Ethical and Psychological Egoism Essay

At first glance the theories of ethical egoism and psychological egoism may seem to be very similar, but in fact they differ greatly with respect to their status as making prescriptive or descriptive claims. Ethical egoism is a consequentialist ethical theory that argues each individual should seek to do what is solely in his or her self-interest, and in this fashion it makes a prescriptive claim. Moseley (2006) describes it in this way: â€Å"it is always moral to promote one’s own good, and it is never moral not to promote it. † Similarly, Rand (1964) defines it with respect to selfishness: â€Å"The attack on ‘selfishness’ is an attack on man’s self-esteem; to surrender one is to surrender the other† (p. 7). Therefore, for example, when facing the moral question of whether or not to buy Fairtrade coffee, ethical egoism dictates that the individual should not necessarily think about the employees who pick the beans in Columbia, but should instead consider whether or not buying Fairtrade will give that individual a good image, improve his or her own context, etc. In its strong version, ethical egoism asserts that it is always morally correct to seek one’s own good and never moral to not seek the same, whereas the weak version argues for the former, but not the latter. In this respect, according to strong ethical egoism, I should buy Fairtrade coffee only because of how it benefits me and the thought of benefit for any other person should not even be a consideration. The weak theory, however, still insists I buy the coffee because it benefits me, but it will not necessary condemn me if I also consider the benefit my purchase may bring to Columbian workers for their own sakes. Psychological egoism, in contrast to ethical egoism, is a purely descriptive theory in that it attempts to describe the way in which humans function: it claims the â€Å"fact† that every individual’s actions are driven solely by self-interested ends. However, in this descriptive theory there lies a problematic fallacy. Once one accepts the premise of psychological egoism, namely that everything an individual does is out of concern for self-interest, it is impossible to offer any counter-examples to the theory. For example, if I am a captain of a ship and have decided my crew is planning a mutiny against me, every action that the crew does, whether hostile or simply unimportant, will be interpreted by me as supporting my mutiny hypothesis. In other words, the theory of psychological egoism is simply non-falsifiable. A further difference between ethical egoism and psychological egoism is the doctrine of motivation that undergirds each. Because psychological egoism is merely a descriptive theory, it draws its motivation from nature, or simply â€Å"the way things are†. In this respect, a philosopher like Hobbes (1651) can argue for his contract theory of the state in order to thwart the natural inclinations of humanity to kill one another. His starting assumption is that the state of nature serves as the foundation or motivation for psychological egoism. On the other hand, ethical egoism as a prescriptive theory derives its motivation from the desires of the individual to maximize his or her own self-interests. Self-interest does not mean selfishness, per se, insofar as selfishness pushes for the maximization of individual gains without consideration of others. Rather self-interest may have a communal aspect which allows for achievement of personal goods that, though directed toward the benefit of the individual, may in fact correspond with achievement of goods for others (see footnote 1). Hobbes, T. (1651) Leviathan. Forgotten Books ebook. Retrieved from http://www. forgottenbooks. org Moseley, A/ (2006) Egoism. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www. cep. utm. edu/e/egoism. htm Rand, A. (1964) The Virtue of Selfishness. New York: Signet, 1970

English before final Essay

Poetry about love Love is the most powerful feeling of emotion in all kinds of relationships such as a father to his son or a lover to his mistress. The poem † My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke and â€Å"Sonnet 130† by William Shakespeare focus on a similar theme which is love. The speaker in â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, and the speaker in sonnet 130 describe loving someone more than yourself. In Roethke’s poem, the speaker is a young boy who remembers his childhood relationship with his father. In sonnet 130, a speaker is a man who loves his mistress by celebrating the love for her. Theodore Roethke and William Shakespeare demonstrate the theme of love through using simile, metaphor, and tone to show the importance of love in their poems. Both poets use the device of simile as to express their love. William Shakespeare uses simile as regarding the appearance of his mistress who he loves the most. He compares the look of his mistress to give an idea to his readers about the appearance of his mistress. Such as, it is written in the poem â€Å"My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun† (line 1). By this line, he means that his mistress’ eyes are not at all beautiful like a sun. On the other hand, Roethke uses simile as though the son got hurt by his father but the son still loves him. In his poem, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, he writes, â€Å"hung on like death† (line 3). This line of simile means that the son is denying to leave his drunken father even if he is having trouble holding his drunk father. The reason is the son is so desperate for spending time with his father, which shows the son loves his father a lot. The two poets use metaphor to enhance the importance of their love. Roethke uses metaphor as describing that it’s not easy to dance between loving and being scared of his father. Such as, he writes in his poem â€Å"Such waltzing was not easy â€Å"(line 4). By using this metaphor, he means that it is not easy for a little boy to enjoy dancing and taking care of his drunk father at the same time. In other words, it means that the relationship between a little boy and his drunk father is not such as easy and simple it seems like since it is hard and difficult. On the other hand, Shakespeare uses metaphor as comparing wires and her hair. Such as, he writes â€Å"If hairs are wires, black wires grow on her head† (line 4). By this line, the speaker makes the comparison of his mistress’s hair with wires which means his mistress’s hair is not soft or smooth. In other words, it means the speaker describe the reality of his mistress’ hair by emphasizing t hat his mistress is imperfect. Both poets use the device tone of in their poems. â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† has a tone of accepting and realistic by the fact that her mistress is not beautiful, but he still loves her.† You beat time on my head / Still clinging to your shirt† (last stanza). This metaphor sentence means even though his father is beating his son’s head, but the little boy does not let his father’s shirt since he loves his father unconditionally. In addition, it means the love of little boy does not change even though he got hurt by his drunk father. The †Sonnet 130 † has a tone of love and pain at the same time. † And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare /As any, she belied with false compare† (line 13, 14). By this line, the speaker means that the appearance of his mistress will not him stop loving his mistress less since he loves her no matter the appearance. In another word, it means that the speaker sti ll loves his mistress with all imperfection appearance that his mistress has it. The reason is that the speaker loves his mistress inner beauty than outer beauty. Ultimately, in the poem of Roethke and Willam Shakespeare, the main topic is loving someone else unconditionally. The poem † My Papa’s Waltz† by Theodore Roethke talks about a childhood memory of a young boy with his father. The poem † Sonnet 130† by William Shakespeare talks about a man who loves his mistress with all her flaws. The two poets write about the topic of love with the help of simile, metaphor, and tone. These two poems teach us that a bad action or imperfection of our loved ones will not stop us loving them. Work Cited Roethke, Theodore. â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz.† Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, edited by Robert DiYanni, (2nd edition) McGraw Hill, 2008, Page 505 Shakespeare, William. † Sonnet 130.† Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, edited by Stephen Orgel, with an introduction by John Hollander, 1609, page 134

College Entrance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

College Entrance - Essay Example I am one of those employees. It was only by chance that I came across the Master of Science in Public Affairs program of the University of Massachusetts in Boston. For me, discovery of this masters program offering night-time classes was a gift from the universe because it will allow me to perfectly schedule my day and night time hours in order to pursue this much needed educational degree. Thanks to the short turn completion time , I can get my degree in 18 months instead of longer, I will be able to fast track my higher education while never skipping a beat at the office. Having worked for Anhauser - Busch in the past on their contemporary marketing team, then as a product merchandiser, before moving on to working for the state lottery as a sales representative, I am quite familiar with the need to perfectly balance my work, education, and personal time. Since the MSPA program will concentrate mostly on weekend classes and some weekend seminars, I am definite that the course load will never become too much for me to handle. When I decided to pursue a masters degree in Public Affairs, I told myself that the one thing I would not do is sit down to write a personal statement that would misrepresent myself. I am not going to do that because misrepresenting myself will not be beneficial to me should I be accepted into the program because I would have set myself up to fail due to the unreasonably high image that I would have created for myself just to get into the program. Instead, I am coming to you to present myself as a simple person, hoping to be awarded a slot in the MSPA program of your much admired academic institution. I began my career far away from the current field that I am working in as a State Lottery employee. During my younger days, I prided myself in being one of the most sought after DJs in the state. I made my money that way. Being paid to

Depression and Care for the Elderly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Depression and Care for the Elderly - Essay Example It is possible to have depression rated as higher because of the similarity of some of the symptoms between depression and dementia. Geriatric psychiatric studies have shown a relationship between prefrontal cortex function and successful treatment of geriatric depression1. Geriatric patients who had a positive result during depression screening were studied to determine the pharmacological impact on their recovery. 110 depressed geriatric patients (over age 60) were treated with medication after an assessment that tested the pre-frontal cortex function (to establish a baseline). After three months the study group was reevaluated and a correlation between higher pre-frontal cortex function and depression remission levels was made2. The study showed that depression in the elderly can be diagnosed and successfully treated. The study also showed a relationship between prefrontal cortex function and depression and may indicate a secondary way to identify depression in the elderly (especi ally non-verbal patients). Detecting depression in the elderly is no easy task because of the reluctance to self-report. In addition to the standard characteristics of depression (ie. insomnia, sadness, and loss of self worth), elderly patients may show signs of over concern about bodily aches and pains. Some symptoms of old age (loss of appetite and weight loss) are also symptoms of depression. Obviously, if one is diagnosed with depression and the treatment (medications and/or talk therapy) works, that would confirm the diagnosis. Appendix A contains a typical screening for depression in the elderly. Elderly that suffer from depression often don't take good care of themselves. As their self-care drops so does their compliance level when it comes to medication and diet. This group reports as having a higher incidence of suicide and suicidal ideation than the general population. Studies have shown that suicides in the elderly often use highly lethal methods and are successful more often than in the general population3. This same study found that 20% of elderly patients that committed suicide had seen their health care provider within the 24 hours prior to the suicide, 41% within a week, 75% within one month. This indicates that geriatric practitioners should screen for depression and suicidal ideation at each patient visit rather than a random screen or no screen at all. There is a higher incidence of depression among elderly that are caring for an elderly spouse4. These caregivers often feel older than their age. "Caregivers for impaired spouses experience a kind of distress that isn't easily measured," Kiecolt-Glaser says5. The caregiver's in the study died at a higher rate than other seniors who were not caregivers. These caregivers would benefit from a screening program targeting those who provide ongoing care to their spouse. Teaching and learning strategies need to be in place to deal with depression in the elderly. Both the elderly and their caretakers need to be informed about the causes and symptoms of depression and how to get appropriate care. They also need to understand that they need not feel stigmatized by the diagnosis. Once depression is diagnosed, treatment and education should begin. Because depression lasts longer in the elderly and can hasten death from an existing illness, treatment needs to begin as soon

Masks Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Masks - Term Paper Example This paper will get to review some of the reasons why people wear masks. Also, if it is something they want to do or want to stop doing. There are different individuals in the world. Some have been identified as the best while others not so much. There is the illusion that having friends is better than being alone. This may not be entirely true. When people find people to be around, they claim an undying friendship for each other. Very few people can identify themselves as having true or real friends. This is true wherever research may be carried out about this topic. When faced with problems, it is very easy to identify the real friends from the fake friends. Helping someone that may be headed in the wrong direction could make them feel wanted and cared for (Nutt, King, Saulsbury & Blakemore, p. 25). Having a friend with problems also comes with the territory. A friend may have problems depending on the way they are used to living. Drugs could be a very big problem if not taken care of at the earliest stage. The question many people may ask them is why they do it. The may not have a clear, concise answer for this. They might claim the feeling that comes with such way of living is comforting. What is the use of ‘good feelings’ whenever the use these drugs while bring health complications to one’s life? It is not worth the risk. One should rather be happy and live longer (Nutt, King, Saulsbury & Blakemore, p. 32). These are the types of masks that are present in society today. This mask is acquired at a very tender age. Usually people grow up thinking that life will be all that they thought of. This, they later come to find out, is not the case. When things do not go their way, they resort to such habits. There are many people in life that do not get to see some of the best things that life has to offer. This is because they

Cartridge world Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cartridge world - Case Study Example Take for instance the Cartridge world has reduced the cost of printer cartridges allowing its customers to enjoy using their products without losing quality. The company has for this reason exceeded the expectations of its customers, and its competitors cannot duplicate such service (Arthur, Margaret and John 2011, 56). Focusing on becoming an overall low-cost leader has created a competitive advantage for cartridge world. They have differentiated their products and services from competition; they provide warranty so as not to invalidate their products to their customers. They also provide free collection and delivery; thus, cutting the cost for their customers (Jayne and William 2006, 45). The company has also focused on having distinct appeal to an individual or groups of customers, or maybe industrial buyers, concentrating on their differentiation concerns or cost. The company was able to recognize a need that existed in the market and was able to fulfill it. When its customers demanded change in the price of the ink cartridges, cartridge world introduced a new printer that was able to offer a cheap ink cartridge. It then introduced the product for sale at a competitive price (Porter 1998, 40). Fulfilling an existing need in the market was for that reason more effective than an attempt to identify e new need in the market and then making the customers aware of the need (Pearce and Robinson 2004,

Taxation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Taxation - Research Paper Example Many industrialized countries have been developed the system of health insurances while United States lacks this system. Based on this issue it is evident that the size of public sectors varies considerably from different countries. Comparison of the economies in Russia and United States The economic relationship between Russia and the United States ended a long time, and there are no aspects of mutual destruction (CHERNIAVSKII, and VARTAPETOV 18). However, Russians have remains as the major economic powerhouses, and they have played a major role in the world stage. Russia has an improved culture history, and at times, it has been described as the military agency. However, according to Americans, it has remained an undiscovered country with numerous resources. The economic status of Russia has been in a fluctuation state compared to the United States, based on the Bolshevik revolution although it is interesting to note that differences in geographic population and the military role h ave a major contribution on the entire economic population (McConnell et al. 29). Economic ties between Russia and the United States are important since they provide stability to the broad bilateral relationships among the two countries. Stable political relationships have been developed by economic integration. ... It is evident that several measures have been developed, and they are not less important that the US economic relationships with other developing markets. Government spending as a percentage of GDP Over the past couple of years, it has been noted that trade between Russia and US has developed fast, although it is rated to be on a low level. Since the year 200, the export of US to Russia have increased by an estimated of 22% annually while US imports from Russia have increased to 19% annually. On a basic analysis, it is evident that Russia has contributed to 0.7% of the US exports and 1.3% of imports in the year 2008 (Serguey and Batkibekov 47). The trade between Russia and US has been analyzed through inter-industry trade that accounts for the difference between imported and exported goods, and the intra-industry trade that accounts for similar imports and exports. Considering the different industrial structure and resource bequest of Russia and the US, it is evident that the US-Russ ia trade entails of inter-industry trade (CHERNIAVSKII, and VARTAPETOV 28). It has been noted that the large trade items in inter-industry trade has been accredited to 90% of the improvement of US-Russia trade (Papadimitriou 49). Considering the dominant export and import goods from US, it is evident that the most popular goods from US to Russia include nuclear equipment, vehicles and meat products. However, the largest imports to the US from Russia include mineral fuels, aluminum and inorganic chemicals. The US-Russia economic relations on international perspective gauge whether it has declined through comparison to bilateral relations. This is done, because the US has investments with other countries, such as

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

Diabetes - Essay Example This paper focuses majorly on the bariatric surgery as an intervention for the treatment of diabetes in adults. Bariatric surgery is a consideration for people with type 2 diabetes who have BMI exceeding 35 kg/m ². It involves several surgeries on the gastrointestinal tract. These include the gastric banding or transposing, resecting, or bypassing sections of the small intestine. Interestingly, the gastrointestinal tract surgery had originally been developed for the treatment of morbid obesity. Later on, it was employed as a powerful intervention to ameliorate diabetes in severely obese patients by normalizing blood glucose levels. It reduces or completely avoids necessity for medications alongside being a cost-effective approach for the treatment of the disease. The American Diabetes Association (2014) recommends bariatric surgery consideration especially for adults with BMI 35 kg/m2 and type 2 diabetes. It applies particularly when the diabetes or the associated comorbidities prove to be difficult to manage through lifestyle and pharmacological therapy. An observation has been made that patients who have at a time undergone the bariatric surgery in most cases require lifelong medical monitoring and lifestyle support. Research has provided evidence related to the glycemic benefits of bariatric surgery patients with type 2 diabetes and BMI 30–35 kg/m2. The evidence has played a significant role in the recommendation of the bariatric surgery. However, there has been criticism that in well-designed controlled trials which have optimal medical and therapy as the comparing factor, the longtime benefits, cost-effectiveness and risks of bariatric surgery in individuals with type 2 diabetes should be reconsidered in further studies. In terms of the desired normalization of glycemia, studies have shown that Bariatric surgery achieves very close or complete normalization. Buchwald (2009), in a survey carried out on a population of people with type 2 diabetes,

Illegal Immigration - Effects on large cities Essay

Illegal Immigration - Effects on large cities - Essay Example The 1965 Elimination and nationality act was probably the first effort to control illegal immigration into the US from Mexico (Skinner, 2006). From that date till present, many acts have been introduced in the US regarding immigrants. Some of these acts however (for example the Alien registration act of 1940 and the Immigration amnesty act of 1986), while being explicit in fines and penalties for illegal immigrants and those who employ them were also lenient in a way that these acts legalized a great number of illegal immigrants at that time. Such acts have indirectly encouraged illegal immigration instead of limiting it. According to a study, cited in Huntington (2000), Mexicans constituted 62% of the total illegal immigrant population in the US in the year 1992. Other than Mexicans, illegal immigrants include Filipinos, Chinese, Hispanics and Spanish also. A research by Jordan, cited in Huntington (2000) concluded that without Mexican immigrants, the total immigration level in the US might have been almost equal to two thirds of what it has actually been. Ritter (2006) has estimated that almost 11 million illegal immigrants live in the USA, and this number increases almost by a million each year. According to one estimate, the foreign born immigrant population has exceeded more than ten percent of the total population in seven census years i.e., from 1860 to 1930 (Huntington, 2000). These rates are alarming and suggest that America’s more than half population is immigrant. Garibaldi (2006) has pointed out some issues raised due to illegal immigration. These include encouragement for others in illegal immigration, burden on the tax-paying population of America, injustice towards the legal immigrants, growth of the demand for cheap labor, fake documentations and paper fraud. Similarly, Wagner (2001) has identified the problems related to illegal immigration as follows: economic issues,

Stephen Michael Reich Biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stephen Michael Reich Biography - Essay Example Reich has established himself as one of the foremost composers of our time, as an early pioneer in American minimalism and tape music. At the Cornell University in the year 1953 to 1957, he has studied philosophy, at Julliard, with Vincent Persichetti, he turned to composition in the beginning from 1958 to 1961, later at the Mills College from 1962 to 1963, with Darius Milhaud and Luciano Berio. Strict diatonic and tonal harmonies and steady strong pulse are general characteristics of Reich’s music. Recently with John Adams and earlier with other first generation minimalists like La Monte Young and Philip Glass are generally grouped with Reich. With an unrelenting pulse, short and repeating melodic figures his music is deeply American and is usually compared to be-bop and rock and roll. European forms and techniques have immensely influenced Reich’s music, like the other minimalist composers, which can be viewed as a reaction to the elitist and academic climate of music .At the San Francisco Tape Music Center, in early 1960’s Reich’s early works were created. The earliest examples of â€Å"phasing†, which is one of the most used and well known techniques of Reich are â€Å"It’s Gonna Rain† which was created in 1965 and in 1966 â€Å" Come out† was produced. In this process, two tape loops are set into motion at two slightly different speeds, so that the tapes begin in unison and slowly shift "out of phase," creating a new set of harmonies and rhythms.... At the San Francisco Tape Music Center, in early 1960's Reich's early works were created. The earliest examples of "phasing", which is one of the most used and well known techniques of Reich are "It's Gonna Rain" which was created in 1965 and in 1966 " Come out" was produced. In this process, two tape loops are set into motion at two slightly different speeds, so that the tapes begin in unison and slowly shift "out of phase," creating a new set of harmonies and rhythms. Later this process was integrated into numerous pieces for instruments and tapes or traditional acoustic instruments like in the Violin Phase and Piano Phase in 1967. Reich also introduced into "Violin Phase", new melodic figures that are produced by overlapping voices of the original theme, the notion of "found" or "resulting" patterns. In the year 1971, in Drumming that was very popular and influential this technique was further explored. Reich intensively studied Ghanaian drumming in 1970, that indirectly or directly led to many of the procedures throughout his career and drumming. Developed and re-orchestrated through four distinct sections this piece is a massive, hour long amplification of a single rhythmic cell. The piece begins by introducing the initial rhythmic pattern in a slow additive process. New harmonic and melodic patterns are created through phasing procedures and further build up and reduction, by doubling, first by female voice, and then by whistling and finally by piccolo these are brought to the fore. Even though strictly diatonic however by more diverse harmonic language and noticeably faster harmonic rate of change, Reich's later

Chemistry Soya Milk Essay Example for Free

Chemistry Soya Milk Essay This project has been chosen in view of increasing demand of milk and also due to higher expectations of good quality and low fat diet requirements of the people with better awareness. Also the requirement for such quality products is more acute today. In this project I have prepared soy milk from soyabeans and have compared the conditions of formation of good quality cow milk yogurt and soy milk yogurt. I have also tried to find the effect of temperature on the pH of cow’s milk and soy milk. Thus I have selected this project to find a suitable replacement of cow milk in soy milk to meet the demands of the ever increasing population. SOY MILK: Soy milk (also called soya milk, soymilk, soybean milk, or soy juice) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soybeans. A stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water. Soy milk contains about the same proportion of protein as cow’s milk: around 3. 5%; also 2% fat, 2. 9% carbohydrate, and 0. 5% ash. Soy milk can be made at home with traditional kitchen tools or with a soy milk machine. The coagulated protein from Tofu, just as soy milk can be made into made into cheese. Soy milk can be made from whole soybeans or full-fat soy flour. The dry beans are soaked in water overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours or more depending on the temperature of the water. The dehydrated beans then undergo wet grinding with enough added water to give the desired solids A can of Yeo’s soymilk, poured into a glass. Soy milk can be made from soya beans or full flat soy flour. The dry beans are soaked in water for a minimum of 3 hours. The dehydrated beans then undergo wet grinding with enough added water to give the desired solid content to the final product. The ratio of water to beans on a weight basis should be about 10:1. The resulting slurry or puree is brought to a boil in order to improve its nutritional value by heat inactivating soybean trypsin inhibitor, improve its flavor and to sterilize the product. Heating at or near the boiling point is continued for a period of time, 15-20 minutes, followed by the removal of an insoluble residue by filtration. SOY YOGURT Soy yogurt looks like regular cream yogurt. Soy yogurt, (Soya yoghurt in British English) also referred to as Soygurt or Yofu (a portmanteau of yoghurt and tofu), is yogurt prepared using soy milk, yogurt bacteria, mainly Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus and sometimes additional sweetener, like fructose, glucose, or raw sugar . It is suitable for vegans, as the bacteria for shop-bought soy yogurt are usually not grown on a dairy base. Soy yogurt can be prepared at home using the same method as dairy yogurt. One tablespoon of sugar per 1 liter of unsweetened soy milk may be added to promote bacterial fermentation. Soy milk on its own lacks the lactose (milk sugar) that is the basic food for the yogurt bacteria. Soy yogurt may have a slight beany soy taste when made directly from freshly prepared soymilk, but this is less pronounced in shop-bought soy yogurt and in soy yogurt made from commercial soy milk. Soy yogurt contains less fat than yogurt made with whole milk. This amounts to about 2. 7% (the same percentage as soy milk), versus 3. 5% in dairy yogurt. However, dairy yogurt can be made with 2%, 1%, or fat-free milk, and these cases, it is lower in fat than soy yogurt. Cow Yogurt Yogurt, also spelled yoghourt or yoghourt, is a favorite breakfast, lunch, or snack. A thick, custard- or pudding-like food, yogurt is made by the natural bacterial fermentation of milk. The process of making yogurt involves culturing cream or milk with live and active bacterial cultures; this is accomplished by adding bacteria directly to the milk. Commercially made yogurt is usually made with a culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilis. Yogurt made at home is usually started by adding a dab of commercially made yogurt to boiled milk, and then keeping the mixture at 45 °C. In Western cultures, yogurt is enjoyed in a variety of ways, most popularly as a cool dish mixed with fruit. Yogurt can be used to make healthy shakes or frozen to eat like ice cream. Yogurt can also be used when cooking, in place of milk, sour cream, and even some cheeses. In Middle Eastern cultures, yogurt is frequently served with meat, meat sauces, and vegetables, It can be mixed with various other sauces or used as a tangy dollop on top of a meal. NUTRITION AND HEALTH INFORMATION Nutrients in 8 ounces (250 ml) of plain soymilk. | Regular | Life Whole | Fat |kcal) | Soymilk | Soymilk cow (reduced milk fat) | Free cow milk | 90 | 70 149 | 83 | | 10. 0 | 4. 0 7. 7 | 8. 3 | | 4 | 2. 0 8. 0 | 0. 2 | | 14. 0 | 16. 0 11. 7 | 12. 2 | (g) | 0. 0 | 0. 0 11. 0 | 12. 5 | | 120 | 100 105 | 103 | (mg) | 1. 8 | 0. 6 0. 07 | 0. 07 | | 0. 1 | 11. 0 0. 412 | 0. 446 | (mg) | 80. 0 | 80. 0 276 299 | in 100 ml of fortified soyrpilk â€Å"Alpro Soya† versus semi skimmed and fat free milk: | | Enhanced Semi Fat free Soymilk skimmed cow cow milk milk | Calories (kcal) | 31 47 35 | Protein(g) | 3. 3 3. 6 | 3. 6 | Carbohydrate | 0. 2 4. 8 | 4. 9 | Lactose (g) | 0. 0 4. 8 | 4. 9 | Fat(g) | 1. 8 1. 8 | 0. 3 | Saturated fat | 0. 3 | 1. 1 | 0. 1 | Sodium (rng) | 10 | 44 | 5 | Iron (mg) | 0. 24 | 0. 02 | 0. 03 | Calcium(mg) | 120 | 124 | 129 | Vitamin A (mcg) | 1. 0 | 6. 0 0. 9 | 3. 5 0. 4 | VitaminBl2(mcg) | 0. 38 | Vitamin D (mcg) | 0. 75 | 2. 5 | 0. 0 | CHEMISTRY INVOLVED Proteins are chains of amino acid molecules connected by There are 22 different amino acids that can be combined to form protein chains. There are 9 amino acids that the human body cannot make and must be obtained from the diet. These are called the essential amino acids. The amino acids within protein chains can bond across the chain and fold to form 3-dimensional structures. Proteins can be relatively straight or form tightly compacted globules or be somewhere in between. The term â€Å"denatured† is used when proteins unfold from their native chain or globular shape. Denaturing proteins is beneficial in some instances, such as allowing easy access to the protein chain by enzymes for digestion, or for increasing the ability of the whey proteins to bind water and provide a desirable texture in yogurt production. The main (starter) cultures in yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The function of the starter cultures is to ferment lactose (milk sugar) to produce lactic acid. The increase in lactic acid decreases pH and causes the milk to clot, or form the soft gel that is characteristic of yogurt. The fermentation of lactose also produces the flavor compounds that are characteristic of yogurt. REQUIREMENTS Beakers, pestle and mortar, measuring cylinder, glass rod, tripod-stand, thermometer, muslin cloth, burner. Soya beans, cow milk, fresh curd and distilled water, pH papers. PROCEDURE 1) Soak about 150g of Soya beans in sufficient amount of water so that they are completely dipped in it. 2) Take out swollen Soya beans and grind them to a very fine paste 3) Filter it through a muslin cloth. Clear white filtrate is soya bean milk. Compare its taste with cow milk. 4) Take 50 ml of soya bean milk in three other beakers and heat the beakers to 300, 40 °and 50 °C respectively. Add ? spoonful curd to each of these beakers. Leave the beakers undisturbed for 8 hours and curd is formed. 5) Similarly, take 50 ml of cow milk in three beakers and heat the beakers to 30 °, 40 ° and 50 °C respectively. Add ? spoonful curd to each of these beakers. Leave the beakers undisturbed for 8 hours and curd is formed. 6) Take 20 ml of cow milk and soya bean milk in two separate test tube and test OBSERVATION TYPE OF MILK| BEAKER NO| TEMPERATURE. C| TIME TAKEN TO FORM CURD(HRS)| TASTE OF CURD(AFTER 8 HRS)| COW’S MILK| 1| 30| 6. 5| SWEET| | 2| 40| 5| SOUR| | 3| 50| 4| SOUR| SOY MILK| 4| 30| 8. 5| NOT FORMED| | 5| 40| 7| SWEET| | 6| 50| 6| SWEET| TYPE OF MILK| BEAKER NO| TEMPERATURE. C| pH| COW’S MILK| 1| 30| 6| | 2| 40| 6| | 3| 50| 6| SOY MILK| 4| 30| 7| | 5| 40| 7| | 6| 50| 7| RESULT 1. For cow milk, the best temperature for the formation of good quality and tasty curd is 40 °C and for soyabean milk, it is 50 °C. 2. For cow milk, the pH of good quality and tasty curd is 5 and for soyabean milk, it is 6. INFERENCE Thus the formation of good quality soy yogurt the time taken was 7 hours for a sample at 50 °C and at a pH value around 6. whereas, for the formation of good quality curd the time was 5 hours for a sample at 40 °C and at a pH value around 5. Thus a good yield of curd can be obtained with soy milk. And moreover soy yogurt helps in controlling type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The enzymes in the soy yogurt also help in regulating blood sugar levels. Thus soy milk is a suitable replacement of cow milk to meet the demands of the ever increasing population. INDEX Why I chose this project? 1 Soya bean milk 1 Soy yogurt 4 Nutrition and Health Information 7 Chemistry involved 9 Requirements 10 Procedure 11 Observations 12 Result 13 Inference 13 Bibliography 10 BY: Vishal Kamalakannan.

Functionalization of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Functionalization of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes The functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with different drugs Duma (Voiculet), M. Prodana, I. Demetrescu Abstract—Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by various groups (carboxyl or amino) can improve the properties of anti-tumoral drugs (cisplatin, docetaxel, zometa). Functionalization was evidenced by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Platinum ions released in simulated body fluid (SBF) were measured by inductively coupled plasma ion spectrometry (ICP-MS). Keywords—functionalization, FTIR, drug, carbon nanotubes, TEM. 1. Introduction In our days currently available technologies have made significant advances in cancer research, but proper treatment remains elusive. According to the report issued by the World Global Health (WHO) it is estimates that the incidence of new cancer cases increase by more than 10 million each year and the rate of deaths caused by this disease is over 6 million per year [1]. The most common cancers causing death are listed as WHO: lung cancer, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancers. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess properties for the development of advanced drug delivery systems, including their very large surface, which allows multi-conjugation of various molecules on the side walls. Molecules that contain aromatic groups may be easily covalently linked to strong interactions CNTs. 1-D functionalized CNTs (F-CNTs) could improve the binding of a single cell interaction via multiple binding sites, due to their flexibility. Clinical practice guidelines such as those from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO guidelines on extended use of intravenous bisphosphonates in metastatic breast cancer), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN Breast Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines), and the NCCN Task Force Report on Bone Health in Cancer Care all recognize the positive utility of bisphosphonate as zoledronic acid (Zometa) use in palliative bone care [2-5]. However, as new classes of inhibitor agents enter the metastatic cancer palliative it is important to understand how palliative care treatment modalities are used outside of the clinical trial setting. In this idea the present research is an investigation of a multiple hybrid functionalization of carb on nanotubues with drugs, introducing as a novelty functionalization with cisplatin, docetaxel and zometa [6]. 2. Experiment part The best known method of functionalization is noncovalently modified by embedding fragments containing functionalized aromatic groups in the outer wall of CNTs through interaction Ï€-Ï€ [7]. 2.1 Reagents Multiwalls carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) purchased from Sigma Aldrich had more than 90% carbon and 10 to 15 nm x D x L 0.1 10 pm, produced by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). Oxidation of the carbon nanotubes was made using a mixture of 98% sulfuric acid (Merck). Ethylenediamine (EDA)-modifying agent was supplied by Fluka. We used saline zometa, docetaxel (Dox) and cisplatin, from pharmaceutical market, and all reagents were not further purified. In the last years there are studies in literature regarding CNTs functionalization with different drugs [8-10]. 2.2 Equipment FTIR spectra of functionalized MWCNTs were registered on a Perkin Elmer, Spectrum 100 equipment in 400à ·4500 cm-1 range with 4 cm-1 resolution and 32 scans. Nano-sized particles were investigated using TEM analysis with a microscope Philips EM-410, 60kV. ICP-MS, ELAN DRC-e Perkin Elmer SCIEX U.S.A. was used for platinum determinations. The detection limit was 0.001ÃŽ ¼g.g-1. 2.3 Procedure Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were functionalized with both amino and carboxyl groups. This functionalization was performed with the purpose to reduce the toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. MWCNTs (0.9 g) were dispersed in 98% sulfuric acid and ultrasonicated at 50 °C for 6 h to obtain MWCNT-COOH. Functionalization of MWCNTs reduced toxicity of carbon nanotubes. 0.3 mg MWCNT-COOH were ultrasonically prepared with thionyl chloride SOCl2 (50 ml) for 30 minutes at room temperature. The suspension obtained was refluxed under magnetic stirring at room temperature for 48 hours and then filtered. The filtrate was washed with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dried at room temperature for 20 minutes. MWCNTs-SOCl2 were immersed in ethylenediamine at room temperature for 10 hours. The mixture was washed with tetrahydrofuran and filtered. The filtrate was dried at 80 ° C for 10 hours. Throughout preparation process, docetaxel, cisplatin and zometa was added to carbon nanotubes. Docetaxel was difficult to absorb due to their hydrophobic characteristics. Docetaxel (5 mg) was added to a solution of MWCNT, MWCNT-COOH, MWCNT-NH2 in 1 ml of saline and 0.5 ml of anhydrous ethanol using an ultrasonic bath for 48 hours at 50  °C. The suspension was centrifuged at 10000 rpm for 15 minutes until the carbon nanotubes were fully precipitated. Cisplatin (2 mg) was added to solutions that contain MWCT, MWCNT-COOH and MWCNT-NH2 in 1 ml of saline and was sonicated for 48 hours at 50 °C and filtered. The remaining solids were rinsed with anhydrous ethanol and deionized water to remove the excess of docetaxel and zometa. All samples were investigated using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). 3. Results and discussions FTIR spectroscopy is a very useful tool to show the presence of functional groups on the surface of MWCNT-COOH an MWCNT-NH2. The bands allocated to groups: -OH, -CH2 and amino in the four samples are almost identical. For MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA functionalized sample, for –CH groups bands appear in a range from: 3556.86 to 2921.60 cm-1, for CDDP the range is: 852.24 to 520.89 cm-1, for Dox the peaks for characteristic groups O=O is at 1082.30 and 1030.31 cm-1 and for zometa the range is betwwen 1461.51 to 1349.22 cm-1 as is shown in Figure 1a. In case of MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH groups appears at 3555.69 cm-1, for CDDP the range is between 857.30 to 560.78 cm-1 and for zometa the specific bands are in a range between: 1463.81 to 1349.45 cm-1 as is shown in Figure 1b. For MWCNT-COOH-DOX-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH groups appears in a range from: 3235.44 to 2922.98 cm-1, for Dox the range for characteristic groups O=O is 1072.19 to 1031.74 cm-1 and for zometa specific peaks appear in a range: 1453.93 to 1350.28 cm-1 as is shown in Figure 1c. For MWCNT-COOH-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH groups appear in a range from: 3546.07 to 2922.38 cm-1, for ZOMETA the range is between: 1461.51 to 1352.80 cm-1 as is shown in Figure 1d. Fig.1. FTIR spectra for: a). MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA; b). MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-ZOMETA; c). MWCNT-COOH-DOX-ZOMETA; d). MWCNT-COOH-ZOMETA In case of MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH functional grups are between: 3696.20 to 3544.20 cm-1, for amines group appear peaks between: 1735.03 to 1624.51 cm-1, for CDDP the peaks are between: 854.77 to 560.27 cm-1, for DOX the range is: 1077.24 to 1032.25 cm-1 and for zometa from 1448.87 to 1349.46 cm-1 as shown in Figure 2a. For MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH groups are between: 3721.57 to 3012.65 cm-1, for amines groups the peaks are between: 1735.03 to 1623.54 cm-1, for CDDP from 859.83 to 580.56 cm-1 and for zometa the peaks appear between: 1483.93-1241.57 cm-1 as shown in Figure 2b. For MWCNT-NH2-ZOMETA functionalized sample, bands for –CH functional grups are between: 3544.43 to 3012.65 cm-1, for amines group peaks appear between: 1736.74 to 1640.05 cm-1 and for ZOMETA characteristic peaks appear between: 1466.57 to 1345.22 cm-1 as shown in Figure 2c. Fig. 2. FTIR spectra for: a). MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA; b). MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-ZOMETA; c). MWCNT-NH2-DOX-ZOMETA; d). MWCNT-NH2-ZOMETA Morphology of nanosized particles are investigated by transmission electron microscopic analysis (TEM). From this analysis shown in Fig. 3 it is evidenced the surfaces of MWCNTs functionalized with carboxyl CDDP, Dox and zometa. MWCNTs have a curved shape about 10-20 nm in diameter and a length of 0,1-10 microns. TEM images show CDDP and DOX grains of 10-20 nm in width while ZOMETA sample is spread radially from a common center at the intersection of MWCNTs. Encapsulation of drugs is well emphasized. In Fig. 4 morphology reveals multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with amino group in which drugs were added (CDDP, DOX and ZOMETA). a). b). c). d). Fig. 3. TEM morphologies for: a). MWCNT-COOH-DOX-ZOMETA; b). MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-ZOMETA; c). MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA; d). MWCNT-COOH-ZOMETA a) b) c) d) Fig. 4. TEM morphologies for: a). MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA; b). MWCNT-NH2-CDDP-ZOMETA; c). MWCNT-NH2-DOX-ZOMETA; d). MWCNT-NH2-ZOMETA Samples were placed in SBF for different periods of times and the solutions were analyzed. The samples were added in a nebulizer for vaporization. Conditions were selected to maximize the ion signal while platinum solution was introduced in vapors generator. The steam generated was then transported to the ICP-MS to determine platinum ions. The largest amount of platinum ions was recorded for MWCNT-COOH-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA as can be seen in fig.4 This value indicates that there are good possibilities for further analysis. Fig. 4.Platinium ion release from hybrid functionalized MWCNT with various drugs. 4. Conclusions We presented a study of docetaxel, cisplatin and zometa added to MWCNTs functionalized by carboxyl and amino groups. FTIR measurements have been used for structural characterization of drugs encapsulation in MWCNTs-COOH. This functionalization (encapsulation) is confirmed by TEM analysis that shows the morphology of the samples. CDDP release was measured by ICP-MS techniques and the amount of platinum ions was found higher in case of MWCNTs-COOH-CDDP-DOX-ZOMETA. Acknoledgments. PhD student A. Voiculet acknowledges the financial support from the European Social Fund through POSDRU//1.5/S/†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. References [1] B.W Stewart and P.Kleihuers, World Cancer Report,WHO, 2003 [2] G. De Rosa,G. Misso, G.Salzano and Michele Caraglia† Bisphosphonates and Cancer?What Opportunities from Nanotechnology†, J Drug Delivery, 2013, dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/637976 [3] U Ripamontia, , R M. Klara, L F. Rentona, C Ferretti â€Å"Synergistic induction of bone formation by hOP-1, hTGF- b 3 and inhibition by zoledronate in macroporous coral-derived hydroxyapatites†, Biomaterials, 31, 2010, pp. 6400 [4] G. Salzano, M. Marra, M. Porru, S. Zappavigna, A. Abbruzzese, M.I. La Rotonda, C. Leonetti, M. Caraglia, G. De Rosa â€Å"Self-assembly nanoparticles for the delivery of bisphosphonates into tumors† Int J Pharm, 403, 2011, pp.292 [5] M. Marra, G. Salzano, C. Leonetti, M. Porru, R. Franco,S. Zappavigna, G. Liguori, G. Botti, P. Chiefà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ , M. Lamberti,G. Vitale, A. Abbruzzese , M. I. La Rotonda, G. De Rosa, M. Caraglia â€Å"New self-assembly nanoparticles and stealth liposomes for the delivery of zoledronic acid: a comparative study†, Biotechnol. Adv. 30, 2012, pp. 302 [6] MJ Ernsting,M Murakami ,E Undzys ,A. Aman ,B Press ,SD Li â€Å"A docetaxel-carboxymethylcellulose nanoparticle outperforms the approved taxane nanoformulation, Abraxane, in mouse tumor models with significant control of metastases†, J Contorl Release, 162(3),2012, pp. 578 [7] L Mo ,L Hou ,D Guo ,X Xiao ,P Mao ,X Yang â€Å"Preparation and characterization of teniposide PLGA nanoparticles and their uptake in human glioblastoma U87MG cells† Int. J. Pharm., 436(1-2),2012, pp. 815 [8] M. Prodana, A. Voiculet, S. Garea, M.Radu, H Iovu, I Demetrescu, A Dinischiotu Synthesis, characterization and controlled toxicity of a novel hybrid material based on cisplatin and docetaxel „Cent. Eur. J. Chem.,2014, 12(10), pp. 1008 [9] A.Duma (Voiculet), M. Prodana, I. Demetrescu† Cisplatin functionalization of multiwalld carbon nanotubes† U.P.B. Sci. Bull. B, 76(1), 2014, p 49 [10] M. Prodana, A. Voiculet, D. Bojin , D. Ionita† Nanocomposites based on Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Drug Molecules† REV. CHIM. (Bucharest),64(8), 2013,pp.848

Effect of Greywater on Plant Growth

Effect of Greywater on Plant Growth Water availability in South Africa is integral to the economy, but South Africa is a water scarce nation. An alternate solution for household waste water, excluding toilet waste commonly known as greywater is to use it for irrigation in rural community gardens. This is likely to decrease the stress on the current potable water supply and simultaneously improve food security. Indigenous African leafy vegetables are a staple diet throughout Africa. A viability trial highlighted three out of six African leafy vegetable species; Amaranthus terere, Corchorus olitorius and Cloeme gynandra. Two treatments were used as suitable for trials of germination and growth under irrigation of tap water and greywater. Greywater treatments throughout the species decreased germination and seedling height was diminished. A. terere was the most robust to both the treatments as well as weather variability. Continuous investigation is needed to address the water scarcity and subsequent food insecurity. Keywords: greywater, irrigation trial, African leafy vegetables, germination and growth Introduction Water scarcity in South Africa is an issue that requires robust discussion and debate. If not addressed, it is likely to have serious consequences for both economic growth and the countrys population (Momba et al., 2006). Agricultural industry constitutes 12% of South Africas GDP. Even though this sector is decreasing, it is still water intensive. Without aviable water source, economic input in this sector is likely to have ramifications on the countrys health (Morel and Diener, 2006). Statistics show 65% of the country receives less than 500mm of rainfall per annum (Schulze, 1997). The level of water insecurity places pressure on the existing water resource for irrigation. This shortage is felt disproportionally by small-scale subsistence farmers and community gardeners. South Africa is one of twelve countries that have safe drinking in the world and is ranked third in this group. However, there are many rural communities with under-developed water supply systems or these communities lack access to potable water sources (Momba et al., 2006 and Mackintosh and Colvin, 2002). While the need is great these small communities, they account a small percentage of the customer base. This then fuels the vicious cycle of supply and demand. As a result alternative water sources need to be acquired to satisfy the demand. Grey water is likely to be a viable prospect to efficiently mitigate this deficiency (Alcamo et al., 2000). It consists of domestic waste water excluding toilet waste. The use of potable water is not needed for all consumptive practices, example irrigation (Alfiya et al., 2011). The main objective of finding alternative and sustainable water usage is to attain water security. Water insecurity is highly interlinked with food insecurity (Al-Jayyousi, 2002 and Blaine, 2012). Thus the use of greywater for small scale agriculture has the potential to address both water insecurity and food insecurity (Rodda et al., 2011). They are most usually harvested from the wild. This practice is a threat to the continued survival of these plants Cultivating African leafy vegetables would also address their conservation need (Momba et al., 2006). Indigenous African leafy vegetables are a part of the staple diet in South Africa (Momba et al., 2006). The challenge is to continue production of these vegetables without jeopardizing potable water supplies, but by utilizing alternate water source such as grey water as a means of irrigation. The concept of grey water had both advantages and disadvantages (Rodda et al., 2011). Reducing stress on the potable supply is a main benefit but there are drawbacks to using waste material to grow plants, households have different proportions of additives, thus may effect plant growth (Roesner et al., 2006). Whereas the risks are divided into three main categories; possible detrimental effects on the environment which decreases the ability for soil to provide plant growth, subsequent effects on plant growth and yield, and risk to human health (Rodda et al., 2011). The aim of this study was to determine whether irrigation with grey water had an effect on seed germination and seedling growth, and whether this effect differed with detergent formulation. The objective was to assess if grey water can replace potable water for irrigation of indigenous plants. It was predicted that seedlings under tap water-irrigated conditions would have a greater growth rate than under greywater conditions. It was further predicted that rate of germination would not be affected by the grey water. Materials and methods This investigation took place in 2 parts. This first was to assess the viability of the seeds and to select the species for further investigation. In the second, seed germination and seedling growth under grey water and tap water treatments irrigation were evaluated. Germination trials Germination trials were performed in the laboratory in the Biology Building at UKZN (Westville Campus). An initial experiment was conducted with six species (Solanum nigrum, Amarathus terere, Corchorus olitorius, Solanum villosum, Amarathus dubois and Cloeme gynandra). Germination was tested. The most viable 3 were chosen to determine the germinability of the three selected species of African leafy vegetables. Only viability was tested for as this was pertinent to the success of the actual trial. The viability criteria were the speed at which germination took place. This indicated the viability of the seeds and validates the ability to germinate under controlled conditions. The germination viability trial was conducted in the laboratory. Each of the three species (Cloeme gynandra; Amaranthus terere; Cochorus olitorius) had six replicates of ten seeds each. Seeds were placed randomly on filter paper in a Petri dish and a smaller piece of filter paper was placed over. They were watered with deionised water until moist. An equal number of seeds were placed under illuminated and dark conditions. These were then monitored every 24 hours and replenished with deionised water as necessary. Once germination had occurred and the radicle was greater than 1 cm, seedlings were moved to the left side of the Petri dish. This prevented recounting and recording. Percentage germination was recorded. Description of Species The initial viability trial revealed that the following three Kenyan species were the most viable. C. gynandra is commonly known as spider plant. It is used as a component of a high fibre diet and, from indigenous knowledge, has medicinal properties (Mauyo et al., 2008). A. terere is another widely grown consumable in East Africa (Nabulo et al., 2011). The final species used was Corchorus olitorius, Jews mallow, a dark green leafy vegetable high in protein which is consumed in most African communities. Irrigation Trial Trails of irrigation with greywater and tap water were then performed in the Biology greenhouse at UKZN (Westville campus). Synthetic greywater (10 l) was made up freshly weekly (Table 1). It was stored in the cold storage to impede bacterial and algal growth. Detergent products used to generate the greywater were representative of solid or powder detergent products typically used in lower income households, which are those most likely to benefit from the use of greywater for irrigation of subsistence crops. The flour, nutrient broth and cooking oil were used to represent carbohydrates, salts and proteins, and greases respectively in the synthetic greywater. Seedling trays (6) were filled with Berea red soil. For three days prior to planting, the seedling trays were watered with tap water and greywater respectively until they were saturated to field capacity. The seeds were then planted into seedling trays. Species were randomized per tray. Sixty seeds of each species were watered with tap water and the other sixty seedlings were watered with the synthetic grey water. For the first 14 days, trays were watered every 24 hours. Each seed was hydrated with 0.25 ml of either synthetic grey water or tap water. Thereafter, trays were watered every second day for the remainder of the trial. The experiment was repeated three time under three treatment groups; the first treatment group was tap water for germination and subsequent growth, tap water for germination and then greywater for growth and the final treatment of grey water throughout the lifespan of the plants. Height was measured weekly. Productivity was measured by destructive harvesting (dry mass production) at end of experiment. However plant height was gauged growth during the experiment. On two occasions there was death of seedlings due to severe weather conditions and this restricted the growth period. Since this investigation was over a short time span. The weather impacted the progress of experiment. Weather variability such as intense heat, humidity and berg winds, and strong rains affected the seedlings. Even though they were protected in the shade house, the extreme elements could have inhibited their germination and growth. Statistical Analysis The data were analyzed using SSPS version 19. Two sets of statistical analyses were performed. The first test was to show the difference between greywater and tap water in terms of growth (height). A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to test for normality. Levenes test for Equality of Variances was performed, the assumption homoscedasticity was violated but all other assumptions were satisfied. Since the data was not normally distributed a more robust Mann-Whitney U test was done, to evaluate the differences in germination for each species under the two conditions (greywater-irrigated and tap water-irrigated). An excel graph was then used to show the rate at which the all three species comparatively germinated in terms of the two treatments (greywater-irrigated and tap water-irrigated). Results Seed germination and seedling growth are gauged by the germination totality and seedling height measured weekly. Initial germination was 70% in tap water-irrigated seeds whereas as 45% in greywater-irrigated seeds. Figure 1 shows the totality of germinated seeds present over time for each of the three species. A. terere and C. olitorius had the highest totality under controlled laboratory conditions; C. gynandra seeds had the lowest survival percentage >40%. A. terere has the highest standard deviation, indicating the data is wide spread. Figure 2 the initial and final number of seedlings present per species and the treatment. Co. olitorius under the grey water treatment had the least number of seedlings that survived. This species also had the greatest difference between the treatments. A. terere had the greatest number of individuals that survived in both the treatments. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test rejected the H0 that there will be no difference between the two treatments, there is a significant difference between height of the three species per treatment. Therefore the distributions of height for each species across the treatments are different. Plant height differed significantly among the treatment (p < 0.05). Greywater -irrigated seedlings consistently attained a lesser height than tap water-irrigated seedlings across all species (Figure 3). Figures 3 indicate the difference in height between tap water irrigated and greywater-irrigated plants for each species. The standard deviation is shown as an error bar. Seedling height 18days after germination was lower in grey-water irrigated plants than in tap water-irrigated plants for all 3 species. A. terere had the largest standard deviation of tap water-irrigation with 10.197 whereas the greywater-irrigation treatment was 9.1197. C. olitorius which had a visibly lower standard deviation than A. terere tap water-irrigated treatment was 5.753186 and the greywater-irrigated treatment was 1.558646. Finally with the lowest standard deviation, C. gynandra tap water-irrigated treatment was 0.588196 and the greywater-irrigated treatment was 0.316563. C. olitorius had the greatest discrepancy for tap water-irrigated and greywater-irrigated. Discussion and Conclusion Africa, according to Morel and Diener (2006) is known as a water insecure continent. As adjustments are discussed on the efficient use of potable water, reusing waste water is seen as a possible solution. Alternative irrigation methods are needed for progress. Greywater is a possible alternative water source, however contrasting evidence in Morel and Diener (2006) indicates that the potential drawbacks, even though greywater is less contaminated than other waste water. Untreated greywater contains solid particles, pathogens, grease and oils, salts, and chemicals. According to Rodda et al. (2011) these impurities could have negative effects on soil quality, ground water supply and human health. With such strong findings there are studies that have shown greywater reuse as a viable alternative to 100% potable water. Greywater has been implemented a cost-effective means to reduce domestic water levels. According to Morel and Diener (2006) greywater reuse produced average yield, with decrease in water usage and fertilizer requirements. In both Cyprus and Israel domestic water used was reduced by effective greywater management schemes (Moral and Diener, 2006). In this study, greywater-irrigated seeds and plants consistently yielded poorer germination (Figure 1 and 2) and growth (Figure 3) of three species of African leafy vegetables. The germination trial (Figure1) yielded a higher percentage of germinated seeds than the outdoor irrigation trial. This is possibly due to the controlled, pathogen-free environment in the laboratory. Cited by Pinto (2010) experiment alternate watering regimes of potable water and greywater resulted in the growth of the plants very similar to 100% potable water. This is a means to mitigate the soil health risks related with greywater reuse. Even though Pinto (2010) had no significant change of plant biomass in the control and treatment, it differed in this investigation. Figure 2 indicates that A. terere were unable to acquire a high germination percentage in grey-water irrigated treatments but acquired the highest tap water-irrigated germination percentage. Hence the treatment of greywater-irrigated seeds affected their ability to germinate, with initial germination at 70% in tapwater-irrigated seedlings whereas as 45% in greywater-irrigated seedlings. The best germination in greywater-irrigation was observed by A. terere, possibly reflecting its resilience under a wide range of conditions as mentioned by Nabulo et al. (2011). Cl. gynandra had an average of  ±7% greater tapwater-irrigated seedling germination than greywater- irrigated seedling germination. Conversely Co.olitorius had the greatest variability between tapwater-irrigated seedling germination than greywater- irrigated seedling germination. Since a significant difference was calculated, greywater does effect the germination of seeds and subsequently the amount of germinated seeds able to grow. A possible factor in poor survival of both tap water- and greywater-irrigated seedlings, in addition to weather conditions, is nutrient depletion. Berea red sand had a composition of 62.68% SiO2 which is generally used and is nutrient poor (Okonta and Manciya, 2010) Since a watering regime observed, nutrients to the plant was not considered. Other nutrients found in soil are needed for healthy growth. Seedling trays were used to separate species and keep difference treatment uncontaminated but after the 2 week germination period, nutrients are need for plant growth. Each seed had  ± 18cm2 of Berea red soil, this soil consists of 12-64% and 15-57% of fine and medium sand respectively (Hamel, 2006). Water holding capacity of the soil is thus diminished due to porosity. This could have exacerbated the depletion of nutrients in the volume of sand thus leading to their inability to withstand weather variability. Soapy residue may have contributed to poor performance of the greywater-irrigated seeds and seedlings. Mataix-Solera et al. (2011) point out that the detergents in greywater cause soil water repellency of soil. It can be argued that greywater might be an interim solution, but posed long-term effects that might not be easily remedied. Soapy soil could cause hydrophobic soil properties which have poor water hold capacity. This could have hampered the germinated seeds shoot from emerging through the soil due to the coagulated surface. An alternate solution can be found according to Pinto (2010), where altering water regimes between grey water and potable resembled the results observes in 100% potable water. The pH levels remains similar between water regimes. In household greywater system the proposal ceramic pot filter is used this eradicates the large particles. Another caveat of this investigation is changing the watering regime. Initially seeds are watered every day until germination which is  ± 10days and then changed to every alternate day. Since plants are sensitive to change, the watering regime should be carefully monitored in conjunction with weather patterns. This ensures a smooth transition for the seedlings. According to Roesner et al. (2006) household waste contains 2500-5000 chemicals which if used as greywater could cause coagulation at the soil surface. More organic products could be used to reduce the amount of chemicals in the greywater (Al-Jayyousi, 2002). Pre-treatment of greywater and limiting its used only to salt-tolerant crops could allow wide use of greywater for irrigation (Al-Jayyousi, 2002). In this investigation germination of all three species was diminished under greywater-irrigated conditions, this being said with calculated changes to the experiment, greywater could possibly be a viable option in the future. An observation was made during the experiment, refer to appendix image 1 and 2 of A. terere, the leaf colour in greywater-irrigated treatment was lighter than the tap water-irrigated treatment. Image 3 and 4 also exhibit the same phenomenon in C. gynandra. Cultivation in Jordan of different crops yielded a similar observation, this was attributed to the solids and increased salinity of the greywater (Al-Jayyousi, 2002). Although the results obtained conclusively show that greywater does effect the both the germinability of the seeds and subsequent growth. It is recommended that seeds should not be irrigated with grey water, possibly increasing the percentage of seed germination. Organizations such as the Water research council are investigating innovative ideas to alleviate the pressure on South Africas stressed water system. Primary greywater systems in community gardens should be not be implement immediately rather as in Pinto et al. (2010) a combination of greywater and tap water should be used. This will relieve the possibility of failing crops. Social and environmental sustainability are interlinked which fuels the economy. Water is an integral part life and therefore should be continuously well-managed. Further research is necessary as water scarcity and availability still threatens food security around Africa.

College Admissions Essay: Man of the Year :: College Admissions Essays

Man of the Year "You have just been named the 2015 Man/Woman of the Year. For what achievement are you being honored, and how did your college education help you reach your goal?" A well-dressed sell-out crowd fills the enormous auditorium: an auditorium with gigantic spotlights that rival the energy and luminosity of the sun. My eyes follow the lights to the well-dressed host on the stage as he exclaims: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2015 Man of the Year Awards!" The audience erupts into an applause that shakes the walls of the building, and I add a few whistles and hollers of my own. As the roar dwindles into silence, we take our seats and the host presents last year's winner, who will in turn present this year's award to the Man of the Year. My eyes dart around the room spotting celebrities, professional athletes, CEOs, and other overqualified applicants, and previous winners, but my envious search ends as the host passes on the microphone to last year's winner. "Ladies and Gentleman," begins the speaker, "here is the moment you've all been waiting for." The speaker takes a step back, responding to the force of the innumerable silent eyes now turned on him. He begins opening the envelope... "This year's winner is..." a final tear, and out comes the coveted document, "Sam Cosby!" Like the silence before a sneeze, a hush falls over the crowd before a riotous cheer fills the air. I stand up and my legs begin to carry me toward the stage as the announcer continues, "Many of you may not know Mr. Cosby, but he has made remarkable advances in the realm of biotechnology. He has received this award for his development of a revolutionary prosthetic limb repair system that can replace not only a lost appendage, but synthesize the lost nerves, creating a new fully functional arm or leg." I completed my journey to the stage and shook the speaker's hand before taking my place at the microphone. "I would like to thank my family for all of their support," I began, kicking myself for my lack of originality, but I continued, "and all of my teachers. I never would have made it this far had I not been pressured to continue in my studies by my professors.

Music Censorship :: essays research papers

Music Censorship Although is clearly states in the first amendment that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances," censorship in America still exists in a big way. "Music censorship is the term used to describe the act of editing, altering, or preventing the listener from hearing the music as the artist created it in order to either deny certain information or to act as a moral gatekeeper of potentially harmful material" (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~barndollar/courses/spring98/students/fabfive/index.html). The Censorship of music in the United Stated is documented as far back as 1954, when "Michigan congresswoman Ruth Thompson introduces a bill in the House that would ban mailing of any pornographic recording, punishable by five years imprisonment and a $ 5,000 fine" (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). Even Elvis Aaron Presley, ‘The King of rock-n-roll’ was once thought of as obscene. In 1957, when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show for the third time, the cameramen were told to only film him from the waist up. "Elvis’s dancing was considered lewd" (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). In 1964, "Indiana Governor Matthew Welsh asks the State Broadcasters Association to ban the song ‘Louie, Louie’ by the Kingsmen because he considers it to be pornographic." (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). This trend has continued all the way up to the nineties, and I’m sure it won’t stop any time soon. In the past ten years especially, music has been under attack by many law makers, prosecutors and critics of morality and good taste. One attack on this freedom comes from parental advisory stickers. These stickers are used as a form of censorship against an artist and their lyrics. If a label will produce an album, I don’t think there should be any reason that the consumer can’t decide for him or herself if lyrics contained in the album are found obscene or otherwise unsuitable. In order to begin the debate on whether or not parental advisory stickers serve as a form of censorship, one must consider what the word censor implies. The word censor means "the power to suppress publications or excise any matter in them thought to be immoral, seditious or otherwise undesirables"(Webster Dictionary 227). The question of what constitutes "proper" language and obscenity has been greatly forced upon the music industry.

Decade by Amy Lowell :: English Literature:

Decade by Amy Lowell When you came, you were like red wine and honey, And the taste of you burnt my mouth with its sweetness. Now you are like morning bread, Smooth and pleasant. I hardly taste you at all for I know your savour, But I am completely nourished. Amy Lowell produced the majority of her poems after her acquaintance with the actress Ada Russell, a widow eleven years older than Lowell, with whom she shared the last thirteen years of her life. Russell became Lowell’s beloved companion, secretary, and nurturing muse. They lived together in a â€Å"Boston marriage† until Lowell’s death and many of Lowell’s most poignant love poems, including Opal, Madonna of the Evening Flowers etc. were written for Ada Russell. The poem â€Å"Decade† was written as a celebration of the ten-year anniversary of Ada and Amy’s relationship. However, there is no gender specification of a lover so one could dedicate it to someone of the opposite sex. Simple in its form, rich in imagery and symbolism the poem depicts powerfully the deep emotional bond between two people after ten years of relationship. At the beginning of the relationship, the beloved was â€Å"like red wine and honey†, and his taste burnt with its sweetness. The â€Å"red wine† symbolizes the passion felt in the beginning. Red is a color that denotes something sudden, passionate and strong and wine is intoxicant, making someone dizzy with its sweetness and alcohol. The red wine alludes to the forcefulness and passion of love. Gradually, the sweet red wine has become â€Å"like morning bread†, â€Å"smooth and pleasant†. The taste of the bread is familiar and the poetess hardly tastes it. Nevertheless, she is completely nourished. Morning bread is something vital for our everyday nutrition. It is an invaluable article of food and keeps us full and nourished. We need it every day and a meal is incomplete without it. So, now the lover is essential to the other’s life. Life cannot exist without him. Perhaps the passion and the burning sweetness have gone, but what remains is a

Case Study on Golf Equipment Industry

The industry overview The retail sales of golf equipment industry, which includes golf clubs, bags, balls, gloves and footwear, declined from approximately $4 billion to about $3 billion in 2003 and then rebounded to around $3. 8 billion in 2007 with many threats remaining. The changes in the retail value of golf equipment industry are closely related to the total number of golf players and total rounds of golf played in the country. The participation rate of golf has dropped approximately 21% from 27. 5 million in 1998 to 22. million in 2007, being the largest decrease rate during the same period among selected sports and recreational activities including bicycle riding, fishing, hunting, running, swimming, tennis and workout at fitness club (Source: National Sporting Goods Association in Gamble 2008, C-80,). The total rounds of golf played in the United States had rarely changed in the last decades, it is especially flat from 2004 to 2007, with less than 1% changes recorded (Source : National Golf Foundation in Gamble 2008, C-80). 7% of golf equipment sales are from core golfers-those playing at least 8 times a year and averaging 37 rounds a year (Gamble 2008, C-80). Although, there are less players and less rounds played then before, manufacturers are compelled to go ahead with their innovation and development schedule and even boost their spending in marketing (Stogel 2009). There are two types of manufacturers in the golf equipment industry. High-end leading brands, which include well known name such as TaylorMade-Adidas, Fortune Brand (parent of Titleist and Cobra), Callaway, Ping, Cleveland and Nike spent huge amount of resources on R&D for innovative designs and distributed their product through on and off-course pro shops and major online golf equipment retailers. The low-end manufacturers such as Adam Golf and Dunlop Golf with less developed technological capabilities sold their products at attractively lower prices. They mainly focus on beginner and occasional golfers through department store, large sporting goods stores and discounters. The three defining characteristics of the golf equipment industry are the number of golfers, gear design innovations and brand recognition. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (R&A) had started placing more and more performance regulations to limit the manufacturers’ ability to develop equipments, clubs and balls, with advanced technological innovations, because USGA officials believed that it’s an effective way of protecting historic golf courses that could not be lengthened due to space limitations, but also ensuring that the skill is the dominant element in determining game’s success. It is believed that such performance regulations had two impacts to the golf industry. Firstly, it discourages new golfers from taking up the game. Secondly, it equalises the technological differences between the high-end market leaders and the low-end producers. In all, the golf equipment industry is a fix-sized marketing driven market with current manufacturers, each trying to capture a bigger market share by growing reliance on price competitions. The competition in this industry for market share is fierce. The five-forces analysis We take the five-forces model of competition to analyse the competitive forces in five areas that affects the industry attractiveness. 1. The competitive pressures created by the rivalry among competing manufacturers are very strong and have the greatest effect on the industry attractiveness, mainly due to: a. All leading brand manufacturers are active in delivering advanced products with design innovations in order to improve their market standing, b. All leading brand manufacturers are quite equal in size and capability. They can hardly be differentiated in overall product performances. . There are fewer buyers with less demand. d. Equalization of technological capabilities due to regulatory limitation has shortened the differences in equipment performance between low-end and high-end products. e. There is growing reliance on price competitions. The competitive weapons used by companies to outmaneuver one another include: a. Most brands started the battle of price cutting. The aver age unit selling price of most golf equipments dropped. For example: a. Drivers and woods dropped from $231 in 1997 to $174 in 2007. b. Irons dropped from $75 in 1997 to $71 in 2007. c. Footwear dropped from $86 in 1997 to $81 in 2007. d. Golf bags dropped from $126 in 1997 to $116 in 2007. (Source: Golf Datatech in Gamble 2008, C79,) b. All brands are spending huge amount on R&D for technological advancement to give a better and easier swing, they also providing a boarder range of equipments to suit golfer with different needs (Rynecki 2001). In addition, some had added adjustable features such as the TaylorMade r7 drivers, which allow golfers to move tungsten weight plugs among a series of slots located in the rear of the driver to adjust launch angle and left/right dispersion. c. Manufacturers were relying on winning endorsements contracts with touring professionals to enhance their image. For example, Nike paid Tiger Wood nearly $100 million endorsement contract in 2007. d. Custom fitting was offered by most manufacturers and pro shops. It became important to gain market share as most manufacturers introduced shaft flex options in early 2000s. 2. The competitive pressures associated with the threat of new entrants were weak mainly due to: a. The market demand does not show any increase since the number of golfers and the total rounds played are decreasing year after year b. Most golfers have a very high degree of loyalty. They are highly likely to stick to the brand that they were using and normally have strongly believes to their favourite touring professionals’ choices. Along with the high technological product designs that influence most buyers’ purchasing decisions, it has made the entry barriers very high for this industry. c. Almost all existing manufactures are experiencing unpleasant profit grows in recent years. However, opportunities for new entrants still exist for low-end golf gears market under the current regulatory conditions. The new comer may be rofitable only if it completes the following goals: a. Become a fast & exact copy cat and compete on a low price. b. Be able to find reliable & low cost suppliers overseas. c. Originally has or be able to build good distribution channels, imaging Kmart or Target to have their â€Å"home brand† golf gears. 3. The competitive pressures from the sellers of substitute product ra ises from: a. The raising number of counterfeit equipments produced in China, selling online at attractive prices and ship to the world. b. The overall difficulty of the game, time consuming issues and the high golf fees are the three main barriers for recreational golfers. The current economic crisis had forced many families to cut their spending on leisure activities. As presented in Exhibit 2 of Gamble’s original case, while the participation rate for golf was decreasing, the rate for running and workout at a fitness club showed significant increase of approximately 37% and 50% from 1996 to 2007. On the other hand, in December 2003, six leading brand has created an alliance to against counterfeiters and had recorded some successes with Chinese government’s willingness of taking severe measures against rampant counterfeiting. Golf, also known as the perfect couple with business, is a challenging sport that suits all age and sex groups. Its ability of improving social networks, expanding business opportunities and harmonise domestic conflicts was perceived by its players. The remaining golfers are more likely to be the core golfers those are loyal to the game. Moreover, various governing bodies had successfully brought golf back into Olympics, starting 2016 Summer Olympics. Thus, the pressures from substitutes are moderate to normal. 4. The competitive pressures stemming from suppliers bargaining power were quite weak since: a. The clubheads were made by casting houses in Asia, where rarely union power was exercised. The design is owned by those leading brands manufacturers and they are being selective in establishing contracts with surplus offshore casting houses. b. Most brands manufacturers co-develop shafts with suppliers that specializing in shaft design and manufacturing. The collaboration had provided attractive win-win opportunities, but weakens the suppliers’ bargaining power and feasibility. . Both clubheads and shafts suppliers had rarely chance to integrate themselves and become official club manufacturer due to the high entry barriers, as discussed in force No. 2-new entrants. Golf manufactures need to pay more attention to background check to casting houses offshore. It is important to initiate effective controls on production and shipping procedures to prevent suppliers selling the same product on black market. 5. The competitive pressure stemming from creational golfers’ bargaining power were moderate to normal because: a. Buyers are the end users, in another word, golfers, who purchase the equipment infrequently and in small quantities. b. The manufacturers’ brand reputation and images are important to core golfers. c. Most golfers are very loyal to specific leading brand and has strong believes in its product performances. However, d. The demand was declining due to the number of golfers and total rounds played are declining. e. The USGA and R&A performance regulations had limited and equalized the technological capabilities of different manufacturers. The competitive pressure stemming from touring professional golfers are strong because their choices have strong influence to core golfers who watches the tournaments. The driving forces analysis The overall golf equipment market is downsizing. There are 3 major driving forces in this industry. Firstly, the regulatory design limitations adopted by USGA and R&A had driven the competitive changes. As a result, some leading brands’ capabilities of developing a sweeter swing were limited. Lower-end manufacturers got opportunities to catch up on technological capabilities and had gained more market shares and made more profits than before. In addition, it had lowered the overall profit margins in the industry. Secondly, product innovation is another key driving forces. Although the battle on developing the most advanced clubs and balls to the market has never stopped, the battle had been upgraded by calling design innovations within golf’s governing organizations’ regulatory limitations. Thirdly, the whole market trends are to be marketing driven. To play a better market mix such as understanding buyer interests, increasing product differentiations, appropriate pricing and use effective promotion tools is the key task for every manufacturer. Leading brand like Callaway used heavy TV schedule, plus print and radio for mass advertising in order to bring its Big Bertha Steelhead Plus metalwoods and irons to market (Stogel, 2000). Winning endorsement contracts with top tour professionals improves images of the brand and influences core golfers’ purchasing decision. The above driving forces are inter-related and together influencing this mature industry by making the competitions fiercer than ever. The strategic group map The strategic group map below shows the comparative market positions of selected golf equipment manufacturers using price and design innovations/advancement. Note: Circles are drawn roughly proportional to the total revenues of each manufacturer. ) The map provides some indication of brand positioning in general. It shows that Callaway, Ping and TaylorMade are likely to struggle more with market share competitions. On the other hand, the governing organizations’ regulation driving force will fa vour strategic groups like Adam and Nike as the design limitation smoothes the differences among their innovation capabilities to the high-end ones. However, this map may not mean much as most of the product brands have their own advantages and have significant market share in some specific golf equipment. For example, Nike with a very successful record in golf apparel and footwear sales, where it was the second leading golf shoes manufacturers, had never grown to 3 percents market shares of golf clubs. In all, Nike is best positioned in this map with almost no overlapping with another other brands. Key success factors The key factors determine the success of company competing in the golf equipment industry should be closely linked to the industry’s dominant economic characteristics, driving forces and market positions (Thompson, Strickland III and Gamble 2010, p. 92). There are several factors that could affect the competition, three of them outranked in importance from three different areas. First of all, in regards to product marketing, a well-known and well-respected brand name influences buyers purchasing decision. Therefore, clever advertising using the appropriate media to gain effective contact with the potential buyers is every golf equipment manufacturers’ market focus. Over the years, winning endorsement contract with top touring professionals with respective social image had been approved to be the most effective way of creating and enhancing brand image. Nike Golf as a late comer was a star in using endorsement contract to improve brand recognition and boost sales. The company has recorded notable success in golf apparel, footwear and ball market since its 1996 endorsement contract with Tiger Wood. (Gamble 2008, C-96) Product innovation capabilities come next in this competition pool. The overall market is still very sensitive to first-to-market new attributes and features to be added on, even though the industry is considered as mature with knowledge-customers. All leading brands in the industry had put huge amount of resources on R&D and had delivered several remarkable models to market over the years, although Callaway and TaylorMade seem to be more internationally recognised by their innovation power. Thus, there is no overall market leader in innovation, but leading models in different product group (Woods, Irons, Putters, Golf balls & Accessories) for a specific time period. Another key success factor is product distribution related. As we mentioned before, leading manufactures sell their product mainly through on-course and off-course pro shops and most large pro shops have made variety of brands and models available in stock. The retailers/sales’ preferences will more or less influence buyers’ final decision at point of purchasing. Therefore, the relationship with these retailers is important, especially for brands like TaylorMade-adidas Golf that does not offer consumers the option of purchasing clubs or apparel on its website (Gamble 2008, C-92). Callaway Vs. TaylorMade-adidas, financially The financial performance of a company is usually a good indicator of how well its competitive strategy works in the market. However, the way of translating and comparing companies’ financial result has never been easy. we take the growth rate as an example by looking at the manufactures’ 2007 total sales revenue, Callaway Golf increased its sales (rounded to the nearest million) by $107M =10% from $1,018M in 2006 to $1,125M in 2007. Callaway’s net income was more than doubled from $23M to $55M during the same time. That makes the earning per share (EPS) increased from $0. 34 to $ 0. 82. In contrast, TaylorMade-adidas’ net sales experienced a 52M = 6% decrease from 856M its peak 2006 to 804M in 2007. The company’s operating profit has also gone down from 73M to 65M during the same time. It seems that Callaway performed much better than TaylorMade-adidas in 2007. But if we compare the same figures over a 4-year period from 2004 to 2007, Callaway’s increase in net sales was $109M=20%, comparing to TaylorMade-adidas’s 171M=27% increase, the result is obviously different. Therefore, both Callaway and TaylorMade-adidas had successfully coped the key competitive forces and gained comparatively healthy financial performances between 2004 and 2007, under the given economic condition. In addition, the growth rates for each product category are also different mainly stem from the differences in innovation capabilities and buyers’ perception. From the financial data given in the case study, Callaway Golf was easier to achieve growth in manufacturing woods/drivers and iron clubs, shown 28. 2% and 19% growth during 2004 to 2007. The company had struggled with its golf sales and was unable to make any positive growth on it. TaylorMade-adidas Golf found it was easier to obtain growth and maintained the market leader position in the driver category as well as hybrid clubs. Although, TaylorMade’s irons have a very wide price range from $600 to $1300 per set, with a total market share of 15. 2%, it had never challenged Callaway’s market lead position in irons. Moreover, TaylorMade-adidas also gained significant sales increases in golf apparel and footwear, shown 107% and 63% during 2004 and 2007. Note: All calculations are based on Exhibit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 from Gamble’s original case. ) Recommendations In order to improve its competitive position, Callaway should continue invest large amount in R&D to maintain its innovation capability and maintain its leading position in iron sets and putter. It should also spend more efforts on marketing issues such as collecting different customer requirem ents to help develop new equipments and bring the product line to a wider range that suits every player. More money should be spent on advertising to improve its image as a full-line golf gear manufacturer. To frequently advertise on selected fashion and life style magazines can not only increase its overall brand recognition, but also boost apparel, footwear and other accessories sales. In addition, it is also important to build good relationship with major retailers. This normally includes higher retail outlets supporting funds, sufficient professional trainings to sales representatives and more sales incentives. The improvement opportunities are all related to the main driving forces in the industry. This case analysis recommend Callaway to maintain its current strategy of being the market lead in product performance and innovation, but do not shifting its focus to price wars. Similar to Callaway, TaylorMade-adidas should also keep investing in R&D to maintain its leading position in drivers and hybrid clubs. They will also need to spend more dollars on advertising of its market share winning apparel and footwear. Find another ‘Tiger’ and lock him/her into an endorsement contract like what competitor Nike did before is always a simple but effective idea. Finally, the company will be benefit from 2 ways from offering the customer with the option of purchasing clubs and apparel by visiting its website. One is increase sales and avoid changing of mind when visiting retailers that has several competitive brands available. The other one is to do business with end customers will help the company collect first-hand information regarding the customer needs and product performance feedback. In all, unlike Callaway who aims to be the all-round manufacturer, TaylorMade-adidas should focus on winning buyers recognition of being specialised in drivers and hybrid club and the No. 1 in golf fashion industry. This analysis recommends Fortune brands to better differentiate its sub-brands and each one’s target market. Their advertising effort should then be separated in regards to different target groups. In addition, the company should also work on cost reduction opportunities in order to cut their prices to be better positioned in the market, its ZB line of iron sets is a good example.

Why Nations Go To War

WHY NATIONS GO TO WAR is a unique book and a product of reflection by author, Dr. John G. Stoessinger. First published in 1978, its Eleventh Edition with additions came out in 2010. It is built around ten case studies, culminating in the new wars that ushered in the twenty-first century: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wars between Arabs and Israelis in Gaza and in Lebanon. In the book he analyses the most important military conflicts of the 20th century: First World War, operation Barbarossa, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the war in Yugoslavia, the India-Pakistan conflict etc.The distinguishing feature of the book is the author's emphasis on the pivotal role of the personalities of leaders who take their nations, or their following, across the threshold into war. Thus this book transmits an understanding of warfare from World War I to the present century. Dr. Stoessinger believes that the war is neither impersonal, nor inevitable, arguing that the responsibility for a war doesn't lie solely with certain events, because everything is, in fact, about the decisions that people make.He argues that many conflicts could have been avoided without the use of force or without going to war. Dr. John G. Stoessinger attended college at Grinnell College in Iowa as an undergraduate and completed his Ph. D. in International Relations at Harvard. He has taught at several universities including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Princeton, and the University of San Diego, where he is currently a Distinguished Professor of Global Diplomacy. In addition to his teaching career, Dr. Stoessinger has also led the International Seminar on International Relations at Harvard in 1969.He was also the keynote speaker at the World Congress of Junior Chamber International during their fiftieth anniversary event in Kobe, Japan. Dr. Stoessinger has written ten books on international relations and was awarded the Bancroft Prize for The Might of Nations: World Politics in Our Time. He has served as the book review editor of Foreign Affairs, acting director of the Political Affairs Division of the United Nations, and is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations. He has been included in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. Dr.Stoessinger is notable for his individual analyses of war, contrasted with the systemic views more commonly studied by political scientists after the Second World War. Stoessinger was only a child when Adolf Hitler invaded his home of Austria in order to obtain Anschluss. As a Jewish family, they needed to escape from the Nazis. They received a visa to Shanghai, China from Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who helped thousands of Jews escape from the Nazis. These were the beginnings that shaped Dr. Stoessinger's world view and interest in ‘WHY NATIONS GO TO WAR’.In the book’s introduction, Dr. Stoessinger tells how, when he was a student, he was always dissatisfied with the explanations found in history books rega rding wars: nationalism, militarism, alliance systems, economic factors and other â€Å"fundamental causes† that, according to him, couldn’t be directly linked to the precise moment of a war’s beginning. He argues that these â€Å"fundamental causes† of wars throughout history are those forces that people apparently don’t control, although it is people who lie at the base of a conflict.In analyzing the 10 conflicts presented in the book, Dr. Stoessinger searches for the â€Å"moment of truth†, the one in which the leaders take the fatal step towards the war, and he wonders in which precise moment the decision to go to war becomes irreversible, who takes responsibility for it and if the disasters could have been avoided. Dr. Stoessinger has set up his book to look at the events that led to specific wars of the twentieth century and then drawing parallels between the different wars that might not have been apparent or obvious at the times of t he various conflicts.The book closely examines each war or group of wars in individual chapters arranged in a near chronological order with a conclusion chapter that pulls from all of the conflicts previously presented. This approach is very well organized and helps the reader to follow the evolution of war styles. The book’s first chapter is dedicated to World War I and is expressively entitled The Iron Dice, referring to the famous words spoken on August 1st by German chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg: â€Å"If the iron dice must roll, may God help us†In general, because of the history taught in schools or because of popular history books, most people consider that the so-called fundamental causes of World War I are: the deteriorating balance of power in Europe and the new competitive alliances, the arms race, Germany’s militarism and her claims regarding a larger colonial empire etc. Loyal to his theory, Stoessinger ignores these causes and chooses to analyze the leader’s actions in the war’s eve. According to the author, all of the political leaders involved were aware of the war’s inevitability and, in spite of this, they couldn’t stop it.More than once, these leaders have denied their responsibility, placing it in the hands of God or destiny. But it wasn’t God who could control the evolution of events and stop the war, was he? Dr. Stoessinger’s main theory is that the events weren’t, in fact, incontrollable and that it was the people who made the crucial decisions. And these people weren’t some evil leaders with a thirst for blood and destruction (how the Kaiser is so often portrayed), but worried people stuck inside their own illusions.Stoessinger believes that the crucial events that pushed the European countries to war were the following 1) The pledge that Germany made to Austria-Hungary regarding her policy towards Serbia 2) The ultimatum Vienna gave to Serbia and its rejection by the Serbs 3) The German efforts to mediate the conflict and tame Austria 4) At last, the declaration of war made by Germany against Russia and the invasion of Luxembourg and Belgium. In the first section of his novel, The Iron Dice: The causes of WW1, Stoessinger offer an alternative explanation of the causes of World War I, one that includes human reactions and feelings.He says: â€Å"The notion that WW1 is beyond men's control is wrong: Mortals made these decisions. They made them in fear and in trembling but they made them nonetheless. In most cases, the decision makers were not evil people bent on destruction but were frightened and entrapped by self-delusion. They based their policies on fears, not facts, and were singularly devoid of empathy. Misperception, rather than conscious evil design, appears to have been the leading villain in the drama. † Although Dr. Stoessinger's essay is well thought out and well written, It is hard to agree to the thesis compl etely.It seems that all the European countries had good reasons for wanting a war as well. â€Å"Serbia was right in wanting to expand, Austria in wanting to survive. Germany was right in fearing isolation, Great Britain in fearing German power. † All these countries needed to wage war since the balance of power was no longer balanced. All of these countries had good motives for a war, therefore, it is illogical to place the blame just upon the leaders of those countries, rather than analyzing the circumstances that made the countries want to wage war.As much as we would all like things to be simple, they are not. Finding a couple of unfortunate leaders in power guilty seems to be the easiest solution. However, the truth is just not that simple. The truth is that everyone was to blame, the circumstances that created the need for war, the short war illusion that everyone entertained, and the governments who felt the need for a war. The responsibility of preventing World War On e rests not solely upon the shoulders of a few selected individuals. However that is the theory maintained by Dr. Stoessinger throughout the book.The distinguishing feature of the text throughout the book remains the author's emphasis on the pivotal role of the personalities of leaders who take their nations or their following across the threshold into war. Most statesmen who made the crucial decisions behaved like fatalists. The terrible denouement was foreseen, but couldn't been prevented. Historians have been affected by this fatalistic attitude (events passing beyond men's control). Stoessingers view is that this is wrong mortals made decisions basing their policies on fear, not facts. Stoessinger views the World War I as preventable.The perception of statesmen and generals were absolutely crucial. Following dimensions of this phenomenon: 1. A LEADERS PERCEPTION OF HIMSELF 2. HIS PERCEPTION OF HIS ADVERSARY'S CHARACTER 3. HIS PERCEPTION OF HIS ADVERSARY'S INTENTIONS 4. HIS PERCE PTIONS OF HIS ADVERSARY'S POWER AND CAPABILITIES 5. HIS CAPACITY FOR EMPATHY WITH HIS ADVERSARY Most leaders saw themselves as stronger than they really were and their adversaries as weaker than they really were. These misperceptions led directly to distorted perceptions of adversarial intentions which then precipitated quickly into all out war.If the leaders of the various nations involved would have viewed reality rather than their own distorted misperceptions, it may have been possible to avoid conflict on such a massive scale or even avoid war altogether. This seems to be a recurring theme throughout the book. One of the important theories attributed to Stoessinger is the theory of perceptions. Stoessinger believes that, in the eve of major conflicts, many of the political leaders involved have misjudged the situation and have thus led their countries to war.These false perceptions manifest on 4 levels: firstly, a false perception regarding the leader’s own person, of the ir role in the world and of their loyalty towards the possible outcome of the conflict. The second level regards the opponent and often includes demonizing his image and the inability to objectively understand a situation. On the third level, we are dealing with the misperception of the opponent’s intentions and, on the fourth level, with misjudging the opponent’s abilities.Stoessinger has emphasized the importance of the political leaders’ personalities and the fundamental part they play in the evolution of international relations. The second chapter discusses Hitler and his invasion of Russia in 1941. Again, misperceptions played a key role in the events that unfolded. This time, more emphasis was put on the character of the aggressor and his adversary. Hitler essentially had a one track mind. He decided to attack and eliminate the Russian people and paid no attention to the lessons learned by Napoleon when he had attempted to conquer Russia.Hitler was convinc ed that it would be a quick and easy victory. Stalin, on the other hand, believed that since they had previously been allies, Hitler would not invade Russia. Stalin continuously ignored intelligence that came from British and American sources, including eighty-four warnings in the year preceding the attack, because he was suspicious of Anglo-American motives. He preferred to place his trust in Hitler, a fellow dictator. In the end, Hitler invaded Russia and had misjudged the Russian people.They were fighting for their very existence which is probably the most powerful motivation ever. He had failed to plan for the Russian winter because he thought it would be a quick and easy victory, and ended up losing many men to cold and starvation, much as Napoleon had previously. Stalin had placed his trust in the wrong entity and was greatly disillusioned and was unprepared for the attack when it came. Again, the misperceptions of the leaders involved ended in a great loss of life. The third chapter deals with the Korean War and misperceptions of a different sort.In the later stages of the war, after the North Koreans were driven back to the 38th parallel, General Douglas MacArthur went beyond the original scope of the police action by driving toward Chinese border along the Yalu River. This move provoked China and brought them into the conflict. MacArthur did not believe that the Chinese army would be strong and thought he could achieve an easy victory. He ignored intelligence that told him the size of the Chinese army and chose to believe that it was smaller than it really was.His hubris added two years to the war and cost 34,000 additional American lives. Had he chosen to listen to reality instead of his own misperceptions, many lives could have been saved. The Vietnam War was full of misperceptions as well. One of the biggest misperceptions would be the type of war being fought. The United States was fighting against communism, while the Vietnamese were fighting aga inst imperialism and colonialism and to protect their way of life. Had the United States never entered Vietnam, communism would have taken over earlier, and with fewer human lives wasted.In 1978, the Vietnamese communists invaded Cambodia to put a stop to the communist regime of Pol Pot and the killing fields. Had the United States been open-minded enough to see that there were distinctions between types of communists, perhaps we would never have participated in the conflict. Dr. Stoessinger continues through several other wars including: Milosevic’s ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia, the battles between India and Pakistan, the Arab-Israeli conflicts, Saddam Hussein’s wars in Iran and Kuwait and the current American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after the tragedy of 9/11.Dr. Stoessinger summarizes the book in the final chapter. Here he reiterates his thoughts that the â€Å"case material reveals that perhaps the most important single precipitating factor in the outbreak o f war is misperception. † He also restates the dimensions of misperception and gives each one special attention. In regards to the idea that there is a misperception in a leader’s self-view, Stoessinger notes that there is â€Å"remarkable consistency in the self-images of most national leaders on the brink of war.Each confidently expects victory after a brief and triumphant campaign. † He also states that â€Å"leaders on all sides typically harbor self-delusions on the eve of war. † Stoessinger also discusses the idea that a leader’s misperception of his adversary’s power is perhaps â€Å"the quintessential cause of war. It is vital to remember, however that it is not the actual distribution of power that precipitates a war; it is the way in which a leader thinks that power is distributed.†Dr. Stoessinger uses many primary sources for his information including newspapers, documents, reports, and first-hand accounts. He also uses many secondary sources including books by other authors well-versed in the conflicts being discussed. It is very apparent that a lot of thought and research has gone into the creation of this book. The index is very complete and the bibliographies at the end of each chapter make it easy to find more information on the conflict at hand.I believe that this book has a lot of historical worth since it pulls from so many valid sources. It presents straightforward and factual information with knowledgeable interpretations of the information. I believe that Dr. Stoessinger has successfully accomplished what he has set out to do. I would recommend the book to others if they are looking for interpretations of war and how they begin. The book was interesting, though it could be a little dry at times to someone who is not well-versed in modern and contemporary history.