fluid in and out. †¢ What is spermatogenesis? The production of sperm begins between the ages of 9-12 †¢ Know the structure of sperm and how/where they form and develop. pic] -Sperm is manufactured in the testes (testicle) in the seminiferous tubules. -Immature sperm are stored in the epididymis until ready for ejaculation. -Haploid cells (23 chromosomes) -Comprised of general three parts: headpiece, midpiece, flagellum †¢ What is the average production rate (may be a range) of sperm in a healthy male? More than 400 billion sperm is produced in lifetime and 200-300 million sperm produced daily. In normal semen, there is approx. 39 millio n (range from 33-46 mil) sperm/ejaculation

Monday, September 16, 2019

The Methods of American Business in Early 20th Century

A little more than a hundred years earlier, United States was an isolated country and the attitude kept developing during that period. The Senate did not want to ratify the Versailles Peace Treaty that ended the First World War and went to an extent that the country did not even join the League of Nations. Free migration into the country that existed earlier was stopped, business tariffs for imports were increased, and migration from Asia was practically stopped. Yet, the country had some special capabilities and one of that were the regularities in the modes of production in the country. The production in America made simpler and rougher goods, used much less of skilled labor since machines and organizations succeeded in taking over a lot of their responsibilities. (Delong 1997) Thus some methods of American business had been developed even before the start of the twentieth century and this may have given the country the lead. It is difficult to ascribe to any particular reason the changes that took place in the American economy during the period before the Second World War America was not one of the leaders of the Western World then as can be seen from the fact that both the World Wars were started by European countries and fought for quite some time by those countries, and America only entered the conflict when it was felt that the tradition of democracy was about to be lost. Yet, there were presidents like Hoover who felt that decline of economy was hurting the American labor. This view had also been taken in 1917 when the government had decided to nationalize the single largest of American industries at that time – the railroads. (Vedder 1997) To a certain extent, the matters of politics and industrial changes were related and the biggest amount of relationship is found in the case of election of one of the most charismatic of American presidents, Frederick D Roosevelt. One of the reasons for his victory at the elections in 1936 is said to be the support given to him by the American Labor. This encouraged the labor union in the hands of CIO to seek more power and even challenge the authority of one of the country's most powerful companies, General Motors. During this period, the company was one of the most profitable and probably the largest organization in the country. This was recognized by the magazines of the time also. The company had 110 manufacturing plants situated all across the country, employed over 250,000 people and was owned by more than 500,000 shareholders. Yet, the attitude of the labor unions irritated the management and made them hostile to both the unions and the New Deal. At the same time, there was the Second World War in progress. (Lichtenstein 2003) Thus to an extent, the development of industry was being hindered through political ideas, but it is difficult to say who won. After the passing away of Roosevelt, the attitudes changed and the unions ended up loosing most of their power. That was also probably due to the conflict of the American system with the Russians who had come up as the most powerful country in the continent of Europe. The growth of the industries of the country was of industrial products and the chief among them was the automobiles followed closely by radios, consumer appliances and development of suburbs. The situation can be understood when we understand that the country had enough vehicles on the road to say that it had more than one vehicle for every five in the population. This is an achievement which many countries cannot state even today. The reason for the development of the country was mass production and that also made it the richest society existing in the world. (Delong 1997) Though all the inventions were not made in the country, but it made sure that large numbers were produced here as it had both the capacity to produce and the purchasers for the goods. It would be wrong to say that there was importance only of production for the War, but production had started earlier. The thought behind this development was the thinking of the major leaders of American business like Henry Ford, Thomas A. Edison, Edward Filenes, and George Swope of General Electric among others. The depression due to the stock market crash in 1929 was hurting people of the country and the president was viewed as a successful business person and he was trying to persuade business to provide help to the people of the country through more employment. (Vedder 1997) Thus it is difficult to say that production for war had any major impact on development of business prior to the start of the War. At the same time, after the production capacities were built up for the war, then one of the major questions was the utilization for utilization of this capacity after the War. This problem had also been seen in 1929 when part of the reasons for the crash was a drop of requirement of goods and services apart from the rather insane growth of the stock market. This was solved through the Marshall Plan and other methods. It helped America to keep on producing against loans to be repaid by much poorer countries, some of whom were never able to repay. The changes in domestic economy over the century have not been remarkable and practices of American consumers have not changed much. There are a lot of realistic impulses within the American consumer which is tied up with the idealism that is sought to be promoted. It contains emotions for freedom and self-fulfillment as the country started with that dream, but, at the same time, many Americans found it difficult to pay for those dreams from their savings and yet required the items as they were felt to be the basis for their identity. This was not accepted in many of the religions that the country started with, but even before the start of the twentieth century it was estimated that the domestic citizens of the country had an eleven trillion dollar of loans in private debt. (Horowitz 2003) This was spread among different people like the urban working class having loans with pawnbrokers, agencies providing small loans and retailers selling goods on installments. Even for building houses, loans were taken from building and loan associations which had to be paid over a period of five years. In spite of the fact that this facility of loans provided a lot of help to individuals in purchases, yet many traditional social workers, economists, clergy, bankers, retailers and newspapers did not like them. (Horowitz 2003) The tradition continues and people still keep taking loans through credit cards and many other methods. Houses are pledged repeatedly so that increase in prices can be taken advantage of. The tradition continues. Post WWI Business (New Industries): This is very difficult to say as many industries are now produced in small parts. On the other hand, in America the individuals decided to concentrate on their private life. The efforts were to separate their lives from others through building up of walls, more prestigious houses with lawns and have a large number of machines – washing machines for clothes, refrigerators to store food and a number of stoves which could be used only for individual dishes. (Delong 1997) Thus one would say that efforts were more on showing off individuality than on development as a social group. It is clear that after the Second World War, the International position of the American economy was viewed differently by the powerful bureaucrats and politicians within the country. There was the history of two major wars, stated by other countries, which were not resolved without the interference of America, though the entire course of wars was fought on other continents. This helped America as her countryside and people were not directly ravaged. The situation was seen clearly in Germany which had lost a lot of its able-bodied men as did France. This had led to those countries allowing a large number of immigrants to come in and some problems for this are being seen in France today. Even during the balance of the twentieth century when Soviet Union collapsed, the sufferings were more directly seen in Russia and other countries. The entire planning of America also reflected this attitude and new organizations like CIA were developed to deal with educationists and others. (Arndt 2005) This shows clearly a feeling that mistakes in the area of political and social thoughts were felt to be possible to resolve through plans. Thus when America got into some wars like those in Vietnam, Korea and Iraq; the people and the culture of the country could not adjust to the losses for a long time. The realization of the fact that the war was lost took some time to sink in. At the same time, it should also be understood that for all these wars, there have been allegations that business was interested in starting some of them. As the country has changed, the policies have also changed and one of the biggest trends is now to have very large corporations. It even exists in the field of health care where there have been mergers of Hospital Corporation of America which had the highest turnover with American Hospital Supply which was the biggest supplier of goods to the hospital industry. When this took place in 1985, this was the largest merger in America by organizations outside the oil industry. (Time1985) The point to consider here is that forming of companies leads to increase in profits so that additional benefits can be paid to shareholders, but at the same time, this leads to increase in costs for the patients. Does it serve the average citizen of the country? Some other difficulties are developed by the systems within the country like requirement of governmental licenses, privileges, subsidy, law and other such advantages. On top of that, there are laws which hinder free trade like the anti-trust cases. (Wright 2002) Yet, the greed among the businessmen does not seem to stop and one of the famous cases was with regard to stock speculator, Ivan Boesky who had stated that â€Å"greed is healthy† in 1985. (James 2002) Are the many changes in the attitudes of businessmen in this regard correct?

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Android Application Development Fundamentals

Application Fundamentals Quickview †¢ Android applications are composed of one or more application components (activities, services, content providers, and broadcast receivers) †¢ Each component performs a different role in the overall application behavior, and each one can be activated individually (even by other applications) †¢ The manifest file must declare all components in the application and should also declare all application requirements, such as the minimum version of Android required and any hardware configurations required †¢ Non-code application resources (images, strings, layout files, etc. should include alternatives for different device configurations (such as different strings for different languages and different layouts for different screen sizes) In this document 1. Application Components 1. Activating components 2. The Manifest File 1. Declaring components 2. Declaring application requirements 3. Application Resources Android applications are written in the Java programming language. The Android SDK tools compile the code—along with any data and resource files—into an Android package, an archive file with an . apk suffix. All the code in a single . pk file is considered to be one application and is the file that Android-powered devices use to install the application. Once installed on a device, each Android application lives in its own security sandbox: †¢ The Android operating system is a multi-user Linux system in which each application is a different user. †¢ By default, the system assigns each application a unique Linux user ID (the ID is used only by the system and is unknown to the application). The system sets permissions for all the files in an application so that only the user ID assigned to that application can access them. Each process has its own virtual machine (VM), so an application's code runs in isolation from other applications. †¢ By default, every application runs in its o wn Linux process. Android starts the process when any of the application's components need to be executed, then shuts down the process when it's no longer needed or when the system must recover memory for other applications. In this way, the Android system implements the principle of least privilege. That is, each application, by default, has access only to the components that it requires to do its work and no more. This creates a very secure environment in which an application cannot access parts of the system for which it is not given permission. However, there are ways for an application to share data with other applications and for an application to access system services: †¢ It's possible to arrange for two applications to share the same Linux user ID, in which case they are able to access each other's files. To conserve system resources, applications with the same user ID can also arrange to run in the same Linux process and share the same VM (the applications must also be signed with the same certificate). An application can request permission to access device data such as the user's contacts, SMS messages, the mountable storage (SD card), camera, Bluetooth, and more. All application permissions must be granted by the user at install time. That covers the basics regarding how an Android application exists within the system. The rest of this document introduces you to: †¢ The cor e framework components that define your application. †¢ The manifest file in which you declare components and required device features for your application. Resources that are separate from the application code and allow your application to gracefully optimize its behavior for a variety of device configurations. Application Components Application components are the essential building blocks of an Android application. Each component is a different point through which the system can enter your application. Not all components are actual entry points for the user and some depend on each other, but each one exists as its own entity and plays a specific role—each one is a unique building block that helps define your application's overall behavior. There are four different types of application components. Each type serves a distinct purpose and has a distinct lifecycle that defines how the component is created and destroyed. Here are the four types of application components: Activities An activity represents a single screen with a user interface. For example, an email application might have one activity that shows a list of new emails, another activity to compose an email, and another activity for reading emails. Although the activities work together to form a cohesive user experience in the email application, each one is independent of the others. As such, a different application can start any one of these activities (if the email application allows it). For example, a camera application can start the activity in the email application that composes new mail, in order for the user to share a picture. An activity is implemented as a subclass of Activity and you can learn more about it in the Activities developer guide. Services A service is a component that runs in the background to perform long-running operations or to perform work for remote processes. A service does not provide a user interface. For example, a service might play music in the background while the user is in a different application, or it might fetch data over the network without blocking user interaction with an activity. Another component, such as an activity, can start the service and let it run or bind to it in order to interact with it. A service is implemented as a subclass of Service and you can learn more about it in the Services developer guide. Content providers A content provider manages a shared set of application data. You can store the data in the file system, an SQLite database, on the web, or any other persistent storage location your application can access. Through the content provider, other applications can query or even modify the data (if the content provider allows it). For example, the Android system provides a content provider that manages the user's contact information. As such, any application with the proper permissions can query part of the content provider (such as ContactsContract. Data) to read and write information about a particular person. Content providers are also useful for reading and writing data that is private to your application and not shared. For example, the Note Pad sample application uses a content provider to save notes. A content provider is implemented as a subclass of ContentProvider and must implement a standard set of APIs that enable other applications to perform transactions. For more information, see the Content Providers developer guide. Broadcast receivers A broadcast receiver is a component that responds to system-wide broadcast announcements. Many broadcasts originate from the system—for example, a broadcast announcing that the screen has turned off, the battery is low, or a picture was captured. Applications can also initiate broadcasts—for example, to let other applications know that some data has been downloaded to the device and is available for them to use. Although broadcast receivers don't display a user interface, they may create a status bar notification to alert the user when a broadcast event occurs. More commonly, though, a broadcast receiver is just a â€Å"gateway† to other components and is intended to do a very minimal amount of work. For instance, it might initiate a service to perform some work based on the event. A broadcast receiver is implemented as a subclass of BroadcastReceiver and each broadcast is delivered as an Intent object. For more information, see the BroadcastReceiver class. A unique aspect of the Android system design is that any application can start another application’s component. For example, if you want the user to capture a photo with the device camera, there's probably another application that does that and your application can use it, instead of developing an activity to capture a photo yourself. You don't need to incorporate or even link to the code from the camera application. Instead, you can simply start the activity in the camera application that captures a photo. When complete, the photo is even returned to your application so you can use it. To the user, it seems as if the camera is actually a part of your application. When the system starts a component, it starts the process for that application (if it's not already running) and instantiates the classes needed for the component. For xample, if your application starts the activity in the camera application that captures a photo, that activity runs in the process that belongs to the camera application, not in your application's process. Therefore, unlike applications on most other systems, Android applications don't have a single entry point (there's no main() function, for example). Because the system runs each application in a separate process with file permissions that restrict access to other applications, your appl ication cannot directly activate a component from another application. The Android system, however, can. So, to activate a component in another application, you must deliver a message to the system that specifies your intent to start a particular component. The system then activates the component for you. Activating Components Three of the four component types—activities, services, and broadcast receivers—are activated by an asynchronous message called an intent. Intents bind individual components to each other at runtime (you can think of them as the messengers that request an action from other components), whether the component belongs to your application or another. An intent is created with an Intent object, which defines a message to activate either a specific component or a specific type of component—an intent can be either explicit or implicit, respectively. A unique aspect of the Android system design is that any application can start another application’s component. For example, if you want the user to capture a photo with the device camera, there's probably another application that does that and your application can use it, instead of developing an activity to capture a photo yourself. You don't need to incorporate or even link to the code from the camera application. Instead, you can simply start the activity in the camera application that captures a photo. When complete, the photo is even returned to your application so you can use it. To the user, it seems as if the camera is actually a part of your application. When the system starts a component, it starts the process for that application (if it's not already running) and instantiates the classes needed for the component. For example, if your application starts the activity in the camera application that captures a photo, that activity runs in the process that belongs to the camera pplication, not in your application's process. Therefore, unlike applications on most other systems, Android applications don't have a single entry point (there's no main() function, for example). Because the system runs each application in a separate process with file permissions that restrict access to other applications, your application cannot directly activate a component from another application. The Android s ystem, however, can. So, to activate a component in another application, you must deliver a message to the system that specifies your intent to start a particular component. The system then activates the component for you. Activating Components Three of the four component types—activities, services, and broadcast receivers—are activated by an asynchronous message called an intent. Intents bind individual components to each other at runtime (you can think of them as the messengers that request an action from other components), whether the component belongs to your application or another. An intent is created with an Intent object, which defines a message to activate either a specific component or a specific type of component—an intent can be either explicit or implicit, respectively.