Accounting Study Essay

a. Recognize noteworthy duty and nontax issues or worries that may contrast across element types. b. Give your suggestion to shaping CCS as a C enterprise, S company, LLC, or association. Clarify your thinking for your decision of element, distinguish any issues that you may in any case be worried about, and propose proposals for managing the worries. Section 19 Problem 39 (LO2) Zhang fused her sole ownership by moving stock, a structure, and land to the partnership as an end-result of 100 percent of the corporation’s stock. The property moved to the company had the accompanying reasonable market esteems and expense balanced bases: FMV Tax-Adjusted Basis Stock $ 20,000 $ 10,000 Building 150,000 100,000 Land 230,000 300,000 Absolute $400,000 $410,000 The enterprise additionally expected a home loan of $100,000 appended to the structure and land. The honest evaluation of the corporation’s stock got in the trade was $300,000. The exchange met the necessities to be charge conceded under  §351. a. What measure of addition or misfortune does Zhang acknowledge on the exchange of the property to her company? b. What measure of increase or misfortune does Zhang perceive on the exchange of the property to her company? c. What is Zhang’s charge premise in the stock she gets in the trade? d. What is the corporation’s charge balanced premise in every one of the advantages got in the trade? Expect the organization accepted a home loan of $500,000 appended to the structure and land. e. What amount, assuming any, increase or misfortune does Zhang perceive on the trade expecting the reexamined realities? f. What is Zhang’s charge premise in the stock she gets in the trade? g. What is the corporation’s charge balanced premise in every one of the benefits got in the trade?

Sunset on the Sea Essay Example For Students

Nightfall on the Sea Essay The Sun starts to set gradually. The Orange red mass moves down the sky. The waves break tenderly into white froth on the dark sea shore. The little gems in the sand shimmer and sparkle splendidly orange, with the sunrays. The delicate sand pads the feet. The Now red sun is sliced down the middle by the delicate ocean. The pillars blush the coconut trees, which influence tenderly in the breeze. The seagulls ride with the breeze, dunking all through The Sea looking for food. The boats weave like toys on the water. The sun at last sets and haziness crawls up like a thief.The animals of the night stir. We will compose a custom paper on Sunset on the Sea explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Little rodents run rapidly all through the greenery. Fire red mists turn over the obscuring sky. Lightning tears through air and lights up the earth for a second, and afterward flickers out of presence. A stunning and ear-parting thunder crashes and blasts, at that point everything hushes up. The breezes stop, the waves stop, all animals stop. The sky presently goes completely dark. There is not any more light from the setting sun. At that point comes the downpour in driving and inclining sheets.

A Note About SIPAs Diversity Initiative COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

A Note About SIPAs Diversity Initiative COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog While researching  SIPA for your graduate studies, youve probably noticed that the school is one of the most internationally-diverse institutions at Columbia University. In fact, students in the  MIA/MPA 2013 class represent  51 different countries,  and speak 41 native languages. Overall, 52 percent of the class is  represented by  international students! Thus, we truly cherish our diversity and the many unique perspectives our students, faculty, staff and alumni bring to campus. Reminding us all about the importance of inclusion, Dean Merit E. Janow released a statement about SIPAs continued efforts to foster a community that is welcoming, respectful of individual and group differences, and representative of our society: A focus on diversity is important for all schools, but it is a particular priority for SIPA because the process of designing public policy should reflect consideration for diverse segments of societies, Dean Janow said in a recent email. Earlier this year Dean Janow formed a diversity task force to support SIPA’s efforts to build an even stronger culture of inclusiveness. This diversity task force holds regular meetings and student events, including an upcoming Diversity Symposium, on November 14, 2014. Read more about the Diversity Task Forces efforts and upcoming events here: https://sipa.columbia.edu/experience-sipa/about-sipa/diversity-task-force.

What Is a Variable in Science (Types of Variables)

Variables are an important part of science projects and experiments. What is a variable? Basically, a variable is any factor that can be controlled, changed, or measured  in an experiment. Scientific experiments have several  types of variables. The independent and dependent variables are the ones usually plotted on a chart or graph, but there are other types of variables you may encounter. Types of Variables Independent VariableThe independent variable is the one condition that you change in an experiment.Example: In an experiment measuring the effect of temperature on solubility, the independent variable is temperature.Dependent VariableThe dependent variable is the variable that you measure or observe. The dependent variable gets its name because it is the factor that is dependent on the state of the independent variable.Example: In the experiment measuring the effect of temperature on solubility, solubility would be the dependent variable.Controlled VariableA controlled variable or constant variable is a variable that does not change during an experiment.Example: In the experiment measuring the effect of temperature on solubility, controlled variable could include the source of water used in the experiment, the size and type of containers used to mix chemicals, and the amount of mixing time allowed for each solution.Extraneous VariablesExtraneous variables are extra variables that may influence the outcome of an experiment  but arent taken into account during measurement. Ideally, these variables wont impact the final conclusion drawn by the experiment, but they may  introduce error  into scientific results. If you are aware of any extraneous variables, you should enter them in your lab notebook. Examples of extraneous variables include accidents, factors you either cant control or cant measure  or factors you consider unimportant. Every experiment has extraneous variables.Example: You are conducting an experiment to see which paper airplane design flies longest. You may consider the color of the paper to be an extraneous variable. You note in your lab book that different colors of papers were used. Ideally, this variable does not affect your outcome. Using Variables in Science Experiment In a science experiment, only one variable is changed (the independent variable) to test how this changes the dependent variable. The researcher may measure other factors that may either remain constant or else change during the course of the experiment, but are not believed to affect its outcome. These are controlled variables. Any other factors which might be changed if someone else conducted the experiment, but seemed unimportant, should also be noted. Also, any accidents that occur should be recorded. These are extraneous variables. Variables and Attributes In science, when a variable is studied, its attribute is recorded. A variable is a characteristic, while an attribute is its state. For example, if eye color is the variable, its attribute might be green, brown, or blue. If height is the variable, its attribute might be 5 m, 2.5 cm, or 1.22 km. Reference Earl R. Babbie, The Practice of Social Research, 12th edition, Wadsworth Publishing, 2009.

Deception Point Page 30 Free Essays

The President shook his head. â€Å"I’m afraid I didn’t make myself clear. You’ll be doing the briefing from where you are via video conference. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 30 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † â€Å"Oh.† Rachel hesitated. â€Å"What time did you have in mind?† â€Å"Actually,† Herney said, grinning. â€Å"How about right now? Everyone is already assembled, and they’re staring at a big blank television set. They’re waiting for you.† Rachel’s body tensed. â€Å"Sir, I’m totally unprepared. I can’t possibly-â€Å" â€Å"Just tell them the truth. How hard is that?† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"Rachel,† the President said, leaning toward the screen. â€Å"Remember, you compile and relay data for a living. It’s what you do. Just talk about what’s going on up there.† He reached up to flick a switch on his video transmission gear, but paused. â€Å"And I think you’ll be pleased to find I’ve set you up in a position of power.† Rachel didn’t understand what he meant, but it was too late to ask. The President threw the switch. The screen in front of Rachel went blank for a moment. When it refreshed, Rachel was staring at one of the most unnerving images she had ever seen. Directly in front of her was the White House Oval Office. It was packed. Standing room only. The entire White House staff appeared to be there. And every one of them was staring at her. Rachel now realized her view was from atop the President’s desk. Speaking from a position of power. Rachel was sweating already. From the looks on the faces of the White House staffers, they were as surprised to see Rachel as she was to see them. â€Å"Ms. Sexton?† a raspy voice called out. Rachel searched the sea of faces and found who had spoken. It was a lanky woman just now taking a seat in the front row. Marjorie Tench. The woman’s distinctive appearance was unmistakable, even in a crowd. â€Å"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Sexton,† Marjorie Tench said, sounding smug. â€Å"The President tells us you have some news?† 33 Enjoying the darkness, paleontologist Wailee Ming sat alone in quiet reflection at his private work area. His senses were alive with anticipation for tonight’s event. Soon I will be the most famous paleontologist in the world. He hoped Michael Tolland had been generous and featured Ming’s comments in the documentary. As Ming savored his impending fame, a faint vibration shuddered through the ice beneath his feet, causing him to jump up. His earthquake instinct from living in Los Angeles made him hypersensitive to even the faintest palpitations of the ground. At the moment, though, Ming felt foolish to realize the vibration was perfectly normal. It’s just ice calving, he reminded himself, exhaling. He still hadn’t gotten used to it. Every few hours, a distant explosion rumbled through the night as somewhere along the glacial frontier a huge block of ice cracked off and fell into the sea. Norah Mangor had a nice way of putting it. New icebergs being born†¦ On his feet now, Ming stretched his arms. He looked across the habisphere, and off in the distance beneath the blaze of television spotlights, he could see a celebration was getting underway. Ming was not much for parties and headed in the opposite direction across the habisphere. The labyrinth of deserted work areas now felt like a ghost town, the entire dome taking on an almost sepulchral feel. A chill seemed to have settled inside, and Ming buttoned up his long, camel-hair coat. Up ahead he saw the extraction shaft-the point from which the most magnificent fossils in all of human history had been taken. The giant metal tripod had now been stowed and the pool sat alone, surrounded by pylons like some kind of shunned pothole on a vast parking lot of ice. Ming wandered over to the pit, standing a safe distance back, peering into the two-hundred-foot-deep pool of frigid water. Soon it would refreeze, erasing all traces that anyone had ever been here. The pool of water was a beautiful sight, Ming thought. Even in the dark. Especially in the dark. Ming hesitated at the thought. Then it registered. There’s something wrong. As Ming focused more closely on the water, he felt his previous contentedness give way to a sudden whirlwind of confusion. He blinked his eyes, stared again, and then quickly turned his gaze across the dome†¦ fifty yards away toward the mass of people celebrating in the press area. He knew they could not see him way over here in the dark. I should tell someone about this, shouldn’t I? Ming looked again at the water, wondering what he would tell them. Was he seeing an optical illusion? Some kind of strange reflection? Uncertain, Ming stepped beyond the pylons and squatted down at the edge of the pit. The water level was four feet below the ice level, and he leaned down to get a better look. Yes, something was definitely strange. It was impossible to miss, and yet it had not become visible until the lights in the dome had gone out. Ming stood up. Somebody definitely needed to hear about this. He started off at a hurried pace toward the press area. Completing only a few steps, Ming slammed on the brakes. Good God! He spun back toward the hole, his eyes going wide with realization. It had just dawned on him. â€Å"Impossible!† he blurted aloud. And yet Ming knew that was the only explanation. Think, carefully, he cautioned. There must be a more reasonable rationale. But the harder Ming thought, the more convinced he was of what he was seeing. There is no other explanation! He could not believe that NASA and Corky Marlinson had somehow missed something this incredible, but Ming wasn’t complaining. This is Wailee Ming’s discovery now! Trembling with excitement, Ming ran to a nearby work area and found a beaker. All he needed was a little water sample. Nobody was going to believe this! 34 â€Å"As intelligence liaison to the White House,† Rachel Sexton was saying, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she addressed the crowd on the screen before her, â€Å"my duties include traveling to political hot spots around the globe, analyzing volatile situations, and reporting to the President and White House staff.† A bead of sweat formed just below her hairline and Rachel dabbed it away, silently cursing the President for dropping this briefing into her lap with zero warning. â€Å"Never before have my travels taken me to quite this exotic a spot.† Rachel motioned stiffly to the cramped trailer around her. â€Å"Believe it or not, I am addressing you right now from above the Arctic Circle on a sheet of ice that is over three hundred feet thick.† Rachel sensed a bewildered anticipation in the faces on the screen before her. They obviously knew they had been packed into the Oval Office for a reason, but certainly none of them imagined it would have anything to do with a development above the Arctic Circle. The sweat was beading again. Get it together, Rachel. This is what you do. â€Å"I sit before you tonight with great honor, pride, and†¦ above all, excitement.† Blank looks. Screw it, she thought, angrily wiping the sweat away. I didn’t sign up for this. Rachel knew what her mother would say if she were here now: When in doubt, just spit it out! The old Yankee proverb embodied one of her mom’s basic beliefs-that all challenges can be overcome by speaking the truth, no matter how it comes out. Taking a deep breath, Rachel sat up tall and looked straight into the camera. â€Å"Sorry, folks, if you’re wondering how I could be sweating my butt off above the Arctic Circle†¦ I’m a little nervous.† The faces before her seemed to jolt back a moment. Some uneasy laughter. â€Å"In addition,† Rachel said, â€Å"your boss gave me about ten seconds’ warning before telling me I would be facing his entire staff. This baptism by fire is not exactly what I had in mind for my first visit to the Oval Office.† How to cite Deception Point Page 30, Essay examples

Due Diligence Report on NEWCO for Entrepreneurship- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theDue Diligence Report on NEWCO for Entrepreneurship. Answer: Introduction This report basically focuses on the importance, significant and material findings of the due diligence review of the new technology product NEWCO. NEWCO is the solar powered mobile charger which is designed to charge more than six mobile phones at a time. Objective of this project is to simplify the challenges related to mobile phone charging who live in the non-electricity area in Kenya. This report focuses on the due diligence of this project and reviews the strengths and weaknesses of the business model of NEWCO in the investors perspective. It is well known that the project NEWCO is new in the market and for the growth and success; there is the need of investment of fund in the market (Hoskisson, 2009). With the due diligence, investors would be able to analyze and review the strengths and weaknesses of this project. Along with this, they would be able to evaluate that the project is profitable for them or not. Due diligence is the management review of the investors for the spec ific company and project. Management team of the project is the crucial aspect of the evaluation of the business project. With the process of due diligence, aim of the investors is to evaluate the project to ensure that the project would be successful or not (Burns, 2014). Statement In case of the project NEWCO, due diligence is done in the investors perspective. The process of due diligence is best when it is assumed from the perspective of an investor. An investor always seeks for some return on the investment while investing in the any business or project. If the new product is developed inside the company, it is crucial to view each idea as the new business. Due diligence from the investors perspectives is helpful in identifying the problem with the product, resources to launch and develop the product and profit in order to sustain the business. With the help of due diligence, investor would identify the possibilities of profit and warrant the investment (Mouncey Baker, 2009). Strength and weakness of NewCo Business plan Strengths There are some strengths of the business plan of NEWCO. With the business model, company is able to have knowledge and broad expertise about the local market. NEWCO would be able to enjoy the economies of scale with bulk manufacturing. Business model of NEWCO is helpful in establishing effective partnership with other firms; it would be able to get freedom to operate in the market. Further, with the help of proper business model, sales agents would have compensation structure with the commission so that higher sales volumes can be drive. Business model includes proper interaction with the customers to enhance the sales volume which would improve language capabilities of the direct sales agents. Further, business also includes various strategies to improve the business and provide many ideas to facilitate timely sales. The business model of NEWCO describes the process of product design that is very easy to move and portable. So the business model has ability to describe the product ef fectively among the customers (Gavrrilova, 2014). Weakness Despite of various strengths, there are various weaknesses in the business model of NEWCO which must be addressed on the priority basis. With the given business model, it is observed that there is the lack of intellectual property right protection for NEWCO which can impact the business and create various risks for the future. Business model does not focus on the various ways of protection and risk management factors. Further, effective transport management is lacking the business model as lots of transportation is involved to distribute the finished products. Along with this, this business model does not focus on the strategies to improve the brand image so it seems that there is the lack of brand equity at the initial stage. Further, NEWCO has limited budget and fund. Business model is weak at this point. Proposals to improve business plan This business plan is for NEWCO project which includes new methods for mobile charging. This new project provides such system by which people can charge six mobile phones at one time. It is observed that around 75% of people in Kenya live in the rural areas and most of which are un-electrified. So, people have to face challenges to charge their mobile phones. NEWCO has come with the new concept (Mason, 2015). Although this system is totally new in the market and it is important for the project to focus on the business plan. Basic objective of the business plan of NEWCO is to provide custom solution to the people who are facing charging issues in the rural areas. Along with this, aim of the project is to enhance the efficiency of the customers and establishing long term relationships with the stakeholders. By analyzing the business model of the project, it is observed that there are some areas which must be improved from the perspective of the investors so that more and more profit ca n be generated (Lymbersky, 2009). Technology It is well known that NEWCO is providing new technology of mobile charging. In Kenya, many people are living in the un-electrified rural areas and they gave to deal with the challenges to charge their mobiles. Mobile phones are important for the people in current time and they have only device to stay connected with the world. Most of the people are farmers in Kenya and by the mobile phones; they are able to call various suppliers and customers for their products. But for them, there is no easy way to charge their phones as there is the issue of electricity. NEWCO has aim to deal with this issue by providing mobile phone charging facility in the rural areas. This is a new technology for the people who are living in the rural areas. NEWCO is the electric device so; there is the need of security and safety that must be provided to the customers (Teece, 2010). Different forms of protection It is observed that NEWCO is the new system of mobile charging. So, there are the possibilities that people are not much aware about this. It is the responsibility of the project and team members to provide safe and secured product so that that they feel free in purchasing the charging systems. For this manner, management team can adopt some forms of protection in the product. Intellectual property protection There are basically four types of Intellectual property protection for the for the technology products i.e. trade secrets, patents, trademarks and software copyright. NEWCO can apply for the patent and trademark protection. Further, there are no formal registration processes for the trade secrets as every company uses different strategy for the trade secret protection. Holding patent and other rights, NEWCO would be able to provide moir profit to the investors. NEWCO can license its patents to generate more revenue. Freedom to operate When a company is planning to launch new products, it has to analyze the market as it would get freedom o operate in the market or not. In case of NEWCO, it is observed that in the rural areas of Kenya there is the lack of electricity. People have to deal with the challenges to charge their mobile phones. This shows that no one company has come up with such kind of project. So, it is assumed that the project NEWCO would get success in the Kenyas rural market. The team members have to analyze the competitors in the market who have same patent to operate the business. The entrepreneur will get freedom to operate in the Kenya market as there are small numbers of competitors. Team members of the project would be prepare if there are any new competitors (Filet, 2013). Protection strategy By analyzing the financial plan of NEWCO, it is observed that the business of NEWCO is quite attractive and started with the low sales volume. But, there is the possibility that the business will make loss in the long run. The reason is that in the first year, the business is very challenging in terms of new geography and setting up new strategy would be difficult for the project team members. There are depreciation and income tax charges that are challenges for the small business in Kenya. So, in the first year, business does not have sufficient fund to implement protection strategies effectively (Seshadri, 2009). Value chain Creating a strong value proposition means to be better than competitors and being more successful in the market. NEWCO is very innovative product which would provide values to the customers. This product is convenient, meets the lack of current market and easy to use by the customers. The product will make the life of customers easier by not having worry about the battery of their mobile phones. The strategy of NEWCO is to focus on the ease of the buying process of the final consumers (Payne Holt, 2008). The target customers and end users for NEWCO are people aged 20 to 35 with the middle income and interested in the innovations. Since the product offers the solar power to charge the mobile phone. This will eliminate the use of electric charges and risk of dead phone. It will create great convenience to the customers and mobile phone users so that they will no longer have to worry about charging the phone all the time. There are many rural areas in Kenya with no connection of the el ectricity grid or expensive or unreliable power access. This little solar power gadget is proving to be innovative (Joshi, 2009). Business model Pricing model For the product NEWCO, company would use cost-based pricing strategy that would include designing of the product and then setting the prices based o costs. After analyzing various costs that will be applied to the product and achieving a markup, the price of a product will be decided. The unit price will decrease as the variable costs will be decreased. So, the prices for the NEWCO will be affordable for every customer so they can purchase the product easily (Marcer, 2012). Growth strategy Mobile phones are responsible for the huge electricity consumption. Solar mobile phone chargers can be helpful to decrease this consumption. The development of NEWCO will increase the use of mobile phones and make the phone accessible for the poorer people in all over the world. So, team would adopt proper growth strategy for the success of the new product in the market. With proper pricing and positioning strategy, the solar mobile charger would be able to reach various customers in rural areas who have no access of electricity. The solar power mobile charger is the growing consumer demand for the environmental sustainability. Along with this, solar power is the infinite resource and that will continue to advance in the effectiveness and efficiency. So for the investors, it is worthy investment as it will continue to improve over the time (Farahmand, 2011). Market Market size The market for NEWCO is horizontal and there are wide ranges of opportunities in the market of Kenya. For the product NEWCO, entrepreneurs are focusing on the country Kenya and the country has population of nearly 30 million residents. It is observed that over 19 million people in this population are using mobile phones. Along with this, around 12.5 million mobile users are living in the rural areas which are un-electrified area. Along with this, it is also assumed that the demand for NEWCO will increase in future and take off at a fast pace. Mobile phone industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The global mobile industry is now most fastest and vibrant industry in all over the world. The demand of NEWCO will increase as they are simple to use, affordable for the people and saves time. In the scarcity of electricity, there is the need of the solar mobile charger that can charge every mobile phone (Fifield, 2012). Use of mobile phones is increasing day by day and for the people living in the rural areas, mobile phones are only medium to stay connected with the world. But in those areas, electricity is always a problem and it is becoming a serious issue for people to keep their phones charge. In order to solve this issue, NEWCO is launched that will eliminate the use of electric chargers and provides more convenient way to charge the phones with the environment friendly way. Market segmentation Geographic The geographic factors include the area where the product is launched. NEWCO would be effectively offered in the rural and urban areas of Kenya. The reason is that there is the issue of electricity. There are around 12.5 million customers who are living in the rural areas of Kenya. It is true that the solar panel work better when sun shines. But, team has to make the people understand that solar panel can also work also without bright sun. Solar panels catch the solar beams by the clouds and they are able to change the rays in to the electricity in the cloudy weather conditions. Solar mobile charger can be very useful in the rural and urban areas where the supply of electricity is unpredictable or power grid is unreliable. Many experts have recommended that solar powered mobile chargers will be most successful in the rural area of Kenya. The chargers would come up with the reasonable prices which would be more affordable for the people who are living in the rural areas (Glowik Smycz ek, 2011). Demographic The most important demographic criteria include income, age, occupation and education. For the product NEWCO, people will be targeted with the average age of 20 to 46 years. The reason is that these target customers are willing to adopt new and innovative products. in the rural areas, most of the people are farmers so, for NEWCO, middle income level customers will be targeted. Behavioral factors The intentions and interest of the people are continuously increasing towards the sustainable technology. The product NEWCO will provide a convenience to the customers to charge the mobile phones by the solar power charger. The perceived vale and versatility of the product has ability to achieve mass appeal of the market. The attitudes of solar charger NEWCO wants to improve positive and sustainable solutions for all the mobile users (Schnaars, 2010). Analysis of market timings For the success of the product, it is important to focus on the market entry timing. For NEWCO, any time would be suitable to enter in the rural market of Kenya as the issue of electricity is permanent there. Along with this, there is no such competitor there which is providing this type of technology. So, NEWCO has advantage in this manner and it can enter in the market at any time (Lee, 2009). Team For the manufacturing of NEWCO, the design and engineering team is based on the county UK. There are skillful and talented people who are employed to sustain competitive advantage in terms of design innovations, cost efficiency and product. For designing the product NEWCO, it is important to have full time resource by recruiting designers and engineers. After spending budget on 2nd and 3rd year with the design and engineering process, freelancers will be recruited as company is going to redesign the model so that cost reduction can be achieved. Further, there is the sales and marketing team and various managers are recruited in Kenya for the marketing purpose. The marketing team is accountable for the marketing processes and ensures the effective and efficient sales drive and manages the sales force. Along with this, there is the fulltime staff also to manage the internal operations in the business (Drummond, Ensor Ashford, 2012). Financial In the financial part of NEWCO, it is observed that the financial part is divided for the various departments. The fund is distributed for the each business operation i.e. human resource, sales and marketing, product manufacturing and infrastructure and operations. These all expenses come under the fixed cost. It is analyzed that company has effectively distributed the fund into each departments. The upfront investment by the firm would build branding awareness. Firm has focused on the cost plus pricing analysis to analyze various costs in starting. The total cost per unit is decreasing due to decreased sales volume. NEWCO is new in the technology industry and it is assumed that the firm will meet the breakeven point in the second year. The balance sheet of the firm includes credit amounts and terms of suppliers in inventory as the short term liabilities (Toor Dhir, 2011). Firm has GAP model for the effective financial operations. Based on the cost analysis, firm has five year finan cial plan. It is observed that with the increase of the products, the fixed cost over the previous year would also will reduce dramatically because of the higher volume of product sold. Based on these assumptions, it is observed that the financial plan for NEWCO is realistic for the investors and they will gain good returns within next five years (Gruca Rego, 2009). Conclusion Due diligence is the process to review the business plan of a product or new project. For NEWCO, this report describes the due diligence of business model and analyzes whether it is profitable or not. Based on the above discussion, it is observed by the business model of NEWCO that this is the new project for those people who live in the rural areas of Kenya. People have to face challenges to charge their mobile phones due to the unreliability of electricity. Although the business model of NEWCO is quite impressive from the investors perspectives but there is the need to improve the model in terms of some factors. Based on the analysis and review, it is analyzed that this new project will be profitable for the investors but they will get the returns from the second year after the sale of the products. References Burns, P. (2014), New venture creation: a framework for entrepreneurial start-ups, USA: Palgrave Macmillan Drummond, G., Ensor, J. Ashford, R., (2012), Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control, (4th) London: Palgrave Macmillan Farahmand, N. F., (2011), Organizational marketing planning by management educated managers, African Journal of Marketing Management, 3(8), pp. 178-187 Fifield, P., (2012), Marketing strategy, (2nd), Berlin: Reed educational publishing Pvt Ltd Filet, E., (2013), Conceptualising Business Models: Definitions, Frameworks and Classifications: Journal of Business Models, 1 (1), 85-105. Gavrrilova, T., (2014), Modern Notation of Business Models: Visual Trend: Foresight-Russia. 8 (2). 567 Glowik, M. Smyczek, S., (2011), International Marketing Management: Strategies, Concepts and Cases in Europe, Page 301, (4th), New York: Physica-Verlag Gruca, T. S. Rego, L. L., (2009), Customer Satisfaction, Cash Flow and Shareholder Value, Journal of Marketing, 69, 11530 Hoskisson, R., (2009), Business strategy: theory and cases. (6th), UK: John Murray Joshi, A. W., (2009), Continuous supplier performance improvement: Effects of collaborative communication and control: Journal of Marketing, 73(1), 133150 Lee, G. K., (2009), Relevance of organizational capabilities and its dynamics: What to learn from entrants product portfolios about the determinants of entry timing? Strategic Management Journal, 29, 12571280 Lymbersky, C. (2009), Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in Market Entry Management, (5th) Australia: Christoph Lymbersky Marcer, D., (2012), Marketing strategy: the challenge of the external environment. (5th) London, Washington: Sage Publications Mason, H., (2015), Trend-Driven Innovation: Beat Accelerating Customer Expectations. John Wiley Sons Mouncey, P. Baker, S., (2009), The market researcher's manifesto. International Journal of Market Research, 45 (4), 415433 Payne, A., Holt, S., (2008), Diagnosing Customer Value: Integrating the Value Process and Relationship Marketing: British Journal of Management, 12 (2), pp 159 182 Schnaars, S., (2010), Marketing strategy: a customer-driven approach, (5th) Huntington, New York: Free Press Seshadri, S., (2009), Sourcing strategy: principles, policy, and designs, India: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd Teece, D. J., (2010), Business Models, Business Strategy and Innovation. Long Range Planning, 43, 172-194 Toor, T. P. Dhir, T. (2011), Benefits of integrated business planning, forecasting, and process management: Business Strategy Series, 275-288

Why You Should Go to #WCEU 2018 21 WordCamp-ers From Around the World Share Their Best #WCEU Experience

Have you ever wondered if its worth it to get out of your comfy home and head to WordCamp Europe? As regular attendees, weve been doing our best to spread the WordCamp Europe gospel with our recaps and interviews.But maybe our enthusiasm hasnt been enough to get you to buy your ticket. So we brought in backup! We asked 21 WordCamp Europe attendees for their best #WCEU experiences. Now, were going to share their responses with you.As youll see in a second, most of their experiences involve the awesome people they met and connections they made. After reading these stories, hopefully youll be one of those people in 2018. Bridget Willard: Attending WCEU last year in Paris was a huge step of courage for me personally and professionally. It was my first time leading a large-scale Contributor Day for the Marketing Team and my first international flight ever. And I went alone. As you know, with the WordPress Community, youre never quite alone. I was able to meet many folks who had been on the Marketing Team like Nagesh and Anil from India and I found a new best friend in Yvette Sonneveld, who is now a Marketing Team Rep.Not only that but I solidified relationships I had with my fellow Marketing Team Reps like Dwayne McDaniel and my best friend Jen Miller, both of whom spoke last year. I am looking forward to WCEU with great delight this year as Ive been learning Serbian and just booked my flight. Dovidjenja, WCEU.Alex Denning: The community! I love the extended opportunity to connect with the people I get to know remotely. Contributor days are the best manifestation of this: you get to work in the same place, on the same things, as some of the smartest and kindest people in the community 🙂Peter NemÄ ok: I think the best experience for me is meeting new people and getting to know them a little bit.Milana Cap: For me its very simple. Hugs! WordCamp Europe is large enough so that you can see all your WordPress friends from around the world people youve been online chatting and collaborating with for a whole year, people you still havent met, people you learn from.. And you get to hug em all. No matter how shy or introvert you are, youll take those hugs and return the following year for more. Hug you in Belgrade 😀Marius Vetrici: WordCamp Europe has always been the place for me to feel the community, to understand the power behind WordPress ecosystem and to reconnect to the latest trends and technology. Now, if I have to mention the number one experience, I would refer to the Community workshop at WordCamp Europe back in Sofia. That was the moment when I and a bunch of volunteers got the inspiration to start a local WordPress Meetup.Ever since, our Bucharest WordPress Meetup @wprobu has grown into a community with more than 1100 members and close to 40 monthly meetings at the time of writing. And thats very fulfilling, to know that you are paying it forward so that they could reap the benefits of WordPress as well, for their own good and for the good of the others.Caspar Hà ¼binger: My best experience at WCEU is always the same one: Its the one event throughout the year where I finally get to meet all the people Id love to meet at least once a month.Ivana Ćirković: The very best experience I take out of every WordCamp Europe is the people I meet and knowledge I gather throughout those 4-5 days. All that great energy that is around us, that positive vibe we share, as well as all the valuable information and connections with people. No matter if youre a volunteer, an attendee or a speaker each and every one gets to experience the openness of the event and WordPress community. It indeed is one of a kind event that welcomes everyone, which is why I warmly recommend to you to experience it, priceless!Marcel Bootsman: Since I was asked to join the organizing team for the first WordCamp Europe in Leiden, in 2013, I have met a lot of inspiring people, I have expanded my comfort zone and got to know more a bout the WordPress Community.The best experience I had was at WordCamp Europe 2013 in Leiden, where the team of remote organizers met, some for the first time, and it felt like we already knew each other for years. This has laid the base for me to do more community tasks, and I still enjoy that and I hope the community does too 🙂Nagesh Pai: The best experience I had at WordCamp Europe was being in the company of a community that has had such a positive impact on the world at large. It was good to meet them in person. The best feeling I remember is where I found myself as a global citizen among everyone, welcomed by all as though it was a large family without any boundaries of country, caste, religion or race. It was an awesome feeling indeed!Mathieu Sarrasin: From my experience so far, my take on how to have the greatest time at a WordCamp is to be a volunteer if not an organiser or speaker. This is how you get the closest to the heart of the event by being part of it and get to meet even more awesome people. The other volunteers, the organizers, the speakers, and even the attendees and sponsors become easier to approach when youre part of the team.WordCamp is not just about WordPress and talks, but it is first and foremost about the great people you meet and the awesome connections you make. I have an encouragement to everyone: Join the #WordPress community. Come for the software, stay for the people.Another quick tip is, if at all possible, arrange to arrive early (like a day or two prior to the actual event date) and leave late. Great times happen not only during the event, but also around it during informal gatherings and diners and at pubs and co-working spaces and of course you wouldnt want to miss the after party!Jenny Beaumont: Every year has had something new and wonderful to offer me since the very first event in Leiden back in 2013. The best experience has been becoming a part of it all, from attending, to speaking, to MCing and now to or ganizing for three years in a row.Taco Verdonschot: WordCamp Europe in Leiden in 2013 was my very first introduction to the WordPress community. In just three days, I met so many people, made friends for life and fell in love with the WP community. I had never before felt this welcome in any community. And to this day, my work as a community manager at Yoast is inspired by that experience.Sonja Leix: My favorite thing about organizing WordCamp Europe is, seeing our hard work pay off when it all comes together. You can feel the atmosphere and vibrancy of the community grow each year and were here to help provide the space for it.Michael Burridge: The first time that I experienced the energy, the vibrancy, and the buzz of WordCamp Europe was as an attendee at the 2016 event in Vienna. I immediately felt that I belonged and that these were my people. The wealth of knowledge and experience that was so readily and freely offered blew me away. This experience was reinforced the following year in Paris. Im delighted to be part of this amazing and friendly community and feel privileged that Im able to contribute a little to help organise the 2018 event in Belgrade.Lucijan Blagonic: The first WordCamp I visited was WordCamp Europe 2013 and it was a turning point for me. It helped me to better understand the core values of our open–source community and empowered me to start giving something back as well, by volunteering, speaking and even organizing these great events.Jen Miller: My best experience at WordCamp Europe revolves around the people. Last year I had the opportunity to speak at WCEU. It can be a bit intimidating to step on a large stage in front of a worldwide audience, however the organizing team and international community was extremely supportive and welcoming. I made quite a few friends and solidified business relationships from many countries through my attendance too. As founder of Women Who WP, I was amazed and inspired by the enthusiasm and cama raderie of the women I met and the community at large. Plus, sharing delicious meals and adventures with friends in the WordPress community is always a joy. Have you heard about their after party?I volunteer as a marketing rep on make.wordpress.org and look forward to attending Contributor Day at WCEU. Working together, across language and cultural barriers, in the common cause of WordPress at these events has enhanced my global perspective. I am grateful for every opportunity I have to work with this inclusive, supportive, international tech community. Attending WCEU furthered my ability to see the larger open source picture, which stretches beyond code and content, and taught me how I can better contribute, as well.Emanuel Blagonic: The best experience is the WordCamp Europe itself. WordCamp Europe sparked so many new communities all over Europe and this is simply amazing. And being part of the organizing team is just a bonus as you get to work with some of the most talented peopl e in the community – and this changes every year as new people come aboard. I can say that I learned so much being part of the team, not only professionally but personally too – as I found some very good (new) friends along the way.Letizia Barbi: I have attended the first WCEU in 2014, almost by chance. After that experience I immediately wanted to do my best to be part of the organising team, to make this event every year more special. Being part of WCEU is a great opportunity to learn, to grow (personally and professionally) and to be close to some amazing people!Luca Sartoni: I have been part of this project since the very beginning in Leiden in 2013. It helped me to become a better professional, a better member of the WordPress community, and overall, a better person. We have the chance to meet all the people our ecosystem impacts and we can help them to achieve their goals. Its a great experience for sure!Tess Coughlan-Allen: A particular experience that stood out to me was during a talk at WCEU 2017 in Paris when I realised just how much I was learning. The programme catered for everyone, it felt totally inclusive and I knew at that point I wanted to be a part of the organising team. It wasnt just during the talks when I learned from others, though. The people I met at WordCamp Europe were thoughtful, honest and open to sharing their experiences. Its a whirlpool of knowledge and its not one to miss.Alexandru PÄÆ'duraru: At first, I was a little bit reserved before participating, as our main products are not part of the WordPress space. So I told myself OK, lets go and see what people are doing there, maybe I can learn some new things and also can share my business knowledge.The overall experience turned out to be awesome. I thought most of the presentations would be 100% WordPress but it wasnt like that. Ive learned a lot of new things (from doing better customer support to optimising the working flows in a business), got some great books recommendations, and met a lot of interesting people. For someone who is outside of the WordPress world, this was a great experience and I will definitely participate again in the future. That sums up our #WCEU community roundup. After hearing these first-hand stories, we hope youre fired up to attend the next WordCamp in your area.And if youre already a regular attendee, wed love to hear about your own experience at WordCamp Europe throughout the years. Is there something memorable that youve been part of? If yes, please share it with us in the comments section below.You might also be interested in our post-event reports from the last two WordCamps: WCEU 2017 and WCEU 2016. If you want even more stories, here  is how the whole WCEU experience is seen through a volunteers eyes.See you in Belgrade!  Ã°Å¸ ¤â€œ Why you should go to #WCEU 2018. 21 attendees share their best #WordCamp Europe experiences...

The Most Influential Person in My Life Essay Example

The Most Influential Person in My Life Essay Example The Most Influential Person in My Life Essay The Most Influential Person in My Life Essay For each of us there is one person who has been made difference in our lives. A family member, a friend or a teacher can make the difference. Sometimes these changes become part of our lives and are not easy to forget. The person who has been influential in my life is my high school teacher. Ms. Polin a very helpful and generous person who did a big favor in my life. She helped me in my difficult time. She prepared me for my English Regents exam. She influenced my life in a positive way. One day after class was finished I spoke to Ms. Polin about getting low grades on my exam. I told her that I didn’t pass this Regents for the second time and I was unaware of the cause. I asked her if she could help me in her free time. Ms. Polin agreed to help me in her free time every Wednesday and Friday. She told me to buy Barron’s Regents preparation book. When I bought the book, she used to give me assignments and multiple-choice questions based on the reading. I used to do them as my homework and at our next meeting she used to check my work. She also had previous old Regents exams from which I used to do questions and essays based on the writing prompts. Ms. Polin taught me how each section of test worked and what were the grading criteria. She told me to memorize the key terms that would help me with my informative and persuasive essays. I used to practice essays at home until I felt that I was fully prepared. My parents and friends were also concerned that I was having problems passing my exam. I had moral and emotional support from both my parents and friends. Ms. Polin didn’t just help me; she encouraged me to think positively. I realized that I had taken this exam twice before and wasn’t able to pass it due to test anxiety. I always used to have negative feelings that I would not pass my exam and wouldn’t be graduating with my classmates. To prevent anxiety I learned to relax during my exam. During this time I was very depressed and thought nothing would work for me. Ms. Polin really influenced me by encouraging me to think confidently. She gave me strength to think that I could really do well if I worked hard. Nothing is impossible in life; if you work hard you can make it possible. When I was fully prepared I took the exam in January 2003. The test was fair and I did well on it. While taking the test I remembered my parent’s and Ms. Polin’s words. My parents told me not to be anxious during the exam; everything will be okay. Ms. Polin said Qurat â€Å"I hope for your best and I know you will do it†. My hard work and Ms. Polin’s help led me do it. Everyone was really happy, my parents, my friends and especially my teacher. I am still carrying those memories and words along with me when I am about to take a test. I know I need to believe in myself, trust my abilities and work hard. She has changed my way of thinking when it comes to challenges. For each of us there is one person who has made difference in our lives; my life was influenced by my teacher. Ms. Polin will always be remembered no matter what I become in future. From this experience I have learned that a teacher like Ms. Polin is always willing to help their students if they ask for it. This experience suggests helping others in their hard times. I have also learned to have confidence in myself and realize if I put my mind into something I can do anything.

Analetical paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analetical paper - Essay Example Additionally, this analytical essay aims at weighing both the strengths and faultiness of such policies in terms of ensuring that immigrants are under a proper health care from the government. In this aspect, the paper intends to analyze the various techniques the government is using to serve such persons. For example, the use of appropriate language in addressing the immigrants i.e. by using translators, equality of service in all health care facilities to enhance both race relations and patriotism. Furthermore, these health care services should aim at upholding the respective culture of immigrants. The government should also seek the opinion of immigrants about the health care services they offer and respond timely to their feedbacks (Simich, 2009). In as much as the government is investing significantly in the health care system thus positively affecting the lives of its citizens, their efforts often end up unnoticed in certain groups within the country’s population, especially among the marginalized. Marginalized groups consist of individuals who are underprivileged in the society such as African-Americans and immigrants. Marginalization, therefore, is the process of exclusion, prevention, or even ignoring certain persons from attaining equal education, finding a job, enjoying social services such as housing and health care privileges, and integrating as equal members of the society. This discrimination is always done on an economic or political perspective to render such persons powerless before the state (Barusch, 2008). On this aspect, marginalized groups are people affected by the marginalization situation, in terms services and unequal representation in the society. Thus, in our case, I have decided to critically, analyze immigrants, in America and the health care services they receive from the government. Several reasons lie behind the situation faced by immigrants. For instance,

College admission - why my rank dropped (2 to 31) and my GPA dropped Essay

College admission - why my rank dropped (2 to 31) and my GPA dropped from 4.0+ to 3.7 - change of school - Essay Example ore, I learned advanced scientific concepts in "Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology†, â€Å"Scientific Inquiries - Chemistry", â€Å"Scientific Inquiries - Physics", â€Å"Methods in Scientific Inquiry†, and â€Å"Mathematical Investigations III & IV†. IMSA classes are rigorous college preparatory courses (AP), with all classes being taught at the honors level. Unfortunately, I had to transfer to my home school on Dec 5 2012, 5 days before the completion of first semester of junior year at IMSA due to health reasons. According to IMSA policy, I could not get credit for the rigorous college preparatory courses, since I did not complete the semester. Moreover, Glenbard South could not transfer credits for courses taken at IMSA during 3 months (Aug -Dec). I had to study the Glenbard South syllabus on my own and complete it in 3 weeks’ time, which was overwhelmingly challenging. I completed first semester syllabus in AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Literature, and Composition in record 3 weeks’ time. Self-study, limited time, and difficulty of curriculum limited my scoring in the subjects to B+. This affected my GPA such that I dropped from rank 3 to rank 31 in a batch of 317 students. Additionally, Glenbard South did not have the equivalent advanced curriculum course titles to match courses taken at IMSA in sophomore year, which affected my GPA further. Therefore, my class rank and GPA calculated is not the appropriate reflection of Honors Course Curriculum, I had taken at IMSA. However, I derive satisfaction from the fact that I secured admission in one of the most competitive public high school and studied advanced curriculum that helped me prepare for the college. My SAT scores reflect my great potential since I managed to score 730 in Chemistry, 800 in Mathematics and 700 in English. I therefore believe that I have a greater potential than my GPA reflects. Given the chance, I can demonstrate that I am indeed a perfect candidate for Ivy League

Literature review on depressive disorders

Literature review on depressive disorders Depression is one of the most prevailing medical disorders. Depression has been recognized as a distinct pathological entity from early Egyptian times (Reus, 2000). Depression is the most common psychiatric disorders. Each year, more than 100 million people worldwide develop clinical depression (Bjornlund, 2010). During a lifetime, it is estimated that between 8% and 20% of the general population will experience at least one clinically significant episode of depression (Kessler et al., 1994). Major depression causes the fourth-highest burden of disease among all medical diseases. It is expected to rise to second place, preceded only by cardiovascular disease by 2020 (Thompson, 2007). Depressive disorder has significant potential morbidity and mortality. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in persons aged 20-35 years. Depressive disorder is a major factor in around 50% of these deaths (Semple et al., 2005). A suicide attempt among patients with major depressive disorder is associated with the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. Lack of partner, previous suicide attempts and time spent in depression are risk factors of suicide attempts. Reducing the time of depression is a likely preventive measure of suicide (Sokero et al., 2005). Depression is a medically significant condition that needs to be diagnosed and properly treated. It is a severe disorder, tend to recur, and it costs the individual and society (Stefanis Stefanis, 2002). Epidemiology of Depressive Disorders Prevalence and Incidence Studies show substantial variability in the lifetime rates of depression. Lifetime rates are ranging from under 5 percent to 30 percent, but it is widely accepted that the lifetime prevalence is between 10 percent and 20 percent. The 6-month prevalence rate is considered to be between 2 percent and 5 percent based on surveys in several countries (Young et al., 2010). A cross- sectional WHO world health survey carried out in 60 countries covering all regions of the world showed a 1-year prevalence of depressive episode of 3.2 percent, with a 95 percent confidence interval of 3.0 percent to 3.5 percent (Moussavi et al., 2007). The life time prevalence of depression for adults varied from 3 percent in Japan to 16.9 percent in the US, with most countries in the range between 8 percent and 12 percent (Andrade et al., 2003). The prevalence of major depressive disorder is estimated to be about 2 percent in children (Birmaher et al., 1996). Estimates of the point prevalence of MDD in adolescence is range from 0.4 percent to 8.3 percent. Lifetime prevalence rates across adolescence range is from 15 percent to 20 percent (Roberts Bishop, 2005). In Dubai the prevalence of depressive disorders were 13.7% among women mostly neurotic depression (Ghubash et al., 1992). About 12-20% of persons experiencing an acute episode develop a chronic depressive syndrome, and up to 15% of patients who have depression for more than one month commit suicide (Reus, 2000). Risk Factors Genetics There is now substantial evidence that the genetic factors are of major importance as risk factors for vulnerability to major depression. Traditional estimates have put the heritability about 40 % (Joyce, 2003). Genetic influences are most marked in patients with more severe forms of depressive disorder and biological symptoms. The morbid risk in first-degree relatives is increased in all studies. This elevation is independent of the effects of environment or upbringing. In fewer severe forms of depression, genetic factors are fewer significant and environmental factors relatively more important (Souery et al., 1997). Gender Major depressive disorder is the twofold greater prevalence in women than in men independent of country or culture. The reasons for the difference are hypothesized to involve hormonal differences, the effects of childbirth, and differing on psychosocial stressors for women and for men (Sadock Sadock, 2007). Age Major depressive disorder occurs in all cultures and affects all age groups. Depression is common in Childhood and late adult. The mean age of onset is generally in the 30s (Dunner, 2008). Early-onset depression is associated with a higher female to a male ratio than late-onset depression. The incidence of major depressive disorder in old age is lower in both sexes. However, first incidence and prevalence of minor depressive disorder shows the opposite trend (Rihmer Angst, 2009). Personality In younger people, mild depression tends to affect anxious or dependent personalities with poor tolerance of stress. Severe depressive illness in middle age tends to affect hard-working, conventional people with high standards and obsessional traits. Obsessional personalities can find it, particularly difficult to adapt to stress or life changes, as in work or relationships, and this can come out as depression (Gill, 2007). Childhood experiences Early theorizing suggested that the loss of a parent in childhood increased the later risk for major depression. However, many studies have examined this issue; they have inconsistently found it to be a risk factor for adult depression (Tennant, 1988). Childhood sexual abuse has been established as a risk factor for adult major depression (Joyce, 2003). Marital status Rates of depressive illness is lower in the married man than in the single, widowed, or divorced. The protective effects of marriage are less marked in women. Young married women with children have high rates of depression; single women have low rates (Gill, 2007). However, those in a poor marriage with deficient intimacy are at increased risk of depression (Weissman, 1987). Social classes and occupation People of low socio-economic status (i.e. low levels of income, employment, and education) are at higher risk of depression (Semple et al., 2005). While job satisfaction can enhance mental well-being, the workplace can also be a source of stress and depression. However, the consequences of unemployment probably have far changed on mental health. The economic hardship to the unemployed and their families with depression due to long-term unemployment hindering job seeking and re-employment chances, exacerbated by loss of confidence and perceived loss of skills (Strandh, 2001). Depression is more common in urban than a rural district (Gill, 2007). Physical illness Having a chronic or severe physical illness is associated with an increased risk for depression. This suggests that the stress associated with a serious or chronic physical illness may act by bringing out an individuals lifetime vulnerability to depression (Joyce, 2003). Etiology of Depressive Disorders The etiology of major depressive disorder is unknown (Dunner, 2008). Multiple etiologic factors genetic, biochemical, psychodynamics, and socio-environmental may interact in complex ways to cause major depressive disorder (Loosen Shelton, 2011). GENETIC MODELS OF DEPRESSION There is evidence to suggest a genetic basis for the major depression disorder. Occurrences of major depressive episodes are clearly cluster in families. This degree of increased risk is about three to five times that of the normal population. Twin and adoption study is consistent with a genetic contribution to major depressive disorders. However, studies suggest that other factors also are important (Schiffer, 2008). Actually, it is the tendency to become depressed in response to life events that are inherited (Hirschfield Weissman, 2002). Moreover, family and twin studies show a clear genetic component of life events themselves (Kendler Karkowski, 1997). ENDOCRINE MODELS OF DEPRESSION Neuroendocrine abnormalities that reflect the neurovegetative signs and symptoms of depression include: first, increased cortisol and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) secretion, second, an increase in adrenal size, third, a decreased inhibitory response of glucocorticoids to dexamethasone, and fourth, a blunted response of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level to infusion of thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH). Antidepressant treatment leads to normalization of these pituitary-adrenal abnormalities (Reus, 2008). Thyroid hormone may potentiate both the speed and the efficacy of antidepressant medication (Altshuler et al., 2001). Furthermore, there also evidence that patient resistant to other treatments may respond to addition of thyroid hormone (Joffe Marriott, 2000). NEUROCHEMICAL MODELS OF DEPRESSION The most famous hypotheses generated to account for the actual mechanism of the mood disorder focus on regulatory disturbances in the monoamine neurotransmitter systems, particularly that involving norepinephrine and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine). It has also been hypothesized that depression is associated with an alteration in the acetylcholine-adrenergic balance and characterized by a relative cholinergic dominance. In addition, there are suggestions that dopamine is functionally decreased in some cases of major depression. Original reports suggesting that patients with endogenous depression experienced either decreased noradrenergic or serotonergic activity now appear to be overly simplistic. All the monoamine neurotransmitter systems are interrelated and subject to compensatory adaptation to perturbation over time (Reus, 2000). CELLULAR MODELS OF DEPRESSION Most current hypotheses of neurotransmitter function in altered mood states have focused on changes in receptor sensitivity and second messenger systems. With a few exceptions long-term antidepressant treatment is associated with reduced postsynaptic ÃŽÂ ²-adrenergic receptor sensitivity and enhanced postsynaptic serotonergic and cyclic adenosine monophosphate activity (Reus, 2000). A number of intracellular changes which involve alterations in cellular second messenger systems and ion channels are postulated to occur in depression. Intracellular changes may involve changes in guanine triphosphate binding proteins, G-proteins on the receptor, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) regulation, reduced protein kinase activity and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Antidepressants as well as ECT increase BDNF and BDNF have been found to increase functioning of serotonin (Kay Tasman, 2006). NEUROIMAGING MODELS OF DEPRESSION Recent rapid advances in neuroimaging methodology have attempted to relate the phenomenological abnormalities seen in depression to changes in brain structure and function (Fu et al., 2003). There is increasing evidence that depression may be associated with structural brain pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed decreased volume in cortical regions, particularly the frontal cortex, but also in subcortical structures, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, caudate, and putamen (Sheline Minyun, 2002). The most widely replicated Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning (PET) finding in depression is decreased anterior brain metabolism, which is generally more pronounced on the left side. In addition, increased glucose metabolism has been observed in several limbic regions (Thase, 2009). Neuroimaging has also helped in the further investigation of the neurochemical deficits in depression. The largest study to date using PET found a marked global reduction in brain 5-HT2 receptor binding (22-27%) in various regions (Sheline Minyun, 2002). There is an increasing literature using neuroimaging to understand suicidality, particularly in depression. Mann (2005) cites several imaging studies suggesting decreased serotonin function in suicidal individuals and decreased activity in associated areas of the dorsal system involved in emotion regulation, such as the anterior cingulate. A number of regions more speci ¬Ã‚ c to suicidality are also highlighted, particularly those that seem to be involved in impulsivity and aggression, such as the right lateral temporal cortex, right frontopolar cortex, and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (Goethals et al., 2005). This literature has as well found structural abnormalities in relevant regions of the dorsal system, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex, which has speci ¬Ã‚ cally been linked to potential decision making de ¬Ã‚ cits that could lead to suicidality. Thus, such data potentially suggest clinically important subtype differentiation in brain function for this sym ptom (Ingram, 2009). PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS Stressful life events more often precede first, rather than subsequent, episodes of mood disorders. Some clinicians believe that life events play the primary or principal role in depression; others suggest that life events have only a limited role in the onset and timing of depression. Data indicate that the life event sometimes associated with development of depression is losing a parent before age 11. The loss of a spouse is the environmental stressor most often associated with the onset of an episode of depression. Another risk factor is unemployment; persons out of work are three times more likely to report symptoms of an episode of major depression than those who are employed (Sadock Sadock, 2007). PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES OF DEPRESSION Psychoanalytic theory as postulated by both Freud and Abraham emphasized the connection between mourning and melancholia. The melancholic patient experiences a loss of self esteem with associated helplessness, prominent guilt and self deprecation. According to the theory, these symptoms result from internally directed anger or aggression turned against the self, leading to a depressive experience (Kay Tasman, 2006). Melanie Klein understood depression as involving the expression of aggression toward loved ones. Edward Bibring regarded depression as a phenomenon that sets in when a person becomes aware of the discrepancy between extraordinarily high ideals and the inability to meet those goals. Edith Jacobson saw the state of depression as similar to a powerless, helpless child victimized by a tormenting parent. Silvano Arieti observed that many depressed people have lived their lives for someone else (a principle, an ideal, or an institution, as well as an individual) rather than for themselves. Heinz Kohuts conceptualization of depression, derived from his self-psychological theory, rests on the assumption that the developing self has specific needs that must be met by parents to give the child a positive sense of self-esteem and self-cohesion. When others do not meet these needs, there is a massive loss of self-esteem that presents as depression. John Bowlby believed that damaged early attachments and traumatic separation in childhood predispose to depression. Adult losses are said to revive the traumatic childhood loss and so precipitate adult depressive episodes (Sadock Sadock, 2007). Interpersonal Theory (IPT) Interpersonal theory focuses on difficulties in current interpersonal functioning. In IPT, depression is held to relate to one or more of four functional areas: grief, interpersonal role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits. In IPT, the reciprocal relationship between ones mood and interpersonal events is investigated. Stressful life events may overwhelm coping ability and produce a depressed mood, which then contributes to ongoing interpersonal difficulties. Once this relationship is identified, modifying it becomes the focus of treatment (Grunze et al., 2008). THE COGNITIVE MODEL Cognitive theories of depression hypothesize that particular negative ways of thinking increase individuals probability of developing and maintaining depression when they experience stressful life events. According to these theories, individuals that possess specific maladaptive cognitive patterns are vulnerable to depression because they tend to develop negative information processing about themselves and their experiences (Sanderson McGinn, 2001). Behavioral Models Martin Seligman developed the theory of learned helplessness as he was searching for an animal model of depression. In this formulation, individuals in stressful situations in which they are unable to prevent or alter an aversive stimulus (i.e., physical or psychic pain) withdraw and make no further attempts to escape even when opportunities to improve the situation become available (Reus, 2000). Clinical Features of Depressive Disorders Depressed mood is the most characteristic symptom, occurring in over 90% of patients. The patient usually describes himself or herself as feeling sad, low, empty, hopeless, gloomy, or down in the dumps. The physician often observes changes in the patients posture, speech, faces, dress, and grooming consistent with the patients self-report. A small percentage of patients does not report a depressed mood, usually referred to as masked depression. Similarly, some children and adolescents do not exhibit a sad demeanor, presenting instead as irritable or odd (Loose Shelton, 2008). Anhedonia manifests with a lack of interest in formerly pleasurable activities; sports and hobbies, etc. no longer arouse patients, and if they force themselves to partake, they take no pleasure in such activities. Libido is routinely lost and there is no pleasure in sexual activity (Moore, 2008). Depressed individuals frequently report cognitive changes that include impaired attention, concentration, and decision making (Woo Keatinge, 2008). Sleep may be increased or decreased. Insomnia is one of the major manifestations of depressive illness and is characterized more by multiple awakenings, especially in the early hours of the morning than by difficulty falling asleep. Young depressive patients, especially those with bipolar tendencies, typically complain of hypersomnia, sleeping as long as 12 to 15 hours a day. Obviously, such patients will have difficulty getting up in the morning. Although decreased sexual desire occurs in both men and women, women are more likely to complain of infrequent menses or cessation of menses. Decrease or loss of libido in men often results in erectile failure (Dunner, 2008). Appetite can be decreased or increased with or without weight loss or gain; the most typical pattern is a decrease in appetite with weight loss (Faravelli et al., 2005). Psychomotor disturbances include, on the one hand, agitation and on the other, retardation. Agitation, usually accompanied by anxiety, irritability and restlessness, is a common symptom of depression. In contrast, retardation, manifested as slowing of bodily movements, mask-like facial expression, lengthening of reaction time to stimuli, increased speech paucity. The extreme form of retardation is an inability to move or to be mentally and emotionally activated (stupor) (Stefanis Stefanis, 2002). The attitude and outlook of these patients may become profoundly negative and pessimistic. They have no hope for themselves or for the future. Self-esteem sinks and the workings of conscience become prominent. Patients see themselves as worthless, as having never done anything of value. Rather they see their sins multiply before them (Moore Jefferson, 2004). Suicidal ideation is almost always present. At times this may be merely passive and patients may wish aloud that they might die of some disease or accident. Conversely, it may be active, and patients may consider hanging or shooting themselves, jumping from bridges, or overdosing on their medications. Often the risk of suicide greatest as patients begin to recover. Still seeing themselves worthless and hopeless sinners, these patients, now with some relief from fatigue, may find themselves with enough energy to carry out their suicidal plans. The overall suicide rate in major depressive disorder is about 4 percent; among those with depressive episodes severe enough to prompt hospitalization, however, the rate rises to about 9 percent (Moore, 2008). Up to 15 percent of untreated or unsatisfactorily treated patients give up hope of ever recovering and kill themselves (Akiskal, 2009). Proximal risk factors for suicide include agitation, current suicidal intent or plan, severe depression and/or anhedonia, instability (e.g., alcohol abuse or decline in health), recent loss, and availability of a lethal agent. Distal risk factors include a current suicidal intent with a plan, personal or family history of suicide, aggressive or impulsive behavioral pattern, poor response to treatment for depression, poor treatment alliance, a history of abuse or trauma, and/or substance or alcohol abuse (Hawton Harriss, 2007). Paranoid symptoms can occur among patients with major depression. There are usually exaggerated ideas of reference associated with notions of worthlessness. Characteristic delusions of patients with depression are those of a hypochondriacal or nihilistic type. Hallucinations may also occur in major depression. These commonly involve accusatory voices or visions of deceased relatives associated with feelings of guilt (North Yutzy, 2010). Adolescent-onset depression often takes on a more chronic course associated with dysthymic symptoms. In adolescence, MDD appears to be associated with greater fatigue, worthlessness and more prominent vegetative signs. The sequelae of depression in children and adolescents are sometimes characterized by disruption in school performance, social withdrawal, increased behavioral disruption and substance abuse (Kay Tasman, 2006). Among the elderly, agitation and hypochondriacal concerns are common, and indeed the patient may deny feeling depressed at all. Memory and concentration may be so impaired in demented elderly. In the past, this has been called a pseudodementia, presumably to distinguish it from other kinds of dementia. However, a better, more recent term is dementia syndrome of depression (Moore Jefferson, 2004). Elderly people are more likely than younger adults to have a depressive illness that goes undetected and thus untreated, which may contribute to the high risk of suicide among older patients. The suicide rate of this population is higher than for any other age group, and the attempts are serious: One out of four succeeds, compared with one out of two hundred for young adults (Bjornlund, 2010). Diagnosis and Classification of Depressive Disorders Depression conceives a variety of psychic and somatic syndromes, and the diagnosis is derived from diligent clinical observation (Grunze et al., 2008). Depression as a term in popular use is mostly considered to be synonymous with low mood or grief. Depression mental (and medical) disorder, however, is different, and besides low mood, is characterized by a variety of additional symptoms (Grunze et al., 2008). Depressive disorders are defined by clinically derived standard diagnostic criteria of emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and somatic symptoms, and associated with functional impairment. They are assessed through structured clinical interviews and observation. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-10; World Health Organization, 1992) use the same criteria to diagnose depressive disorders in children, adolescents, and adults (Roberts Bishop, 2005). The term affect usually refers to the outward and changeable manifestation of a persons emotional tone, whereas mood is a more enduring emotional orientation that colors the persons psychology (American Psychiatric Association, 1984). Subtypes of Depressive Disorders: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) According to DSM-IV-TR, a major depressive disorder occurs without a history of a manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode. A major depressive episode must last at least 2 weeks. Typically, a person with a diagnosis of a major depressive episode also experiences at least four symptoms from a list that includes changes in appetite and weight, changes in sleep and activity, lack of energy, feelings of guilt, problems thinking and making decisions, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide (Sadock Sadock, 2007). Table 1.1.1 shows DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depressive episode. Unipolar and Bipolar Depression When a person develops an episode of mania they are conventionally identified as suffering from bipolar disorder. Patients with depressive episodes only are diagnosed as having unipolar depression (Baldwin Birtwistle, 2002). Melancholic Depression Individuals with melancholic depression experience a loss of pleasure in all or almost all activities or are nonreactive to usually pleasurable activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In addition, according to the DSM-IV-TR, the individual must display three or more symptoms from a list of six, such as worsening depression in the morning, early morning awakening, significant weight loss or anorexia, and the perception that ones mood is qualitatively different from that experienced in other contexts. Melancholic depression is considered a severe form of affective illness (Woo Keatinge, 2008). Self-belittlement, an exaggerated sense of guilt, a feeling that life is pointless and that one has failed in everything are very often accompanied by severe recurrent suicidal thoughts and thoughts about death. However, the risk of suicide usually first becomes prominent when the patient is in the process of improvement and the psychomotor inhibition decreases while, at the same time, expectations about the capacity to cope with the psychosocial situation are still very negative (Wasserman, 2001). Table 1.1.1 DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depressive episode Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations. depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood. markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains. insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide The symptoms do not meet criteria for a mixed episode. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism). The symptoms are not better accounted for by bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one. The symptoms persist for longer than two months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation. Source. Reprinted from American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000. Masked Depression About 50% of major depressive episodes are unrecognized because depressed mood is less obvious than other symptoms of the disorder. Alexithymia, or inability to express emotions in words, can focus a patients attention on physical symptoms of depression, such as insomnia, low energy, and difficulty concentrating, without any awareness of feeling depressed. Common masked presentations of major depression include marital and family conflicts, absenteeism from work, poor school performance, social withdrawal, loss of a sense of humor, and lack of motivation (Joska Stein, 2008). Seasonal depression Seasonal depression is a condition in which depressed mood accompanied by lethargy, excessive sleep, increased appetite, and irritability recurs each winter. It was believed to respond exclusively to light treatment. However, recent studies indicate it can be just as effectively managed with standard methods of treatment, such as medication (Gill, 2007). Psychotic Depression The term psychotic depression (or delusional depression) refers to a major depressive episode accompanied by psychotic features (i.e., delusions and/or hallucinations). Most studies report that 16%-54% of depressed patients have psychotic symptoms. Delusions occur without hallucinations in one-half to two-thirds of the adults with psychotic depression, whereas hallucinations are unaccompanied by delusions in 3%-25% of patients. Half of all psychotically depressed patients experience more than one kind of delusion (Dubovsky Thomas, 1992). Dysthymic Disorder Dysthymia refers to symptoms of mild depression, which have persisted for at least two years. Symptoms fluctuate more than in major depression, and they are typical including insomnia, lack of appetite, or poor concentration (Bech, 2003). Double Depression Double depression characterized by the development of MDD superimposed upon a mild, chronic dysthymic disorder (DD). Individuals with double depression often demonstrate poor interepisode recovery. Furthermore, 25% of the depressed individuals manifest double depression (First Tasman, 2006). Table 1.1.2 shows DSM-IV-TR criteria for dysthymic disorder. Table 1.1.2 DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for dysthymic disorder Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated either by subjective account or observation by others, for at least 2 years. Note: In children and adolescents, mood can be irritable and duration must be at least 1 year. Presence, while depressed, of two (or more) of the following: poor appetite or overeating insomnia or hypersomnia low energy or fatigue low self-esteem poor concentration or difficulty making decisions feelings of hopelessness

Gulliver’s Travels Essay

Swift wrote ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ to be read by the literate higher classes of the British society, he did this because he hoped that the higher class people would have the higher ranked jobs in the government and could change Britain. In chapter 6 Gulliver gave a long detailed, description of Britain’s History and the way in which it had been ruled in Swift’s time, the king was ‘perfectly astonished with the historical account’ Gulliver gave him. The king tried to protest that the affairs of Britain during the last century were ‘only a heap of conspiracies, rebellions, murders, massacres, banishments, faction, cruelty, rage, madness, hatred or ambition could produce. ‘ All of these are negative points about England which clearly shows Swift’s dislike of the country. Swift uses the King’s response to make his point even clearer; this allows Swift to show his disgust of British society without stating that he himself said it; this offended many people. Another aspect of British society which Swift was very interested in was the physical human body and its functions. The public in the 18th century found the human body embarrassing, including things such as sanitation, which is perhaps why swift satirised it to show his unusual, for his time, interest in such things. Swift however was disgusted by bodily functions and he showed his disgust by using the differences for Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag. In Lilliput, where Gulliver was the large person, the empress was disgusted when she looked up at Gulliver walking over her but in Brobdingnag Gulliver was in horror with the maids breastfeeding the child, ‘I must confess no ever object ever disgusted me so much as the sight of her monstrous breast’ and ‘It stood six feet, and could not be less than sixteen in circumference. The nipple was about the half the bigness of my head. ‘ These are both examples of Swift’s hatred for human body parts because both of the descriptions for them are all negative. A second example of Swift’s interest in bodily functions is in Lilliput when Gulliver urinates on the Empress’ palace to save her from the fire, the ironic thing about this is that although Gulliver saved the Empress’ life from the fire he was later banished from the country for displaying such an act in front of the Empress. This is perhaps another satirical point from Swift mocking the English culture, maybe Swift feels like it’s unfair that even if you do something heroic, such as saving a royal family member, you can be convicted because of the method you used. Swift also satirises women and how vain they were, such as Chapter 5 in Brobdingnag ‘They would often strip me naked and lay me at full length in their bosoms; wherewith I was much disgusted; because, to say the truth, a very offensive smell came from their skins’ This is an example of Swift suggesting that women of his time were an illusion of physical beauty and that they weren’t as beautiful as was thought. Swift suggests that people often smelt hence why they used perfumes to cover the smell. Swift later states ‘I found their natural smell was much more supportable than when they used perfumes’, Swift was disgusted with how vain women were by using perfumes to try to impress the males, He could also be satirising how men wanted women to act like this. 18th century England was very different compared with modern day fashions, in the 18th century women tended to cover skin more compared to now where the fashion is to show as much skin as possible. So when Swift wrote in chapter 5 about the maids ‘stripping to the skin’ while Gulliver was in their presence, this would have been a preposterous thought for people of the 18th century even more than it would be now. Swift loved to satirise this because it was something that fascinated, it also makes us laugh in a childish way and would therefore keep us reading. From reading â€Å"Gulliver’s Travels† it is clear that Swift had a very strong dislike of the culture and government of Britain and showed his disgust by satirising them using literature. Satire is a rude way of getting your point across often ridiculing something and will offend many people. When Swift wrote ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ he said ‘he wanted to vex the world and intended to make people angry by holding a mirror up to English society’. Swift wrote ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ as a satirical book but wasn’t sure how the British public would take it, so he first published it under the name Lemuel Gulliver, which makes it sound even more like a travelogue. Swift using Lilliput and Brobdingnag ridiculed Britain and offended the majority of the population, so when the public found out that Swift was the author of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, he felt he could no longer work in Britain, so he left the country and went to live in Ireland. Bibliography – ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ by Jonathan Swift Word Count: 2,247 Ben Dewsnip 19th May 08 10co Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our  GCSE Jonathan Swift  section.

Assess the View That Cults and Sects Are Only Fringe Organisations That Are Inevitably Short Lived and of Little Influence in Contemporary Society Essay

It can be argued that cults and sects are only fringe organisations that are inevitably short lived and of little influence in contemporary society, however some may have views to contrast this idea. A sect is an organization, which usually breaks off from an established religion, which finds itself in disagreement with beliefs and values of wider society and refuses to tolerate the beliefs of others. Although the desire to be a member is voluntary, as oppose to being born into, like religion, sects are rejected by society and claim strong obligation and commitment by its members. A sect is an extremely narrow-minded organisation, which is often led by a charismatic leader. Whereas, in contrast, a cult does not progress from a mainstream religion and does not reject or challenge societal norms. However, as tolerant of other beliefs as they are, they still attract a great deal of negative press, for example brainwashing. Members in a cult are usually more like customers than followers. An example of a cult is Heavens gate, which is a destructive doomsday cult, centered in California. There is a mass of supporting evidence that cults and sects are short lived and insignificant to wider society. Nevertheless, it must be maintained that the matter is complex as there are many sects and cults, which identify themselves differently. There is evidence to support this view of a short-lived nature of sects. This is due to many reasons. World rejecting sects, due to their nature and succeeding societal rejection and stigma of bad press, must be able to compromise with society and becoming a denomination and therefore cease to be a sect, if this is not done then the sect will die out. There is also an argument that sects cannot have a great deal of affect upon society over a long term period as they cannot survive past the charismatic leader’s lifetime and therefore sustain themselves over more than one generation. The American theologian Niebuhr theorises that another reason for transience of sects is that they rarely live past the 1st generation because the 2nd generation usually lacks the belief of the 1st. In this way, their membership dwindles as the 2nd generation chooses to leave the sect and hold other views in wider society. However Wilson disagrees with Neibuhrs view and says that he overates his case and chooses to not pay attention to groups who did preserve a ‘ distinct sectarian stance’. Similarly, evidence proves to discredit the belief that a sect fails to live on past their leader’s death. For example, The Mormons have continued for many generations and also the Amish- however this could be attributed to the protective ‘isolation-like’ in which they live. There is also a possibility that the Moonies surviving is due to the leader preparing for his son to take over his position as the charismatic leader after his death, however this is yet to be seen. Cults have seen a large incline in their number recently and because they are more accepting of wider society and despite receiving bad press, offer a practical solution to peoples’ issues and wishes, seem less likely to die out due to refusal and disapproval. They are also financially rather stable, the Church of Scientology for example has an estimated income of over  £200m per year. This is down to the consumer attitude of cults. There is also a mass of evidence for their importance in society in a sense that audience cults have a mass market of ‘self help therapy’ there are many books available for example, tarot reading, crystals and reflexology regularly appear on the best seller list and often more room is devoted to these books rather than Christianity books themselves. The view that cults are fringe movements is less supported than that for sects. Sects very infrequently continue on as sects but cults such as scientology are not only prosperous but also have a huge celebrity following trend; admired by the public for example Tom Cruise. There is also evidence that sects and cults can be of great influence to society – though it is debatable as to whether or not that is possible today in a society as apparently secular as ours. Weber suggests in his Theodicy of Disprivilege that because they offer a solution to problems: justification and explanation for life and its problems, to marginalised groups such as dropouts or ethnic minorities, world rejecting sects that offer status appeal to people. An example of this is Liberation Theology which was for the poorer people which had great influence upon the priorities of the Catholic Church in Latin America (though it has become more conservative, it continues to represent human rights and democracy). Bruce argues that it is not a religion and is instead a shallow, meaningless thing. Due to the elements of choice it offers, the choice about which bits to believe and whether to take its readings into account, it does not require commitment. This he argues prevents it having religious status. Post Modernists see it as being spiritual shopping: it is part of a consumerist culture. Despite not necessarily being a religion, there is lots of evidence to show that it has influenced society as a whole and, some sociologists would claim, aided secularisation. There is also evidence to show that it is unlikely to be particularly short lived as it fits in so well with our Capitalist, consumerist society and our individualistic values and is so profitable. Therefore, though there is strong evidence to show that sects and cults are ‘fringe organisations’, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that neither are short lived in themselves either through the Sectarian cycle or demand and supply (though sects tend to become denominations) and also to suggest that the influence of sects and cults on society is greater than expected; though the influence of sects and cults is exemplified by older examples and so one cannot be sure as to how successful they will be in today’s society, except in regards to specific sects and cults. In conclusion, the view that cults, sects are fringe organisations that are inevitably short-lived and of little influence in modern-day society, is on the whole not wholly correct but has some strength in that the permanency of all is arguable as is their status as fringe organisations.

Primary Source Analysis on The Feminine Mystique

Potter 1 Rebecca Potter Gray Section 4975 12 May 2015 Primary Source Analysis on The Feminine Mystique The Feminine Mystique is the title of a book written by Betty Friedan who has also founded The National Organization for Women (NOW) to help US women gain equal rights. She describes the Feminine Mystique as the heightened awareness of the expectations of women and how each woman has to fit a certain role as a little girl, an uneducated and unemployed teenager, and finally as a wife and mother who is happy to clean the house and cook things all day. After World War II, a lot of womens organizations began to appear with the goal of bringing the issues of equal rights into the limelight. The Feminine Mystique also seems to come†¦show more content†¦Friedan also notes that this is helped along by the fact that many of the women who work during the war filling jobs previously filled by men faced dismissal, discrimination, or hostility when the men returned, and that educators blame over-educated, career-focused mothers for the m aladjustment of soldiers in World War II. Yet as Friedan shows, later studies find that overbearing mothers, not careerists, are the ones who raised maladjusted children. It is interesting to apply the notion of the feminine mystique to modern culture and see that it often still exists. Though there are many women who are getting jobs, there are still a lot of families that fit the mold of the traditional family with the breadwinner and the bread baker with bunch of kids running around. Some counterarguments that could be made against The Feminine Mystique are that it focuses on what was not a universal female problem but rather a problem endured only by white, upper- and middle-class mothers and wives. Friedans phrase, the problem that has no name,†(15) could actually refer to the plight of a select group of college-educated, middle- and upper-class, married white women or housewives bored with leisure, with the home, with children, with buying products, who want more out of life. Friedan concludes her first chapter by stating: We can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: I want something more than my husband and my children and my house.’†(32) That moreShow MoreRelatedRape Culture And Its Effect On Society2129 Words   |  9 Pagesthe origin of rape culture in 1970 and relate the stimulation of rape culture to how the societal definitions of rape required adherence to traditionally defined feminine roles and attitudes. 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