Real GDP, unemployment rate Essay

Economic indicators measure and characterize the current state of economy. Unemployment rate, inflation rate, real GDP, and oil price per barrel form the general economic picture and show further directions of economic policies and tactics. â€Å"Real GDP is gross domestic product in constant dollars. In other words, real GDP is a nation’s total output of goods and services, adjusted for price changes† (Picker, 2007). Real GDP is often compared to nominal GDP which is always expressed in current dollars. In the third quarter of 2007, real GDP equaled to 11658. 9 billion of constant dollars, having increased 4. 9 percent as compared to the second quarter of 2007. Gross private domestic investment is one of the basic components of real GDP. In 2007, gross private domestic investment also increased to reach 1859. 9 billion dollars (GPO Access, 2008). The graph shows the historical fluctuations of real GDP in the United States: the beginning of 2007 was marked by the greatest real GDP decrease since 2005. The decrease of real GDP in the second half of 2006 indicates the start of economic recession in the United States. The unemployment rate is â€Å"the number of unemployed as a percent of the labor force† (Picker, 2007). In March, the U. S. economy was characterized by 5. 1% unemployment rate (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). Normally, unemployment rates should not exceed 6 percent. Thus, unemployment rates in the U. S. are kept within the reasonable limits. However, the chart shows the slight but continuous unemployment rate increase since the beginning of 2007. These trends create a picture of recession in the American economy. Inflation rate shows the increase of prices for consumer goods and services, and is counted on a yearly basis (Picker, 2007). Inflation rates are basically measured with the help of Consumer Price Index (CPI); CPI calculates the value of consumer goods and services basket which households purchase (Picker, 2007). The chart shows the constantly increasing inflation rates in the U. S. economy. In March, the average cost of goods and services basket advanced 0. 3 percent (MERIC, 2008). These trends indicate the inability of the Federal Reserve to cope with the inflation problem. Growing inflation requires that the Fed pushes up interest rates and slows down the economy, but as the Fed decreases interest rates to regulate particular markets, it puts the economy into a deeper recession. Oil price per barrel is usually counted on the basis of the OPEC or NMEX oil basket prices. At the beginning of 2008, the barrel of oil cost $90. 7; by the end of April, the price has already crossed the mark of $116 per barrel (WTRG Economics, 2008). The chart shows significant continuous increase of oil prices. During 2007, the price of oil per barrel has nearly tripled. Inflation rates, unemployment rates, oil prices per barrel, and real GDP are the four interrelated economic indicators, which determine, at what stage of business cycle the U. S. economy stands. Business cycles impact all areas of economic development; the airline industry is not an exception. In many instances, airlines develop and act according to the basic economic laws. The state of real GDP and Consumer Price Index determine consumer capability to purchase tickets and choose convenient flights. The price of oil per barrel seriously increases airline industry costs, which the industry compensates for the account of more expensive tickets. The growing energy prices contribute into the CPI growth. The growing price of oil per barrel impacts unemployment: â€Å"on average, every time oil prices go up 10 percent, 150,000 Americans lose their jobs† (Eldad, 2007). It is stated that â€Å"the cycles of the airline market are often considered to be a response to fluctuations in the evolution of the GDP and to lie beyond the sphere of the industry’s influence† (Eldad, 2007). Unemployment does not significantly impact the airline industry. The United States has been able to keep unemployment rates at reasonable levels. Inflation rates directly impact the way the airline industry performs on the market. In general, inflation indicates the growth of all costs and expenditures within airline industry. Inflation means that energy prices grow, too. Traditionally, fuel and oil costs constituted 15 percent of the airline industry expenditures, but inflation and growing prices of oil per barrel have raised this index to 30 percent (Eldad, 2007). Due to continuous inflation growth and oil price increase, airlines annually lose up to $200 million (Eldad, 2007). These are the indicators of the economic recession. Economic recession is one of the five stages of business cycle. Since 2005, the airline industry has been experiencing serious economic losses and numerous business closures. The slight increase of real GDP in the last quarter of 2007 reveals promising trends which will hopefully help airlines cope with energy prices. The recession stage of the business cycle suggests that the U. S. economy has not yet reached the trough at the very bottom of its economic decline. This is why the airline industry should be prepared to facing even more serious economic difficulties. The current economic situation is more consistent with the classical economic conditions. The state is not involved into regulating inflation rates or oil prices per barrel. In the oil market, the state acts according to laissez-fair principles of classical economic theory, which promote free business choice and minimal state involvement into economic processes. Although the state regulates interest rates and seems to make everything possible to minimize the economic consequences of recession, its strategies are aimed at regulating particular markets and not the U. S. economy in general. The airline industry is given sufficient freedom for taking economic decisions according to the changeable economic conditions in the U. S. Conclusion The current state of real GDP, inflation rates, oil price per barrel, and unemployment rates form the picture of economic recession in the United States. The airline industry experiences significant economic losses. As the U. S. economy faces the recession stage of the business cycle, airlines should be prepared to even greater economic losses before the economy reaches the trough at the bottom of its economic decline.

Reflection on Learning with Learning Contract

In this assignment, I need to reflect on the situation that took place during my working group. In this reflection, I am going to use Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle. This model is a recognised framework for my reflection. Gibbs (1988) modal of reflection consists of six stages to complete one cycle which is description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan. Description I was put in groups for a week to work through a set of tasks. There was a mixture of males and females with a wide range of ages.There were some people that played a part in the group activities and there were some that did not, this was what contributed to the breakdown in communication in my group. The first day we got into groups, we had to do a learning styles questionnaire. In this questionnaire there were four types of learning styles, which where activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists (Honey, 1973). In my group of seven we were made up of reflectors, theorists and pragmatists.O n the second day we did a group activity about the skills knowledge and attitudes that a health care professional should have. During this task we were divided has a group even more because we all had different views on what we thought was the ideal health care professional. Day three we did a Kohlberg’s moral dilemma (1981) where we had to choose whether Heinz should steal the drug or not. My group was divided on whether he should steal the drug or not. On day four we did a self and peer-evaluation questionnaire. FeelingsI felt very frightened in the group setting because I preserved that I was the youngest in the group and I did not know anyone, which I was very shocked me because I am normally a very confident person. I also felt very out of place I really did not like being in a group that did not click with each other. I then started to get concerned that we would not get any of our group tasks finished. My second concern was that in a difficult situation that we might a ll argue because we all had such different views. But I was also excited to see what might have come out of the group tasks.I also think there should have been an icebreaker task; this would have eased us in. Evaluation The good experiences of the group tasks were that I learnt about myself and how other people work in small groups. It was also good to listen to other people’s opinions. It was also good to work with people I would not necessarily work with outside of these groups that were chosen for me. The bad points were that we has a group did not gel; there was a lack of communication throughout the whole week. I also think there should have been an icebreaker task. AnalysisThere were no activists in my group and I think this is why there was a breakdown in my group because activists like to be involved in new experiences. They are open minded and enthusiastic about new ideas but get bored with implementation. They enjoy doing things and tend to act first. Where reflecto rs, theorists and pragmatist are more reserved and like to think first and take a back sit (Honey, 1973). Some points of the task went well which were that as a group we found out what learning styles are and what the positives and negatives of each learning style and how we can use it to better are learning enhancement.The other members of the group also contributed on what they thought each learning style meant and if they thought it was a true representation of them. But some just did not contribute I am not sure if this was because they were shy or did not want to say the wrong thing or intimidated by the large group. Conclusion I have learnt a lot for from working in my group, I learnt to put myself in the others shoes and understand why people acted in a certain way. I came away being very emphatic and willingness to understand that not everyone is not the same.But now it has become a normal way of thinking and responding to a particular situation. So I have turned my reflecti on into learning. I have read that the more we read and think about a situation the more we can identify they importance of reflection (Boud et al, 1994). I have also learnt that ‘‘the basic unit of communication is made up of a sender, a receiver and a message set within a particular context’’ (Ellis et al, 1994, p. 4). Action plan If the situation came up again there would be a lot I would change one of hich would be more considerate to the group member’s feelings. Secondly I will continue to reflect and study the causes of why things go wrong. Reflection is based on allowing us to ground our thoughts and keep us focused. This helps to prevent reflection going off the subject. (Dallas et al, 2005). I would also like feedback because feedback is vital for development and change. Feedback is important to the on-going development of us has humans. ‘Feedback is central to developing learners' competence and confidence’ (londondeanery, 2010 )

TLMT313 Assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

TLMT313 1 - Assignment Example Thurston Howell, was the in charge of the X-ray supply. Moreover, in relation to the case scenario, it has also been reflected that after the death of Mr. Howell, Mr. Rubble is having the option to opt for new supply as per his convenience and overall profitability of the healthcare. Mr. Rubble has noticed that Kodak is charging higher prices as compared to other suppliers. The key problem is that. Rubble is accountable for the authority for the selection of the suppliers. The alternative measures that Mr. Rubble can take in this underlining situation is that he needs to clearly define the problem that the pacific healthcare is encountering or may encounter in the future state of action. Moreover, being left as the sole authority of overall supply requirements of the healthcare, he could now freely sign the agreement with other suppliers of the X-ray sheets with regards to considering the current contractual agreement with Kodak company on the basis of his own individual decision mak ing aspect. Apart from that he and other higher authorities needs to determine and evaluate the products and services of Kodak in regards to quality, services, price, maintenance and other necessary equipments. The proper evaluation of the quality supplied in the previous years and current scenario must be evaluated with the proper measures. With regards to this alternative, the healthcare can significantly ask other suppliers to provide the sample, which the healthcare can evaluate with its requirement so that the best alternative gets selected out of the available alternatives. Furthermore, it is important to consider the most likely impacts of the existing alternative approach over the long term prospective impact. Nevertheless, the healthcare to stay with the supply of Kodak is also available to them. In the healthcare industry in order to effectively manage and improve the patient health conditions, it is quite important and critical to evaluate their

Managers and HR Professionals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managers and HR Professionals - Essay Example Despite the facts that supervisors remain in close contact with employees and are aware of their needs and requirements, their opinions are over rules and ignored. This reflects through improper selection of candidates, high rates of attrition of crucial resources, rising costs of recruitments and high investments in training and developmental activities. Supervisors are subjected to too much scrutiny and inspection which keeps them from performing to the best of their abilities. b) ‘Should managers be given more autonomy to make decision making, but what are some of the drawbacks of doing so?’ It is recommended that managers are given greater autonomy in handling HR activities of the organization. This is because they remain in close connection with their subordinates and know about their shortcomings, strengths, training needs, causes of frustrations and resentment which causes them to leave. Greater autonomy would allow them to manage the workforce according to the sp ecific needs of the situation and this would help keep employees satisfied which would further better their performance. However, too much autonomy of the managers might give them the opportunity to exploit the workers and deprive them of their deserving. c) ‘How should top executive deal with the situation and more specifically, how should the HR director deal with it?’ The top executives and the Director can resolve the situation by providing greater authority to the supervisors and line managers in handling the workforce activities. However, at the same time they must closely review the performance of the managers so as to ensure that their decisions are safe and favorable for the organization (Armstrong & Baron, 2002, p.119). 2. Boeing and Airbus Outsourcing a) Describe the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing for these companies, as described in the article. The main advantages of outsourcing for these companies is that they can avail a highly talented and q ualified workforce and skills which are not available in their own country. Additionally the rare skills can be employed at a much less compensation level as compared to a worker who is employed in the home country. Thus it is cost effective to outsource activities in foreign nations. However, the main disadvantage lies in the fact that exchange rates are subject to fluctuations and can severe loss to a company when the value of currency in the home nation falls as compared to the guest nation, as happened in the case of Airbus when the value of dollar rose. b) Are there ethical considerations involved in this type of outsourcing? Please explain. Such fluctuations in the exchange rates causing great losses for the companies generally results in job cuts to compensate for the loss, which is regarded as an unethical practice. Also discontentment among workers results in strikes, demanding unfair claims from workers which pose significant loss for the company (Brewster & Harris, 1999, p.27). 3. Importance of Tolerance in the Workplace Incident no. 1 a) Should ABC comply with its client’s request? It is recommended that ABC Temps abides by its client’s request of removing Susan from the particular job role. This is because every

Comparison of Xu Bing and Gu Wenda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparison of Xu Bing and Gu Wenda - Essay Example In addition, the contemporary artists like Xu Bing and Gu Wenda are aware of that their viewership is not limited within the Chinese context, but it extends to the global community. Thesis statement: The comparison of the Chinese artists named as Xu Bing and Gu Wenda, based upon their life, career and work, proves that both of them share certain similarities within their life and career, but their artworks prove that Xu is interested in combining traditional art with modernity, but Gu is interested in going beyond traditional art by making use of the elements of modernity. Xu’s life (say, this artist was born in the year 1955) represents the modern/contemporary art within China. Besides, he was born in a major city area in China, named as Chongqing. But his family was forced to relocate to Beijing and this helped this artist to be in touch with metro life. Ann MacArthur stated that, â€Å"Xu Bing. a leading figure in the international art world, was born in China and now lives in America† (2006). But the Cultural Revolution deeply influenced this artist’s early years of life because he was forced to relocate to village areas for service. Later, he was able to return to metro life. Here, he decided to mold his future career by enrolling himself as a student at the CAFA. In the year 1987, he was able to receive MFA. Within scenario, his major subject (say, printmaking) deeply influenced his future career and usage of medium in art. At the same time, he was not ready to yield to the strict laws implemented by the authorities. This is evident in his works related to political criticism. So, he was forced to migrate to US and this helped him to gain international attention. Still, he was not ready to forget his motherland because he returned to his motherland in the year 2008. But Gu’s early life was comparatively

Public Order Crimes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Public Order Crimes - Research Paper Example Prostitution Prostitution is one of the most common public order crimes being faced by the whole world. Prostitution is the business of getting money in return of providing sexual services to other people. If we talk about Chicago, the police department registers thousands of new prostitution cases every year. I believe that this activity should be free from government and law enforcement interference because it does not produce any kind of harm to any person in the society. Prostitution as a business based totally on the will of the involved women. It provides sexual independence to women so it is not a forced sexual activity. It is a private business transaction, which cannot be performed without the will of the women. No one has the right to stop a woman from fulfilling her sexual desires whether she fulfils it with her boyfriend, with husband, or with some stranger in return of money. In Chicago, prostitution is not viewed as a serious crime, which can harm some other person. The reason is that this activity does not take place without the will of both men and women. Pornography Pornography refers to the act of using sexual images to make the viewers arouse sexually. People view pornographic material to get sexual satisfaction. Pornography is a victimless crime and is meant to provide sexual pleasure to the viewers. People involved in the act or business of pornography show pornographic material to other people through many ways, such as, through books, websites, magazines, paintings, photos, and videos. Pornography is a consensual act because a woman shows her body to other people with her own will. Snatching the right of porn from a woman is like snatching the sexual freedom from that woman. Although pornography is a public order crime, it does not violate the rights of women. Access to pornographic material is the right of every individual. Such feminists believe that pornography does not harm the status of women in a society rather it makes women fulfill their sexual frustration while keeping their privacy intact. The truth is that pornography harms the social status of women by showing them as something to be enjoyed. In Chicago, the graph of this crime seems to be low. The reason is that Chicago has a small porn industry as compared to other cities of the United States. The total number of porn movies coming from Chicago is very less as compared to the number of movies that come from Los Angeles. Almost 90 percent of the porn movies come from Los Angeles. Drug Trafficking Drug trafficking is one of those issues which are being faced by the United States for many years. â€Å"It refers to the illegal process through which narcotics and other illegal drugs are produced, transported, and sold†2 (Sherman, 2010, p. 7). Drug trafficking is the exchange of drugs between different drug dealers. It not only includes manufacturing of different drugs but also includes selling of drugs to the related people. It is also a

Theories of visual culture and social semiotics Assignment

Theories of visual culture and social semiotics - Assignment Example Infusing the visual culture studies especially in art education involves embracing the postmodern conceptions and posing a challenge to the modern ideals. Also, it involves the instructions whereby there is knowledge sharing among all the learners. The images are critically examined with intelligent and understanding actions as the aim rather than artistic appreciation. One of the main aims of art facilitators is to involve students in learning activities, both through and in art. Nevertheless, most of the facilitators do argue that visual culture art education offer a successful means of engagement. Although the lessons may originate from the visual culture theory, they may result in the lessons which may go back to modern concepts and ideas as well as principles of formal design. However, one of the key shortcomings of the programs is caused by the counterfeit logic that may result from the use of the formalistic theories so as to discuss and understand very well the concept of vis ual culture and postmodernism(Pincus, 2011). The visual culture theory usually requires that the artwork should be put into consideration in relation to the social context and the social context. Cultural studies The theory of visual culture is critically indebted to some form of cultural studies. In essence, the idea of cultural studies is a very complicated and interdisciplinary field. It was first discussed in England in early 1960s, but currently it is a global field of study. It is mainly concerned with giving significance to cultural practices in terms of people’s experiences as well as the structural dynamics of modernize society. According to Harrison, (2003), he argues that the theory bases on the belief that the society should be structured and that the signifying practices should be seen as a means of maintaining and establishing power. However, people can interpret for themselves. The latest studies on visual culture, which emerged in the mid 1990s, are much diver sified and it advocates most on the critical edge of the cultural studies. A visual culture study, as a field, encompasses two main principle concerns. These are the visible objects and our perception on them; normally called the ‘seen and the seer’. With this respect, visual culture studies have no significant difference from other philosophical studies. This is because its concerns aim at giving a clear description of the objects under study and their natural aesthetic gaze. However, the main difference is the fact that visual culture studies put into consideration a lot of artifacts and several ways of appearance as opposed to philosophical aesthetics. The studies of visual culture address the inner meaning of the images in photography, advertising and painting. Visual culture refers to those cultural aspects which are manifested in visible form i.e. paintings, photographs, prints, video and scene images. They mainly focus on images themselves so that they can bring out the cultural link attach to them (Herrmann, 2005). At some instance, it is very difficult to distinguish regalia from images. This is because some images appear real since they give an expression and representation of constituted reality (Pincus, 2011). The approach of visual culture from the visual culture studies begin and end with the contemporary cultural sites.

Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Movie - Essay Example The analysis would be written in the light of discussing theoretical concepts of literary elements, including dramatic, cinematic and language aspects. Likewise, one would determine what the movie is really about and a "moral to the story," a theme to be explored, or comment to think about. Finally, one would present what the point of the movie is and the personal meaning of the film in ones perception. The Last Airbender is a movie written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan who was nominated for 2 Oscars in the categories of Best Director and Best Writing for the movie, The Sixth Sense in 1999 (Internet Movie Database, 2010). The movie was an adaptation of Nickelodeon’s TV animated series entitled Avatar: the Last Airbender. The movie was presented as a narration by one of the principal characters, Katara (Nicola Peltz) on the theme of the story which evolves on their world being divided into four elements: Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Peace used to prevail in their world with an Avatar balancing all forces of nature. When the Avatar disappeared, the Fire Nation, led by Lord Ozai launched war on all the nations claiming superiority over all elements. The film is a depiction of Book 1: Water, where the plot evolves on the Avatar’s honing his water bending skills. The major characters are all youngsters composed of the following: the airbender, who is also the Avatar, is played by Aang (Noah Ringer). The water bender is a young teenaged girl, Katara (Nicola Peltz) was the narrator in the film. Her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) accompanies Katara and Ang to journey to the Northern Water Tribe to seek for a master who would teach him water bending skills. Finally, Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) is the son of Lord Ozai leader of the Fire Nation, who aims to capture the Avatar and bring him to his father, Lord Ozai, so that the

Mildred Pierce Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mildred Pierce Assignment - Essay Example The first purpose, which relates to placing a woman at the center of the story universe, best describes the messages in Mildred Pierce movie. Indeed, this purpose is very dominant in the film as the film revolves around the life of a long-suffering mother and her ungrateful daughter. In fact, the film focuses on domestic life in the context of women, motherhood, and the female opinion. In fact, Mildred Pierce is a homemaker who sacrifices everything and tries all income generating projects to support her ungrateful daughter (Mildred Pierce 1945). The movie even presents female rivalries between the younger woman and the older woman. We can also see Mildred getting married to a newly unemployed Pierce who later leaves her with no income (Mildred Pierce 1945). Moreover, we can see Mildred surrounded by weak men and supportive women that confirms the purpose of placing a woman at the center of the story universe. In fact, the questioning of Mildred by police after they discover the body of her second husband, Monte Berago forms the basis of the film (Mildred Pierce 1945). These aspects confirm the purpose of placing a woman at the center of the story universe in the Mildred Pierce film.... Such an association depicts bad motherhood. On the other hand, Mildred could only become a waitress, a fact which she hides from her daughter Veda (Mildred Pierce 1945). Such lies do not represent good motherhood and consequently we can identify with Veda’s infuriation on learning the truth about her mother’s job. Additionally, Mildred acts unethically by entering into a loveless marriage with Monte Beragon for purposes of improving her social class to please her daughter (Mildred Pierce 1945). Ultimately, we can see Mildred supporting Beragon who is a playboy that consequently led to her financial dismal performance. As a good mother, Mildred would have focused on providing for her children but not seeking to improve her social class. Ideally, we only see Mildred focusing on providing for Veda to the neglect of the 10-year-old Kay (Mildred Pierce 1945). Response 3 Kathryn D’Alessandro describes how many of the visual images (cinematography, lighting) in Mildred Pierce are reminiscent of film noir. Mildred Pierce is a film noir that represents the sacrifices of a mother to provide for her ungrateful daughter. Indeed, the film has a cinematography that enhances darkness in the plot and theme. In fact, the film has inky blackness and images with long and sharp shadows (Mildred Pierce 1945). The long and sharp shadows show that the filming took place indoors or in places with low-key lighting. All these aspects explain how the visual images in Mildred Pierce are reminiscent of film noir. Response 4 Sybil DelGaudio defines the racial stereotype of the "Mammy" role in the "Mammy in Hollywood" article (DelGaudio, 2005). The character of Thelma McQueen who was Mildred’s

The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is Set during the Great Depression in the 1930s in a place called Soledad. When the wall street crash as with the introduction of new machinery led to poverty and unemployment, leaving thousands of workers stranded without work, migrating from place to place searching for some money and a place to sleep. The story Of mice and men starts with a description of the place Lennie and George ended up in after running away from Wead and showed the bad conditions that migrant workers are in. In the novel Lennie and George are the main characters. Lennie is described as a slow and dumb character, while in contrast George is a smart leader and could do much more if he wasnt carrying Lennie along with him all the time. Lennie and George are best friends who travel all over the place together, searching for food, shelter, and some money. In other words they migrant workers. Lennie and George are both similar to the other workers as they are migrant workers but are also unique because migrant workers usually travel alone, but not them they travel together. Lennie and George both have a dream that one day they will own a piece of land. In the novel there are a few themes that teach important life lessons, a few are. friendship. Friendship is very important in this novel because Lennie and George are rare travelling best friends and throughout the novel their friendship is tested is tested to the limit. Another one is hopes and dreams, Lennie and George always survive by speaking about their dreams of one day owning a piece of land as Lennie always says when he is down, tell us George, tell us about the farm. Paragraph 2 The Wall street crash, the Great Depression and new machinery all led to poverty and unemployment and increased the number of migrant workers by thousands. These migrant workers had a very bad lifestyle, they wouldnt stay in one place or settle down and are always moving about. Evidence of this is Guys like us are the loneliest guys in the world, they got no family, they dont belong no place, they work up a stake and the next thing you know theyre poundin their tail on some other ranch. This was said by George explaining to Lennie that all migrant workers are lonely and never settle down in one place. The migrant workers , just as they have the bad lifestyle of not settling down; they dont have long term friendship or family, support to that is If them guys gets in trouble. They can rot for all anybody gives a damn but not us This explains that migrant workers have no real friends or people that care for them, another one is they got no family this one also tells us that migrant workers have no relations with their families. Migrant workers have very few possessions and the possessions they do have they carry in a bag called a bindle : their shelves where loaded with little articles, soap and balcum powder, razors and those western magazine, ranch men love to read and there where medicines on the shelves and little vials, combs and a few neck ties, this shows that what migrant workers own are few and are only the things they need most as they are travelling and they only cary around their necessities. Migrant workers rarely have any real relationships with women because they are always travelling around, and the only way they can have a family feel and be with women is if they pay for it through brothel : Old Susys place, where workers can just set in the chairs and have a couple of those shots and pass the time of day This explains that the workers have to pay for relationships with women. Over all the traits of the migrant workers are interconnected. For example, they dont have long term friendships because they travel all time, they also dons have relationships with women because of their loneliness and inability to settle down, they have very few possessions because they cant carry many possessions around with them. They also get low pay which limits the number of possessions that they can buy. Paragraph 3. As a result of the circumstances and the living conditions of the migrant workers, they end up lonely, isolated, violent, selfish and have no job satisfaction. Unlike Lennie and George who have each other and who travel together, most migrant workers are lonely and feel very isolated, I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone, that aint no good, they dont have no fun, after a long time they get mean, they get so that they dont want to talk to nobody. This shows and explains that the migrant workers were lonely and isolated and also that because of that they resort to violence. Violence and a harsh lifestyle are very common characteristics traits found in migrant workers. An example is Candys experience, Theyll can me purty soon, jus as soon as I cant wamp put no bunk houses theyll put me on the county this is said by Candy and it shows the harsh lifestyles of migrant workers and shows that when they are not performing or cant do their job any more. They will get sacked, another quote that shows violence is well if you were to take him and shoot him in the back of the head right there, well hell never know what hit him this shows the violence that is going around inside these ranches. Other examples of violence are when curly attacked Lennie: Then Curlys rage exploded come on ya big bastard, get up on your feet. No big son- of- a- bitch is gonna laugh at me, Ill show ya whos yella. This shows the violence that Curly attacked Lennie with and then started hitting him for nothing. Quite often migrant workers are suspicious of one another, when Lennie and George joined the ranch and were shown to their beds: Says positively kills lice, roaches and other scourge, what the hell kinda bed are you givin us anyways, we dont want no pants rabbits This shows that George and Lennie were suspicious of the hygiene and beds that they were given, another one is I dont like Curly, he aint a nice fella. this was said by Curlys wife and it explains that she was suspicious and hateful towards her own husband. Of all the work the migrant workers do they never get any job satisfaction as they are usually at another ranch before their work has grown so they will never get to see the work that they have done, they also work very hard but get unfair low pay, I aint so bright or I wouldnt be buckin barely For my fifty and found. If I had my own little place Id be bringing in my own crops stead of doin all the work and not getting what comes outa the ground. That shows that migrant workers have no job satisfaction and are angry because theyre all the hard work and not being rewarded for it. No wonder they turn to violence. Paragraph 4. For many Americans at that time the American dream was something to work for and to keep them going, the American dream is the dream of being famous or financially successful or as we saw with the story of Lennie and George it is just wanting to own a piece of land and independence . We first saw the American dream with George and Lennie as they dreamed of one day owning a piece of land. Someday were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little house an a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs an live offa the fata da land explains the dream of George and Lennie and shows the hope that they both have, and dhows us what they both wake up for every morning. Candy is an old character that has been in the ranch for many years, and through those years his dreams got lost, but when he found out of George and Lennies dream his got revived, he leaned forward eagerly, spose I went in with you guys thas three hundred an fifty bucks, Id put in the chicken an hose the garden some, howd that be Shows the eagerness and excitement that he was in when he found an opportunity to bring his dream back to life, he also offered all the money he has without thinking twice about it and that shows his determination. Candy is an old man who would like nothing more than some company and a long rest. Curlys wife is also a character with a dream, but her dream is quite different than some of the workers around the ranch. Her dream is to be an actress in the movies, but like most, her dream does not come true. Coulda been in the movies, and had nice clothes like they wear, an I coulda sat in them big hotels and had pitchers took of me this guy said I was a natural. Curlys wife shows how much she wanted her dream and also shows the details of her dream, but also shows the disappointment A her dream is now gone because she is married to Curly. Crooks character is another example of the racism against blacks at that time. Crooks is a lonely character with no friends or family and very small contact with other people on the ranch, but even in the dullest of places, in the saddest of people you can find dreams and hopes. Crooks dream is really just to be independent and to be around a few friends and we found that out when he said If you guys would like a hand to work for nothing, just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand, I aint so crippled I can work like any son of a bitch if I want to , this shows that Crooks is not really interested in money or land but is just looking for some company and independence. Paragraph 5. Language is a very important part of Of Mice and Men, It gives us a true sense and an insight of the atmosphere in the novel. Throughout this section i will be speaking about the aspects of language in Of mice and Men like dialect, accent and colloquial language. Dialect is defined as words that are common to a particular region. Steinbecks characters speak in a Californian dialect, at that time in California and all around America the dialect was very unique and different, they would use many words such as bindle, which is a bag that the migrant workers carried with all their belongings in it. Lennie put his bindle, on the neighbouring bunk and sat down, shows the word is being used in every day situations. Another word is Swamper, which means cleaners, The old swamper shifted his broom and held it between his elbow, in Of Mice and Men Candy is the swamper, another commonly used word is Greybacks- Which means bed bugs, Then how come he got grey bugs, George was working up a slow anger. at the time lice and bedbugs were very common as the level of hygiene was very low. In those times a rural area was usually referred to as the brush , I want you to come right here an hide in the brush. George had instructed Lennie to hide in the brush if he got in any trouble. The author did not fail to show the accent that the people spoke with in those times, when the people in California spoke they would usually not finish their words and senesces, all the characters spoke in the accent and one of them is Curlys wife, I aint told this to nobody before may be I oughtnt to coulda been in the movies, an gad nice clothes all of them nice clothes like they wear, an I coulda sat in them big hotels an had pitchers took of me. This is full of words and sentences that indicate the presence of a Californian accent such as pitchers, like they wear, and also the way her sentences re structured and her words are incomplete. Colloquial language is another important aspect of language as it shows the way people spoke. Throughout the novella, colloquial language is widely used, all characters use the language. I bet she even gives the stable buck the eye, This was said to show that Curlys wife even looks to attract the stable buck. They would also say things like he aint no cuckoo which means that he isnt stupid. And sure its swell which just means its great. Their choice of words are also different as they say things like pitchers and I aint. Steinbeck also uses imagery in his writing which includes animal imagery. He uses animal imagery mainly to describe characters, Lennie is often described as a large and slow character and his character is captured well when he is described as an animal. Lennie dribbled his paw in the water this compared Lennie to a bear as he drank, another is, behind him walks the opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws., This also compares him to a bear explaining his bad posture and features. More support is His huge companion drank in huge gulps in the water, again here. Steinbeck does this to give us a greater idea of the way it feels to be around Lennie. When Steinbeck makes his comparisons he often uses similes to better help describe his character, as he did with the character of Lennie. Colour is also an important factor as it helps to describe many characters. The colour red for example helps describe Curlys wife as she is a character related with death and she is also a character that tries to attract with sex appeal. A girl was standing there, she had full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up, her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules of which were little bouquets of red feathers, this shows the association colour red has with sex. The colour red is also associated with danger as Lennie tries to avoid her after George warns him, listen to me you crazy bastard, he said fiercely, dont you even take a look at that bitch, I dont care what she says and what she do here Curlys wife is associated with danger as George is scared she will get Lennie in trouble. The colour reds association with death also involves Curlys wife as she was killed by Lennie He looked down at her carefully, he moved his hand from over her mouth and she lay still, Curlys wife had died. Conclusion: The Migrant workers had a difficult life and the didnt make it easier for each other either, in a life full of violence, loneliness and un cleanliness the migrant workers have to struggle in their lives and if you were black at that time then life is even worse for you as racism at that time was very strong, you could say that the only thing that everyone at that time woke up for in the morning are the dreams that they all had, even though most of the dreams never came true and most of the people knew that they still all needed something to wake up to, which teaches us a valuable life lesson which is to always have a dream. I think the theme of the story is that you always need someone to rely one as weve learned from the novella that if you have no one you could go crazy. In conclusion I think this novella shows us how a difficult lifestyle can push friendships to the limit

How Increased Portion Sizes Effect Obesity Drama Essay

How Increased Portion Sizes Effect Obesity Drama Essay Would you like to supersize that? Its a simple question asked to patrons at many national fast food chains. Its actually quite a deal, for cents more you can increase the amount of food and drink you are given. What if by increasing the amount of food you were eating actually increased your chances of developing severe health issues? A persons risk for developing many life-threatening health conditions can be measured by how much excess fat is stored in their fat cells. The United States has had an influx in the number of individuals who are overweight; could supersizing be to blame? While there are other causes for weight gain, increased portion sizes combined with inactivity have had a direct effect on the growing obesity cases. Obesity is a condition in which an individuals body accumulates and stores more fat than what is considered healthy. To determine the amount of fat stored in a persons body, a Body Mass Index (BMI) number is calculated. The formula for determining a persons BMI is the weight (in pounds) divided by the height (in inches) squared multiplying that number by a conversion factor of 703. For example, to determine the BMI number for a person who weighs 150 pounds and is 65 inches tall, the formula would be: [150 Ã · (65) 2] x 703 = 24.96. A BMI range of under 18.5 is considered underweight, the normal range is between 18.5 and 24.9, while 25 29.9 is considered overweight, finally a BMI score of 30 and above is categorized as obese. (CDC, About BMI for Adults, 2009) The BMI calculations are only one small part in determining a persons health risks in relation to weight issues. This calculation does not take into account the difference between muscle and fat weight, so it is possible for som eone to receive a higher BMI number but not have a high body-fat content because of muscle weight. It is important to take this into account when calculating ones body mass index number. One of the first actions taken by a technician when a patient is seen by a physician is they are asked to step on a scale. Then they are either asked how tall they are, or are physically measured. It is not a coincidence that these are the two measurements needed to calculate an individuals body mass index. The BMI ranges are based on a documented relationship between body weight, disease and death and are used as a tool to identify increased risk for diseases and health conditions. Obesity is a contributing factor for several severe health conditions and diseases, most of which have proven to be life-threatening. These conditions include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, and some cancers to include endometrial, breast and, colon cancer. Even though being overweight contributes directly to the development of such severe health problems, the rates of diagnosed cases of obesity have steadily increased over the past two decades. (CDC, Overweight and Obesity, 2007) According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, during the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. (2007) The CDC collected information on the rise in obesity through the CDCs Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, (BRFSS). In 1985, the CDC had gathered data for only 21 states which showed no more than 14% of each states population diagnosed with obesity. In 2008, the CDC collected data on all 50 states; of which Colorado held the lowest percentage of obesity cases at 15-19%; however all other states were recorded between 20-30% of their population were severely overweight. (CDC, Overweight and Obesity, 2007) Andrew Cates, Portion distortion analysis of food portion size to aid in weight control (2003), states According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average number of calories Americans eat each day has risen from 1,854 to 2,002 during the past 20 years. That increase of 148 calories per day works out to 15 pound s of extra weight each year. (2003) This data shows Americans are eating more today than what they were twenty years ago. However, the increased calorie intake alone is only part of the cause for the increased obesity in the United States. While other causes for obesity include genetics, disease, and medication side effects; consuming large portions of food without expending enough energy to compensate is considered to be the root cause of weight gain. For example, a typical meal from a popular fast-food restaurant consists of a cheeseburger with condiments (760 calories), medium fries (360 calories) and a 22 fluid ounce soft drink (200 calories) for a minimum total of 1320 calories ingested. An average adult weighing 180 pounds would have to walk at a pace of four miles per hour for 4.02 hours or run at a pace of 6.7 miles per hour for 1.6 hours to burn off the calories ingested at this typical meal. However, the average American does not maintain physical activities for extended periods after each meal; therefore not exerting enough energy to fully expend the large number of calories. This results in excess calories to be in the bodys fat cells, thus causing an increase in weight. Consider the diet of a professional athlete, these individuals can take in roughly 12000 calories per day, but maintain a lean muscle mass and body strength. They use every calorie ingested for fuel during physical training. For the average human, this high calorie diet is highly dangerous. While the increased consumption of calories is a global trend, the supersizing of fast food menu items has made the obesity epidemic worse for those living in the United States. (CalorieLab, 2007) Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD and Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH conducted and documented a study titled The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes to the US Obesity Epidemic. This study compared past food portions to those currently sold to document historical changes. One example of the effect supersizing has had on the typical caloric intake was the comparison of soft drink sizes served at a McDonalds in the United States versus those sold at McDonalds in the United Kingdom. Notably, the sizes of chain fast-food portions in Europe are smaller than those in the United States. McDonalds Extra Large soda portions in London, Rome, and Dublin weigh the same as the US Large.' (Young and Nestle, 2002) The study also noted the largest size of McDonalds fries sold in the United States in 1998-1999 contained 610 calories, during that time the United Kingdoms largest fry size contained 446 calories. While the serving sizes at fast food restaurants in America seem to be larger in comparison to other count ries, this does not mean the restaurants are the only cause for Americas increases in obesity cases. Are restaurants largely at fault for the increase obesity rates in the United States? Because of data on portion sizes, it wouldnt be incorrect to place some blame on the food marketing industry. But this industry runs off supply-and-demand, if there was no demand for larger portion sizes theoretically the sizes would be reduced. Additionally, when faced with the increased portion sizes, consumers are more likely to ignore the recommended sizes and will attempt to ingest what they are served. In addition to high-calorie meals, additional excess calories are taken in throughout the day by snack foods, sodas, flavored waters, candy, and even gum. Nearly everything taken into a persons body through consumption contains a number of calories. As discussed before, the ingestion of excess calories is not what causes the build-up in body fat, but rather the lack of energy used to expend the calories. So does supersized food lead to supersized people? This seems to be the case for the average person who dines on large portions without expending the needed energy to burn through the extra calories. While there are other causes for weight gain, increased portion sizes combined with inactivity have had a direct effect on the growing obesity cases. The amount of food ingested is only part of the cause for the obesity epidemic, combine it with the decrease in daily activity and what is left is the formula for an unhealthy, possibly fatal medical condition that takes years to overcome. Would you still like to supersize that? Reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2007).Overweight and Obesity: Home.Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). About BMI for Adults. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html CalorieLab. (2007). Burger King Calorie Counter. Retrieved from http://calorielab.com/restaurants/burger-king/3 Cates, A. (2003). Portion Distortion Analysis of Food Portion Size to Aid in Weight Control. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0826/is_6_19/ai_111111456/ Rolls, B.J., Roe, L.S., Meengs J.S.(2007).The effect of large portion sizes on energy intake is sustained for 11 days.Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17557991 Young, L.R. Nestle M. (2002). The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes to the US Obesity Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447051/

The Importance of Grading in Education Essay -- Education Tests

Students entering college for the first time look forward to the numerous tests that they are required to take least of all. Test taking and college are in tandem for many, but some debate that using testing as a grading system should be discontinued in universities. In theory it sounds like a great idea. It would cut back on stress and, more than likely, class time as well. However, stopping testing as a form of grading in universities would be soon regretted. Grading systems are an essential part of any education. Tests insure that that the student is learning what the teaching is teaching and identify areas that may need improving. The results from grading systems also show future employers or schools a glimpse of the kind of worker that a student will be. The numerous lists of positive effects on not only the students but the teachers, and even the university as a whole, outweigh the cons of using testing as a grading system. One of the reasons that grading systems should be required is to ensure that each student has retained the information that is being taught. Diane Ravitch agrees with this statement in her essay â€Å"In Defense of Testing.† Ravitch says, â€Å"They [test] protect us†¦from inept drivers, hazardous products and shoddy professionals.† (139). Ravitch is saying that test as a form of grading help to ensure that each person is knowledgeable in the field that they are in and give people a sense of security when they must put their trust in such professionals. There are many basic classes that are required for each major depending on the university that one attends. It is essential that the information obtained during these courses is kept in case a need arises for it in a future career. If the grading system is taken ... ...o focus solely on that which they are aware of misunderstanding. This saves valuable time for both teacher and student. It also helps employers save money by only hiring those who they know have a history of good work ethics. The arguments against grading systems are bountiful despite the obvious flaws. Test as a grading system in universities should be continued because, although the opposing view brings to light many valid points, discontinuing the current grading system would cause more problem than it would solve. Works Cited Goodman, Paul. â€Å"A Proposal to Abolish Testing.† Forming a Critical Perspective, Ed, Ann Spurlock. 1st. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2010. 191-193. Print. Ravitch, Diane â€Å"In Defense of Testing.† Forming a Critical Perspective, Ed, Ann Spurlock. 1st. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2010. 194-195. Print.

Reflective Essay on College Writing -- Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay on College Writing This semester was my very first semester as a college student. Being the first, it was probably the semester I would learn the most in. I learned the expectations for writing that I will have to live up to for the next four years of my college career. Though my high school teachers were usually demanding because I was in the Honors English section throughout high school, writing in college has still ?raised the bar? for me. Also, in high school, we would have weeks to pick a topic, create a thesis, outline the paper, write the paper, and then revise the paper. In college, the time restraints are not quite as lenient. I?ve had to learn to manage my time and be more productive with what free moments I have. Strangely enough, I?ve found the college English experience to be much more rewarding and enjoyable than in high school. Academically, I have learned many new ways to look at literature. My high school teachers did not expose us to many literary theories or how to apply them. Indeed, we learned about romanticism, realism, transcendentalism, etc. but never really related them to our writing. Most of the writing we did was simply based upon our own opinions. We hardly ever used secondary sources. I believe that deconstructionist theory was the most helpful theory I learned this year for analyzing literature. Breaking a poem up line by line or image by image or even a story into small sections made it a lot easier to grasp the main concepts of the work. Most of the time during this semester, however, I took a formalist point of view. Also, unlike high school, the reading was much more entertaining. In high school, I really enjoyed very few of the texts that were discussed in class. In... ...d myself having in high school. I still tend to be a little too wordy at times, I misplace commas, and I still forget how to properly cite my research sources every now and them. I think I have become a little more meticulous about looking over my papers, however. I make fewer careless mistakes and take more time writing my papers than I did in high school. My points of view are clearer, and I have not been using commas incorrectly quite as often. I hope to continue to improve in the next few years of college as well. I haven?t received an ?A? on a paper yet, so my goal for the next few years of college is to eventually be able to consistently produce papers worthy of ?As.? I would also like to apply my writing more in school by possibly writing for New Morning in the future. I think Introduction to Literature has had a positive impact overall upon my literary skills.

The Poetry Lesson by Don Maclennan Essay -- essays research papers fc

In the poem â€Å"The Poetry Lesson† by Don Maclennan an ironic mood emerges. The poem is about an English poetry lecturer. He expresses his views and feelings on his lessons, how he might have impacted on the lives, altered the views and the challenges he has given his students. He states what he expects from his students. It is interesting to note that Don Maclennan is in fact a South African English poetry lecturer. I thus assume that this poem is a reflection on how he views himself and his students. I intend to give a detailed analysis of the poem, by defining the type of irony that occurs in the poem and commenting on the use of irony and the nature of the poems commentary on itself. I will give my interpretation of each stanza of the poem and indicate where the irony of a given situation is. Irony as The New International Webster’s Pocket Dictionary describes it is: A paradox between what happens and what does or might be expected to happen; a literary style often used to mock or satirize convention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (NIWPD 2002: 247) The predominant form of irony in the poem is situational irony, which John Dury defined as: A discrepancy between appearance or likelihood and an actual reality.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Dury 1995: 140) M.H. Abrams terms this type as structural irony, which is defined as: The author, instead of using occasional verbal irony, introduces a structural feature that serves to sustain a duplex meaning and evaluation throughout the work.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Abrams 2005: 135) Both these definitions are accurate in describing the type of irony that is present in the poem. This will be discussed in the subsequent paragraphs. Upon completion of reading the poem The Poetry Lesson, it can be said the title of the poem can be construed to be ironic. As this is a poem about a poetry lesson, I assume the poet will talk about a poetry lesson where he is analysing a... ...essage across. He does this by drawing on his own life experiences. It would seem that this is what Maclennan wanted the readers of his poem to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Word Count: 1 301 Bibliography: Macclenan, Don. 1995. â€Å"The Poetry Lesson†. In: Clarkson, C. Mkhize, J.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MacKenzie, C. Mnqadi, S. 2005. Anthology of Poetry and Short   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stories. University of Johannesburg: Content Solutions. pp. 51-53. Abrams, M.H. 1999. Irony â€Å"A Glossary of Literary Terms/Seventh† Boston:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MacPeek, Earl. Dury, John. 1995. â€Å"The Poetry Dictionary.† United States of America: Story   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Press. 2002: The New International Webster’s Pocket Dictionary: Quebecor World   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Peru. Trident Press International. Van Heerden, J-M. 2005. â€Å"How to Write a Critical Examination of a Literary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work: English 1A†. Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  February.

Dragon Multinational

Select a major Dragon Multinational. Describe the company’s features that are consistent with Mathew’s Dragon MNC theory and any that are not consistent. Analyse the factors that led the corporation to be successful. Prepare a three year Global Development Strategy for the corporation, taking into account the current business environment. Chosen Company: The Hong Leong Group with specific focus on City Developments Limited. The primary features that define a Dragon Multinational Corporation in their simplest form are large Multinational Enterprise’s that stem from the Asia-Pacific region that have ‘successfully internationalized and in some cases become a leading firm in its sector’ (Mathews). The Singapore based Hong Leong Group fits this classification almost seamlessly as with its many offshoots it is worth an estimated $30 billion boasting highly successful projects within property, finance, hospitality and trade and industry (hongleong. com. sg). Unlike many of the companies Mathew’s makes reference to in his theory the Hong Leong Group was not instantly a global success, in fact it was started in 1948 by Kwek Hong Png as a modest shop dealing in construction materials. Later on in the 1960’s the group moved into Finance for small local firms and a small amount of property investment. In the 1970’s The Hong Leong Group obtained a dominant stake in its most well known venture ‘City Developments Limited’ which was then a mere 8 employee’s and slowly expanded into commercial development. It was in the late 1980’s under the control of Kwek Hong Pngs son and future Executive Chairman Kwek Leng Beng that the company made its move into the hotel industry. This is where we witness what Mathews refers to as the â€Å"Gestalt Switch† from domestic to global competitor. The Hong Leong Group is what Mathews classes as a ‘Second Wave MNE’. These corporations are characterised by using ‘pull factors that draw firms into global connections rather than push factors that drove firms as stand alone players in the first wave’. A classic ‘Gerschenkronian Latecomer’ The Hong Leong Group unsuspectedly enhanced their portfolio through acquisitions and joint ventures namely the obtaining of a controlling interest in City Development Limited before embarking on what the group call a ‘strategic diversification strategy’ leading to the purchase of a hotel which thrust the group onto the world stage and was soon followed by rapid expansion and regionalisation. In Mathews theory there are 3 principal characteristics of a ‘latecomer’ these are accelerated internationalization, organisational innovation and strategic innovation. Accelerated Internationalization Internationalization is ‘defined as a process of cross-border operations when a business firm headquatered in one country controls and influences the strategic decision making of atleast one affiliate in another country’ (Yeung). Latecomers progess by making use of existing international connections in Hong Leongs case they used mergers and takeovers in a process known as horizontal integration. They linked with CDL and used the leverage of their financial sector to fund the hotel investments allowing the group to create their hospitality arm the London listed subsidiary Millenium and Copthorne Hotels plc which now operates over 120 hotels in 18 countries. M&C also signed a global strategic marketing alliance with Maritim Hotels which added another 49 hotels to the portfolio not inclusive of the eight management contracts announced that are to take place between 2009-2011. This clearly shows the rapid expansion that is so characteristic of a Dragon Multinational. Organizational Innovation Mathews highlights that Dragon Multinationals from an organizational perspective ‘dispensed with conventional â€Å"international division† as they had a global perspective from the get go. This is true of Hong Leong Asia which is the trade and industry branch of the group. The roots of the Hong Leong Group from its inception were in the concrete industry and although slightly overshadowed by the property and finance sectors in past years Hong Leong Asia was successfully growing in the background. The group has companies such as diesel engines companies, packaging companies and building materials companies that have merged via acquisition of stake holdings to create one single major manufacturing and distribution enterprise. This cluster of businesses that are hugely successful evolve in their individual specialities growing the company as a whole into one of the biggest integrated trade and industry groups in Asia. Strategic Innovation Frequently mentioned in Mathews Theory is the idea of latecomers taking advantage of an already well established global network, tapping into this via alliances and mergers. This is the innovative strategy that is displayed brilliantly by the Hong Leong Group as both CDL and Hong Leong Asia used this method to propel them through the initial stages of internationalization straight to being globally expansive. City Developments Limited linked with London’s Millennium & Copthorne and New Zealand’s Kingsgate and the Philippines Grand Plaza and know own and operate hotels in 18 countries and are currently expanding to The United Arab Emirates. Similarly Hong Leong Asia after acquiring several companies within Asia to become one of the biggest manufacturing companies in Singapore has linked with several subsidies on both the New York and Amsterdam Stock Exchange. This is a prime example of how pioneering latecomer MNE’s from the periphery use linkage and leverage to take advantage of vast existing global networking. Factors influencing success of the group – OLI vs LLL Within Mathew’s theory one of the main factors that influences whether a company can be classified as a Dragon Multinational is whether it fits Dunnings OLI framework or whether it is better suited to the adapted LLL framework. The original ‘ownership, location and internalization’ structure best describes the traditional MNE as it reaches global status by overcoming market malfunction with superior resource bases and overlooks the methods that form the basis of many modern MNE’s global success such as innovation and joint ventures etc. With acquisitions and joint ventures being the primary strategy of the Hong Leong Group their global expansion is definitely more in keeping with Mathew’s proposed ‘linkage, leverage, learning’ framework that picks up where the OLI framework left off, based on the international expansion of Dragon MNC’s.

Analysis of the “Gladiator” trailer

Trailers are a very important part of the advertisement and promotion of a feature film. Trailers usually consist of a collection of carefully chosen clips from the film that give the audience a vague idea of what the film is about and hopefully persuade the audience to go and see it. Trailers usually contain certain information about the film and the plot. One of the main points that you would expect the trailer to show the audience is the genre of the film. The genre of a film is the category that it fits into or the type of film that it is. The trailer usually makes the audience aware of the genre by the settings of the film or costumes, actors and the music used in the film. By showing the genre of the film, the trailer often also makes the audience aware of the target audience or group of people that the film is aimed at. Trailers often focus on the films main selling points and things that are unique about the film (USPs). This could be many different things. It is often the director, actors in the film or a particular aspect of the plot that makes the film unique and catches the audience's attention. Overall, a trailer is a small part of a larger promotion campaign to persuade the audience to go and see a particular film. The trailer does this using the best moments from the film, paying special attention to the main characters, and arranging them in a way that makes them attractive to the audience. Although the main aim of the trailer is to tell the audience about the film and to persuade them to see it, there are a few other important pieces of information that it will show the audience. It will normally show a date of release. This is important so that the audience know when they can come and see the film. The trailer may also show the audience an age rating for the film. This is very important because adds to the audience's knowledge of the target audience and explains who the film is suitable for. All of the aspects that I have mentioned are important in adding to the overall effect of the trailer and fulfilling its aim of promoting the film. In this essay, I will be analysing the trailer for the blockbuster film â€Å"Gladiator† in great detail and discussing the effects that this trailer has on its audience. It is made clear by the trailer that this film is an epic, historical, action film. There are a number of things in the trailer that show us the genres of the film. In the trailer, all of the characters are wearing armour or other historical costume. This makes it very clear that the film is set a long time ago therefore showing the audience that it is a historical film. The camera shots showing the colliseum also make this part of the genre known. Throughout the trailer, a number of fight and battle scenes are shown. This along with the fast pace of the trailer, shows the audience that the film involves quite a lot of action. Last of all, the strong music and overall impression of the trailer makes it clear that the film is also epic. From the genre of the film, it is often possible to work out the target audience. I think that this trailer shows the target audience if this film to be men and older boys. I think that this is mainly because of the large amount of action in the film. The â€Å"Gladiator† trailer begins by showing the companies who made the film. The Universal logo is the first image to appear on the screen. This shows the audience that the film has been made by a well known company and this may start persuading the audience to come and see the film. After the Universal logo followed the Dreamworks logo. This will show the audience that the film contains special effects of a good standard because Dreamworks are well known for this. This again will persuade the audience and will make them aware of who the target audience might be. Both of these well known companies could act as USPs for the film and make the audience want to see the film. As these logos are being shown, a strong drumbeat is being played. It is military style drumming. This gives the audience, immediately, before the actual trailer has started, an idea of what type of film it could be or what the genre is. The opening sequence of the trailer contains a number of clues as to what the film may be like and who it is aimed at and has already begun to persuade the audience without any clips from the film being shown. The first thing to appear on the screen as the actual trailer begins is text. The words â€Å"The general† appear in bold. They are white on black background and they stand out to the audience. The words introduce the main character and also give a bit more of an idea about the genre. The words give a visual voice-over for what is about to happen in the trailer. The visual voice-over replaces a traditional voice-over in the trailer and is used to explain what is going on in the trailer. This has an impact on the audience in a number of ways. One of the ways that it does this is that without an ordinary voice-over, the music can be heard better and is therefore more dramatic and has more of an affect on the audience. The visual voice-over also makes the audience focus on the screen and therefore they are more likely to notice the clips that are so important in persuading them to go and see the film. This again adds to the trailers overall effectiveness. Straight after the words, an image, of who we presume to be the general, appears on the screen. He is standing in front of lines of soldiers. He has a very determined expression on his face and he is walking strongly. The camera shot is at eye level. This allows the audience to relate to the character more as if they are there with him. The slow motion in this clip emphasizes the determination and strength in his walk. This makes him come across, to the audience, as a brave, strong-willed man. All of the soldiers are dressed in armour and the man, who we presume to be the general, is also dressed in historical costume. This therefore confirms the audience's thoughts about the genre of the film and also gives the audience a very vague idea of what the plot may be like. The fact that the shot focuses so much on this man makes it clear to the audience that this is the main character and that he is important in the plot of the film. As the clip freezes and disappears, the words â€Å"who became a slave† appear on the screen, again bold and standing out to the audience. The words not only describe the plot but also get the audience thinking about how these things could come about. Especially with this particular phrase as it could puzzle the audience as to why this has happened and how it is possible to go from the status of a general to a slave. This could make the audience more interested in the film because it shows that the film has an unusual plot. This could be a unique selling point for the film. As the text on the screen disappears, another clip from the film is shown. This time it shows a long row of slaves standing still. This shot is a long shot which pans down the line to show the audience all of the slaves. This might shock the audience slightly because it is such a contrast to the last clip. In the line of slaves, there is one who is standing tall and determined and his stature tells the audience that he is the general who we saw before. This tells the audience that he is the main character in the film and that he is the person that we should focus on throughout the film. The image uses certain colours, oranges, browns and yellows, to add to the audiences understanding of the genre and to make sure that they know that the film is set in ancient times. The main point of this clip is to show the audience who the main character is and why he is different to all of the other slaves- his strength and determination. After this shot, the visual voice-over continues with the words â€Å"the slave†. This shows the audience that the trailer is going to talk them through the plot of the film, step by step. The audience will like this because they like to know what to expect although the visual voice-over will just give them the basic plot and leave the audience wanting to know more. As the visual voice-over disappears once again, another clip is shown. This time it shows the same man, with his back to the audience, walking into the colliseum, his head held high and proud. We can't see his face but we presume that he is the same man as before. There are cheers in the background. The way that he is walking proudly shows the audience that he is not going to be a slave for much longer and that he is going to be the hero of the film. The cheers in the background show the audience that the man is popular. It also shows the audience what he may become in the future- a gladiator. Finally, the colliseum in the background again shows us that the film is historical and also possible epic. The visual voice-over continues to talk the audience through the story with â€Å"who became a gladiator† as the image changes. We now see a gladiator who we presume to be the man talked about by the visual voice-over, leading others into the centre of the arena. He is dressed fully in armour making him unrecognisable to the audience. The camera pans, following him as he walks along. The camera tilts to a low angle making the gladiator appear powerful and dominant. The crowd can be seen in the background, a mid-shot, and along with the cheering, this builds up atmosphere and makes the audience feel part of the scene or the crowd. This clip begins to introduce the theme of action to the trailer letting the audience know the next part of the genre. A long, deep drum beat is played as the scene freezes and more text appears on the screen. The next section of the visual voice-over to appear on the screen is â€Å"the gladiator†. This text clarifies the previous clip for the audience making sure that they understand the plot so far. Next, as the military style drumming continues, we are shown an eye-level close up of the gladiator. The dark colours with red, sandy tones reinforce the genre, as do the costume. The warm colours also make the character appear unthreatening to the audience and make it clear that he is the hero or â€Å"goody† in the film. The fact that the camera shot is at eye-level means that the audience feel, in each shot that they are getting to know the character more. The fact that the shot is quite similar to the first camera shot in the trailer means that the audience instantly recognise the character. The determined expression also makes it clear that he is a hero figure in the film. Overall, the clip continues to introduce the main character paying more attention now to his personality rather than his role in the film. The image links the visual voice-over to the character making it perfectly clear who it is talking about. Again, the image freezes and the visual voice-over once again appears on the screen. This time it states â€Å"who defied an empire†. It is continuing to take the audience through the plot of the film, step by step. In the image that is shown after the text, the trailer introduces the audience to a new, different character. The image shows a tall, obviously powerful man. He is standing on a balcony, waving to a huge cheering crowd below. This image relies on the audience's knowledge of stereotypes and expectations to show them that this is a powerful person, the emperor. The cheers in the background along with the giant crowd, from which the noise is coming, show the audience that this man is well-known and highly respected. This again adds to their knowledge of the character's role in the film. After this clip, a number of action shots are cut together quickly. The speed of the trailer creates excitement in the audience and also adds to the audience's knowledge of the action genre within the film. The clips that are shown in this fast paced section also show the action aspect of the film. There are a number of clips showing different fight scenes in the colliseum. This adds greatly to the audience's knowledge of both the historical and action aspects of the film. The next clip that is shown in this section is a close-up view of a golden mask. This instantly attracts the audience's attention because they begin to ask questions about who is behind the mask but the clip changes before they have a chance to find out. The shot switches to a bold, bright action shot which shows a gladiator, presumably the one who has been shown throughout the trailer, on his chariot, flying through a sea of flames. This catches the audience's attention because of the bright colours which suddenly appear, very different from the earthy colours used throughout the trailer so far. Again there is also mystery that makes the audience interested because, again, they can't be sure who they are seeing in this clip and they may then want to see the film in order to find out. The shot of the storming chariot is also shown in slow motion so this makes the shot even more effective as it builds up suspense and tension as the audience wonder what will happen next. Again, the clip pauses and we are once again shown the colliseum. It is a low angle camera shot. This makes the colliseum appear very large and dominant over the screen. This shot shows the audience how important this building will be in the film and also how much the historical genre will affect the film. The trailer now cuts again to the character that we were introduced to not long ago, the powerful man. As we see him, he is screaming at a woman, his face angry and his voice loud. The dialogue shocks the audience because it is so sudden and unexpected. The man is screaming at a young woman who seems so powerless compared to him. He is screaming â€Å"am I not merciful? â€Å". This instantly portrays this man, the emperor, as a villain. It makes the audience dislike him. It does this partly by sympathy. The audience may feel sorry for the young woman as he screams and may feel that by upsetting her, he is a bad person. The trailer also portrays him as a villain using out stereotypical view of people as well as our expectations. The audience will most likely be expecting there to be both a â€Å"goody† and a â€Å"baddy† in the film as this is normally the case. The audience will also, most likely, have a stereotypical view that the villain or â€Å"baddy† in the film will be aggressive and most likely a powerful figure. This shot uses both speech and the audience's expectations and stereotypical views to portray the emperor as a villain. Next we are shown another clip of the emperor telling the audience even more about his character and personality in the film. He is shown in a mid-shot looking down at the camera. He has a stern, evil expression on his face which confirms that he is the same man who was shown in the previous clip. The way that he is looking down at the camera or the audience shows that he is powerful and that he knows this. The expression as he stares down at the audience makes him appear dangerous and again adds to our feelings about him as a villain. Overall, this low angle shot makes the emperor seem dominant and in control of us and the fact that he seems to be making eye-contact with the audience adds to this making us feel slightly threatened by him. The visual voice over is now re-introduced to the trailer with â€Å"This summer a hero will rise†. This caption of text plays along to the audience's expectations that there will be both a villain and hero in the film. It also gives the audience an idea of when the film is released and has also incorporated this into the explanation of the plot. As this text is disappearing an extreme low angle shot appears on the screen. It shows the gladiator standing tall and bold. The extreme low angle shot makes him appear brave and heroic while his stature tells us that he is a hero. On the clip, he is rising up the screen. This links in with the text that was shown just before and turns the metaphorical phrase into a physical happening making it easier for the audience to understand. In this section of the trailer we are also shown another fast paced montage of clips from the film. The first clip in this section shows the man standing in the arena, his hand in the air. This seems to resemble victory and shows the audience that he is most certainly the hero of the film. As this clip is being shown, over the cheering and background music, a piece of dialogue is played. â€Å"Caesar is proud to present Avius Maximus†. This instantly makes the audience feel that they can relate to the man better as they assume that the man shown is the one being talked about. The way that the dialogue is spoken also shows that the man is highly respected, has done amazing things and is a hero. This again shows us the epic aspect of the film. The next shot in this fast-paced sequence is a mid shot of a man who we presume to be Maximus, kissing a young woman. This is especially important to the secondary target audience. Females might be much more likely to want to see the film now that they know romance is involved. It shows the audience that the film isn't just about action and that it can fit into many different genres. This could be another unique selling point for the film. Overall, this shot is an extremely important part of the trailer, because, it makes the film appeal to a wider range of people in the audience and promotes the film greatly. The fast paced action scenes continue before more text is shown on the screen. This time, the text is showing us the name of the director, Ridley Scott. This instantly catches the audience's attention because he is such a famous director and is renowned for his action films. This will have a huge affect in promoting the film because it is yet another unique selling point that will persuade the audience to come and see the film. Straight after this text disappears, a bold logo appears on the screen saying â€Å"Gladiator†. As it appears on the screen, a deep, loud drumbeat is played to symbolise the importance of this word or logo. By not showing the name of the film, till the very end of the trailer, the audience are kept in suspense, wanting to know what the film is called. As well as this, the title of the film summarises the whole trailer because of the relevance that it has to the overall theme of the film. The one-word title is catchy and because of the way that it is presented in the trailer, it is likely that the audience will remember it and are therefore, more likely to go and see the film. The final thing to be shown at the end of the trailer is the release time of the film. However it is given a slight twist. The exact words on the screen are â€Å"coming soon 2000 AD†. While this gives the audience a clear understanding of when the film is to be released, it also adds to the final trace of the historical genre as the letters AD show us that the film is not set in the present day or they would not bother to put the letters there. Overall, I think that this trailer is effective and that it promotes the film using a number of different, useful techniques. The first reason why I think that this trailer is effective is because of the music. The music that is played throughout the trailer is just different variations on a simple military style drum roll. The thing that makes the music so effective is the way that it is synchronised with the different clips in the trailer. The music fits the trailer together in a way that makes it have most impact on the audience. After analysing the trailer, I have also found that the camera shots make the trailer very effective. The way that the different shots are used to communicate the importance, personality and roles of the characters, gives the audience a much better understanding of the characters and the overall plot of the film. Finally, I think that the way in which the trailer uses our stereotypical views and expectations make it very effective. The trailer gives the audience the basic plot but leaves the audience to decide for them self about the characters instead of spoon-feeding the information to them. This means that the audience have much more personal views about the characters and therefore feel more need to see the film. In my opinion, the â€Å"Gladiator† trailer is very effective and the use of camera shots, music, originality and plot should make the trailer successful in promoting the film.

Bioinformatics: BioEdit

One of the primary needs of man, in terms of the cognitive and psychological aspects of life, is to understand himself and other forms of life in order to determine each other’s role and place as inhabitants on earth with unique physiological, anatomical, and most importantly in this case, biological features which exhibit major differences from each other, setting the stage for discovering the quintessential facets of life.This particular need of man had been provided for due to the capacity of Science and Technology to allow him to obtain relevant and comprehensive facts that are rational and quantifiable in nature to develop an organized body of knowledge that provides reliable and valid information about human life, as well as other species on the planet, particularly on the measure of how life is formed, transformed, and reproduced.Under these pretexts, the importance of information is framed pertaining to its connection with the field of biology, specifically under the f ramework of Molecular Biology, Genetics, Computer Science, IT, and Statistics. (Ramsden, 2004) Aside from the purpose of collating reliable and valid information to provide man with an open access to facts or data for the purpose of cognitive enlightenment and sustenance of psychological needs, and so on, solving various issues and problems confronting man and other species on earth may also be addressed through the information-gathering process.Not only does it contribute to the field of Molecular Biology or Genetics for instance, but the processes of obtaining pertinent and comprehensive data are advantageous in addressing concerns in various fields, including Health Care and Medicine, Farming, Agriculture and environmental concerns, Nutrition, Food Processing and Production, and so on. (Hyman, 2003) The process of resolving these multiple issues that affect almost all major fields or industries start by focusing attention on gathering and analyzing information which may be initia lly categorized under Molecular Biology, and then subsequently, Genetics.The next step constitutes the synthesis and organization of information in order to develop theoretical approaches and practical strategies for problem-solving purposes. However, positioning the theoretical framework of Molecular Biology into practical environments and realizing its purpose of obtaining information to contribute to various fields and industries have never been easy. One should not expect that gathering information from various life forms is a trouble-free task.Since molecular and biological information covers a vast scope, (Bommarius & Riebel, 2004) and information obtained requires meaningful, factual, and systematic observations, interpretations, analyses, and synthesis, the necessity for developing a tool or a system to manage the various processes involved, such as the information-gathering, the storage and retrieval of data, the management of data, and so on, (Ramsden, 2004) was realized.T hrough the fusion of technology, particularly Information Technology or IT, Computer Science, Statistics, and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics came about addressing problems that challenged the informational system of Biology. With the development of Bioinformatics, scientists, particularly molecular biologists and geneticists, have founded an efficient way to create a database of pertinent information obtained under the application of Molecular Biology since its inception, wherein facts and data gathered may be stored and organized for future access or retrieval.(Ramsden, 2004) Moreover, through services provided by Bioinformatics, it allows scientists to organize and synthesize information meaningfully for rational and relevant evaluations and assessments of facts in order to arrive at substantial results that lead to the formation of sound conclusions and generalizations. Bioinformatics therefore focus on the organization of facts and data, the synthesis of this information to d evelop bodies of knowledge, and finally, the evaluation and assessment of facts or data in order to formulate pertinent theories and strategies in addressing biological concerns across multiple disciplines.(Bommarius & Riebel, 2004) With these information on Bioinformatics in mind, the remainder of this discussion shall be devoted to discussing the history of Bioinformatics, the role of Computer Science, Information Technology, Molecular Biology, and Statistics in the development, sustenance, functioning, and efficiency of Bioinformatics, and an evaluation of a Bioinformatics tool or software in relation to its goals or objectives, its interface, available application features and characteristics, additional services, and so on.A SHORT HISTORY IN BIOINFORMATICS Due to the influx of information from numerous research studies conducted by scientists under the coverage of Molecular Biology, the ongoing process has fueled the need for the development of a system that shall be able to or ganize and collate information – that is, Bioinformatics.From Tiselius’ design of the process of electrophoresis, to the development of the alpha-helix by Pauling and Corey, and consequently the improvement of Pauling and Corey’s model to the double-helix by Watson and Crick, developments on protein crystallography, the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network or ARPANET, the creation of molecular models, and so on, these various events and situations were taken collectively developing the need and recommendation for the creation of a model or framework that will handle information simultaneously, efficiently, and reliably.(Sadek, 2004) From the developments and discoveries of new information based on the processes and techniques employed in the field of Molecular Biology, supported by the attention and interest granted to computers and technology during the eighties because of the dawn of the era of technology, the role of Bioinformatics was re alized, emphasized, and consequently developed. Scientists, as well as various organizations, industries, academic institutions, and such, have continued to develop and improve Bioinformatics.The results constitute the engineering of various applications or softwares since the concept of Bioinformatics was framed during the seventies. Each program or application that was structured were designed to carry out multifarious and specific tasks and responsibilities including DNA sequencing or mapping, the organization of data according to priorities, use, needs, concerns, problems, etc. Some of these applications or softwares include the PC/GENE, PROSITE, SEQANALREF, etc.(Agarwal, 200-) At present time, Bioinformatics continue to evolve and develop as man consciously obtains more complex information and experience developments from previous knowledge and established theories or concepts. In addition, as numerous problems and conflicts related to Biology and its practical application incl uding lessons or concepts arise, Bioinformatics as a practical and essential field in Science and Technology will continue to look for solutions in order to address these concerns.The changing landscape of society, particularly its move from traditionalism and individualism to modernization and globalization, influences changes and transformations in Bioinformatics. BIOINFORMATICS: Molecular Biology, Computer Science, IT, and Statistics In order to deeply understand how Bioinformatics work, we need to go over the structure and features of the subfields that it constitutes, such as Molecular Biology, Computer Science, IT, and Statistics. Molecular Biology is a branch of Science that deals with the analysis of various molecules within living things in general.Various types of cells from man, animals, and plants are studied and analyzed in order to determine molecular compositions, and consequently learn determine their structures and compositions, their reactions to other molecules an d substances found within living things, their functions and contributions to human life, or life in general including plants and animals, and so on. Molecular Biology also studies Deoxyribonucleic Acid or DNA compositions of living things as they contribute knowledge and information on Genetics.This particular aspect focuses on structuring how molecules reproduce through DNA replication within a cell. (Hyman, 2003) Computer Science and IT are both products of the fusion between Science and Technology. They function because of the build-up of information that constitutes Molecular Biology for the purposes of quantifying and qualifying facts and data into meaningful sequences, models, or formations that may be interpreted, analyzed, and synthesized.Some of the specific contributions of Computer Science and IT include the storage, construction, and reconstruction of DNA sequences, a thorough genome analysis by accessing various related information in databases managed by IT, the const ruction of graphic organizers or visual representations of information for clarity and direct presentation of facts, the timely and efficient transfer and receipt of information across databases and information systems, and the collation of variable information about protein sequences. (Keedwell & Narayanan, 2005)Statistics, as a mathematical and scientific approach to analyzing and interpreting data, contributes to Bioinformatics by allowing scientists to test the weight or magnitude of information and provide quantifiable data that may be interpreted according to established standards or guidelines. Information, facts, or data, obtained through experiments and consequently, the findings obtained by molecular biologists from thorough analysis and evaluation an in depth research studies are labeled with values leading to the formulation of estimates, predictions, or likelihoods of the occurrence of various phenomena.Moreover, Statistics is important in allowing computers and various technologies to determine how facts or data are to be translated in order to arrive at scientific conclusions of generalizations. (Ramsden, 2004) By and large, the unique features and contributions of these fields in Science, Technology, and Mathematics, meld together in order to build the foundations of Bioinformatics.Information from Molecular Biology are utilized and transformed to numerical data through Statistics, and both informational statements and figures are stored in computers and other technologies including IT systems or processes, IT functions, standards, guidelines, etc. for easy access and retrieval, synthesis, analysis, and interpretation, and are consequently managed through IT systems and processes. BIOEDITBioEdit is a software application made available for Windows Operating Systems that is used to reconstruct how DNA, nucleic acids, and amino acids are arranged in order to follow the superlative sequence of these substances based on rules and standards derived from previous studies and analyses by molecular biologists and geneticists. Aside from these functions, BioEdit also runs to provide users with graphic simulators that construct drawings or illustrations, chartings and mappings, etc. , BLAST searches, and alignments.(Salemi & Vandamme, 2003 and Tsai, 2002) Coverage and Value of BioEdit to Bioinformatics The study of Molecular Biology necessitates the in depth analysis and evaluation of molecules and their various compositions found in living things, particularly proteins or amino acids which were then identified to be the edifices of life. As time passed, molecular biologists realized the importance of going beyond the study of protein or amino acid structures, and focus on DNA and other nucleic acids which map out how life is formed, transformed, or reproduced.The study of the two most important molecular structures in living things – amino acids and nucleic acids – forms the foundation of Molecular Biology, as well a s Genetics, as fields of science. (Horobin, 2003) In studying these acids, molecular biologists and geneticists need to determine their composition, structures, and sequences in order to identify how they are formed and identify their respective roles in building life. (Horobin, 2003) For the purpose of deeply understanding the importance of sequencing and realignment in Molecular Biology, as well as Genetics, we will focus on the subject of DNA.Molecular Biologists and Geneticists utilize the process of DNA sequencing by following established methodologies and standards. Because of enormous funding obtained from both public and private sectors that are extremely interested in advancing the field of genome sequencing, particularly for purposes of genetic modification and cloning, the DNA sequencing methodology has been continuously evolving in order to adapt new findings and trends that raise its reliability, validity, and efficiency. (Griffin & Griffin, 1994)Sequencing and realignm ent of data and samples help Molecular Biologists and Geneticists create various patterns of DNA links or formation, assemble or disassemble structures for a deeper or more thorough analysis, create a map or graphic organizer which will instantly illustrate how enzymes or other substances are formed from base samples such as DNA, analyses of DNA samples and sequences in order to predict outcomes in protein formation, analyses of protein or amino acids in order to determine their specific features or characteristics, look for other structures or sequences within the database with similar characteristics and formations with the sample, and consequently aligning similar structures or sequences together in order to predict reactions, growth and development, and so on. (Griffin & Griffin, 1994)Results from the sequencing, alignment, or realignment processes that are primary accomplished by resorting to bioinformatics tools such as BioEdit, constitute the information for proper DNA sequen ces in order to identify anomalies or flaws in other models or structures. This is most important in the field of medicine and health because it helps professionals determine serious diseases or illnesses that might be passed on through heredity, varying genes in order to alter anomalies or flaws within its structures, and such. Sequences and alignments also help further genetic cloning because it provides relevant information on how life may be reproduced in the process. Other practical uses of DNA sequencing and alignment include the improvement product formation, by determining how the formation of genes may be developed gearing towards constructiveness, particularly in the food industry. (Walker & Rapley, 2000)BioEdit, as a tool for sequencing and aligning various molecules or substances such as DNA, nucleic acids, amino acids, etc. , is therefore extremely important in the realization of the goals of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Through its comprehensive services and feature s aside from sequencing and aligning, the application is able to help molecular biologists and geneticists thoroughly analyze sequences for various purposes aforementioned, consequently advancing not only their respective fields but other scientific industries as well including health care and medicine, psychology and behavior, farming and agriculture, food processing and production, genetics, etc. BioEdit: The ApplicationBioEdit is available for free download from various online sources offering different versions, including tutorials and general databases for the purpose of comparing sequences. For this reason, BioEdit appears to be instrumental in one’s accomplishment of various tasks and responsibilities that are associated to the study of DNA, amino acids, nucleic acids, etc. because the software is readily available for users who need access to such Bioinformatics tools. In addition, there are several online tutorials that will help one in learning how to use the applic ation appropriately and efficiently. For this particular evaluation, BioEdit 7. 0. 9 was used and downloaded from http://www. mbio. ncsu.edu/BioEdit/BioEdit. html. (Hall, 2007) Although there are online tutorials available for new users, handling BioEdit is quite difficult. One cannot easily use BioEdit the first time because there is a need to go over terminologies, exploring the functions and requirements of running BioEdit. For instance, the Accessory Application tab contains various commands or protocols that are unfamiliar to new users, unless they have comprehensive experiences in handling other applications or programs with similar interface. In order to begin working with BioEdit, one must know what BLAST is, CAP or Contig Assembly Program, a Protein Distance Matrix, and so on.Moreover, there is a need for new users to familiarize themselves with various goals and objectives that should be accomplished in using BioEdit in order to determine which tools found in the tabs shal l be used and how databases shall be drawn from the World Wide Web for thorough analysis, alignment, or comparison of sequences. One beneficial attribute of BioEdit include the availability of links to online sets that provide databases such as the Vector Database, the PHYLIP Homepage, the RNase P Database, and so on. In addition, BioEdit allows users to utilize sequences in various formats and read and access numerous sequences that may be imported from other sources. BioEdit does not also limit users to the built-in services that come with the download of the program because it opens itself to upgrades by downloading other complementary or helper applications.When it comes to the actual utilization of tools offered by the BioEdit becomes highly useful because it is able to carry out basic tasks, such as editing of sequences from samples, translating the compositions and formation of sequences, the alignment of sequences to multiple sources, and so on. Although the BioEdit is quite difficult to use in the beginning, going over tutorials and Read Me files from online websites is useful in order to familiarize oneself with the interface of the program. Moreover, it offers various tools that completes several tasks and provides access to numerous databases that may be used for many purposes. The following screenshots were obtained from the website wherein BioEdit was used to fulfill various tasks and functions including Split alignment, Hydrophobicity Plots, and Plasmid drawing and annotation. (Hall, 2007)