Lord of War and New Thought of Crime Movie Review

Lord of War and New Thought of Crime - Movie Review Example No one takes into account millions of human lives killed by the arms, which is sold to different countries by such guys, as Orlov. There is no fear and emotions, there is only money. A group of people, such as Orlov, do not have moral norms and their deviant behavior is poignant and devastating for the modern society. Cruel and soulless money-gaining machines! Still, if to consider that modern governments chose military ways of doing their business, then â€Å"the Orlovs† are just dummies in their games. Therefore, the modern world is rather controversial and makes people look for different means to keep their head above the water. For the contemporaries, crime has turned into the means to survive and it is not surprising at all. Sometimes people have no other choice but to commit crime, small or big simply in order to stay alive. The globalized world is cruel and there is a need to shift the accents of survival: different means of earning money have all just resulted in a str ong desire to survive. The main prototype of Orlov is the Russian man Victor Bout, who lives unhindered in Moscow, but he is sought by different agencies all over the world. It is a controversial mentality of post-Soviet countries. An enormous quantity of military hardware is â€Å"ranging from bullets and tanks to nuclear warheads† (Viktor Bout Arms Traders and Lord of War). ... Thus, Victor Bout, a prototype of Orlov, was named as the core element of military conflicts. Actually, the main conflict was in the desire of the governments to survive in the cruel modern world, full of military conflicts and political challenges. Different wars in different times were connected with the name of this trader. The military conflict in Afghanistan's and his further help to Taliban. The main character has no soul; he sells weapon for killing innocent people as if he sells hotdogs or vacuum cleaners. It is claimed in the film that people gain profits from vast arms sales and from the taxes paid by the arms manufacturers and the millions of money they employ (Smoking Guns, 2005). The sources of arms trafficking are intimidating the world, and in spite of drugs trafficking, these sources are often neglected. There are shallow relationships between arms traders, governments and arms manufacturers. This is terra incognita. This is a fertile ground for gaining huge profits, a strong and powerful means to survive in the hostile and turbulent modern world (Smoking Guns, 2005). These guys, like Orlov, supply the governments with huge amounts of money and they are often released. These guys have no fear and there is a little bit of Orlov in every of us. This claim can be supported in the following way: it is appropriate in the modern society to survive by any means. There is no need to refer to moral norms or standardized principles of behavior (Smoking Guns, 2005). It is much easier to break up rules and remain safe, to create our own reality, to set up individuals norms and to gain money hand over fist and laugh at the victims of your game. This is the way Orlov acted. This claim can be

Pu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pu - Essay Example The approach of this paper in measuring the political concerns to health care issues across time is drawing on the information provided by the Policy Agenda project. The policy agenda project employs the services of coders who are experts in categorizing political activities into mutually specialized topic areas. The health agenda is subdivided into 20 subtopics, which are among health care facilities, insurance access, and medical procedures among other divisions. In this volume, political activities over a 50-year period will be analyzed. The paper will make a comparison between Denmark and US and analyze the changing political attention levels to healthcare (Longley, 2007). The political attention will be measured on basis of the subjects discussed in parliamentary debates and questions presented by members of opposition to the government. Every citizen’s expectation is that relative concerns to healthcare have increased along with the rising demand for healthcare services. It is indeed true that through time the political attention on the policy of health care have increased tremendously in both political systems, i.e. in Denmark and in the US. The state of affairs can be attributed to the politicians’ interest to serve the public to appease them that in future they might stand chances for considerations during voting. Careful examination of the overall progress in political attention to healthcare across time shows a gradual increase in the levels of the congress attention to the healthcare policy. The level of concern given to healthcare policy in both the US and the Denmark political systems ranged from 1.5 to 4 percent. This occurrence was with respect of the form of activities that were being carried out by both political institutions. By the year 2002, the level of attention given to the healthcare policy relative to other agendas in both

Theory Contributions for Modern Psychology Development

Theory Contributions for Modern Psychology Development Contribution of different approaches to psychology for the development of modern psychology Charunya Rajakaruna Different approaches to psychology contributed immensely for the development of modern psychology. Psychology is a large area of study with its branches in many other fields. Modern definition of psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. However the study of psychology existed even during the times of ancient civilizations, under a philosophical line of study. Now it is a modern science that has matured in diverse ways throughout the years. Many approaches of psychology and schools of thought lead to the development of modern psychology. Primeval people had many different theories about mental illnesses. These psychological problems were viewed as punishments from god, possession by demon or as caused by spiritual mystic forces. The birth of modern science led to the emergence of modern psychology in the 1800s. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), a German scientist, opened the first experimental psychology laboratory in Leipzig in 1879, paving the way for a scientific turn in the history of psychology. As it established psychology as a science separate from biology and philosophy, arguments over definition and interpretation of the mind and behavior appeared (cite).This resulted in various schools of thought arising during this period. Schools of thought are various aspects of assessing human behavior. Psychologists use a range of viewpoints when assessing how humans behave or think. These are approaches or perspectives of psychology. These perspectives or schools of thought help psychologists to approach different problems, find new solutions or treatments for psychological problems and analyze behavior of people. The first scientific and systematic school of thought, emerged from Wundt’s work, was structuralism. It focused on the structure or the basic elements mind, consciousness, sensations and ideas. The procedure used in structuralism was ‘introspection’. According to Wundt psychology is the study of ‘immediate experiences’. A student of Wundt, Edward B. Tichener, formally established structuralism, even though later on he diverted from Wundt’s ideas. Structuralism was an important milestone in the development of psychology because it was the first proper school of thought in psychology and because of its influence on experimental psychology. Founded by William James, functionalism came up as a counterpose to structuralism. This approach focused on the purpose of the mind rather than the ‘structure’. And how people adapt to their environment. ‘The Principles of Psychology’ (1890) by James was viewed by many as the first textbook of modern psychology. Functionalism had an impact on educational psychology in regard to John Dewey’s theories. Furthermore it influenced on various aspects of modern psychology such as evolutionary psychology, behaviorism, educational psychology and Industrial or organizational psychology. Criticisms of structuralism gave way to another approach in the field of psychology. Wertheimer, Kohler and Koffka’s gestalt approach emphasized that the ‘whole’ is more than the sum of its parts. Gestalt psychology influenced on perception and learning. Mario Polito, an Italian psychologist said ‘Gestalt theory is focused on the experience of contact that occurs on the here now. It considers with interest the space of teachers as well as students (Gelph n.d.). Criticisms of structuralism, functionalism and gestalt theory brought forward behaviorism. Based mostly on the work of Ivan Pavlov’s work, behaviorism was proposed by John B. Watson. According to Pavlov, behavior is learned- ‘conditioned’. Watson argued psychology should study observable behavior, not internal events (consciousness). The concept of ‘tabula rasa’- one’s mind is a blank state when born- arose under this approach. Behaviorism had a major impact on development of modern psychology. Gender role development, behavioral therapy, scientific method, aversion therapy, moral development, phobias are only some of the areas in modern psychology that have been influenced by this approach (McLeod 2007). Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical approach stood opposed to Watson’s behaviorism, emphasizing on the importance of unconscious motives and early childhood experiences. Under psychoanalytical approach Freud presented the structure of personality (Id, Ego and Superego), defense mechanisms and psychosexual stages of personality development. And he introduced ‘free association’ as a form of therapy. This approach has made many contributions towards the growth of other psychotherapies. â€Å"SigmundFreud, in his influential theory of the unconscious, gave a new direction to psychology and laid the groundwork for the psychoanalytic model. Freudian theory took psychology into such fields as education, anthropology, and medicine, and Freudian research methods became the foundations of clinical psychology† (The Colombia electronic encyclopedia 2012). These differences of opinions between the schools of thought had led to many vehement debates among early psychologists. But these schools of thought or historical approaches contributed greatly for the development of modern psychology and guided the way to the modern or contemporary perspectives of psychology. Modern or contemporary perspectives are the main approaches used in todays field of psychology. Most of them were guided by the historical approaches mentioned earlier. One of the modern approaches is the psychodynamic perspective. It is a modern version of psychoanalysis. Although this rooted from Freud’s psychoanalytical theory, psychodynamic approach focused more on ‘self-psychology’ and the discovery of other motivations behind behaviors rather than sexual motivations. Neo-Freudians like Carl Jung diverted from Freud’s ideas and developed concepts of collective unconscious and archetypes. Anna Freud further expanded the theory of defense mechanisms. The attachment theory, transference, resistance and trauma are being studied by other psychologists and merged with their hypotheses and procedures of treatments (American psychoanalytic association n.d.) Behavioral perspective is another approach used in psychological field today and focuses on overt behavior. B. F. Skinner’s work made behavioral approach important in the modern psychology. Two main processes of people learning has been introduced by this approach: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In clinical psychology, behavior therapy and behavior modification play a major role in the treatment of abnormal behavior. Another main approach of psychology is the humanistic approach. This approach rejects behaviorism and argued that humans have their own ‘free will’ and that people had control over their lives. Psychologist such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow introduced concepts such as self-actualization and ‘ideal self’. Today humanistic approach is utilized in areas such as person centered therapy, education, motivation. This perspective shifted the focus of behavior to the individual / whole person rather than the unconscious mind, genes, observable behavior. Biological perspective or biopsychology is another approach of psychology which has contributed immensely to the growth of psychology. Biopsychology emphasizes on biological events such as nervous system, hormones and genetics in relation to behavior. Biological approach has become increasingly important in psychology with the invention of various apparatus for mapping of the brain. The field of neuropsychology bloomed under this approach. One of the major modern approaches of psychology is cognitive perspective. It focuses on the processes of the mind,.mainly researching on memory, intelligence, perception, problem solving, and learning. Cognitive psychology, derived from Wundt’s structuralism, has been integrated into various other subfields of psychology such as social psychology , personality psychology , abnormal psychology and developmental psychology (Boundless n.d.) As a relatively new approach of psychology evolutionary perspective focuses on inherited tendencies shaped by evolution. Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution has been incorporated in this approach. Evolutionary perspective can help interpret dysfunctional behaviors such as anorexia (McLeod 2007) There are various approaches of psychology giving different viewpoints in explaining human behavior. None of the perspectives are greater or more suitable than the other. Earlier psychologist viewed psychological problems only in one way of approach. But nowadays psychologists tend to incorporate more than single approach in finding suitable solution to a problem. Today psychology is a modern science. And for the field of psychology to become what it is today the contribution of different approaches of psychology has been immense. List of references McLeod, S. A. (2007). Behaviorist Approach [online]. Available from http://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html> Gelph, C. (n.d). Gestalt psychology [online]. Available from www.slideshare.net/christiangelph/gestalt-psychology-15849804> American Psychoanalytic association (n.d.). Contributions of psychoanalysis [online]. Available fromhttp://www.apsa.org/About_Psychoanalysis/Contributions_of_Psychoanalysis.aspx> The Colombia Electronic Encyclopedia (2012). Psychoanalytical approach [online]. Available from http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/psychology.html> McLeod, S. A. (2007). Evolutionary Approach [online]. Available from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Evolutionary psychology.html> Boundless (n.d.). Cognitive perspective e[online]. Available fromhttps://www.boundless.com/psychology/the-science-of-psychology/history-of-psychology/cognitive-perspective/>

Essay --

Ads of these days in comparison to those in previous times have come a lengthy way from how it is used to how it is provided to the community. Promoters use many methods to reel in most of their clients into purchasing or trying an item whether it is new or an old item. One of the many kinds of propaganda they use is the simply people system which may use a popular individual as an make an effort to persuade the community that his or her opinions indicate those of the typical individual and that they are also operating for the advantage of the individuals. However, the kinds of propaganda used in the Pepsi marketing is the group and shining generalities system. The Coca-Cola ad is also provided as a Pepsi container with a rush of colors capturing out with a cheerful experience in middle of all the different colors. Promoters have many different kinds of propaganda they could use to take clients into the checkout range with their product(s) in side. With the Coca-Cola ad select to use a vibrant plan to entice the clients fun and free-spirited aspect, and a range which indicates the use of the group system. In the Coca-Cola ad the first thing clients will observe is the colors and how it is within the image. This ad uses main, additional, and a few fairly neutral colors all booming out of a coke container and in the center is a female's satisfied cheerful experience. With an image such as this provided to a individual, each factor included to the image gives a kind of satisfied sensation which the customer would want to experience. The satisfied experience results in illustrating in a individual by indicating that the lady is cheerful because the item is really excellent. The colors and the grin performs with a individuals psy... ...ors except for a bit of fairly neutral colors. These different colors provide as lovely up-lifters to customers because it would make them satisfied. The cheerful experience of the lady would usually carry a grin to their experience as they accept all the factors of the image. The range that is mentioned is both an example of a group, and shining generalities propaganda. The group technique indicates an entice the customer to buy the item considering that they would be residing the â€Å"coke aspect of life† but they do not intricate on why that is a excellent choice. By not elaborating on a purpose why the item should be bought and using terms like â€Å"live† and â€Å"life†, the technique being used is shining generalities. Therefore, by placing all these components together advertisers have a higher possibility of creating efficient product sales and getting prolonged clients.

The Restoration of the Athenian Empire

â€Å"The Restoration of the Athenian Empire† Our walls are crumbling and our fleet is minute. We here in Athens are unable to collect tribute from other city-states and are often in threat of being attacked. Our fleet is defenseless and weak. The Democratic fraction, propose that we spend our time and hard earned money on the rebuilding of our walls and fleet. That way Athens can dangerously collect tributes from other Greek city-states. The Democrats also would like to commence in hazardous military voyages with our insubstantial navy. Hoping the result brings forth great rewards.However as a Student of Socrates I strappingly disagree with the Democratic fractions. Yes our walls are collapsing and our fleet feeble but, is it essential to spend our money and time to rebuild. Is it of such importance collecting tributes that we put our great people of Athens at high risk? If we are to lead our few strong navy men to expeditions will they return, and who will protect our city-s tate. Instead of rebuilding and wasting our valuable time and money, the Students of Socrates propose to enlarge the hoplite divisions. Our foot soldiers will however need equipment in order to protect our great state.We feel that with the money saved from not rebuilding our walls and fleet, our great state can provide these soldiers with the necessary tools. We do not want our walls or fleet to be rebuilt and feel as we should be self-sufficient within our own decaying walls. We feel that if we were to rebuild the fleet we could potentially be corrupting our great people with foreigner’s ideas and thoughts. As Socrates states â€Å"the Democratic fractions will make a tour of other states, where they will hire actors, with their fine persuasive voices, to play their works to large audiences, and sway them over to tyranny or democracy. As found on Page 306 568c Instead of becoming corrupt we wish to make Athens stronger. Socrates advice would be â€Å"to stick to his own wa y of life†. Anytime you allow outside influence your allowing potential corruption. Also Athens navy is frail and unable to protect the fleet so we would be risking the few strong men we have along with the rest of the Athenian’s. It is vital that we keep our strongest men safe so that we can train several upcoming foot soldiers. Who would we have to protect Athens if our strongest were directed on an expedition and perished?Instead of allowing Athens to become corrupt or even worse weakened under attack we would like to see our great state become self-sustaining. In this we would like Athenian’s to depend on our own resources. We can learn to make what we don’t have and the things that are insurmountable we can learn to live without. This may not be easy but, in time we will become a much stronger Greek unit. Socrates states on page 295 559b â€Å"But the desire for a more varied and luxurious diet is one which, with discipline and training from an early age, can normally be got rid of, and which is physically damaging to intelligence and self-discipline.May it therefore rightly be called unnecessary? † We will learn to be happy with our own resources and man-made items. This will make us nondependent on any other city-state. With our hoplite divisions trained, enlarged and, with sufficient equipment we should be less fearful of potential invasions. If by chance an assault on Athens was to transpire we now have many trained and equipped foot soldiers to protect us. In conclusion The Students off Socrates feel that by not rebuilding the fleet or wall we are making Athens a sturdier more dependent unit.We intend to grow our own nourishment, live off our own resources, and make our own merchandises. Without negative effects of foreign persuasion’s all our efforts and valuable resources will be retained within our own city-state. That with the saved expenses we are able to provide necessary tools and train many added foot soldiers. Adding superfluous security within our city-state. With the expansion of our hoplite division we will be able to keep our great state of Athens and all its inhabitants safe. l

Isolation in “a Rose for Emily” and “the Yellow Wallpaper”

â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are two well written short stories that entail both similarities and differences. Both short stories were written in the late 1800’s early 1900’s and depict the era when women were viewed less important than men. The protagonist in each story is a woman, who is confined in solitary due to the men in their lives. The narrator in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is the mutual voice of the townspeople of Jefferson, while Emily Grierson is the main character in the story that undergoes a sequence of bad events. The unnamed, female narrator in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is also the main character whose journal we read. This difference in tense gives each story a different outlook on the situations at hand. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† we get the thoughts and actions of the unnamed narrator as she sees it, while in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† we get Emily’s thoughts form dialogue and her actions from the narration of the townspeople. A comparison between the protagonist in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† enables readers to interpret the main character’s isolation from their community and state of mind. In each section of â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, the narrator goes back and forth in time telling stories of Miss Emily’s life. Emily’s father was a controlling man who ran off all prospect men of Emily’s (Faulkner 77). This caused Emily to be an unhappy, middle-aged, single woman who was the talk of the town. Miss Emily isolated herself from all people, except having a male Negro housekeeper who ran all her errands and took care of her house. According to Floyd C. Watkins’ â€Å"The Structure of ‘A Rose For Emily’ in Modern Language Notes, â€Å"The inviolability of Miss Emily’s isolation is maintained in the central division, part three, which no outsider enters her home† (509). In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† it is revealed at the beginning of the story that the unnamed female narrator is â€Å"sick† or depressed, and therefore is taken far away from people she knows to rest and get better (Gilman 408). From Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, Paula A. Treichler’s â€Å"Escaping the Sentence: Diagnosis and Discourse in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’† informs readers â€Å"The narrator is forbidden to engage in normal social conversation [†¦] and avoid expressing negative thoughts and expressions about her illness† (61). Although both women were isolated, Emily isolated herself while the unnamed narrator was forcefully isolated. In both short stories the main character is judged by the surrounding people: Emily as a conceited, ill woman, and the unnamed narrator as a â€Å"sick†, depressed woman. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† the townspeople were extremely nosey and very judgmental about how people should live there life. Watkins argues â€Å"The contrast between Emily and the townspeople and between her home and her surroundings is carried out by the invasion of her home by the adherents of the new order in the town† (509). Also it is displayed sometime after Emily’s father died when she went to the druggist and ordered arsenic to kill rats (Faulkner 78-79). â€Å"†¦The next day we [the townspeople] all said, ‘She will kill herself’; and we [the townspeople] said it would be the best thing (Faulkner 79). In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† the unnamed narrator is judged by her family and friends. In the introduction of the story the unnamed narrator reveals that her husband, also a physician, belittles her illness and her general thoughts of life (Gilman 408). â€Å"If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression–a slight hysterical tendency–what is one to do? † (Gilman 408). The narrator is left in the â€Å"colonial mansion† for the summer, not seeing anyone except her husband, John, John’s sister, Jennie, who takes care of the narrator and the house, and some family members who came to visit for a short while. By the end of each story we realize that both Emily and the unnamed narrator are clearly insane. After Emily’s death and funeral, the nosey townspeople enter her home and break down a locked away room that had not been entered in forty years (Faulkner 80). In the room they found the decaying body of Homer Barron, the man that she wished to marry (81). â€Å"The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him† (Faulkner 81). A â€Å"long strand of iron-gray hair† was on the pillow next to him, indicating that Emily is the result of this tragedy (Faulkner 81). Although the townspeople had always thought of Emily as crazy, this finally proved them right. Throughout â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† it is noted that the unnamed narrator is ill. After being secluded in the upstairs room, â€Å"the yellow wallpaper comes to occupy the narrator’s entire reality† affirming her loss of sanity and isolation from the world (Treichler 62). â€Å"There are things in that wallpaper that nobody knows about but me. †¦] And it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about that pattern† (Gilman 413). The unnamed narrator in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† had torn down all the wallpaper and locked herself in the room in order to get the woman out from behind the wallpaper (Gilman 417). It is interpreted that the woman behind the wallpaper is actually the narrator’s shadow. T he parallel enabling comparison and contrast between the main characters in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† reveals separation, seclusion, and depression as a result of life circumstances. While differences of circumstances exist in the compared short stories, resemblances permit readers to observe events leading to associations between the two protagonists. According to reviews, isolation by both characters is exposed as an entry into the short stories. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† review by Treischler, the confirmation of the unnamed narrator being isolated is affirmed stating â€Å"The narrator of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ has come with her husband to an isolated country estate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (62). The review of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by Watkins verifies the isolation of Emily when he communicates â€Å"†¦she withdraws more and more until her own death again exposes her to the townspeople. † (509). The short stories â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† possess protagonist as the main character that reveal connections of separation enabling associations between the two characters. Work Cited Faulkner, William. â€Å"A Rose for Emily. † Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Fourth Compact Edition. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008, 75-81. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper. † Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Fourth Compact Edition. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008, 408-418. Treichler, Paula A. â€Å"Escaping the Sentence: Diagnosis and Discourse in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’. † Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature. 3. 5 (1984): 61-77. JSTOR. Web. 11 March 2010. Watkins, Floyd C. â€Å"The Structure of ‘A Rose for Emily’. † Modern Language Notes. 69. 7 (1954): 508-510. JSTOR. Web. 16 February 2010.

Business Analysis (England) Essay

Business Analysis (England) Essay Business Analysis (England) Essay BETTER BIKES INC. Company Reflection Prepared for: BetterBikes Inc. Board of Directors Prepared by: (CEO’s and Co-founders) April 4, 2014 Proposal number: 123-4567 ! !1 of 18 ! BETTER BIKES INC. Executive Summary ! ! To The Board of Directors: ! I proudly present this analysis of BetterBikes inc. For the past 3 years; encompassing marketing, operations and ï ¬ nance. Contained within this report are our various decisions as a company and what we can do going forward to ensure success. Currently we hold a Shareholder Value of $15.22 which is substantially less than that of our competitors and although we have suffered a great lay-off period with some of our essential members I believe the tactics we have employed stand true and with some revision we can pull ahead. An industrial shift is on the rise and this is the perfect chance for us as a company to drive moral and make a stronger impression on the market. Our greatest competitor is LifeBikes Inc. which hold an SHV of $91.04, our present goal is to emulate some of the decisions they have made while improving on them. Speaking with my operations managers I have assessed our strategy so far to be focused on the quality of products with a low supply. Considering this strategy I insist that we maintain our level of quality but also increase supply, this will undoubtedly be costly but it is a sacriï ¬ ce worth making as we have seen this sort of success in our competition. A key measure to keep in mind is the fact that we are targeting retailers and retailers respond well to quality but !2 of 18 ! BETTER BIKES INC. they require quantity as well. Our focus should be aimed towards a certain market, namely youth bikes. I suggest youth bikes because this is an area where our competitors are particularly dormant and if we can command this market it will bring the attention of a niche market. We have proved to be a force to be reckoned with but now we need to ascend to our proverbial throne as captains of industry. With a more customer focused approach our SHV will double within the coming year. As CEO I undoubtedly state that with our resources and talented team can achieve greatness within the market. ! Regards, ! ! President & CEO ! !3 of 18 ! Affirmation Statement ! 1. intellectual property from sources, other than the data provided in the multi- player version of Mike's Bikes, used in the completion of this assignment. 2. A proper bibliography has been included, which includes acknowledgement of all sources used to complete this assignment other than data provided in the multi- player version of Mike's Bikes. 3. This is the ï ¬ rst time that any member of the team has submitted this assignment (either partially or entirely) for academic evaluation. 4. Each member of the team has read the full content of the submission and is assured that the content is free of violations of academic integrity. Team discussions regarding the importance of academic integrity have taken place. 5. Each student has identiï ¬ ed his or her individual contribution to the work submitted such that if a violation of academic integrity is suspected, then the student primarily responsible for the violations may be identiï ¬ ed. Note that in this case the remainder of the team may also be subject to disciplinary action. All team members have referenced and footnoted all ideas, words or other The team members listed below have participated in the preparation of this assignment and no other individuals have contributed to this assignment, except as acknowledged. ! Name: Peda Ristic Thomas Edward Mcneely ! Due Date: April 04 2014 Section 003, Group 3, Team 1 TA: Mobeen Ul Haq Malik !4 of 18 ! Table of Contents ! Page 01 - Title page Pages 02-03 - Executive Summary Page 04 - Afï ¬ rmation Statement Pages 06-09 - 2013-2014 Review

Top 3 Supreme Court Cases Involving Japanese Internment

Top 3 Supreme Court Cases Involving Japanese Internment During World War II, not only did some Japanese Americans refuse to relocate to internment camps, they also fought federal orders to do so in court. These men rightfully argued that the government depriving them of the right to walk outside at night and live in their own homes violated their civil liberties. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S. government  forced more than 110,000 Japanese Americans into detention  camps, but Fred Korematsu, Minoru Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi  defied orders. For refusing to do what they’d been told, these courageous men were arrested and jailed. They eventually took their cases to the Supreme Court- and lost.​ Although the Supreme Court would rule in 1954 that the policy of â€Å"separate but equal† violated the Constitution, striking down Jim Crow in the South, it proved incredibly shortsighted in cases related to Japanese  American internment. As a result, Japanese Americans who argued before the high court that curfews and internment infringed upon their civil rights had to wait until the 1980s for vindication. Learn more about these men. Minoru Yasui v. the United States When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Minoru Yasui was no ordinary twenty-something. In fact, he had the distinction of being the first Japanese American lawyer admitted to the Oregon Bar. In 1940, he began working for the Consulate General of Japan in Chicago but promptly resigned after Pearl Harbor to return to his native Oregon. Shortly after Yasui’  arrived in Oregon, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on Feb. 19, 1942. The order authorized the military to bar Japanese Americans from entering certain regions, to impose curfews on them and to relocate them to internment camps. Yasui deliberately defied the curfew. â€Å"It was my feeling and belief, then and now, that no military authority has the right to subject any United States citizen to any requirement that does not equally apply to all other U.S. citizens,† he explained in the book And Justice For All. For walking the streets past curfew, Yasui was arrested. During his trial at the U.S. District Court in Portland, the presiding judge acknowledged that the curfew order violated the law but decided that Yasui had forsaken his U.S. citizenship by working for the Japanese Consulate and learning the Japanese language. The judge sentenced him to a year in Oregon’s Multnomah County Jail. In 1943, Yasui’s case appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that Yasui was still a U.S. citizen and that the curfew he’d violated was valid. Yasui eventually ended up at an internment camp in Minidoka, Idaho, where he was released in 1944. Four decades would pass before Yasui was exonerated. In the meantime, he would fight for civil rights and engage in activism on behalf of the Japanese American community. Hirabayashi v. the United States Gordon Hirabayashi was a University of Washington student when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. He initially obeyed the order but  after cutting a study session short to avoid violating the curfew, he questioned why he was being singled out in a way  his white classmates were not. Because he considered the curfew to be a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights, Hirabayashi decided to intentionally flout it. â€Å"I was not one of those angry young rebels, looking for a cause,† he said in a 2000 Associated Press interview. â€Å"I was one of those trying to make some sense of this, trying to come up with an explanation.† For defying Executive Order 9066 by missing curfew and failing to report to an internment camp, Hirabayashi was arrested and convicted in 1942. He ended up jailed for two years and did not win his case when it appeared before the Supreme Court. The high court argued that the executive order was not discriminatory because it was a military necessity. Like Yasui, Hirabayashi would have to wait until the 1980s before he saw justice. Despite this blow, Hirabayashi spent the years after World War II getting a master’s degree and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Washington. He went on to a career in academia. Korematsu v. the United States Love motivated Fred Korematsu, a 23-year-old shipyard welder, to defy orders to report to an internment camp. He simply did not want to leave his Italian  American girlfriend and internment would have separated him from her. After his arrest in May 1942 and subsequent conviction for violating military orders, Korematsu fought his case all the way to the Supreme Court. The court, however, sided against him, arguing that race did not factor into the internment of Japanese Americans and that internment was a military necessity. Four decades later, the luck of Korematsu, Yasui, and Hirabayashi changed when legal historian Peter Irons stumbled upon evidence that government officials had withheld several documents from the Supreme Court stating that Japanese Americans posed no military threat to the United States. With this information in hand, Korematsu’s attorneys appeared in 1983 before the U.S. 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco, which vacated his conviction. Yasui’s conviction was overturned in 1984 and Hirabayashi’s conviction was  two years later. In 1988, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act, which led to a formal government apology for internment and payment to of $20,000 to internment survivors. Yasui died in 1986, Korematsu in 2005 and Hirabayashi in 2012.

Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Styles

Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Styles One way to be truly successful in the classroom is to wrap your head around the three different learning styles according to Flemings VAK (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) model. If you know how you learn best, you can use specific methods to retain what you learn in class. Different learning styles require varied methods to keep you motivated and successful in the classroom. Here is a bit more about each of the three learning styles.   Visual Fleming states that visual learners have a preference for seeing the material in order to learn it. Strengths of the visual learner:  Instinctively follows directionsCan easily visualize objectsHas a great sense of balance and alignmentIs an excellent organizerBest ways to learn:  Studying notes on overhead slides, whiteboards, Smartboards, PowerPoint presentations, etc.Reading diagrams and handoutsFollowing a distributed study guideReading from a textbookStudying alone Auditory With this  learning style, students have to hear information to truly absorb it. Strengths of the auditory learner:Understanding subtle changes in tone in a persons voiceWriting responses to lecturesOral examsStory-tellingSolving difficult problemsWorking in groupsBest ways to learn:Participating vocally in classMaking recordings of class notes and listening to themReading assignments out loudStudying with a partner or group Kinesthetic Kinesthetic learners tend to want to move while learning. Strengths of the kinesthetic learner:Great hand-eye coordinationQuick receptionExcellent experimentersGood at sports, art, and dramaHigh levels of energyBest ways to learn:Conducting experiments  Acting out a playStudying while standing or movingDoodling during lecturesStudying while performing an athletic activity like bouncing a ball or shooting hoops Generally, students tend to favor one learning style more than another, but most people are a mix of two or maybe even three different styles. So, teachers, make sure youre creating a classroom that can engage any type of learner. And students, use your strengths so you can be the most successful student you can be.

Platos Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Platos Ethics - Essay Example He points to a good understanding of what virtues such as courage, justice, and temperance have on the individual’s endeavor at attaining happiness. He points to these virtues since they are, according to him, what one needs to appreciate pleasure, friendship, honor, wealth, virtue and other goods in life. Accordingly, one cannot acquire wisdom simply by acquiring knowledge about general rules.   Hume is famous for his empiricist theory of the mind which asserts that reason is a slave of passions; moral distinctions are not derived from reason; moral distinctions are derived from moral sentiments, and that virtues are either natural or artificial. Hume is of the opinion that passions (feelings, emotions, desires) are mere impressions that are very different from ideas which are original, vivid and lively perceptions. This is because of passions, according to Hume, control reasoning and desires.   Russell put forth a lot of opinions about marriage, war and the rights of women. In all his writings, Russell insisted on one’s having an open mind towards handling the issues in their lives. He despised obstinacy in the face of counter-arguments since it is not a virtue when in a scientifically-minded thinker. To Russell, virtues meant assessing a given argument from the point of view of one with enough information and with an open mind to allow them to take the most sensible side.   The mill is quoted to have said that â€Å"the effect produced, in social phenomena, by any complex set of circumstances, amounts precisely to the sum of the effects of circumstances taken singly.† He thus placed an emphasis on the effects of one’s actions to the majority and beyond the individual. He deduced this idea from the writings of Auguste Comte and other philosophers during his time or before him.

Final Essay on Law Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final on Law - Essay Example The concerns of a structural functionalist include the ability of the system to meet its needs as well as any form of dysfunction in it or how the feedback mechanism reflects a system’s efficiency. Moreover, he is interested in changes that are lasting and become part of the institution as well as culture and the location of authority in the system as the key in the identification of decisions and their nature (Powers 153). In understanding the perspective of a structural functionalist with respect to the criminal justice system, it is important to note that the latter is underpinned by several principles. The first principle is that society can be viewed as a system rather than as a cacophony of individual choices and actions. Second, society is being held together by values and culture that its members share and hold together. The third principle is that the institutions within society play a role in stabilizing it. Finally, change is ever present in a social system, but thi s takes place slowly and is driven by the abandonment and dropping of institutions that are flawed and do not contribute to or are not in harmony with an efficient social system (Garner 324). The framework of the criminal justice system

Children's rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Children's rights - Essay Example Despite the fact that politics takes a central place in deciding which way children rights take in given nations, it has always reeled against the lack of consensus among stakeholders marginalising political science in discussions of children rights as Beetham (1995:1) observes. As Forsythe (1991: 174) postulates, a significant majority of political scientists do not contend the perception that children rights and human rights in general are critical aspects of international relations. According to Lukes (1993:20), there are very peculiar trends that register in children rights assessments; among them is the prevalent characteristic where virtually nobody rejects the promotion of the idea of preservation of children rights yet reports of abuses of children are wrought in news agencies. One aspect worth noticing is the inverse relationship between the high political will to promote human rights and the waning philosophical commitment. Primarily, philosophy has been conspicuously scept ical about the idea of human rights with its undesirable ontological status of human rights and more specifically children rights. Conservatives that constituted the French aristocracy, as Burke (1964:25) observes, contended that astute human rights and thus children rights could only prosper on a platform of distinctive state cultural frameworks enshrined in the nation’s legal framework which form the basis for their formation and as such their appropriateness. The United Nations Children’s Fund with its endeavour entrenched in the Convention on the rights of the child is the pioneer penal code that spells the broad diversity of the rights that individuals are entitled to throughout the world. These rights vary from person to person and constitute civil, economic as well as social together with political and cultural ones. The differing needs that characterise adult needs when compared to children’s were the motivation

Examples of attributes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Examples of attributes - Essay Example rmacist aunt in Jordan and has been reinforced by my experiences during the period I volunteered to work in the Emergency Room of the Methodist Hospital, which opportunely happened to be just across the corridor from the Pharmacy. I grabbed any opportunity which presented itself to observe the pharmacists and their interaction with the patients and even went so far as to convince one of the pharmacists to let me ‘shadow’ her for a couple of days! Believe me, the more I saw, the more I liked what I saw of pharmacy! Belonging to a family of doctors and pharmacists does go a long way towards stimulating intellectual curiosity. My earliest memories of family life are filled with hazy recollections of animated discussions and even heated debates centered round medical ethics, drug research and exciting laboratory breakthroughs. Of course, as a child, I hardly grasped the issues involved and most of it was just lively chatter to me. However, the seeds were sown for my growing curiosity to learn more about these subjects which could evoke such passionate responses from my family. This intellectual stimulation has steered me towards the conviction that pharmacy is the path I want to pursue in life. My growing fascination with the world of drugs has been unequivocally reinforced over the years as I gained the relevant academic knowledge. I think that drugs are the miracle workers of medical science. I never cease to marvel at the fact that it is miniscule quantities of chemical substances that are actually responsible for the working of the human brain and contribute to everything from physiological well-being to states of mind! This a major part of the reason why I enjoy being a student instructor in Chemistry. Wanting to further explore this world, I decided to work at a National Home Care Institute as an Oasis. As a part of this service, I entered the nurses’ notes and records of medication into the computer and reviewed the accuracy of the medication and the

ITunes price changes hurt some rankings Assignment

ITunes price changes hurt some rankings - Assignment Example The article points out that two days after Apple iTunes Music store raised its prices on some individuals tracks, the sales dipped and with that the rankings of the songs. The iTunes top 100 chart registered 40 songs at $1.29 and 60 songs at the normal $0.99 price point. After the price change, the $1.29 songs lost 5.3 places on the chart while the $0.99 songs gained an average 2.5 chart positions. These changes give a general idea of how incremental changes in revenue can be reached. Moving up and down the chart impacts the revenue greatly which in turn is impacted by price changes. These changes are solely chart position, but a general idea of incremental changes in revenue can be reached. By looking at the unit sales of the most recent Soundscan top track downloads chart, the different between chart positions can offer a view into how moving up and down the chart impacts revenue. An assumption here is that the iTunes Top 100 chart is representative of the Soundscan top track downl oads chart. Given its market dominance, this is a reasonable assumption. I chose this article because it gives a good idea of how small changes in price can turn around Sales. A significant notion raised by this article is the way in which how prices alter the rankings of songs in the music industry. The prices change the rankings and the rankings which in turn impact sales and revenue. This article relates to chapter nine of our text book in which key issues related to initiating and responding to price changes are discussed. Buyer reaction to price changes are a result of the value the customers see in the price change. (Glenn Peoples) Works Cited Glenn Peoples, Nashville. How iTunes Price Changes Hurt Some Rankings. 10 April 2009. 19 May 2011 . Article: 7 in 10 Americans say High gas prices hurt This article is related to a recent chapter that we covered from our text book. Customers don’t react to price changes in a very straight forward way. A price increase is expected to lower sales. This is because a brand’s price and its image are closely tied together. Price changes will alter consumer perception about a particular product and the way they want to consume it. Thus price is a very critical factor. I chose this article because it offers insight into how price changes in a mandatory commodity such as gas influences the common man. The survey was conducted by USA today in which they asked people if recent changes in prices of gasoline have impacted them financially. 7 in 10 Americans believed it did. More than half of them claimed that they have had to make changes to account for higher prices of gasoline. 21% of them felt the impact so heavily that they believed it jeopardized their standard of living. (Stauss) Stauss, Gary. 7 in 10 Americans say high gas prices hurt . 18 May 2011. 19 May 2011 . Article: Apple and Starbucks announce music partnership The article talks of the Apple and Starbucks music partnership. Under this partnership, cu stomers at Starbucks will be able to wirelessly browse, look around for music, buy and download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks on their iPod touch, iphone, Mac or PCs running iTunes in a participating location. They will also be available to avail the new â€Å"Now Playing† service under which the name of the song playing in the Starbucks store at that particular moment will be shown. They will then be able to buy and download songs directly to their device. The partnership will benefit both Apple and Starbucks and is a classic example of horizontal marketing. I selected this article because I felt that having free access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music store and the Now Playing service of Starbucks is a great ways to attract customers to both Starbucks and Apple iTunes. It will trigger greater revenues for both companies. This

Locke's Argument for the Conclusion of the Primary Qualities of Essay

Locke's Argument for the Conclusion of the Primary Qualities of Objects and the Secondary Qualities of Objects - Essay Example I shall argue that the distinction is well-grounded and interesting, that Locke had grasped an important truth about it, and that Berkeley's treatment of this matter is impercipient and unhelpful. Berkeley assimilated the primary/ secondary distinction to that monolithic 'theory of material substance' which he thought he detected in Locke's writings; and I shall argue that that is the dominating fact about his failure to deal competently with the distinction between primary and secondary qualities. Locke has two general, true things to say about the primary/ secondary distinction. One of them is his thesis that primary qualities are such as are utterly inseparable from the body, in what state so ever it be; and such as in all the alterations and changes it suffers, all the force can be used upon it, it constantly keeps; and such as sense constantly finds in every particle of matter which has bulk enough to be perceived. In most of Locke's theorizing, a thing's primary qualities are taken to consist in its being spherical, two feet across, and falling rapidly; but here they are thought of rather as a thing's being shaped, of some size, mobile, etc. That is, in the thesis that primary qualities are ones which a body cannot lose, it is determinable qualities which are in question and not determinate ones. Locke's example reinforces this reading: 'Take a grain of wheat, divide it into two parts; each part has still solidity, extension, figure, and mobility: divide it again, and it retains still the same qualities.' It is not clear that 'solidity' is a determinable, either in its normal meaning or in Locke's specialized sense in which 'solid' means 'impenetrable'. Locke has a good point here, but he ought not to express it as though it were a prediction about the outcome of an experiment, for really it is a point about the meaning of the word 'body', or about the concept of a body or a physical thing. I ndeed the word 'primary' for Locke partly means that these are qualities a thing must have to count as a 'body'. Locke's discussions of the concept of body involve detailed points which are of some interest but which lie beyond my present scope. His general thesis that the raw materials which constitute the concept of body are to be found within the realm of primary qualities, and that secondary qualities are conceptually inessential, seems safe enough. Yet Berkeley apparently denies it: 'It is not in my power to frame an idea of a body extended and moved, but I must withal give it some color or other sensible quality . . . In short, extension, figure, and motion, abstracted from all other qualities, are inconceivable.' The quoted passage is, as it stands, true: a thing's being extended, or its taking up space, must involve some spatial region's being occupied by something--some quality must be manifested in that region other than mere extension. But the quality could be solidity, w hich is on Locke's list of primary qualities. If Berkeley really is saying only that 'body' could not be defined out of extension, figure and motion, without recourse to solidity, then

ITunes price changes hurt some rankings Assignment

ITunes price changes hurt some rankings - Assignment Example The article points out that two days after Apple iTunes Music store raised its prices on some individuals tracks, the sales dipped and with that the rankings of the songs. The iTunes top 100 chart registered 40 songs at $1.29 and 60 songs at the normal $0.99 price point. After the price change, the $1.29 songs lost 5.3 places on the chart while the $0.99 songs gained an average 2.5 chart positions. These changes give a general idea of how incremental changes in revenue can be reached. Moving up and down the chart impacts the revenue greatly which in turn is impacted by price changes. These changes are solely chart position, but a general idea of incremental changes in revenue can be reached. By looking at the unit sales of the most recent Soundscan top track downloads chart, the different between chart positions can offer a view into how moving up and down the chart impacts revenue. An assumption here is that the iTunes Top 100 chart is representative of the Soundscan top track downl oads chart. Given its market dominance, this is a reasonable assumption. I chose this article because it gives a good idea of how small changes in price can turn around Sales. A significant notion raised by this article is the way in which how prices alter the rankings of songs in the music industry. The prices change the rankings and the rankings which in turn impact sales and revenue. This article relates to chapter nine of our text book in which key issues related to initiating and responding to price changes are discussed. Buyer reaction to price changes are a result of the value the customers see in the price change. (Glenn Peoples) Works Cited Glenn Peoples, Nashville. How iTunes Price Changes Hurt Some Rankings. 10 April 2009. 19 May 2011 . Article: 7 in 10 Americans say High gas prices hurt This article is related to a recent chapter that we covered from our text book. Customers don’t react to price changes in a very straight forward way. A price increase is expected to lower sales. This is because a brand’s price and its image are closely tied together. Price changes will alter consumer perception about a particular product and the way they want to consume it. Thus price is a very critical factor. I chose this article because it offers insight into how price changes in a mandatory commodity such as gas influences the common man. The survey was conducted by USA today in which they asked people if recent changes in prices of gasoline have impacted them financially. 7 in 10 Americans believed it did. More than half of them claimed that they have had to make changes to account for higher prices of gasoline. 21% of them felt the impact so heavily that they believed it jeopardized their standard of living. (Stauss) Stauss, Gary. 7 in 10 Americans say high gas prices hurt . 18 May 2011. 19 May 2011 . Article: Apple and Starbucks announce music partnership The article talks of the Apple and Starbucks music partnership. Under this partnership, cu stomers at Starbucks will be able to wirelessly browse, look around for music, buy and download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks on their iPod touch, iphone, Mac or PCs running iTunes in a participating location. They will also be available to avail the new â€Å"Now Playing† service under which the name of the song playing in the Starbucks store at that particular moment will be shown. They will then be able to buy and download songs directly to their device. The partnership will benefit both Apple and Starbucks and is a classic example of horizontal marketing. I selected this article because I felt that having free access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music store and the Now Playing service of Starbucks is a great ways to attract customers to both Starbucks and Apple iTunes. It will trigger greater revenues for both companies. This

Cause and Effect Technology Essay Example for Free

Cause and Effect Technology Essay Technology continues to make progress every single day in society. Schools, the workplace, and even homes have advanced so much over the past twenty years. As technology starts to take over every little part of people’s lives, some new advances may end up as the â€Å"next big thing† and others may slowly destroy the ways of human life. First, technology in schools, which have adapted so many new advances in even the last five years. A cause of increased use of technology in classrooms could be the pressure to do better with the resources they were given. This can lead to three consequences such as a cheating, easier access to information, and they could even use technology as a sort of tutor. Second, the workplace has adapted to all the new technologies maybe even faster than schools. Businesses search for a more productive way to run their operations. The increased usage of technology in the workplace has a very dangerous outcome which usually manifests in stress. Three causes of the stress in the workplace could be due to technology such as malfunctions, job insecurity, and certain medical issues when the employees use the technology all the time. Last, these new technologies even have tried to make life at home simpler for everyone. Things may seem like they are there to help you, but in the long run these new techniques may end up turning out poorly. Since the new technology has been brought about, there are more ways to find a recipe than just looking in a cookbook that was found in the kitchen cupboard. This may end up in obesity for in the long run and may not even see it coming. The effects of the increased usage of technology has caused the way people live their lives at school, at work, and at home to change drastically. As more schools tend to adapt to the â€Å"technology wave† there has been an increase of discussion about whether the advances of technology in the  classroom help the students learn better, or if it distracts them from actually doing the work themselves. These types of improvements increase the pressure of succeeding academically. One result of the growing amount of pressure on a student is that children are able to use technology as a tutor. Whether it is used as an educational social media to connect peers together outside of school, or even just simply being able to go to a search engine and gain the same knowledge that could be learned in the classroom. The internet is a great tutor if the resources are used properly. Another ramification of the flourishing amount of pressure put on a student because of the increased use of technology in classrooms is that information is far more accessible than before. Due to the mass amount of information available, everything is one click away. With the use of tablets, students are able to practically hold an entire encyclopedia set in their hands. The third effect of the increase of pressure among students is the fact that academic dishonesty is too easy. Since it is so easy to gather information from other sources besides your own head when you are stuck, this can lead to dangerous temptations of cheating in school. Workplace stress is a serious consequence that employees experience because of the increased use of technology in businesses. One reason stress is created at work, related to the escalating use of technology, is due to technological malfunctions. When technology does not work correctly, employees can lose important data, miss deadlines, and slow down production. This can not only have harmful effects, but become a waste of time. Another reason stress is created in the workplace is due to job insecurity. Technology is able to do jobs that more efficiently and at a cheaper cost than what a human would do. Since the increased use of technology, robots are now able to perform simple tasks with no mistakes like the assembly line, to more complex situations like medical procedures. Companies save thousands of dollars by making the transition to robots. This creates stress on employees seeing the possibility of jobs being replaced by a robot. The last cause of this stress is the risk of medical injuries. Technology may be able to reduce some medical risks that employees had with their job, but now there are medical conditions that are arising because of the technology that workers use. Since companies are starting to use more robots, they do not  know what is going on at all times besides they are programmed what to do. Any incident could happen at any second because the robots do not stop unless a human presses a button to make them stop. The increased use of technology at home has been a blessing. Senior citizens and other adults that were not once used to technology, now are using it more than ever. For example, with the increasing use of technology, cookbooks are almost at the point of extinction. Before, when families wanted to make a new recipe for dinner, they had to get all of their cookbooks out and try to make their own recipe. This has all became simpler due to the internet. Practically any recipe can be found on the internet today. Although many recipes are so accessible, finding the perfect one may be difficult, which leads to frustration. They may not have the exact ingredients needed to make the meal or may not want to take the time to create a dinner for the family. Therefore, the outcome of someone becoming frustrated with technology could result in fast food or take-out options. Since technology has become so advanced, food can be ordered online and delivered to the door. This would cause people to become much lazier. Technology then could become the staring point of obesity. Instead of families going out and getting the food, or going out to the store and getting the ingredients for the meal they just get on the computer and order their unhealthy choices, which could lead to obesity, due to the convinces of technology, and creates a lack of exercise. Overall, technology has become a great tool for everyone and has helped paved the way to success for many. Sometimes technology does not work the way it is supposed to and causes problems to arise. But luckily, technology is slowly becoming more useful and less of a hassle. Whether technology is used at school, work, or home it has changed the way people live their lives dramatically.

A Freedom Fighter, or Terrorist?

A Freedom Fighter, or Terrorist? The recent surge in Terrorism as a phenomenon has been unparallel in modern history. It now features as one of the top priorities in government agendas for most of the countries around the world. It is debatable whether it has been hyped up to some extent but unarguably has been one of the most unfortunate trends that have made considerable impact on the way of life for all. The security agencies, religious heads, community leaders, experts and such, are all facing a mammoth task of tackling the menace. It is costing governments billions of pounds in loss of lives, properties, trade and importantly confidence. Due to sensitive nature of the issue, involvement of varied drivers, the lethal cocktail of domestic and international politics, the lack of political will to identify root causes, bungled intelligence information and importantly its geographical spread covering all continents are some of the contributing factors that has left the modern world exasperated. The importance of differentiating and defining the legitimate and unlawful has become academic and a matter of statute. This unfortunately has not helped the bigger cause of tackling the issue in a fair manner thus leaving lives of common people at increasing risk. The debate about values of civil society and rights of the oppressed has blurred and can be argued, to such an extent that no common consensus exists in relation to what is acceptable and what is not, leaving ordinary people confused and causing rift between different communities. This however does not diminish the importance of reaching an amicable definition, the need for it is more than ever before, especially to uphold the values of liberty, fairness and democracy in a volatile society. The discussion will elude to some relevant issues in the context of background, causes, and legislation and will endeavour to arrive at a satisfactory definition that hopefully would distinguish the freedom fighter from the terrorist. This discussion would take into account both national and international scenarios on the basis that the phenomenon is not restricted to UK alone and indeed the definitional problems it poses worldwide, as incidentally does the threat of violence from it. Background The Freedom Fighter: To allow this discussion to evolve and formulate, it is imperative to define and differentiate between a freedom fighter and a terrorist. The term freedom fighter can be defined as being for those engaged in a struggle to achieve political freedom for themselves or obtain freedom for others  [1]  . The common conception of a freedom fighter is that it is someone who opposes a cruel or unfair government by fighting against it, using weapons usually as a part of an organised group  [2]  or even someone who uses violent action, or threats of violent action, for political purposes  [3]  . These general definitions provided from varied academics, saturate an area which is already filled with many views and opinions on the definition of such word and how it should be classified. The Terrorist The term terrorist has also been attempted to be defined as being the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion  [4]  . It has also been classed as someone who use violence in order to achieve political aims  [5]  or a person who uses violent methods to try to remove a government from power  [6]  . A terrorist in a definitional sense connotates acts of violence being carried out, in order to fulfil aims. The resistance movement can be clearly termed as activities involving conflict of some nature. The conflict mainly against the authorities as the above definitions seems to presume. The purpose of achieving political freedom or aims indicates opposing some political establishment. It also however signifies restriction of liberty and free will and either a violent or non-violent approach to break these restrictions to make inroads for the organisations willing to do something about it. People who are described as freedom fighters are often also called in popular culture as assassins, rebels, insurgents, or even terrorists. This leads to the dictum one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter  [7]  , which poses the difficulty that governments are faced with when trying to define it. A freedom fighter could be meant to consist of someone who will fight for the cause of freedom but as we thoroughly discuss, traditional use of such terminology in popular media is confined to those who are engaged in violent behaviour and those who fight for freedom peacefully are disregarded for the reason that violence by other groups whom claim to be freedom fighter, cast a shadow over them. This also poses the validity of using term armed rebellion as it is linked to violence outside the sphere of traditional terrorism. Nelson Mandela and Yasar Araafat were initially branded terrorists only to be recognised as diplomats and freedom fighters, even though the factions they were linked to were directly responsible for the loss of numerous lives and creating social disorder. In crude comparison even Osama bin Laden was encouraged and supported by US to fight Russia to protect their strategic interest in the area  [8]  . It is ironic that he is now the most wanted man on the earth. The perceived transformation of terrorist to freedom fighter and vice versa in context of their roles blurs the definition even further. The term terrorist and freedom fighter has become distorted with the changing times. It is interesting to note that Seymour above has no qualms in making those blurred boundaries more prominent. His emphasis on differing universal values attached to the activities instead of the blanket definition is worth noting and he suggests that they are the same entity and the difference between them both is only a matter of a opinion and a subjective view. International Perspective: The history of resistance movement goes back to from 1 AD to 6 AD according to various historians, even though no concrete evidence exists as to when the usage of the word terrorism came into existence  [9]  . Various studies have found over 100 definitions of terrorism  [10]  and this coupled with the fact that the term is politically and emotionally charged greatly compounds the difficulty of providing a precise definition  [11]  . Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the United Nations (UN) strived to classify terrorism, but the implementation of such definition concluded to fail as member states found it difficult to verify it, in regards to the use of violence for national liberation and self determination  [12]  . This was mainly due to Palestine movement which was not only whole heartedly supported by the Middle-East but countries in South Asia, Russia, China and Africa also provided tactical support to the cause as and when it was required. The solidarity groups ac ross the world staged peaceful demonstration on regular basis, mainly to keep the momentum going. The active freedom fighters or comrades of the movement also got involved in violent activities inside and outside of the mainland Palestine. This always posed problems for the countries that hosted such groups and they refrained from making any supporting statements when the activities resulted in loss of lives and destruction of properties. This showed how freedom fighters can immediately become terrorists or undesirables through the actions they undertake. The United Nations General Assembly uses the commonly agreed political definition of terrorism when condemning such acts  [13]  . The declaration reads: Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them  [14]  . The absence of term violence in the above declaration and its reliance on general criminality of the acts makes it less influential and renders it incapable to deal with modern day trend, which is more complex and extraordinary. It is safe to assume that the criminal laws of any country, irrespective of their political structure must be quite effective in dealing with criminal acts and the declaration ignores variety of internal and external threats the countries may face, such as risk to infrastructure, utilities, national treasurers, technology and others. Due to severity and the new reality that has dawned following 9/11 attacks, then Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, described the terrorist attack on USA as an attack on humanity as a whole, without definition, all terrorism to be condemned whatever the political origins  [15]  . This was a progressive step forward and highlighted the need for rigorous definition and a zero tolerance approach. There was also an acknowledgement and underlying message of not getting too wrapped up with the legal clarity about the definition and instead to tackle the issue at hand in a non-negotiable but effective manner. It is also worth noting the usage of term whatever the political origins, as a conflict of any political nature was considered as a trigger point that may result in terrorism and a battle for self determination. It must be observed that since the rise of terrorism in the west, the Patriot Act 2001 was enacted in the United States of America (USA), which attempted to define terrorism as being premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience  [16]  . This definition has no consideration of the social factors for the cause of terrorism and attempts to infer that political pressure is the only aim . The Act was described as a pendulum reaction to 9/11 event by Lord Carlile  [17]  . The act was scrutinised by both major parties in the USA as it encroached upon and showed scant regard for liberties of the individual  [18]  . The UN has made several resolutions to allow uniform adoption of counter terrorism measures. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373  [19]  (2001) was seen as a response to 9/11 and since as become a pillar of the global legal framework for the prevention and suppression of terrorism.  [20]  The introduction of such resolution meant that countries such as Japan took steps in order to freeze the assets of many individuals  [21]  . However it must be noted that although the counter terrorism measure in this resolution were adopted, the resolution failed to define terrorism and persisted to include Al-Qaida and Taliban within the framework of defining terrorism. Further attempts have been made from the UN to understand the growing threat of terrorists. UN Security Council Resolution 1566 defined terrorism as being:- criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.  [22]   This definition takes into consideration of the wide scope of damages that terrorism could cause such as in taking the lives of civilians and does not restrict it to just political aims or in times of war. The further need for a strict definition was attempted also by Tamar Meisels whom advocates a consistent and strict definition of terrorism, which she defines as the intentional random murder of defenceless non-combatants, with the intent of instilling fear of mortal danger amidst a civilian population as a strategy designed to advance political ends  [23]  . This definition seems in include an aim again and shows that violence and instilling fear are the key components of the behaviour of a terrorist. The history of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and African National Congress (ANC) is riddled with violence, kidnapping, civil disorder, threats, incitement in order to achieve the aims of these organisations, which in effect was self-determination, freedom, justice, equality, fairness and so on, similar aims of the freedom fighter. The rights of the Palestinian people to self determination has been recognised by the many organisations around the world including the security council and the international court of justice and most importantly even by Israel as well. About 100 nations recognize Palestine as a state  [24]  . In 1990, the successful negotiations between the government and ANC resulted in ending apartheid, culminating in multi-racial democratic elections in 1994, which were won by the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela  [25]  . In both the above cases the uprising was internally and externally supported by individuals, organisations and governm ents across the world. The campaign highlighted the injustices, segregation, and deprivation of basic human rights of indigenous people that became magnet for people to protest against it. It also gave platform for other people and groups internally and sometimes externally to participate in the struggle in a non-violent way. The justification of methods within an organisation is met with the internal wrestling between the political arm and the branch that deals with rebellion by way of force. This has meant that disputes within groups stagnate further development for their cause. There has been an increasing interest at the international level in supplementing traditional human rights principles with rights for minorities within in each group. For example, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe adopted a declaration on the Rights of National Minorities and established a High Commissioner on National Minorities in 1993  [26]  , this being significant as within the international framework, the rights of minorities are being protected in reaction to terrorism diluting their rights in certain states. Similarities and Differences The above definitions and backgrounds provide useful information on making an informed decision on the similarities and differences between the two. The overlapping of some triggers and factors are inevitable and readers are urged to be cautious when taking a stand for and against the issue. Most of the formal definitions of terrorism and freedom fighter have some common characteristics mainly a fundamental motive to make political or societal changes through use of violence or illegal force. The terms have stark differences as well. The use of violence perpetrated by terrorist is random and does not take into account the destruction of lives and properties of innocent people. The freedom fighter on the other hand, targets governmental and military installations with a view to bring them to the negotiating table. This is in contrast to terrorists who aims to create fear and terror and instead issues orders and demands to surrender and may lack diplomatic channels, resulting in the approach taken by militants, both can command support. The terrorists support comes from clandestine organisations and rouge states. The freedom fighter cause is celebrated and may get support from all sections of the society including democratic institutions. UK Context There is no single definition of terrorism that commands full international approval. It remains the subject of continuing debate in international bodies  [27]  . Lord Carlile arrived at this conclusion after carefully researching the current terrorism laws that exists in 60 countries. The majority of countries selected for the study had either too broad or too narrow scope of definition and importantly were designed to reflect specific political situation and threat of the individual country. Only few European countries had some similar features to UK legislation and context. The Terrorism Act 2000 was aimed to establish a sound definition of terrorism in the law with a view to introduce entirely new set of police and investigatory powers to deal with incidents that would be deemed beyond the ordinary violent offences. It also superseded and repealed some of the previous acts and provisions. Since 2000, the UK has enacted five main pieces of legislation to deal with terrorism  [28]  . Following the events of 9/11, legislation and security measures from the Government were under threat of not going far enough to deal with the issues raised by violence, such as terrorism. Following the events of 9/11, legislation and security measures from the Government were under threat of not going far enough to deal with the issues raised by violence, such as terrorism. In response to this the government initiated CONTEST (I and II) as the main authority for counterterrorism strategy for the UK. It was designed to take account of the evolution of the threat and of our understanding of the factors which are driving it  [29]  . The latest conception of CONTEST attempts to deal with issue that foreign policy concerns breed violent extremism  [30]  . It endeavoured to define how foreign policy in the UK could act as a catalyst for people to turn to extremism. Real or perceived grievances, some international and some local, including in particular: a perception that UK foreign policy in the Muslim world (notably military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan) is hostile to Islam; the experience of wider conflict in the Muslim world and conflict involving Muslims (often attributed either to western intervention or to western indifference); and a range of domestic issues, including racism, inequalities and the experience of criminality and migration.  [31]   This brings the paradoxical argument that, grievances such as the foreign policy of a country could lead to the radicalisation of those aggrieved, who in turn could result in fighting for the cause, and ultimately for the minority the perceived freedom fighter could become an instrument of terrorist activities. It must be mentioned that he report conducted by Lord Carlile  [32]  where he defined terrorism and reviewed all legislation in relation to this topic, has now become a fundamental part of terrorism legislation Terrorism Act 2000 The introduction of the Terrorism Act 2000 signified a huge step in the right direction in the attempts to define such violent acts. The act defined it as being an action which is designed to influence the government through a threat or to intimidate the public and threats made for the purpose for progress of a political, religious or ideological cause can be seen as terrorism, for the purposes of the act. These attempts show that the UK government had stretched the boundaries and attempted to define it. The act also cleared up discrepancies in regards to what type of damage or threats are caused. Section 2 of the Act also defines what type of actions can be inferred to be that of terrorists and includes actions which involve serious violence or serious damage to property. An action which endangers a persons life or a deed which creates serious risk to the public can be also be deemed as actions of terrorism. The act also attempted to cover the rise of technological warfare by includ ing attempts to disrupt electronic systems can also fall under the heading of terrorist activities. It is imperative to mention that the act also considered terrorist activities committed outside of the UK would still be classified as terrorist actions for the purpose of the act. This is important as the scope for actions is wide thus allowing such actions to be classed as terrorist activities. However, this act even with the attempts and inroads it has tried to make in regards to defining terrorism, has been met with criticisms chiefly from Lord Carliles paper. He suggested that the act should include the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar case  [33]  . If the section 1 (1) (c) was to be amended in the 2000 act, it would provide a positive message by enhancing the legal clarity of the act. The Terrorism Act 2006 also extends the range of offences which can be classed as terrorism and included the term glorifies  [34]  , which can be meant as a novel word for a criminal offence. The amendments made by the 2006 Act, such as, glorification and mere preaching cannot be seen as terrorist actions, Lord Carlile was content with the protection that was in place in regards to the misusing of the clause preaching and glorification  [35]  . Like the Patriot Act in the Unit ed States, the current UK law has been scrutinised due to the slow dissolution of key human rights such as right to privacy which allows the police excessive powers, which could result in misuse of them. The Terrorism Act has been wrongly exploited by authorities such as the Police force and Customs as they have often cited the Terrorism Act when combating terrorism when in fact in various cases these events are not connected to those of terrorism. Another contentious issue arising from the act is section 44. This section involves the authorisations available to senior police officers if they believe that it is expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism, they can confer powers to other police officers to search people and there is no requirement that the officers to do so on reasonable grounds. Stop and searches have been taken advantage of as those with no connection in terrorism can be targeted, such as protesters  [36]  , however the police must have reasonable suspicion that the person pursued is operating as a terrorist, according to the Home Office  [37]  . In many states across the world which breed terrorist organisations, the experience that they have such as poverty and hardship lead to the radicalisation of the masses. Recent research suggests that poverty and illiteracy as well as the conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq are key factors leading to religious extremism  [38]  . This has led to the school of thought that freedom fighters and terrorist have not always derived out of the same background and it is the ideology that they pursue which is different from one another. Summary The discussion on the said topic was approached with a view to define Terrorist and Freedom Fighter, and includes researching various understanding of these terms and the views as expressed by national and international experts, including relevant legislations. The unique characteristics or commonality that compares and distinguishes both terms are vital in critically considering its legitimacy and legal status. The rapidly diminishing boundaries of terrorist and freedom fighter has not only left ordinary people confused but authorities struggling to provide legal clarity as well. The discussion also ask the questions to ponder on the necessity to define these terms to the hilt at the expense of ignoring such a sensitive issue and in turn giving secondary preference to tackling the issue. The Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation that followed like the Terrorism Act 2006 which made amendments to the 2000 act such as creating new offences in reference to the encouragement of terrorism which deals with the root cause of it  [39]  , provides an insight into the UKs context and how counter-strategy with all its teething problems and weaknesses remains at the heart of providing protection and stability to UK. Conclusion The exclusion of religious causes from the definition of terrorism is controversial and there is no discourse as it stands that political cause may be excluded from the definition, this also applies to an ideological cause. Can there be a religious cause which is neither political nor ideological? If so, should it be under the terrorism umbrella?  [40]   The above questions bring the debate about root cause to the fore. The counter-terrorism strategy identifies the importance of the role specific community should be playing. The Prevent strand aims to tackle the issue through community involvement. It is hoped that by identifying the underlying issues such as foreign policy, discrimination, deprivation etc the authorities would be in better position to address the issue through various community based and led initiatives. This however must not underestimate the importance of containing and eliminating the menace of terrorism through policing and judiciary means mainly via legislation. The international community it seems are still divided over defining the term freedom fighter. The thin line that separates it from terrorist is too risky to be crossed. It also depends on individual countrys foreign policy, e.g. The Middle East whole heartedly supports Palestine movement and some countries also give tactical support in form of funding, promotion etc. The argument with some of the western countries is that the funds can be easily channelled to terrorist causes and openly promoting the cause can have adverse effect on their relationship with Israel, not to forget the wrong message it would send to those elements who could resort to violence and derail the campaign. The current definition of terrorism as it stands now in UK has been rigorously designed and implemented through proper policy making mechanism. The inherent weaknesses and the lessons learnt of abuse of powers since 2000 have either been amended or eliminated. The process of treating each case on merit and trying to identify the root cause can only exasperate the situation. The sensible approach route however would be to look at the end result. Did the activities result in illegal and random violence? Did it cause loss of lives of innocent people and destruction of properties? Have the perpetrators got legitimate concerns that can be resolved through negotiations? Is the issue of persecution, human rights visible and quantifiable? The concept of Freedom Fighting is alien to current UK scenario. The robust laws and legislations in place, the mechanism of transparency and implementation of these laws, the equality and human rights, democratically elected local and central government, rights of citizen, checks and balances of political and judiciary system etc are antithesis to the path of violent struggle for freedom. It is also equally true that any widely accepted and legitimate freedom struggle outside UK such as Burma, Palestine etc must not be underrated. The UK citizens should have right to protest within the boundaries of UK law, including marching, publicity, awareness campaign, funding raising etc. Developing a Successful Corporate Strategy: Examining Volkswagen Developing a Successful Corporate Strategy: Examining Volkswagen A business strategy is an organizational plan with long and short tem purposes of achieving set business goals and objectives. Its a management plan aimed at strengthening the performance of a company through provision of quality products and services and maintaining market share and successfully containing competition (Aaker, 2001). A business strategy can be developed and implemented at three levels of an organization structure; the corporate level, the business level and the departmental level. Developing business strategies at corporate level involves maintaining the business positive performance while ensuring long term success of all business units through improving compatibility among the units. Companies develop corporate strategies to manage their operations, departments, products, services and staff to make the company competitive and ensure that every component contributes to the success and achieving organizational goals. The development and implementation of a business strategy or model involves the use of organizational design which is the process of deciding how a company must form, utilize and combine organizational structure as well as control systems and organizational culture to pursue a business goal (Hill and Gareth 2008). This essay will focus on developing and implementing business strategies at corporate level based on the Volkswagen Group which is a motor manufacturing company. Factors to Consider when Developing a Successful Corporate Strategy Well developed business strategies must address the strategy choice, organization structure, primary people concerns and organizational culture dimensions. Volkswagen Group has identified differentiation as it major market strategy. This strategy involves positioning the group on top of motor manufacturing by the year 2018 with increased service delivery and customer satisfaction. Developing this strategy has been practiced through provision of quality products, new designs and always improving and expanded services that go beyond the normal automobile manufacturing standards. Volkswagen Group therefore focuses on a quality strategy which is a subset of a whole differentiation strategy so that it can outstand among the many competitors in the industry. However, the current increase of many players in motor industry has gone into Volkswagen group strategy plan and implementation because of the greater efforts needed to maintain revenue, market share, reduce costs and most importantly keep customers who seem attract to other cheap car models from other manufacturers. Volkswagen Group management assigns employees to particular value creation tasks and roles that are linked together to create a framework that will increase quality provision, effective service delivery, innovation and responsiveness to customers to increase competitive advantage. This motor manufacturing group has succeeded in integrating the efforts of all employees across all company structure, functions and business sections so that specific set of strategies are achieved. The Volkswagen organizational structure is very flexible with all duties clearly spelled out together with the staff who should undertake them. The structure of the Volkswagen Group organizational structure has been one of the contributing factors to effective implementation of previous strategies because every employee knows his/her job description and expectations. The development of any corporate business strategy must take into account the primary concerns of all the people involved by ensuring production of good quality products and quality services to guarantee customer satisfaction. To achieve this, Volkswagen Group has installed programs to train all its human resources prior and after a strategy is devised and implemented. This assures the company that the staff is capable of turning the business strategies into business values. The choice of its staff is very complete because only staff with great quality combinations for a motor manufacturing industry is considered. Organizational culture is a collection of values, norms, beliefs and attitudes that are common among people and groups in an organization. Volkswagen group has organizational standards that control how the employees interact with each other, with the customers and stakeholders outside the company. Just like many other international companies, the top management of Volkswagen group has the upper hand in ensuring that employees work towards achieving the company strategies and goals because they can influence the kind of beliefs to be exercised in the company. Developing a corporate strategy is therefore a very complex process that is primarily concerned with selection of business area where the organization should operate and compete as well as developing and coordinating business profile through stipulation of objectives, aims and goals (Checco 2005). In developing business strategies organizations must address key strategy components that usually determine the long term performance of such strategies. These components include; strategy reach, competitive contact, managing resources and business relationship and management practices. The corporate strategy reach involves defining corporate mission, vision, objectives and goals. The strengths and opportunities as well as weaknesses and threats are considered in this component. The definition of these management components enables execution of the strategy while ensuring business units are integrated into each other for easy management. The competitive contact is more concerned with speculating the future competition environment and developing products and services that will be able to compete favorable with those of the competitors. Opportunities and threats are more addressed at this point. Coordinating the use of company resources, both material and intellectual across the business units forms the other component of managing corporate activities and relationships. Developing a business strategy dictates that all business units in harmony and compatible with each other such that communication and business instructions can flow from unit to unit (Porter 1998). The effective use and management of corporate resources should be stressed in the strategy since the success of a corporate strategy is dependent on how the resources are utilized. The choice between centralization and decentralization of a corporation needs more considerations such as the external factors that may face business activities, the level of compe tition as well the available resources and the benefits expected to be accrued from such resources. However, every organization should look carefully at its intended corporate strategy as compared to that of its competitors to see if it can better leverage its internal strengths and potential for operational efficiencies because development and implementation of a poor strategy may be the ultimate downfall as many competitors are finding ways to incentivize customer value through lower prices, additional options or more product for the same price to maintain customer base. This could be a battle that Volkswagen group could fail at if it does not keep pace or find a way to show consumers its value. Conclusively, strategic choice, organizational design, culture and principal people concerns shape employee beliefs, behaviors, values and norms and this determines how they will implement the business models and strategies.