Difference in The Supply Chain of B2B and B2C Website

E-Business implies revolution of the vital business processes via the usage of Internet technologies. The Internet is transforming every facet our daily lives and is hard to find any other area which is going through as fast and remarkable change, as the manner in which businesses function. When businesses espouse Internet technologies into their main processes, they begin to reap real business value. Companies irrespective of their size are utilizing the benefits of the Internet to establish communication with their partners besides connecting with their back-end data systems and transacting commerce. Business to Consumer E-Commerce) Points of difference in the Supply Chain of B2B website and B2C website: The most important difference between B2B and B2C lies in the role of the B2B website in Internet terms. B2B websites is concerned mainly with Supply Chain Management — SCM. SCMs constitute web portals that facilitate businesses to enter business transactions directly with their suppliers and distributors in an online manner thereby permitting electronic transfer of orders, preparation of invoices and also payments. Wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers come under this group. On the other hand, B2C websites constitute intermediary portals to connect customers to suppliers. Among the leading ones are ebay. com which is an auction site, yell. com a yellow page website and ZDNet. com which is a technology marketplace. Transactions of the above business happen on the Internet and hence known as e-business. B2C is concerned with the objective of selling to the end user. Normally these are websites like amazon. com, which is the world largest virtual bookstore, which sell goods to the end user. Thus a B2B website deals mainly with other businesses whereas a B2C site provides products to the end user. What is the difference between B2B and B2C? ) Even though any e-business solution is a unique one; it boils down to the categorization level of either B2B or B2C. B2C normally indicates the online trading and auctions, for instance on-line stock trading markets, on-line auctions for computers and other articles. B2C e-commerce points to the budding commerce model in which businesses and consumers communicate through the electronic mode or digital mode in some manner. Taking the example of B2C e-commerce, the aim is more regarding attracting the prospects and making them into sales. The final objective lies in the conversion of shoppers into buyer as quickly and constantly as might be possible. Under the B2C, the flow of information among the business and consumer typically is through Internet. This flow comprises of services, product orders/ service requests from the customers, product information. Apart from that it might also involve flow of tangibles like goods ordered from customers, transfer of documents among business and customers. (Business-to-consumer E-Commerce) The services that are typical of B2C e-commerce comprise of (i) auction stores for instance e. ay. com (ii) online stores for instance amazon. com and (iii) online services for instance travelocity. com. Among the intense outcomes of the information revolution lies in the influence regarding the manner in which economic value gets built and extracted. Access of information is easier as also the price. The benefits of the company are (i) There is an enhanced demand (ii) The entire globe becomes the market place at a fraction of a cost (iii) There is a huge advantage of cost-reduction as regards promotion and sales. (iv) Costs are much lower. The benefits for the customers are that they are able to get a lower price and they are faced with a wider choice and better information and increased convenience. Conducting shopping by the online stores is becoming popular and its acceptance is also increasing. Even though B2B sales constitute the major earner of revenue, yet B2C sales are also supposed to better in the forthcoming years. But for this to happen, online stores are required to provide increased value to the customers and concurrently found novel ways to generate revenues. However there are major challenges confronting the B2C initiatives. These are â€Å"organizational challenge, business process reengineering, system integration problems, problems in matching technology to the needs of the business, the role of business intermediaries, getting browsers to purchase articles, building customer loyalty and fulfillment†. (Business-to-consumer E-Commerce) Under the B2C system the SCM hovers around managing service quality albeit with strong technology mediation. As it is known that internal marketing is required to inspire the staff to become outstanding service providers, it is crucial that internal managerial processes are required to built a friendly, high-availability, high performance website and a seamless delivery and returns procedure. A huge difference among the traditional and B2C services is the surfacing of a complex order taking and fulfillment systems as a replacement of the front-line employees. Therefore it needless to say that service problems in B2C often come from the breakdown of such systems. The front-end processes are concerned with the design and maintenance of websites, attracting visitors to their websites, and making them customers and getting repeat orders. In the back-end processes constitute system dealing with order fulfillment, delivery and returns. The managers' in charge of B2C are required to govern the processes to get optimum performance. A point to be noted here is that the customers get the experience of those elements comprised of the front-end and back-end processes which impact them in a direct fashion. Failures in B2C have every chance to happen in these visible processes; however they can also happen in the background and the failure of managers to steer these processes in appropriate methods. (Conceptualizing B2C Businesses as Services) B2C relationships are present as a crucial part of the e-commerce business. Web sites applying these relationships rely on the performance and design of the website. Consumers make decisions depending on just these needs sometimes and a business requires doing well in the required needs of the consumer. These categories of businesses also deal with marketing, and the most popular websites have been introduced before the general public through advertisements fueling interests to the consumer. After gaining recognition, these business model sites improve their selling for a long-term period. (Lengkeek; Solack; Preston; Ritzema; Tapia, 2004) One more angle to B2B initiative in the Supply Chain Management — SCM space is the rise of the B2B Trading Community Evolution. The surfacing and popularity of the Internet trading communities have been exciting. Although it is still in its infancy, there is more to it in the coming years. Majority of the trading communities presently are supporting the two fundamental works of e-commerce that are Dynamic Product Catalogues and Order Processing that are Buy/Sell and related deals. It is envisioned that the final capability and the ultimate evolutionary results of the trading community explosion locates a net of five leading functions that the entire trading community will present in the years to come. These five functions transcend simple systems functionality and include everything that is needed for most efficient delivery of a holistic supply chain solution. To be more specific these are â€Å"Dynamic Product Catalogues, Order Processing, Multi-Firm Logistics Planning, Multi-Planning Logistics Operations and Consolidated Transportation and Delivery†. (B2B Trading Community Revolution) In order to completely exploit the capability of B2B, companies are required to concentrate in terms of eHubs that are web enabled platforms that permit trading partners to locate exchange and share information connected to buying and selling activities. A number of transactions regardless of them being inbound or outbound needed in customer order fulfillment are carried out in an automated fashion. A definition of eHub given by Kevin McKelvie and Mark Simmonds state eHub as a â€Å"set of technologies that give end to end Supply Chain integration and collaboration, sharing of information, visibility into a wide array of activities connected with demand planning, direct procurement and execution of order†. (Business-to-consumer E-Commerce: The eHub Concept) In this act, the eHub makes an optimum use of the supply chain itself and all its participants. It gives a full transparency at every stages of execution of a transaction. Implementation of the incoming transaction of the customer present in the â€Å"far up' in the channel to contract manufacturing inside the supply chain is automated. In doing this, the inventory is optimized. (Business-to-consumer E-Commerce: The eHub Concept) Through the use of the eHub information flow is facilitated to everybody concerned in the supply chain thereby facilitating them to react in a timely and efficient fashion. Therefore the eHub primarily matches the supply chain collaboration as it is accessible to several different parties. All the constituents contribute their share of information to build a collection of dynamic information inside the critical area of the eHub. As all the trading partners are able to use the information, it caters to multiple functions. It supplies not just the present view o the order but also supplies visibility into other related parts of fulfilling that order, like production capacity, availability of inventory and logistics and fulfillment status. (Business-to-consumer E-Commerce: The eHub Concept) There is a difference exists in the B2C and B2B marketing which has to be kept in mind while developing marketing activities. The terms were formed to differentiate Internet Commerce business that sold mainly to consumers and those whose markets constitute other businesses. These expressions have been broadened their definitions to imply any business which primarily sells to the ultimate customer — B2C or to other businesses which is B2B. Even though marketing programs are identical for each type of business, the difference lies in the manner of their execution, the message and the outcome of the marketing activities. At the core of successful B2B or B2C initiate is an efficient Supply Chain Management — SCM which can make or mar an e-commerce transaction. However, the presence of SCM appears in more visible form in case of B2B as businesses have to keep in touch with suppliers, databases and warehouses present at multiple locations, which are connected through computer networks. Presence of eHubs a recent addition will be playing an important role in the coming years to boost e-commerce transactions. The role of SCM in case of B2C on the other hand deals with the customer order processing, payment acceptance in a secured manner, order tracking while the product is in transit, shipping details and handling returns.

John Stuart Mill Essay

British philosopher, John Stuart Mill, served many years as a member of parliament and worked diligently to bring forth liberal ideas. Amongst these ideas was the distinction of utilitarianism, or the act of doing what is right for the greatest number of people. Yet, just discussing the idea of right versus wrong for the masses was not enough, Mill’s determined there were two forms of utilitarianism; act, the direct form, or sanction, the indirect form. Much like formal logic with deductive and inductive reasoning, act and sanction utilitarianism strive for the same goal but have different ways of reaching it. Both forms of utilitarianism are seeking to find the best possible outcome for the largest number of people and using that as a measure of right versus wrong, yet by examining the differences of act utilitarianism and sanction utilitarianism, it will become clear that sanction utilitarianism is superior and more easily attainable. Focusing on act utilitarianism, this direct form works in maxims, expanding the contrast between right and wrong. â€Å"An act is right and just in its consequences for human happiness are at least good as any alternative available to the agent† (9). Thus, it is your duty to do the optimal act in a situation because anything other than the best act is a wrong act. Furthermore, Mills also comments that it is considered a â€Å"righteous† act if the consequences are just as good or better than any other action. Staying within the ideas of right or wrong, or when decisions seem to commonly be referred to as â€Å"black or white,† there is also an ideal of proportions to consider. Remember that the act is right is if brings happiness to the most people, but one is incapable of pleasing every person in every situation. Thus, Mills refers to the â€Å"Proportionality Doctrine† to tell what makes an act right or wrong. The Proportionality Doctrine states that acts are right if they promote happiness, or acts are wrong if they promote sadness. In act utilitarianism, each person is held to a duty to always make the best choices and perform the best actions. What that does though is â€Å"imply that I do wrong every time I fail to do the very best action, even when the suboptimal act that I perform is a very good deed. That may seem harsh and overly demanding† (11). Act utilitarianism is very demanding, having to always do the best thing all the time. What direct, or act utilitarianism implies is that if you fail to do the most optimal act then what you did was wrong, which is not always the case. In contrast to act utilitarianism, sanction utilitarianism allows gray space in between the black and white ultimatums. Mill’s writes: â€Å"because it makes the rightness and wrongness of conduct depend upon the utility of sanctioning that conduct in some way, we might call it sanction utilitarianism† (11). Here, Mill’s almost accepts that there are situations that will never be distinguished as exactly right and exactly wrong. Yet, Mill’s also struggles to let got of act utilitarianism since there usually are only two options. Thus, indirectly, an act is right if and only if its optimal to apply sanctions to its omission, whereas applying sanctions is right if and only if it is optimal is a direct action. â€Å"The only difference is that whereas sanction utilitarianism ties rightness and wrongness to praise and blame, act utilitarianism does not† (12). There are four kind acts that fall under sanction utilitarianism: 1. Wrong of forbidden acts are those whose performance it is optimal to blame 2. Permissible acts are those whose performance it is not optimal to blame 3. Obligatory acts are those whose omission it is optimal to blame 4. Supererogatory acts are permissible acts that are especially expedient (11) Here, these four actions seem to take on new meanings: while of course forbidden acts are optimal to blame negative reactions on (they are forbidden for a reason), it is now possible to see that the blame has a purpose behind it since the act caused proportionally the most damage. Unlike act utilitarianism, sanction utilitarianism is clear about which acts are sanctioned and which ones are not. In comparison, both forms of utilitarianism tend to seek the best possible outcome for he highest number of people, yet they have varying degrees of severity. People feel that when it comes to act utilitarianism, if you are not doing the best action each end every second, then whatever else you do is considered wrong. Living with the constant fear that your every action is scrutinized leaves those who practice act utilitarianism demoralized and deflated. It is also exhausting to have to be doing the best thing all the time and society does not naturally possess the ability to be a â€Å"hero† every waking moment. It would seem that sanction utilitarianism is more probable because it promotes a more feel good way of life. Your actions are all driven by a desire to do the right thing, but if you fail from time to time, as long as the intention was there, you are doing all right. â€Å"In arguing sanction utilitarianism, Mill’s claims that it allows him to distinguish duty and expediency and claim that not all inexpedient acts are wrong; inexpedient acts are only wrong when it is good or optimal to sanction them† (11). This means that sanction utilitarianism is more preferable and attainable than act utilitarianism when it comes to acts of duty. Therefore, a person would see this flexibility in sanction utilitarianism as a way to be seeking the righteous actions while being less demanding than act utilitarianism. Sanction utilitarianism is a superior alternative to act utilitarianism because it is flexible, forgiving and attainable. Humans are one of the most imperfect species on the planet and with highly evolved social politics; it is completely impossible to please everyone at the same time. Take into consideration the very foundation of democracy, selecting the best candidate for the job based on a populous vote. If everyone were voting under the basis of selecting the best person for the most number of people, then they would all vote for the same person. There has never been an election where a single candidate won every vote, and thus it proves that humans are incapable of behaving under complete act utilitarianism. On the other hand, it is good to hold yourself to the highest standards and expect the most out of yourself and think that you should always be doing the best thing. The flexibility of sanction utilitarianism is that individual morals and ethics come into play for each person, allowing them to wander between right and wrong finding the best outcome that may be a blend of the two. Take for instance the selection of which college to go to: your personality, likes, dislikes and more come into consideration and while the student wants to find a reputable school, they also have to find a place to call home for four years. If the student chooses the wrong location, it makes their lives miserable, their roommate’s life unbearable, and the family’s life saddened. Thus, the student had to balance every option and maybe give in on reputation for the best social fit, whereas under act utilitarianism, they would have picked a school solely on reputation alone since theoretically, that would lead them to the best possible outcome. Also, under sanction utilitarianism, if a choice is made and it turns out to be wrong, a new choice can be made to counteract the first giving sanction utilitarianism a sense of forgiveness. Combining these two ideals, flexibility and forgiveness, sanction utilitarianism reins superior over act utilitarianism because it is attainable. While both forms of utilitarianism are seeking to find the best possible outcome for the largest number of people, through examining the differences of act utilitarianism and sanction utilitarianism, it became clear that sanction utilitarianism is superior through its attainable qualities. In act utilitarianism the path for right over wrong is very demanding, requiring someone to always do the best thing all of the time. Ultimately, what direct utilitarianism implies is that you fail when what you did was wrong, which may not always be the case. Unlike act utilitarianism, sanction utilitarianism is clear about which acts are sanctioned and which ones are not, which allows someone to strive for their best but not harm them if they fail. Sanction utilitarianism is more preferable and attainable than act utilitarianism when it comes to acts of duty because a person would see the flexibility in sanction utilitarianism as a way to be seeking the righteous actions while being less demanding than act utilitarianism. While humanity is incapable of following act utilitarianism, the forgiveness built into sanction utilitarianism is preferred, since if the choice made turns out to be wrong, a new choice can be made to counteract the first. Combining these two ideals, flexibility and forgiveness, sanction utilitarianism becomes attainable for humanity and it rises in superiority over act utilitarianism.

Role of Ultrasound in the Early Detection of an Ectopic Pregnancy.

CASE STUDY: Role of Ultrasound in the early detection of an ectopic pregnancy. Introduction. Ectopic pregnancy is the fourth most common cause of maternal death in the United Kingdom, accounting for 80% of early pregnancy deaths (Lewis and Drife 2004). Furthermore, it is still the most common cause of maternal death in the 1st trimester of pregnancy (Condous G 2006) affecting 1:100 pregnancies (Ectopic Pregnancy Trust 2007). For this case study I will discuss the essence of scanning women who present in EPU’s with a positive pregnancy test and any symptoms of a possible ectopic pregnancy. CASE REPORT This is the case of 32yrs old primigravida referred to an early pregnancy unit by her GP with a history of irregular menstrual cycle, heavy bleeding for a week and a positive pregnancy test which she did 10days earlier. Conception was spontaneous. Her Gestational age by her LMP was 4weeks and 4days. A transvaginal ultra-sound was performed which identified the absence of an intrauterine gestation sac. The endometrial thickness was 2. 0mm, midline echo intact and thin and homogenous. The right ovary was visible and normal; the left ovary was visible and normal with a corpus luteum. An adnexal mass separate from the ovary was found adjacent to the left ovary (appendix 1). There was free fluid in the pouch of Douglas with was ground glass appearance which was consistent with haemoperitoneum and was tender to the left were the mass was situated (appendix 2). In view of the findings a left tubal ectopic was diagnosed. In keeping with the department protocol an urgent BHCG and progesterone was done whiles she was referred to the emergency team for further management. Result came back as BHCG 72 iu/l and progesterone 3. 00nmol/l.. She had a laparoscopic salpingectomy for a left tubal ectopic pregnancy. Histology of the product removed laparoscopically was positive of an ectopic, and a repeat BHCG was repeated after a week. The patient was started on antibiotics and recovered successfully. DISCUSSION An ectopic pregnancy is an extra uterine pregnancy. The most common site for implantation is the fallopian tube; however, the conceptus may implant in the ovaries, the cervix, or the abdomen (Drife J, Magowan B 2004). An ectopic pregnancy is a potentially life-threatening gynaecological emergency hat requires urgent intervention. With the above case her LMP indicated a pregnancy of less than 5weeks. She would have been considered outside the criteria of finding an ectopic pregnancy, and would have been considered a possible early miscarriage. With the patients history of irregular bleeding a decision was made to scan. An irregular period can mean that ovulation does not match her last menstrual cycle. All sexually active women of reproductive age who present with lower abdominal pain, with or without vaginal bleeding; an ectopic pregnancy must be excluded. When woman present in a clinic and has had a positive test either at home or at a GP practice it is an indication she is pregnant, and as mention by (Bisset, et al 2002) the role of ultrasound is to identify the site of the pregnancy, if an intrauterine pregnancy is not found then ectopic pregnancy should be considered. Likewise a study by (Haider et al 2006) found out that providing ultrasound as an initial assessment with suspected ectopic has improved clinical management. She should be scan to identify the site of the pregnancy; this was why the decision to scan these women in the department even before an HCG test is carried out. but with her history of irregular period a decision should be made to scan. (The Early Pregnancy RCOG guidelines 2006) confirms a BHCG below 100 iu/l and progesterone below 60iu/l should be treated as an ectopic. When the scan was done and an endometrium of 2mm was seen. The endometrium thickness and appearance can be can be deceptive and these findings can be interpreted as a non pregnant uterus The urine dipstick test for beta-hCG (urinary pregnancy test) carried out is a quick, easy, and sensitive test. It has a sensitivity of 99% at a urine beta-hCG level greater than 25 IU/L, If a woman has a negative urinary pregnancy test, this almost invariably means that she does not have an ectopic pregnancy. However a blood beta-HCG of 72 iu/l was a low level in keeping with guidelines and if this was done prior to the scan it would have been interpreted as a possible failing pregnancy. However, (Condous G, 2006) insists that if it is positive the woman should have a USS. As the vast majority of ectopic pregnancies are tubal, there is ongoing debate in regard to the best method to investigate and diagnosing (tubal) ectopic pregnancy. In Condous report it was recommended that a urine test be done but most patients would have had a test prior to their visit in the clinic. An ectopic pregnancy should be suspected in any woman of reproductive age with any symptom the above patient presented with; however these can be associated with symptoms of miscarriages or other non-pregnancy related etiology. Clinicians should be very suspicious of this symptom although patients can present with others. A recently published review by (Sawyer and Jurkovic 2007) found that the most accurate way to diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy is the use of a combination of ultrasonography, serum beta-hCG, and histology, either following laparoscopy or dilatation and curettage (D&C). These were all carried out in the purpose of diagnosing, confirming and ensuring a resolution to the problem. However, unlike ultrasonography, neither biochemistry nor histology is available immediately, and when presented with a pregnant woman with pain and/or vaginal bleeding, clinicians must urgently exclude an ectopic pregnancy. As such, the initial investigation should be ultrasonography. With the above patient the ultrasound identified fluid in the pouch of Douglas and haemoperitoneum which could have been a rupturing corpus luteal cyst could be the closest differential diagnosis; however the thick tubal ring and a solid corpus luteum seen in this case strongly favours ectopic gestation as the diagnosis (appendix 3). This case highlights an example of a situation in which an ectopic pregnancy was adequately diagnosed rather than of a complete miscarriage. Free fluid was noted, it was echogenic suggestive of haemoperitoneum. Colour. Doppler study reveals a highly vascular ‘ring of fire’ appearance surrounding the tubal ring, confirming that the cystic adnexal mass is an ectopic gestational sac. This appearance is due to a high velocity, low resistance, and trophoblastic flow through the feeding branch of the uterine artery on the affected tubal gestation site, which may aid in narrowing the differential, leading to early detection of the condition. It is usually seen as a variable sized mass, consisting of a hypoechoic centre and surrounded by a thick echogenic rim. This tubal ring can be used to distinguish an ectopic from a ruptured corpus luteum cyst, which is its closest differential. Separate studies by (Ash et al 2007) and (Vaisky et al 2007) demonstrated the value of transvaginal colour flow Doppler in aiding the diagnosis of cornual ectopics. REFERENCES Ash, A, Smith, A, Maxwell,. D (2007) Caesarian scar Pregnancy. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Volume 114:3:253-263 Bisset R. , Khan A, Thomas N (2002)-Differential Diagnosis on Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound. Second Edition. Elsevier Science limited. London. Condous G. Ectopic pregnancy – risk factors and diagnosis. Aust FAM Physician. 2006; 35:854–857. Drife J, Magowan B, editors. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. London, United Kingdom: Saunders; 2004. pp. 169–171. Haider . Z, Condous. G, Khalid. A. , Kirk. , Bourne. T,. Van Calster. B (2006) Impact of the availability of sonography in The Acute Gynaecology Unit Lewis G. , Drife J, Why Mothers Die 2000–2002 – The Sixth Report of Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom; London, United Kingdom: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; 2004. Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (2006). Green Top Guidelines in Early Pregnancy loss (WWW) http://www. rcog. org. uk/resources/public/pdf/green top 25 management epl. pdf (April 5th 2007). Sawyer E, Jurkovic D. Ultrasonography in the diagnosis and management of abnormal early pregnancy. Clinical Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 50:31–54. Vasky, D. , Hamani Y. , Verstanig, A. , Yagel, S (2007)The use of 3D rendering, VCI-C,3d Power Doppler and B flow in the Evaluation of Interstitial Pregnancy with Arteriovenous malformation treated by selective Uterine Artery Embolization. Ultrasound in Obstetric and Gynaecology . Volume 29:3:352-355.

Atheism and Communism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Atheism and Communism - Essay Example Similarly, communism is a socioeconomic and political term, which also seeks unity and cohesion among the members of society by denouncing any possibility of class discrimination culture. The paper also explores the differences between the two notions under investigation by declaring that a large majority of the communists follows one faith or the other, and hence does not disassociate it with spiritual belief system altogether. However, it is fact that the Christians, Muslims and Hindus are also the followers of communist politico-economic system. Consequently, atheism and communism serve as pole-apart concepts, which share one major commonality i.e. to free the humans from getting divided, alienated and weak subsequently. The Paper The notions atheism and communism have been in vogue for the last many decades, which seek their roots in political science, history, sociology and theology. Theorists are at daggers drawn in respect of exploring similarities and dissimilarities between the two notions. One school of thought declares both the terms as quite different from one another, which should not be taken the lights of the same source. On the other hand, some of the political scientists observe close proximity between atheism and communism, as both the two, according to them; negate exploitation of one or more strata at the hands of the other in the name of religion, race, region, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status. Since religious faiths, class discrimination and financial positions, they insist, invite differences and gulf among the individuals, belonging to divergent groups and communities, non-adherence to the belief systems pave the way towards the creation of a homogenous society, they assert. Somehow, association between both the two can be viewed due to the very reality that both these doctrines share several commonalities in their nature and scope, and portray the picture of an undivided as well as a classless society. While atheism denies the existence of any deity, communism concentrates upon the establishment of a homogenous society without being divided into classes, communities and religious beliefs. However, they cannot be stated as the aspects of one and the same coin; on the contrary, they are quite different from each other in nature and scope. Before embarking upon the topic under analysis, it would be advisable to define both the terms under analysis: Atheism: It has aptly been observed that an overwhelming majority of the populations, belonging to every society, culture, nation, country, race, region and ethnicity of the globe, seek support from some supernatural powers at the hour when they find themselves quite helpless in the face of hardships. Such belief subsequently ripens into strong faith, and develops some specific rituals, prayers and performances, which are imitated by the entire community by taking it as the source of their spiritual uplift and relief. The statistics reveal that thousands of religi ous beliefs are followed by the millions of the people all over the globe. However, still there exists a community that has not developed faith in the Supernatural powers, and consequently declares it as atheist or without religious belief. The members of this community take life and death as the outcome of the alterations taking place in their physical and social environment, which give way to the chemical and physical changes in the environment, including the conversion of matter from one form to the other. Hence,

Marketing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Marketing research - Essay Example e noted that BMW operate in a highly competitive environment made of various players, but it mainly concentrates in the high-end and luxury automobile market. Its most fierce competitor in the European market is Mercedes-Benz brand, which also specialise in high-end and luxury automobile products. Equally, the customer base of BMW mainly consists of the high-income earners. The above image illustrates the buyer decision process that BMW customers undergo. In the first phase of the process, the buyers acknowledge they need a car. Secondly, the sought for information on cars that are available within their price range. Thirdly, the buyers evaluate the different brands of cars that he or she can afford. Fourthly, after choosing the best alternative the buyer, makes the purchase and in the last phase of the process, the buyer evaluates if his option was correct or wrong and whether he needs to make changes on the car or buy another one. According to the studies conducted by Ansoff (1957), an organisation such as BMW has four viable options as presented in the image below, these options include penetrating deep into the market, product or market diversification, development of the new product and development of new markets. In regards to the Ansoff’s matrix, it is recommended that BMW should diversify its range of products to include low budget vehicles that are of high quality. By pursuing this strategy, BMW will be exploiting a new market segment, which will enable it to increase its market share as well as sales, and thereby, wade off competition from the likes of Mercedes-Benz. Currently, it can be noted that the key market segment for BMW brands is the high-end and luxury market, which only comprise of wealthy individuals or high-income earners. However, from the strategic option chosen above, BMW will now also target low-income earners because they are in need of quality vehicles and the only option they currently have is second-hand vehicles and low quality

Business Process Management Reflective Analysis Essay

Business Process Management Reflective Analysis - Essay Example According to Chandler’s opinion, strategy refers to â€Å"the determination of the basic, long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for those goals† (Mazzucato, 2002). Michael Porter, on the other hand has defined strategy as the â€Å"broad formula for how a business is going to compete, what its goals should be and what policies will be needed to carry out these goals† (Harmon, 2007). It is quite clear that there are three different phases that form the strategy. In the first phase management identifies what the company is doing now. In other words, they identify the existing strategies of the company. In the next phase it is important to understand about the environment in which the company operates in and in the final phase management has to decide about the next actions that are required to be taken. These decisions are taken by comparing the environmental situation with th e company’s existing strategies (Harmon, 2007). The concept regarding value chain is made popular by the famous management expert Michael Porter. Now it is considered as one of the most crucial sources of sustainable competitive advantage for the business organizations. The basic idea of value chain is referred to the processes that convert the raw materials into the finished products that are saleable as well as consumable. It engages the main activities of a company and these activities are organized in such a way that each of them adds ‘value’ to the entire business operation. In simple words value chain is the combination of the supply chain and distribution chain (Orcullo, 2007). Michael Porter has developed a specific model on value chain. In this model there are five primary activities that are directly responsible for value creation. In order to support these five activities, there are four secondary activities that indirectly create values. Primary activ ities are ‘inbound logistics’ that involve activities regarding receiving and storing of raw materials, ‘operations’ that involve activities related to processing of raw materials, ‘outbound logistics’ which involve collection and distribution of final products, ‘marketing and sales’ that are nothing but the activities associated with promotion, advertising, sales, channel selection etc. and finally ‘services’ that involve actions regarding the ‘after sales services’ that are given to satisfy the consumers (Van Weele, 2009). While researching, I have discovered the importance of value chain in the modern management. I have found that the concept is applicable in all types of organizations, be it a service provider or be it a product manufacturer. I have found several books and online articles that describe the basic idea of ‘value chain’. I have also found that Michael Porter has developed a v ery useful model that describes the usual value chain of an organization irrespective of the nature of business that it does. Enterprise Architecture and Business Strategy In the present competitive business scenario an integrated approach to both IT and business is indispensible for achieving desired level of success. With the expansion of business operations, today’s organizations are getting more and more complex. In order to manage extreme complexity inside of an organization

Integrative Research Project ( Samsung Co. ) Research proposal and

Integrative Project ( Samsung Co. ) and Plan - Research Proposal Example The research finding will be analysed using various tools like excel and SPSS and further compared to Secondary data finding related to our study topic. The research will therefore source for detail information on financial management issues that multi-national companies like Samsung experience. Budgeting for huge companies like Samsung is challenging and sometime the expenditure surpasses the intended budget or the budget fails to consider some aspect that are necessary within that fiscal year. Secondly the report will investigate how much investment the company has done on internal control system to curb various malpractices. Does the business observe the five fundamentals of the internal control system which are: management integrity, competent personnel, segregation of duties, record maintenance and safeguarding of the company assets? The last case is the investigating the company use of financial statement analysis to its benefit. Documents such as income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and retained earnings are important in making various financial decisions that can break or make the company. Therefore it a stud y that will help in the business evaluate the business risk involved, the company performance, the financial health of the company and finally the future prospect of business development. Such issues related to internal control system, financial analysis and Budgeting can only be done competently if the company owner ensures that: management integrity is achieved, improved communication and decision making, competent employees are assigned strategically to oversee operations. Other possible solution ways of solving the performance problem is proper record keeping and duty segregation. Therefore to carry competent and conclusive research the researcher is requesting any willing stakeholder or other interested bodies to fund the

Donald Judd Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Donald Judd - Research Paper Example remember Judd for his contribution to a form of art known as Minimalist art, architecture, his influence in modern sculpture, and many other artistic forms. Below, we explore the various forms of art that made Judd popular and have his name to be top on the list of the most influential artists. Artists and people remember Judd for using a collection of three forms: boxes, stacks, and progression that he applied throughout the thirty years of his career in art. When he began his work and practice in art, in the 1940s, his sculptural objects predominantly took the arrangement of shallow reliefs. The same concepts became evident in his work, as the artist employed commercial fabricators to get the shapes that he desired. Commercial fabricators assisted him in maintaining the simple forms of boxes and stacks, which he would often set according to sequential or repeated progressions. Judd’s idea of boxes, stacks, and progression differed and still varies from most of the art that we have in the world today. Donald Judd named his three dimensional art specific. While other forms of art were general, his was specific (Wintle 388). The various shows and artworks presented by Judd all through the years in which he practiced art exhibit how he used the same forms and pieces i n specific ways. His application of specific objects in his form of art led to his involvement and promotion of the minimalist art. Judd was a distinguished figure, who stood at the forefront of Minimalism – a word that he detested, during the 1960s and part of the 1970s. Minimal art refers to a school of sculpture and abstract painting where the artist keeps any form of expression to the bare minimal to give a total literal presence. Some regard minimalist art as extremely simple and deliberate lack of content to express. Although many forms of art fall into the description of minimal art, the name referred to artwork that sprung during the 1960s. During that time, some critics of art preferred

COPERATE FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

COPERATE FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE - Case Study Example Some of the risks that are unique for such firms include foreign exchange risk, political risk as well as the unique market risk. This is significant due to the fact that Mineral Plc is an international firm having a diverse range of activities across the different countries. This therefore increases the overall risk profile of the firm and projects that it undertake in foreign locations. This report will provide an analysis of the proposed investment that is to be made in the Medco Republic. This report is significant due to the fact that there are multiple views within the firm that ask for a different strategy to invest into a country which is war torn and companies are facing significant corporate social responsibility issues. This report will therefore perform the net present value analysis as well as other investment appraisal techniques besides discussing the corporate social responsibility issues that may be faced by the firm while making new investment into the country. This report will be effectively divided into two sections i.e. first section will be discussing the different findings that are being made after performing the analysis whereas the second section of the report will discuss corporate social responsibility along with a discussion on the different risks of investing into a foreign country. AccoChapter # 2 Analysis and Findings 2.1. Investment According to the given data, the overall NPV and IRR are 18.79 and 34% indicating that according to both the threshold levels, the project may be acceptable. It is important to understand that the most important criteria that is being followed when choosing a project based on the NPV is the ability of the project to deliver the positive net value for the firm as well as its shareholders. Given the weighted average cost of capital of 15%, the overall NPV is positive indicating that the project is acceptable at this given risk level. What is also significant to note that the calculations made does not incorporate the risks that are specific to making investment into the foreign countries and as such it ignores the various risks such as political risk, foreign exchange volatility etc Based on the criteria of IRR, the total IRR comes to the 34% which is over and above the desired level of 25%. As a rule of thumb any investment that offers IRR greater than the required rate of return shall be accepted and as such the IRR is greater than the current required rate of return hence the project shall be accepted even on this criterion also.1 It is also important to understand that both NPV and IRR have their own short comings therefore they may not be relied heavily as to the most conclusive tools for making investment appraisal. What is however, significant to note that the NPV and IRR are still considered as the better measures of the project returns and thoroughly applied by the firms across the world when making investment analysis' Thus based on the available methodologies of project appraisals, NPV and IRR are considered as most suitable

Help Stop Bullying Essay Example for Free

Help Stop Bullying Essay An 11 year old Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself April 6, 2009 because he was being taunted daily for being gay. The mother begged the school to address the problem, but nothing was ever done about it and now a woman is left son less. That was at least the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to bullying that year. Most harassment and bullying go unreported. Children are being bullied each and every day, but the question is what should be done to stop it? Each and every day a child is being teased or picked on because of the way they look, act, dress, or because of what they believe in. Children should not have to be tortured just because they are not like everyone else. Children should be able to come to school and enjoy themselves and not worry about being picked on. A child that is being bullied can have many problems such as low self esteem and low self confidence which could lead them to suicide. Also, children that are bullied may start doing poorly in school or maybe even drop out because they do not feel safe at school. Bullying really needs to be stooped because it can leave a child physically, emotionally, and mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Some schools say that there is very little that they can do about bullying because a lot of bullying starts off of school property. â€Å"Much of today’s bullying originates online, school officials said, with the growing use of social networking websites and cell phones has led to new ways to intimidate and tease. But because cyber bullying usually happens off-campus school administrators have little recourse† (Nissley 2010). I do not agree with the school district when they say that there is little they can do. Even though, it may start online, it continues or become worse at the school. With that being said, they need to try and do more so it can stop all together no matter where it starts. The solution that they think will help stop bullying is if the educate student about it more. Like Nissley (2010) stated, â€Å"In a model that has been mirrored by other school districts across the state, Abington Heights has been working on educating students as early as kindergarten about bullying and their responsibility to report it when they see it (p. 1). I think that it is good to educate the students about bullying and reporting it, but what is that really going to do? As we all know a lot of students will not tell because they will be too afraid. Or if they do tell they will be little done about it and they will continue to get bullied. So, their solution would not be effective at all. â€Å"Safe to learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools is the overarching anti-bullying guidance for schools and was launched in 2007† (teacherNet, 2009, p. 2). It seems that everyone thinks that the solution to stop bullying is just to educate students about it. I think that it is good that they are trying to educate students about the issue, but we all know that it is going to take more than that to stop bullying. It does not matter how much information you provide the students with about bullying, it still is not going to do anything. People have been trying to stop bullying by just telling students it is not the right thing to do for years and nothing has changed. As you see, they tried this solution in 2007 and now in 2010 the same problem is still going on. You can make students take classes every day about bullying and there will still be children getting bullied. Principals and administrators need to punish students by making use of more suspensions and require mandatory parent meetings for those who are bullying others. If the bullying continues, it must be dealt with strongly. And, both the child and parent should be held responsible for it. Until people start taking actions of this nature, bullying will forever be a problem. I think that the only way to stop bullying is to actually make a law against it. In Massachusetts, they have passed a bill for anti-bullying. I think that is wonderful because now that the law is involved I am sure bullying will be cut down because the kids would not to have to deal with the harsh consequences. â€Å"The bill would prohibit bullying at schools and clamp down on so-called cyber bullying by prohibiting the use of e-mails, text messages, internet postings, and other electronic means to create hostile school environment† (Gay Lesbians, 2010, p. 16). I also believe that it is good that they are requiring the school principals to report to the bullying to the police, if they believe criminal charges should be pursued. Maybe now if the students know that they could possibly go to jail they would stop bullying. It is great that somebody has passed a bill and takes this issue seriously because this has been going on for too long and it is time for it to stop. Lately there have been many other cities discussing and making laws about bullying. In New Jersey, they have also passed a bill regarding bullying. â€Å"A law against bullying in schools which advocates call the nation’s toughest because it requires schools to develop anti-harassment programs, was approved Monday in New Jersey† (Mulvihill, 2010, pg. ). I believe that this is what the schools need in order for bullying to stop. It may take a while for the schools to get all the policies and programs in the public schools, but it will be worth it. This law will hopefully prevent any more suicides from happening due to children being bullied. Maybe it should have been stricter laws a long time ago and a lot of bullying could have bee n stopped. The state of New Jersey has already passed the law for anti-bullying shows how it will cut down on a lot of bullying. There was already an anti-bullying law in 2002, but it was not required that schools set up anti-bullying programs. The new bill is claimed to be one of the toughest anti-bullying bill that there is. They are going all out the way to make sure students will not get bullied. They are even making teachers get training to help to bulling. Like Julie Bolcer (2010) stated, ‘’ The measure would required training for most public school employees on how to spot bulling and mandate that all districts from ‘school safety teams’ review complaints, reported The Star – Ledger . Superintendent would have to report incidents of buying to the state board of education, which would grade schools and districts on their efforts to combat it ‘’ (pg. 1). I think that it is to stop bulling because this is a very serious problem. But now that there are such harsh laws against it, I know the rates will go down a lot. Bullying is something that has been around for ages, but no one has ever seemed to find the right solution for it. Many say there is not a lot that can be done to stop bulling because it starts off school property; I totally isagree with that. While you have others that think that just by telling students about will stop it, which we all know will not. I feel that the only way bulling will ever stop is if they give harsh punishments and let the bullies know that is not a joke. Even though, there have been many attempts to stop bulling, I think that they have finally found a solution which is by making a tough anti-bulling law. If a child wants to bully someone then they should deal with the law and suffer the consequences.

Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors

Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors: Alcohol and Nutrition One of the most vital organs in the human body is the liver. The liver is the organ responsible for a variety of essential functions that is necessary for optimal health and well-being of a person. It is tasked with detoxifying your body from all the substances that circulates in the bloodstream coming from foods, medications and by-products of cellular processes. The liver is also responsible for other functions such as creation of bile and red blood cell composition. It can be said that a healthy individual needs to have a healthy functioning liver as well. Due to its numerous functions, the liver is also one of the organs of the body that is most commonly injured as well. Chronic liver disease is a condition wherein the liver is not able to carry out its functions for an extended period of time (i.e., 6 months or more). When your liver is subjected to a lot of stresses and harmful substances, problems with its functioning can occur and render it unable to carry out its vital functions. The most commonly mentioned factors related to the existence of chronic liver problems is poor diet and alcohol abuse. Problems with the functioning of the liver can contribute to the existence of a lot of other conditions that is harmful to your health since the substances that it is supposed to clear from your body are not eliminated. Nutrition and Chronic Liver Problems The food that you take contributes to meet your body’s need for energy to help you with activities of daily living. However, it has been found through numerous researches that the type of diet you take also can contribute to the existence of problems with your liver, injuring it and impairing its functions. Fatty liver is one of the most common causes of chronic liver diseases and is brought about by intake of foods that is high in fat and cholesterol content. These foods are those that are usually found in fast foods and are rich in sodium and sugars as well. Included in this would be foods that are deep fried in animal fat such as French fries and chicken, dairy products that are non-fat and processed and canned meat products. Apart from causing fatty liver, these foods are also pointed out to be the source of obesity, heart conditions. Alcohol Intake and Liver Injury Alcohol is another factor that has been linked to the development of chronic liver disease. This is because alcohol in itself is seen as an oxidizing agent, meaning that alcohol can cause the cells within your liver to dry, and easily get injured. When this happens, inflammation can occur in your liver. Imagine this happening on a long-term basis, and you will see that the liver gets repeatedly injured, resulting in a condition known as cirrhosis. In this case, the liver gets scar tissues in areas repeatedly injured, rendering these areas non-functional. This can result in the liver’s inability to detoxify your body of the substances you take that can harm the cells of your body. So, if you want to have a normal and healthy functioning liver, it is essential that you choose your diet very well and keep your alcohol intake to low or moderate levels if you really can’t avoid it totally. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2009.03.019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gut.41.6.845 http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-62703-047-2_38 Maintaining Optimal Cognitive Health Through Diet The cognitive abilities of an individual is found to be on a continuous growth and development throughout the lifespan. This finding contrary to the previous notion that your cognitive abilities experience a decline as you age. This is because there are previous studies showing that decline in cognitive functioning occurring with age is mostly due to the existence of problems such as dementia, or other neurological condition like stroke. However, the growth of your cognitive capacities does not happen if conditions that are related to the overall functioning of your body are not conducive for it. It means that when you do not necessarily take care of your cognitive health, a decline may occur unless you take measures to delay or stop it from happening. Over the years, there are a number of researches that have been made in this area and these studies have turned out with findings that one of the ways to maintain and promote optimal levels in cognitive functioning is through managing the foods that you take. Nutrition is essential to overall functioning of your body and even cognitive health. If your diet is high in foods that contains essential fatty acids, nutrients and other vitamins, this can contribute to cognitive health. This not only increase your cognitive health but it can also prevent other chronic health conditions from occurring such as hypertension and strokes. Certain types of diet that are considered to be highly conducive in maintaining and promoting optimal health are the DASH and Mediterranean diets. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a plan that is usually given to people who have hypertension. This is primarily composed of lists of foods that the person with hypertension can take and how much they are allowed to have in order to stop the progression of hypertension if they already have it, or to stop hypertension from occurring if they are at high risk for its development. Since this diet decreases the intake of salt, fat, and refined carbohydrates in the overall intake, it is also used for adoption in other people with other health conditions such as heart diseases, obesity and stroke. In a study conducted in the US, it has been seen that individuals who adopted the DASH diet have been seen to have lower blood pressures. This can be useful in prevention of cognitive decline since an effective blood circulatio n to your brain is also related to your blood pressure. When you have a blood pressure that is within the normal limits, then your blood is able to flow more efficiently, increasing the delivery of essential nutrients and oxygen to your brain and contributing to overall cognitive health. Another diet that has been found to be helpful in maintain and promoting optimal cognitive health is the Mediterranean diet. This diet has been followed by people from the Mediterranean such as the people from Spain, the Greeks and those who are living in the Mediterranean islands. It is rich in foods that are rich in essential fatty acids such as peas and lentils, fish and olive oil that is essential for cognitive health and functioning. Also, this diet is rich in fruits and bread using mostly whole grains and other unrefined sources of carbohydrates that are important in ensuring that the vessels and nerves in the brain remain healthy and disease free. The maintenance and promotion of optimal cognitive health is not essentially hard, if you know the necessary steps to take in its promotion. And, with it, always remember that prevention of any cognitive problems is way so much better than finding a cure for it! References: Gardener H, Wright CB, Gu Y, Demmer RT, Boden-Albala B, Elkind MS, et al. Mediterranean-style diet and risk of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death: the Northern Manhattan Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94:1458–64. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-013-0070-2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nure.12040 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/718338 Bach-Faig A, Berry EM, Lairon D, Reguant J, Trichopoulou A, Dernini S, et al. Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14:2274–84. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2997798/ Vitamin D and Its Benefits Vitamin D is probably one of those that are underappreciated for all its worth. Over the years, it was only usually related to or referred to its use in helping the absorption of calcium from your bloodstream to be deposited into your bones. This was probably the only function of this vitamin that you know, but it does more than that. Apart from helping calcium in your diet to be absorbed into your bones from your bloodstream, there are numerous other uses that Vitamin D can play in your body. Vitamin D Helps Maintain Immune System Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver has found that maintaining high levels of Vitamin D in your bloodstream can help maintain immune function and help you prevent from contracting infections such as colds and other common infections. Vitamin D Helps Reduce Your Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis Vitamin D is usually found in your blood stream and is activated when you are exposed to sunlight. Therefore, the more you are exposed to healthy levels of sunlight, the more Vitamin D is activated and conversely, more of it is found on your blood stream. Studies have revealed that people who live in tropical areas where they are more exposed to sunlight have lower risks for the development of multiple sclerosis throughout their lifetimes. Vitamin D Is Essential in Maintaining Cognitive Functions A European study involving 3000 males between the ages of 40 and throughout the continent has shown that increasing vitamin D levels in the blood stream has helped the respondents maintain optimal level of functioning in their brains even later on in their lives. This means that having higher levels of this vitamin in your blood stream can help reduce your risk for developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions resulting in the decline of your cognitive functioning. Other Uses of Vitamin D As mentioned in the previous sections, Vitamin D has a lot of uses. Apart from those that were mentioned above, it can also help you maintain a healthier body weight and decrease your risk for obesity. This is seen in a research conducted by the Medical College of Georgia in the United States. It can also help in managing asthma and its symptoms. In a study that was conducted among over 600 children in Costa Rica by the Harvard Medical School, it has been found that those who were found to have high blood levels of Vitamin D have decreased episodes and severity of their asthmatic attacks. Moreover, increased level of Vitamin D is also found to reduce the likelihood of development of rheumatoid arthritis in women who are over the age of 40. Vitamin D has also been found to have a protective function in those who are being treated for cancer via radiation therapy. This is supported by a study conducted by experts in the field of radiology in the New York City Health Department. Vitamin D is also seen to decrease the risk for cancer development when it is maintained on a high level in the blood stream. This is regardless of the individual’s age and nutritional status. Vitamin D is also shown to help individuals with tuberculosis recover faster, decrease the risk of heart attacks and play a vital role in overall muscular health. References: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php Holick MF. Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):362-71. Vitamins and minerals Vitamin D UK National Health Service. Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention: Strengths and Limits of the Evidence U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. Accessed October 20th 2013. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997213000402?np=y Key to Cardiovascular Health: The Role of Tea and Flavonoids For the longest time, a number of research papers has shown how coffee and other caffeine-containing products has been related to existence of a number of health problems. Caffeine containing products such as coffee, chocolates and tea have been linked to the incidences of heart problems, heart burn and ulcers, and other health conditions. You may probably be one of those who were told by their doctors that they need to lay low on their coffee because of this. It may have even been hard for you because you need coffee or other source of caffeine for your day to start properly. But this will soon come to an end, since there are studies done that can prove this notion otherwise. One of the substances that has been found by research studies to contribute to your health is tea. Both black tea and green tea are found to contain high levels of flavonoids. These flavonoids are believed to improve your vascular health by improving the general health of blood vessels that are responsible for controlling the flow of blood into the other parts of your body. Also, these flavonoids are also suggested to contribute to dilation of blood vessels, further improving blood circulation and oxygen and nutrient supply and delivery to other parts of your body. In studies done, it has been seen that flavonoids are also responsible for decreasing the risk of the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition wherein the fat and cholesterol often found in your diet gets deposited along the vessel walls and thickens and hardens in there, causing a disruption in blood flow. The presence of atherosclerosis has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and ev en stroke since it causes blood to flow more slowly, increase chances of clot formation and deprives your cells of the essential oxygen and nutrients needed for its overall functioning. There is also consistent number of data showing that one of the ways in which flavonoids contribute to general cardiovascular health is through certain mechanisms such as the enhancement of the status of the substance nitric oxide in your bloodstream. High levels of nitric oxide in your blood stream is responsible for the improvement of your endothelial functioning. This substance is consisted by both nitrogen and oxygen atoms and is seen to contribute to reducing the risk of inflammation of the blood vessels, improve functioning of the cells and acts to regulate cellular processes. Apart from the known benefits that flavonoids can have in terms of your cardiovascular status, it also has been found to have other health benefits too. The intake of green tea has been seen and is used to control body weight, reduce body fat content and control the risk of obesity. Tea and flavonoids are also seen to reduce cellular damage due to oxidation process that increases your risk for cancer development. It can also help to reduce incidences of inflammation, formation of clots, and reduce the risk for development of diabetes mellitus type 2. Yes, tea and flavonoids can have all these health benefits but it is also wise to keep its intake in moderation because anything taken in excess in never good for you and your body. References: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15678717 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20837049 www.proactivehearthealth.net/Nitric_Oxide.html http://cardiohealthresearch.com/nitric-oxide/ The Benefits of Food to the Brain The human brain is a complex and dynamic organ of the body. Your brain is responsible for all other processes taking place inside your body, whether you are aware of it or not. Your brain is not just responsible for cognitive and psychological processes, it also has something to do with your body’s physiologic processes as well. The healthier your brain is, the healthier functioning it can have and the better general health and well-being you can achieve. Brain health can be achieved through proper diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices. One of the most important aspects of brain health maintenance and development is feeding it with the right vitamins and minerals that it needs to be able to carry out its normal processes. When your brain is being fed with the right nutrients, its physiologic processes are better and more effectively carried out, improving its overall functioning. One of the benefits that you can have because of this is the positive influence it exerts in your brain’s metabolism of the energy coming from the food you take in. Proper metabolism of energy in your brain can help contribute to a more effective neuronal functioning, signal transmission between your neurons, and plasticity in synaptic activities (or the capacity of your brain to cause an increase or decrease in the strength of the synapses in response to time). This can affect how your brain maintains your mental health and your cognitive functioning. Food has a direct influence on the long and short term effects on your brainâ€⠄¢s neuronal plasticity. Food, being a source of both fuel and essential substance that your body needs to maintain and promote optimal cellular process is therefore important for your brain functioning. For the longest time, diet, has been studied in terms of how it affects the manner in which a person’s brain functions. It has been seen to exert an influence in the evolution of the brain and in improving its capacity as well. The manner in which you feed yourself and the choice of food you take is therefore important to consider if you want to maintain and promote optimal brain health and cognitive functioning. Essential fatty acids, specifically DHA which usually found in sources of protein such as meat products, dairy, fish and poultry and its products is helpful in synaptic functioning and in maintenance of cognitive functioning, decreasing the risk for the development of conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and also other mental health problems as well. The use of DHA on your body, however is reversed when you prepare your food in a manner that is high in trans fat such as cooking it in animal fat like deep-frying. Other food sources such as vegetables, lentils and fruits and whole grain are also linked to their positive effect in terms of maintenance of the health of nervous tissues. Staying away from alcohol can also have a positive impact on your brain health and cognitive functioning since alcohol has been found to exert an oxidative effect, accelerating the manner in which the cells and tissues in your brain degenerates and die, therefore affecting your cogni tive health negatively. References: http://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2013/11000/Diet_and_cognition___interplay_between_cell.21.aspx http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/ http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/nutrition/brain-food-nutrition.php

Causes and Impact of Health Inequalities

Causes and Impact of Health Inequalities Background In todays world, the advancements in medical technology and its expansion have improved the overall health of the population. However, inequalities persist within health care and not all people have equal access to it. Why do these disparities still exist in the present day? Understanding why these inequalities exist despite modern advancements has a significant importance in reducing health care inequalities. Aim Understanding health care inequalities and its challenges are the aim of this assignment. It seeks to explain and understand the mechanisms underlying the associations that can be found between the socio-economic statuses of population groups and their quality of health. It also explores life course pathways which mould and influence a persons chances of having a healthy life along with advantages and disadvantages that can affect health from an early age into adulthood. In addition, other factors such as gender, mental illness and disability and ethnicity will also be discussed since they also have a major contribution to inequalities in health. The assignment will focus on research led in the United Kingdom (UK). The United Kingdoms long tradition of research on health inequalities The UK is a high-income society, where greater prosperity and better overall health have been successfully attained without narrowing health inequalities, it can therefore be taken as an example for other societies that manifest similar trends in inequalities (Graham, 2009). Health Inequalities Health inequalities are differences between people or groups due to social, geographical, biological or other factors. These differences have a huge impact, because they result in people who are worst off experiencing poorer health and shorter lives (NICE, 2012). Affordable health care During the 19th century, inequality in health was mostly due to factors such as overcrowding, insufficient availability to local treatment facilities and poor sanitation (Morning 2015). Nowadays, in our industrialized society, these disadvantages have essentially disappeared. Modern hospitals and treatment centres are now commonly accessible across the UK. But not everyone can afford treatment. A study led in 2004 has shown that wealth is correlated with longevity, which demonstrates a strong link between the socio-economic status and mortality. For example, Figure 1 exhibits a pattern of health across income groups in England in 2004. As seen below, the proportion of men and women who deem their health as not good increases from around 15 percent in the richest fifth of English households to around 40 percent in the poorest fifth of households. This significant rise is not only manifested in the majority white population but also in other ethnicities in the UK (Graham, 2009). Figure 1: Proportion of women and men aged 16 and over assessing their health as not good by income quintile based on equivalized household income, England 2003. (Graham, 2009) This can be explained by considering the advantages that people in the higher socio-economic groups have. These advantages can lead to more knowledge about their health and the care available through improved education, or better continuity of care without issues of complying with treatment regiments such as expensive medication. For example, a man with higher income and education levels will have improved health insurance, increased information about the availability of treatments and will more frequently visit the doctor. This can translate into receiving more screenings such as screenings for colorectal cancer and diabetes. Differences between social classes and how they affect health       Landmark studies such as the Black report have shown that not only do social class inequalities still exist, they are also widening over time (DHHS,1980). Social class inequalities have been observed in all ages for all the major diseases. To try and describe social class inequalities in health, various models have been introduced into the UK such as the behavioural/cultural model, the materialist model, the psycho-social model and the life-course model (Steinbach,2009; Bartley and Blane, 2008; Bartley, 2004; DHHS, 1980). These models differentiate the characteristics affecting health that can be observed in different social classes over the whole period of their lives. For example, by describing the differences in behaviour that distinct social classes have, i.e. the behavioural model. Such as their dietary choices between healthy and unhealthy food, their prevalence to being in contact with drugs, alcohol and tobacco or the inclination to pursuing active leisure time such as hobbies in addition to their approach to healthy life choices such as immunisation, contraception and antenatal services (Steinbach 2009; Bartley, 2004; DHHS, 1980). Another model is the materialist model which describes the differences between social classes to the exposure to health hazards. This encompasses hazards such as air pollution, mold, cold, infestations and respiratory hazards that can arise from bad housing for example. The Black report (DHHS,1980) claims that this model is the most decisive factor leading to health inequalities. But many experts outline that since, in the UK, somewhat disadvantaged people receive various kinds of state aids, therefore it can be argued that housing and other materialistic issues are insufficient to account for major inequalities in health outcomes (Steinbach, 2009; Barley, 2004, DHHS, 1980). The psycho-social model on the other hand describes the principle that what people feel can determine changes in the physiology of the body. For example, a stressful social environment produces an emotional response which alters the state of the body through biological changes and can lead to serious conditions such as heart diseases (ODonnell, 2008). Areas affected can be the social interaction that an individual has every day, the work environment and the balance between home and work paired with their efforts and rewards. It has been shown that people with better relationships with their family and friends and who engage in social activities have better prospects to a healthier lifestyle than those who are rather isolated (Campbell, 2010). The last model focuses on patterns of social, psychological and biological advantages and disadvantages that can occur during the lifetime of a person. Factors that can influence a persons life can arise as early as in-utero and in early childhood. These disadvantages can ultimately accumulate and worsen through childhood and adulthood (Steinbach, 2009; Bartley, 2004). For example, individuals who have experienced differences in autonomy or, on the other hand, shame and doubt in childhood will react differently throughout their adult life (Graham, 2009). These models are represented by landmark studies in social class inequalities in health in the UK such as the Black Report (DHHS, 1980), the Whitehall study of British civil servants (spans over 10 years starting in 1967) and the Acheson report (Acheson, 1988). How gender affects health inequalities Many studies and researches have proven that, in industrialized countries such as the UK, women live longer than men but present more prevalence to ill health (Scambler, 2008). Although men have a greater chance of mortality due to injury and suicide in earlier stages of adulthood coupled with common single causes of death in adulthood such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers, more women than men go through stages of disabilities, notably in older ages. Mental disabilities have mostly been commonly correlated to anxiety and depressive disorders (Steinbach, 2009; Bartley, 2004; Acheson, 1998). The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2008 suggested that gender differences in health are a result of both biological factors and social factors such as employment, risk taking behaviour, smoking and alcohol (Campbell, 2010). How ethnicity affects health inequalities Unfortunately, the information on death certificates in the UK do not display ethnicity, and mortality data uses country of birth as a defining factor, therefore ethnical minorities born in the UK cannot be determined. But regular documented studies on ethnical inequalities in mortality (Kelly, 2008) have explained that factors such as, migration processes, defined socio-economic disadvantages and genetic and biological differences between ethnic populations account for differences in mortality. Inequalities in the accessibility to health care The access to health care is a supply concern which describes the quality and quantity of services provided to a person and are defined by the health care system itself. In the UK, the health care system is the National Health Service (NHS), a system that was founded on the principle of fairness, meaning people should get the care they need, not the care they can afford (Steinbach, 2009; Cookson, 2016). The inverse care law, first described by Julian Tudor Hart in 1971, states: The availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served (Hart, 1971). Equality of access to health care can be achieved by communities by meeting certain requirements. Factors such as the distance travelled, the transport facilities and communication used, the hospital waiting times, the patient information and knowledge about available treatment and its effectiveness and the costs of all these are considered to contribute to a health care system which is equal to all (Steinbach, 2009; Cookson, 2016). Availability is a determining factor of inequalities in accessibility in health care. Some health care services have been shown to treat population groups differently, denying services to some people and preferring others for a certain treatment. For example, clinicians might have a bias in treating different patients based on individual characteristics even though they have identical needs. The equality in the costs of health care can also be disrupted by imposing costs which differ between people. Or even the information given to different populations can impact the patients outcome. For example, health care organisations who neglect or fail to ensure that everyone is equally conscious to the services available (Goddard and Smith, 2001). The NHS and current health inequality challenges The NHS regularly comes top of international league tables of fairness in health care but it is not perfectly fair. There are inequalities in the volume, quality and outcomes of NHS care received by rich and poor people. These inequalities could get worse as financial austerities start to bite more severely into NHS budgets and may contribute to wider health inequalities in society. These inequalities raise serious concerns about social justice and unfulfilled potential for disadvantaged people to live longer and healthier lives. A research project lead by Richard Cookson in 2012 focused on monitoring fairness of the NHS to make sure inequalities dont get worse and if possible get better. In 2012, the NHS still didnt monitor how inequalities were changing. And NHS decision makers knew that inequalities existed, but they had no way of telling if inequalities were getting better or worse or what influence their decisions were having on inequalities. By monitoring the fairness of the NH S, the results will make sure that everyone, rich or poor, can receive the care they need to live a long and healthy life (Cookson, 2016). Recently, research projects have provided methods of comparing the performance of local NHS areas in tackling inequalities in health care. Alongside similar indicators for wider determinants of health, such as the regularly updated marmot indicators (UCL, 2015). Which review the key areas that need to be improved to make a significant impact on health care inequalities such as strengthening the role and impact of ill health prevention. The methods will assess how well the NHS is tackling inequalities across a broad range of issues (Buck, 2016). An outcome from the Health Equity Indicators for the English NHS: Longitudinal whole-population study at small area level research project showed a great improvement in patient health care by monitoring key stages of the patient pathway (See Figure 2) (Cookson, 2016). Figure 2: Monitoring health care access, quality and outcomes at key stages of the pathway (Cookson, 2016). For example, Figure 3 shows that GP supply increased in all social groups, and the largest increases were in the most deprived areas. As seen below, the pro-rich inequality gradient was eliminated by 2011/2012 (Asaira, 2016). Figure 3: Equity of primary care supply, Patients per full time equivalent GP, excluding registrars and retainers, adjusted for age, sex and health deprivation (Asaira, 2016). Conclusion Health care inequalities most commonly arise from socio-economic conditions and are shaped by political, social and economic forces that can create or destroy a persons health and wellbeing. These problems are now seen as health problems that must be addressed to ensure everyone has an equal chance of a healthy life. Factors such as the costs of healthcare, social class, gender, ethnicity and accessibility to health care all contribute to the quality of life. Recently, projects have been undergone to help improve healthcare in the UK, for example, by monitoring the fairness of its services. In my opinion, the UK is one of the leading health care services in the world despite existing inequalities, but can be improved by further understanding and improving these inequalities, who have been only recently assessed. Total word count: 1966 References: -Acheson D (1998). Independent inquiry into inequalities in health report. London: The Stationary Office. -Asaria M, Ali S, Doran T, ferguson B, Fleetcroft R, Goddard M, goldblatt P, Laudicella M, Raine R, Cookson R. (2016). How a universal health system reduces inequalities: lessons from England. Epidemiology community health. 0 (1), 1-7. -Baker M, Mawby R, Ware J (2015). Health Inequalities. Engalnd: Royal college of general practitioners. 2-16. -Bartley M, Blane D (2008). Inequality and social class in Scambler G, Sociology as applied to medicine. Elsevier Limited. -Bartley M (2004). Health inequality: an introduction to theories, concepts, and methods. Cambridge: Polity Press. -Buck D (2016). The role of the NHS in reducing health inequalities: moving beyond fair access to care. Available: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2016/03/reducing-health-inequalities. Last accessed 1st Feb 2017. -Campbell F (2010). The social determinants of health and the role of local government. England: Investor in People. 5-68. -Cookson R (2016), Health Equity Indicators for the NHS, presented at Maximising the impact of the NHS in tackling health inequalities, London, 2016. -Cookson R (2016) Health equity indicators for the English final report to the NIHR HSDR Programme. HSDR -Cookson R, Propper C, Asaria M, raine R. (2016). Socio-Economic Inequalities in Health Care in England. The journal of applied public Economics. 37 (3-4), p371-403. -Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (1980). Inequalities in health: report of a research working group. (The Black Report). HMSO, London. -Graham H (2009). Understanding Health Inequalities. 2nd ed. England: Open University Press. 1-20. -Goddard M, Smith P (2001). Equity of access to health care services: theory and evidence from the UK. Social Science and Medicine 53:1149-62. -Hart T J. (1971). The inverse care law. The Lancet. 297 (7696), p405-412. -Kelly M, Nazroo J (2008). Ethnicity and Health in Scambler G Sociology as applied to medicine. Elsevier Limited. -Morning, Roberts, Phelan (2015), Social inequalities in health, presented at Social Inequalities in Health, Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Lecture Series, Bethesda, 2015. -ODonnell, K.; Brydon, L.; Wright, C.; Steptoe, A. (2008). Self-esteem levels and cardiovascular and inflammatory responses to acute stress. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 22 (8): 1241-1247 -Scambler A (2008). Women and Health in Scambler G Sociology as applied to medicine. Elsevier Limited. Steinbach R. (2009). Inequalities in the distribution of health and health care and its access, including inequalities relating to social class, gender, culture and ethnicity, and their causes. Available: http://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/medical-sociology-policy-economics/4c-equality-equity-policy/inequalities-distribution. Last accessed 1st Feb 2017. -The National Institute for Health and Care Exellence. (Oct 2012). Health inequalities and population health. Available: https://www.nice.org.uk/advice/lgb4/chapter/introduction. Last accessed 1st Feb 2017. -UCL Institute of Health Equity. (2015). Marmot Indicators 2015. Available: http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/projects/marmot-indicators-2015. Last accessed 1st Feb 2017.

Victoria Junior College :: Economics

Victoria Junior College In the period 1945-1973, the world economy underwent a period of exceptional growth in the following thirty years that had never been exceeded previously. Indeed, this â€Å"Golden Age† was differentiated from past economic booms by two main characteristics: dynamic and extensive economic growth. By dynamic, the expansion of the world economy made it a truly international economy, with countries trading with and depending on each other instead of the autarkic empires that had been the hallmark of previous generations. Extensive growth was seen in the world economy growing in the sense of the entire world and not by specific regions, for example, the previously Eurocentric economy of the Industrial Revolution. Yet the Golden Age, suddenly and swiftly, was replaced by what came to be known as the â€Å"Crisis Decades† in 1973, thus raising the question: was the Golden Age really an Age which could have lasted, with stable and secure foundations? To answer this question, we must look at three areas of study: the distribution of economic power during the Golden Age, the breakdown of the economic structures of the Golden Age, the factors which had contributed to the boom and the long-term social and political viability of economic growth in the post-war years. The main nation upon which the stability of the Golden Age rested was, of course, the US. At the end of the Second World War, of the five major pre-war industrial centres, (the US, Britain, Germany, Japan and the Soviet Union) only the US had remained largely untouched by the effects of total war. As such, the US felt that it was necessary, or even natural, that it should assume the economic, and by extension political, leadership of the world and guide it towards economic prosperity. Moreover, world economic prosperity was the only way that the US could continue its own economic growth – the loss of production necessitated by war meant that the US economy was facing a slowdown unless it could divert its surplus potential into channels outside the US – and that meant the world economy. George Kennan spelt out the American attitude when he wrote in 1948 that â€Å"[The US] has 50 per cent of the world's wealth, but only 6.3 per cent of its population. In this situation, our real job in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which permit us to maintain this position of disparity.†[1] This attitude could already have been found earlier in the Bretton Woods Agreement, the system that could have been said to be responsible for the post-war economic boom. There, the US dominated all the major decisions and statues regarding the formation of

Essay example --

The Civil Rights is a very important time in American history. It all began when the African Americans became free from slavery. African Americans began to protest unjust laws and to promote equal rights. African Americans struggled for racial equality in the 1950’s to 1960’s. After the Civil War many southern states continued to treat African Americans as second class citizens. The Jim Crow Laws was formed to keep Black people separated from white people. The United States Supreme Court struck down segregation in the public schools in 1954. Segregation was every where, African Americans had to drink out of separate water fountains, use separate bathrooms, sit in the back of the bus, and many other things. This put the African American population economically and politically powerless. The movement therefore addressed primarily three areas of discrimination: education, voting rights, and social segregation. The Jim Crow Laws passed in the south that kept black people separate from white people. This law caused social segregation in schools, restaurants, restrooms, and transportation. Also African Americans were not allowed to go to beaches, swimming pools, parks, and many hospitals. This created a racial an exclusive social class system in America. By 1914 the laws created two sides one black and one white. The African Americans could not ride together in the same rail car, and sit and the same theatre. There were laws enforced to prevent African Americans from voting. During the 1900’s African Americans started to protest the Jim Crow Laws that forced segregation. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also known as the NAACP was formed, several African Americans leaders like... ...changes in the way African Americans were treated in America. It wasn't just that he became the leader of the civil rights movement that made him so unique it was the way he led the movement. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated civil disobedience, the Civil Rights activists organized demonstration, marches, boycotts, strikes, and voter registration drives. The results of the civil rights movement made possible for more freedom in the united states during slavery and segregation. Many people have made great sacrifices for the fight of civil rights. The civil rights movement has also meant that African Americans and other ethnic minorities have equal rights and can now have equal opportunities as white people this is highlighted by obama being the president of america when 50 years ago he would have not have go to the same school as the white people. Essay example -- The Civil Rights is a very important time in American history. It all began when the African Americans became free from slavery. African Americans began to protest unjust laws and to promote equal rights. African Americans struggled for racial equality in the 1950’s to 1960’s. After the Civil War many southern states continued to treat African Americans as second class citizens. The Jim Crow Laws was formed to keep Black people separated from white people. The United States Supreme Court struck down segregation in the public schools in 1954. Segregation was every where, African Americans had to drink out of separate water fountains, use separate bathrooms, sit in the back of the bus, and many other things. This put the African American population economically and politically powerless. The movement therefore addressed primarily three areas of discrimination: education, voting rights, and social segregation. The Jim Crow Laws passed in the south that kept black people separate from white people. This law caused social segregation in schools, restaurants, restrooms, and transportation. Also African Americans were not allowed to go to beaches, swimming pools, parks, and many hospitals. This created a racial an exclusive social class system in America. By 1914 the laws created two sides one black and one white. The African Americans could not ride together in the same rail car, and sit and the same theatre. There were laws enforced to prevent African Americans from voting. During the 1900’s African Americans started to protest the Jim Crow Laws that forced segregation. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also known as the NAACP was formed, several African Americans leaders like... ...changes in the way African Americans were treated in America. It wasn't just that he became the leader of the civil rights movement that made him so unique it was the way he led the movement. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated civil disobedience, the Civil Rights activists organized demonstration, marches, boycotts, strikes, and voter registration drives. The results of the civil rights movement made possible for more freedom in the united states during slavery and segregation. Many people have made great sacrifices for the fight of civil rights. The civil rights movement has also meant that African Americans and other ethnic minorities have equal rights and can now have equal opportunities as white people this is highlighted by obama being the president of america when 50 years ago he would have not have go to the same school as the white people.

Deception Point Page 78

â€Å"Anyhow, Mike,† the message went on, â€Å"tonight was incredible. Kind of makes you proud to be a scientist, doesn't it? Everyone's talking about how good this looks for NASA. Screw NASA, I say! This looks even better for us! Amazing Seas ratings must have gone up a few million points tonight. You're a star, man. A real one. Congrats. Excellent job.† There was hushed talking on the line, and the voice came back. â€Å"Oh, yeah, and speaking of Xavia, just so you don't get too big a head, she wants to razz you about something. Here she is.† Xavia's razor voice came on the machine. â€Å"Mike, Xavia, you're a God, yada yada. And because I love you so much, I've agreed to baby-sit this antediluvian wreck of yours. Frankly, it will be nice to be away from these hoodlums you call scientists. Anyhow, in addition to baby-sitting the ship, the crew has asked me, in my role as onboard bitch, to do everything in my power to keep you from turning into a conceited bastard, which after tonight I realize is going to be difficult, but I had to be the first to tell you that you made a boo-boo in your documentary. Yes, you heard me. A rare Michael Tolland brain fart. Don't worry, there are only about three people on earth who will notice, and they're all anal-retentive marine geologists with no sense of humor. A lot like me. But you know what they say about us geologists-always looking for faults!† She laughed. â€Å"Anyhow, it's nothing, a minuscule point about meteorite petrology. I only mention it to ruin your night. You mig ht get a call or two about it, so I thought I'd give you the heads-up so you don't end up sounding like the moron we all know you really are.† She laughed again. â€Å"Anyhow, I'm not much of a party animal, so I'm staying onboard. Don't bother calling me; I had to turn on the machine because the goddamned press have been calling all night. You're a real star tonight, despite your screwup. Anyhow, I'll fill you in on it when you get back. Ciao.† The line went dead. Michael Tolland frowned. A mistake in my documentary? Rachel Sexton stood in the restroom of the G4 and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked pale, she thought, and more frail than she'd imagined. Tonight's scare had taken a lot out of her. She wondered how long it would be before she would stop shivering, or before she would go near an ocean. Removing her U.S.S. Charlotte cap, she let her hair down. Better, she thought, feeling more like herself. Looking into her eyes, Rachel sensed a deep weariness. Beneath it, though, she saw the resolve. She knew that was her mother's gift. Nobody tells you what you can and can't do. Rachel wondered if her mother had seen what happened tonight. Someone tried to kill me, Mom. Someone tried to kill all of us†¦ Rachel's mind, as it had for several hours now, scrolled through the list of names. Lawrence Ekstrom†¦ Marjorie Tench†¦ President Zach Herney. All had motives. And, more chillingly, all had means. The President is not involved, Rachel told herself, clinging to her hope that the President she respected so much more than her own father was an innocent bystander in this mysterious incident. We still know nothing. Not who†¦ not if†¦ not why. Rachel had wanted to have answers for William Pickering but, so far, all she'd managed to do was raise more questions. When Rachel left the restroom, she was surprised to see Michael Tolland was not in his seat. Corky was dozing nearby. As Rachel looked around, Mike stepped out of the cockpit as the pilot hung up a radiophone. His eyes were wide with concern. â€Å"What is it?† Rachel asked. Tolland's voice was heavy as he told her about the phone message. A mistake in his presentation? Rachel thought Tolland was overreacting. â€Å"It's probably nothing. She didn't tell you specifically what the error was?† â€Å"Something to do with meteorite petrology.† â€Å"Rock structure?† â€Å"Yeah. She said the only people who would notice the mistake were a few other geologists. It sounds like whatever error I made was related to the composition of the meteorite itself.† Rachel drew a quick breath, understanding now. â€Å"Chondrules?† â€Å"I don't know, but it seems pretty coincidental.† Rachel agreed. The chondrules were the one remaining shred of evidence that categorically supported NASA's claim that this was indeed a meteorite. Corky came over, rubbing his eyes. â€Å"What's going on?† Tolland filled him in. Corky scowled, shaking his head. â€Å"It's not a problem with the chondrules, Mike. No way. All of your data came from NASA. And from me. It was flawless.† â€Å"What other petrologic error could I have made?† â€Å"Who the hell knows? Besides, what do marine geologists know about chondrules?† â€Å"I have no idea, but she's damned sharp.† â€Å"Considering the circumstances,† Rachel said, â€Å"I think we should talk to this woman before we talk to Director Pickering.† Tolland shrugged. â€Å"I called her four times and got the machine. She's probably in the hydrolab and can't hear a damn thing anyway. She won't get my messages until morning at the earliest.† Tolland paused, checking his watch. â€Å"Although†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Although what?† Tolland eyed her intensely. â€Å"How important do you think it is that we talk to Xavia before we talk to your boss?† â€Å"If she has something to say about chondrules? I'd say it's critical. Mike,† Rachel said, â€Å"at the moment, we've got all kinds of contradictory data. William Pickering is a man accustomed to having clear answers. When we meet him, I'd love to have something substantial for him to act on.† â€Å"Then we should make a stop.† Rachel did a double take. â€Å"On your ship?† â€Å"It's off the coast of New Jersey. Almost directly on our way to Washington. We can talk to Xavia, find out what she knows. Corky still has the meteorite sample, and if Xavia wants to run some geologic tests on it, the ship has a fairly well-equipped lab. I can't imagine it would take us more than an hour to get some conclusive answers.† Rachel felt a pulse of anxiety. The thought of having to face the ocean again so soon was unnerving. Conclusive answers, she told herself, tempted by the possibility. Pickering will definitely want answers. 92 Delta-One was glad to be back on solid ground. The Aurora aircraft, despite running at only one-half power and taking a circuitous ocean route, had completed its journey in under two hours and afforded the Delta Force a healthy head start to take up position and prepare themselves for the additional kill the controller had requested. Now, on a private military runway outside D.C., the Delta Force left the Aurora behind and boarded their new transport-a waiting OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter. Yet again, the controller has arranged for the best, Delta-One thought. The Kiowa Warrior, originally designed as a light observation helicopter, had been â€Å"expanded and improved† to create the military's newest breed of attack helicopter. The Kiowa boasted infrared thermal imaging capability enabling its designator/laser range finder to provide autonomous designation for laser-guided precision weapons like Air-to-Air Stinger missiles and the AGM-1148 Hellfire Missile System. A high-speed digital signal processor provided simultaneous multitarget tracking of up to six targets. Few enemies had ever seen a Kiowa up close and survived to tell the tale. Delta-One felt a familiar rush of power as he climbed into the Kiowa pilot's seat and strapped himself in. He had trained on this craft and flown it in covert ops three times. Of course, never before had he been gunning for a prominent American official. The Kiowa, he had to admit, was the perfect aircraft for the job. Its Rolls-Royce Allison engine and twin semirigid blades were â€Å"silent running,† which essentially meant targets on the ground could not hear the chopper until it was directly over them. And because the aircraft was capable of flying blind without lights and was painted flat black with no reflective tail numbers, it was essentially invisible unless the target had radar.