Marketing: Ice Cream and Jerry

Market Research Report for Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream By: Swati Sugandh Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Incorporated started in 1978 when Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield bought their first ice cream scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont. Since then, Ben & Jerry’s has grown from being only offered in Vermont to other States and Countries around the world. Throughout the growth of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. , many movements have been made in aspects of ingredients, packaging, advertising, and image.An example of these movements is branching out from common Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream to Greek and Sorbet types of desserts. The support of Farm Aid and Fair Trade are two imperative factors in regards to image and ingredients for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. In today’s society, customer awareness is vital in promoting anyone’s product in the instance for Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. their web site has been able to inform a wareness of the variety of premium flavors they offer, their memorabilia available in their online store, and all the benefits that Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream offers their customers.Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. recognizes that the majority of their loyal customers are women between the ages of twenty to forty years old. Due to that fact most of the advertising done to promote Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is done in the areas that would reach this target market. Although Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. has many strengths there are some areas that Ben & Jerry’s could grow in and develop in order to reach future customers to widen their target market. Overall, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. s a well known company that has been around for many years and will continue to be due to their dedication to their unique flavors and types of ice cream and frozen desserts. For the continual growth of Ben & Jerry’s the company is alway s discovering alternative ways to make and promote their company at all aspects of the creation of the perfect pint of premium ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. strives to â€Å"create prosperity for everyone that’s connected to their business: suppliers, employees, farmers, franchisees, customers, and neighbors alike† (Ben &Jerry’s). There are many ways that Ben & Jerry’s has accomplished meeting these goals. First is their growing Fair Trade movement, this movement is about empowering small farmers in developing countries to compete and thrive in the global marketplace. Ben & Jerry’s buy’s cocoa, vanilla, sugar, coffee, and bananas from many different parts of the world. Additional ways that Ben& Jerry’s upholds their goals are by using cage-free and free-range eggs, and by their Caring Dairy program that only uses cows that have no rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone).The containers of Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream is Forest Stewardship Council certified which means, â€Å"that the paperboard comes from forests that are managed for the protection of wildlife habitat, maintenance of biodiversity, avoidance of genetically modified tree species, and protection of traditional and civil rights, among other Rainforest Alliance criteria for healthy forests† (SEAR). Ben & Jerry’s offers over 30 different flavors of ice cream; they also have other types of ice desserts such as sherbet, and Greek yogurt for all customers to enjoy their favorite flavor and type.Ben & Jerry’s is a multinational corporation with their products offered all around the world. Although Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. has many strengths, they still have the weakness of the price of their product compared to their competitors. An example of this is one pint of Ben & Jerry’s is about five dollars, but for a half gallon of ice cream from Blue Bell it is only about seven dollars. Therefore, Ben & Jerry’s has to deal with many would be buyers that say I get more for my money from other ice cream sellers.Another weakness is that although Ben and Jerry’s offer many unique flavors, many customers prefer original flavors. Ben & Jerry’s have started to rectify this particular weakness by now offering original flavors with better ingredients to enhance the flavor. Lastly, Ben & Jerry’s is available to buy at many grocery stores; however, at those said locations many only offer a small portion of the flavors that Ben & Jerry’s offers. Thus, some customers never get to have the chance of trying many of the flavors. Even though Ben & Jerry’s is a multinational corporation with many ocations, and their products are around the world, there are still some opportunities that Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. could take advantage of. First off, Ben & Jerry’s could stand to update their advertising in the sense of some commercials, and social media campaigns. By doing this, they could inform people that do not know about their ice cream and all they offer, including a gift shop at certain locations and online. Second, Ben & Jerry’s could consider branching out and offering ice cream sandwiches and a half gallon of ice cream.This would allow them to reach people in the summer time that want a grab and run outside type of treat or, by offering the half gallon they could reach people that eat ice cream frequently and feel like a pint is too small. Society is a major threat for Ben & Jerry’s right now in the sense that society dictates that one should be very conscience of eating right and being thin. Ben & Jerry’s is held responsible for encouraging people to eat unhealthy with promoting ice cream, and therefore blamed for the â€Å"obesity epidemic†.To help promote a better image Ben & Jerry’s have started to offer the Greek yogurt ice cream. Another threat li ke many other markets is competition as stated earlier many competitors offer a larger quantity for close or equal amount of money. To try to counter this threat Ben & Jerry’s has started offering coupons. While considering all these strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats Ben & Jerry’s must always consider their target market which ranges from twenty to forty year old women, and anyone who has a sweet tooth. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. trives to make sure there is absolutely no discrimination whether based on economic status, age, gender, or race. Customers of all ages and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to try Ben & Jerry’s ice cream by having it available in all grocery stores in order to make them lifetime customers. Although society is changing Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. does recognize that women are still the primary grocery shopper for families, therefore leading them to be a good portion of the target market. à ¢â‚¬Å"The women being targeted are 20-40 years of age who’ll probably have a family size of two to five.The average family income is $30,000 plus†(Allen 20). Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. are targeting these types of women because they tend to care more about what products they are putting into their own bodies and those of their families. Since Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is made with the most eco-friendly and organic ingredients most women tend to appreciate it compared to other types of ice creams that might not use the best ingredients, they also tend to not gain as much value when they buy competitors ice cream.Even though Ben & Jerry’s target market is women, they are still trying to reach every possible customer by offering something for every type of ice cream consumer, in hopes of widening our target market. To ensure Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. is promoting their product to the before mentioned target market, we use th e best ingredients to ensure the value of the unique and innovative flavors of ice cream are made organically by using cage free humane eggs and steroid free milk from farms in Vermont and other states.Another beneficial strategy that Ben & Jerry’s offers are their availability of their products. Ben & Jerry’s initial efforts to market products involved selling their ice cream from the back of Ben's Volkswagen. In the following few years, they started selling through local independent distributors and opened franchises of their ice cream shop in several states. Then Ben ; Jerry added grocery store locations and the Ben ; Jerry’s web site, where customers can buy the premium ice cream from single serve cups to two point five gallon buckets.Ben ; Jerry’s recently started to open Scoop Shops across the nation. These locations offer ice cream cones and unique flavors not found in most grocery stores; thus, breaking into the ice cream parlor sector. Although B en ; Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. is not known for ice cream treats such as ice cream sandwiches or other such things; Ben ; Jerry’s does occasionally offer novelty ice cream treats, such as the â€Å"Peace Pops†. The strategy of offering Ben ; Jerry’s premium ice cream in most grocery stores and at Scoop Shops ensures availability.Ben ; Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. has been successful in creating brand loyalty with their target market by promoting their product through online advertising, street marketing and outdoor marketing. With these three types of advertising, the first one offers coupons for loyal customers to use and future customers the opportunity to try Ben ; Jerry’s ice cream at a discounted rate. Street and outdoor marketing involves offering free ice cream to people directly, allowing Ben ; Jerry’s to find out how people feel about flavors and Ben ; Jerry’s immediately.Similarly Ben ; Jerry’s Scoop S hops offer select deals on ice cream cones throughout the year. Another way that Ben ; Jerry’s Homemade Holdings, Inc. promotes their premium ice cream is by their â€Å"Peace, Love, and Ice Cream† campaign which was a movement that discovered the central values of all Americans. The primary goal of this campaign was to promote Ben ; Jerry’s charitable activities and target the emotions of the audience in an effort to create brand awareness and therefore increase sales within the product market.The campaign consisted of pictures of thrills, fun and excitement, from radio to printed advertisements in hope to increase awareness about Ben ; Jerry’s environmental advocacy programs. Many networks were thrilled because the â€Å"Peace, Love, and Ice Cream† campaign was a fun movement that allowed Americans to give back to the community through consuming tasty, frozen desserts. Ben ; Jerry's continues to grow daily by developing new products, new ideas, a nd new flavors for their public.Consumers around the world are well aware of Ben & Jerry’s tasty treats because of the firm’s execution of marketing concepts and bright visions. Ben & Jerry's mission of giving back to the community worked in various ways, and in turn, have evolved into one of the most prevalent ice cream companies of today. Ben ; Jerry’s product mission statement is â€Å"To make, distribute, and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients, and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment. In order to achieve their mission Ben ; Jerry’s charges a higher price to enable them to create their higher quality ice cream and allow them to have a striving and unique Research and Development department. The price decisions are well synchronized with product design, distribution, and promotion decisions to create a cons istent and effective marketing program for Ben ; Jerry’s Ice Cream. The market and demand are other factors that stimulate the pricing system of Ben ; Jerry’s ice cream in the sense that the economics condition, competition costs, prices, and so forth all affect the price of Ben and Jerry’s products.For instance, in bad economic situations, people will reduce their expenses on secondary goods, and in this case ice cream is a secondary good. Ben ; Jerry’s have very distinguished competitors like Haagen Daaz and Blue Bell that will definitely affect the price of Ben ; Jerry’s ice cream. Since Ben ; Jerry’s is recognized as a high quality manufacturer of ice cream, they tend to pay very close attention to their competitors, especially when it comes to maintaining their quality and prices.Moreover, the prices of Ben ; Jerry’s products set correlating between their competitor’s prices and customer needs and expectations while still making a profit and abiding by their mission statement. A Ben ; Jerry’s Homemade Holding, Inc. is a company that values their brand loyal customers and is always striving to improve and better their premium ice cream. Although Ben ; Jerry’s does advertise and promote their company and product there are still ways that they could expand their scope of advertisement and perhaps include new forms of advertising.Television is a central communication for most families; therefore, Ben ; Jerry’s could establish recognition of their product by doing product placement with popular TV shows. Another way to use a television for advertising is strictly just using commercials; this allows the opportunity to inform those who do not know what Ben ; Jerry’s offers in their ice cream. Ben ; Jerry’s company is mostly popular in the Northern United States; however, Ben ; Jerry’s could possibly shift to Southern US, and outside of the USA to broaden their custo mer base.Social media marketing is becoming a necessity in advertising now that most people are connected to at least one form and owns a smart phone. By entering this form of advertising Ben ; Jerry’s could connect with a different generation and build up a following. Overall, Ben ; Jerry’s Homemade Holding, Inc. is an established premium ice cream provider and will continue to be so through their dedication to using the best ingredients, being inventive in creating new flavors, and connecting with consumers and future consumers. Works Cited Allen, Margarat, Emily Brockett, and Steven Allison. Peace, Love, and Ice Cream Campaign. † Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream Company. N. p. , n. d. Web. Ben & Jerry's. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . King, Rachael. â€Å"Ben ; Jerry's Imagine Peace Online. † Fast Company. N. p. , 4 Aug. 2008. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"SEAR 2011 | Ben & Jerry's. †Ã‚  Ben & Jerry's. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. .

Input Controls

Input Controls When we talk about input controls, what are we really talking about? Input control includes the necessary measures to ensure that data is correct, complete, and secure. A system analyst must focus on input control during every phrase of input design, starting with source documents that promote data accuracy and quality. (Shelly & Rosenblatt, (2012)). Input controls can help the flow of data in a database to be the same format and easy to understand. Without input controls there can be data integrity errors that could occur and cause information to be incorrect in the database.There are advantages and disadvantages to restricting user interfaces to limit a person ability of typing in too much information or maybe not enough information. Although there are many different types of input controls in this paper there will be only four of them that are addressed in this paper; this would include input mask, validation rules, source documents and batch input. First letâ€℠¢s talk about input mask. Input mask is an appearance that helps to characterize what type of contact is allowed in a given field on a template.The main purpose behind the input mask is to keep the data entry process somewhat the same and decrease the chances for incorrect data to be entered into the field. The input field entry can be configured to allow automatic field input as a way of saving time and resources. Input mask is created doing the process of computer programming. The fields on the template are recognized with specific control values. The values make it impossible to enter data that is not compatible with the values.An example of that would be when a field that contains an input mask that only allows letters will automatically reject the input of numbers and another one would be automatically converting the input into an adequate format an example of that would be when the input mask requires that the date field on the template specifies a format that is structured as date/month/year. Even if you enter the date into the field follows a month/date/year format, the input system reads the entered data and automatically converts it into the proper form.Input mask is a type of tool which had been developed for the purpose of telling the person that what sort of things need to be provided as an input so that the desired output can be achieved. The input mask basically acts as developer software. The text box is the tool where the input needs to be entered. The input mask can also act as a template or a simple format and this basically differs from situation to situation. In this transcription errors are the one which needs to be reduced and this is done through the way of data integrity which is one of the most basic features of the input mask.Validation rule is a criterion used in the process of data validation, carried out after the data has been encoded onto an input medium and involves a data vet or validation program. This is distinct from formal verification, where the operation of a program is determined to be that which was intended, and that meets the purpose. This method is to check that data fall the correct parameters defined by the systems analyst. A judgment as to whether data is official which is possible made by the validation program, but it cannot ensure the entire accurateness.This can only be achieved through the use of all the clerical and computer controls built into the system at the design stage. The difference between data authority and correctness can be illustrated with a trivial example. An example of validations rules is when a user cannot misspell a customer name if it is not entered, or is entered automatically based on the user enter the customer ID. (Shelly & Rosenblatt, (2012)). There are at least eight different types of data validation rules; a sequence check, existence check, data type check, range check, reasonableness check, validity check, combination check and batch controls.Source docume nts is a form used to request and collect input data, trigger or authorize an input action, and provide a record of the original transaction. Source documents generally are paper based. Some examples of source documents would be cash receipt, cancelled check, invoice sent or received, credit memo for a customer refund and employee time sheet. At a bare minimum, each source document should include the date, the amount, and a description of the transaction. When practical, beyond these minimum requirements source documents should contain the name and address of the other party of the transaction.When a source document does not exist, for example, when a cash receipt is not provided by a vendor or is absent, a document should be generated as soon as possible after the operation, using other documents such as bank statements to support the information on the generated source document. Once a transaction has been journalized, the source document should be filed and made retrievable so th at connections can be verified should the need arise at a later date. Batch input is a process when data entry is performed on a specified time schedule, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or longer.An example of this would be when a payroll department collects time cards at the end of the week and enters the data as a batch. Some advantages of batch input are collection and entering can be done off-line, entering data can be done by trained personnel, processing can be done very quickly and can be done during non-peak times. Now for some of the disadvantages are, data collection usually has to be a centralized activity, data entry usually needs to be done by specially trained personnel. The processing activity is delayed; hence the possibility exists for data to be considered old or untimely when it finally gets processed.Since processing is usually done during off-hours, input errors detected during processing would not get corrected until the next regularly scheduled processing of i nput data. The off-hours computer operator may have to call the systems analyst or programmer if the program malfunctions. Below you will see a design for a web-based input for making a hotel reservation which will be using many of the concepts that are mentioned in the paper when talking about input controls. We will look at it in phases. Information gathering Phase 1 – Search and evaluationInput stay requirements – including location (city) and proposed dates of stay Compare and evaluate results – user may view multiple hotel / room / rate combinations Decide – user decides which hotel / room / rate combination meets their requirements Reservation making Phase 2 – Selection Select hotel, room and rate – the user selects the hotel / room / rate they wish to book Select additional rooms and rates – the user adds additional rooms if required Phase 3 – Checkout Input guest details – such as name, address, email address etc . Input payment details – such as credit card details or other payment method Confirm reservationStandard booking processes Screen 1Screen 2Screen 3 Screen 2 Screen 3 Enter search criteria: †¢ Dates †¢ City name [SUBMIT] Display hotels: Hotel 1 [SELECT] Hotel 2 [SELECT] Hotel 3 [SELECT] Display and select rates: Hotel 1 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 Figure 1: Three-stage screen flow Figure 2: Selection of hotel – ‘Screen 2' example from Opodo. co. uk Figure 3: Selection of rate – ‘Screen 3' example from Trip. com Screen 1Screen 2 Enter search criteria: †¢ City †¢ Dates [SUBMIT] Display hotels: Hotel 1 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Hotel 2Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Hotel 3 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Figure 4: Two-stage screen flow Figure 5: Selection of rate and hotel – ‘Screen 2' example from Expedia. co. uk TABLE 1: Search and evaluation styles Sear ch and evaluation style Travel agency Hotel only Hotel chain Total A Select hotel on screen 2 Select rate on screen 3 10 13 6 29 B Select hotel and rate together on one screen 6 17 2 25 Other -132033 Table 1 demonstrates that for travel agencies and hotel-only websites, there is an even split between using style A and style B.The table also shows that hotel chains generally use other search and evaluation styles. References Amas. syr. edu. 8 Dec 2011. Application Self Evaluation. Retrieved 9 Feb 2012 from http://amas. syr. edu/AMAS/display. cfm? content_ID=%23%28%28%25! %0A Noyes, Brian. 2010 June. Enforcing Complex Business Data Rules with WPF. Retrieved on 9 Feb 2012 from http://msdn. microsoft. com/en-us/magazine/ff714593. aspx Shelly, G. B. , & Rosenblatt, H. J. (2012). System Analysis and Design (9th ed. ). Boston: Thomson Course Technology. Input Controls There are many kinds of input controls. Write a 4-5 page paper in which you: †¢Explain the function of input controls. †¢Identify four (4) types of input control and explain the function of each. †¢Provide an example of a data integrity error that could occur if each of these types of input control were not in place. †¢Explain the advantages and disadvantages of restricting user interfaces. (User interfaces can often be restricted, limiting the user’s ability to navigate to other areas of the system, or out of the system. †¢Design and build a graphical representation of a Web-based input for making a hotel reservation, using Visio or PowerPoint or an equivalent. †¢Research and cite at least three (3) reputable academic sources. Darren Blake Week 6 Assignment CIS210 â€Å"An HTML form is a section of a document containing normal content, markup, and special elements called controls. † These controls are commonly referred to as input controls , according to the World Wide Web Consortium. There are many types of input controls that can be used in a web form. They help to provide a framework for the kind of data that will be submitted by users.Selecting the correct input control for a data field is critical. Text input, select box, radio button, and password are four examples of input controls. As pointed out by Ponce de Leon, most input controls are visual and interactive. There is also something called a hidden input control. They can be used to store system critical data, such as database key data, that the user does not need to interact with. Text type input controls are used to input text. They provide a single-line input field in which any text can be entered. The text type input controls are useful for form data such as names, street addresses, and user names.This data is viewable on the screen, so it ought to not be used for passwords. Select box input controls are extremely common in web forms. There are two basic types of select input controls: single select and multi-select. This type of input control provides a list of predetermined options that the user can select. They offer strict control of what can be entered into the form. They are used for items that have limited and predefined options. Good examples of this would be things like credit card type, country, state, and language. Usually, this type of input is used when the number of pre-defined options more than two.If there are only two options, other types of input controls may be more appropriate. If the user is allowed to select multiple options, such as a list of career field interests, a select input control can easily be set up to permit multiple selections. Radio button input controls are always used within a group. This means that there should be more than one radio button that has the same name. When radio buttons have the same name and different values, only one can be selected at a time. They are used when there are few pr edefined options.Predefined option sets of two are usually not put inside of a selection input control. For instance, the options for gender should usually be â€Å"male† or â€Å"female. † It is more fitting in this case to use two radio buttons. This allows the user to enter their data with one click rather than the two which would be required with a select drop down input control. It is up to the programmer to decide if a select input control or a group of radio buttons is more suitable. In general, if the user can easily view all available options on a single line of the form, the programmer should seriously consider using radio buttons.Alternatively, if there are enough options that it would span many lines they should be presented inside of a select input control, like selecting a state. Password input controls, on the surface, looks exactly like the text input control. They also, form an allowed content perspective, functions in an identical manner. However, pas sword input controls hide the data that is entered into the control. This means that each keystroke within the control will result in a dot or star instead of the actual data. This is done to prevent other individuals, who may be able to see the user’s computer screen, from viewing the password as plain text.In order to insure the correct amount of keystrokes by the user, the star or dot remains on the screen. However, the text is not displayed for the world to see. Hidden input controls are extremely useful when performing data entry tasks with a database-driven web application. Often, the forms used to edit data are in reference to an entry within the database that has an integer primary key. This key is usually arbitrary integer that increments automatically, provides indexing, and has absolutely no meaning to the user. When the user selects to update the data, it is important that the systems knows what ID is being updated.However, there is no reason to display this ID to the user. In order to submit the ID of the edited database record along with the modified form fields, the ID can be assigned to a hidden input control. Data integrity with input controls is achieved both by the nature of the controls themselves and basic script validation techniques. As far as scripting is concerned, each data field can be easily verified upon submit before sending the data to the server. For the types of input controls chosen, selecting inappropriate input controls can result in data integrity issues. A text input control is rather straight-forward.It is also the easiest field to realize data issues with. Obviously, you would not want to use a select input control for an individual’s name. However, using this type of control opens databases up to SQL injection attacks, entry of HTML entities, and entry of incorrect or bad data. With SQL injection and HTML entities, it is critical that the data entered is cleaned before being processed by the server. For a field like â€Å"First Name†, entry of SQL or HTML should be identified and rejected. In general, you also wouldn’t want to use a password field for something like â€Å"First Name. While it is great to be able to mask data, the user should be able to see if they have entered a typo. Asking the user to verify the entry of every single text field would be unreasonable. The potential for data integrity issues if a select input control is not used when it should be are obvious. If a user is supposed to choose a U. S. state, allowing him to enter text would be deleterious. The user could enter Whoville. They could also enter â€Å"None of your business. † Restricting entry is important for fields that have limited, predefine options.Radio buttons are in the same category as select input controls when it comes to data integrity. Selecting to use something like text instead of a group of radio buttons would be undesirable. For instance, if the user was supposed to se lect gender, he could type enter eunuch. This would not be helpful if that data is critical for the site’s services or interactions. Password fields come with data integrity issues built in, the data within a password input control are masked. Since the user cannot see the entered data, it is very easy to submit data that contains typos. This is not critical for a log in form.The user would simply be notified that his log in attempt failed. Conversely, for a registration form, this could result in highly undesirable issues. It is therefore common to place two password input controls on a form like this. The second input control is used to validate the entry in the first input control. The user is able to submit the form only when the values in both fields are identical. If a programmer chose to use a normal text field rather than a password field, the integrity of the entire system could be compromised. This has more to do with systems security than data integrity, but is sti ll an important consideration.User interfaces are often restricted by logged in status or type of user. For instances, a member of the human resources department would have access to employee information that a member of the software development department should not have, and vice versa. Obviously, a user who has yet to log in should not be able to access any sensitive data from any department. These offer definite advantages to any system. However, there are caveats that come with setting up a system like this. The first is simply the design and setup of these restrictions.A small bug in the setup or the code can cause an entire department to lose access that they need to do their jobs. Another issues is password management. Designers need to deal with how often passwords must be changed, how strong the password should be, and users forgetting their passwords. Without good forgotten password procedures, employees can be at work-stoppage for a significant amount of time, costing th e organization money. There is also additional overhead when an employee needs to be granted access or removed from access. Finally, an organization can decide to alter the access requirements for an entire section.This makes it necessary that the system access restrictions can be easily updated. All of this adds a large amount of overhead and requires one or more individuals to take responsibility for system support. Web Form References Ponce de Leon, D. (n. d). Forms in HTML. Retrieved from http://www. htmlquick. com/tutorials/forms. html W3Schools (n. d. ). HTML forms and input. Retrieved from http://www. w3schools. com/html/html_forms. asp World Wide Web Consortium (n. d. ). , Forms in HTML documents. Retrieved from http://www. w3. org/TR/html401/interact/forms. html#h-17. 1 Input Controls Input Controls When we talk about input controls, what are we really talking about? Input control includes the necessary measures to ensure that data is correct, complete, and secure. A system analyst must focus on input control during every phrase of input design, starting with source documents that promote data accuracy and quality. (Shelly & Rosenblatt, (2012)). Input controls can help the flow of data in a database to be the same format and easy to understand. Without input controls there can be data integrity errors that could occur and cause information to be incorrect in the database.There are advantages and disadvantages to restricting user interfaces to limit a person ability of typing in too much information or maybe not enough information. Although there are many different types of input controls in this paper there will be only four of them that are addressed in this paper; this would include input mask, validation rules, source documents and batch input. First letâ€℠¢s talk about input mask. Input mask is an appearance that helps to characterize what type of contact is allowed in a given field on a template.The main purpose behind the input mask is to keep the data entry process somewhat the same and decrease the chances for incorrect data to be entered into the field. The input field entry can be configured to allow automatic field input as a way of saving time and resources. Input mask is created doing the process of computer programming. The fields on the template are recognized with specific control values. The values make it impossible to enter data that is not compatible with the values.An example of that would be when a field that contains an input mask that only allows letters will automatically reject the input of numbers and another one would be automatically converting the input into an adequate format an example of that would be when the input mask requires that the date field on the template specifies a format that is structured as date/month/year. Even if you enter the date into the field follows a month/date/year format, the input system reads the entered data and automatically converts it into the proper form.Input mask is a type of tool which had been developed for the purpose of telling the person that what sort of things need to be provided as an input so that the desired output can be achieved. The input mask basically acts as developer software. The text box is the tool where the input needs to be entered. The input mask can also act as a template or a simple format and this basically differs from situation to situation. In this transcription errors are the one which needs to be reduced and this is done through the way of data integrity which is one of the most basic features of the input mask.Validation rule is a criterion used in the process of data validation, carried out after the data has been encoded onto an input medium and involves a data vet or validation program. This is distinct from formal verification, where the operation of a program is determined to be that which was intended, and that meets the purpose. This method is to check that data fall the correct parameters defined by the systems analyst. A judgment as to whether data is official which is possible made by the validation program, but it cannot ensure the entire accurateness.This can only be achieved through the use of all the clerical and computer controls built into the system at the design stage. The difference between data authority and correctness can be illustrated with a trivial example. An example of validations rules is when a user cannot misspell a customer name if it is not entered, or is entered automatically based on the user enter the customer ID. (Shelly & Rosenblatt, (2012)). There are at least eight different types of data validation rules; a sequence check, existence check, data type check, range check, reasonableness check, validity check, combination check and batch controls.Source docume nts is a form used to request and collect input data, trigger or authorize an input action, and provide a record of the original transaction. Source documents generally are paper based. Some examples of source documents would be cash receipt, cancelled check, invoice sent or received, credit memo for a customer refund and employee time sheet. At a bare minimum, each source document should include the date, the amount, and a description of the transaction. When practical, beyond these minimum requirements source documents should contain the name and address of the other party of the transaction.When a source document does not exist, for example, when a cash receipt is not provided by a vendor or is absent, a document should be generated as soon as possible after the operation, using other documents such as bank statements to support the information on the generated source document. Once a transaction has been journalized, the source document should be filed and made retrievable so th at connections can be verified should the need arise at a later date. Batch input is a process when data entry is performed on a specified time schedule, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or longer.An example of this would be when a payroll department collects time cards at the end of the week and enters the data as a batch. Some advantages of batch input are collection and entering can be done off-line, entering data can be done by trained personnel, processing can be done very quickly and can be done during non-peak times. Now for some of the disadvantages are, data collection usually has to be a centralized activity, data entry usually needs to be done by specially trained personnel. The processing activity is delayed; hence the possibility exists for data to be considered old or untimely when it finally gets processed.Since processing is usually done during off-hours, input errors detected during processing would not get corrected until the next regularly scheduled processing of i nput data. The off-hours computer operator may have to call the systems analyst or programmer if the program malfunctions. Below you will see a design for a web-based input for making a hotel reservation which will be using many of the concepts that are mentioned in the paper when talking about input controls. We will look at it in phases. Information gathering Phase 1 – Search and evaluationInput stay requirements – including location (city) and proposed dates of stay Compare and evaluate results – user may view multiple hotel / room / rate combinations Decide – user decides which hotel / room / rate combination meets their requirements Reservation making Phase 2 – Selection Select hotel, room and rate – the user selects the hotel / room / rate they wish to book Select additional rooms and rates – the user adds additional rooms if required Phase 3 – Checkout Input guest details – such as name, address, email address etc . Input payment details – such as credit card details or other payment method Confirm reservationStandard booking processes Screen 1Screen 2Screen 3 Screen 2 Screen 3 Enter search criteria: †¢ Dates †¢ City name [SUBMIT] Display hotels: Hotel 1 [SELECT] Hotel 2 [SELECT] Hotel 3 [SELECT] Display and select rates: Hotel 1 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 Figure 1: Three-stage screen flow Figure 2: Selection of hotel – ‘Screen 2' example from Opodo. co. uk Figure 3: Selection of rate – ‘Screen 3' example from Trip. com Screen 1Screen 2 Enter search criteria: †¢ City †¢ Dates [SUBMIT] Display hotels: Hotel 1 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Hotel 2Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Hotel 3 Rate 1 [SELECT] Rate 2 [SELECT] Rate 3 [SELECT] Figure 4: Two-stage screen flow Figure 5: Selection of rate and hotel – ‘Screen 2' example from Expedia. co. uk TABLE 1: Search and evaluation styles Sear ch and evaluation style Travel agency Hotel only Hotel chain Total A Select hotel on screen 2 Select rate on screen 3 10 13 6 29 B Select hotel and rate together on one screen 6 17 2 25 Other -132033 Table 1 demonstrates that for travel agencies and hotel-only websites, there is an even split between using style A and style B.The table also shows that hotel chains generally use other search and evaluation styles. References Amas. syr. edu. 8 Dec 2011. Application Self Evaluation. Retrieved 9 Feb 2012 from http://amas. syr. edu/AMAS/display. cfm? content_ID=%23%28%28%25! %0A Noyes, Brian. 2010 June. Enforcing Complex Business Data Rules with WPF. Retrieved on 9 Feb 2012 from http://msdn. microsoft. com/en-us/magazine/ff714593. aspx Shelly, G. B. , & Rosenblatt, H. J. (2012). System Analysis and Design (9th ed. ). Boston: Thomson Course Technology.

Transpiration Lab Write Up

Transpiration Lab Write Up Purpose/Question: How do environmental factors affect the transpiration process in plants? Research: Transpiration is the process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere. Transpiration is essentially evaporation of water from plant leaves. It occurs chiefly at the leaves while their stomata are open for the passage of CO2 and O2 during photosynthesis. Transpiration is not simply a hazard of plant life.It is the â€Å"engine† that pulls water up from the roots to supply photosynthesis (1%-2% of the total), bring minerals from the roots for biosynthesis within the leaf, and cool the leaf. There are four different conditions that affect transpiration. They are wind, humidity, heat, and light. These four conditions may change rate of water loss through transpiration by either losing more water, or less. Plants have adapted to create the C 4, and CAM pathway. In the both pathway the plant takes CO2 and stored.Since CO2 can be taken up and stored for later use in photosynthesis, the plant reduces water loss by having less stomata open during the day since most of its needed CO2 has already been taken up at night. With the abundance of CO2 stored, the plant can then use the stored CO2 for photosynthesis and reducing photorespiration by reducing or completely eliminating accidental O2 uptake. Materials: 1) 5 small plants 2) Fish tank 3) Water spray bottle 4) Water 5) Heat lamp 6) Fan 7) Regular lamp 8) Mass weighter ) Place to record weight Procedure: Place Lamp, Heat lamp, fan, and fish tank in different areas where they won’t affect the other. Spray the fish tank with water and to make a humid environment and keep spraying everyday to ensure the tank is wet. Water all of your plants. Weigh all the plants on the original day, Monday, and record the weight. Place a plant in every condition. With the extra plant, p lace it in an area without a specific condition to use as a control plant. Do not water the plants the rest of the week.Every day, weigh the plants and record its water loss for every plant. At the end of the week, create a chart for the amount of water loss and compare with the control plant. Data Table: Days | Monday| Tuesday| Wednesday| Thursday| Friday| Windy| 108. 2mg| 101. 1mg| 94. 1mg| 89. 7mg| 81. 7mg| Humidity| 103. 8mg| 103. 4mg| 103. 4mg| 103. 4mg| 103. 1mg| Light| 118. 8mg| 112. 1mg| 105. 0mg| 98. 4mg| 92. 9mg| Heat| 104. 3mg| 95. 8mg| 86. 8mg| 78. 7mg| 70. 1mg| Control| 115. 3mg| 115. 3mg| 115. 3mg| 115. 3mg| 115. 3mg| Analysis: Conclusion:Environmental factors, such as heat, humidity, light and wind, affect the rate of transpiration by making the plant loose either more or less water. In conditions such as wind, when there is no breeze, the air surrounding a leaf becomes increasingly humid thus reducing the rate of transpiration. When a breeze is present, the humid air is carried away and replaced by drier air. The opposite of that is the humidity where the plant lost very little water. It lost very little water because its environment was wet, so the plant did not need to diffuse much water.In heat, the air was hot and dry, so the plant lost water because it’s surrounding needed water to cool it down. Plants transpire more rapidly at higher temperatures because water evaporates more rapidly as the temperature rises. At 30 °C, a leaf may transpire three times as fast as it does at 20 °C. Finally, light lost a steady amount of water because plants transpire more rapidly in the light than in the dark. This is largely because light stimulates the opening of the stomata (mechanism). Light also speeds up transpiration by warming the leaf.I expected these results because it makes sense and I researched before completing the experiment. Some avoidable errors that could have happened would be accidentally splashing water on a plant or putting the conditions too close together. Some unavoidable errors could be the weather outside. Even if the experiment is conducted inside, the hot summer air or cold winter air could drift in the room, affecting the plants transpiration rate. Some further investigations I would make are things such as whether the type of plant affects the rate, or if the type of heat lamp or fan will change the results as well.

Business of Events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business of Events - Essay Example The idea is to raise consciousness among students of University of Bedfordshire through a collective effort that will bring together community groups, local businesses, educators and artists to an event where green innovations are highlighted. To ensure the event’s success, students of Travel and Tourism Management will be assigned to organize the Earth Fair, making sure that event plans are actualized and well-coordinated. The entire event plan will be divided into four categories – event research, event design, event planning, and event coordination. Each category will be handled by a committee which will consist of one committee chair and five members. As a head of the planning committee, I will be assigned to present this paper detailing the plans for the University of Bedfordshire - Earth Fair 2013. The challenge is to attract local groups to participate at the Fair and invite approximately students at the university’s Park Square. With a budget of ?10,000, it is important to ensure effective event promotion, proper coordination with local groups, and efficient management of the events team that will guarantee of the event’s success. As such, this paper presents a carefully designed plan to successfully gather students, community organizations, and local establishments to increase awareness about how to care for the environment. Event Research As an annual global event, Earth Day celebration has evolved from bringing environmental issues on the political arena to increasing public awareness through various green activities (Nelson, 1993). One of the well-known activities during Earth Day include holding an Earth Fair which features innovative works and products that promote environmental sustainability. Its aim is to bring together different sectors, from businesses to government agencies, to showcase their works and innovations in order to help people understand more about environmental conservation. All over the world, Earth D ay organizers showcase different ways and themes of holding and preparing for an environmental fair. For instance, in Plymouth, Michigan, organizers for the Earth Day have conceptualized the â€Å"Green Street Fair† which promotes green products and services on the streets of Downtown Plymouth. Also, for this year, the Piedmont Earth Day Fair organizers are challenging themselves to host a zero-waste environmental event that welcomes more than 10,000 people in the area (Piedmont Environmental Alliance, 2012). Here in the country, Greenpeace UK (2011) has initiated an environmental fair which features children’s’ activities, plant swaps, rainbow face painting, yoga, and performances to create a positive display of green lifestyle. Moreover, the London Green Fair, which is the largest environmental fair in London, has been holding the event at the Regent’s Park where they give away trees to visitors for free to offset the carbon used during the event. It is from the concepts and organization of these events that the planning for the University of Bedfordshire – Earth Day Fair will be based on. The themes and manner of presentation will be guided on the previous management and organization of green fair events. Needs Assessment As an events management tool, needs assessment is conducted to assess the preparation, intention, and responsibilities of organizers in an event project. Basically, it involves answering the 5 W’s (Who, What, Where, When, and Why) to develop how the event will be

Hunting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hunting - Essay Example This is hunting was seen as a dangerous mission and required tact and skills which women did not possess. Men also made tools for hunting and protection while women concentrated on house chores such as cooking and making wearing apparel (Stiles). It is believed that the hunting and gathering societies moved from the hunting and gathering to horticulture. The move was not abrupt and was influenced by the changing climatic conditions that reduced the wild game. Horticulture is different from agriculture as it involves small pieces of land that were cultivated using digging sticks and abandoned after some time. The roles of men and women were different such that the men were different as men cleared the land and women planted seeds, tended and harvested the crops. Men at this stage continued to hunt but they were less productive (Stiles). Agriculture involves growing of plants and rearing of animals. Men and women play different roles in agriculture such that men are involved in the heavy physical labor of preparing land, herding livestock, application of pesticides and negotiating sale of crops. Women on the other hand are involved in weeding, taking care of the kitchen and the garden at home. The similarity here is in taking care of animals where the men take care of the large herds while the women take care of the smaller livestock at home (Prakash). Men and women roles are complex today with most of the tasks shared and others neutral. It is difficult to pin point particular roles of the different genders today. Women primarily are still the care takers in today’s society with men still the providers. The roles are mostly neutral with any of the genders undertaking any role. This has been attributed to the fact that there is no weaker gender or a man’s job and the advocacies of gender equity (Siegel,

Proposal Design Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Design - Research Proposal Example This could be related to any processes or concepts that are developing in any field. Now it is important to look for the reasons for the differences in the sales which might include many factors the taste, cost, availability, brand loyalty etc. and then reaching a conclusion which identifies one factor as the major reason behind the results and builds a hypothesis. To build up a strong hypothesis is important in conducting researches. All the proceedings that take place are according to the hypothesis that has been built and the independent and dependent variables suggested. Most research articles are based on the work done and research carried to enhance the existing technologies and put them to more use, others might just give a hypothesis on the basis of the surveys carried out, while some put forward a totally new theory. Taking a closer look at the various ways of report writing, the one thing that each article shares is that along with the research they all come up with a reasoning which is actually the beauty of the human mind, since it cannot rely just on the facts without going into depths to know the factors which make a certain thing happen. The topic selected for this proposal observes reflective teaching that is usually practiced at the higher education level. Reflective teaching can be defined as the process of improving the teaching methods by carrying out an investigation of one’s own teaching. In college and university levels, the method of reflective teaching is highly observed. This paper tends to review the empirical research articles of what has been said about reflective teaching by other researchers and then analyze the gaps that exist in the articles of reflective teaching. The integrated review of the articles that have been selected for this paper is being presented below. The concept of reflective teaching is gaining more popularity with time and it is becoming an important issue to

Professional Articles Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Professional Articles Review - Essay Example Journal Of Science Teacher Education, 21(2), 161-179. Doi: 10.1007/s10972-009-9161-8.758540. Mizrap, B. (2013). Teaching science through play in kindergarten: does integrated play and science instruction build understanding? European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. Vol. 21, No. 2, 226–249, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2013.789195. The Effects of Kindergarten Experiences on Childrens Elementary Science Achievement educational policymakers struggle to form a curriculum that could help utilize the maximum potential of every child. It is apparent that the policymakers try to understand when and what should be done to enhance the cognitive growth in every child. The article The Effects of Kindergarten Experiences on Children’s Elementary Science Achievement presents answers to these issues obtained through statistical analysis of sample data consisting of 4,490 kindergarten children. The research conducted a quantitative analysis using the idea that there is a powerful connection between early childhood education and children intellectual development (Kumtepe, Kaya & Kumtepe, 2009, p. 978). Similarly, the authors talked about a study of student teachers attitudes that teaches science during preschool teacher education and how that influences them and affects their visions of the teacher’s role and th eir positions in science teaching. Furthermore, the author believes that a teacher’s role and attitudes toward science and science teaching will affect preschool teacher’s behavior and confidence in the training teacher program. In the article ‘‘Science Talks’’ in Kindergarten Classrooms: Improving Classroom Practice Through Collaborative Action Research, this article explores the importance of assimilating science talks in Kindergarten classrooms as a contemporary teaching technique of centralized learning. Sarah, a Kindergarten teacher, demonstrates the importance of science talks in promoting learning of science. Integrating

Essay about story Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About story - Essay Example No disturbances when watching the tv. I saw the butterfly struggling. I wanted to help it. It looked as if it ws in so mush pain. I decides that I would help. I broke its prision, I k had done something good. I stood up and watch it go and go and gp. Freedom. Freedom. Th butrefly felt feeedom. All a sudden it srtart to fall form air. It fell on rock. It was died. I felt sad. So bad day for me. I try to help but butterfly dies. Very unfair. I pln revenge on Raquel. I will stael her doll and throughit away. Mother said Raquel is siogk. Why did mother say Raquel is sick. Maybe that’s why she breathe funny whern she cry and run. One day Raquel started to have pain in chest. She was taken to hospital at niggt. The doctors had to opetate on her.She did not survive the operation. Raquel my sister was dead. On November 12 she died and we buried her. It ws muy fault she die. I asked daddy f it was me who madre reaquel to die. I was feeling guilty. In wanted to tellherc sorry for the ba d things I had done to her. I told papa about the butterfly. I had killed it but I wasd tryinh to help it.It was my fault,. Guilt guilt guilt fgiuilt. My father asked me what was wrong. I told him the butterfly I was rescuing. He explind that I should have left . I should let it to struggle. Father told me it was aa way of making butterflys strong. Befor they can fly they theyneed to grow. When the wngs form they are still weak. The roun thing protects them. It makes the wings strong. Dad told me I was going to be stong on the inside. â€Å"She started it,† I shouted with loudest of my voice. â€Å"No it’s him who teased me first. He said I looked like a †¦.† â€Å"Shut up both of you! You don’t you know your sister is sick† my mother said. However, at this point I knew she would not be taking sides this time. I knew what was coming. She gave us both that common look which meant we were going to get a proper beating. The last time I had tried to escape, she had chased me

Developing Human Resource Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Developing Human Resource Strategies - Essay Example It also comprises of a few recommendations along with an action plan in order to enhance the business objectives. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Overview of Toyco 4 Toy Industry of United Kingdom 5 Internal and External Environment 5 Analysis 6 Overview of HRM and SHRM 6 AMO Model 9 Conclusion 10 Recommendations 10 Action Plan 12 References 13 Bibliography 16 Appendices 18 Introduction Overview of Toyco Toyco is a toy company which is currently operated independently by Martin Monk. It was established in the year 1950 by Harold Bennet. The prime objective of Toyco is to offer extensive range of toys to the children of the society with the intention to enhance the brand loyalty of the organisation (Michell, 2011). Even though, Toyco needs to implement certain SHRM strategies, it had to witness varied types of challenges in its human resource, marketing and finance related operations. Due to lack of coordination among the employees of the organisation, uniform org anisational culture could not be maintained within Toyco. As a result, the devotion and morale of the employees are also affected to a high extent, resulting in downfall of the profit margin of the organisation. In addition, this may also result in employee conflicts leading to increase of turnover and absenteeism rates. Along with human resource, the marketing department in the organisation is also facing diverse issues (Michell, 2011). Due to lack of allocation of human resources, the employees are observed to fail to offer various innovative products to the target customers, which might hinder the image of the organisation in long run. Moreover, due to lack of motivation, employee devotion and commitment towards the assigned task is reducing at a considerable pace, which in turn tends to hinder Toyco’s productivity and efficiency. As a result, the customer might shift towards other leading competitors resulting in the downfall of the total sales of Toyco, which might be de trimental for the organisation (Michell, 2011). Thus, these above mentioned challenges should be diminished with the help of various SHRM strategies within the organisation. Toy Industry of United Kingdom The toy market of United Kingdom is regarded to be highly competitive in the current day context. It includes many apparent competitors. Moreover, each and every organisation is currently observed to attempt to offer inventive products to magnetise large number of customers (Michell, 2011). It is essential to retain its market share as well as profitability in the market with the purpose to augment customer loyalty and responsiveness (Armstrong & et. al., 2009). Internal and External Environment The internal environment of Toyco includes its brands, its financial strengths as well as market competencies. Notably, the company serves its customers with a varied range of products such as reaction man, action girl, space geeks and bolbs among others of varying age groups. This signific antly contributes to the overall enhancement of its brand uniqueness and reputation in the market. Moreover, the company includes a strong hold over the European and Mexican market intends to enhance its distinctiveness among other competitors operating in same segment. However, the

Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Intelligence - Essay Example Others grow due to a particular issue like lack of social amenities in a specific town or area in this regard the best way to handle this is by solving first the complaints then the cracking of this group will be easier. The factors that make the non-state actors be handling within a particular border depend most on the cause of origin. If is a significant issue that is more deeper like race, religion or even gender then this can cut across borders but if is the provision of resources such as water and food then this is easily handled. The reason why it is good to tackle the main issue is that if the cause of grievance is not understood and the government handles the symptoms then it will only act as a catalyst (Huffman 2014). ii) The reason why the non-state actors have grown is also because the world has become interconnected where different regions or countries heavily depend on each other and through this trade will grow and people will interact and the moment they build relationships they will start sharing their ideologies. In the traditional manner countries independently solved their own actions and did not really depend on anything or anyone (Harris 2013). The example of a Non-state Actor is a group like ISIS where the terror group has infiltrated different countries and to understand their cause they are brought together by the belief. Religion is Key for them and this will not only affect one country but everyone who believes in the said religion. It is good to note that when the issue is more of a mental state then it cuts across borders. Another issue that has made it difficult to tame one non state actor is the technology. With the rise of electronic communication people between different continents can share their agenda and make it easy for them to progress their beliefs. They can always interact on day to day making it easier to plan their next issue of chaos and this

The Role Of The Judicial Branch In A Democracy Essay

The Role Of The Judicial Branch In A Democracy - Essay Example There are three branches making up a democracy and these are the legislature which not only sets out procedures that should be followed by the government but also ensures that the law is performed. The executive is the second branch of democracy and its main job is ensuring that policies are turned into action while the judiciary does the work of applying the law according to the procedures of justice that have been put in place while at the same time resolving any disagreements that might occur in the society. In order to ensure that there is freedom which is a one of the most important parts of democracy, it is necessary for these three powers to operate on their own but also act in a way that balances each other. Having the key values defining the law is what forms the groundwork for democracy since they help to constantly protect the constitution. These values also ensure that equality and civil rights and freedoms are always seen. Democracy is therefore thought to be one of the best types of government as a result of the clear separation that occurs between each of the arms of government. This is the reason why a judiciary that is independent in its actions is often seen as one of the best examples of a democracy that is working as it should be.

Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Example for Free

Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay â€Å"What I must do is all that concerns me, not what people think† (Emerson lines 30-31). Ralph Waldo Emerson was the transcendentalist leader in the 1830s which influenced his beliefs in his essay. He uses examples to compose the conclusion that people should follow their own instincts and be an individual. Emerson’s ideas on individualism and self trust in â€Å"Self- Reliance,† were influenced by religion and the rise of transcendentalism. Emerson was influenced by beliefs of different religions during the time of the 1830s. In his essay, Emerson states, â€Å"†¦if I am the Devil’s child, I will live then from the Devil† (Emerson line 26). Basically, he is saying that no matter what his values are, even if they are bad, he will not change them because that is who he is. Everyone should trust their own beliefs because that is what makes them the individual that they are. Emerson’s writing was influenced by religion, by not only believing in Gods views, but by believing in your own. Emerson himself writes â€Å"What have I to do with the sacredness of traditions, if I live wholly from within?† (Emerson lines 22-23). He is insisting that he doesn’t need God to know his own beliefs. If your religious views are different than other individuals, you should stay that way because that’s who you are. You should follow your innermost beliefs and not change just because others think differently than you do. Emerson believes that you don’t have to follow any religious traditions because you have your own customs within, which is being an individual. Ralph Waldo Emerson was influenced by transcendentalism, because at the time he led this movement. As the prominent writer Emerson puts it, â€Å"It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps within perfect sweetness the independence of solitude†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Emerson lines 35-38). In making this comment, Emerson argues that even when other people around you speak their thoughts, the thought of independence should be a constant. You cannot completely isolate yourself, but one should maintain ones own sense of independence while being immersed in a social setting. Individuals must find a balance between being dependent on others in a social sense, while maintaining their own sense of independence from the opinions of others. According to Emerson, â€Å"Whose would be a man, must be a  conformist† (Emerson line 15). In other words, he believes that if you only do what others do, you are not being who you’re supposed to be; you are being who others have determined you to be. Everyone should trust their own beliefs and not everyone else’s. This influences the theme by not conforming to society and the effects that they have upon individuals. Emerson’s ideas on individualism and self trust in â€Å"Self- Reliance,† were influenced by religion and the rise of transcendentalism. The transcendentalist leader, Ralph Waldo Emerson believed in the importance of individualism and to follow your own instincts. He shows the importance of being yourself and not conforming to society nor their beliefs. Everyone should be who you are and not change because of the different beliefs around you. Everyone is different and unique in their own way and that’s what makes us individuals.

Arguments on genetically modified foods

Arguments on genetically modified foods Introduction Genetically modified foods have become a major concern and have caused controversy regarding both their health and environmental effects (2). Using modern techniques of genetic engineering, it is possible to introduce specific genetic material derived from any species of plant, animal, or microorganism, or even a synthetic material, into different species of plant (Journal 1) This allows a desired trait to be enhanced and reproduced. (3) (4) The resulting plants are commonly known as genetically modified (GM) plants; when used as food sources, they are known as GM foods. (Journal 1) It is probable that crop improvement began as soon as farming did (1) It is thought that improvement to crops and harvesting developed subconsciously with farmers selectively breeding animals and isolating, to then reproduce crops from those with the most desired attributes and from highly variable populations.(1) The first genetically modified crop was the tomato Flavr Savr, produced by a Californian company Calgene, in 1992 whose intention was to create a vine-ripened tomato that was both long-lasting and tasty. (6) However the company failed to prevent the skin of the tomato from soften whilst the fruit ripened. It took 10 years for the development of the tomato, (6) but eventually it received FDA approval in 1994 (6), and led to an increase in GM food products available on the market. Romania, Mexico, Germany, Australia and France are just a few of the 13 countries known to have grown genetically engineered crops on their land for commercial use in the year 2000. (7) The United States of America produced 68% of the worlds GM crops, and therefore became the largest producer of these crops. In comparison to this, Argentina produced, 23%, Canada, 7% and China only 1%. Statistics from 2007 have shown a substantial increase from 1.7 million hectares being used for growing Gm foods in 1996, to 143 million hectares in 23 countries around the globe, with 90% of GM food produced being in developed or newly-developed countries.(journal one). Ways to make GM foods. Genetic modification of a particular plant or animal species can be accomplished by a number of different ways. (3) Genetic engineering involves the DNA alteration of a plant or animals DNA which holds the genetic information of the species. It is the alterations of a specific gene that enables modification of certain characteristics displayed. In order to change a certain characteristic, the corresponding gene coding for it, must initially be isolated in order to be inserted into a new DNA strand using a transfer vector. A Vector is an agent that can carry a DNA fragment into a host cell. (19) Plasmids are circular DNA molecules that are examples of vectors and can replicate independently of the host cell. (3) Once the gene is present in the transfer vector it can then be directed into the cells of the target organism. Then inside the cell the vector replicates and becomes part of the cells own DNA, altering the organisms characteristics. Similar to this method is the vector technique which involves the products being inserted directly into genome via another vector. As well as this there is also the biolistic method, which is commonly known as the gene-gun method and is a technique predominantly used in plant modification. (20) Pellets of metal coated with the desirable DNA are fired at the target cells which are then allowed to reproduce, and may possibly be cloned in order to produce a genetically identical crop. (20) Advantages and disadvantages of GM foods With the worlds population expected to reach 12 billion in the next 50 years, the demand for high quality produce will continue to increase. By growing genetically modified plants with a resistance to pests or herbicides, then the use of chemical applications may be reduced, as can the costs of producing a crop, damage by unwanted pests/weeds.(8) With the rise of various different virus, diseases and bacteria that effect and inhibit the growth of a crop, technologies have enabled genetically engineered crops to be resistant to these different diseases. (9)Plants such as tobacco and potato have had antifreeze genes introduced in to them, to encourage the plants to withstand cold temperatures that would normally kill such plants. (10) A common problem in third world countries is malnutrition with estimations of 1.02 billion people being undernourished and starved. (13) The main staple diet for these people is rice which unfortunately does not contain sufficient quantities of the nutrients and vitamins required to help prevent malnutrition. Genetically engineering this crop in order to create a nutritionally enriched rice variety would have the potential to help improve and in turn, eliminate these deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency, estimated to affect millions of people around the world prompted the design of Golden rice researched by Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer and contained very large quantities of beta-carotene, which the body uses and coverts to Vitamin A, and is required for a number of different metabolic functions including in vision, immune functions and bone metabolism. (3) Genetic engineering techniques are now more commonly being used in order to introduce into plants, particular DNA that leads to the expression of distinct and unique proteins that are of specific interest and may be harvested and used in the production of pharmaceutical compounds. (11) Currently, synthesis of plant-derived proteins intended for pharmaceutical use is still in the early development stages. Examples of the types of protein and their intended use are summarised in the table below. Nutrition Some examples of GM plants with improved characteristics designed to improve health and nutrition are Maize with added vitamin C content, Potato with insulin as well as enhanced calcium levels, rice with added iron or zinc and coffee beans with decreased caffeine content. (journal 2) One study in to which a genetically modified green pepper and a standard unmodified pepper were analyzed for their nutrient and mineral contents and showed no significant opposing results between the two peppers. The analysis showed that there was neither significant difference in the energy and the protein levels nor a difference in the mineral content which included calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. This therefore concluded that, the nutrient composition of the genetically modified green pepper was found to be equivalent to that of the standard unmodified peppers. (journal 11) Another study that tested genetically modified Bt maize on laying quails also gave a similar conclusion to the green pepper study. (Flachowsky et al., 2005b; Halle et al., 2006).The results showed that Bt maize did not significantly influence health, hatchability and performances of quails nor did it affect the quality of meat and eggs of quails compared with the unmodified maize that was also tested. (journal 2) One exception to this study however was the that performed by Piva et al. (2001a,b) who noted that significantly improved animal performance was associated with a diet containing the Bt maize. It is thought that this improved performance demonstrated by the animals fed the genetically modified Bt maize crop, was because it reduced secondary fungal infection and, as a consequence, reduced mycotoxin contamination. (journal 2) Toxicity Publications on GM food toxicity are scarce. Although there are many arguments and opinions surrounding the toxicity of GM foods, there is little experimental data and analysis to construct such arguments. In fact, no peer-reviewed publications of clinical studies on the human health effects of GM food exist. Even animal studies are few and far between (18) Acute toxicity studies on the Flavr Savr genetically modified tomatoes, required by the FDA, were carried out with rats to determine toxic effects of the GM product. It was concluded that mean body and organ weights, weight gain, food consumption and clinical chemistry or blood parameters were not significantly different between GM-fed and control groups. However it was noted that sections of the stomach in up to 7 of the 20 female rats fed the GM tomato, showed mild/moderate erosive/necrotic lesions and as well as this 7 of the 40 rats involved in the experiment were known to have died a few weeks after for unstated reasons. (18) Another experiment that tested herbicide-resistant GM maize showed significant differences in fat and carbohydrate contents compared with non-GM maize. Toxicity tests were performed and showed that the rats ability to digest was decreased after eating GM corn. (18) Likewise tests in to potatoes transformed with a specific toxin gene or the toxin itself was shown to have caused an array of unwanted effects and showed that, CryI toxin was indeed stable in the gut of the mouse and therefore GM crops expressing it need to be subjected to thorough teststo avoid the risks before marketing. (18) Such studies support peoples concerns about GM foods and highlight the need for further research in to them and their health effects. Allergies Another issue with the rise in the production of genetically modified crops is the transfer of allergens in to new crops and the effects of particular allergens on human immune response. (journal 3) The majority of dietary proteins consumed are hydrolysed, and digested into smaller peptides that do not produce immune response in most people. However for those unfortunate enough to have hypersensitivity disorders, allergic type inflammatory responses can occur when contact with certain foods is made. For this reason, the introduction of genetically modified plants into the human food chain that contain allergens or proteins of unknown allergic potential could be of risk. (Journal 8) Nordlee et al. (1996) cited in (journal 8) demonstrated using the Brazil nut protein that allergenicity was indeed transferable by genetic modification. Amongst other things these studies confirmed concerns that sensitivity could be transferred to transgenic plants when an allergen is expressed in a non-na tive host through genetic modification. (journal 8) Lee et all (2006) compared the allergenicity of GM potatoes with that of non- GM potatoes in which 1886 patients who suffered various allergic diseases etc were used for testing. From his study he was able to conclude that genetic modification of crops did not cause an increase in allergenicity. The use of certain animal models has been developed in order to test whether or not food components such as GM proteins could potentially induce allergic reactions. (journal 2) The animals are often responders to high IgE and are sensitised before given the test compound. The animal models all have in common the production of specific IgE antibodies to the specific proteins. Particular proteins that cause food allergy in humans are claimed to produce more pronounced IgE responses whereas proteins that do not readily cause such effects in humans are claimed to induce poor IgE responses. (Journal 2) An example of one such model is the BN rat which is a high-immunoglobulin (particularly IgE) responder strain and is similar to humans in the way that they produce antigen-specific immunoglobins,-which are glycoproteins that function as certain antibodies. (3) Experimental investigations in to the hypersensitivity of rats to specific proteins performed by Knippels et al., 1998, showed the rats were capable of producing specific antibodies (IgG and IgE) and immune responses to the model antigen ovalbumin, found in egg white and often employed in experiments into immunology and hypersensitivity to stimulate allergic reactions. (3) Analysis of the research showed the rats developed allergic responses to the same problematic proteins that cause reactions in humans. (Knippels Penninks, 2002). (Journal 8) Pharmaceuticals One of the most impressive applications of genetic engineering is now the development of so-called pharma crops. Specific genes in some useful plants are modified with in order for certain chemicals, antibodies, hormones and proteins to be produced that can be used in different applications in the pharmaceutical industry. (14) The company, INB Biotechnologies in Philadelphia have been recently designing a nontoxic anthrax vaccine through the transgenic modification of petunias. This causes the production of new proteins by the plant that in turn causes the development of antibodies against the anthrax bacterium, when consumed. (16) Trials have begun on genetically engineered crops designed for healing wounds and treating conditions such as cystic fibrosis, cirrhosis of the liver and anaemia; antibodies to fight cancer and vaccines against rabies, cholera and foot-and-mouth disease. (15) The concept of genetically engineered crops for pharmaceutical use is a fairly new idea, and therefore such products are still in their preliminary stages of design and testing. However significant concern has been raised surrounding their use and possible consequences. For instance it is thought that food crops already are or may in the future, be contaminated by DNA sequences from GM crops. (15) Genetically modified crops run the risk of eventually introducing unknown, potentially harmful chemicals into the food chain, by accidental cross breeding and seed contamination. (17) Conclusion As well as there being many benefits to genetic engineering and the introduction of genetically modified foods, there are as well, possible dangers and hazards leading to concern over their use and potential risks to both the environment and to humans. However there is inconsiderable evidence to suggest that there are disadvantages and significant risks of consuming GM foods. Various testing has been conducted on an array of substances and components of GM crops to test for certain effects, some of these being toxicity and allergenicity. There are conflicting reports; some suggesting GM foods are safe, others that say they are dangerous and a risk to human health. Although only slight effects have been observed on the animals tested, it is enough to warrant anxiety over GM foods and their possible implications on humans. Some would argue minor changes and effects on animals doesnt necessarily mean that they would have the same effect, if consumed, on humans, yet, there have also been a number of experiments that contradict this and analysis of which conclude little or no clinical, toxicological abnormalities observed in the animals having been tested. It has been demonstrated that Genetic modification as well as being advantageous can also increase the nutritional value of a food source, providing useful benefits, such as crops with extra vitamins/minerals etc such as the example of golden rice highlighted above. However there are also significant disadvantages such as possible toxicity and allergic components in some GM food sources. Having looked at the evidence surrounding such factors it is difficult to say whether or not there are nutritional arguments against genetically modified foods. It is safe to say therefore, that new and improved methods are needed to further investigate the compositional, nutritional, toxicological and metabolic differences between GM and conventional crops likewise the techniques used in developing GM crops in order to expel the fears of many and allow for technology in this field to expand safely. (18) References Websites http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering accessed 26/11/09 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/02/99/food_under_the_microscope/280868.stm accessed 24/11/09 http://en.wikipedia.org accessed 25/11/09 http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/gloss.php accessed 24/11/09 http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php accessed 25/11/09 http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/27236.aspx#ixzz0XoDxyU4H accessed 24/11/09 http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php accessed 25/11/09 Insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis protect corn from corn rootworms (Nature Biotechnology, Vol 19, No 7, pp 668-672, Jul 2001) Lepidopteran-resistant transgenic plants (US Patent 6313378, Nov 2001, Monsanto) cited in (7) Transgenic Approaches to Combat Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley (Crop Science, Vol 41, No 3, pp 628-627, Jun 2001) Post-transcriptional gene silencing in plum pox virus resistant transgenic European plum containing the plum pox potyvirus coat protein gene (Transgenic Research, Vol 10, No 3, pp 201-209, Jun 2001) cited in (7) Type II fish antifreeze protein accumulation in transgenic tobacco does not confer frost resistance (Transgenic Research, Vol 8, No 2, pp 105-117, Apr 1999) cited in (7) http://www.card.iastate.edu/publications/DBS/PDFFiles/06wp429.pdf accessed 25/11/09 Molecular farming for new drugs and vaccines EMBO report http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1369121/pdf/6-7400470.pdf/?tool=pmcentrez accessed 24/11/09 http://www.wfp.org/hunger accessed 24/11/09 http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/7/making-most-pharma-crops.cfm accessed 25/11/09 http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4709 accessed 26/11/09 http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/medical/conference/presentations/genetically-modified-foods.html accessed 26/11/09 http://www.beep.ac.uk/content/371.0.html accessed 24/11/09 http://www.biointegrity.org and Fares, N.H. and El-Sayed, A.K. (1998) Fine structural changes in the ileum of mice fed on delta-endotoxin-treated potatoes and transgenic potatoes. Natural Toxins 6, 219-233 cited in http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html accessed 25/11/09 http://www.web-books.com/MoBio/Free/Ch9A4.htm accessed 09/12/09 http://library.thinkquest.org/C004367/be9.shtml accessed 09/12/09 Journals Risk assessment of genetically modified crops for nutrition and health- Javier A Magaà ±a-Gà ³mez and Ana M Calderà ³n de la Barca Safety and nutritional assessment of GM plants and derived food and feed: The role of animal feeding trials- Report of the EFSA GMO Panel Working Group on Animal Feeding Trials Assessment of the safety of foods derived from genetically modified (GM) crops A. Ko ¨ niga,*, A. Cockburnb, R.W.R. Crevelc, E. Debruyned, R. Grafstroeme, U. Hammerlingf, I. Kimberg, I. Knudsenh, H.A. Kuiperi, A.A.C.M. Peijnenburgi, A.H. Penninksj, M. Poulsenh, M. Schauzuk, J.M. Wall Genetically modified plants and food hypersensitivity diseases: Usage and implications of experimental models for risk assessment A new oral sensitization model in rats to food proteins and the importance of dietary control in oral sensitization with soy- Knippels, LMJ; Penninks, AH; Spanhaak, S, et al The nutrient composition of the herbicide-tolerant green pepper is equivalent to that of the conventional green pepper Hongju Parka, Sunghyen Leea,c,4, Hyunjin Jeonga, Sumook Choa, Hyekyung Chuna, Ohhyun Backa, Donghern Kimb, Hyun S. Lillehojc Books Plant biotechnology. Ed, Nigel G. Halford (2006) chapter 1 pg5 John Wiley and sons Ltd west sussex, England

An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Essay -- Life Evolut

An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Where did we come from? It is a question that has haunted the entire history of humanity. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought to answer the question with myths. Today, we are still struggling with the same question—only today we seek to answer this mystery with science. Given various observations, it seems plausible that all life arose from a few very simple organisms millions of years ago. Observations of life will raise two important (though almost paradoxical) questions: Why are there so many different kinds of life? And why do there appear to be some over-riding similarities among organisms? The diversity of life is apparent in the vast number of different species of plants and animals that exist on earth. By the mid 20th Century, there was an estimated 1 to 2 million different types of organisms. (12) Now, however, the number is even higher and is expected to continue to climb as more discoveries are made. That there are prevailing similarities among organisms is equally apparent. (13) All organisms use the same biochemical mechanisms to function. For example, all organisms use DNA and many proteins that make up cells and serve as enzymes are the same across species. (12) Also, organisms that are supposed to be closely " related" tend to s hare certain characteristics. For example, the bones in a whale's front flipper are arranged in much the same way as the bones in human beings' arms and both whales and humans are mammals and therefore more closely related than say humans and squid. (12) Evolution - as defined as - the theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable diff... ...) The Limits of Darwinism , by David Berlinski http://bostonreview.mit.edu/bostonreview/br22.1/berlinski.html 18) The RNA World , by Brig Klyce http://www.panspermia.org/rnaworld.htm 19) Viruses: Imported Genetic Software , by Brig Klyce http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 20) Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www.panspermia.org/virus.htm 21) http://search.eb.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=Evolution , Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 22) Article from US Environmental Protection Agency; published in May 1998 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ionize.htm 23) Mutation: Causes and Repair , by McAllister; slide presentation http://www.uta.edu/biology/mcallister/3315/17_HTML%20Folder/tsld001.htm 24) Duke Study Finds New Causes of Mutation , by Marko Djuranovic http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2001/010131.html An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Essay -- Life Evolut An Exploration of Different Theories of Evolution Where did we come from? It is a question that has haunted the entire history of humanity. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors sought to answer the question with myths. Today, we are still struggling with the same question—only today we seek to answer this mystery with science. Given various observations, it seems plausible that all life arose from a few very simple organisms millions of years ago. Observations of life will raise two important (though almost paradoxical) questions: Why are there so many different kinds of life? And why do there appear to be some over-riding similarities among organisms? The diversity of life is apparent in the vast number of different species of plants and animals that exist on earth. By the mid 20th Century, there was an estimated 1 to 2 million different types of organisms. (12) Now, however, the number is even higher and is expected to continue to climb as more discoveries are made. That there are prevailing similarities among organisms is equally apparent. (13) All organisms use the same biochemical mechanisms to function. For example, all organisms use DNA and many proteins that make up cells and serve as enzymes are the same across species. (12) Also, organisms that are supposed to be closely " related" tend to s hare certain characteristics. For example, the bones in a whale's front flipper are arranged in much the same way as the bones in human beings' arms and both whales and humans are mammals and therefore more closely related than say humans and squid. (12) Evolution - as defined as - the theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable diff... ...) The Limits of Darwinism , by David Berlinski http://bostonreview.mit.edu/bostonreview/br22.1/berlinski.html 18) The RNA World , by Brig Klyce http://www.panspermia.org/rnaworld.htm 19) Viruses: Imported Genetic Software , by Brig Klyce http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 20) Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www.panspermia.org/virus.htm 21) http://search.eb.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=Evolution , Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www/panspermia.org/virus.htm 22) Article from US Environmental Protection Agency; published in May 1998 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/ionize.htm 23) Mutation: Causes and Repair , by McAllister; slide presentation http://www.uta.edu/biology/mcallister/3315/17_HTML%20Folder/tsld001.htm 24) Duke Study Finds New Causes of Mutation , by Marko Djuranovic http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2001/010131.html

Walt Whitman :: Essays Papers

Walt Whitman Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in the West Hills of Long Island, New York. His mother, Louisa Van Velsor, a Dutch Quaker, whom he adored, was barely literate. She never read his poetry, but gave him unconditional love. His father was an Englishman, and a carpenter who built houses, and a stern disciplinarian. He was a friend of Tom Paine, whose pamphlet Common Sense (1776), urging the colonists to throw off English domination was in his sparse library. It is doubtful that his father read any of his son's poetry, or would have understood it if he had. The senior Walt was too busy with the struggle to support his ever-growing family of nine children, four of whom were handicapped. Walt, the second of nine, was taken from public school at the age of eleven to help support the family. At the age of twelve he started to learn the printer's trade, and began to admire the written and printed word. He was mainly self-taught. He read as much as could, and read such authors as Homer, Dante, Shakespeare and Scott early in his life. He knew the Bible thoroughly, and as a God-influenced poet, desired to initiate a religion uniting all of humanity in bonds of friendship. In 1836, at the age of 17, he began his career as a teacher in the one-room schoolhouses of Long Island. He permitted his students to call him by his first name, and devised learning games for them in arithmetic and spelling. He continued to teach school until 1841, when he turned to journalism as a full-time career. He soon became editor for a number of Brooklyn and New York papers. From 1846 to 1847 Whitman was the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Whitman went to New Orleans in 1848, where he was editor for a brief time of the "New Orleans Crescent". In that city he had become fascinated with the French language. Many of his poems contain words of French derivation. It was in New Orleans that he experienced at first hand the inhumanity of slavery in the slave markets of that city. On his return to Brooklyn in the fall of 1848, he founded an abolitionist newspaper, the "Brooklyn Freeman". Between 1848 and 1855 he developed the style of poetry that caught the attention of literary men such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. Walt Whitman :: Essays Papers Walt Whitman Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in the West Hills of Long Island, New York. His mother, Louisa Van Velsor, a Dutch Quaker, whom he adored, was barely literate. She never read his poetry, but gave him unconditional love. His father was an Englishman, and a carpenter who built houses, and a stern disciplinarian. He was a friend of Tom Paine, whose pamphlet Common Sense (1776), urging the colonists to throw off English domination was in his sparse library. It is doubtful that his father read any of his son's poetry, or would have understood it if he had. The senior Walt was too busy with the struggle to support his ever-growing family of nine children, four of whom were handicapped. Walt, the second of nine, was taken from public school at the age of eleven to help support the family. At the age of twelve he started to learn the printer's trade, and began to admire the written and printed word. He was mainly self-taught. He read as much as could, and read such authors as Homer, Dante, Shakespeare and Scott early in his life. He knew the Bible thoroughly, and as a God-influenced poet, desired to initiate a religion uniting all of humanity in bonds of friendship. In 1836, at the age of 17, he began his career as a teacher in the one-room schoolhouses of Long Island. He permitted his students to call him by his first name, and devised learning games for them in arithmetic and spelling. He continued to teach school until 1841, when he turned to journalism as a full-time career. He soon became editor for a number of Brooklyn and New York papers. From 1846 to 1847 Whitman was the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Whitman went to New Orleans in 1848, where he was editor for a brief time of the "New Orleans Crescent". In that city he had become fascinated with the French language. Many of his poems contain words of French derivation. It was in New Orleans that he experienced at first hand the inhumanity of slavery in the slave markets of that city. On his return to Brooklyn in the fall of 1848, he founded an abolitionist newspaper, the "Brooklyn Freeman". Between 1848 and 1855 he developed the style of poetry that caught the attention of literary men such as Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Confucius :: essays research papers

Confucius Confucius lived from 551-479 B.C. He was a philosopher, political thinker and educator whose ideas have greatly influenced not only Chinese culture but world civilization. Confucius lived during the â€Å"Spring† and â€Å"Autumn† period of Chinese history, when east central China was divided into over a dozen small warring states. The great disorder and suffering he saw influenced his political ideas, which emphasized order, hierarchy and the rule of a benevolent sovereign. Confucius came from the State of Lu; his birthplace was today's Qufu county, Shandong province. His ancestors had been aristocrats of the State of Song, but the family had long since fallen on hard times. Confucius was a philosopher who developed a great â€Å"reverence† for Ji Dan (Duke of Zhou) of the Western Zhou dynasty, which reighned from the 11th c. to 771 BCE. He also sought to apply the political structures of that distant time to the State of Lu. However, the great social turmoil of the Spring and Autumn period, and the sharpening struggles within the ruling class, made this impossible, and he became very dissatisfied. In an effort to spread his political ideas, he traveled extensively to other states only to be repeatedly rebuffed. He died at the age of 73, having failed to ever suceed with his society. Scholars down the ages have always maintained that "benevolence" is the core of Confucian teaching. "Benevolence" found its expression through the performance of li, a term usually translated as rites, but which actually encompassed a great deal more: not just rituals but the social and political structure, the etiquette of behavior between human beings. Confucius observed the functioning of the patriarchal, hierarchical society of his times and concluded that "virtuous rule" consisted of applying strict control over the populace.