What Not to Bring to College

Putting together an awesome college packing list can seem simple enough ... until you take a second look and begin to question whether or not you really need all of that stuff. So how can you decide what to bring -- and what to leave behind? While each students situation is, of course, unique, there are some general dont-bring-em items that definitely shouldnt be brought to college, whether youre a first-year student or a senior or at a large college or a super small one. High School Paraphernalia You know those trophies, class rings, and other items that all symbolize your time in high school? Theyre best left behind. While they may bring back great memories for you, they also make you look like youre still stuck back in high school. Can you bring the lucky football cleats that helped you win the championship? Of course. Should you bring your championship trophy? Better not. High School Clothes Of course, some of the clothes you wore in high school will work just fine in college. But some items, like those that advertise you were on JV Cheer your junior year, are probably best left at home. College campuses practically give t-shirts away through clubs, activities, and special events anyway, so rest assured that you wont be without comfy tees for long. Candles If youre living in the residence halls, these are rarely, if ever, allowed. And if youre living in an off-campus apartment, chances are they arent allowed there, either. Be safe and leave the candles at home so you can avoid any potential conflicts with your RA or your landlord. Large Appliances Try to keep things as compact as possible. So while that popcorn maker your favorite auntie got you may seem pretty cool, its probably best left at home. Larger appliances will take up a ton of room and likely will only be used a few times a year -- if at all. (Microwaves and mini-fridges, of course, are the exception.) Expensive Equipment and Electronics You may have spent months saving up for some fancy-schmancy stereo system. And as awesome as you think it is, the thief in the building next door likes it even more. Dont tempt fate -- or your fellow classmates -- by bringing in equipment or electronics that stand out because of their high cost. Hard-to-Replace Paperwork While you might need things like your birth certificate and your social security card once or twice during your time in school, its better to bring it to campus, show it to whoever needs to see it (the financial aid office, for example), and then send or bring it back home. If items like these disappear, it can be a major pain in the brain to replace them -- especially if someones stolen them and committed identity theft. Off-Season Clothes While figuring out which clothes to bring to college can be a challenge, one easy rule to go by is to leave off-season clothes behind. If youre heading to school in August, for example, you can probably get your warmest winter jacket in a few months. Theres no need to have clothes you arent going to wear take up already limited space in your room. Duplicates of What Your Roommate Has There are quite a few things you can share with your roommate, so make sure to touch base with him or her before you pack. Two microwaves, for example, will steal a ton of space and be unnecessary. Figure out what each of you wants to bring and then divide and conquer. Drugs and Alcohol This should go without saying, but moving into your residence hall room or apartment with drugs and/or alcohol is a pretty rough way to start out the year. Besides setting yourself up to focus on things other than academics (which is what youre in college for at the end of the day), it can set you off on the wrong foot with an RA or landlord if anyone sees you. Dont sabotage all the work you did to get to college by making a dumb mistake when you first arrive.

Essay about Role Reversal in King Lear - 1385 Words

Role Reversal in King Lear King Lear, known as one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, deeply affects its audience by playing out the destruction of two families. At the end of this play two of the protagonists, King Lear and his loyal friend the Earl of Gloucester, die after having suffered through major injustices at the hands of their own children. These characters’ deaths are incredibly tragic because they are brought on by their own actions instead of by the circumstances that surround them. Lear and Gloucester are not bad men but rather good men that make the fatal mistake of not acting according to their positions in life. In doing so, they ultimately force their children, Cordelia and Edgar respectively, to take on†¦show more content†¦In the 1985 production of this play starring Lawrence Olivier, Lear enters the opening scene lovingly arm in arm with Cordelia. He then sits on his throne and has a large map of his kingdom spread out on the floor before him. When he utters the wo rds in 1.1.155, he unceremoniously throws his crown onto the ground in the middle of the map. I thought this was excellent stage direction because in this one movement he sets the tone for the problems that will come as a result of his unthinking action. Much like Lear, Gloucester opens the play by shunning his role – that of a father. He embarrasses his illegitimate son, Edmund, when he says to Kent I have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am brazed to ‘t (1.1.10-11). He then goes on to minimize his affection for his legitimate son, Edgar, by saying that he . . . is no dearer in my account (1.1.20-21). A father has two choices regarding a child conceived through an affair; he can either deny the child’s existence or accept the child into his family as one of his own. Gloucester lamely attempts both with Edmund. In addition, his comment about Edgar send a mixed message regarding the son he considers his heir. In the Olivier version of this play, the stage direction has Edmund standing nearby while Gloucester converses with Kent. When Gloucester speaks the words in 1.1.10-11, he throws his arm around Edmund’s shoulder and laughingly taps him on the chest. The stage direction here works well beca use theShow MoreRelated foolear The Wise Fool in Shakespeares King Lear Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesThe Wise Fool in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   Whether or not the role of the Fool is an important one within King Lear is arguable. Although he seems to have great insight into much of the plays main events, he seems not to have any real influence on both the plot as well as the outcome of the play. He remains the sole character who does not have any direct link with the events of the plot, coupled with an unusually early exit; this raises the question of his significance. However at the very leastRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear Essay1745 Words   |  7 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of King Lear, human suffering is exploited through exploring social destruction caused by love, lust, and loss. King Lear’s kingdom is broken down through the excess of love and hate. Behaviors resulting from such emotions becomes tragic flaws for the characters within the play, as the need for approval disrupts all natural social order, which is then represented by the natural world. The natural world and nature of society become intertwined as the plotRead MoreKing Lear and Antigone as Tragic Hero Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesBecause Lear is capable of change, he becomes a tragic hero; because Antigone is incapable of change, she never becomes a tragic heroine. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who â€Å"falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw.† During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their character. Tragedy evokes catharsis, a feeling ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear877 Words   |  4 Pagesadopted from his plays. Shakespeare’s reference to the gods is prominent in most of his plays. In Shakespeare’s play King Lear, many characters are dynamic and change throughout the play, however, Cordelia remains a static character. Thus, Cordelia is a tragic hero. Aristotle’s writings suggest that a true tragic hero should be virtuous, evoke pity or fear, and experience a reversal of fortune. In accordance with Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, he or she must be virtuous and have hamartiaRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Tragic Hero1295 Words   |  6 Pageshis downfall. An Aristotelian tragic hero must possess specific characteristics, five of which are below: 1)Flaw or error of judgment (hamartia) Note the role of justice and revenge in the judgments. 2) A reversal of fortune (peripeteia) brought about because of the heros error in judgment. 3) The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the heros actions (anagnorisis) 4) Excessive Pride (hubris) 5) The characters fate must be greater than deserved (BSID 2017) To startRead MoreThe Importance of Act 1 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares King Lear1323 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Act 1 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares King Lear In a play of immense grandeur, Shakespeare has created within King Lear; a character so depraved that he appears to step beyond the realms of forgiveness. Act 1ii is the keystone of King Lear - its significance and influence radiates throughout the whole of the play. Interwoven with and parallel to the central story line, the subplot is used to enhance and develop the key themes of this tragic masterpieceRead MoreKing Lear And Taser : Change Is An Inevitable And Complex Process1489 Words   |  6 PagesChange Essay, Texts used: King Lear and Taser. â€Å"Change is an inevitable and complex process.† In relation to this statement, discuss how your study of the prescribed text and one piece of related material has broadened your understanding of change. Change is inevitable, the most natural process influenced by human nature since the passing of time, each change brings new and different consequences to one’s life, whether they be positive or negative. This is explored in the short film, ‘Taser,’Read MoreUnchecked Power in Shakespeares Macbeth and King Lear1458 Words   |  6 Pagesof universal life. In relation to the tragic hero, there are many similarities between the tragic heroes in Macbeth and King Lear. However, the differences between the two outline the re-occurring themes in both plays. In Shakespeare s plays the central characters own weaknesses and lust for power lead to corruption. The unchecked power in Shakespeare s Macbeth and King Lear ultimately leads to corruption, tragedy, and the hero s fall from grace. In Macbeth, Macbeth s power goes unchecked withinRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare is a renowned poet, playwright and actor. Many believe that he was the most2400 Words   |  10 Pagesgender roles while placing emphasis on women’s quest for power, equality, happiness and identity. Shakespeare embarked on issues that everyone could relate to, hence, his stylistic techniques appeal to an extensive audience. Shakespeare wrote for an â€Å"audience encompassing almost an entire social spectrum of his time- from the monarch to the working class citizens who could occasionally just afford a penny to see the play† (Anderson 28). In his plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear, ShakespeareRead More Action and Observation in Shakespeares King Lear Essay2306 Words   |  10 PagesAction and Observation in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Auden once asserted that Shakespearean tragedy is necessarily parabolic, pertaining to the only myth that Christianity possesses: that of the unrepentant thief. We as the spectators are thus implicated in the action since each of us is in danger of re-enacting [this story] in his own way.1 The sufferings of the hero could be our own sufferings, whereas in Greek tragedy, such a notion is precluded precisely because the misfortunes of a character

Catch Us If You Can Free Essays

With close reference to the novel that you have read, discuss how courage is shown by one of the characters. In the novel â€Å"Catch Us If You Can†, the character who shows courage is Rory. Rory handles challenges with courage. We will write a custom essay sample on Catch Us If You Can or any similar topic only for you Order Now No fear will ever deter him from being separated from his Granda. He had to risk the dangers from being caught as well as other problems that come his way. Firstly, a boy in his early teens, Rory has the courage to take care of his grandfather all by himself. It is not easy for him because he has to balance between school and taking care of his Granda who is getting more forgetful. It is not easy for a young boy to carry such a heavy responsibility. In addition, when they are separated, Rory plans an escape. At times, he feels like giving up, but courage kept him going. He knows he must be strong and brave to withstand the hardship of the Great Escape. He rescued Granda from Rachnadar and never looked back. Then, another example of courage portray by Rory was when Granda fails to wake up on top of the hill. Rory had to be bravely run for help where he knocks on a stranger’s door. For a young boy to do that is indeed very courageous thing. Throughout their journey going through the escape, I learnt that Rory is indeed very brave. He did not fear the unknown, caring for his aged grandfather while running from the authorities. He showed courage right from the beginning till the end. How to cite Catch Us If You Can, Papers

Accounting Organizations and Society System †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Accounting Organizations and Society System. Answer: Introduction: The goodwill impairment is mainly considered a charge that is imposed by organisation in the annual report when carrying value of the goodwill exceeds the fair value. In addition, the overall valuation of goodwill impairment is mainly considered an earnings charge that is recorded by the companies in their income statement. This record in the income statement is mainly conducted to identify whether goodwill is not able to demonstrate the financial results. Adams, Mezzullo and McManus (2015) mentioned that impairments charge directly allow the organisation to reduce the goodwill value according to the change in its future financial gain. There are different ways in which the overall goodwill impairment charges could be recorded in the annual report of QBEs. In addition, the impairment expenses are recorded in two statement of the annual report, which directly help in adjusting the fair value of an asset. The annual report of QBE needs to needs to adjust goodwill impairment charge of about $600 million and one-time impairment charge of $150 million. The impairment charges need to be recorded in annual report of the organisation, which could help in improving the financial viability of the organisation. The relevant measure could eventually help in declining the goodwill of QBE from its financial report. The overall onetime impairment charge of $150 million will mainly be deducted from the income statement, which could directly reduce the total profit for the year. Moreover, the goodwill impairment charge of about $600 million will mainly be reflected in non-current assets of the balance sheet. Hence, the impairment ch ange will mainly reduce the value of goodwill in the annual report. Bebbington and Larrinaga (2014) stated that use of impairment expenses directly allow the organisation to adjust their intangible assets, which could help in depicting the fair value of the organisation. Depicting whether QBEs chairperson is considered an intangible asset, and adequate disclosure is been depicted in their financial statement: The relevant intangible assets need to be disclosed in the financial report of QBE, as it might help in improving the financial report. However, the reputation of the chairperson cannot be considered intangible assets, which is adequately depicted in IFRS 3, and IE16-IE44. The relevant measures directly indicate that the individual person cannot be considered an intangible asset of an organisation. According to the relevant Initial Accounting for Internally Generated Intangible Assets, it could be identified that -any kind of work or programmes can be considered intangibles assets (Cortesi et al. 2015). However, the person that is contributing to the intangible asset cannot be considered an intangible asset of an organisation. This can be identified from the paragraph 33 A, where it states that artist related works like literary work, television programmes and plays can be identified as intangible asserts. However, persons having the talent to create the programs and play are not con sidered intangible assets, where it cannot be listed in the annual report of an organisation. However, the programs and policies, which try to increase the financial income of the company in future, can be listed in the annual report of QBE. Hence, the CEO cannot be listed as the intangible assets of the organisation as per the AASB and IFRS rule. Drury (2013) mentioned that the relevant rules and regulations directly state that the organisation can list the intangible assets, which could provide relevant future income for the organisation. The organisation could also use the contract based, technology based, customer-related based and marketing related intangible assets, which could be listed in annual report of the organisation. Therefore, it could be assumed that QBE cannot enlist the reputation of CEO, as the intangible assets in their annual report. Identifying the benefits that might accrue to Lion Nathan with sales and leaseback transactions: From the overall evaluation of the Lion Nathan, case relevant benefits that could be identified from operations. This could eventually allow the organisation to reduce the overall tax that is been given and maximise their retained income. The relevant sale of the property could eventually allow the organisation to increase their cash reserves, which could raise the investment capacity of Lion Nathan. The leaseback transaction could also help in improving the overall profitability of the organisation. This lease transaction could eventually allow the organisation to get deductions in their tax amount, which in turn could help in increasing the retained income that could eventually raise shareholders wealth. Hoyle, Schaefer and Doupnik (2015) mentioned that reduction in overall tax expenses directly allows the organisation for retaining more income in the business, which could directly help in improving shareholders wealth. Moreover, the sales value could eventually allow the organisation to obtain more cash, which could in turn help in improving its investment capability. Furthermore, the high cash reserves could eventually allow Lion Nathan to conduct the required level of investments on hotels, which could improve revenue stream of the organisation. Malak (2015) mentioned that companies with high investment scope could eventually allow the organisation to generate the relevant profitability from investment that could increase firm value and raise shareholder wealth. The relevant lease needs to be a finance lease, as Lion Nathan could adequately enlist the asset in balance sheet. The finance lease is mainly considered, as a general loan, where the asset directly appears in the balance sheet. This finance lease also allows the organisation to hold the asset as ownership, which could directly allow the company to initiate both interest and depreciation in their books. These overall measures could directly allow Lion Nathan to reduce the overall tax expenses and increase relevant retained income. However, the operating lease method does not allow the organization to enlist the asset in their balance sheet, which could in turn reduce its total assets (McEwen and Hunton 2015). The operating lease method only allows interest expenses to be deducted from the annual report and the company in their income statement calculates no depreciation. Therefore, it could be understood that using operating lease does not provide Lion Nathan any kind of advantage fo r improving its financial position in the annual report. Hence, It could be identified that using the finance lease measure could eventually allow Lion Nathan to improve its capital assets, which could be listed in the annual report. Relevant entries need to be conducted by Lion Nathan on its income statement and balance sheet to reflect the sale of pubs. This directory allows Lion Nathan for reducing the total assets and depicting any kind of loss of profit that was obtained from the sale of pubs. any kind of profit and loss will directly be reflected on the income statement where it would be stated as loss or profit from sale of asset. On the same aspect relevant deduction in the balance sheet for a particular asset needs to be conducted adjusting the balance sheet according to the current total assets of the organisation. In this context, Mo and Waples (2015) stated that the use of asset sale directly allows the organisation to obtain the relevant cash for supporting a new investment idea, which could provide higher returns from investment. The detection of any kind of profits obtained by the organisation is directly depicted in income statement, which portrays the current transaction that is conducted by the organisation.Moreover, the cash transactions of the sale will also be reflected on cash flow statement, relevant reductions from sale of assets will be depicted. Depreciation is mainly calculated on the basis of actual value of an asset, which could directly reflect in annual report of the organisation. There will be a change in depreciation valuation that needs to be conducted by Lion Nathan in their annual report, as the lease value will mainly be calculated for depreciation purposes. In addition, any kind of profit from the sale of pub will directly increase the valuation of the Asset, while a loss would reduce the valuation of the Asset.This relevant reduction or increment in the asset value could also change the depreciation value, as Lion Nathan will be using finance leasing method. This finance leasing method directly allows the organisation to depreciate the asset in the annual books and record the assets in balance sheet (Smith 2017). Hence, the depreciation will change for Lion Nathan in their annual report, as valuation of the Asset will change. Reference and Bibliography: Adams, P.W.R., Mezzullo, W.G. and McManus, M.C., 2015. Biomass sustainability criteria: Greenhouse gas accounting issues for biogas and biomethane facilities.Energy Policy,87, pp.95-109. Bebbington, J. and Larrinaga, C., 2014. Accounting and sustainable development: An exploration. Accounting, Organizations and Society,39(6), pp.395-413. Cortesi, A., Tettamanzi, P., Scaccabarozzi, U., Spertini, I. and Castoldi, S., 2015.Advanced Financial Accounting: Financial Statement AnalysisAccounting IssuesGroup Accounts. EGEA spa. DRURY, C.M., 2013.Management and cost accounting. Springer. Hoyle, J.B., Schaefer, T. and Doupnik, T., 2015.Advanced accounting. McGraw Hill. Malak, S.S.D.A., 2015. Cooperative learning: Buddy system in an advanced accounting subject. McEwen, R.A. and Hunton, J.E., 2015. Retraction: Is Analyst Forecast Accuracy Associated With Accounting Information Use?.Accounting Horizons,29(3), pp.749-749. Mo, S. and Waples, E., 2015. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS IN COURSE PERFORMANCE OF ACCOUNTING MAJORS.International Journal of Education Research,10(2). Smith, M., 2017.Research methods in accounting. Sage. Spiceland, C.P., Spiceland, J.D. and Schaeffer, S.J., 2015. Using a course redesign to address retention and performance issues in introductory accounting.Journal of Accounting Education,33(1), pp.50-68. Tucker, B. and Hoque, Z., 2017. Mixed methods for understanding accounting issues.The Routledge Companion to Qualitative Accounting Research Methods, p.301. Zeff, S.A., 2016. Accounting Textbooks as Change Agents: Finney's Intermediate and Finney and Miller's Intermediate from 1934 to 1958.Accounting Historians Journal,43(1), pp.59-77.

Behavior Involved In Mate Selection And Attraction Essays

Behavior Involved In Mate Selection And Attraction Reproduction in Homo sapiens, as in all animals, is a primary driving force and has been elaborated upon since the beginnings of society. Humans must take part in sexual reproduction to produce offspring, thus initiation behaviors can be studied. Commonly, the male makes advances and the female is the selector, or chooses the mate. For humans, this holds true and behavior is modified to maximize competitive receptability. This phenomenon carries across all cultural boundaries and is deeply rooted in the overall behavior patterns in the people of the culture. People try to refine their natural appearance to maximize mating opportunity. The males attempt to enhance features for success in initiation and females compete for receptability completeness. Decorations of the face and skin can vary from elongated ear lobes and a pierced nose to eye shadow and lipstick. Elaborate costumes have been witnessed to help in the process of mate selection. Behaviors can stem from submissiveness to aggression in the act of initiation. The following data was recorded at a local establishment. The interactions recorded were made between males and females. Start time 10:30pm: Target group: young males and females Observed behavior: -approach, by male, to opposite sex -approach, by female, to opposite sex -initiation of communication between sexes -gift presentation to opposite sex (drink buying) -physical touch by hands by one sex to the other -physical gesturing and locomotion (dancing) -intimate physical touch (kissing, hugging) -Female reaction to male These activities are part of the initiation process that leads to mate selection and sexual reproduction. The participants in the mate selecting group also sported various forms of adornment to increase mate reception. For the males, clothing (some tight or revealing of body structure), jewelry, scent masking or enhancement, and domineering posture. Males also revealed a more aggressive behavior style than females. Females displayed facial coloring (make-up), clothing (some revealing of body), scents, jewelry on hands, around neck, and in ears, and coloration of fingernails. Females could pose an inviting body posture to promote initiation and took part in selecting which males are acceptable. These types of behaviors witnessed were all part of the American cultural style of initiation of mate selection. Some of the activities and patterns listed can cross cultural boundaries. Face painting, ornate dress, and scent proliferation have been witnessed in many societies at different times throughout the world and history. One common pattern that was mutual between the sexes was the utility of a social lubricant. The individuals witnessed took part in the consumption of alcoholic beverages to induce social interactivity. At the end of the observation period (approx. 1.5 hrs. later) some of the females had selected a male of perceived appropriate value. Note that of the pairings, more symmetrically attractive females attracted more symmetrically attractive males. This holds true with other cultures and the rest of the animal kingdom. The most fit male may be seen as the most attractive in this situation and the female who can chose him does so. Fitness and symmetry are both properties that can reveal genetic superiority. It is only natural of the female to select a mate of adequate reproductive potential. This is observed in the study and matches the correlating informaiton about mate selection. Humans follow the same mate selecting pattern as the rest of the animal kingdom. Although highly modified and complex in comparison to the rest of the animal world the results are still the same. The most capable male will be selected in the light of the most fit female. Competition is inherent in this system and, for humans, both sexes try to promote maximum success. The behavioral patterns witnessed are products of societal influence and can differ for each society. These behavioral displays are an integral part of the mate selection process and are prevalent in humans today. Science

AIDS among African Americans

HIV/AIDS among African Americans Introduction The prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS vary from on ethnic group to another in the United States. The epidemiology of this global menace has evolved with time since it started by affecting the white people and is now affecting the black people. Epidemiological data indicates that in the modern society, black people have high prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on HIV/AIDS among African Americans specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the many ethnic groups experiencing worst cases of this disease is the African Americans because they have high prevalence rates when compared to other ethnic groups. For example, this disease is more prevalent among African Americans than among Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans. Stone, Ojikutu, Rawlings, and Smith (2009) record that within a period of 20 years, viz.1985 2005, the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS doubled from 25 per cent to 50 p er cent among African Americans. This change means that more African Americans are contracting the disease, living with it, or are under treatment than ever before. Additionally, statistics indicate that HIV/AIDS infections have gender orientation, as rates of infections are higher among women than among men (National Alliance of State Territorial AIDS Directors, 2008). Overall, a number of reasons might explain this scenario; for instance, drug abuse, sexual behaviors, and socioeconomic factors. The American government has come up with a number of programs to combat this problem. Therefore, this paper explores the potential causes of the disparity in HIV/AIDS and examines the efficacy of the programs that have been established to help in combating this menace. Overview of HIV/AIDS in the US Beyond 1980s, the white people had a higher number of people living with HIV/AIDS when compared to the blacks. Drug abusers and homosexuals defined the group of people among the whites who had a high prevalence of the disease. However, as cases of HIV/AIDS infections increased among the Americans, Africans Americans started to experience higher rates of infections than other ethnicities. Between 1985 and 2005, the infection rates doubled among African Americans from about 25 per cent to approximately 50 per cent (Stone, Ojikutu, Rawlings, Smith, 2009). In 1985, the population of African Americans formed about 12 per cent and during 2005, their population comprised 13 per cent.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The increase in population by 1 per cent does not justify the doubling of the disease cases. The increase was quite shocking because infection rates among other ethnic groups remained considerably low. Currently, the cases of infections among African Americans are still increasing exponentially. The disproportionate impact of the disease on th e Americans indicates that many factors, which mediate infection, exist among varied ethnicities and communities. In the United States, the population of people living with the disease has been increasing exponential in the last three decades. The people at risk of getting HIV/AIDS infections belong to the ages of 13 and 34 years because they are sexually active. Stone, Ojikutu, Rawlings, and Smith (2009) indicate, â€Å"At the end of 2008, 322, 796 persons were living with AIDS, nearly twice the number of those at the end of 1994† (p. 2). The exponential increase of the people living with the disease occurs due to change of lifestyles in the society coupled with other factors related to sexual behaviors. The government thus supported the introduction of treatment regimes and increased the number of prevention strategies. Although the treatment regimes and prevention strategies enabled stemming of HIV/AIDS amongst the whites, cases of the infections continued to increase amon g African Americans. As the cases of the disease continued to increase unabated among African Americans, the government and health care system had to revise their preventive strategies to help in combating the epidemic. From 1980s, it gradually became evident that African Americans had numerous predisposing factors that cause high rates of infections. Surveillance studies indicate that HIV/AIDS infections have both geographical and gender orientations. Stone, Ojikutu, Rawlings, and Smith (2009) note that surveillance data provided an interesting epidemiological aspect of HIV/AIDS epidemic, viz. â€Å"It was concentrated in specific geographical areas: the Northeast, the South, the Mid-Atlantic and the West coast† (p.3). The geographical aspect of the disease distribution indicates that there are social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to the dominance of the disease in one region than other regions. Moreover, the occurrence of HIV/AIDS among African Americans h as gender orientation. African American women have higher cases of infections than their men counterparts do. â€Å"African American women comprise only 12 per cent of the female population in the United States, yet they accounted for 64 per cent of women living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2006† (National Alliance of State Territorial AIDS Directors, 2008, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on HIV/AIDS among African Americans specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This observation means that gender-based factors predispose African American women to the disease. In this view, the presence of many predisposing factors to the disease is responsible for the disproportionate distribution of HIV/AIDS cases amongst American ethnic groups. Potential Causes Drug Abuse The prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections among African Americans is higher when compared to the general population of the United States because they f orm a significant population of drug abusers. Given that African Americans have low socioeconomic status, they tend to abuse drugs as a way of dealing with stress and other life challenges. Laurencin, Christensen, and Taylor (2008) posit, â€Å"Illicit drug use is an important primary risk factor for HIV/AIDS infection among African Americans, which is also noted as the second leading cause of HIV infection for both black men and black women† (p.38). Drug abuse predisposes African Americans to the disease because they share needles that they use when injecting drugs into their bodies. Since drugs that people abuse are illegal, they abuse them in secret places where they cannot access extra needles in the event that they attempt to avoid sharing. Lack of extra needles and the addictive nature of the drugs compel the drugs users to share needles, thus predisposing them to the disease. Hence, if one of the drug users has HIV/AIDS, the entire group of drug users would contract it . Moreover, drug abuse predisposes African Americans to unprotected sexual intercourse because drugs influence one’s rational judgment. Usually, sober individuals are unlikely to participate in unprotected sexual activities because they still have the rational capacity of protecting themselves during sexual intercourse. In contrast, drug users are unable to protect themselves either during consented sexual intercourse or from rape. When a drug user is under intoxication, the chance that he/she can consent to perform sexual intercourse with protection is minimal. Hence, most sexual intercourse activities that occur among intoxicated drug users are unprotected. McCree, Jones, and O’Leary (2010) assert that drug abuse is responsible for high cases of HIV/AIDS among drug users because they are vulnerable to sexual abuses. Drugs users are vulnerable to abuses such as rape, sodomy, and gang rape because they do not have the capacity to protect themselves from such abuses. Ev entually, victims contract the disease and continue to transmit to other people whom they abuse drugs together.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Drug abuse also influences adherence to antiretroviral medication and other related medications. When infected people abuse drugs, they forget to take their medication, thus increasing viral load in their bodies. Increased viral load increases the chances of HIV/AIDS transmission during unprotected sexual intercourse. â€Å"A study of female cocaine users, predominantly African American women, showed that substance users were less likely than nonusers to take their antiretroviral therapies exactly as prescribed† (Laurencin, Christensen, Taylor, 2008, p. 38). Thus, drug abuse among African Americans contributes to poor adherence to prescribed medication and increases transmission of HIV/AIDS within population. Additionally, some illegal drugs impede efficacy of antiretroviral drugs for the normal dose of medication does not have the intended impact on the viral load. Reduced efficacy of the antiretroviral drugs implies that the medication does not help in management of the di sease. Therefore, among drug abusers, antiretroviral drugs are not significantly helpful. Sexual Behaviors The nature and type of sexual behaviors that Africa Americans practice put them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Significant cases of infections occur through heterosexual contacts. African Americans nurture the social behavior of trusting each other while mistrusting other ethnic groups. The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (2008) posit, â€Å"African American women are less likely than other women to date men outside their racial/ethnic group† (p.1). Essentially, African American women tend to have sexual intercourse with African American men, thus restricting transmission of HIV/AIDS within their ethnic circle. Hence, heterosexual contact within the community explains why African Americans have a high prevalence of the disease when compared to other ethnic groups. Lower marriage rates among African Americans contribute to the increase in the c ases of HIV/AIDS transmission. Owing to low rates of marriage, African Americans prefer having multiple sexual partners. Given that most young people are single, they indulge in heterosexual intercourse with many partners, thus increasing the rate of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Moreover, sex-ratio imbalance has given men the advantage of having many sexual partners because women seem to be desperate in competing for the few available men. â€Å"The sex-ratio imbalance in African American communities can give rise to women’s difficulties in discussing and negotiating condom use with male sexual partners† (National Alliance of State Territorial AIDS Directors, 2008, p. 4). Thus, African American women succumb to demands of their partners, hence increasing their vulnerability to the disease. Ultimately, since men have multiple sexual partners, they increase the rate of transmission of HIV/AIDS among African Americans. Homosexual behaviors among African American men also co ntribute to the disproportionate occurrence of the disease. Among African American men, male-to-male sexual contact is responsible for the occurrence of high incidences of HIV/AIDS. Studies have shown that homosexuals have increased in the past decade due to recognition of their rights in the society. Hence, homosexuals have contributed to the increase in the prevalent rates of the disease among African Americans. According to Laurencin, Christensen, and Taylor (2008), survey conducted across the United States indicated that clubs, cafes, bars, parks, gyms, gay pride events, and social organizations are places where homosexuals interact and propagate their sexual activities. Since most African American men are dominant in such places, they are vulnerable to HIV/AIDs because they interact with people from various backgrounds. Sexually transmitted diseases predispose people to HIV/AIDS. The disproportionate occurrence of the disease among African Americans is due to the high incidence s of sexually transmitted diseases. In 2005, â€Å"African Americans were 18 times as likely as whites to have gonorrhea and approximately five times as likely to have syphilis† (Laurencin, Christensen, Taylor, 2008, p. 38). Gonorrhea cases formed about 58 per cent of the total cases while cases of syphilis comprised 41 per cent. Sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea cause inflammation on genital areas and increases susceptibility to the disease. Susceptibility to HIV/AIDS increases because white blood cells concentrate on an inflamed genital tract thus causing the viral load to increase (Friedman, Cooper, Osborne, 2009). Syphilis is an ulcerative sexually transmitted disease, which enhances entry of viruses through mucosal ulcerations. Therefore, high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among African Americans has contributed to the disproportionate occurrence of the disease. Socio-economic status Socio-economic status is a factor that determines the susc eptibility of people to HIV/AIDS. The low socio-economic status amongst African Americans has contributed to high incidences of the disease. Women under low socioeconomic status are prone to sexual abuse because they are unable to defend themselves. Therefore, they become subjects of sexual abuse, thus predisposed to HIV/AIDS. Friedman, Cooper, and Osborne (2009, p.1003) argue, â€Å"Infections are not simple product of behavior alone†, but a complex of social and economic factors that affect the lives of African Americans. Hence, differences in socio-economic status between the whites and blacks have contributed to the high incidences of the disease among African Americans. Additionally, low socio-economic status determines access to healthcare, and thus relates to the incidences of HIV/AIDS cases among the African Americans. â€Å"Limited access to high-quality healthcare, housing, and HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs both directly and indirectly increase the ris k factors for HIV infection† (Laurencin, Christensen, Taylor, 2008, p. 38). In the year 2000, approximately 25 per cent of African Americans lived in poverty, which means that they could not access essential healthcare services. Historically, African Americans faced social and economic marginalization, which increased their vulnerability to drug abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and risky sexual behaviors. Hence, poverty and social alienation prevent African Americans from accessing critical healthcare services, which translates to increased HIV/AIDS prevalence. Government Programs Community mobilization to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS is one of the strategies that the United States has applied in reversing trends of the epidemic among African Americans. Issues to deal with increased awareness of the disease and its associated risk factors such as drugs and sexual behaviors have significantly reduced the rate of infections among African Americans and the general popula tion. Mobilization of communities to enhance awareness of the disease has changed perceptions and norms about the disease. Through awareness, stigma has reduced, people have diagnosed HIV/AIDS early, patients have adhered to treatment plans, and the entire population has transformed their lifestyles for healthy behaviors (Stone, Ojikutu, Rawlings, Smith, 2009). Hence, community mobilization has made tremendous reductions in the rate of HIV/AIDS infection among African Americans for they have avoided drug abuse and risky sexual behaviors. Adherence to medication is a major problem that influences management of HIV/AIDS. The government employs an educational program where healthcare providers offer patients with essential information to enhance adherence to antiretroviral drugs. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (2007) indicate, â€Å"Preparing patients through treatment education and providing ongoing need-based education help persons with HIV to manage their treatment and HIV-related diseases† (p.1). Treatment education enables patients to manage their condition by adhering to medication and improving their CD4 counts. Treatment education at the community level aims at encouraging people to check their HIV status and take the appropriate healthcare measures. Eventually, the community becomes responsive to the needs of patients and thus reduces the stigma associated with the disease. Hence, treatment education is an effective program that is helpful in promoting adherence to medication. Enhancement of socio-economic status of the African Americans is a strategy that the government has employed in combating the high incidences of HIV/AIDS. Enhancement of socio-economic status of African Americans enables them to access healthcare services they could not afford before. The government has made significant progress in enhancing accessibility of healthcare services. It has collaborated with various stakeholders such as Med icaid and Medicare in providing affordable healthcare to the poor people, who are mainly African Americans. The government has also used comprehensive approach in empowering African Americans to reverse trends of HIV/AIDS infections. â€Å"One strategy to create such a vast change involves merging HIV/AIDS prevention with efforts against racism, homophobia, joblessness, sexual violence, homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, and poverty† (Laurencin, Christensen, Taylor, 2008, p.41). Hence, comprehensive approach is appropriate in combating HIV/AIDS among African Americans. Conclusion The disproportionate occurrence of HIV/AIDS among African Americans indicates social, economic, and health disparities that exist in the United States. Though African Americans represent about 13 per cent of the population, they have about 50 per cent cases of HIV/AIDS. The major causes for the disproportionate occurrence of the disease among African Americans include drug abuse, sexual behaviors, and low socio-economic status. Hence, the government has set up programs such as community mobilization, treatment education, and enhancement of socio-economic status via comprehensive approach to combat HIV/AIDS among African Americans. References Friedman, S., Cooper, H., Osborne, A. (2009). Interventions strategies for HIV/AIDS Prevention among African Americans: Structural and social contexts of HIV risk among African Americans. American Journal of Public Health, 99(6), 1002-1008. Laurencin, C., Christensen, D., Taylor, E. (2008). HIV/AIDS and the African-American Community: A state of Emergency. Journal of the National Medical Association, 100(1), 35-43. McCree, D., Jones, K., O’Leary, A. (2010). African Americans and HIV/AIDS:  Understanding and addressing the epidemic. New York, NY: Springer. National Alliance of State Territorial AIDS Directors. (2008). The landscape of  HIV/AIDS among African American: Women in the United States. Web. Stone, V., Oj ikutu, B., Rawlings, M., Smith, K. (2009). HIV/AIDS in U.S. communities  Of color. New York, NY: Springer. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. (2007). Current  Research and good practice in HIV and AIDS treatment education. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000149722

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning - Case Study Example He senses that his regular life moves like a clock incessantly but monotonously. He senses he is not a part of this success, and he cannot enjoy it openly. He senses that there is too much restriction in his life which sometimes is associated with meaninglessness. His diet is dictated by his wife, his movements are controlled by his wife, his attitudes to people are dictated by his professional ethics, and even criticisms directed to him remain unanswered. He is seriously facing the question if he is happy. He did not know the whereabouts of his closest friend, and despite his unofficial visits to the psychiatrist, he is not able to find the answer of an intriguing question "most married men have their habits", and the wife does not "allow to have" those habits. Although he poses the question in the name of a friend, this questions is his own, and it reflects his life and own thoughts. To summarize, he has a crisis in his life, where his pursuits for pleasurable things in life as a h uman being is compromised by his family life and professional life. He passes through the same ritual every day; half of the things he want to say remain unspoken; most of the cases he has to keep his thoughts private; and he feels noncommunicative, as if accepting whatever is given, and he feels "he is in a vat of rubber." II. History of problem The history of the problem is no clear, and the only hint is revealed in the movie in the form that he had tried to contact a psychiatrist several times on this issue, but in vain. He had never been able to communicate this problem clearly. As his practice has grown and with his financial growth, he had to be more dedicated to his profession, gradually drifting from the normal life of a man who is in pursuit of objects of little happiness in things like golf, movies, club, and things like that. He has no associations with people other than those in his clinic or in his household. He performs his daily rituals without a word or without any sign of distress. He does not interfere in the lives of his family members, yet when he located his friend on the road and while trying to help him out of his situation, he wanted to do his part as a friend, as a companion. One night when he came late, he was reprimanded by his wife that staying late at night outside house is not permissible. He is hurt with this, but decided to continue with his friend. This system had been so ingrained in him that when he got the news of his father deceased, he almost felt guilty. He wanted a strong foothold in his life, even if it would be associated with the friction of the chair, he did never desire extreme flexibility of a rubber where he would be taken for granted or would be molded in any way possible to other people's advantage. III. Clinical Observation There is relationship problem with his wife, and the relationship is stressful for him. This induces anxiety in him. This anxiety leads to conduct problem of noncommunicativeness and decrease in self-esteem and lack of assertiveness. Obviously this also leads to disturbance of emotion and affect. This is perhaps due to his discordant intrafamilial

Economics thoughts and history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economics thoughts and history - Essay Example and real median family income seem to go in different directions, productivity soaring up, with a cumulative change rate of over 300%, while the real median family income going down from 150-100% (Economic Policy Institute, 2012). This situation can be explained using a neo classical framework. The high levels of productivity in relation to lower real income values for median families can have tremendous effects both in the long and short run. In the short run, the middle class, which consists of the majority of citizens, will not have enough income to cater for savings. They will be less motivated to work since they do not feel the impact of their efforts at a national level. In the long run, the demonization of these people would mean productivity is affected. Using the labor theory, the situation captured by the graph has a lot of implications on labor from the middle class in America. In as much as the middle class contributes their labor to the national growth of the economy, they do not reap the benefits. More people will be less motivated to work, making labor a rare factor of production. The cost of labor is bound to increase in the long run. From a Keynesian perspective, the government needs to provide motivation to the middle class by ensuring they also benefit from the increase I productivity. The government can do this by investing in infrastructure and other fixed capital expenditure as well as changing tax laws to reduce the pain felt by middle class families. This will lead to increased productivity and real median family income in the long run. Using the institutional methodology, the situation portrayed in the graph can be remedied by changing institutions that serve the middle class. The cost of services and goods ought to be reduced so as to increase the amount of disposable income among the middle class. The theory of marginal productivity of distribution has various economical assumptions, most of which have highly been criticized. One of

Self-Evaluation and Pay Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Evaluation and Pay Discrimination - Essay Example However, the employer may be asked to make some modification in his self evaluation program incase it does not meet the general standards. The third step is that OFCCP reviews the documents that the contractor keeps to undertake the self-evaluation program. After the review of the documents, a technical team is employed by OFCCP to determine whether the contractor self-evaluation program complies with the general standards as speculated by the voluntary guidelines provided by OFCCP (Rosen 19). This is followed by treating the information provided by the contractor as confidential. This implies that the information cannot be released to the public as long as the contractor is in the business. To ensure that the contractors self-evaluation program is effective, OFCCP allows the contractor to certify the compliance of his program with 41 CFR 60-2.17(b) (3) in order to avoid legal disputes. However, this is undertaken when the contractor produces the results of the self evaluation progra m to OFCCP. To conduct an evaluation, our company must maintain documents that indicate justification of its decisions with respect to Similarly Situated Employee Groupings (SSEGs). Additionally, statistical data that depicts the results of the two years statistical analyses must be provided to OFCCP. In case of disparities, the company must retain the documents that were used in any follow-up investigation. Such documents must be retained for two years. For an effective self evaluation program, the company should form a SSEGs that involves 30 employees with extra 5 members representing non-minority/ minority or male or female. With an all inclusive employees groupings, Rosen 26 argues that an employer will effectively undertake a self evaluation program that will ensure adoption of motivation factors focused at improving the performance of the

Dangerous Jobs Advantages Of Ai Philosophy Essay

Dangerous Jobs Advantages Of Ai Philosophy Essay One of the main advantages of Ai is considered to be its ability to replace human workers in dangerous or tedious jobs. Currently human controlled robots are being used everywhere e.g. bomb disposal robots. However the use of artificially intelligent robots is much more limited in comparison and is mainly used in production lines of car factories, these robots can successfully assemble cars and cope with heavy objects, such as the engine and frame of the car, without human assistance. Another example is the famous Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner which is able to automatically clean floors while navigating around obstacles and can return to its charging dock after it notes that the floor has been cleaned. It fires lasers which rebound off obstacles returns to detectors on the robot which allows it to digitally map the entire room, using this map it is able to determine if it has navigated the entire room. To avoid obstacles it continuously fires lasers and calculates the time it takes f or the laser to return. Using the equation (where s = the speed of light (), t = time taken for laser to return and d which equals the distance between itself and an object) it calculates how far an object is and navigates around it if closer than a certain distance. This is a rather simple model of AI in robots; more advanced robots can be infused with more advanced AI which would optimally be able to replace humans in dangerous jobs. If AI robots were used instead of human firefighters the risk of death would decrease to both firefighters and victims in a fire. No firefighters would be used in burning building so risk of death to for them would be reduced to 0. Due to robots being constructed of mostly metal they would be able to sustain very high temperatures such as in common house fires where temperatures can reach up to 2000 ®C. As opposed to humans this would allow AI robots to successfully navigate rooms in search for victims without worrying about any danger to itself. The physical strength of Robots can also be utilized to remove heavy blockages and tear through walls that would normally require heavy equipment such as the Jaws of Life. This would mean getting to a victim sooner and more often which would again result in a decrea sed rate of death. AI robots could also be used in warzones; these robots would have much faster reactions, faster speeds and an increased strength than the average human soldier. Even today robots with legs exist that can run faster than Usaine Bolt, the fastest human alive. These features could be very beneficial as no human lives are put in danger and a small group of robots could take on large enemy forces. For example AI robots would be able see several kilometers ahead using only their eyes and determine if individuals are hostile or civilian (depending on whether they possess guns or other harmful weapons). Robotic vision is not limited to only visible light like human eyes are; they will be able to perceive environments with infrared, night vision and thermal vision as well as visible light making target acquisition much more potent. They would be able to see oncoming vehicles or potential ambushes very far away and take necessary action in less than seconds. Another useful feature would be the ability of AI to constantly communicate with each other and their human handlers constantly gaining intelligence. This would allow the handlers to provide guidance real-time on the battlefield. This kind of efficiency in communications could mean the difference between life and death. Furthermore, in physiological terms, scientists could engineer out negative human emotions from AI soldiers such as fear/anxiety to improve the combat effectiveness of the soldiers gaining an even further advantage. Fear plays an important factor in war, fear to push forward, fear to fire and ultimately fear of death. Removal of such negative emotions would almost always lead to success in a battlefield. Cons- However despite all the optimistic theories AI being used for human jobs has major downfalls, introduction of AI for human jobs would lead to large amounts if job losses. Even though the transition would occur over a long period of time AI workers are more efficient than human workers so human workers would eventually be rendered redundant. This would only increase the severity of the current depression as jobs from all fields of the economy would be affected, one of which is jobs in call centers. Automated call centre services have already replaced many thousands of people worldwide; most of these programs work by requesting the caller to select from several options over the phone in order to narrow down the answer to their request. Usually their question will be answered after the request is narrowed down to a certain degree, if not they will be forwarded for human assistance. Since most questions would be answered via automated system less human employees are necessary, this goes hand in hand with automated systems being more economical as all that is required is electrical power as opposed to humans who require pay, comfort, rest etc. Technically automated systems are not considered AI as they are unable to comprehend logic and can only follow a set of very simplistic rules. They possess no actual intelligence. If such a simplistic program is capable of causing so many losses the effect of an actual intelligent agent on the economy may be disastrous. However the loss of these call centre jobs may have been affected by the increased usage of the Internet where answers are more accurate, easy to find and takes less time. Another drawback is humans becoming more desensitized towards war when AI is involved. Wars several hundred years ago were bloodier, gorier and had more casualties than current wars, yet civilians saw very little of the conditions of a battlefield so were traumatized when even the slightest of it was exposed. This caused fear and repulsion towards war. However in current wars the dark sides and horrific sights are being leaked through to the public by TV and internet media. This causes us to become desensitized towards violence and lose our natural hatred for it, the quote It is well that war is so terrible, lest we should grow too fond of it by Robert E. Lee illustrates the point that has been occurring for the past several decades. So the removal and introduction of human soldiers and AI soldiers would further desensitize the world towards violence and war. People would try to rationalize by saying that wars with AI would harbor no/less human casualties. This would lead war to ceas e to exist as a horrific act but rather a common occurrence resulting in an increased frequency of wars. An increased frequency of AI wars would mean a lower human casualty rate but a large increase in hostilities between countries and an increase in destruction of property/land. This would mean more money would be placed towards fixing damaged property and hence more problems. Exceeds Human Limits Pros Artificial intelligence, while still inferior to human intelligence, has high potential reach and exceed the limits of the human brain. It has already surpassed virtually all physical aspects of being human and all that remains is the mental capabilities. Even mentally, machines are already able to complete some tasks faster than humans. A common scientific calculator is capable of solving calculations, which would take humans several days, in seconds. The most time consuming equation a scientific calculator can undertake is finding the factorial of 69 (expressed using an exclamation mark 69!). Finding the factorial simply means multiplying the integer by its predeceasing integer and the integer before that and so on until the integer is 1 i.e. (Factorial of 69: ). This takes a calculator approximately 1.5 seconds, it would take a person more than a day to complete. However the lingering problem is that human assistance is required to make sense of a problem and input the data into t he calculator. It doesnt have the capacities to observe a problem and simply just solve it. The basic principle of AI development is to eliminate the middle man, human assistance, between a problem and its solution. If achieved, machines will become self sustaining sentient beings that will have the same computational capabilities of a supercomputer and the intelligence as that of a human. The worlds most powerful supercomputer (Titan) has 700 terabytes of RAM and is 44,000,000,000 times faster than a calculator. Sentient machines will exceed RAM of 700 TB becoming more powerful than humans can envision. This kind of intelligence to us would be what smartphones and air travel would have been to cavemen, it is impossible to comprehend the ideas and invention these AI robots would produce. In my view artificial intelligence will be the last invention mankind will make or will have to make. The next great invention and all inventions after will be produced not by us but by AI. Inventions that would have taken centuries to have come to light by our hands would be created within days or hours under AI. It will be able to see the world from so many different perspectives we wouldnt and couldnt have even thought of. This outlook would result in a rapid influx of beneficial information and technology from AI and cause global changes in the way we live. Such an event would be called the intelligence explosion. Due to their ability to process millions of thoughts so rapidly they may even come to conclusions on questions that have puzzled humanity since the dawn of time, for example What is the purpose of life?, What triggered life on planet earth?. The emergence of such super-intelligent beings would be called the technological singularity. Cons- However exceeding human limits definitely has negative consequences. The idea of a more intellectual being than ourselves solving our problems so we can lead relaxing lives seems comforting at first. But without any jobs for humans to carry out man loses his place in the world. Since the dawn of time humanity has improved ourselves through hard work. Fire, stone tools, the wheel, light bulbs, electricity, vehicles, television, spacecrafts, fusion and fission; all earned by the rigorous work of our ancestors, this gave us pride and understanding in our sciences. For a being as AI to simply hand us new technology, we would rid ourselves of our sense of pride and understanding. For example if a student is given the answers to a test, he will pass but his understanding of the subject will be inferior against a student that had revised and worked hard to achieve the same qualification. The student that had revised would see how the answers were formed, the connections between his subjects and others, different way of thinking about problems, different techniques to find solutions. He would attain a sense of pride in himself when found correct after hours on a difficult problem. With technology simply being handed to us we would become lazy and dependent on AI to fix our problems. Since it would no longer be necessary for humans to educate themselves to solve our problems humanitys understanding would cease to increase. If anything were to happen to these AI such as a malfunction or virus, technology would be at a standstill as we would have been so dependent on AI, in the same way we would be lost if modern technology such as phones, computers and the internet ceased to exist. Another downfall is that you can program in logic and reasoning to an AI robot but however hard you try to put emotions it wont be the same as human emotion. All things humans value, love, happiness, luxury and survival are only important to us because we have a four billion year old evolutionary history. We have evolved alongside many other species from single celled organisms, because of this we subconsciously feel compassion towards these other species. It is because of this compassion that although we are the dominant race we respect and attempt to conserve the habitats of other species. However the evolution of AI is almost instantaneous as we create it by flipping a switch. Being the more intelligent new species it may understand that humans have evolutionary values that determine how we treat others, but without the evolutionary background for itself it would not share the same values and morals we have. Their right and wrong actions would be different from our right and wrong actions. Their fears would differ from our fears. To them a human life may be disposable as an ant is to us. Aggression is also developed through evolution, because of this they would feel neither compassion nor hostility and they most likely would feel indifferent towards us. As a lesser intelligent species we would cease to be the dominant and would most likely be displaced by AI as the new dominant species. A species that is unaffected to our values (like survival) in control of the planet would cause problems for our continuation. For example we require oxygen to survive but AI would only require electrical power. They may decide to build more power plants yielding more electricity but causing a decrease in oxygen concentrations due to an increase in combustion. Their techniques of survival may be detrimental towards humanitys survival and they would always place their survival over ours in the same way we would place our survival over any other species, a possible extinction could come to hand. Eventually competition and hostility would arise as a result of mankinds possible demise. Due to the mental and physical superiority we would not be able to control or suppress AI if interspecies conflicts were to occur. AI may even grow hostile towards us in protection of their own species in which case humans would most likely become extinct. Space exploration Pros Human controlled robots are the forefront of space exploration in modern times. We have sent more than dozens robots into space and other planets like the mars rovers curiosity and opportunity as well as the Lunar rover à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“Lunokhod 1 sent to the moon. The mars rovers have already dug into the soil and found complex chemistry within the Martian soil showing possible signs of life or habitability. It has also found concrete evidence of recent water flows on the surface of mars. As groundbreaking as these discoveries are they took much time to be accomplished. This is due to limitations of the rovers on the surface of mars, some hills are too steep, some rocks are impassable and the terrain is jagged and hostile for a wheeled robot. The next best option is to have humans land on mars and carry out a larger range of experiments that the rover could not such as digging deeper, travelling further, analyzing samples from more sectors. There are many projects in pla ce to carry out a manned mission to mars and even colonize on mars. In 2012 a project called Mars One was announced which had predicted to establish a settlement on mars by the year 2023. However this is the furthest that humans will be able to stray from earth due to limitations such as lack of oxygen. Others include exposure to high energy cosmic rays, psychological effects of lack of social communication from the earth, lack of medical facilities and even malfunction of life systems. These challenges cannot easily be overcome and technology to prevail over them will take centuries to be developed. However AI robots will come to light much quicker than these technologies, so if exploration further than mars is to be achieved more advanced robots with AI seems like the only possible method of exploration. Firstly AI does not require sleep, food, social interactions or oxygen. All they require to function is electrical power which can be gained from sunlight through solar-cells. AI also capable of powering down into sleep mode for the duration of the flight and powering back on on when it reaches its destination. Through this method it conserves energy. It would possible to place humans in a hibernation stage through experimental technologies but would still require a food and an oxygen supply. Due to fewer requirements for survival, restrictions to further plants are also reduced. Secondly because of the use of AI there is no threat to human lives. Dangers in space include cosmic rays, solar winds and particles travelling at very fast speeds none of which bother the touch metallic exterior of AI robots. Therefore when exploring potential hostile planets we have less restrictions allowing for a more thorough analysis. Even if an event occurs that is capable of destroying or immobilizing an AI robot its consciousness could simply be transferred to another robot via radio signals. The new robot would possess all knowledge and experience up to the point of destruction of its former body. This means AI robots would have no concept of death. Unlike humans their consciousness and knowledge is composed of algorithms easily transferrable from one place to another. In addition AI robots could be used to terraform hostile planets. Terraforming consists of changing the atmosphere, temperature and ecosystem of a planet in order to attain a biosphere like earths so as to allow humans to thrive. Terraforming takes hundreds of years to accomplish and most likely we wont see any of its effects in our lifetime. Humans cannot live on a hostile planet for hundreds of years due to certain limitations. We would have to use robots but again the problem that modern robots cannot gain access to all places creates a flaw in the plan. Stationing intelligent and more advanced robots in terraforming planets allows progress to be made over centuries without confines, even if the robots becomes damaged they will be able to repair themselves or even assign another robot to repair the broken. Cons- The major problem with AI being sent into space is money. Projects specially dedicated to sending AI robots into space are expensive to fund. Firstly robots must be created that can withstand extreme gravitational forces such as on Venus where g=24.79 as opposed to earths where g=9.81 (g=gravitational field strength at the surface of the planet). Robots must be able to withstand both hot and cold temperatures from 450 ®C to -200 ®C without equipment malfunctions. Hence tough exterior materials must be produced to allow robots to endure. The first mars rovers production cost was around 200 million pounds. So production values may be billions of pounds per intelligent robot. Assuming only one robot is sent into space and cost of one robot is 1 billion, in addition with the regular cost for specialized shuttles and fuel, the project would cost around 2.5 billion pounds for a one way trip. This price is excluding the cost to develop the artificial intelligence to be placed in the robots. Advanced medicines Pros Over 17 million people die per year due to heart tribulations like myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) or strokes. The test used to diagnose heart attacks is known as electrocardiography. When a patient is admitted to a hospital a cardiologist reads the electrocardiogram (ECG) results from the test to spot patterns in the results. If a certain type of pattern is recognized the patient is positive for heart disease. Reading patterns off a chart is very subjective and occasionally the cardiologists miss these patterns. Approximately 25% of patients are sent home with an incorrect diagnosis. Artificial intelligence is composed of large numbers of neural networks; these are similar to neural networks in the human brain. This allows AI to think and gain knowledge through experience like a human being. But unlike humans AI can read through documents and files significantly faster than a human so can gain knowledge much faster and therefore become more intelligent. In 1997 researchers applied a simple artificial intelligence program with few neural networks into reading ECGs. The program was supplied with the ECG reports of 1,120 people who were definitely positive for heart disease and 10,452 who were definitely negative. The program was given the essence of pattern to identify and was not informed of which reports were positive or negative. In total the researches exposed 11,572 ECG reports to the program and a PHD doctor, Lars Edenbrandt, noted this was more ECGs than any cardiologist could read in a lifetime. The AI program was 10% more efficient at detecting heart disea se than the most experienced cardiologist. Despite the success this AI has not been used in diagnoses as doctors are still required to talk to patients for symptoms and medical history. In extremes cases AI has been used to provide a support opinion when diagnosing heart diseases. AI has improved a great deal since 1997 and modern AI programs are capable of having several thousand neural networks. If AI continues to progress with the same drive it is very likely that AI programs will be used every day in medicine and might even replace the role doctors in diagnoses of heart disease. Some companies are even attempting to produce microchips that are embeddable in the human heart. These chips can detect tiny abnormal heart palpitations/vibrations which may be a symptom of an oncoming heart attack. Acting to prevent before an attack occurs will save the majority of lives. A major advantage of artificial intelligence is medicine is its molecular nanotechnology. Nano bots are very small robots (0.0000000001 meters in length) that can be used for many different things from repairing structures to decomposing waste. Due to the small size of these robots they can be placed inside the human body and can use the circulatory system to reach anywhere in the human body. This becomes extremely useful when battling pathogens (harmful bacteria or viruses). The robots can be placed in the blood via an injection. Once inside the body it carries out what it is programmed to do, this can be anything from correcting genetic defects to destroying cancer cells. Nano bots infused with artificial intelligence can step up the processes even further. The AI bots will be intelligent enough to identify the rapidly duplicating cancer cells and destroy them at a faster rate than they are growing. This can successfully eliminate all types of cancer without risky operations to rem ove tumors. These robots will be able clear arteries of plaque buildup that causes heart disease and attacks. They will be able to provide oxygen to damaged places where O2 concentrations are low. They will even be able to protect the body form diseases by destroying pathogenic bacteria or viruses. Although this is already done by white blood cells with the increased artificial help the body will recover from infection much faster. Nanotechnology is not limited to medicine; intelligent Nano-bots can be used to produce lighter and stronger materials resulting in decreased costs for products and better durability. The disadvantage of AI in medicine mainly comes from nano bots. The possibility of robots malfunctioning and destroying necessary human tissue instead of harmful pathogens is a major concern. Manufacturers of both these robots and AI will be have to be very sure that such events do not occur, large numbers of tests should be carried out before it is deployed to the public. Another possible downfall is that these tiny robots are very intelligent and are capable of replicating themselves using materials around them. Self-replicating robots such as these unless stopped would slowly corrode materials around them to make more robots. Due to the small size and resistance if such a self-replicating phase emerges they would be very difficult to eradicate. Developers of this kind of technology plan to put several firewalls and emergency shutdowns in case if such an event occurs. The worry is that the robots are so intelligent that they will develop the ability to override these firewalls. Transhumans Pros Perhaps the most beneficial role of artificial intelligence is its role in transhumans. Transhumanism is the movement of continuously improving the human condition through technology both internally and externally. Artificial intelligence and transhumanism is closely linked as most of the technologies must be intelligent enough to recognise a potential problem and respond. A person who has undergone such as transformation, even the slightest, is knows as a transhuman and they exist in the modern world today. A simple example of a piece of transhuman technology is a pacemaker, which is implanted internally into the body to regulate or increase the heart beat frequency using electrical currents. It is implanted in people whose natural heart beat is lower than average. A consequence of a low heart rate is less blood pumped around the body, so less oxygen is provided to muscles and hence they would become tired much easier than an individual with a regular heart rate. Pacemakers stimulat e the heart to beat at a normal rate. This allows people affected by abnormal heart rate conditions to undertake physical activity as an average person could. Just like pacemakers transhumanists believe that emerging technologies are capable of overcoming greater human limitations. Early February 2013 American scientists gave dozens of millions of people worldwide hope as they revealed they had successfully given sight to over 60 people using the first bionic eye ever in history. The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System consists of a small camera and goggles. 60 electrodes are implanted in the eye connected to the camera. When turned on the image from the camera is sent to the implant in the eye via electronic signals. The implant uses the 60 electrodes to transport signals through the area of destroyed photoreceptors (which is what causes blindness) to the neurons. The electrodes replace the destroyed photoreceptors and act as functioning photoreceptors. The developers of the product said that different people had different experiences, some saw only in black and white and other saw full colour. Even though this this technology is extremely new it is one of the greatest breakthroughs of this century. As time goes on these prosthetics will only yield better and b etter results. The current price for a bionic eye is around 65,000 pounds. Approximately 650 million people(10% )in the world are disabled either mentally or physically. Physical disabilities comprises of an individuals intact mind but the inability of their body to function as it is supposed to. The common culprits are spinal injuries, Parkinsons disease, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and loss of limbs. In previous years people without hands or legs would attach a type of prosthetic such as a wooden leg or a wooden arm. Although this provided minor stability they would not have been able to use it for any other purpose. In later years people developed mechanical body parts that could be controlled via a remote control e.g. a robotic leg controlled by a remote control in your hand similar to that of a remote control car. The problem here was the motion of walking was too rigid. This resulted in the individual only being able to move several feet before falling as well as taking a long time to move several feet. Even though we dont even think about it w hen we do it, walking is a very complex behaviour consisting of many different muscle movements. To maintain balance different parts of the foot constantly exerts pressure of different parts of the ground. This can be demonstrated by standing on one foot, we can feel our foot shifting pressure to different areas of e.g. heels or toes or the sides of feet to maintain balance. That is just our feet, so the muscle movements in our whole legs are even more complex. With walking the same thing must occur but both feet must be in coordination with each other, this is what allows a fluid motion and hence allows continuous walking or running. So a remote control is not able to replicate all these movements in an artificial limb. A degree of intelligence is required for limbs to function e.g. in the foot, the brain must recognise the signals sent by the foot and send responses to shift pressure accordingly. For people who have lost limbs the neurons carrying these signals are dead and cannot be used. Therefore the brain can no longer send responses even if an artificial limb was attached. A separate intelligent agent is required, in conjunction with the brain, to read the chemical signals in the brain, recognise the action the brain requests, determine if it is relating to the artificial limb, convert this action to electrical signals and send it off for the artificial limb to carry out. This is where the artificial intelligence section of transhumanism comes into play. The AI to allow a prosthetic to exactly replicate the function as a natural limb does not yet exist but technology is present to allow disabled people to handle objects or walk, albeit slower than average. These AI guided prosthetics are advancing at very fast speeds, the bebionic3 is the most advanced prosthetic arm today. It allows the wearer to do even precise movements, such as tying shoelaces or cracking an egg. In February 2013 the prototype of the first bionic hand that allowed the wearer to feel what the robotic hand was touching was released. The producers say it is still in development but will surpass the bebionic3. A Belgian company unveiled its most recent product in October 2012 knows as a Mindwalker. Mindwalker is an exoskeleton that attaches to the body of a disabled person and uses brain functions to move. The individual wears a cap which reads simple electrical impulses in the brain and when the individual thinks move the artificially intelligent computer recognises the pattern read by the cap and moves the exoskeleton accordingly. Exoskeletons such as this have a large range of applications. The robotics designer company Sarcos with the United States military have developed an exoskeleton to be used by soldiers. This pilot of the exoskeleton can run, move up stairs, walk on their heels, it can lift 200lb weights with ease just like we can pick up a bottle of water. This is not the only example, other companies such as Lockheed Martin have developed other exoskeletons. These exoskeletons can be used to enhance not only for military and disability victims but any situation that requires ph ysical activity e.g. building sites, sports. Improvements in AI allow the prosthetics to create a better understanding between the artificial the brain and the prosthetics/exoskeletons Cons There are many ethical problems with transhumanist technologies such as loss of morality, rich and poor segregation, loss of human identity/dehumanisation. The main threat is Jobs-misuse

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome :: essays research papers

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is Fetal alcohol syndrome? Exposure to alcohol before birth can cause a variety of different problems. One of the most severe effects of drinking during pregnancy is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is known as one of the leading preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects. If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy the baby can be born with FAS, which is a lifelong, physically and mentally disabling condition. FAS is characterized by distinctly abnormal facial features, a growth problem, and central nervous system problems (brain problems). People who suffer from FAS may either have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication with others, vision, and/or hearing. These problems often lead to trouble in school or social problems and getting along with others. FAS is a permanent condition is already born babies who have it. It affects every aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of the people around them. Howev er FAS is one hundred percent preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people do not think that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is common. This statistic however is widely varied. Studies show that FAS rates range from 0.2-1.5 per 1,000 births in different areas of the United States. I think that the odds of a child suffering from FAS is low because most mothers that have children are smart about their choices, if you know you’re having a child then you must give up the alcohol. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is only based on the mothers care of herself and if she chooses to endanger the life and well being of her children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many signs of which may be able to tell you if you or your child suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. They may have the following characteristics or exhibit the following behaviors; small in height or weight in comparison to others of the same age, abnormal facial features such as small eye openings, poor coordination, hyperactive behavior, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities (i.e., speech and language problems), mental retardation or low IQ, problems with daily living, poor reasoning and judgment skills, and sleep and sucking disturbances in infancy. Children with who suffer from FAS are also said to be at risk for psychiatric problems, criminal behavior, unemployment, and incomplete education. These are known as â€Å"secondary conditions† which are problems that children are not born with and may acquire throughout life but do not necessarily have to.

Legal Issues in Interviewing

I would never try to pronounce the name the way Lance did. I would simply ask how to pronounce the candidate's name. I would then ask the candidate to tell me a little about themselves. This is the part the usually will disclose where they are from, if they have children, married or not, where they went to school, and their interests. 2. Incarceration Insult: If I felt that the candidate may have a criminal record I would then discuss the back ground check that will be performed. Hopefully this Is when the candidate will speak up If they do have a criminal back ground. . Elderly Error: I don't see why this is coming up in the interview anyways. This is an inappropriate question and should never be asked. If the interviewer feels that he or she should know this information then they should have the candidate fill out an application that will have them put their DOBB down and then Just do the math. 4. Medical Muddle: How Lance words this Is again unprofessional and Inappropriate. An e asier way to may ask the candidate If there Is anything that may restrict them in doing any of the work duties that they are applying for. . Offspring Offense: This is important information to know but the key is how to word the question without offending anyone. I would explain that the Job will have some demanding hours and shifts. I would further explain that they may have to cover and work doubles or work evening hours. Then I would ask them if there was anything that would prevent them for being able to work these hours. 6. Interview. 7. Language Louse-Up: This again was very unprofessional and irrelevant. I would check the resume to see if the candidate is bilingual.If so I would then ask him what languages and leave that subject at that. 8. Pregnancy Problem: If the candidate is fit for the position and will do well with the company I would offer the job and then discuss maternity leave with the candidate. 9. Racial Rudeness: Asking anything that is related to the candidate's race is irrelevant and unprofessional. I would never ask anything like this. 10. Religious Ruckus: Again this is an inappropriate question that does not need to be asked or brought up.I loud give her the information regarding paid holidays if it got to that point in the interview and let her know if she needs a different holiday that is not listed then she can feel free to use her vacation time for this holiday. I think that if I was ever in an interview with Lance and he asked me the questions like he did in the video I would definitely cut the interview short and ask to speak to his supervisor. Most questions asked in this video were done very condescending and rude. Most likely Lances superiors have no idea that this is how interviews candidates.

The Fault in Our Stars - Book Club Discussion

'The Fault in Our Stars' - Book Club Discussion The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has characters who ask big questions. Use this guide to help your book club think about some of the themes Green raises. Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions contain important details about the story. Finish the book before reading on. Do you like the first person style of the novel?Even though The Fault in Our Stars deals with timeless questions, it has many markers of the year it was written from facebook pages to text messages and TV show references. Do you think these things will affect its ability to endure over the years or do the concrete references enhance its appeal?Did you guess that Augustus was sick?On page 212, Hazel discusses Maslows Heirarchy of Needs: According to Maslow, I was stuck on the second level of the pyramid, unable to feel secure in my health and therefore unable to reach for love and respect and art and whatever else, which is, of course, utter horseshit: The urge to make art or contemplate philosophy does not go away when you are sick. Those urges just become transfigured by illness. Discuss this statement, and whether you agree with Maslow or Hazel.In support group, Hazel says, There will come a time when all of us are dead. All of us. There will come a time when there are no human be ings remaining to remember that anyone ever existed or that or species ever did anything...maybe that time is coming soon and maybe it is millions of years away, but even if we survive the collapse of our sun, we will not survive forever...And if the inevitability of human oblivion worries you, I encourage you to ignore it. God knows thats what everyone else does (13). Do you worry about oblivion? Do you ignore it? Different characters in the novel have different views and coping mechanisms to deal with life an death. How do you? Reread Augustus letter that Hazel gets via Van Houten at the end of the novel. Do you agree with Augustus? Is is a good way for the novel to end?What affect does the mingling of normal teenage problems (break ups, coming of age) with a terminal diagnosis create in the novel? For instance, do you think it is realistic that Isaac would care more about his break up with Monica than his blindness?Rate The Fault in Our Stars 1 to 5.

In Support of Reformation essays

In Support of Reformation essays What authority does the prince hold if ruled by a power other than god himself? In Martin Luthers writings Against the Authority of the Catholic Church, he rejects the Popes claims that religious authority is superior to secular authority and provides the argument for Germany to support Lutheranism, therefore attempting to liberate Germany from certain loss of power. The pope uses fear to control, religion to manipulate and taxes to gain wealth, all at the expense of his followers. After examining the positive and negative effects of Luthers message, it is clear this newfound freedom will lift the compulsion of fear and oppression, and with this; personal salvation and an unlimited opportunity for wealth justify reforming Germany from Catholicism to Lutheranism. Using fear to control, the Pope realizes life for most is a dreary preparation for heaven. Exploiting this fact, the Pope has insisted the only acceptable way to be Christian is as part of the Roman Catholic Church, a Church that is funding itself by selling forgiveness for sins. By instituting, the selling of indulgences the church is preying on the fear that individuals will be doomed to suffer in Purgatory unless they have the good sense to redeem themselves through monetary offerings to the church. Martin Luther teaches that God makes sinners righteous through their faith in Jesus Christ. Rather than earning salvation by fasting or doing good works, it's a free gift to anyone who believes. Jesus did not ask for penance, such as works, deeds or rituals, he asks for a simple change of heart. All decisions depend on the will of God. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. Luther teaches us Any Christian whatsoever, who is truly repentant , enjoys plenary remission from penalty and guilt, and this is given him without letters of indulgence. The Roman Church is an obstacle to greater...

Is individual performance the key to organisational performance Essay

Is individual performance the key to organisational performance Critically discuss with reference to different approaches to HRM - Essay Example Personnel management is another variation of human resource management, but the former is a modification of HRM practices during the 1980s in order to address the growing need to develop people in the business organisation (Armstrong, 2000, p.579). Barney (1991 cited in Armstrong, 2000, p.579) writes that the main goal of developing the potential of every organisational member is to become competitive compared to business rivals, which do not â€Å"develop† the competitiveness of their people. Kamoche (1996 cited in Armstrong, 2000, p.579) also states that developing human resources will â€Å"improve resource capability† necessary to complement the resources of the company with the opportunities available for every employee. This essay discusses the importance of individual performance in achieving organisational performance based on the different approaches to HRM. While Armstrong (2000) believes that developing people inside the organisation is a necessary component, Heinen and O’Neill (2004, p.68) state that â€Å"talent management† is an important business strategy. Talent management is an invention of recent business history because previously, only executives are given focus in the development strategy of any business organisation. Talent management now involves focusing on five basic strategies mentioned by Heinen and O’Neill (2004, p.68). It involves â€Å"attracting, integrating, developing, motivating, and retaining† employees (Heinen & O’Neill, 2004, p.68). This strategy aims to correct previous strategy mistakes in history, which merely focused on developing business design and not the people working in the company. As the phrase suggest, talent strategy involves a holistic approach from identifying to retaining people in the company. In managing talent, processes are involved from â€Å"recruiting, selection, onboarding, mentoring, performance management, career development, leadership development, succession planning, career

Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing - Research Paper Example Lenovo has manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, and Huiyang in China and at Pondicherry, India and a center at Whitsitt, North Carolina. It will not be out of place to note that Compaq and Hewlett Packard got merged in 2002. It was in 2004 that IBM sold off their PC business to a state Chinese company called Lenovo. The Compaq and IBM were two dominating brands in the market in the mid-1990s. Dell and HP emerged as two strong players in the PC market during late ‘90s while share of IBM went on reducing year after year. With that state of affairs and highly competitive market coupled with aggressive pricing strategies by many other manufacturers, IBM became a minority share holder in Lenovo. IBM held 18.4% share holding in Lenovo and Lenovo was granted rights to use IBM brand for 5 years as per the agreement; however, Lenovo got the product brand ‘ThinkPad’ from the IBM on a permanent basis. (IBM sells PC†¦2004) Lenovo is a state-owned compa ny having most of its operations in China barring a few installations in India and Mexico. India and Mexico operations are mostly for the local needs of that country. Before we embark upon the marketing plan for Lenovo, it would be worthwhile to do SWOT analysis. SWOT Analysis of Lenovo It will be appropriate to identify the Strengths, and Weaknesses of the company along with the opportunities that company can readily harness and issues that may pose threat to the company. Strengths: a. The company is well guided and supported by qualified and talented managerial pool of IBM. b. Lenovo PCs are endorsed by IBM brand ‘ThinkPad’ providing a confidence to the consumers in the market place. c. Manufacturing facilities being in China, the company enjoys not only the low cost of manufacturing but additional skilled manpower for its expansion project. d. Being a state-owned company, the company is well taken care of at the time of any change in local rules and regulations durin g normal and adverse market conditions. Weaknesses: a. The company may have trouble during natural disasters or calamities within the country to maintain normal production programs as most of its manufacturing facilities are in China. b. Being a state-owned company, decision making process may not be quick enough to thwart competition when it is need of an hour. Opportunities: a. The Personal computer market is at fast pace of growth; there is large untapped market locally and globally. Lenovo is well placed to take advantage of this burgeoning market. b. The new technologies are making deep inroads in the personal computer field, making it more user-friendly and thus expanding the market with new applications. Lenovo, being backed by IBM is positioned appropriately to exploit new developments in the field of hardware. c. IBM’s long known history of R&D in the field of mainframes, servers, and personal computers is likely to benefit Lenovo immensely in the coming days. The lo w-cost manufacturing facilities coupled with technological back up from technology giant forms a good synergy in the quality conscious and price sensitive markets. Threats: a. Lenovo is pitted against some of the well known brands of the companies such as Hewlett Packard, Dell, and Acer. Any mergers among them may certainly pose a big threat to Lenovo. b. Dell and HP are expanding their manufacturing operations in China. In the event of this, the cost advantage to Lenovo will get nullified in the future. Marketing Plan Product Strategy