Benefits And Disadvantages Of Investing Savings Into An...

Whether you want to study a fresh ability, increase national alertness or bargain yourself some thinking time before making the move into work or further study, a gap year could be the answer. However, you must always take into consideration the currency and exchange rates amid pastures. Millions of alumni all throughout the planet are intriguing gap years, itinerant to objectives such as the United Kingdom, America and Europe for months on end. A gap year, a year often taken between high school and university, has risen in popularity by 20% since 2006 (Graph 1). Graph 1: Gap Year Interest Over Time Taking a break from studies and electing a Gap Year is a great idea; many believe that those who step off the academic â€Å"treadmill† after high†¦show more content†¦The chosen country to analyze throughout this article is the beautiful, Mediterranean land of Greece. Cost of living has dropped significantly over past years, making it a perfect location for a student to reside. The Cost of living in the Gold Coast (Australia) is 67% more expensive than in Athens (Greece) (Graph 2). For example, you would need pounds $5, 232, which calculated to $7,366, where as on the GC, in the Gold Coast to preserve the identical ordinary of living that you can have with pounds $3,125 in Athens. Graph 2: Athens Gold Coast Cost of Living The foreign conversation market, like maximum markets, is ambitious by the supply and demand, constantly called the SD model factor. In 2014, the total value of Greek distributes equalled 27,556 million euro, which justifications for approcixatley 15.1% of the Authentic Greece’s Gross Domestic Product, also known as GDP. Despite the fact that the economic crisis in Greece has continued this year, exports remain at the same levels as the previous year. Exports to the European Unuion (EU) extended to a relatively comfortable 46% during the financial year ened of 2014, boldly highlighting the extreme importance of Greek foreign trade to the EU. The main export partners are Turkey (12%) and the beautiful land of

Mao Free Essays

Twentieth century has brought many revolutions on the face of the world. The century have seen a list of dictatorships, some constructive and others destructive. Leader principle, has however, been recognized as a basis of dictatorship. We will write a custom essay sample on Mao or any similar topic only for you Order Now Chinese Revolution has been one of these mega revolutions of the twentieth century. The ultimate objective of the revolution was to bring China out of the ‘liberal bourgeoisie’, and the revolution was launched by the communist party under the supervison of great Mao Zedong. While discussiong the Chinese revolution, the great leap forward and the immediate infulence of the revlotuion, the role that Mao Zedong played as a leader cannot be ignored. Mao’s career examplifies the leader principle in a variety of styles. Being trained in a Chinese classics and later receiving the modern education, Zedong has deeeply observed the oppresive conditions of the society and aimed to nip the adversities in the bud. The reason behind the fact that people of China regard him as a symbol is his philosophy. The development of Maoist ideology was based on the foreign philosophical doctrines of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Mao, however, sinified Marxism in an attempt to ensure unrealistic future growth (Cheek, Timothy). Though, following the Marxist school of thought for the betterment of the economic structure of the country Mao’s belief of dictatorship has also some great influences on his career. Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun (Zedong Mao). This statement of Mao clearly mentions that, in order to bring a change in status quo, the importance of political power cannot be denied, and the political power lies in leader principle. Though Mao’s career has mostly been highlighted with reference to the great Chinese Revolution, but his efforts date from the foundation of Chinese Communist Party, then Mao during the Second World War, and of course the prominent figure of the Chinese Revolution. Mao’s personality following the leader principle during the Second World War has been highlighted mostly because of the policies of Chiang Kai Shek, the opposition leader who consumed all of his energies to fight the communists, instead of the invading Japanese forces. This gave a plus point to Mao in fact. After this Mao’s efforts to bring the economic equilibrium in the country with special reference to the Chinese Revolution, has emerged in the history as a milestone. Though the revolution has been aimed to nip the roots of socialism, and was certainly in the favor of masses, but it still faces some critiques. According to Timothy Cheek, The Great Leap Forward was a product of Mao’s utopian visions at the Beidaihe Conference in August 1958 (Cheek 160). The Great Leap Forward was in fact the ultimate outcome of Mao’s Marxist view. It resulted in the boost of industries on one hand pushing the production levels higher, but on the other hands the peasantry and the agriculture sector got neglected very badly, as most of the farmers and the peasants left the occupation and started making steel. Cheek further says that ‘people simply believed in Mao’ (Cheek xiv). This statement of Cheek is of contradictory nature. On one hand it gives an impression that, the policies of Mao have been much attractive for the people, and on the other hand it may reflect the essence of dictatorship, where by people have no other option. The twenty seven years of rule made Mao a different image in the history, combination of achievements and a bit flaws. One more important element in the career of Mao Zedong was the personality cult in 1968. This gave Mao the ultimate political power and according to some researches, he sent his disloyal official to the country side to work in the labour camps. In the same time Zedong ordered to the young intellectuals to move to the countryside in order to educate the masses at villages. This effort of Zedong has largely been appreciated among the Chinese and that is the reason they gave him a God-like status. The young intellectuals though ordered to move to the villages, were allowed to get back to the cities later. The Cultural Revolution, people’s access to criticize the social and cultural institutions, and the economic and the political development in China has largely been associated with Zedong’s principle leadership. His thought became the central operative guide for the people of China; they ignored the traditional art and ideas while praising his efforts. Though being so much praised, there are some other views as well. Cheek at one place says ‘Jiang and David Ashley purport that Mao’s revolutionary achievements allowed him to continue to command immense respect (Cheek, xiv). This may be true to some extent, but in general, if a leader moulds the society and the economy in a more productive way with a specific acceleration, the respect among masses is the only and biggest reward for him. Mao’s career entitled with a long list of achievements has not only led him to have the respect and a God like status, but to have his name as a great leader of the history as well. It’s reported that, on Mao’s death people have been found crying on the streets. Some experts rate Mao’s era with 70% success and 30% failure. So 70% success is not bad at all. And the leader leading the nation towards this success if given the God-like status is not a command respect in my opinion. Mao’s era entitled with the social and economic achievements, though criticized to a limited extent, makes him the best leader in the history of China. And while comparing the other dictatorships in the world during the twentieth century, he’s been the most respected and successful one. Â   Work Cited: 1- Cheek, Timothy. [2002] (2002). Mao Zedong and China’s Revolutions: A Brief History with Documents. Palgrave Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0312294298 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   How to cite Mao, Essay examples

The Forever Within the Rugged Leather free essay sample

I believe in stability. I believe in the lace-bound black leather with metal zippers and a thick, chunky heel kind of stability. The kind that is my two-footed foundation. The kind that provides me with confidence as I march down the halls, hearing that click-clack of comfort. I believe in combat boots. A few years ago, these wonderful shoes had not yet entered my life. Instead, the floral and the pink reeked of my innocence, purity, and ignorance. I became unbalanced. Sadness slowly creeped onto me as my beloved friend’s unhappiness infected mine. They began to battle their broken heart, or their parent’s divorce, or their depression, or some other hardship. And I promised myself I would save them; it was my job to save them. And drowning myself in their pain was my greatest mistake. The impossible task beat me and my tear-stained cheeks marked each day that had passed with me as a prisoner of their sadness. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forever Within the Rugged Leather or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It changed them and in turn, changed me. I was ashamed and embarrassed of my bright clothing as the cheery colors worn on my skin wasn’t me anymore. I wasn’t the same happy innocent girl anymore. Energy was sparse, smiling was exhausting and panic attacks became more frequent. My world felt like it was spinning out of focus and falling apart and some days it seemed like hardly anyone noticed or even cared. So on the hot September day when I found my bad-ass combat boots, I felt exhilarated. They were the most beautiful things I ever saw and I knew instantly they were exactly what I was searching for. They were strong, fierce, and sturdy and I would have paid anything for a chance to wear those shoes. They became a powerful symbol in my life, although I didn’t realize it at the time. Now, sure, to anyone else they were just a cute pair of boots, but to me they were more than that. Those shoes represented exactly what I wasn’t and everything I ever dreamed to be. The combat boots provided me with stability at a time when nothing else could. They gave me confidence, courage, steadiness, security, and safety. I felt stronger in those shoes. I relied on those shoes. Any night I cried or had a nerve-wracking test or presentation that day, I’d be wearing those shoes. Whenever I felt insignificant and small, those shoes gave me an extra two inches. They were there for me, as much as a pair of shoes could be and I owe them so much. It’s the smallest things in life we rely on and it’s those very things that we admire most. It does not have to be much, but every person wants a constant, wants something to fall back on. Something strong and durable, that can last as long as it is needed. These combat boots are my security, my foundation, my rock , my stability, and what I still hope to this day becomes my forever. These gorgeously fierce leather high- heeled combat boots remind me of the person I want to be: someone strong and reliable for those who also struggle in keeping their two feet planted.

Why study Art an Example by

Why study Art? Since high school, I have had a desire to pursue art; disciplines of my immense interest which not only enable me understand the forces behind socio-economic, political, legal, and environmental happenings but also offer a practical way of relating these factors to the day to day live activities. First, I made my decision to study arts in order to fulfill my dreams and acquire more knowledge that would enable me correlate my imaginations with the history of human existence and how man attempts to adjust to the ever changing world in quest for better life, security and social order (teachers, 2008) Need essay sample on "Why study Art?" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Secondly my decision was based on the desire to experience and get more insight on the multifaceted human cultural diversity and their roles in the contemporary society. My decision was also guided by the awareness that Art would enable me develop specific academic traits that are crucial in my quest to fully understand human behavior as exhibited in various scenarios and the deep pertinent issues that are essential, not only in understanding life, but in living fully (teachers, 2008). My journey into the world of art was also guide by the abstractness of the discipline where one freely expresses his/her opinion on a given subject and is not necessarily tied to a given established formulae of making inferences. In the study of art, one uses critique, images, movements, and songs to form an opinion and attempt to explain the sate of affairs, the causative agents and also offer viable alternatives solutions to a situation. Lastly, I had desire to specialize in a filed that would enable me employ my skills in empowering my peer and members of my society hence the decision to begin the journey that would eventually lead me to further studies in community arts. Art is therefore not only enjoyable to me but also allows me think critically and creatively. Reference Teachers. (2008) Art Page. Retrieved February 3, 2009.

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree From Drying Out

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree From Drying Out Whether you buy your Christmas tree from a lot or hike deep into the woods to cut your own, youll need to keep it fresh if you want it to last the holiday season. Maintaining your evergreen will ensure that it looks its best and prevent potential safety hazards. It will also make cleanup easier when Christmas is over and its time to say goodbye to the tree. Select a Long-Lasting Tree Consider the kind of tree you want. Most  fresh cut trees, if properly cared for (using the steps below), should last at least five weeks before completely drying out. Some species hold their moisture content longer than others. The  trees  that retain moisture the longest are the Fraser fir, Noble fir, and Douglas fir. The Eastern red cedar and Atlantic white cedar rapidly lose moisture and should be used only for a week or two. 'Refresh' Your Tree If youre buying a tree from a lot, odds are the evergreen was harvested days or weeks earlier and has already begun drying out. When  a tree is harvested, the sliced trunk oozes with pitch,  sealing  the transport cells that provide water to the needles. You will need to refresh  your Christmas  tree and open up the clogged cells so that the tree can deliver appropriate moisture to the foliage. Using a tree saw, make a straight cut along the bottom of the trunk- taking at least one inch off the original harvest cut- and immediately place the new cut in water. This will improve water uptake once the tree is on its stand. Even if your tree is freshly cut, you should still place the base in a bucket of water until youre ready to bring it inside. Use the Proper Stand The average Christmas tree is about six to seven feet tall and has a trunk diameter of four to six inches. A standard tree stand should be able to accommodate it. Trees are thirsty and can absorb a gallon of water a day, so look for a stand that holds 1 to 1.5 gallons. Water the new tree until water uptake stops and continue to maintain the level of the stands full mark. Keep the water at that mark through the season. There are dozens of Christmas tree stands for sale, ranging from basic metal models that sell for about $15 to elaborate self-leveling plastic units that cost more than $100. How much you choose to spend will depend on your budget, the size of your tree, and how much effort you want to put into making sure your tree is straight and stable. Keep Your Tree Hydrated Always keep the base of your tree submerged in regular tap water. When the stands water remains topped-up, the tree cut will not form a resinous clot over the cut end and the tree will be able to absorb water and retain moisture. You dont need to add anything to the tree water, say tree experts, such as commercially prepared mixes, aspirin, sugar, or other additives. Research has shown that plain water will keep a tree fresh. To make watering your tree easier, consider buying a funnel and a three- to  four-foot  tube. Slip the tube over the funnel outlet, extend the tubing down into the tree stand, and water without bending over or disturbing the tree skirt. Hide this system in an out-of-the-way part of the tree. Practice Safety Keeping your tree fresh does more than maintain its appearance. Its also a good way to prevent fires caused by strings of tree lights or other electric decorations. Maintain all electric accessories on and around the tree. Check for worn Christmas tree light  electrical cords and always unplug the complete system at night. Remember that miniature lights produce less heat than large lights and reduce the drying effect on the tree, which lessens the chance of starting a  fire. Additional safety tips are available from the National Fire Prevention Association. Dispose of Your Tree Properly Take the tree down before it dries completely and becomes a fire hazard. A tree that is totally dry will have brittle greenish gray needles. Be sure to remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and other decor before taking down the tree. Many municipalities have laws dictating how to dispose of a tree; you may have to bag the tree for curbside disposal or drop it off for recycling. Check your citys website for details.

How to Read a Meniscus in Lab Measurements

How to Read a Meniscus in Lab Measurements The meniscus is the curve seen at the top of a liquid in response to its container. The meniscus can be either concave or convex, depending on the surface tension of the liquid and adhesion to the wall of the container. A concave meniscus occurs when the molecules of the liquid are more strongly attracted to the container than to each other. The liquid appears to stick to the edge of the container. Most liquids, including water, present a concave meniscus. A convex meniscus (sometimes called a backwards meniscus) is produced when the molecules of the liquid are more strongly attracted to each other than to the container. A good example of this shape of meniscus may be seen with mercury in a glass container. In some cases, the meniscus appears flat (e.g., water in some plastics). This makes taking measurements easy! How to Take Measurements With a Meniscus When you read a scale on the side of a container with a meniscus, such as a graduated cylinder or volumetric flask, its important that the measurement accounts for the meniscus. Measure so that the line you are reading is even with the center of the meniscus. For water and most liquids, this is the bottom of the meniscus. For mercury, take the measurement from the top of the meniscus. In either case, you are measuring based on the center of the meniscus. For a flat meniscus, make sure the liquid is level. Usually placing the container on a lab bench does the trick. You wont be able to take an accurate reading looking up at the liquid level or down into it. Get eye-level with the meniscus. You can either pick up the glassware to bring it up to your level or else bend down to take measurements in situations where youre concerned with dropping the container or spilling its contents. Use the same method to take measurements each time so that any errors you make will be consistent. Fun Fact: The word meniscus comes from the Greek word for crescent. This makes good sense, considering the shape of a meniscus. In case youre wondering, the plural of meniscus is menisci!

Victimless Crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Victimless Crimes - Essay Example A good example of this train of thought is taken from a Speech at Cornell Law School One needs to completely rid oneself of the voracity for cash to see that prostitution, although legalized, can never be a legitimate business because it will always be associated with crime, corruption, class, mass sexual exploitation and human trafficking." Most commonly the list of activities and conduct proscribed by most repressive legal structures include, prostitution, obscenity, nudity, and incest, erotica (pornography), and sodomy (consensual oral or anal sexual activity). The philosophical basis of this dichotomy of views is profound. To the libertarian side the individual and his or her rights are paramount. Its absolutist position is presented right clearly in the National Platform of the Libertarian Party (adopted at its July 2002 convention in Indianapolis, Indiana) "http://www.lp.org/issues/platform/victcrim.html", which includes, in regards to consensual sexual activity, the language: Victimless Crimes - Because only actions that infringe on the rights of others can properly be termed crimes, we favor the repeal of all federal, state, and local laws creating 'crimes' without victims. In particular, we advocate: the repeal of all laws regarding consensual sexual relations, including prostitution and solicitation, and the cessation of state oppression and harassment of homosexual men and women, that they, at last, be accorded their full rights as individuals; the repeal of all laws regulating or prohibiting the possession, use, sale, production, or distribution of sexually explicit material, independent of "socially redeeming value" or compliance with "community standards Prohibition Curiously enough the prohibitionist side can count under its banner two groups that we might ordinarily considered to be at odds, upholders of traditional religious morality and insurgent feminist ideologues. It is within the categorical dichotomy between these two viewpoints that we must examine to discover a reasonable reply to the primary question given. In our society the traditionalist view posits the society as paramount, the entity calling for the most dignity, respect and consideration. In this way the argument goes a loosening of sexual restrictions will lead to the destruction of traditional marriage and the unleashing upon society of hordes of unattached males who, as everyone knows, are only interested in "one thing". It is particularly in regards to the question of prostitution that this idea is most prominent. The reasoning goes like this: why would a man stay with support and protect a single woman, with all the disadvantages that such behavior entails when he could be free to follow his instincts and enjoy himself without consequence. This viewpoint goes further to claim that the family structure is the primary bulwark of society itself, and therefore prostitution should be prohibited. The feminist take on this approach is a question from and

Dessert cafe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dessert cafe - Essay Example There are a lot of dessert cafes in Australia and these cafes offer some of the world’s greatest dessert items. The demand for dessert products is seen not only in sweet toothed customers but also others who occasionally opt for something sweet after their meals. The curiosity of trying something new along with the need for sweet food items pushes the people to want to taste the innovative products produced in these cafes. They are incredibly a feast to the eyes and taste even better than they look. Possessing this kind of a combination of looks and taste, such a thing is difficult to be resisted. Sweet items like chocolate and ice-cream are said to change the moods of a human, that is, turn an upset person into a happy go lucky. Desserts have an ability to console the souls of people through their sense of taste. So when these items are consumed when a person is in a really good mood, then there is no doubt that he would experience heaven right here on earth. Although a lot o f eating healthy trends have arisen, desserts have not lost their prominence in the lifestyle of people. When such trends arise, desserts undergo more innovation and integrate more nutrients that make it healthier. Even people who are health-conscious and those who go to gym prefer desserts once in a while if not frequently. Desserts have special powers in them that make customers stick to them and the people just cannot seem to get enough. This helplessness to resist dessert items of the people is exploited by dessert cafes in Australia such as Chocolate By The Bald Man, Spats and Capers. Chocolate which is an all time favorite of children would definitely lure in all the small chocolate lovers right through the doors of this cafà ©. Chocolate is also an element that remains best loved among most grown ups. With their preference to chocolate backed with the novelty of the products offered, the people are sure to treat themselves to the delicious desserts offered in this

Digital Radio Rebanding Essay Example for Free

Digital Radio Rebanding Essay In this paper we have talked about the urgent need of introducing more Emergency communication RF frequencies. The reason for needing more frequencies are twofold firstly the frequencies already allocated are much less than needed and secondly all these frequencies needed upgrade the . We have also included frequencies currently used for emergency networks. We have talked about a scenario where the equipment upgrade became necessary when the emergency support system was changed to a different frequency. Later in the paper we have recommended using new digital technologies such as software defined radio, cognitive radio and 802. 11 Adhoc networks for stronger , secure, high data rate and reliable communication. Introduction As the world is moving ahead the need for radio and wireless communication cannot be denied. This importance becomes more evident in emergency conditions and times . Several frequencies from the electromagnetic spectrum are allocated for emergency time communication by the governments and agencies around the world. One such agency is FCC who is responsible for assigning different frequency bands/ There are some specific frequencies that are the designated for the communication in emergency, a table of such allocated frequencies are presented here. The problem is this that these frequencies are being used for other purposes by the hobbyist etc for communication or other type of data transfer at other times and accessing these in the time of emergencies becomes difficult. The aircraft emergency frequency is a set of frequencies used on the aircraft radio band reserved for emergency communications for aircraft in distress. The frequencies are 121. 5 MHz for civilian, also known as International Air Distress (IAD) and 243. 0 MHz for military use, also known as Military Air Distress (MAD). Both of these frequenices are used on the international level. Digital Radio Rebanding It is a well know fact that Electromagnetic spectrum is a limited source hence the whole electromagnetic spectra has been dived to be used for specific purposes, one of such specific purpose is to use Radio frequency based communication in time of emergency. Several specific bands are allocate for this purpose but it has recently been felt that these bands do not provide the required frequencies and modern digital radio will also not be able to perform well in these bands. (Silva, 2001). Since these frequencies are limited these also become crowded at those times of emergency when a lot of people are communicating for rescue and providing help. i. e in the case of a major disaster several aid agencies and organizations approach that place, they use similar equipment and find themselves unable to communicate. Therefore it is a dire need to increase the number of these allocated frequencies only designated to be used for emergency purposes. At several times in the past the required emergency band were found to be occupied and the users were asked to quit using those frequencies o n that period. One of the outstanding examples is of NOAA satellites which has got its frequencies changed in February 2009 and now it can only receive signals from the 406 MHz frequency beacons. It should be noted that NOAA satellite was crucial in saving at least 283 people worldwide. The older emergency beacons, operating on the 121. 5 and 243 MHz frequencies, will no longer be detected. This is one of the main ressons why all the equipment on the ground that they use needs to be upgraded. Events where the emergency systems failed In the recent history during several disaster the need for ditial radio rebranding has been felt. The three major events have high importance in this regard. During Hurricane Katrina, the emergency frequencies were found to be inadequate and were not able to cope up with the requirements. The emergency spectrum was very crowded and more people were found trying to access the channel than the spectrum could possibly accommodate. Emergency communication systems failed on the disastrous event of 9/11 and caused the people working in those agencies to evaluate their system performance. The Indian Ocean Tsunami that occurred in 2004 and caused approximately 350,000 deaths and many more injuries. There could be much less deaths if the emergency communication could be on digital equipment and more spectrums dedicated. Digital Radio Analog systems, which are predominantly existent in today’s emergency communication, are cheaper but digital systems present much more efficient, better performance, and greater flexibility. For the public security radio communication has been used as a primary means of communication for several organizations including police but there are slight improvement in the methods used to transfer information. This lack of innovation over time has lead to the overcrowding of current systems and the need to find new and better methods to communicate in that medium. Recent tragic disaster raised concerns about the existing public safety emergency communications and their inability to accommodate a large number of users for a short time is serious problematic. These currently systems failed to offer the kind of rescue help as it was thought earlier. With the implementation of digital technology the allocated frequency band would allow for the increased use of the spectrum. Current frequencies and added new frequencies that would better allow many agencies to communicate with limited problems when compared to current operational models. Unfortunately more focus is there on improving day to day communication because they yield more business but serious concerns are there and which need to be addressed as several analog based systems failed to be effective in emergency communication. Recommendations By analyzing the situation we can easily say that the reserved frequencies used for emergency communication are much less than what are needed. Hence more frequencies are needed for emergency communication bands, FCC and other frequency allocated organizations need to ponder greatly on this aspect. Also it should also be made sure that nobody except the authorized users use those frequencies hence in the case of any emergency, the communication could be established in no time. We have also found that the analog radio communication is inefficient therefore radio digital broadcasting is necessary in the times of emergency and agencies already working such It is also imperative for the agencies involved in emergency operation to have all their equipment based on digital radio. It is one in which all the communications is done using digital modulation techniques: here we would talk about some of the recent advancement in digital radio technology which has increased the reuse of frequcnices with better transfer of data, voice and video both. Software defined Radio is one of the very promising technologies and will prove to be one of the major developments in the field of RF communication. If SDR , as it is called , is introduced in emergency communication equipment data communications, voice communications, video communications, would all be made possible in much better ways for the emergency response communications. ( Kenington, 2005) SDR is usually a collection of hardware and software technologies in which a few of the radio’s operating functions such as physical layer processing are implemented through reconfigurable software which is burned into the different programmable processors. The SDR has now been seen to be implemented using field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), digital signal processors (DSP), general purpose processors (GPP), embedded systems or other specific programmable processors. With software defined radio new technologies can easily be built to existing radio systems without requiring new hardware. (Reed, 2002) In reality the Software defined radio (SDR) technology brings flexibility and cost efficiency and will be very helpful in the long run for the emergency radio rebranding takes place as no matter what frequencies are assigned; only tweaking the software would enable the communications. Cognitive radio technology Cognitive radio can be implemented specially for the emergency needed communication because this promising technology would accommodate many more users than the usual analog or digital communication methods. (Arslan, 2007) Recent studies demonstrated that dynamic spectrum access can improve spectrum utilization significantly by allowing secondary unlicensed users to dynamically share the spectrum that is not used by the primary licensed user. Cognitive radio was proposed to promote the spectrum utilization by opportunistic exploiting the existences of spectrum holes. ( Fette, 2009) Other Technologies Few recent technologies such as WiMAX (802. 16) might be deployed in conjunction with traditional communication modes to enhance the data rate so that images from the disastrous area might be transferred to remote areas. One other technology that is taking shape these days is 802. 11 adhoc sensor networks which might also be deployed in remote areas so that if any one needs rescue they could be helped. The adhoc networks are recently introduced technology and might prove to be very useful. Today the rescue teams are capable to do much more for the people in need and in emergency conditions based on the information they have but for this they need detailed information in the form of pictures videos and detailed maps, The legacy analog radio systems are unable to support high data rates nor are cable of handling simultaneously. Conclusion: We conclude from this study that not only the frequencies assigned are less than the required, considering the events where these frequencies were exhausted and also the equipment in use is also needs to be based on Digital Radio. If the new frequencies are acquired it has also been found out that the equipment becomes useless so both of these needs to be achieved for a better RF emergency communications. References Silva, E. D. (2001), High Frequency and Microwave Engineering . Newnes Kenington, P. (2005) Rf And Baseband Techniques for Software Defined Radio. Artech House Publishers Arslan,H. (2007) Cognitive Radio, Software Defined Radio, and Adaptive Wireless Systems . Springer Fette,B. A. (2009)Cognitive Radio Technology, Second Edition. Academic Press Reed, J. H. (2002) Software Radio: A Modern Approach to Radio Engineering. Prentice Hall PTR

The Tlingit and Grizzly Bear House-Partition Screen :: Essays Papers

The Tlingit and Grizzly Bear House-Partition Screen The region of the northwest coast was blessed with an abundance of natural recourses for human existence and made it possible for the area to thrive. As a result of this unusual abundance, the area could sustain large populations and a complex social order for many Indian groups. Because of the level of sustainability, the cultures had more time for artistic and intellectual activities and endeavors and over time, art became very important and vital to the complex social structures of the groups of the northwest coast. One such group, the Tlingit, used art to create and portray its rights, privileges, and talents inherited to them and became symbols of tribal importance. As they lived in extended family tribal canoe houses, they used art to decorate and empower their tribe in their social structures and often commissioned elaborate artwork in order to create jealousy within the groups. Because the Tlingit culture believed that they were all descendants of animals, the subject matter of most Tlingit art is a highly stylized representation of their ancestor animal. Though religious belief was integrated into Tlingit artwork, it remained an iconographic representation of a tribe’s lineage serving many roles such as power and protection. The Grizzly bear house partition screen is one such example of important, symbolic Tlingit art. The partition screens were used both symbolically as well as served as a dividing screen for the chief separating his living quarters from the rest of his tribal house. This example is made in an unusually grand scale of 15 x 8 feet and is carved in bold low relief from cedar and was later painted. It artistically and symbolically represents Chief Shakes extended family’s origin, the grizzly bear, with smaller heads of the bear making up other parts of its body such as the eyes, ears, chest, as well as many other sections of the piece. The smaller heads create a highly symmetrical design within the piece as well as further symbolize the important image of the bear. Carved out of the reproductive area of the bear is the doorway for the chief, additionally creating an important symbolic representation of their chief being birthed from the grizzly bear every time he enters and lea ves his sacred quarters. This work exhibits mostly all the characteristics cited by Stockstad as it provided background information into understanding the Tlingit culture and their beliefs.

Human †Meaning of life Essay

?I really have to give credit for my religion & beliefs for my search on the meaning of life. I’m a fully baptized Catholic, and a part of God’s Church. 17 years of being a Catholic and in search of the meaning of life, I have always thought it is about the Call to Holiness. My religion taught me that being a part of God’s Church is no accident, but because God wanted to share in His own blessed life, and in doing so He wanted me to desire & serve Him freely by following His will. And by following his will, God will grant me eternal happiness which will lead to my salvation. All Catholics knew that God sent His son, Jesus, to set an example for us. Jesus showed the perfect example & answered the call to Holiness. He showed us that we should love our neighbors as God showed His love for us; and that is what the Call to Holiness is. In search for the true meaning of life, it will take plenty of years, but for now I plan to stick with what my religion has taught me. Carl Rogers Carl Rogers emphasized & focused on self-actualization. He believed that a person should develop his/her potential to the fullest, and in good condition. In doing so, the environment of a person should be inherently good. A person will only stop developing if constraints block the development. A fully developed person shows that he/she achieved the highest level of being a right & fully-functioning human being. Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi, which means â€Å"great soul,† was an ideologist during the Independent movement of India from the British. As an ideological leader he believed violence should never be an answer to fight for his people’s rights, and should never take discrimination. He also believed that harmony, truth & equality exists between all religions. With these 2 influential personas, I have noticed similarities between them. They both talk about human beings having a common good inside of them. They emphasized that all humans were born good, but because of destructive environment, they tend to turn their backs on what is right. Sources: http://www. simplypsychology. org/carl-rogers. html http://www. ask. com/question/what-were-gandhi-s-beliefs.

Pharmacophore development for identification of anti-lung cancer drugs Essay

Lung cancer is one particular type of cancer that is more deadly and common than any other. Lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery depending on the type of lung cancer and the stage of the disease. Focusing on the drugs used for chemotherapy and their associated side effects, there is a need to design and develop new anti-lung cancer drugs with lesser side effects and improved efficacy. Pharmacophore model proves to be a very helpful tool serving in the designing and development of new lead compounds. In this paper, pharmacophore of 10 novel anti-lung cancer compounds has been identified and validated for the first time. Using LigandScout the pharmacophore features were predicted and 3D pharmacophore have been extracted via VMD software. A training set data was collected from literature and the proposed model was applied to the training set whereby validating and verifying their similar activity as that of the most active compounds. Therefore they could be recommended for further studies. Key words: Pharmacophore, anti-lung cancer drugs, Computer aided drug designing, LigandScout, VMD INTRODUCTION Lung cancer is known to have a high fatality rate among males and females and takes more lives each year as compared to colon, prostate, ovarian and breast cancers (1).Lung cancer is classified into two main types namely Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) of which NSCLC accounts for about 80% cases and SCLC accounts for 10-15% among all other types of lung cancers (2). Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a worldwide leading cause of death (3). The surgical resections are not applicable when first diagnosed as NSCLC is usually in an advanced stage. The patient may have a possibility of prolonging survival with chemotherapy (4). Chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC is often considered excessively toxic. However, meta-analyses have demonstrated that as compared with supportive care, chemotherapy results in a small improvement in survival in patients with advanced NSCLC (5). *Corresponding author. Email:drhamid@jinnah.edu.pk Abbreviations: HBA, hydrogen-bond acceptor, HBD, hydrogen-bond donor, NSCLC, Non-small cell lung cancer, SCLC, Small Cell Lung Cancer, EGFR Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. Drugs developed for cancer are single agents although for the maximum advantage they need to be used in recipe with other drugs or therapeutic agents. Initial candidate chemicals or â€Å"leads†, are often recognized and tested for single agents that change cancer-cell proliferation or prolong survival. This led to the identification of most of the clinically active cancer drugs used today. Specific leads then must be further optimized and assessed to characterize their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and evident toxic effects. Clinical evaluation is performed by trails in humans to identify a maximum tolerated dose, define severe toxic effects, and estimate bioactivity. These trails are time consuming and expensive (6). Pharmacophore is the initial step towards understanding the interaction between a receptor and a ligand. Pharmacophore was often postulated as the â€Å"essence† of the structure-activity knowledge they had gained(7).Today’s researcher task is to interpret the binding of anatomically varied molecules at a common receptor site. To generate common feature pharmacophore from the set of compounds active for certain receptor, the characteristics necessary for binding receptor in a generalized way(8). The understanding of the common properties of binding group is vital for the determination of the type of inhibitor binding the target. Pharmacophore model is very convenient for attaining this goal. Surface of the cell are the regions where the ligand-receptor and receptor-receptor interaction occur. The process undergo Sequential levels of activity starts initially  from the cell surface and then moves towards the intracellular signaling pathways, then gene transcription which corresponds to cellular responses. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was initially identified as an abnormally activated or mutated form which leads to a number of other abnormalities in the signaling pathway and hence leads to the formation of tumor (9). In our research, a 3D pharmacophore model was developed in order to promote the discovery of precise and effective EGFR inhibitor for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The compounds used in this study have been characterized as reported in reference papers. In order to correlate experimental and computational studies we used their bioactivity data. MATERIALS AND METHODS The work was initiated using LigandScout software. LigandScout is a tool for deriving the 3D from structural data of ligand complexes more speedily and evidently in a completely automated and expedient way. It offers flawless workflow both from ligand and structure based pharmacophore modeling (10). LigandScout is thought to be an essential software tool for structure based drug designing, it is not only beneficial for carrying out analysis of binding sites but also for alignment based on pharmacophore and the designing of shared feature pharmacophores. LigandScout runs freely on all common operating systems. Till  date  a  number  of  successful  application  examples  have  been  carried out and standpublished (11). The very important and the very first step in pharmacophore model generation is the selection of data set compounds.  A  number  of  drugs have been reported that are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer which include Platinol(generic name: cisplatin)( 12),carboplatin, Taxotere(generic name: docetaxel), Gemzar(generic name: gemcitabine) ,Taxol(generic name: paclitaxel) , Almita(generic name: pemetrexed), Avastin(generic name: Bevacizumab), Xalkori(generic name: Crizotinib), Navelbine(generic name: vinorelbine , Iressa(generic name: Gefitinib) and Terceva(generic name: Erlotinib) (13)( 14)( 15). The two dimensional (2D) chemical structures of the compounds were drawn using ChemDraw Ultra (8.0) and the structures were saved as .Pdb files. Subsequently the 2D structures as shown below ( Figure 1) in the form of Pdb files were imported into LigandScout and converted into corresponding 3D pharmacophore structures. Cisplatin Pemetrexed Docetaxel Bevacizumab Viblastine Carboplatin Gemcitabine Crizotinib Gefitinib Paclitaxel Vinorelbine Erlotinib Hydrochloride Figure 1. 2D structures of selected data set of anti non small lung cancer The pharmacophoric features include H-bond donor, H-bond acceptor, Hydrophobic, aromatic, positively and negatively ionizable groups (16).The pharmacophore for each compound was generated and the distances among the pharmacophoric features were calculated using VMD software. VMD is designed not only for modeling, visualization, and analysis of biological systems such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipid bilayer assemblies but it may also be used to view more general molecules, as VMD can read standard Protein Data Bank (PDB) files and display the contained structure with their features. A number of application examples have been published to date (17). Once the pharmacophore of all the compounds were identified, the ligand was then super imposed so the pharmacophore elements overlap and a common template i-e the pharmacophore model is identified. The training set consisting of four compounds was collected from literature and it was found that the groups show enhanced and similar activity as that of the most active compounds based on the 3D pharmacophore being generated for non small lung cancer. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Pharmacophore analysis is considered as an fundamental part of drug design. The pharmacophore generated by LigandScout for the selected data set of anti  non small cell lung cancer showed three main features i-e H-bond acceptor(blue vectors), H-bond donor(blue vectors) and aromatic rings(yellow spheres).The representative pharacophores of each compound are shown in Figures 2,3,4 and 5 Figure 2. A pharmacophore of Pemetrexed (Alimta ®) The pharmacophoric features for each compound on the whole are shown in Table 1.The pharmacophores of all the compounds were then matched and a unique pharmacophore was identified after a detailed analysis. Figure 3 . A pharmacophore of Bevacizumab Figure 4 . A pharmacophore of Gemcitabine (Gemzar ®) On the whole, the representative pharmacophoric features for each compound are shown in Table 2.Resembling features were identified after analyzing the pharmacophore of all compounds generated by LigandScout. Then the similar features of all the compounds were superimposed and merged into single pharmacophore. The uniquely identified pharmacophoric features are shown in Table 3. Figure 5. A pharmacophore of Gefitinib Our common featured pharmacophore predicted for three compound of anti non small lung cancer is based on three HBAs, six HBDs and four aromatic centers. The distance triangle measured between the common pharmacophore features of each compound using VMD is shown in Table 4.The distance ranges from minimum to maximum and have measured between the HBA and HBD,HBA and aromatic ring and HBD and aromatic ring. Table 1. Pharmacophoric features of each compound Compounds H-Bond Donor H-Bond Acceptor Aromatic Centre Paclitaxel + + + Pemetrexed + + + Bevacizumab + + + Carboplatin + + + Crizotinib + + + Erlotinib Hydrocholride + + + Gefitinib + + + Gemcitabine + + + Methotrexate + + + The distances among the common pharmacophoric features between the predicted pharmacophore are shown in Figure 6. The distances between aromatic ring and HBD range from 4.15-4.80, between aromatic rings to HBA range from 7.03-8.66 and between HBA to HBD range from 5.85-6.97. Table 2. Pharmacophoric features of each compound Compound H-Bond Donor H-Bond Acceptor Aromatic Centre Paclitaxel 4 6 2 Pemetrexed 3 6 3 Bevacizumab 2 3 1 Carboplatin 0 3 0 Crizotinib 2 4 3 Erlotinib Hydrocholride 2 6 3 Gefitinib 2 6 4 Gemcitabine 3 7 2 Methotrexate 3 9 3 Table 3. Uniquely identified pharmacophoric features of compounds Compound Bevacizumab Pemetrexed Gefitinib H-Bond Donor 2 3 H-Bond Acceptor 3 6 2 6 Aromatic Centre 1 3 4 A training set of three compounds was collected from literature i-e MethyNonanoate, MMDA, Flavopirido(18).The generated 3D pharmacophore model was applied to the training set whereby validating and verifying their enhanced and similar activity as that of the standard compounds shown in Table 5. This further confirmed our observation and proposals for a pharmacophore model as it corresponds to the predicted pharmacophore. Table 4.Pharmacophoric triangle distances of each uniquely identified compounds Compounds Acceptor ïÆ'  Aromatic Ring Aromatic Ring ïÆ'  Donor Donor ïÆ'  Acceptor Gefitinib 7.10 4.76 6.97 Pemetrexed 7.03 4.15 5.85 Bevacizumab 8.14 4.29 6.36 Figure 6. Distance ranges among pharmacophoric features in predicted pharmacophore To support the suggested pharmacophore model , distance was estimated. The predicted distance of the training set and the standard drugs respectively are shown in Table 6. This table shows the close resemblance of Flavopiridol with that of standard drugs whereby validating that the compound shows high correlation with the predicted pharmacophoric triangle hence having similar activity. Table 5. The distance triangle for compounds of the training set Model Acceptor ïÆ'  Aromatic Ring Aromatic Ring ïÆ'  Donor Donor ïÆ'  Acceptor MMDA 5.99 5.52 5.95 Flavopiridol 7.01 4.04, 4 6.18 MethyNonanoate 4.01 7.60 2.24 Table 6. The 3D pharmacophoric distance triangle of the training set and the standard drugs respectively Model Standard Drugs Training Set Acceptor ïÆ'  Aromatic Ring 7.37-8.84 7.01-8.96 Aromatic Ring ïÆ'  Donor 4.39-4.89 4.04-4.62 Donor ïÆ'  Acceptor 6.18-6.97 6.18-6.64 CONCLUSION The pharmacophore model is a very handy tool for new lead compounds discovery and development. In this study pharmacophore models were built for novel drugs of non small lung cancer, pharmacophoric features were predicted and 3D pharmacophore has been generated for non small lung cancer. A triangle of three different classes has been selected for pharmacophore and Hydrogen bond Acceptor, Hydrogen bond Donor and Hydrophobic character of standard drugs have been filtered out as key pharmacophoric feature. The generated model was applied to the training set and it has been validated and proposed that Flavopiridol shows similar enhanced activity as that of standard drugs, hence could be used for further studies. Moreover Pharmachopore based docking will be used for virtual screening and designing of some novel  drugs  for  non  small  lung  cancer  in  continuation  of  this  work. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We owe special thanks to Dr. Hamid Rashid, Ms. Saima Kalsoom , Faculty Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, Islamabad for support and supervision in the research work. REFERENCES 1. Thomas L, Doyle LA, Edelman MJ. Lung cancer in women: emerging differences in epidemiology, biology, and therapy. Chest. 2005;128:370-381. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Molina JR, Yang P, Cassivi SD, Schild SE, Adjei AA. Non-small cell lung cancer: epidemiology, risk factors, treatment, and survivorship. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008; 83(5):584-594. Ginsberg RJ, Vokes EE, Raben A. Non-small cell lung cancer. In: DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA, eds. Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven, 1997:858– 910 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Collaborative Group. Chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: a metaanalysis using updated data on individual patients from 52 randomised clinical trials. BMJ 1995; 311:899– 909 Rapp E, Pater JL, Willan A, et al. Chemotherapy can prolong survival in patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer — report of a Canadian multicenter randomized trial. J Clin Oncol 1988;6:633-41. Sridhar Ramaswamy, M.D. Rational Design of Cancer-Drug Combinations, 2007. Peter Gund Evolution of the Pharmacophore Concept in Pharmaceutical Research. Pharmacopeia Inc., Princeton, New Jersey. Omoshile O. Clement and Adrea Trope Mehl. HipHop: Pharmacophores based on multiple commonfeature alignments. Molecular Simulation Inc. San Diego, California,2000 Mendelsohn J, Baselga J. The EGF receptor family as targets for cancer therapy. Oncogene 2000; 19: 6550–65. Drc :A Review of LigandScout, 2008 Wolber, G.; Langer, T.; LigandScout: 3-D Pharmacophores Derived from Protein-Bound Ligands and Their Use as Virtual Screening Filters. J. Chem. Inf. Model; 2005; 45(1); 160-169. Quality of life and survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving supportive care plus chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide or supportive care only. A multicentre randomised phase III trial. Joint Lung Cancer Study Group. Helsing M, Bergman B, Thaning L, Hero U Eur J Cancer. 1998 Jun; 34(7):1036-44. NSCLC Meta-Analyses Collaborative Group (October 2008). â€Å"Chemotherapy in Addition to Supportive Care Improves Survival in Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and MetaAnalysis of Individual Patient Data From 16 Randomized Controlled Trials†. J. Clin. Oncol. 26 (28): 4617– 25. doi:10.1200/JCO.2008.17.7162. PMC 2653127. PMID 18678835. Curran WJ Jr, Paulus R, Langer CJ, et al. Sequential vs. concurrent chemoradiation for stage III non-small cell lung cancer: randomized phase III trial RTOG 9410. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011;103(19):1452-60. Lynch TJ, Bell DW, Sordella R. Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor underlying responsiveness of non-small-cell lung cancer to gefitinib. N Engl J Med. May 20 2004;350(21):2129-39. Kapetanoic,I.M., 2008. Computer aided Drug discovery and development: insilico-chemico-biological approach. chem. Biol. Interact. 171, 165-176 Huang, Xiaoqin, Zheng, Guangrong, Zhani, Chang-Guo Microscopic Binding of M5 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor with Antagonists by Homology Modeling, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation journal of physical chemistry b, 116:532-541, JAN 12 2012 2012 Bose P, Perkins EB, Honeycut C, Wellons MD, Stefan T, Jacobberger JW, Kontopodis E, Beumer JH, Egorin MJ, Imamura CK, Douglas Figg W Sr, Karp JE, Koc ON, Cooper BW, Luger SM, Colevas AD, Roberts JD, Grant S. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2012 ;69(6):1657-67. doi: 10.1007/s00280-012-18395. Epub 2012 Feb 15.PMID

Discuss some of the similarities and differences between Independence Day and War of the Worlds with particular reference to narrative and genre features Essay Example

Discuss some of the similarities and differences between Independence Day and War of the Worlds with particular reference to narrative and genre features Essay Example Discuss some of the similarities and differences between Independence Day and War of the Worlds with particular reference to narrative and genre features Essay Discuss some of the similarities and differences between Independence Day and War of the Worlds with particular reference to narrative and genre features Essay Essay Topic: Between the World and Me Narrative The War of the worlds by Steven Spielberg can be categorised as a hybrid genre, containing a mix of a sci-fi and a family drama. The audience establishes that it is a sci-fi with aspects of family drama right from the start of the film, as there seems to be two openings to the film. The first opening is a voice over by Morgan Freeman, using scientific words to describe how people (referred to as a swarm of ants small and insignificant) were being watched by another intelligent group of people. The speech finishes with the use of paralanguage, a technique whereby his voice takes a more serious tone when discussing how others are going to take over the world. These words are combined with the imagery that appears, as a white light starts to increase, which could be described like an eye, which obviously portrays someone watching. The other opening to the film is used to establish the main character Ray Ferrier and his family. This is where the other genre of a family drama appears. Dr amatic irony is instantly set up as the audience knows that doom is about to occur; however the characters dont. We follow the family throughout the film as they struggle to survive against the aliens, and watch their relationships with one another being tested, as Ray learns more about his family. This is completely contrasted to Independence Day by Roland Emmerich, as this film is categorised as a sci-fi and action film. This film is a lot more involved with the government rather than the family aspect, unlike War of the Worlds. However, there are elements of romance during Independence Day, as one couple gets married and the second couple who broke up before the film started, hold hands and we see a shot of the wedding ring that the man has worn throughout the whole time of their separation. There is also an opening sequence at the beginning of Independence Day. As the title credits appear, the music is very military like, which includes snare drums and even gunshots. The very first image that the viewer sees is the American flag, together with a stretch of footprints on top of the moon. This portrays to the audience past glories that the Americans have achieved. However, this does not last long as the footprints slowly vanish from the scene, perhaps showing an extermination of mankind. After this opening scene finishes, the scene cuts to a shot where the music that starts up contains the lyrics its the end of the world as we know it. This is subtle irony, as obviously the audience knows the end of the world is about to come. Numerous other clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s like this one appear constantly throughout the film such as the use of cigars, to highlight the stereotypical America, but are completely taken out during the War of the Worlds. The music in War of the Worlds is completely different to Independence Day. This is because the music heard at the beginning of War of the Worlds is not military and is more thrilling and emotive. This highlights further that the genre of War of the Worlds is not just a sci-fi/thriller movie, but also more of a family drama. Narrative is constantly used to make sense and to create meaning out of our chaotic experiences and is essential to our understanding of experiences of the world. Narrative structure is also used to give order and shape to the series of events. The structure identified in War of the Worlds is linear owing to the fact that it is single stranded as there is only one main story throughout the film. The film starts off as a low concept film and ends as a high concept film. This is completely contrasted to Independence Day, which has a multistranded narrative and is very fast paced with a collection of short sequences. This represents the chaos that everyone is experiencing, and the fact that everyone is bewildered. From all of these different narratives occurring through the film Independence Day, the viewer knows we will eventually come to a conjunction with all these different storylines and this appears true when the audience arrives at July the 4th and the narrative from then on is s ingle stranded. Narrative also requires a narrator, someone who tells the story from his or her point of view. In War of the Worlds, the entire film is from the point of view of Ray Ferrier and his family. This helps the viewer to relate to the characters and become more emotionally involved. This does not happen in Independence Day, as there are several main characters and all different storylines and therefore it becomes increasingly difficult for the audience to participate in the action of the film, and has to merely sit on the sidelines as an observer. The narrative of War of the Worlds also contains references to the 9/11 attacks. This is noticeable at the beginning of the film where the voice over is heard and suggests we are being watched by another intelligent group of people. Furthermore, throughout the film there are other references that signify this, such as the plane crash, clothes falling from the sky, and ash fogging up the sky. This is clearly a post 9/11 film, unlike Independence Day, which is a pre- 9/11 film that suggests that America is confident that they are the leaders and everyone else is following them. The film Independence Day portrays an idealistic view of how they would like to think America is. Firstly, President Whitmore is an idealistic representation of a president, as he is clearly hardworking, witty, an ex-warrior and a family man. Furthermore, throughout the film there are shots of certain landmarks, which show the very iconic America, such as shots of the moon landing, and the Statue of liberty. In addition to this, the scenes in Independence Day are completely varied from City scenes to the deserts. This suggests to the viewer that America is a country of a multi-ethnic society. The stereotypical America is also represented further in this film by the use of glasses being worn by important and clever people, showing that glasses signify intelligence. Also, it contains every type of character including young and old, and straight and gay. The mise-en-scene presented in War of the Worlds is a lot bleaker and darker than Independence Day, which portrays more War-like imagery. Furthermore, there is a lot more death and destruction than there is in Roland Emmerichs film. The vulnerability of the children is also a lot stronger, which highlights again the fact that War of the Worlds focuses on the family point of view. The whole script of the film is a lot more authentic than Independence Day, and contains more realism, for example when Ray says to always put yourself first. The overall film doesnt pay attention to the sci-fi genre, but is more of a sci-fi played on a modern film. This is also emphasized right from the beginning of the film, as we learn that this film is taking place in the 21st century, and the majority of sci-fi films are set in the future. Throughout War of the Worlds, there are many shots that are over exposed, which suggests that the things that are happening are beyond reality, and hyper-real. This is completely juxtaposed to Independence Day, which has a lot of different creeds of colour situated in the film. This suggests Independence Day is a more light-hearted film, rather than War of the Worlds, which is a lot more dismal. Throughout War of the Worlds, the News on the television in the film acts as an exposition tool, which gives the audience the background of the characters and the present situation. This does not happen in Independence Day, the script of this film plays out contemporary anxieties and fears which Americans have, and expresses important US values. Having looked at the similarities and differences of Independence Day by Roland Emmerich, and War of the Worlds by Steven Spielberg, it is clear that the way each film is portrayed, through the use of mise-on-scene, the music, the characters, and the way the films are structured, generates the type of genre and narrative each film can be identified as. War of the Worlds can be described as a hybrid genre, containing a mix of a sci-fi and a family drama, owing to the emotive elements and scenes of the film, whereas Independence Day could be categorised as a sci-fi/action film, owing to the usage of the strong, military music, the government, and the general alpha-male context. Although both of the films narratives are extremely identical, the structure of it is completely different. This is due to the fact War of the Worlds has a basic narrative structure, owing to the fact it is linear and single stranded, as the film has one storyline which commences as a low concept film and ends a s a high concept film. This is contrasted to Independence Day, as this film contains a multi-stranded narrative up to the last day, which keeps the film fast paced, and highlights further the chaos and tension of Americas society.

A Case Study Of Forced Migration

A Case Study Of Forced Migration The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) defines Forced migration (or displacement of people, another term that will be used in this paper), a global issue estimating one of every thirty-five persons in the world to be a migrant. At the end of 2008, there were some estimates putting 42 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Only half of those individuals were receiving assistance and protection from the UNHCR. The number of people displaced within their country as a result of armed conflict is estimated at 26 million, and again half of them were protected or assisted by the UNHCR. Some 12 million stateless persons were identified worldwide, children represent 44 per cent of refugees and asylum seekers and women and girls representing 47 per cent.   [ 1 ]   According to Willis, the number of international migrants increased double with 190.6 million, Europe standing for the largest share of international migrants where people in the other European countriesâ€℠¢ movement within the European Union members States between 1970 and 2005   [ 2 ]   . 1.6 million Chinese immigrants in the United States made them the country’s fourth-largest immigrant group in 2008   [ 3 ]   . It says that 2000 Philippines leaves for overseas each day for the lack of employment according to a Philippine organisation   [ 4 ]   . There are also people forced to move as a result of policies and projects to enhance development, example being infrastructure projects such dams, parks, roads   [ 5 ]   . These above figures show the displacement is a direct result of war, conflict, natural disasters, poverty, and economic, political or social issues, compelling these individuals in response to flee for a better protected life somewhere else. To bear in mind, many of these people are not as successful and find themselves trapped in these circumstances for a long time if not ever. Under article 13 and 14 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR ) declare the rights of seeking and enjoying asylum. This is one of the earliest human rights instrument to develop establishing universal standards for the protection of persons. Following the UDHR and among other existing treaties and conventions within the international human rights system   [ 6 ]   , the 1951 Refugee Convention was adopted and together with its 1967 Protocol, the Convention was placed to recognise the entitlement, benefits and rights of refugees and asylum seekers in States. Other treaties and relevant conventions   [ 7 ]   , such the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides in article 2 that â€Å"Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth o r other status†. It is to say that the host countries, which have ratified the Convention, have duty to not only comply with the implementation of the respective provisions but also to take positive measures to ensure the protection of the refugees and asylum seekers. To comprehend what forced migration is, it is significant that one must first identify and understand the concept of migration, then recognise and examine who is a migrant and which group falls under which category of the term. According to the National Geographic, migration (human) is the movement of people from one place to another for the reason of taking up semi or permanent residence usually across a political border. People can either migrate voluntarily or involuntary be forced to migrate because of dissimilar reasons. A well acknowledged type of migration is the rural to urban movement, people on the move from rural area to the metropolis. However migration also takes place within countries, continents an d region. There are many different types of migration including internal and external migration, step and chain migration, return and seasonal migration. But the focus in this paper is dominantly on population transfer or forced migration, namely refugees and migrants. Forced migrants are usually people forced to leave their homes to seek better living standards, such employment and population transfer is another term used to define forced migration where a government drive a massive group of people out of the country based on ethnicity, religion or other political factors and causes   [ 8 ]   .

A Case Study Of Forced Migration

A Case Study Of Forced Migration The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) defines Forced migration (or displacement of people, another term that will be used in this paper), a global issue estimating one of every thirty-five persons in the world to be a migrant. At the end of 2008, there were some estimates putting 42 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Only half of those individuals were receiving assistance and protection from the UNHCR. The number of people displaced within their country as a result of armed conflict is estimated at 26 million, and again half of them were protected or assisted by the UNHCR. Some 12 million stateless persons were identified worldwide, children represent 44 per cent of refugees and asylum seekers and women and girls representing 47 per cent.   [ 1 ]   According to Willis, the number of international migrants increased double with 190.6 million, Europe standing for the largest share of international migrants where people in the other European countriesâ€℠¢ movement within the European Union members States between 1970 and 2005   [ 2 ]   . 1.6 million Chinese immigrants in the United States made them the country’s fourth-largest immigrant group in 2008   [ 3 ]   . It says that 2000 Philippines leaves for overseas each day for the lack of employment according to a Philippine organisation   [ 4 ]   . There are also people forced to move as a result of policies and projects to enhance development, example being infrastructure projects such dams, parks, roads   [ 5 ]   . These above figures show the displacement is a direct result of war, conflict, natural disasters, poverty, and economic, political or social issues, compelling these individuals in response to flee for a better protected life somewhere else. To bear in mind, many of these people are not as successful and find themselves trapped in these circumstances for a long time if not ever. Under article 13 and 14 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR ) declare the rights of seeking and enjoying asylum. This is one of the earliest human rights instrument to develop establishing universal standards for the protection of persons. Following the UDHR and among other existing treaties and conventions within the international human rights system   [ 6 ]   , the 1951 Refugee Convention was adopted and together with its 1967 Protocol, the Convention was placed to recognise the entitlement, benefits and rights of refugees and asylum seekers in States. Other treaties and relevant conventions   [ 7 ]   , such the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides in article 2 that â€Å"Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth o r other status†. It is to say that the host countries, which have ratified the Convention, have duty to not only comply with the implementation of the respective provisions but also to take positive measures to ensure the protection of the refugees and asylum seekers. To comprehend what forced migration is, it is significant that one must first identify and understand the concept of migration, then recognise and examine who is a migrant and which group falls under which category of the term. According to the National Geographic, migration (human) is the movement of people from one place to another for the reason of taking up semi or permanent residence usually across a political border. People can either migrate voluntarily or involuntary be forced to migrate because of dissimilar reasons. A well acknowledged type of migration is the rural to urban movement, people on the move from rural area to the metropolis. However migration also takes place within countries, continents an d region. There are many different types of migration including internal and external migration, step and chain migration, return and seasonal migration. But the focus in this paper is dominantly on population transfer or forced migration, namely refugees and migrants. Forced migrants are usually people forced to leave their homes to seek better living standards, such employment and population transfer is another term used to define forced migration where a government drive a massive group of people out of the country based on ethnicity, religion or other political factors and causes   [ 8 ]   .

Course Project Phase Two Deliverable Security Lighting in the Fennelly Essay

Course Project Phase Two Deliverable Security Lighting in the Fennelly textbook - Essay Example Its structural material is steel, exterior finishing material making-up the facade of the facility is tinted glass, and the facade color is blue. The architectural style of this building is modernism. The developer responsible for design and construction of this facility is The Webb Companies. The existing building status of this facility is completed. Currently, the main usage of this building is the Fifth Third Bank and other financial institutions. The general vicinity of the facility is at the neighborhood of downtown Lexington. Facilities around the building include bars, hotels, and restaurants i.e. Al’s Bar, The Lunch Box, Tolly Ho, Wingspan Gallery, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Lexington- Downtown/University, Courtyard Lexington North, Crowne Plaza Hotel Lexington-The Campbell House, Residence Inn Lexington North, and Inn On Broadway. The facility is surrounded by numerous socialization centers, thus risk-based prioritization prompts the general security of this building. This calls for physical security asset control. This facility has to be protected since it holds several financial institutions. It must be noted that financial institutions have the ability to disrupt the broader financial system if they fail. Thus, the attack or compromise of this institution leads to financial risk, thus triggering economic growth which will lead to a financial crisis, which will create a significant negative impact to the average U.S. citizen. Lexington Financial Center offers the following products or services: real estate management services, condominium property management, leasing property management, residential real estate property management, and real estate property management companies. No, there have been no substantial security incidences at the facility in the last 2-3 years. This shows that the facility is well protected; high standards of security are maintained in this building. According to my findings from observation on the facility;

BIOLOGY ASPECTS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

BIOLOGY ASPECTS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE - Essay Example Some of the information requires to be translated into taste, sound, touch and smell. This is why this system is important since it performs these actions. The system also controls body nerves The three systems are responsible in the communication of the body parts. Without one part, one path of relaying body signals will be incomplete. That is, failure of one system will lead automatically to bodily disorders. Every organ being vital assists the other systems in ensuring that the body parts functions well. Autonomic nervous system The function of this system is to control the functioning of the internal organs like intestines, heart and stomach. Additionally, this system is responsible in controlling some of the body muscles. For example, most of the time we do not recognize when the heart beats increase or when the blood vessels contract and expand, this one is responsible for the autonomic nervous system to take care of. Therefore the system conveys information from all parts of t he body. This system is normally Co ordinated by the hypothalamus and the system is a significant homeostasis process. Endocrine system This system consists of glands which produce hormones to the blood streams. It produces chemicals which assist in controlling the body’s metabolic activities. ... The hypothalamus is an area between the brain stem and cerebrum that is responsible for controlling sleep patterns, body temperature, thirst, hunger, visual and auditory reflexes. Andersen and J. M. (2002, p.10-15) It is also responsible for communication between the cerebellum and other vital parts of the brain and also the selection of stimuli which are sent to the brain. The hypothalamus serves as a link between the endocrine system, autonomic and central nervous system. The role of the hypothalamus in controlling feeding behavior while linking all the three systems The hypothalamus plays a key role in the homeostasis of energy in triggering feeding behaviors. This is because the control of energy is important which makes eating the most fundamental aspect in maintaining body fats. The feeding behavior is a good example of how the hypothalamus links the endocrine system, central and autonomic nervous system. In the event when there is a deficiency in body fats, the endocrine syste m through a hormone called leptin comes in place sends stimuli to the hypothalamus. Charmandari, Tsigos, Chrousos (2005, p.265-270) In return the hypothalamus sends impulses to the autonomic nervous system and which are further relayed to the central nervous system and the final aspect is the feeling of hunger which motivates us to eat. Therefore the hypothalamus serves many purposes and is crucial in linking all the three systems. This interaction in return helps to control the mode of behavior in humans The functions and diseases of the brain Areas of function of the brain The brain is said to be the center of every signal sent by the body parts. Once a signal is sent to the brain, it acts by interpreting the signal and produces the action for the signal. The

Marketing Communication Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Communication Strategy - Assignment Example The hockey team, thus, will dawn the unique old jersey designs to become more appealing to the followers. A perfect of way marketing a product is through strategic promotional messages where strategy aims at using unique messages to leave a long-lasting impression on the consumers. Finally, proper target marketing will be crucial in achieving the objectives of this marketing communication strategy plan by identifying the right market that can add value to the team. Formulation of this marketing communication strategy appreciates the role that brand positioning plays in influencing perception of the consumers towards a product relative to perception of the competing brands. The marketing positioning strategies or activities will aim at occupying advantageous and unique position in the minds of the consumers. The first initiative in improving the Bulldogs perception is making the team more active in the community as opposed to just engaging in a league game, and all ends there. In this case, the primary aim is to influence the customers by providing endless entertaining hockey game with a thrilling experience where winning games is more important for the continued support of the Bulldogs. The strategy also integrates social media in positioning by targeting an enormous influence through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and also mainstream media including the Television sports programs. Promotional social media activities like free jerseys for the followers will be a perfect way to improve the brand’s perception among the fans. Targeting niche market of a development league implies that the team will be entering a competition that is more community focused. In this case, the team targets a league that embraces community support through support on various services. On the other hand, the old hockey jersey designs

Overview Of Skincare Industry India Marketing Essay

Overview Of Skincare Industry India Marketing Essay The preference of Indian consumers is changing from the merely functional products to the preferential products. The average annual spending of Indian consumers on cosmetics and toiletries in 2005 is just over US$3. The cosmetics and toiletries saw its value share rising from 27% in 1999 to 31% in 2005. This trend also continued after that with consistent increase in the share. The entry of many multinationals also fuelled the growth in the industry as foreign players focussed more on product innovation. It is seen that global companies after coming to India trying to explore the traditional skin care products in India. Indian consumers are increasingly looking to international personal care brands as lifestyle enhancement products which will create a sophisticated and upper class image. The total skin care market is estimated to be around Rs. 3,400 Cr. The total size of the Indian retail beauty and cosmetics market is currently estimated at $950 million.   The overall beauty and wellness market, which includes beauty services, is $2.68 billion.   The cosmetics market in India is growing twice as fast as that of the United States and European market. However, The skin care market is at a primary stage in India. The penetration level of this segment in India is around 20 per cent. The improvement of medical technology also fuels the growth of the market in India. Major companies active in this segment include Hindustan Lever; Godrej Soaps, Colgate-Palmolive, Marico, Dabur and Procter Gamble. The skin care market can be segregated into toners, cleansers, sunscreens, anti-wrinkle creams, dark circle removing creams, astringents, f acial creams, moisturizers, fairness creams, day and night-creams. The penetration level for both the urban and rural market is low. Many people still prefer to use traditional products to cure the skin More than 25% growth every year in the Skin Care Industry Facial skin care products have become an essential part of the beauty market Gradual Adoption of the western culture The chart below shows major players in the skin care industry and their respective market shares International Skin Care market The skin care industry worldwide is a 50 Billion Dollar plus business. Caring for the skin of people throughout the world is a popular business. It is a business where people are passionate about their work, because it matters. It matters to their families, to their communities, to their profession and the whole world. It is a business where unmet needs still abound and where people around the world are waiting for new and better solutions. The major product segments in the market are Face Care Products, Body Hand Care, and Depilatories, and, Sun Care Products. The sub product segments include Facial Moisturizers, Facial Cleansers, and Hand Body Lotions/Creams. At present there are about 889 companies in the international market including many key and niche players worldwide such as Amway Corp. Asian markets ( 2007 Euromonitor Report) Rank Country Skin Care Value per Capita Country %Growth 1 Japan 102 US $ Indonesia 26 2 Hong Kong 73 US $ China 16 3 Taiwan 58 US $ Vietnam 15 4 South Korea 57 US $ India 13 5 Singapore 41 US $ Singapore 10 6 Thailand 14 US $ Malaysia 10 7 Malaysia 10 US $ Thailand 9 8 Philippines 5 US $ Philipines 7 9 China 4 US $ Taiwan 5 10 Indonesia 1 US $ Hong Kong 4 11 Vietnam 1 US $ South Korea 4 12 India 1 US $ Japan 2 From the above table it is clear that, The people in India spent least amount of money on the skin care with respect to the other Asian countries, However India has shown a very rapid growth in the personal care segment with a growth of 13% and is ahead of 8 prominent Asian nations. That shows that India has a tremendous potential for growth. The chart mentioned below tells about the Per Capita Skin care product Consumption of the India in comparison to other Asian countries( The values are in US $). This There is a huge potential market for skin care products in India as compared to other Asian countries as Indian market is still to be explored. Percentage of Skin care products in total cosmetics products segments Skin Care: 16% approximately Hair Care: 16% approximately Bath and Shower products: 46% approximately Colour Cosmetics: 6% approximately Fragrances: 1% approximately Drivers of the Industry Growing worldwide wealth Changing consumer lifestyle Globalisation Celebrity endorsement increases consumers awareness and interest The total disposable income of the people in Asia is 21% of that of the world which is estimated to increase to a value of the 23%( Euro monitor Report) The major Skin Care Segments and their Drivers Strong Desire for the fair skin Drivers Asians beliefs White hides three ugly bits Fairer equals to upper class Stressful lifestyle Busy lifestyle resulting in less sleeping time Stress hormone sends the skins oil glands into overdrive Development and Outlook These beliefs and the strong desire for the skin whitening products led to the development of technology and evolution of new whitening products and formulations. The whitening creams are also produced for men. In recent years the fairness cream is combined with the anti-aging formulations which bring the satisfaction and feel good factor to the customer. Also with rise in work-stress and pollution people are more inclined to these products. Not only that, baby skin care products, sun protection products, bleach and facials also gained popularity among people. Anti Agers Drivers Growth in Aging Population Accelerated Aging Rising Pursuit of Agelessness Development and Outlook Target young consumers: Prevention better than cure Super-premium : From global to local brands Mass brands developments Cosmeceuticals : Collaboration between cosmetics and pharmaceutical company New technology and ingredient More regulated industry to ensure the safety of cosmeceuticals Facing strong competition from aesthetic beauty service industry Skin Care Applications Drivers Increased consumer knowledge on skin care application TV beauty programs educates consumers on different products benefits Technology advancement Skin care evolution thanks to technology and research Beauty web blogs to allow consumers to exchange ideas New Routine Cleansing Liquid Cleanser Lotion AC Essence Mask Emulsion Effector White Essence Cream Trends and development Usual Routine Cleanser Toner Moisturiser Development of more powerful products Consumers may outsource personal care and pay for spas and treatment India has the maximum growth in the resort/hotel spa( 107% growth annually in 2007) Natural and ethical products Drivers Massive awareness of health wellness Safety scares and recalls Consumers look for guarantee of authenticity Rising greensumerism Technology facilitate the development of more effective products Key Trends and Developments Edible, natural and herbal ingredients Environmentally friendly packaging New retail concepts Minerals and precious materials, including gold Packaging innovation: eco-friendly packaging Same consumer buying both high technology and natural products Emergence of at-home-make products Venture into other products, such as sun care Well-known designers and celebrities increase consumers knowledge on natural ethical products Men Skin Care Drivers Workplace: Pressure from competition in workplace led to the emergence of Metro sexual man Greater acceptance in developing nations Move to more advanced products Key trends and Development Stronger growth than skin care: In 2007, the Asian Skin Care Market has grown at a rate of 8%, where as the men skin care market has grown at a rate of 14%. Similarly projected growth in 2012 is 6%, whereas the growth of the men skin care segment is 8%. Moving away from 3 basic cleaning steps Macho-sexual vs metrosexual Increasing popularity of sportsmen Lower acceptance of mens colour cosmetics Main focus will still be skin care and other mens grooming products New technology Focusing on convenience Cosmetics surgery for men Getting popular in countries like Japan and South Korea Inhibitors of the Skin Care Industry Environmental Standards In 2003, Unilever, had been exposed by The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Friends of the Earth in an article in the Observer newspaper today for sourcing talc illegally quarried by an Indian mining company. The mining company has also listed US multinationals, Johnson Johnson, Revlon and Avon among its clients. The quarrying not only destroys tiger habitats but also devastates the forest and watersheds vital for the well being of local people. This is one of the examples of how the environmental protection standards can affect the business in skin care industry. Laws Regulations of the government Cosmetics directly affect peoples life. Hence, the regulations for the cosmetics match to that of the drugs considering the sensitivity of the skin care cosmetic products and their possible side effects. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 is there to impose standards on the cosmetics manufacturing industries. Government import export taxes and regulations for the foreign companies also affect the skin care market. High end customers prefer MNC skin care products. Stringent government regulations are certainly inhibitors of the development of the skin care market in India. Trends Opportunities in India Growth in the young population (RBI report): Changing demographics in India 2/3rd Population below age of 35 Favourable Consumption Pattern: The share of private consumption for personal care products increases consistently over the years( Economic Survey 2009) Increase in Urbanization in India: The skin care products are not in the basic need category. Hence, the urban people whose basic needs are fulfilled are more inclined to these products and are potential customers to buy the skin care products. Urban Population in Millions Urban Population as a percentage of total population 1971 109 19.9 1981 160 23.3 1991 218 25.7 2001 285 27.8 Porters five forces analysis of International Skin Care Industry The manufacturing of skin care products is currently dominated by a small number of multinational corporations that originated in the early 20th century. The three largest skin care product companies in the world in terms of market share are Procter and Gamble, Loreal and Unilever. But they face stiff competition from the likes of Estee Lauder, Colgate Palmolive, Avon, Shisiedo, Johnson and Johnson, Beiersdorf. There are also a large number of local players within each market. In this analysis we will be analyzing the forces which affect the global skin care industry as a whole because many of the forces have similar effects across the world. Nature of Competition: The industry is a highly fragmented market, marked by the presence of a few companies with a global presence, which control a significantly larger share of the cosmetics market. The top 3 companies (LOreal, PG, and Estee Lauder) control around 35% of the share. The top 10 companies control nearly the 50% of the market. The rest of the market is distributed between small players who have a highly local presence. The industry is highly competitive due to the presence of a large no. of SMEs (France alone has over 850 firms with 10 employees or less). Another form of competition is from direct selling companies like Avon and Amway. The high end of the market is characterized by low volume, high product differentiation and large brand strength, which restricts the competition. While the low end market with limited differentiation allows opportunities for smaller companies to make their mark. Natural cosmetics in particular are rapidly gaining popularity and present an opportunity for SMEs and new entrants can compete against established giants. The industry is characterized by a high rate of product development and product obsolescence. Bargaining power of Buyers Due to the strong brand power of most of the large brands, buyer power of retailers and distributors is reduced as they must stock the most popular brands. But in operations where the retailers have a stronger position, markets where competition is intense, then buyer power increases. We can also analyze buyer power from the perspective of the end consumer because it is they who dictate the market trends. The customers do not always stick to one brand of makeup or perfume or any variant offered because the switching costs are very low. This means that buyer power is high and demand for favourable prices. Bargaining power of suppliers With global sales of nearly $300 billion in the cosmetic industry(2007 report), skin care products present one of the most complex global sourcing challenges. Much of the sourcing for the industry involves a fragile web of small, fragmented suppliers that must be linked together using a sophisticated and effective logistics technology. Suppliers are often small in scale compared to the largest manufacturers and consequently their power is reduced, but this countered by the fact that chemical producers gain revenues from a wide variety of sources, reducing their dependence on skin care product manufacturers. The trends seem to indicate similar conditions for the future. Overall, supplier power with respect to the cosmetic market is moderate. Threat of close substitutes: There are substitute products, but they are not fully developed in the Indian market as well as globally. There is a rise in popularity of the herbal and Ayurvedic products. People are more inclined to use skin care products that are made from natural herbs, rather than chemicals. Also some Ayurvedic medicines are believed to purify blood and bring good health to skin. The products made from chandan, haldi, rose water are used in villages to bring fairness in both girls and boys. These products are cheap and risk free. Hence , these products might act as substitutes to the skin care products produced by the companies. As the market of these herbal products is in the nascent stage, the threat from the substitute products is low. The same case is with the global skin care market. Threat from New Entrants Large firms generally have significant advantages over new entrants. Large firms scale economies allow them to compete more effectively on price, and invest in their own business; companies entering the market may find it difficult to compete. The brand strength of the major manufactures is considerable, which may negate much of the effect of low switching costs. New entrants may be able to start on a small scale, operating within a particular niche, such as make-up with anti-ageing components, for example, stressing natural ingredients. Hence, threat of new entrants is low. Barriers to Entry Product testing and research is both time-consuming and costly. New entrants also need to persuade stores to stock their products, and major retailers, aware of their importance in the distribution chain, may be unwilling to risk displacing existing brands for the sake of new ones. Substantial funds are needed to start up a business in this market, with capital required for investment in production, distribution, and also advertising which is crucial to success in the market. Hence, barrier to entry is high and needs high initial spending. Industry regulation: The companies are usually forced deal with strict regulations on issues like animal testing and environmental protection. Also cosmetic products have to face the highest level of scrutiny (almost the same level as pharmaceuticals) with regard to their safety levels. Strategy to be followed: They should try and target niche markets in the beginning and follow strategies like direct selling. Local penetration is required before moving for internationalization. Regulatory Landscape Current Indian cosmetic regulations are complex and there are multiple regulations under different regulatory bodies. There is a need to simplify the regulations and there is also a need to address the growing issue of spurious products and counterfeits. Indian cosmetic industry is mature and responsible enough to ensure safety quality of its products and the industry can take up joint responsibility with the Regulator for cosmetic regulations in India. European and ASEAN countries have adopted this model of self regulation successfully and the same is being suggested here in the Indian context. There is a negative list of ingredients which cant form a part of any cosmetic composition. There is also a restricted list of ingredients; such ingredients can be used only under specific concentration range in specific products and under specific conditions of pack declaration. In addition, there is a positive list of preservatives and UV filters thus restricting the choice of such ingredients and their concentrations. Cosmetic labeling is dictated by multiple regulations This includes Drug Cosmetics act, BIS packing norms and Standards of Weight Measures act. More recently, several amendments have been notified in the labeling clause of Drug and Cosmetic Act. Manufacturer is required to submit the relevant information pertaining to the formulation, raw materials used and their specifications, product quality specifications and safety data in support of the formulation. The information is reviewed by local (State) FDA and a cosmetic license is granted or otherwise. The clinical trial of the skin care products is also done to ensure safety for the consumers. Difference between Indian regulatory framework and the International regulatory framework for the skin care cosmetic products. EU ASEAN INDIA Legislative Document EU Cosmetic Directive ASEAN Cosmetic Directive Drugs Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 Labelling declarations: BIS product standards; PCRO Product classification Broader Cosmetic definition-definition includes secondary benefit; Broader Cosmetic definition-includes secondary benefit; Narrow Cosmetic definition-No secondary benefit allowed Cosmetic categories as illustrative lists yes yes No Claim Guidelines for regulation no yes No Value Chain Analysis The value chain for the cosmetic and skin care industry is as follows. The flow of channel from the supplier of the raw material to the retail shop is in accordance to the international generalized value chain. The analysis is also valid for the skin care products. Finished product Distributor Retail Raw material Supplier and DistributorNeutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Companies Raw Material Supplier for Skin Care Personal Care and Cosmetics Suppliers Media manufactures Chemicals Biological reagents Raw material supplier Preservative manufacturer Cosmetic Finished goods manufacturers; Salons; Department Stores; Dermatologist Office Finished Good Brand Owner CRO for finished goods and brand owner Gate Keepers Personal Care Council HUL In the skin care industry HUL is one of the major players having largest market share. Its famous brands in skin care are as follows Ponds : Global Brand, first mover to the country in 1947 Fair and Lovely : Patented formulation and is an Asian brand Lakhme Skin Care : This is brought from Tatas and is important for Salon business Aviation : Customized Skin Care solutions Vaseline : Monopoly in Indian Petro-jelly The personal product segment of HUL contributes to the 26% of the total revenue generated by the company. SWOT analysis of HUL Skin Care Strength The products have strong market reach. The soap brand LUX is available both in high price and low price variations. The skin cream brand fair Lovely has a very wide spread market. Strong Sales and Distribution Networks. Many variants of each product: Fair Lovely, Ayurvedic Fair Lovely, Fair lovely Anti marks Under a particular sub-brand, there is a huge diversified portfolio of products. For example, under Lakhme, there are almost all types of skin care products.( Anti aging, scrub, fairness, face wash, oil control etc) Both value and volume growth are ahead of the market Weakness The skin care products are mainly positioned as beauty products and are relevant to women. Though there is a huge opportunity to explore the products relevant to men, HUL has not much penetration to it. It is currently entering into the men skin care segment The sun screen, scrub and facial skin care products are not well developed till now and are not doing well compared to other skin care brands Premium products are not popular in rural Indias Opportunity Lakme Lever Private Limited (LLPL) commenced operations during the course of the year with the objective of achieving excellence in beauty services and with a view to create and nurture a service mindset. The Company launched the Lakme Studio, a premium salon format commencing with Delhi which has shown early signs of success. Similarly, Lakme Studio have also been recently rolled out in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Liquid Body Wash is currently in growth stage. The HUL brands like Lakhme, Dove, Lux could produce products of these kind and capture the market Threat HUL skin care is at a maturity stage. The revenues may decline if constant innovation is not followed. Strong Internal competition: Competition between Lakhme Dove, Competition between Lux and Peers. External Competition and foreign players( Garnier, LOreal, Nivea etc) Brand Perception Brand Perception of the customers is mentioned is mentioned on the basis of perception about some specific brands like DOVE Fair and Lovely Fair Lovely Brand Perception: Customers believe that Fair Lovely ( Anti marks) is specially designed for skin with marks and spots. Fair Lovely with breakthrough Vita-Aloe Complex Lightens different kinds of marks in 4 weeks Gets visible fairness in 4 weeks Helps in preventing spots from coming back Ayurvedic Fair Lovely has extensively researched the fairness secrets of ancient Ayurveda and created a unique mix containing extracts of special Ayurvedic herbs. Its proven formula penetrates deep down your skin to give you a glowing fairness from within. Fair Lovely Ayurvedic contains Kumkumadi Tailam, an ancient fairness recipe of 16 precious Ayurvedic ingredients. Ayurvedic Fair Lovely Fairness Cream contains Nilopala Patanga. These Soothe relax skin cells, give a serene look. It also contains Chandana Ushira which reduce skin irritation, give long lasting cooling sensation. Marketing Strategy Adopted: Fair Lovely , apart from the fairness cream for girls entering into the men fairness segment and body lotion segment to increase its portfolio of products. Fair Lovely menz active is the product in this segment. Entering into Aurvedic segment, Fair Lovely is able to create a perception in the minds of the customer that its product is totally free from harmful chemicals and can bring a permanent change in the colour of the skin without any side effects as Ayurvedic products are without side effects. Fair Lovely, also in its advertisements creates a picture of woman which is unsuccessful and rejected everywhere because of her dark skin. Where as after using the product, she is able to regain her self respect and becomes successful. EMAMI Emami , a kolkata based company has been in the skin care products since the last 30 years and has sustained a good position in ayurvedic products. Products Boroplus Cream Fair and Handsome Boroplus Powder Navratna Cool Talc New Launched Products Boroplus Body Lotion Malai Kesar Cold Cream Marketing Mix Product Emamis products are mainly based on Ayurveda. The major skin care products are e.g.Fair and Handsome, Boroplus etc. Fair and Handsome continued its brand category dominance in the Middle East and the sub-continent; Boroplus maintained its dominance in India, Russia, Ukraine and Nepal. New products (Boroplus Winter Lotion and Emami Malai Kesar Soap) and new product variants (Navratna Oil) were launched. Price Emami has set the prices which are reachable to people of all economic status , and the products are available in wide variety of volumes e.g. Fair and handsome is available in SKUs of 7 ml, 12 ml, 30 ml and 60 ml. Place Emami has a good distribution network. The vast network includes over 4, 25,000 retail outlets, 2,800 distributors, 1,500 sub-distributors, 30 depots, six regional sales offices Promotion Emami invested Rs. 19,442 lac on advertisement and branding in 2009-10. Emamis products are endorsed by celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Mumbai Indians (Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan), Saurav Ganguly, Virendra Sehwag, Madhuri Dixit, Chiranjeevi, Surya, Sunny Deol and others SWOT Analysis Strength: Distribution Network- Emamis products are available in 4,25,000 Indian retail outlets and 65 countries. Strong reach in rural india Celebrity ambassadors- Emamis products are endorsed by celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan,Kareena Kapoor Advertisement Spent- Emami invested Rs. 19,442 lac on advertisement and branding in 2009-10 Advertising spend, as a proportion of the total revenues, was 18.7% in 2009-10 against 19.3% in 2008-09 Innovation- Emamis Fair and Handsome created mans fairness as new category of skincare products in India Fiscally Efficient- Nearly 56.1 % of Emamis revenue were derived from tax exempted locations in 2009-10 Certifications- Emamis quality credentials comprise respected certifications like cGMP, ISO 14000 and ISO 22000. Weekness: Inability to launch new products Major products based on Ayurved only Opportunities: The growing demand of beauty products provides a good opportunity. Emami can take advantage of already captured greater market share in the Fair and handsome and Boroplus products. Threats: A threat to the Emami is also the growing competition within the field of cosmetic brands. Due to the ongoing addition to the field of cosmetics, there is still the danger that other brands could surpass the profit. Another threat to the Company is the economic downturn that is quite evident in other countries. Such could thus hurt the possibility of higher profit for the company. Problems or delays in integration with Zandus distribution network, positioning and brand building may result in lower profit Fair and Handsome Cream Emami Fair Handsome is positioned as a product for male and portrays a strong male image. The colors used are silver, black and orange, which gives a strong macho look to the product. The pink colour is being avoided. The illustration on the cover page are before and after effects of the cream. It also contains a leaflet of information. This is to make sure that customer is well conversant with the instructions and is satisfied with the product. It was Launched in October 2005; first fairness cream for men in India Competitors- Fair Lovely Menz Active (Hindustan Unilever), Fair One Man (Elder Pharma, Shehnaz Hussain), Nivea for Men Whitening Cream (Nivea) and Set Wet Get Fair (Paras Pharma) Point of Difference- The unique five-power formula helps enhance skin fairness in just four weeks. The formula includes double-strength peptide complex, sunguard, anti-bacplus, stress buster and herbocool. Market Share- enjoys 84% market share in the Rs. 137 cr domestic mens fairness cream market Sales- Sales grew by 27% in 2009-10 Boroplus Antiseptic Cream Aniceptic and curative cream which is ideal for hard weather conditions and minor skin problems Competitors- The brands principal competitor is Boroline. During winters, the brand competes with other winter care products like cold creams, petroleum jelly and lotion etc. Pont of Difference- The presence of ayurvedic elements enhances medicinal and anti-septic features. Market Share- Boroplus accounts for around 74% market share of the Rs. 269-cr boro brand creams in India. Sales- Largest selling antiseptic cream not only in India but also in Ukraine, Russia and Nepal. Sales grew by 15% in FY 10 Boroplus Brand has been ranked 77th in the Brand Equity Zydus Wellness Ltd Segmentation: Everyuth is a brand of Zydus Wellness Ltd ,a pharmaceutical company which caters to a flexible market segment of woment aged between 18 to 35 years. They have a monthly income of Rs 10000 and above and they live in u