Patient X Essay

Patient X’s doctor has been trying to convince him to practice better lifestyle habits to for several years to help combat his hypertension (on antihypertensive medication for 3 years), diabetes (6 years) and growing waistline. A recent routine check-up revealed a deterioration of his lipid profile (TC 260, TG 310, HDL 29, LDL 170) and fasting glucose of 172. Patient X is 55 years old, weighs 245 lbs and he is 5’10 . 1) Hypertension: Weight control to lower the risks associated with hypertension include a diet low in sodium and high in potassium. The risk of hypertension is lower when salt intake is lower and potassium helps reduce blood pressure by increasing the amount of sodium excreted in the urine. The DASH eating plan is the best option for maintaining hypertension. Physical activity is also a major lifestyle modification that should be adopted. Engaging in regular aerobic physical activity such as a brisk walk will lower the risk of hypertension. Diabetes: A diet to help control diabetes also focuses on weight management. Low glycemic index diets have been shown to reduce complications associated with diabetes. Exercise is also a key factor to controlling diabetes. A 3-5 days of the week exercise, which focuses on caloric expenditure and duration rather than intensity, has been proven to increase insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. *Exercise can reduce other risk factors such as weight control, lipid profile, and hypertension. Lipid Profile: Elevated triglycerides are best treated with increased physical activity and weight reduction. Aerobic exercise, weight reduction, smoking cessation, and moderate alcohol consumption will favorably affect HDL-C and lower LDL-C. After comparing these three aspects, it is easy to see that a diet focused on weight management, smoking cessation, and physical activity involving aerobic exercise will greatly lower Patient X’s risk factors for hypertension and diabetes. 2) Suggesting that Patient X begin the DASH diet would be the first place to start. The DASH diet includes an easy-to-use chart which helps plan menus. It also includes items that people generally like to eat, just in less moderation and with more fruit and vegetables. To help Patient X quit smoking, there are prescriptions or over the counter patches that will allow cessation. There are also therapy groups that Patient X could try if addiction proved to be too great. Exercising with someone, a friend or significant other is always easier than exercising alone. I would suggest that Patient X find an exercise buddy and possibly start a gym membership. If they feel this isn’t the right choice for them, then even walking around their block for 30 minutes allows some form of aerobic exercise in their life. After 6 months I would expect to see a lower blood pressure if Patient X had indeed been participating in physical activity. Improvement in blood pressure among hypertensive, takes effect within the first few weeks. I would also expect to see major improvement in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides if the proper diet was maintained. I would also expect to see an increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. A drop in BMI will also be indicated.

Is this an accurate assessment of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? Essay

In retrospect Macbeth does not embody the traits of a butcher at the start of the play but the chain of events he and his wife set in motion, changes him into a remorseless killer. A butcher by trade kills for necessity, shows no remorse or conscience and is pitiless. However, Macbeth is persuaded by his selfish, ambitious wife to perform these terrible deeds against his moral standards. Once Macbeth crosses the moral boundary of taking someone’s life, he loses all sense of right and wrong. A domino effect is created whereby the loss of one life automatically leads on to mass murder in that he tries to eliminate all contenders to the throne i.e. the slaughter of the innocents (Macduff’s wife and children). During the course of the play, Macbeth and his wife have a role reversal-she develops a conscience after her initial lust for blood and descends into madness whereupon she kills herself. She is no longer the fiend-like queen, but a pathetic creature full of delusions (â€Å"Out, damned spot!†) who almost demands pity from the onlooker. Macbeth however, has taken total control of the situation and cannot step back now that he has gone so far. Lady Macbeth’s statement,†What’s done cannot be undone,† is appropriate here. Consequently, Macduff’s quotation, â€Å"This dead butcher and fiend-like queen†, is not wholly true. Upon hearing of the witches prophecies, Lady Macbeth instantly conspires to speed up events so that Macbeth becomes king quickly. She believes that she is speeding up fate, but all she is in fact doing is playing out the prophecy exactly. He lacks the necessary ruthlessness that accompanies ambition- â€Å"Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it;† but she can supply that for him. She is fiend-like in the way she manipulates her husband, a shrew brow-beating him into these acts. He is merely her instrument carrying through her plans. At the moment, she is the power behind the throne. At face value, she is ‘egging on’ her husband for what looks to be his own gains, but it is her ambition to be the most powerful woman in Scotland. She is furthering her own ambitious plans perhaps wanting to rule the country through Macbeth. It is ironic when she says, â€Å"Look like the innocent flower But be the serpent under’t†, as she herself is the ‘serpent’, the brains behind the plan. He slavishly does her bidding despite having some misgivings, † We will proceed no further in this business:†. She undermines his manhood using it as a weapon against him, â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man.† She adopts the masculine characteristics of courage, strength and determination and encourages him to proceed with the actions. She bolsters his frail ego. Although he has slain many people in battle, he is known to be a loyal servant and is afraid of being branded a traitor. He recognises Duncan’s valued opinion of him, â€Å"He hath honoured me of late;†, but with his wife’s repeated charges of being thought a coward he, like a hen-pecked husband, agrees to her plan. It is really after Banquo’s murder that his mental frailty is displayed. His visions of the mutilated corpse, that are only visible to him, unhinge him, but he shows perception in recognising that his murderous behaviour is out of the norm for him when he states, â€Å"My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear that wants hard use: We are yet but young in deed†. He views himself as an amateur, but believes that with more murderous experiences the terrible visions will disappear. This is the crucial point at which the led becomes the leader. Macbeth now takes control of his own destiny while Lady Macbeth becomes the dependent casualty. From this realisation, Lady Macbeth assumes a lesser role in the play and fades into the background. Her rampant ambition and calculated plans have brought her no lasting joy or pleasure. Although she has achieved her dreams of being queen, her mental state is now of a tormented soul; she suffers from insomnia, is haunted by ghastly visions of the dead, performs an obsessional washing of hands, â€Å"What, will these hands ne’er be clean?† and suicidal thoughts dominate her existence. It is here that she loses the tag of ‘fiend-like queen’ and becomes more human in her inability to cope with what she has seen. Although she put in motion the sequence of events, she is now unable to cope with the consequences. The once proud, domineering woman has become a shadow;her spectral appearances in a nightgown carrying a candle show her changed into a waif like creature inhabiting the darker recesses of a turbulent mind. It’s difficult not to feel some sympathy for her â€Å"slumbery agitation†. This is no fiend but a troubled soul whose only hope of peace is death. While neither character is portrayed in an attractive light, Shakespeare graphically shows a descent into insanity and the ultimate tragic end in the quest for power. Against one’s better nature, a degree of empathy for Macbeth and his wife emerges so that the label ‘butcher’ and ‘fiend-like queen’ does not seem appropriate at the conclusion of the play.

Business, Government, and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business, Government, and Society - Essay Example This paper seeks to describe the recently launched use of enzymatic cleantech-based approach and how the technological platform will help reduce the impact of activities that humankind carry out on the environment. Recently, a biotech company, Richcore Lifesciences released an enzymatic platform that aims to facilitate the use of clean technology in the pharmaceutical industry (Vijay 1). Commonly referred to as Ecosol, the new technological development will work to significantly reduce pollution that has been continuously associated with the effluents from pharmaceutical producing industrial units. Pharmaceutical companies normally incur significant costs in ensuring that they treat their water with trestle. In this regard, the new technology, Ecosol will save these companies over 25 percent of costs incurred in treating water using the trestle. Further, since the new technology is consumable it can easily be slotted in the process of treating waste water carried in any of the given pharmaceutical industries (Vijay 1). However, the management of these pharmaceuticals must ensure that the waste water does not contain heavy metals and fluorides since these will inhibit and/or stop enzymatic reactions (Vijay 1). The Ecosol is primarily intended for the use in the pharmaceutical industry all over the world. However, it is important to note that the companies seeking to utilize the product should deploy the necessary technologically supporting equipments and channels if only they want to achieve the needful high enzymatic reactions in their production units. This will enable the company to achieve an efficient process that significantly cost effective and highly reduces the impact of human kind on the natural environment (Burtis, Esptein and Parker 37). Additionally, the companies must invest in a Greenfield manufacturing facility that is compliant to the necessary enzymatic reactions expected in the pharmaceutical producing units. This will enable the company produ ce enzymes with significantly high value but which do not consume greater volumes. Such enzymes could also be used in manufacturing bio pharmaceuticals and the related processes involving bio transformation (Vijay 1). This new technological solution seeks to adapt several compliant features that will facilitate its application on the global market place. Such compliant issues include attaining significant patents in the related areas such as those relating to the management of waste water, design of manufacturing processes and the energy production and improvement of ethanol use in providing energy and stimulating pharmaceutical reactions as has been the case in many pharmaceutical industries for several ages now. In this regard, the clean technology product will be useful all across the globe but with focus on the pharmaceutical industry. This endeavor mainly seeks to nourish the players in the pharmaceutical industry with sufficient and efficient platform to save costs, reduce pol lution since it does not require additional heavy capital expenditure and does not work to cannibalize prevailing technologies (Burtis, Esptein and Parker 53). Therefore, it practically fits in the category of clean technology products and services. Social entrepreneurial venture Business creations with social orientations have been part of

Mandatory Vaccines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mandatory Vaccines - Research Paper Example Parents in the US have, for many years, been reluctant to have their children vaccinated because of the supposed link between Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. This fear can partly be attributed to the fact; despite the overarching research on autism, there are still gaps in the identification of its causal factors. Parents are inclined toward suspecting MMR vaccine as the causal factor for autism because vaccination will have some impact on the child’s health over the passage of time. However, there is plentiful evidence from research that suggests that there is no valid reason or evidence that supports the consideration of MMR vaccine to be a cause of autism in children. In their research, Neal A. Halsey, Susan L. Hyman, and the Conference Writing Panel (2001) reviewed all information presented on the link by the parents, physicians, and scientists and found that there is no scientific cause-and-effect relationship between MMR vaccine and autism. The board further discussed the actual causes of autism and emphasizes a need for the pediatricians to ensure the reception of immunizations (Halsey et al., 2001). Gerber and Offit (2008) found more than 20 studies from researchers from all across the globe that could not find any evidence that would suggest the existence of a link between vaccines and autism. These scientifically incorrect theories are misleading and undermine the true causal factors of autism, substituting them with vaccination in the early childhood. Not only has vaccination found to have no cause-and-effect relationship with autism by a number of studies, but also certain studies have shown how not vaccinating can induce motor developmental abnormalities in children. Chelsea Flowers Anderson shares the story of Jennifer Russo discussing how her experience with her daughter transformed her from being anti-vax

Peer review for assignments about (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation by MR Assignment

Peer review for assignments about (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation by MR gradient coils) - Assignment Example Overview of the article Bottger’s paper, ‘Peripheral nerve stimulation by MR gradient coils,’ is organized into subsections with a well-outlined abstract and a conclusion. The abstract outlines the paper’s objective of discussing and understanding Peripheral nerve stimulation that results from application of MR gradient coils in imaging. The abstract also outlines the paper’s key contents such as occurrence of peripheral nerve stimulation, methods for reducing the occurrence, appropriate PNS thresholds that the body can sustain involved risks in the technology, and effects of the technology’s use. The author describes magnetic resonance as a powerful and significant tool for imaging and that can obtain high-level resolution without using ionizing radiation. The tool also helps in investigating organ function, to investigate vivo chemistry and to visualize the brain. The author also establishes the need for care in application of the technology because while high resolution images requires high strength pulse and powerful static magnetic fields, these increase chances of peripheral nerve stimulation and also risks care personnel within the imaging facility. The paper also seeks to define peripheral nerve stimulation, identify its causes and where it occurs, and discusses threshold values for imaging and strategies for reducing effects of peripheral nerve stimulation. Commendations The abstract offers a comprehensive overview of the paper and succeeds in communicating the article’s objective. It develops suspense by exploration of content headline but not actual information, a feature that can motivate a reader into the article. The author also uses simple and precise headings that are outlined conspicuously. Another outstanding element of the article is its attained credibility through reliance and acknowledgement of its sources of information. Reliability of offered information is another feature of the article be cause of consistency of offered information to other sources. Its argument that peripheral nerve stimulation causes pain, for example, is consistent with the observation that the technology may have irritable effects such as twitching of muscles on patients (Rummeny and Reimer 2009, p. 33). Schultz also supports the author’s position on causes of the stimulation, varying magnetic fields (2013, p. 4). Application of diagrams and tables also enhances the article’s ability to communicate to the audience. Affirmations A number of concerns, despite the positive attributes, however arise from the article’s content with respect to its aims and headings. Some of the article’s content is not consistent with its headings. The author does not seem to define PNS while the heading, ‘what is PNS?’ suggest the need for the definition. The audience anticipates an explicit or inferred definition but none appears. Like in the abstract, a definition of PNS is n ecessary to make the title relevant. The same concern arises with respect to the heading, ‘what are the causes of PNS’ because no explicit causes, except involved mechanism towards the stimulation, are offered. One of the possible responses would â€Å"changes at the neuromuscular junction or muscle level† (Tranquilli, Thurmon and Grimm 2013, p. 429). Significant inconsistency also exists between the abstract and headings, which communicates the author’

Health improvement in nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Health improvement in nursing - Essay Example In order to improve health in nursing, nurses require collaboration with other different bodies, such as governments, the local communities, as well as their patients.Nurses utilize various strategies, which will promote positive health and well-being of individuals. Therefore, nurses are core in health improvement, and these are committed to their patients and aim at improving the health status of their patients, including those who suffer from long-term conditions. Nurses also provide care to the marginalized in society, and participate in a variety of public health programmes. Nonetheless, different people today need health improvement, but sometimes might lack to access it. Therefore, this paper will focus on overweight people with a BMI of 25-30kg kg/m2.Overweight people need health improvement and promotion, mainly because, today this is a worrying health issue, as a great number of people are overweight. The large number of overweight people is therefore, an indication that en ough efforts have not been adopted to address this health issue. In order to improve health for this group of people, it is important to increase their awareness of sugar intake, as is an important aspect that is overlooked by most overweight people, while some lack reliable information about this. Diabetes is experienced today at a higher rate compared to past decades. When one is overweight, they are at risk of being diabetic. Therefore, the increased prevalence of diabetes shows that one of the root causes, which is excessive weight in people, has not been given the attention it needs for improvement. Globally, the prevalence of diabetes is expected to hit a high of 552 million people by the year 2030. In 2011, prevalence of diabetes stood at 366 million people (Diabetes UK 2011). On the other hand, the UK is one of the countries, which is registering increased cases of diabetes every year. In the year 1996, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK was 1.4 million. However, this number has increased to 2.9 million, and it is expected to reach 5 million in 2055. This therefore, makes diabetes to be one of the health challenges in the UK today (Diabetes UK 2011). In order to improve this case and promote good health of the people in the UK, it is crucial that information about diabetes, its cause and effects, and prevention be disseminated to the whole population, to increase their awareness so that they can adopt the correct preventive and control strategies (Diabetes UK 2011). The most prevalent diabetes type in the UK is Type 2 diabetes, which is highly associated with being overweight or obese. Initially, this affected people aged above 40 years, but today, this affects even young people and children (Public Health England 2013: London Health Improvement Board 2011). Nonetheless, the number of obese and overweight people in the UK keeps rising, thus the rise in the prevalence of diabetes (Diabetes UK 2011). Similarly, government records from the UK department of health show that in England, 61.3% of adults are overweight and obsess, in addition to 30% of children. Evidence also shows that overweight or

The Rule of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rule of Law - Essay Example Nevertheless, under all contexts that the concept of the Rule of Law should be applied, it anticipates two major aspects; fairness and equality. The meaning of the Rule of Law can be broken down into different contexts, where the first two contexts adheres to the proposition by Webley & Samuels, 2012, that â€Å"The rule of law is a doctrine†, while the third context in which the Rule of Law can derive its meaning, is pitched on the other proposition by Webley & Samuels, 2012, that â€Å"The rule of law is a theory†. Thus, the Rule of Law can be applied in the first context to mean â€Å"according to the law†. Under this context, the Rule of Law is then applied to mean that no individual, regardless of the social status or the position of power they hold in the society, can be subject to a form of punishment that is not in accordance with laws that are well established and clearly and procedurally defined3. This context of the application of the rule of law there fore means that any criminal charges leveled against an entity, be it an individual, a group or an organization must be in line with laws that are well-established and which are clearly understood by the entity, and whose procedure is well known. Therefore, this context of the law anticipates the application of the law to be aligned with the existing doctrines. This prevents an individual or an entity from being punished for any violation that is not punishable by the law4. Relevant case: Papachristou v. City of Jacksonville, 405 U.S. 156, 92 S. Ct. 839, 31 L. Ed. 2d 110 [1972] The Papachristou v. Jacksonville is case in relation to a vagrancy ordinance enacted by the city of Jacksonville in Florida State, where the law prohibited a large form of freelance activities, which included strolling, wandering and moving from place to place, without any lawful intent or object5. The defendant, Papachristou, was among eight other individuals that were arrested and charged with vagrancy in a court of law in Jacksonville, city, for disorderly loitering. Upon an appeal in the United States Supreme Court, the court declared that the Jacksonville ordinance was largely vague constitutionally, since the ordinance did not create any distinction between the illegal and the innocent activities, thus could end-up criminalizing innocent movement activities such as walking at night or habitual movement which had no visible intent5. This vagueness granted the police arbitrary powers to determine which activities they would interpret as lawful, and which ones to declare innocent, following the lack of well-established laws, which are clearly understood by the entity, and whose procedure is well known5. The Supreme Court therefore held that the defendant would not be criminally liable, under such vague law. The second context under which the rule of law can be confidently applied is to mean; â€Å"rule under the law†6. Here, the concept of the Rule of Law would therefore mean that no one is above the law, and thus no one has the freedom to apply law arbitrarily, even when such an entity is the one formulating such laws. Therefore, the second context of the rule of law anticipates that all individuals and entities will be subjected to equal treatment by the law, and thus no one can be favored, and no one can be prejudiced by the same law, regardless of

Individual Management Enhancement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Management Enhancement - Essay Example trying to figure out how this environment changes at my work place and realised that technological rapid change leads to frustrations and affects worker’s productivity. Recently, all the data in my bank was digitized and therefore, staff had to be moved and shifted to departments which could accommodate better their skills. Others had to be sent for retraining and refreshment on the way they could work in a digitized environment. Aware that change management requires thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, I sought to consult and involve colleagues who were affected. I therefore, embarked on finding out their challenges and what the change in environment could mean for their future career. I interviewed five colleagues at work and also reviewed some empirical evidence of past rapid and massive changes. I also revisited handouts that gave me insight into the area of environmental and process change management at work. I received an interesting feedback from my respondents regarding their experiences with change in environment and process at work. They specifically pointed at the worrying trends in IT department where I belong and saw it as forced, though inevitable environmental change in all departments in a company. They also reported that even if technological environmental change from technological shift is inevitable, it comes with problems. These observations are applicable in any company regardless of the business. The following are best practices when it comes to environment and process at work place: It was important to get feedback from top management concerning the issue of being realistic. Khalid Roshan reported that although this is not noticed by many workers, he is actually the most affected by the digitization process in our company and that this is the first point of being realistic. In this case, Khalid Roshan was quick to give a professional advice that when effecting change, one has to be â€Å"realistic and set measurable and

Gary Hess The United States at War, 1941-1945 Essay

Gary Hess The United States at War, 1941-1945 - Essay Example The book is very concise and straight to the point. It does not drag the reader into arguments that do not have relevance to the author’s primary thesis. The Second World War is often regarded as a historical event of epic proportions. The European and the Pacific stages were considered as different campaigns by themselves, and Hess provides a good narration of history which is both chronological and thematic. Hess attacks the US and its involvement in the Second World War in a thematic approach which makes the historical account very interesting. For example, in the first chapter, â€Å"To Pearl Harbor: The United States and World Crisis†, Hess discusses the nation’s rationale in its inter-continental interference was that first, the US wanted to protect its far-flung allies and second (most importantly, of course) to champion the democratic leadership it had boasted since its independence. Working on this example, it is clear that although Hess provides a mains tream historical narrative on his chosen topic (that is providing facts and accompanying analysis), the author dwells on the matter that the mere analysis and interpretation should be streamlined to a higher argument.

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem Essay Example for Free

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem Essay The following observation will describe the decisions made by a financial analyst who is working for the capital budget department at Caledonia Products. The organization has asked Team B to evaluate the potential risk involved in an upcoming transaction and identify several options in how to proceed. Because this is the team’s first assignments dealing with risk analyzes the team has been ask to further explain the details. The organization analysis will focus on free cash flows, projection of cash flows, projects initial outlay, cash flow diagram, net present value, internal rate of return, and if the project should be accepted. Why focus on project free cash flows Team B believes that Caledonia should focus on the project’s free cash flows and not the accounting profits. Evidence exists that the accounting profits will be earned by the project because there is a positive cash flow to the shareholders. With any investment there is the expectation that there will be an increase to the firm’s cash flow. Free cash flow is the total cash available to creditors who have invested their monies to finance the project. Accounting profits includes costs such as depreciation, interest, and taxes to run a business therefore it should not affect free cash flows. The project free cash flows range from year zero to year five and illustrate how much Caledonia Products will benefit if they choose to take on this project. Projection of project in years one through five There is annual working capital requirement of $100,000 to initiate the project. The incremental cash flows for the project in years one through five shows increase. For each year, the total investment in net working capital will be equal to 10% of the dollar value of sales for that year. In year one free cash flow is $2,100,000 in year two $3,600,000, which means fist year increase of $1,500,000, and it is about 53% increase. In year two 23% increase and year three to four decreases of 28%, and in year five free cash flow is $1,560,000, which means 43% decrease. Year-1:$2,100,000 Year-2:$3,600,000 Year-3:$4,200,000 Year-4:$2,400,000 Year-5:$1,560,000 Initial outlay This project’s initial outlay includes the necessary capital needed to purchase fixed assets and ensure they are in operating order to start the project. Cost of new plant and equipment: 7,900,000 Shipping and installation cost: 100,000 Initial working capital required to start the production: 100,000 8,100,000 The initial outlay for this project is $8,100,000 Cash flow diagram $3,956,000$8,416,000$10,900,000$8,548,000$5,980,400 ($8,100,000) Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return Unit Price x units sold 1:$21,000 2:$36,000 3:$42,000 4:$24,000 5:$15,600 Therefore, NPV = $94,575.83 NPV Values for Years 1: $18,260.90 2: $27,221.17 3: $27,615.68 4: $13,722.40 5: $7,755.98 The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) = 12.61% Project Conclusion Deciding on whether to follow through with a project is done by evaluating either the internal rate of return or net present value. According to Investopedia, â€Å"All other things being equal, using internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) measurements to evaluate projects often results in the same findings† (Investopedia, 2013). If comparing one project to another, the one with the higher rate or return would be the more favorable one. In this instance several projects were not compared, and the IRR is below the current discount rate, which makes the project not feasible. The problem with IRR, however, is that it does not take into account changing discount rates. As market conditions and other factors change, so does the IRR. Net Present Value (NPV) on the other hand, takes changing rates into account and is a calculated using very complex formula taking many factors into account for each stage of the project. If the Net Present Value is calculated to be above zero, or positive, it is considered to be feasible, and the project should be accepted. Our calculations show the NPV in each year to be positive and believe that the project in this case should indeed be accepted. References: Investopedia US, A Division of ValueClick, Inc. . (2013). Internal Rate Of Return IRR. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/irr.asp#axzz2HtkRBF6q

Examining The Sound Navigation Technique Of Sonar Engineering Essay

Examining The Sound Navigation Technique Of Sonar Engineering Essay Sonar means sound navigation and ranging is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in Submarine navigation) to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels. Two types of technology share the name sonar: passive sonar is essentially listening for the sound made by vessels; active sonar is emitting pulses of sounds and listening for echoes. Sonar may be used as a means of acoustic location and of measurement of the echo characteristics of targets in the water. Acoustic location in air was used before the introduction of radar. Sonar may also be used in air for robot navigation, and SODAR upward looking in-air sonar) is used for atmospheric investigations. The term sonar is also used for the equipment used to generate and receive the sound. The acoustic frequencies used in sonar systems vary from very low (infrasonic) to extremely high (ultrasonic). The study of underwater sound is known as underwater acoustics or hydro acoustics History Although some animals (dolphins and bats) have used sound for communication and object detection for millions of years, use by humans in the water is initially recorded by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1490: a tube inserted into the water was said to be used to detect vessels by placing an ear to the tube.[citation needed] In the 19th century an underwater bell was used as an ancillary to lighthouses to provide warning of hazards. The use of sound to echo locate underwater in the same way as bats use sound for aerial navigation seems to have been prompted by the Titanic disaster of 1912. The worlds first patent for an underwater echo ranging device was filed at the British Patent Office by English meteorologist Lewis Richardson a month after the sinking of the Titanic, and a German physicist Alexander Behm obtained a patent for an echo sounder in 1913. Canadian Reginald Fessenden, while working for the Submarine Signal Company in Boston, built an experimental system beginning in 1912, a system later tested in Boston Harbor, and finally in 1914 from the U.S. Revenue (now Coast Guard) Cutter Miami on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland Canada. In that test, Fessenden demonstrated depth sounding, underwater communications (Morse Code) and echo ranging (detecting an iceberg at two miles (3 km) range). The so-called Fessenden oscillator, at ca. 500 Hz frequency, was unable to determine the bearing of the berg due to t he 3 meter wavelength and the small dimension of the transducers radiating face (less than 1 meter in diameter). The ten Montreal-built British H class submarines launched in 1915 were equipped with a Fessenden oscillator. During World War I the need to detect submarines prompted more research into the use of sound. The British made early use of underwater hydrophones, while the French physicist Paul Langevin, working with a Russian immigrant electrical engineer, Constantin Chilowski, worked on the development of active sound devices for detecting submarines in 1915 using quartz. Although piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers later superseded the electrostatic transducers they used, this work influenced future designs. Performance factors The detection, classification and localization performance of a sonar depends on the environment and the receiving equipment, as well as the transmitting equipment in an active sonar or the target radiated noise in a passive sonar. Sound propagation Sonar operation is affected by variations in sound speed, particularly in the vertical plane. Sound travels more slowly in fresh water than in sea water, though the difference is small. The speed is determined by the waters bulk modulus and mass density. The bulk modulus is affected by temperature, dissolved impurities (usually salinity), and pressure. The density effect is small. The speed of sound (in feet per second) is approximately: 4388 + (11.25 ÃÆ'- temperature (in  °F)) + (0.0182 ÃÆ'- depth (in feet)) + salinity (in parts-per-thousand ). This empirically derived approximation equation is reasonably accurate for normal temperatures, concentrations of salinity and the range of most ocean depths. Ocean temperature varies with depth, but at between 30 and 100 meters there is often a marked change, called the thermo cline, dividing the warmer surface water from the cold, still waters that make up the rest of the ocean. This can frustrate sonar, because a sound originating on one side of the thermo cline tends to be bent, or refracted, through the thermo cline. The thermo cline may be present in shallower coastal waters. However, wave action will often mix the water column and eliminate the thermo cline. Water pressure also affects sound propagation: higher pressure increases the sound speed, which causes the sound waves to refract away from the area of higher sound speed. The mathematical model of refraction is called Snells law. If the sound source is deep and the conditions are right, propagation may occur in the deep sound channel. This provides extremely low propagation loss to a receiver in the channel. This is because of sound trapping in the channel with no losses at the boundaries. Similar propagation can occur in the surface duct under suitable conditions. However in this case there are reflection losses at the surface. In shallow water propagation is generally by repeated reflection at the surface and bottom, where considerable losses can occur. Sound propagation is affected by absorption in the water itself as well as at the surface and bottom. This absorption depends upon frequency, with several different mechanisms in sea water. Long-range sonar uses low frequencies to minimize absorption effects. The sea contains many sources of noise that interfere with the desired target echo or signature. The main noise sources are waves and shipping. The motion of the receiver through the water can also cause speed-dependent low frequency noise. Scattering When active sonar is used, scattering occurs from small objects in the sea as well as from the bottom and surface. This can be a major source of interference. This acoustic scattering is analogous to the scattering of the light from a cars headlights in fog: a high-intensity pencil beam will penetrate the fog to some extent, but broader-beam headlights emit much light in unwanted directions, much of which is scattered back to the observer, overwhelming that reflected from the target (white-out). For analogous reasons active sonar needs to transmit in a narrow beam to minimize scattering. Target characteristics The sound reflection characteristics of the target of an active sonar, such as a submarine, are known as its target strength. A complication is that echoes are also obtained from other objects in the sea such as whales, wakes, schools of fish and rocks. Passive sonar detects the targets radiated noise characteristics. The radiated spectrum comprises a continuous spectrum of noise with peaks at certain frequencies which can be used for classification. Countermeasures 1) Active countermeasures may be launched by a submarine under attack to raise the noise level, provide a large false target, and obscure the signature of the submarine itself. 2) Passive countermeasures include: There is a mounting noise-generating device on isolating devices. We use a sound-absorbent coating on the hulls of submarines, for example anechoic tiles. Active sonarà   Active sonar uses a sound transmitter and a receiver. When the two are in the same place it is monostatic operation. When the transmitter and receiver are separated it is bistatic operation. When more transmitters (or more receivers) are used, again spatially separated, it is multistate operation. Most sonars are used monostatically with the same array often being used for transmission and reception. Active son buoy fields may be operated multistatically. Active sonar creates a pulse of sound, often called a ping, and then listens for reflections (echo) of the pulse. This pulse of sound is generally created electronically using a sonar Projector consisting of a signal generator, power amplifier and electro-acoustic transducer/array. A beam former is usually employed to concentrate the acoustic power into a beam, which may be swept to cover the required search angles. Generally, the electro-acoustic transducers are of the Tonpilz type and their design may be optimized to achieve maximum efficiency over the widest bandwidth, in order to optimize performance of the overall system. Occasionally, the acoustic pulse may be created by other means, e.g. (1) Chemically using explosives (2) Air guns (3) Plasma sound sources. To measure the distance to an object, the time from transmission of a pulse to reception is measured and converted into a range by knowing the speed of sound. To measure the bearing, several hydrophones are used, and the set measures the relative arrival time to each, or with an array of hydrophones, by measuring the relative amplitude in beams formed through a process called beam forming. Use of an array reduces the spatial response so that to provide wide cover multibeam systems are used. The targets signal (if present) together with noise is then passed through various forms of signal processing, which for simple sonars may be just energy measurement. It is then presented to some form of decision device that calls the output either the required signal or noise. This decision device may be an operator with headphones or a display, or in more sophisticated sonar this function may be carried out by software. Further processes may be carried out to classify the target and localize it, as well as measuring its velocity. The pulse may be at constant frequency or a chirp of changing frequency (to allow pulse compression on reception). Simple sonars generally use the former with a filter wide enough to cover possible Doppler changes due to target movement, while more complex ones generally include the latter technique. Since digital processing became available pulse compression has usually been implemented using digital correlation techniques. Military sonars often have multiple beams to provide all-round cover while simple ones only cover a narrow arc, although the beam may be rotated, relatively slowly, by mechanical scanning. Particularly when single frequency transmissions are used, the Doppler effect can be used to measure the radial speed of a target. The difference in frequency between the transmitted and received signal is measured and converted into a velocity. Since Doppler shifts can be introduced by either receiver or target motion, allowance has to be made for the radial speed of the searching platform. One of the useful small sonar is similar in appearance to a waterproof flashlight. The head is pointed into the water, a button is pressed, and the device displays the distance to the target. Another variant is a fish finder that shows a small display with shoals of fish. Some civilian sonars approach active military sonars in capability, with quite exotic three-dimensional displays of the area near the boat. When active sonar is used to measure the distance from the transducer to the bottom, it is known as echo sounding. Similar methods may be used looking upward for wave measurement. Active sonar is also used to measure distance through water between two sonar transducers or a combination of a hydrophone (underwater acoustic microphone) and projector (underwater acoustic speaker). A transducer is a device that can transmit and receive acoustic signals (pings). When a hydrophone/transducer receives a specific interrogation signal it responds by transmitting a specific reply signal. To measure distance, one transducer/projector transmits an interrogation signal and measures the time between this transmission and the receipt of the other transducer/hydrophone reply. The time difference, scaled by the speed of sound through water and divided by two, is the distance between the two platforms. This technique, when used with multiple transducers/hydrophones/projectors, can calculate the relative positions of static and moving objects in water. In combat situations, an active pulse can be detected by an opponent and will reveal a submarines position. A very directional, but low-efficiency, type of sonar makes use of a complex nonlinear feature of water known as non-linear sonar, the virtual transducer being known as a parametric array. Project ARTEMIS Project ARTEMIS was one-of-a-kind low-frequency sonar for surveillance that was deployed off Bermuda for several years in the early 1960s. The active portion was deployed from a World War II tanker, and the receiving array was a built into a fixed position on an offshore bank. Transponder This is an active sonar device that receives a stimulus and immediately retransmits the received signal or a predetermined one. Passive sonar Passive sonar listens without transmitting. It is often employed in military settings, although it is also used in science applications, e.g., detecting fish for presence/absence studies in various aquatic environments see also passive acoustics and passive radar. In the very broadest usage, this term can encompass virtually any analytical technique involving remotely generated sound, though it is usually restricted to techniques applied in an aquatic environment. Identifying sound sources Passive sonar has a wide variety of techniques for identifying the source of a detected sound. For example, U.S. vessels usually operate 60 Hz alternating current power systems. If transformers or generators are mounted without proper vibration insulation from the hull or become flooded, the 60 Hz sound from the windings can be emitted from the submarine or ship. This can help to identify its nationality, as most European submarines have 50 Hz power systems. Intermittent sound sources (such as a wrench being dropped) may also be detectable to passive sonar. Until fairly recently, an experienced trained operator identified signals, but now computers may do this. Passive sonar systems may have large sonic databases, but the sonar operator usually finally classifies the signals manually. A computer system frequently uses these databases to identify classes of ships, actions (i.e. the speed of a ship, or the type of weapon released), and even particular ships. Publications for classification of sounds are provided by and continually updated by the US Office of Naval Intelligence. Noise limitations Passive sonar on vehicles is usually severely limited because of noise generated by the vehicle. For this reason, many submarines operate nuclear reactors that can be cooled without pumps, using silent convection, or fuel cells or batteries, which can also run silently. Vehicles propellers are also designed and precisely machined to emit minimal noise. High-speed propellers often create tiny bubbles in the water, and these cavitations have a distinct sound. The sonar hydrophones may be towed behind the ship or submarine in order to reduce the effect of noise generated by the watercraft itself. Towed units also combat the thermo cline, as the unit may be towed above or below the thermo cline. The display of most passive sonars used to be a two-dimensional waterfall display. The horizontal direction of the display is bearing. The vertical is frequency, or sometimes time. Another display technique is to color-code frequency-time information for bearing. More recent displays are generated by the computers, and mimic radar-type plan position indicator displays. Performance prediction Unlike active sonar, only one way propagation is involved. Because of the different signal processing used, the minimum detectable signal to noise ratio will be different. The equation for determining the performance of passive sonar is: SL à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ TL = NL à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ DI + DT where SL is the source level, TL is the transmission loss, NL is the noise level, DI is the directivity index of the array (an approximation to the array gain) and DT is the detection threshold. The figure of merit of passive sonar is: FOM = SL + DI à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (NL + DT). Warfare Modern naval warfare makes extensive use of both passive and active sonar from water-borne vessels, aircraft and fixed installations. The relative usefulness of active versus passive sonar depends on the radiated noise characteristics of the target, generally a submarine. Although in WW II active sonar was used by surface craft-submarines avoided emitting pings which revealed their presence and position-with the advent of modern signal-processing passive sonar became preferred for initial detection. Submarines were then designed for quieter operation, and active sonar is now more used. In 1987 a division of Japanese company Toshiba reportedly sold machinery to the Soviet Union that allowed it to mill submarine propeller blades so that they became radically quieter, creating a huge security issue with their newer generation of submarines. Active sonar gives the exact bearing to a target, and sometimes the range. Active sonar works the same way as radar: a signal is emitted. The sound wave then travels in many directions from the emitting object. When it hits an object, the sound wave is then reflected in many other directions. Some of the energy will travel back to the emitting source. The echo will enable the sonar system or technician to calculate, with many factors such as the frequency, the energy of the received signal, the depth, the water temperature, the position of the reflecting object, etc. Active sonar is used when the platform commander determines that it is more important to determine the position of a possible threat submarine than it is to conceal his own position. With surface ships it might be assumed that the threat is already tracking the ship with satellite data. Any vessel around the emitting sonar will detect the emission. Having heard the signal, it is easy to identify the sonar equipment used and its position. Active sonar is similar to radar in that, while it allows detection of targets at a certain range, it also enables the emitter to be detected at a far greater range, which is undesirable. Since active sonar reveals the presence and position of the operator, and does not allow exact classification of targets, it is used by fast (planes, helicopters) and by noisy platforms but rarely by submarines. When active sonar is used by surface ships or submarines, it is typically activated very briefly at intermittent periods to minimize the risk of detection. Consequently active sonar is normally considered a backup to passive sonar. In aircraft, active sonar is used in the form of disposable son buoys that are dropped in the aircrafts patrol area or in the vicinity of possible enemy sonar contacts. Passive sonar has several advantages. Most importantly, it is silent. If the target radiated noise level is high enough, it can have a greater range than active sonar, and allows the target to be identified. Since any motorized object makes some noise, it may in principle be detected, depending on the level of noise emitted and the ambient noise level in the area, as well as the technology used. To simplify, passive sonar sees around the ship using it. On a submarine, nose-mounted passive sonar detects in directions of about 270 °, centered on the ships alignment, the hull-mounted array of about 160 ° on each side, and the towed array of a full 360 °. The invisible areas are due to the ships own interference. Once a signal is detected in a certain direction (which means that something makes sound in that direction, this is called broadband detection) it is possible to zoom in and analyze the signal received (narrowband analysis). This is generally done using a Fourier transform to show the different frequencies making up the sound. Since every engine makes a specific sound, it is straightforward to identify the object. Databases of unique engine sounds are part of what is known as acoustic intelligence or ACINT. Another use of passive sonar is to determine the targets trajectory. This process is called Target Motion Analysis (TMA), and the resultant solution is the targets range, course, and speed. TMA is done by marking from which direction the sound comes at different times, and comparing the motion with that of the operators own ship. Changes in relative motion are analyzed using standard geometrical techniques along with some assumptions about limiting cases. Passive sonar is stealthy and very useful. However, it requires high-tech electronic components and is costly. It is generally deployed on expensive ships in the form of arrays to enhance detection. Surface ships use it to good effect; it is even better used by submarines, and it is also used by airplanes and helicopters, mostly to a surprise effect, since submarines can hide under thermal layers. If a submarines commander believes he is alone, he may bring his boat closer to the surface and be easier to detect, or go deeper and faster, and thus make sounder. Examples of sonar applications in military use are given below. Many of the civil uses given in the following section may also be applicable to naval use. Anti-submarine warfare Variable Depth Sonar and its winch until recently, ship sonars were usually with hull mounted arrays, either amidships or at the bow. It was soon found after their initial use that a means of reducing flow noise was required. The first were made of canvas on a framework, and then steel ones were used. Now domes are usually made of reinforced plastic or pressurized rubber. Such sonars are primarily active in operation. An example of conventional hull mounted sonar is the SQS-56. Because of the problems of ship noise, towed sonars are also used. These also have the advantage of being able to be placed deeper in the water. However, there are limitations on their use in shallow water. These are called towed arrays (linear) or variable depth sonars (VDS) with 2/3D arrays. A problem is that the winches required to deploy/recover these are large and expensive. VDS sets are primarily active in operation while towed arrays are passive. An example of a modern active/passive ship towed sonar is Sonar 2087 made by Thales Underwater Systems. Torpedoes Modern torpedoes are generally fitted with active/passive sonar. This may be used to home directly on the target, but wake following torpedoes are also used. An early example of an acoustic homer was the Mark 37 torpedo. Torpedo countermeasures can be towed or free. An early example was the German Sieglinde device while the Pillenwerfer was a chemical device. A widely used US device was the towed Nixie while MOSS submarine simulator was a free device. A modern alternative to the Nixie system is the UK Royal Navy S2170 Surface Ship Torpedo Defense system. Mines Mines may be fitted with a sonar to detect, localize and recognize the required target. Further information is given in acoustic mine and an example is the CAPTOR mine. Mine countermeasures Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Sonar, sometimes called Mine and Obstacle Avoidance Sonar (MOAS), is a specialized type of sonar used for detecting small objects. Most MCM sonars are hull mounted but a few types are VDS design. An example of a hull mounted MCM sonar is the Type 2193 while the SQQ-32 Mine-hunting sonar and Type 2093 systems are VDS designs. See also Minesweeper (ship) Submarine navigation Submarines rely on sonar to a greater extent than surface ships as they cannot use radar at depth. The sonar arrays may be hull mounted or towed. Information fitted on typical fits is given in Yoshiro class submarine and Swift sure class submarine. Aircraft Helicopters can be used for antisubmarine warfare by deploying fields of active/passive son buoys or can operate dipping sonar, such as the AQS-13. Fixed wing aircraft can also deploy son buoys and have greater endurance and capacity to deploy them. Processing from the son buoys or dipping sonar can be on the aircraft or on ship. Helicopters have also been used for mine countermeasure missions using towed sonars such as the AQS-20A Ocean surveillance For many years, the United States operated a large set of passive sonar arrays at various points in the worlds oceans, collectively called Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) and later Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS). A similar system is believed to have been operated by the Soviet Union. As permanently mounted arrays in the deep ocean were utilized, they were in very quiet conditions so long ranges could be achieved. Signal processing was carried out using powerful computers ashore. With the ending of the Cold War a SOSUS array has been turned over to scientific use. Underwater security Sonar can be used to detect frogmen and other scuba divers. This can be applicable around ships or at entrances to ports. Active sonar can also be used as a deterrent and/or disablement mechanism. One such device is the Cerberus system. Hand-held sonar Limpet Mine Imaging Sonar (LIMIS) is hand-held or ROV-mounted imaging sonar designed for patrol divers (combat frogmen or clearance divers) to look for limpet mines in low visibility water. The LUIS is imaging sonar for use by a diver. Integrated Navigation Sonar System (INSS) is small flashlight-shaped handheld sonar for divers that display range. Intercept sonar This is sonar designed to detect and locate the transmissions from hostile active sonars. An example of this is the Type 2082 fitted on the British Vanguard class submarines. Uses in daily life Fisheries Fishing is an important industry that is seeing growing demand, but world catch tonnage is falling as a result of serious resource problems. The industry faces a future of continuing worldwide consolidation until a point of sustainability can be reached. However, the consolidation of the fishing fleets are driving increased demands for sophisticated fish finding electronics such as sensors, sounders and sonars. Historically, fishermen have used many different techniques to find and harvest fish. However, acoustic technology has been one of the most important driving forces behind the development of the modern commercial fisheries. Sound waves travel differently through fish than through water because a fishs air-filled swim bladder has a different density than seawater. This density difference allows the detection of schools of fish by using reflected sound. Acoustic technology is especially well suited for underwater applications since sound travels farther and faster underwater than in air. Today, commercial fishing vessels rely almost completely on acoustic sonar and sounders to detect fish. Fishermen also use active sonar and echo sounder technology to determine water depth, bottom contour, and bottom composition. Cabin display of fish finder sonar Companies such as Ray marine UK makes a variety of sonar and acoustic instruments for the deep sea commercial fishing industry. For example, net sensors take various underwater measurements and transmit the information back to a receiver onboard a vessel. Each sensor is equipped with one or more acoustic transducers depending on its specific function. Data is transmitted from the sensors using wireless acoustic telemetry and is received by a hull mounted hydrophone. The analog signals are decoded and converted by a digital acoustic receiver into data which is transmitted to a bridge computer for graphical display on a high resolution monitor. Echo sounding An echo-sounder sends an acoustic pulse directly downwards to the seabed and records the returned echo. The sound pulse is generated by a transducer that emits an acoustic pulse and then listens for the return signal. The time for the signal to return is recorded and converted to a depth measurement by calculating the speed of sound in water. As the speed of sound in water is around 1,500 meters per second, the time interval, measured in milliseconds, between the pulse being transmitted and the echo being received, allows bottom depth and targets to be measured. The value of underwater acoustics to the fishing industry has led to the development of other acoustic instruments that operate in a similar fashion to echo-sounders but, because their function is slightly different from the initial model of the echo-sounder, have been given different terms. Net location The net sounder is an echo sounder with a transducer mounted on the headline of the net rather than on the bottom of the vessel. Nevertheless, to accommodate the distance from the transducer to the display unit, which is much greater than in a normal echo-sounder, several refinements have to be made. Two main types are available. The first is the cable type in which the signals are sent along a cable. In this case there has to be the provision of a cable drum on which to haul, shoot and stow the cable during the different phases of the operation. The second type is the cable less net-sounder such as Marports Trawl Explorer in which the signals are sent acoustically between the net and hull mounted receiver/hydrophone on the vessel. In this case no cable drum is required but sophisticated electronics are needed at the transducer and receiver. The display on a net sounder shows the distance of the net from the bottom (or the surface), rather than the depth of water as with the echo-sounders hull-mounted transducer. Fixed to the headline of the net, the footrope can usually be seen which gives an indication of the net performance. Any fish passing into the net can also be seen, allowing fine adjustments to be made to catch the most fish possible. In other fisheries, where the amount of fish in the net is important, catch sensor transducers are mounted at various positions on the cod-end of the net. As the cod-end fills up these catch sensor transducers are triggered one by one and this information is transmitted acoustically to display monitors on the bridge of the vessel. The skipper can then decide when to haul the net. Modern versions of the net sounder, using multiple element transducers, function more like sonar than an echo sounder and show slices of the area in front of the net and not merely the vertical view that the initial net sounders used. The sonar is an echo-sounder with a directional capability that can show fish or other objects around the vessel good Ship velocity measurement Sonars have been developed for measuring a ships velocity either relative to the water or to the bottom. Scientific applicationsà   Biomass estimation Detection of fish, and other marine and aquatic life, and estimation their individual sizes or total biomass using active sonar techniques. As the sound pulse travels through water it encounters objects that are of different density or acoustic characteristics than the surrounding medium, such as fish, that reflect sound back toward the sound source. These echoes provide information on fish size, location, abundance and behavior. Data is usually processed and analyzed using a variety of software such as Echo view. Wave measurement An upward looking echo sounder mounted on the bottom or on a platform may be used to make measurements of wave height and period. From this statistics of the surface conditions at a location can be derived. Water velocity measurem

Group Dynamics in Psychology Essay -- Papers

Questions and Answers About Group Dynamics in Psychology 1. How does each one of the two fit the definition of a group? Social- In my social group, it is clear that we are a collection of individuals guided by roles and norms. We, as friends, clearly influence each other, satisfy personal needs through association, and could be classified as a unit due to our common relation and degree of similiarity. I also notice a great degree of interdependence. That is, evnts affecting one tend to affect us all in some way or another. Work- Contrastingly, in my work group, I don't find as much similarity and personal need fulfillment. In this group, I observe a greater emphasis on goal achievement. At work, we achieve goals that we would otherwise be unable to accomplish individually. I also recognize a sense of interdependence as we are all affected by changes involving any single employee. 2. Name the five basic elements for effectiveness in groups and discuss each with respect to both groups. a) Positive Interdependence Social: In my social group for example, we often help one another such that we are able to accomplish group goals and wants. I remember one incident in high school w... ...ate into personal attacks. 10. Discuss the importance of action theory and learning to Group Dynamics (in your own words). How can your learning experience be enhanced by your behavior? In order to be an effective contributer to a group, one must be aware of the consequences of their various behaviors. In addition, one must have a well established set of action theories from which to choose when attempting to reach a desired outcome. Furthermore in order to ensure group success, individuals must be able to recognize when behavior becomes ineffective such that action theories can be modified. This learning process can be enhanced by the willingness to take risks and experiment with different behaviors. As Herbert Otto said "Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life".

Changing Lives From The Other Side :: essays research papers

Changing Lives from the Other Side â€Å"To teach is to touch lives forever† is a popular phrase that teachers like to be reminded of. I know this because they almost all have it framed on their desk, up on their walls on posters, or have a t-shirt with the theme on it. Another is â€Å"To teach a child is to change the world.† I haven’t been a teacher, but I work with children and with children’s health at The Little Gym, and I volunteer at the homeless center’s children’s activity room. I can’t say that I’ve touched or changed their lives, but I know that they’ve changed my view on love more than anything else has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All other humans, and I first learned about love from our parents. From birth, we are nurtured and given everything needed for survival. Through this dependence, we develop love for our parents. When we start to learn more about the world, we come in contact with others. I am one of the many people that try to develop or adjust a child’s life for the best. I am probably one of the least important people in the process of the child’s mental and physical growth. But, some children make me feel like the most important person in the world, that only a few worthy people are lucky enough to see a child’s special light and smile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child’s smile is transparent. Their love can be seen through their smile. Their happiness is so innocent and unselfish, that sometimes, we have to feel like a child to feel that kind of love. Working with kids reminds me to bring myself back to childhood. I have to think, what made me happy when I was a child, what frustrated me, and how can I make that situation better for the child. The groups of children that I work with may compare and contrast to each other in different ways. The Gym’s kids are generally well behaved and easy to please. The homeless center’s kids are disrespectful, but still easy to please. A favorite activity at the homeless center is for the children to throw toys around the room when they can’t get their way. These kids need extra attention to calm down and to explain sharing to. But if I was a raging kid, I wouldn’t want to be talked to. I would need other entertainment to keep my mind on, and fast.

The Ethics of Prison Privatization Essay -- legal issues, penal system

How true is Christie’s warning that an increasingly privatized penal service threatens the ethics and effectiveness of the criminal justice system? More aspects of the penal system are now privatized, and are set to increase. This includes the privatization of such services as prisons, electronic tags, catering companies, probation work or prison escort services. David Taylor-Smith, head of the world’s biggest security firm, G4S says he expects private companies will be running large parts of the UK’s police service within five years (Taylor and Travis, 2012). Nils Christie’s text (2000) â€Å"Crime Control as Industry† draws upon increasing prison populations in the US. However reflecting upon that the prison population in England and Wales has increased from 41,800 prisoners to over 86,000 in 14 years (Ministry of Justice, 2013, 1) Christie also looks upon other countries that face similar problems and how this and modern crime control represents a move 'towards gulags, western type’ (Christie, 2000, 15). He describes the criminal justice system today as a â€Å"Pain Delivery† service (Christie, 2000, 143) and argues that it is regulated by the amount of pain they choose to inflict on society and not by the actual number of crimes committed. Christie also identifies changes in capitalist societies and their social organisation, this he says is due to factors such as a larger readiness to report incidents to the police and social controls have declined producing a greater ‘supply’ of criminal acts (Jones & Newburn, 2002, 175) However the main force behind this is crime control becoming a commodity, as represented by the expanding privatization market. Christie argues that crime control is now a product and privatization of the penal ... ....org.uk/PressPolicy/News/vw/1/ItemID/179 (Accessed 29th November 2013) Prison Reform Trust (2012) Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/FactfileJune2012.pdf FINISH Pudelek, Jenna (2013), HM Prison Peterborough social impact bond has led to a fall in reconvictions, official figures show. http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1186265/ (Accessed 16th December 2013.) Tanner, Will (2013) Reform Ideas No 1 the case for private prisons. London: Reform Taylor, Matthew and Travis, Alan (2012), G4S chief predicts mass police privatisation. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/20/g4s-chief-mass-police-privatisation (Accessed 29th November 2013) Urbina, Ian (2007), Despite Red Flags About Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/28judges.html?_r=2& (Accessed 15th December 2013) The Ethics of Prison Privatization Essay -- legal issues, penal system How true is Christie’s warning that an increasingly privatized penal service threatens the ethics and effectiveness of the criminal justice system? More aspects of the penal system are now privatized, and are set to increase. This includes the privatization of such services as prisons, electronic tags, catering companies, probation work or prison escort services. David Taylor-Smith, head of the world’s biggest security firm, G4S says he expects private companies will be running large parts of the UK’s police service within five years (Taylor and Travis, 2012). Nils Christie’s text (2000) â€Å"Crime Control as Industry† draws upon increasing prison populations in the US. However reflecting upon that the prison population in England and Wales has increased from 41,800 prisoners to over 86,000 in 14 years (Ministry of Justice, 2013, 1) Christie also looks upon other countries that face similar problems and how this and modern crime control represents a move 'towards gulags, western type’ (Christie, 2000, 15). He describes the criminal justice system today as a â€Å"Pain Delivery† service (Christie, 2000, 143) and argues that it is regulated by the amount of pain they choose to inflict on society and not by the actual number of crimes committed. Christie also identifies changes in capitalist societies and their social organisation, this he says is due to factors such as a larger readiness to report incidents to the police and social controls have declined producing a greater ‘supply’ of criminal acts (Jones & Newburn, 2002, 175) However the main force behind this is crime control becoming a commodity, as represented by the expanding privatization market. Christie argues that crime control is now a product and privatization of the penal ... ....org.uk/PressPolicy/News/vw/1/ItemID/179 (Accessed 29th November 2013) Prison Reform Trust (2012) Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/FactfileJune2012.pdf FINISH Pudelek, Jenna (2013), HM Prison Peterborough social impact bond has led to a fall in reconvictions, official figures show. http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1186265/ (Accessed 16th December 2013.) Tanner, Will (2013) Reform Ideas No 1 the case for private prisons. London: Reform Taylor, Matthew and Travis, Alan (2012), G4S chief predicts mass police privatisation. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/20/g4s-chief-mass-police-privatisation (Accessed 29th November 2013) Urbina, Ian (2007), Despite Red Flags About Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/28judges.html?_r=2& (Accessed 15th December 2013)

Convergence in Media Essay

Introduction By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour of media audiences – (Jenkins 2006) In today’s technology focused world, convergence plays a very important part. It allows us to connect more efficiently between media platforms and technology. Throughout the in depth of study of convergence, it has become evident that convergence greatly affects to the relationship between media technologies and audiences. Technology and its devices are becoming increasingly intelligent and clever everyday, and this is because we as humans are doing the same, which can be linked to the rise to the concept of prosumption. Convergence The relationship between technology and it’s audience is as strong as it’s ever been at the present time, with us as humans constantly surrounding ourselves with it and being so dependant of it. With this growth in convergence, and the clear shift in technology, some concepts and concerns have been raised. This includes the concept of ownership, and copyright issues that so often emerge in the technology world because of the rapidly growing flow of information through channels and platforms. Introduction to Tinder The phone application called Tinder uses this theory of convergence. Tinder was created in September 2012, to originally increase social interaction between students at a University in Southern California (Empson 2013). The application uses it’s audience’s Facebook profiles to collect information such as age and the user’s photos to create a type of online dating profile. The application then uses the user’s GSP device in the phone to track other Tinder users located in a certain range to match. Prosumers As mentioned before, another concept that has arisen because of convergence is â€Å"prosumers†, which plays an important part in the relationship between technologies and their audiences. This concept relates to Tinder relatively closely. Tinder is an example of an application that improves the more that it is used. Alvin Toffler explains the concept of a â€Å"prosumer† to be a common consumer who actively helps improve or design the goods and services of the marketplace, transforming it and their roles as consumers. Within the application of Tinder, changes are constantly being made. This is because with the fast paced market of applications and the demand of new and better-improved technologies that society is showing. Companies such as Tinder need to keep up with the demand of its audience. For example, Tinder will monitor the habits and behaviour of its users, and make it easier and more pleasant for them to continue. This relates back to the importance of the relationship between the audience and the industry, as the main objective for companies such as Tinder is to keep the customer happy and satisfied with the product and service provided. At the same time, the concept of produsage can be included in the use of Tinder. Produsage Produsage is defined as the shift of users from audiences to content creators (Jenkins 2008). This concept is defining technologies such as Tinder, where the audience is technically the producers. What is meant by this is that the content that is on the application, is uploaded by the users of Tinder; photographs, information and profiles. Another aspect of produsage is that the produces of the content, which we distinguished can be the audience, are also the ones who obtain the information or material. Produsage is another aspect that enhances the relationship between technologies and their audiences. Ideologies Tinder has brought many positive aspects and concepts to the dating world of today and this mainly falls under cultural convergence. The traditional idea of â€Å"online dating† has been transformed, and this is all because of the  every changing world we live in. Since around 2002, online dating has originally been restricted to a computer, and users would each have a full profile stating all about their interests and hobbies, as well as pictures. However, on a Tinder profile, each user is allowed a maximum of 500 words to describe themselves, and a limit of 5 photos of their choice. This change in restrictions that Tinder has opted for is a reflection of the ideologies of its audience. The average of Tinder users is 27 (The Weekend Australian Magazine 2014), a clear indication that the market that Tinder is targeting is the younger generation. The creation of this easy to use app really emphasizes the culture so present in the younger generation of today of â€Å"hookups† or â€Å"casual sex†. The want for long-term relationships using online dating is slowly dying, and the demand for quick hookups is becoming increasingly evident. The whole concept of Tinder, simple and shallow has proven to be very popular with the younger generation because of this. Tinder saw a hole in the market for quick hookups, and filled it. Another feature of Tinder that makes it so much more appealing to traditional online dating is the fact that it is a mobile application, and can be used anywhere. This feature works well in the fast paced lifestyle the younger generation seems to live. Security/Surveillance As there have been mentioned, Tinder has bought many positives to the online dating market. However, there are a few issues and concerns that have been brought up about Tinder since it’s been released 2 years ago. A main issue was brought up about the security of the application. Interlude Security are a company who discovered a flaw in Tinder’s production that resulted in user’s being able to locate other people’s almost exact location, information that is supposedly kept a secret in the application (News.com 2014). This discovery caused a lot of panic through many of Tinder’s users, and also members of the general public. The flaw was eventually fixed by Tinder, however concern was still present that another security flaw could easily be found. This whole saga affected the relationship that Tinder had created with its audience and users, which could have easily, in turn, affected the popularity and success of the application. This hole in  Tinder’s system meant that the users location could be seen, which in turn, is potentially putting Tinder user’s safety at risk. As a result of the increase of flow of content within platforms, it’s easy for flaws like this to occur. Another security issue with Tinder is the on going concern about basic online safety. We as a fast paced culture are constantly looking for the fastest and easiest way to do things. Hence why Tinder was so popular so quickly, people were looking for an easier way to date. The simplicity of being able to interact with complete strangers on mobile devices is far too appealing and hence why many security issues arise. The whole idea of â€Å"catfish† has recently been brought to attention in the media recently, with many cases of fake profiles and unsafe meetings occurring from online dating. Again relating back to generational differences, online safety is a much more relaxed issue that it was 3 years ago. The fact that people are willing to allow an application to show their location to complete strangers is an indication of this. Conclusion Convergence is an on going process in today’s society and it will never end. It affects us as the audience, as well as the producers and the technologies we surround ourselves with. Whole platforms are being transformed, for example the dating world, to suit the wants and needs of the audience. Technologies are become increasingly intelligent, as its creators are which can affect us both positively and negative. Convergence will always lead to negative things such as security and copyright issues, but also the positives must be noted. References Jenkins, H 2007, Welcome To Convergence Culture, The Offical Weblog Of Henry Jenkins, weblog, 19 July, viewed 3/6/14, http://henryjenkins.org/2006/06/welcome_to_convergence_culture.html Rouse, M 2005, Definition: Convergence, WhatIs, web page, April, viewed 4/6/14, http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/convergence Tinder (Application), Wikipedia, web page, viewed 3/6/14, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinder_(application_software) Empson, R 2013, Tinder: Finding Traction on Campus, Techcrunch, web article, 3 Jan, viewed 5/6/14, http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/03/tinder-finding-traction-on-campuses-hatch-labs-new-dating-app-makes-it-easy-to-break-the-ice/ Ayers, C 2014, Tinder: the app that’s setting the dating scene on fire, The Australian Magazine, web article, 31 May, viewed 5/6/14, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/tinder-the-app-thats-setting-the-dating-scene-on-fire/story-e6frg8h6-1226933263450 Moore, C 2014, BCM112 Lectures, viewed 02.06.14 https://moodle.uowplatform.edu.au/pluginfile.php/152352/mod_resource/content/2/6623.pdf Ronald, L 2014, â€Å"LucyRonald†, WordPress, viewed 03.06.14, http://lucyronald.wordpress.com/

African Art

From Egypt to South Africa the art of Africa is rich and diverse on a scale second to no other continent. The art is a cultural heritage that has sustained a race of people over millennia. This paper will focus on the art of the 200-year span of 1400-1600 CE.   It was during this time period that the European Renaissance flowered, and saw such masters as Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael arise.It likewise covers the time period that Rembrandt and the Dutch masters worked. Comparisons will be made between the two disparate cultures, examining the differences between how the art of Africa and the art of Europe relate to their culture and mores. It will examine the utility of both art genres.While the art appears to be radically different, the underlying usage for the art produced is essentially the same, with Renaissance art and African art both serving their culture’s religious beliefs and mores.For those not accustomed to abstract art it can appear to be different from wha t they even consider art. A large portion of all African art is abstract. Abstraction is the way the artist chooses to create a representation of the ancestor or the spirit with whom he wishes to communicate. By tradition the art is religious or mythical, so their option was to make a representative figure. Abstraction is the way to create such.European art of the same era solved this problem by opting to create a realistic likeness of their saints and even their god. . Europeans did not paint landscapes or sculpt animals except to give a setting to their holy families and saints.Art was for religion and for custom, culture, and mores in both cultures. â€Å"The beauty of African art lies not only on the surface or physical features of the artwork but the meaning or lesson that it tends to emanate† (All-About-African-Art.com par. 3).African art of the period under discussion is virtually always three dimensional and not only of wood. The Yoruba discovered lost-wax and cast th eir statues in metals by the 14th and 15th century (Mullen, par.10). John Reader, writing in Africa: A Biography of the Continent, discusses the use of metals in the art of the African tribes. In Sub-Saharan Africa iron and copper were the most highly valued of metals.Interestingly, he reports that the 14th century tribes would exchange their gold for copper at a rate of two-thirds gold to one of copper (287). This iron and copper went into weapons, naturally but much of it found its way into art because of its permanence was associated with the longevity of ancestors as well as the immortality of the spirits.It became then a part of their art, which is synonymous with their religious beliefs and culture.The most noticeable thing about African art is its ubiquitous nature. It permeates the lives of the African people more so than European art. The emphasis in African art is on the human figure much the same as European art between 1400 and 1600 CE. It is also a part of everyday life and relates to the culture and values of the tribes that produce it by serving as constant reminders of ancestors and traditions.The tribal masks are objects of veneration, brought out on ceremonial occasions to be ‘danced’. These masks are not simply ornaments but rather they are sacred objects.They are given names. This name is significant as more than just identifying the individual piece, but also identifies the meaning of the work. Each has a history and a dance is designated for each. The mask embodies living spirits. In African culture the meanings of the mask, the associated dance and the spirits that dwell within it are inexorably linked together.African art’s use of the human form is so pervasive that its adoption by European nations is taken as proof of the contact between the two cultures.The Church of Rome commissioned much of the great art of the European continent during the 1400-1600s. The statues and portraits of the biblical saints portray a li keness. Jesus is depicted in stone and pigment and the image is to remind the faithful of his deeds.The priests face a crucifix and make the magical signs when chanting prayer in the general direction of such art. There may be the argument that Christians do not pray to the effigies, still, the casual on-looker would have a difficult time determining the subtle difference.In this sense, the masks of African tribal art serve the same function within the community as do the pietas and crucifixions of the Italian Renaissance.Christopher Roy, Professor of Art History, University of Iowa, states that, â€Å"most African art is representative, not representational. Very little African sculpture is intended to recreate the features of a human being, either living or dead† (par. 6).Roy relates that African art, particularly the mask, is not meant to be a likeness of an ancestor, nor is it meant to be an image of a beloved, revered, or even feared leader of the tribe. The mask is a ho me for the spirits, invented by the maker of the mask.The mask, a work of art, becomes a haven for the supernatural, the unseen, the unknown, incomprehensible, so it follows that the physical home created for them must be a creation of whimsy (par. 6).In a land where diseases are rampant and life is relatively cheap the people often turn to the spirits for protection. In the years of the Black Death in Europe the people turned to the church. In Africa, where flies can carry death and swimming the rivers can infect people with deadly parasites, the spirits are all that stand between the tribe and death at times.It gives the tribe solace to know that they have a way of making the spirits visible, and they do this in their art. Art in the form of the mask gives a tangible reality to the unseen spirits. When the mask is then danced in the ceremonies and rituals of the tribe this makes the spirits accessible to the tribe.This art can span the gap between the world and the unseen realm of the spirit. The medium literally becomes the message as the diviner in the mask opens a channel to the spirits and can communicate the needs of the tribe to the only beings capable of giving aid to the tribe (Roy par. 2).Western African art in the form of wooden masks most often take the form of humans, animals, or fanciful beings. Their use in religious rites range from such as tribal initiation ceremonies to various celebrations of tribal good fortune or auspicious anniversary dates.They are danced in celebration of a good harvest as well as danced to request that their crops thrive. They are also danced in preparation for war. It does not take a great stretch of the imagination to equate these icons with the religious paintings of the Sistine Chapel and the pope’s private quarters.While some statues holy to the Catholics are brought out to view by the public on high holy days and venerated as talismans of the true cross or some other belief. The static art of the frescos can be viewed on a regular basis, and is used to put the supplicant in the proper frame of mind to believe when he kneels to ask a boon or blessing of his creator.The masks of African art are used as a gateway to ease both the wearer and his audience into a nether world where the spirits dwell. The Catholic art of the Renaissance and the centuries immediately following it are for the same purpose.The Fang tribe of Gabon are famous for their creation of guardian figures that are then affixed to the boxes containing the bones of their ancestors. Their leadership, according to The Africa Guide online website, is inherited and the leader is supposedly a direct descendant of the ancestor who founded the village.This leader is not only secular head of the tribal village, he is the spiritual leader, and can communicate with the ancestors through the wearing of masks, which are an important aspect of Fang art (par. 4).The art of Africa discussed herein is made for utilitarian purpose, makin g it, at first glance seem different from European art of the same time period. Yet while the pope may not put on a mask of Christ and dance it before the masses, he certainly carries a rod with the representation of Christ when he is seen in public.He has decorated his church and his private apartments with the figures of biblical characters to serve as a reminder of the holy word. From the Creation of Adam to the Last Judgment, artists of the European school created work to please the church.They created to invoke memories and remind the faithful of their culture and spiritual roots in the same way as the African mask. While the art appears to be radically different, the underlying usage for the art produced is essentially the same, with Renaissance art and African art both serving their culture’s religious beliefs and mores.Works CitedAll-About-African-Art.com   Abstract African Art is Mainly ConsideredTo be out of the Ordinary 9-29-08http://www.all-about-african-art.com /abstract-african-art.htmlMullen, N.   Yoruba Art and Culture 9-29-08 Wysinger Homestead 2004http://wysinger.homestead.com/yoruba.htmlRoy, C. Signs and Symbols in African Art: Graphic Patterns in BurkinaFaso 9-3-08 The University of Iowa no date

International Marketing Vifon to Japan

Japan is still the 2nd biggest retail market in the world with 127 million consumers that appreciate high quality and excellent service. China may have more factories these days, but how many people there can really afford western goods? When it comes to measure market size, Japan still accounts for more than 55% of the whole Asian retail market. Japan is also the nation with the highest demand for foods imports as it has the lowest self-sufficiency rate (39% only), 61% of all foods consumed in Japan is imported (United Nations, 2008).In 2011 the Japanese retail market had to cope with the March 11, 2011 shock and then compensate for the various after effects. Initially consumption spiked with the mass purchases of emergency items such as bottled water and batteries, followed by corresponding declines in purchases like party items and non-essential goods. The economy shifted from a rocky footing onto a more stable pathway by summer and consumer behaviour normalized.Japanese consumer adapted to new preferences in reaction to the events, changing retail market demands significantly. First, Japanese consumers began eating out less, while having meals at home more. This has led to an increase in the Home Meal Replacement (HMR) sector, as well as the frozen food sector. Second, Japanese consumers are more attentive to products with longer shelf life, in case of future emergency situations. The Japanese retail market is dominated by two demographics: Young career seeking individuals in single person households B.Market breakdown Total retail sales including food, beverages, general merchandise, fabrics, apparel, and accessories in Japan amounted to $832. 6 billion in 2011. Of this fgure the total food and beverage retail sales amount was $527. billion. Total retail sales have increased each year since 2008. In 2007, there were total retail sales of $614. 6 billion and food & beverages sales of $370. 6 billion. Below are the total sales fgures: C. Food sales 2011 The Japanese retail food industry in 2011 experienced growth across all three categories of large and conventional supermarkets, department stores, and convenience stores.As stated previously the resilience of the industry and its ability to quickly adapt to the market changes along with economic growth in the latter half 2009 to 2011 for the three retail categories D. Food and Beverage Sales Japan While food sales grew across all segments, overall sales growth was observed in most regions of Japan as many households spent more time and money purchasing food items to consume at home rather than spending money at restaurants in 2011. Restaurant spending did increase in 2011, but food purchases for home consumption were the larger portion of spending.Japanese real economic growth rate for 2011 was estimated at minus 0. 4% by the Bank of Japan. The negative growth rate was expected due to the hardships that had to be overcome, but it is important to keep in ind that even in an environment of stagnant sales; geographic markets in Japan are quite sizable – often exceeding that of entire countries. E. Establishment Trends In 2011, supermarkets and convenience stores continued to be the primary distribution channel for food in Japan.The market has been relatively stable over the last 3 years with the only notable trend that department stores are losing ground slightly, but this corresponds with the decline of department store sales in general. F. Large Scale and Conventional Supermarkets Japan Supermarkets in Japan represent the largest provider of food and within the upermarket sector the top 5 companies (AEON, Ito Yokado, Uny, Daiei, and Life Corp. ) represent 65% of all sales. 1. Target Market As the Japanese market continues to mature, supermarket giants have strengthened their networks to reach single adults and Generation M.The older generation especially has wealth to spend they are targeting this group by changing store hours. In addition to opening early, supermarkets have special promotions related to these early bird specials – resulting in more foot traffic especially among the elderly population. 2. Price Competition Price competition has become more intense and is a major feature of the upermarket business in Japan. Supermarkets are reducing costs and improving their infrastructures through restructuring and closing unprofitable stores in an effort to improve efficiency.The companies which have succeeded to reduce management cost and to prevent losses have regained their profit. Speciality supermarkets are important for export products because these stores carry products with higher prices. Their focus is own branded import foods and beverages, there is about 900 speciality supermarkets within the top 10 chains, plus about 200 POS as 3. Company Highlights The following table highlights the Japanese supermarket industry food sales, and the percentage component those sales represent.The general trend has been greater food sales in 2011. G. Convenience Stores (CVS) Japan There is a total number of about 48,000 convenience stores in Japan. In 2011 convenience stores were proactive and were one of the first retailers to move into the Northeast Japan area. The mobility of convenience store operations, smaller size, and less SKUs allowed convenience stores to play a vital role in supplying the region. One way convenience stores helped after the disaster was by releasing â€Å"Mobile Convenience Stores†.These are small 3 ton trucks which can hold up to 300 items of â€Å"bento boxes†, rice balls, drinks, and snacks. These trucks were used in areas where stores were destroyed or where evacuees had trouble accessing food. Convenience stores in 2011 continued strategies to develop and maintain efficient networks. Convenience stores for the top 7 operators in 2010 numbered 41,663 and in 2011 the total number of convenience stores in Japan increased by 13. 4% to 48,139 according to the Nikkei fisc al 2011 convenience store survey.This expansion and competitive trend will continue in 2012 as the top 5 convenience stores plan on opening over ,700 new stores. Food sales grew again in 2011 by an additional $8 billion and three of the top 4 convenience store chains broke their records for operating profit. Profits were boosted by female and elderly customers buying fresh food, desserts, and ready to eat meals in the aftermath of the quake. Seven & Eleven became the first Japanese retailer to achieve more than trillion ($37. 1 billion) in annual sales.With the earnings in 2011, convenience stores are set to once again expand outlets and network capabilities in 2012. H. Department Stores Japan Since the 1980s Japanese department stores have faced steeper competition from he growth of supermarkets, malls, and convenience stores. Department stores generally have a variety of shops and services, with the basement level having a grocery or eatery shops. ln 2011 department store food sal es amounted to $23. 9 billion, representing 12. 3% of the Retail Food market in Japan.Over the last decade total department store sales of non-food products have declined. However, food sales at department stores have grown because of premium products, location, and the use of the depachika. Depachika means the basement floor of the department store where fresh food halls are traditionally located. Traditionally, depachika was a quiet retail food location. This changed when shops introduced high-quality HMR, creating a new niche food market in Japan. In addition, famous restaurants became tenants and lent their brand names to popularize depachika.The depachika phenomenon customers to department stores. Department stores are often attached to large train stations (such as the newly opened Shibuya Hikarie owned and operated by Tokyu Corp). Because of the proximity to the stations, pedestrians can easily access depachika eateries; Tokyu Corp's Hikarie location is estimated to attract 1 4 million isitors a year, with 200 shops, and many of the eateries staying open until 4am on weekends. Pricing, Quality and Premium Department stores usually carry imported branded products, but they are typically in low quantities.Many of the items are packaged as take-and-go products due to the proximity to stations and the premium nature of the products for use as gifts. l. Consumer Preferences Japan Japanese consumers have some general historic preferences that one should consider. Japan is a nation that prefers convenience, quality, and single-serving sizes. Returning to the latter item, an estimated 3. 3 million people commute into Tokyo every day according to Tokyo Metropolitan government. The commute is mostly done via train and then on foot. Therefore convenience and accessibility are highly valued by Japanese consumers. J.Recent Retail Trends in Japan There are recent trends of burgeoning growth for Private Brands, Healthy Foods, Eco- friendly or Energy saving foods (typic ally as frozen foods), market consolidation for greater efficiency, and new retail ideas to meet new demands. Energy efficient foods (frozen foods – bento dashi), prepared foods (Home Meal Replacements – HMR), and esserts have all seen a strong market growth. Healthy or Functional foods continue to be important. WHOLESALE MIDDLEMEN IN JAPAN Wholesalers are middlemen who purchase only to resell, and whose customers are often not final demanders but instead retailers or other wholesalers.Any sensible analysis of wholesaling needs to begin by recognizing that middlemen of all sorts lower the costs of trading rather than adding to them; otherwise they could not charge prices that their customers willingly pay and that cover their own costs. The costs of middlemen are transactions costs by definition; they are costs of activities hat are either essential to trade or that facilitate trade. These include the costs of assuring ownership rights, detecting the quality of traded goods, discovering valuable trading opportunities, negotiating mutually agreeable terms, and so on.Those who can perform these services at costs that are lower than the middleman;s spread (difference between bid price and asking price) to the lowest level that Just covers their own costs. In all these respects, wholesaling in Japan surely resembles wholesaling in other nations; but there is one thing about wholesaling in Japan that stands out. The peculiar thing about wholesaling in Japan is the often large number of separate wholesalers through whose hands goods pass before reaching their ultimate destinations on the shelves of retail stores.One indication of this fact is the large percentage of merchant wholesalers' sales that are to other wholesalers: 41. 9% for Japan versus 24. 8% for the US and 16. 2% for West Germany. A more precise indication of the numbers of wholesale steps in Japan can be constructed from data on the gross markup of retailers' prices over manufacturers' pr ices and from the average price spreads of all wholesalers. Dividing the total price markup in a wholesale chain by the average price spread of all wholesalers gives an estimate of the number of wholesalers in the chain.The average total price markup in wholesale chains is in fact less in Japan than in the US, but the average price markup of each wholesaler is also less in Japan than in the US, so we infer that on the average Japanese marketing channels have a greater number of wholesale steps. The typical or average marketing channels in Japan includes two wholesalers in sequence while that in the US includes only one. The common held view that wholesale marketing hannels are longer or have more steps in Japan than in the US is thus supported.Japan's multiplicity of wholesale steps reflects its proliferation of retail outlets. Retail business like food, liquor, and toiletries that have vastly more outlets person in Japan than in the US also tend to have more wholesale steps in Japa n. One further fact about wholesale marketing channels in Japan is worth iterating. Marketing channels that have particularly many wholesale steps in the US. For instance, fresh fish, meat, and vegetables all have more wholesale steps than most other kinds of business in both nations. Shoes and apparel have relatively few wholesale steps in both countries.Common forces appear to be operative in the economies of both Japan and America. Marketing channels in Japan and elsewhere reflect the calculated attempts of profit-seeking entrepreneurs to economize on transport costs, to avert spoilage, and to collect and act on information about the local demands for goods. The same is true of other aspects of Japanese marketing channels, including that which we next address, the contractual arragements among channel members. MEDIA According to the latest survey on the time-usage of the Japanese (Kokumin Seikatsu-Jikan Chosa) done in October 1995 by NHK Oapan Governmental Broadcasting Corporatio n), the average Japanese watches television for three hours and twenty- eight minutes a day. This nation-wide survey has been conducted every five years, and the time spent watching TV in 1995 was longer than that of 1990 by more than TV broadcasting began in Japan in 1953. The same survey reports that the average Japanese reads a newspaper for twenty one minutes a day, which is so short compared to the time spent watching TV. In addition the time spent reading newspapers has not changed so much for the past twenty five years (19 min. 1970, 20 in. 975, 21 min. 1980, 20 min. 1985, 20 min. 1990). Another survey reports that already in 1962 more than a half of the Japanese got news information mainly not from newspaper but from television, and this trend is by far more evident than ever at present. Thus the role of the TV in the Japanese everyday life is so big, but as we will see later we cannot always say that the social position of it is high in the social information environment of Japan. And this is also the case of other developed countries like the I-JK, about seventy percent of whose people got news information not from newspapers but from television in 1993.