Pros and Cons of Nafta Essay - 1568 Words

Pros and cons of NAFTA NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been getting a lot of not so favorable, and sometimes, controversial headlines in recent years. Some critics blame it for the current labor shortages in the United States, due to the fact that most U.S. companies have been and continue to outsource and ship jobs overseas. However, its proponents have been hailing it as a great success in helping lowering national prices on certain manufactured goods and services and that it has caused to increase wages for certain jobs within the U.S. The Agreement was signed by Bill Clinton, president of the United States, Brian Mulroney of Canada, and Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico. It was hailed as the highest†¦show more content†¦These arent easily transported, so being able to export them to nearby countries is important. NAFTA boosted U.S. service exports to Canada and Mexico from $25 billion in 1993 to $106.8 billion in 2007 (latest data available). Service exports were $40 billion. NAFTA eliminated trade barriers in nearly all service sectors, which are often highly regulated. NAFTA requires governments to publish all regulations, lowering hidden costs of doing business. Reduced Oil and Grocery Prices: The U.S. imported $157.8 billion in oil from Mexico and Canada (shale oil).This also reduces U.S. reliance on oil imports from the Middle East and Venezuela. It is especially important now that the U.S. no longer imports oil from . Why? Mexico is a friendly country, whereas Venezuelas president often criticizes the U.S. Both Venezuela and Iran have started selling oil in currencies other than the dollar, contributing to the decline in the dollars value. Since NAFTA eliminates tariffs, oil prices are lower. The same is true for food imports, which totaled $28.9 billion in 2008. Stepped Up Foreign Direct Investment: Since NAFTA was enacted, U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Canada and Mexico more than tripled to $348.7 billion (as of 2007, latest data available). Canadian and Mexican FDI in the U.S. grew to $219.2 billion. NAFTA reduces investors risk by guaranteeing they will have the same legal rights as local investors. Through NAFTA, investors can makeShow MoreRelatedPros and Cons of NAFTA Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesNAFTA is a trade agreement signed by the North American nations of Canada, Mexico and the US. In terms of combined GDP between the countries, it has created the largest trade bloc in the world. The NAFTA is a result of many years of negotiations, starting in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, and finally signed on the 17th of December in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush. It became fully implemented in 2008 under President Barack Obama. The trade agreement was largely implemented as a resultRead MorePros And Cons Of Tariffs1127 Words   |  5 Pages Pros and Cons of Tariffs Principles of Macroeconomics Columbia Southern University BBA-2401 Angelo Jones Managing the how goods and services enter or leave this country (import/export) is an important process that allows for us to control the economic status of our nation. Sometimes imposing tariffs on the goods imported balances our labor cost, resources and government supported industry. A tariff by definition is a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of importsRead MoreBussiness Qa Essay761 Words   |  4 Pagespractice. Outsourcing offshore can allow companies to tap into foreign markets and expand their businesses. 6. Outline the potential pros and cons of the 3 key strategies for developing foreign markets: exporting, licensing and franchising, and direct investment. Exporting |Pros: |Cons: | | | Read MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Tariffs Essay1628 Words   |  7 PagesPresenting the Pros and Cons of Tariffs An important part of managing the economic status of a nation is to manage the methods in which goods and services are imported and exported into and out of the country. Because of differing resources, labor costs, and government support of industry, fiscal policy sometimes includes placing a tariff on imported goods in an attempt to level the economic playing field. â€Å"Tariff† comes originally from the Arabic word ta’rifah meaning â€Å"to make known.† In a moreRead MoreEssay on North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA1710 Words   |  7 PagesNAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began on January 1, 1994, and is one of the United States’ most significant regional trade agreements. The final provisions of the NAFTA were fully implemented on January 1, 2008. With full implementation, the last remaining trade restriction on a handful of agricultural commodities such as U.S. exports to Mexico of corn, dry edible beans, nonfat dry milk and high fructose corn syrupRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement1711 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper will discuss four components of the North American Free Trade Agreement: Background, events, pros and cons. Upon the research, you will discover four online articles to provide more detail and examples. This research will indicate how it was developed and the reasoning on why it would benefit the nation. Also, it will provide events that occur after the agreement was signed by congress and the recession the countries experience during the early 2000s. There will be a chart locatedRead MoreNorth American Free Trade Agreement981 Words   |  4 Pagesbetter known as, â€Å"NAFTA†. The use of NAFTA is in America’s best interest because, it benefits U.S. jobs, improves trade relations, promoted specialization of trade. Jobs in the United States thrived with the application of NAFTA. Millions of new jobs were created as trade became easier between the countries of North America. In an article titled, â€Å"North American Free Trade Agreement†, author Carol Wise speaks of the impact this agreement has made on each country involved in NAFTA. It has been provenRead MoreThe Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership1284 Words   |  6 Pagessociety. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which entered into force on 1 January, 1994 was signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico. This treaty is to eliminate barriers of tariff in agriculture, manufacturing and service and eliminate investment restrictions. It also protects intellectual property rights and promotes the rate of economic growth of Mexico. However, there was many oppositions when America entered into NAFTA. The most obviously reason is that a lot of workersRead MoreEssay about NAFTA1048 Words   |  5 PagesOn January 1st, 1994 the North American Free Trade Agreement, commonly referred to as NAFTA, went into effect after years of contentious battle and debate amongst those drafting it and viewing it from afar. In fact, it took three U.S. Presidents to finally complete the deal: Reagan, Bush Sr., and ultimately, Clinton. Those who opposed it warned of vanishing industries, skyrocketing unemployment, and of unfair consequences to those that were less educat ed. Ross Perot famously stated, â€Å" giant suckingRead MoreThe Main Goals Of Free Trade Agreements1186 Words   |  5 PagesAgreement or NAFTA. Organized in 1994, the agreement included the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The agreement called for many tariffs to be taken off products between the nations, allowing trade between the countries to become easier (International). NAFTA also increased the number of exports traded between the three nations. Goods traded in 2008 were calculated to be almost worth 1 trillion dollars (Murphy). Agricultural items were, and still are, the biggest trading product under NAFTA. America

The Formula Of Capital By Karl Marx - 1042 Words

At this juncture in Capital, Karl Marx introduces a conceptual problem investigating whether the formula of capital reached its current description from a series of natural and inevitable phases in human history. Marx contends capital to be unnatural and its current state to ascend from human-made historical and social economic systems. Despite this, the Neoclassicals and Neoliberals of current mainstream economics trust that this formula for capital has been how humans operate and have always operated (w source?). Marx’s development into this definition serves to be historical and abstracted through the concrete measurements from the circulation of capital. Marx illuminates capital’s unnatural characterization via The General Formula of Capital (or the Self-Moving Substance that is Subject) to uncover precise complications and contradictions. As a result, Marx derives a solution engaging evidence clarifying this mode of circulation as historically specific to capital and cannot be explained as a natural product of human nature. From a historical analysis on the circulation of commodities, Marx challenges to inquire an issue behind capital’s unnatural behavior. He enlightens there is a logical and historic origin of capital with an imperative emphasis meticulously on the historical origin. Marx apprises the evident historic origins of capitalism by perceiving â€Å"However, we do not need to look back at the history of capital’s origins in order to recognize that money is itsShow MoreRelatedComparing and Contrasting Sociological Theorists Max Weber, Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx1599 Words   |  7 PagesEmile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber are all important characters to be studied in the field of Sociology. Each one of these Sociological theorists, help in the separation of Sociology into its own field of study. The works of these three theorists is very complex and can be considered hard to understand but their intentions were not. They have their similarities along with just as many of their differences. The first theorist to consider is Karl Marx. Marx has a uniqueness all of his ownRead MoreKarl Marx History of Economic Thought1454 Words   |  6 Pages10-992-204 Professor Allgoewer Karl Marx: â€Å"A context for inevitable social revolution† Of particular interest in Rima’s summary and critique of Marx’s background and social/economic contributions is the quote: â€Å"It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social existence that determines their consciousness.† Karl Marx, in reference to modes of production, which refers to the socialRead MoreKarl Marx And The Great Philosopher Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesKarl Marx was born in Trier, Prussia in 1818 to a Jewish family, but despite his baptism at age 6, he later became an atheist. Marx attended University of Bonn, but due to his imprisonment for drunkenness and variances with another student, he was enrolled in the University of Berlin by his parents. Marx earned his degree in philosophy and began writing for Rheinische Zeitung, a liberal democratic newspaper. He later became their editor. Marx was a member of Young Hegelian movement which was groupRead MoreMarx and Durkheim’s View on the Benefits and Dangers of Modern Capitalism1991 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Émile Durkheim (1858-1917) were sociologists who both existed throughout similar time periods of the 19th and early 20th centuries, resulting in both Marx, and Durkheim to be concerned about similar effects and impacts among society (Appelrouth and Edles: 20, 77). Marx’s main focus was on class distinctions among the bourgeoisie and proletariat, forces and relations of production, capital, surplus value, alienation, labour theory of value, exploitation and classRead MoreMarxist Philosophy Essay2226 Words   |  9 Pages Although there is a strong diverse controversy tied with the name of Karl Marx, he was concerned primarily with human freedom, stimulating the ancient concept of Communism, in which human beings might fulfill their cooperative roles within society, without the fear of exploitation. He saw the historical period of capitalism as the menacing antagonist of such freedom; menacing because unlike serfdom (the predecessor of capitalism in the evolution of social relations), capitalism enabled the illusionRead MoreThe Paradox of Capitalism2320 Words   |  10 Pagesexploitation of the poor by the strong and powerful. For the ruling class, it symbolizes a system where opportunities abound for those who are devoted, innovative, and work hard. Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim, prominent social theorists studied the division of labour in a capitalist economy and both of their views have merit. Marx, well renowned German philosopher was one of the first incredibly influential social activists in history. He fear that we live in a materially determined economy has come toRead MoreExploitation And Societal Reorganization Of Karl Marx And Mary Wollstonecraft1709 Words   |  7 PagesSabrina Gibson Honors Mosaics II Professor Smetona 09 November 2015 Exploitation and Societal Reorganization Karl Marx and Mary Wollstonecraft are both philosophers who have observed the relationships between ruling and ruled classes of people. In Marx’s text Capital he discusses how there must exist a bourgeois class that exploits a class of proletarians in order for capitalism to exist. Mary Wollstonecraft in her work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman argues that a patriarchal society inRead MoreSocialism And The Current System Of Capitalism1500 Words   |  6 Pagesalready in America and why it failed then for the same reason it would today. To fully understand what socialism is one must first know how and when it came about and finally what it actually means. The idea of socialism came from a man called Karl Marx. Marx was a 19th century philosopher who had close ties to several communistic groups. Throughout his writings he was trying to move away from the capitalist system and trying to make the workingmen the new ruling class (History.com, 2009). AccordingRead MoreEconomic Globlization1286 Words   |  6 Pagescharge whatever they see fit†. The reason for this is lack of competition in a capitalistic society. Karl Marx a social theorist of the 1800’s believed that the basis of social order in every society is the production of economic goods. â€Å"The concepts of what is produced, how it’s produced, and how it’s exchanged determines the differences in people’s wealth, power, and social status†. Marx argued that because human beings must organize their activities, in order to clothe, feed, and house themselvesRead MoreWorking Capital Concept And Definitions Essay1063 Words   |  5 Pages2-2 Working capital concept and definitions According to, the first formation of the concept of working capital was possibly first established by Karl Marx (Bhattacharya 2006). Working capital was defined as current assets minus current liabilities. In general, this definition is also identified as â€Å"networking capital†. are sometimes Current assets called as gross working capital. The current assets can be divided into four main elements: (1) cash (2) marketable securities (3) accounts receivable

Natl †the Cane Farmers Free Essays

Case: â€Å"Nghe An Tate Lyle Sugar Company (Viet Nam)† Question : Are farmers likely to convert to sugar cane ? The farmers who lived within 50 kilometers of the sugar mill are likely to convert to sugar cane in term of economic return and other benefits. – Economic return: Net returns to farmers per Hectare from growing Sugar cane is high. From Exhibit 9 with norminal cash flow of a crop life cycle ( 4 years), the total rerurn of one hectare is 6,900 (000’VND) and net present value is 3,841 (000’VND) with nominal discount rate 13. We will write a custom essay sample on Natl – the Cane Farmers or any similar topic only for you Order Now 3%/year. Compare to coffee and rubber, sugar cane need only one year to revenue. Compare with other crops ( pineapple, coffee, rubber †¦), Sugar cane can get highest economics from exhibit 10 as below: Unit: Dong per hecta | Sugar |Pineapple |Coffee |Rubber |Peanuts |Peanuts |Peanuts | |   |  cane | | | |and Maize | peanuts |and Rices | |Number of years |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 |420 | |Planting years |105 |140 |168 |120 |0 |0 |0 | |Typical years |315 |280 |252 |300 |420 |420 |420 | |Revenue |2,835,000 |3,955,000 |4,536,000 |3,000,000 |2,856,000 |4,032,000 |4,080,300 | |Total Costs |2,110,500 |3,255,000 |5. 21,100 |3,097,500 |3,696,000 |3,864,000 |3,906,000 | |Total net return |724,500 |700,000 |-485,100 |-97,500 |-840,000 |168,000 |174,300 | |Return per year |1,725 |1,667 |-1,155 |-232 |-2,000 |400 |415 | | Note: 420 is lowest common multiple of crop life cycle (4,3,10,28) and assume that time value of money is ignored (no discount to present value). From exhibit 11, Net return from Cane also get highest net present value for period from 1998 to 2015 with nominal discount rate 13,3% per annum and opportunity cost of labor is $1. 0/day: NPV Cane +82,894; NPV pineapple +19,617; NPV coffee +2,438; NPV rubber -13,557, NPV combo A -34,515; NPV combo B +6,902, NPV combo C -2,158 (US$ in thousand). – Other benefits: One of three parts of NATL’s development plan is an outreach program to help local farmers to convert to cane production which means that their sugar cane will have more added value because cane production can sell with higher price and the farmers can use their products. The company expected to employ 725 people, provided n-house traning so many members of the farmer family can be come workers, educated ones can also become staffs. This will creat many good affects to the local farmers. The project would need roughly 300 lorries during the harvest season so some farmers can borrow money from local banks to buy new hauliers to transport cane to the factory. With many benefits as above, before converting to sugar cane the local farmers need to understand/know the risks of converting. The first risk is to avoid converting too much from the beginning of the project. The factory will reach full capacity by the 2002/2003 harvesting season, so for the period from 1998 to 2002, the numbers of hactares convert to cane need to increase arcordingly. – Second risk is related to the NATL’s complex payment system, with the first installment, approximately 75% of the total, would be made within 14 days of delivery and the rest would be made at the end of the season with adjustment for sugar content and market price. The local farmers seem to familiar with simple full payment upon delivery even though with lower price, many poor farmers can have enough cash for their daily life and no effected by adjustment with the old payment method. With these analysises, the famers will have much more benefits, some related risks can be considered and controlled so I believe that they will convert to sugar cane. How to cite Natl – the Cane Farmers, Essay examples

Oedipus Medea And Agamemnon Essay Example For Students

Oedipus Medea And Agamemnon Essay A monologue from the play by Aeschylus NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Dramas of Aeschylus. Trans. Anna Swanwick. London: George Bell and Sons, 1907. AEGISTHOS: Hail, joyous light of justice-bearing day!At length I can aver that Gods supernal,Judges of men, look down on earthly woes,Beholding, in the Erinyes woven robes,This man, thus prostrate, welcome sight to me,The wiles atoning compassed by his sire.For Atreus, Argos ruler, this mans father,Did from the city and his home expelThyestes, rival in the sovereignty,My father, to be plain, and his own brother.But coming back, a suppliant of the hearth,Wretched Thyestes found a lot secure,Not doomed his natal soil with blood to stain,Here in his home: but this mans godless sire,Atreus, with zeal officious more than kind,Feigning a joyous banquet-day to hold,Served to my sire, for food, his childrens flesh.Their feet indeed, the members of their hands,Seated aloof, in higher places, he hides.Partaking of the undistinguished parts,In ignorance, Thyestes eats the food,Curse-laden, as thou seest, to the race.Discerning then the impious deed, he shrieked,And back recoiling the foul slaug hter spewed.Spurning, with righteous curse, th insulted boardDread doom he vows to the Pelopid;So perish the whole race of Pleisthenes.Hence is it that ye see this man laid low;The righteous planner of his death am I.For me, the thirteenth child, in swathing clothes,He with my wretched sire, to exile drove.But, grown to manhood, Justice lead me back,And I, although aloof, have reached this man,The threads combining of the fatal plot.Now for myself twere glorious to die,Seeing this man entrapped in Justice toils.

Flag Burning Why It Should Not Be Permitted an Example by

Flag Burning: Why It Should Not Be Permitted Countries have their own way of protecting their inhabitants. These come in different forms and approaches, some being in the form of rules and stipulations. However, not everyone would agree with the stipulations and rules set by the government. One of the stipulations set by the United States government is the prohibition of flag burning. Need essay sample on "Flag Burning: Why It Should Not Be Permitted" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Flag burning is defined as the vandalism of a countrys national flag. As known by many, the flag is considered to be the symbol of any country (Phil for Humanity, 2008). Flag burning is considered to be statement of people who oppose the government or its ways. Although this may be the case for many, there are still some who practice such. This may be attributed to the fact that burning the flag is a way for people to express themselves. However, certain limits should be implemented so that nothing or no one is offended. For this, I believe that flag burning should not be allowed in the United States. As mentioned earlier, flag burning is used by the people to express their thoughts and emotions. However, these should not go beyond what is right. Desecration of the flag is not something that would happen every day. The truth of the matter is the fact that desecration is a sign of protest regarding a specific issue. Furthermore, flags are also used the national symbol of a country, especially in international relations. The public burning of a flag shows disrespect to the country, and to its government. Intentionally burning the flag would also mean that an individual or group of people do not accept the norms that are being addressed to the public. Regardless of this, people should learn to pay homage and respect to ones culture. The flag is also a part of any countrys culture and should be given the necessary respect. Burning of the flag would show disrespect and dishonor to the country. Moreover, the flag should not be regarded as just a symbol of ones culture. The flag is a reflection of the people and the kind of life they live in their country. It is also a matter of pride and justice, and what could make the people whole. Flags may be considered to be symbolisms of the life people from different nations would have, but these may be attributed to something much more. The article, Flag Burning, focused on the realities that happen to countries worldwide. The article was an informative essay that focused on specific details about flag burning. Upon reading the essay, the knowledge of people would be widened, and their opinions greatly improved. In addition to this, their opinion would be opened to greater possibilities, making them see things differently. Aside from purposely informing the readers about the said issue, the article also aims to persuade the readers into prohibiting and avoiding flag burning among its citizens. In addition to this, the paper was able to show the readers a possible effect desecration may have on the lives of people, especially the children. At such a young age, their eyes are opened to the realities of life. The children should be taught the right values, especially in respecting the dignity of the people, and of their culture. Furthermore, Flag Burning was an article that showed the effects of desecrating the flag. The people are also persuaded into believing that disrespect for the flag through burning is not something to be practiced by people Also, such act is not the best thing to do. As people who have respect for each other, we should learn to give others what is due them. Irrespective of how hurt an individual or groups of people are, it is not proper to degrade a countrys dignity. Furthermore, the article was also focused in making the readers see how such a small deed would eventually lead to something bigger. In addition to this, the tone of the article was persuasive. Upon reading, the readers would be interested to hear more about the said topic, after their thoughts are captured. Mentioning specific instances that happened in the past were also helpful in making the topic more interesting. The readers are also able to identify with what is being explained in the essay by remembering their own personal experiences. Reference (2008). Flag burning. Phil for Humanity.

Caesars Gallic Wars and Vercingetorix

Caesar's Gallic Wars and Vercingetorix One of Gauls most colorful historical figures is Vercingetorix, who acted as war chief for all the Gallic tribes who were trying to throw off the Roman yoke during the Gallic Wars. Vercingetorix and Caesar are the main figures in Book VII of De Bello Gallico, Caesars narrative about his wars in Gaul, although the Roman allies, the Aedui, also play a large role. This period of revolt follows the earlier Gallic battles at Bibracte, Vosges, and Sabis. By the end of Book VII Caesar has put down the Gallic revolt. The following is a summary of Book VII of De Bello Gallico, with some explanatory notes. Vercingetorix, son of Celtillus, a member of the Gallic tribe of Arverni, sent ambassadors out to Gallic tribes not yet allied with him asking them to join him in his endeavor to get rid of the Romans. By peaceful means or by attacking, he added troops from the Gallic tribes of the Senones (the tribe connected with the band of Gauls responsible for the sack of Rome in 390 B.C.), Parisii, Pictones, Cadurci, Turones, Aulerci, Lemovice, the Ruteni, and others to his own armed forces. Vercingetorix had used the Roman system of demanding hostages to ensure loyalty and ordered a levy of troops from each of these groups. He then took supreme command. He tried to ally the Biturgies, but they resisted and sent ambassadors to the Aedui for help against Vercingetorix. The Biturgies were dependents of the Aedui and the Aedui were allies of Rome (Brothers and Kinsmen of the Roman People 1.33). The Aedui started to help but then turned back perhaps because, as they said, they suspected the Biturgi es of complicity with the Arverni. Perhaps because they lacked the support of the Aedui, the Biturgies gave in to Vercingetorix. It is possible the Aedui already planned to revolt against Rome. When Caesar heard about the alliance, he realized it was a threat, so he left Italy and set out for Transalpine Gaul, a Roman province since 121 B.C., but he didnt have his regular army, although he did have some German cavalry and troops he had in Cisalpine Gaul. He had to figure out how to reach the main forces without putting them in danger. Meanwhile, Vercingetorix ambassador, Lucterius, continued to gain allies. He added the Nitiobriges and Gabali and then headed to Narbo, which was in the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul, so Caesar headed to Narbo, which made Lucterius retreat. Caesar changed his direction and advanced into the territory of the Helvii, then on to the borders of the Arverni. Vercingetorix marched his troops there in order to defend his people. Caesar, no longer able to do without the rest of his forces, left Brutus in command while he went to Vienna where his cavalry was stationed. Next stop was the Aedui, one of Romes main allies in Gaul, and where two of Cae sars legions were wintering. From there, Caesar sent word to the other legions of the danger presented by Vercingetorix, ordering them to come to his assistance ASAP. Vellaunodunum When Vercingetorix learned what Caesar was doing, he headed back to the Biturgies and then to the non-allied Boiian town of Gergovia in order to attack it. Caesar sent ahead messages to the Boii to encourage them to resist. Heading towards the Boii, Caesar left two legions at Agendicum. En route, at the Senones town of Vellaunodunum, Caesar decided to attack so there wouldnt be an enemy on his heels. He also figured he would take the opportunity to gain provisions for his troops. Especially during the winter when there was little to forage, having food could decide the outcome of a battle. Because of this, allied towns that werent potential enemies at ones back might still be destroyed to make sure the enemy army starved or retreated. This is what Vercingetorix would soon develop as one of his main policies. After Caesars troops surrounded Vellaunodunum, the town sent out their ambassadors. Caesar ordered them to surrender their weapons and to bring out their cattle and 600 hostages. With arrangements made and Trebonius left in charge, Caesar set out for Genabum, a Carnute town that had been preparing to send troops to help Vellaunodum fight, Caesar. The Romans pitched camp and when the townspeople tried to escape at night via a bridge across the Loire River, Caesars troops took possession of the town, pillaged and burned it, and then headed across the Loire bridge into the Biturgies territory. Noviodunum This move prompted Vercingetorix to stop his siege of Gergovia. He marched towards Caesar who was beginning a siege of Noviodunum. Noviodunum ambassadors begged Caesar to pardon them and spare them. Caesar ordered their weapons, horses, and hostages. While Caesars men went into town to gather up the arms and horses, Vercingetorix army appeared on the horizon. This inspired the people of Noviodunum to take up arms and shut the gates, backing down from their surrender. Since the people of Noviodunum were going back on their word, Caesar attacked. The town lost a number of men before the town surrendered again. Avaricum Caesar then marched to Avaricum, a well-fortified town in the Biturgies territory. Before responding to this new threat, Vercingetorix called a war council, telling the other leaders that the Romans must be kept from getting provisions. Since it was winter, foraged provisions were hard to come by and the Romans would have to leave. Vercingetorix suggested a scorched-earth policy. If a property lacked a good defense it would be burned. In this way, they destroyed 20 of their own Biturgies towns. The Biturgies begged that Vercingetorix not burn their noblest city, Avaricum. He relented, reluctantly. Vercingetorix then set up camp 15 miles from Avaricum and whenever Caesars men went foraging at a distance, some of Vercingetorix men attacked them. Caesar meanwhile built towers but could not build a wall around the city, as he would have wished, because it was enclosed by rivers and marshes. Caesar besieged the town for 27 days building towers and walls while the Gauls built countering devices. The Romans finally had success with a sudden attack, which frightened many of the Gauls into flight. And so, the Romans entered the town and massacred the inhabitants. About 800 in Caesars reckoning escaped to reach Vercingetorix. Caesars troops found ample provisions, and by this time winter was almost over. Vercingetorix was able to calm the other leaders despite all the recent disasters. Especially in the case of Avaricum, He could say the Romans didnt defeat them by valor but by a new technique the Gauls hadnt seen before, and besides, he might have said, he had wanted to torch Avaricum but had only left it standing because of the pleas of the Biturgies. The allies were appeased and supplied Vercingetorix with replacement troops for those he had lost. He even added allies to his roster, including Teutomarus, the son of Ollovicon, the king of the Nitiobriges, who was a friend of Rome on the basis of a formal treaty (amicitia). Aeduan Revolt The Aedui, Romes allies, came to Caesar with their political problem: their tribe was led by a king who held power for a year, but this year there were two contenders, Cotus and Convitolitanis. Caesar was afraid that if he didnt arbitrate, one side would turn to Vercingetorix for support of its cause, so he stepped in. Caesar decided against Cotus and in favor of Convitolitanis. He then asked the Aedui to send him all their cavalry plus 10,000 infantry. Caesar split his army and gave Labienus 4 legions to lead north, towards the Senones and Parisii while he led 6 legions into Arverni country towards Gergovia, which was on the banks of the Allier. Vercingetorix broke down all bridges over the river, but this proved only a temporary set-back for the Romans. The two armies pitched their camps on opposite banks and Caesar rebuilds a bridge. Caesars men headed to Gergovia. Meanwhile, Convictolitanis, the man Caesar had chosen to be king of the Aedui, treacherously conferred with the Arverni, who told him that the Aeduans holding out was preventing the allied Gauls from being victorious against the Romans. By this time the Gauls realized their freedom was at stake and having the Romans around to arbitrate and help them against other invaders meant the loss of freedom and heavy demands in terms of soldiers and supplies. Between such arguments and bribes made to the Aedui by the allies of Vercingetorix, the Aedui were convinced. One of those in on the discussion was Litavicus, who was put in charge of the infantry being sent to Caesar. He headed towards Gergovia, providing protection for some Roman citizens on the way. When they were near Gergovia, Litavicus riled up his troops against the Romans. He falsely claimed the Romans had killed some of their favorite leaders. His men then tortured and killed the Romans under their protection. Some rode off to th e other Aeduan towns to convince them to resist and avenge themselves on the Romans, as well. Not all Aeduans agreed. One in the company of Caesar learned of Litavicus actions and told Caesar. Caesar then took some of his men with him and rode to the army of the Aedui and presented to them those very men they thought the Romans had killed. The army lay down its arms and submitted themselves. Caesar spared them and marched back towards Gergovia. Gergovia When Caesar finally reached Gergovia, he surprised the inhabitants. At first, all was going well for the Romans in the conflict, but then fresh Gallic troops arrived. Many of Caesars troops did not hear when he called for a retreat. Instead, they continued to fight and try to plunder the city. Many were killed but they still did not stop. Finally, ending the days engagement, Vercingetorix, as the victor, called off the fight for the day when new Roman legions arrived. Adrian Goldsworthy says an estimated 700 Roman soldiers and 46 centurions were killed. Caesar dismissed two important Aeduans, Viridomarus and Eporedorix, who went to the Aeduan town of Noviodunum on the Loire, where they learned that further negotiations were being made between the Aeduans and the Arvernians. They burned the town so the Romans couldnt feed themselves from it and began to build up armed garrisons around the river. When Caesar heard of these developments he thought he should put down the revolt quickly before the armed force grew too large. This he did, and after his troops had surprised the Aeduans, they took the food and cattle they found in the fields and then marched off to the territory of the Senones. Meanwhile, other Gallic tribes heard of the revolt of the Aedui. Caesars very competent legate, Labienus, found himself surrounded by two newly rebelling groups and so needed to move out his troops by stealth. The Gauls under Camulogenus were tricked by his maneuvers and then defeated in a battle where Camulogenus was slain. Labienus then led his men to join Caesar. Meanwhile, Vercingetorix had thousands of cavalry from the Aedui and Segusiani. He sent other troops against the Helvii whom he defeated while he led his mena and allies against the Allobroges. To deal with Vercingetorix attack against the Allobroges, Caesar sent for cavalry and light-armed infantry help from the Germanic tribes beyond the Rhine. Vercingetorix decided the time was right to attack the Roman forces whom he judged to be inadequate in number, as well as encumbered with their baggage. The Arverni and allies divided into three groups to attack. Caesar divided his troops in three, too, and fought back, with the Germans obtaining a hilltop formerly in Arverni possession. The Germans pursued the Gallic enemy to the river where Vercingetorix was stationed with his infantry. When the Germans started to kill the Averni, they fled. Many of Caesars enemies were slaughtered, Vercingetorix cavalry was routed, and some of the tribal leaders were captured. Alesia Vercingetorix then led his army to Alesia. Caesar followed, killing those he could. When they reached Alesia, the Romans surrounded the hilltop city. Vercingetorix sent out mounted troops to go to their tribes to round up all those old enough to bear arms. They were able to ride through the places where the Romans hadnt yet completed their fortification. The fortifications were not just a means to contain those within. The Romans put torturous devices on the outside that could injure an army pressing against it. The Romans needed some to gather timber and food. Others worked on building the fortifications, which meant Caesars troop strength was diminished. Because of this, there were skirmishes, although Vercingetorix was waiting for Gallic allies to join him before a full-fledged fight against Caesars army. The Arvernian allies sent fewer than asked, but still, a great number of troops, to Alesia where they believed the Romans would easily be defeated by the Gallic troops on two fronts, from within Alesia and from those newly arriving. The Romans and Germans stationed themselves both inside their fortifications to fight those in the city and outside to fight the newly arriving army. The Gauls from outside attacked at night by throwing things from a distance and alerting Vercingetorix to their presence. The next day the allies came closer and many were injured on the Roman fortifications, so they withdrew. The next day, the Gauls attacked from both sides. A few Roman cohorts left the fortifications and circled round to the rear of the outer enemy whom they surprised and slaughtered when they tried to flee. Vercingetorix saw what had happened and gave up, surrendering himself and his weapons. Later Vercingetorix would be displayed as a prize in Caesars triumph of 46 B.C. Caesar, generous to the Aedui and Arverni, distributed Gallic captives so that every soldier throughout the army received one as plunder. Source: The Gallic Menace in Caesars Propaganda, by Jane F. Gardner Greece Rome  © 1983.

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

Codeine - Research Paper Example f the ancient tool kit in medicine for its therapeutic effects, and hence euphemistically called as the â€Å"plant of joy.† Codeine has a number of medicinal uses besides as pain reliever, such as antitussive (to suppress coughing), anti-hypertensive (lower blood pressure), anti-anxiety, to help control diarrhea, delay premature labor contractions, as a sedative (helps in relaxation and sleeping), and for its hypnotic properties too. Its availability as an oral medication (as opposed to injectable medication) make it the widest prescription drug, with about 157 million written prescriptions annually and its sales reached approximately $3.3 billion in 2005 alone, and still continues to gain in popularity. However, identification of the chemical composition of codeine as a distinct compound is fairly recent; it was first identified in 1832 by the French chemist Pierre-Jean Robiquet which closely followed the first identification of morphine a few years earlier, back in 1806 by German pharmacist Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner (Kane & Triggle, 2007, p. 10). Codeine is isomer of morphine, which means both have the same molecular components but are structured different hence it is known for its chemical name, 3-methylmorphine. It can be made or manufactured in the laboratory in commercial quantities from morphine, using a semi-synthetic process. Morphine is the most abundant alkaloid (the chemical compounds that contain basic nitrogen atoms) found in opium, at 8 to 17% by weight, and followed by codeine, at .07 to 5%. Codeine is the chemical precursor of most opioids (any compound that acts like morphine) such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and tramadol. It is classified similar to opioids produced by human bodies like the endorphins and enkephalins (ibid. p. 13). Although it has many legitimate uses in medicine, codeine has a potential to be misused and abused as a â€Å"recreational† drug because of a â€Å"high† feeling it generates among drug users; that feeling is

New adventure creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New adventure creation - Essay Example 146). The following new adventure creation ideas will be necessary to ensure success of the business as well as making it profitable. The name of the business will be XYZ car body and paint shop. The present paper discuses the venture of a new business idea starting a car body and paint shop. The business will be engaged in repairing and painting car bodies of all models. This is a good business idea for the type of business seems not to be affected, by any economic changes since everybody currently seems to own his or her own car. The idea of the business is to provide high quality products and services to the potential customers (Grossman 2005, p. 150). Being the owner of the business, I will ensure that the business keeps every kind of current technique, products, and services to enable it to offer quality services and products, which is the most customers’ demand in todays world. The business and the workers will be dedicated to carrying out all services on time and sustaining every car owner to be a long-term customer of the shop. XYZ car body and paint shop will be selling and replacing worn-out car bodies and offering painting services to the damaged car bodies. This will involve complete restoration of car frames for all types and makes of cars, body repairs, and paints including electrical repair, rust repair, custom engine building, and metal fabrication and paint. The business will specialize in all the current Spain cars and trucks makes. The average body repair and painting will take a minimum of two days, therefore the average labour for repairing and painting one car will cost an approximation of $100. The customers will also incur extra cost for any other extra part that we will buy for the purpose of the car repair. The XYZ car body and paint shop will also carry out any other relevant car services

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Psychology - Essay Example Teachers tend to select boys more often for special services. There is little information about the effect of family SES on the selection process and it is contradictory. More parental involvement and student engagement have a positive effect on the selection process. The study included 441 girls and 465 boys all in the sixth grade. Teachers and students filled out questionnaires in the classroom. The teachers reported the students’ need for services. They also filled a Teachers Report Form which reported students’ behavior and psychological problems. Additionally they assessed the parents’ interest and their own cooperation with parents. The students reported how satisfied they were with their academic achievement and interest in school. They reported their family SES by the occupation of their parents and whether they had been unemployed in the past six months. The results showed that there was in fact a gap between need for and access to the services. The gap was largest in remedial instruction and smallest in psychological counseling. The only difference according to gender was in the remedial instruction where more boys had not received this remedial instruction and this was because of budget cuts. Only in psychological counseling were there reasons beside budget cuts for the lack of access to the services. In general the study showed the factors that affected each type of service. These were in remedial instruction- lower family SES, lower parental involvement, lower student engagement all predicted a higher need for services; for Special Ed. services- male gender, lower family SES, lower parental involvement, internalizing symptoms and lower student engagement all predicted higher need for services; and for psychological counseling- male gender, lower student engagement and below average academic achievement all predicted higher need for services. Yet the factors that influenced

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay The bacterial genus to be isolated and identification in this project is Staphylococcus. This genus has been chosen for the reason of its abundance on the skin of mammals and the pathogenic nature of one of its member, Staphylococcus aureus. Apart from skin infections, Staphylococcus aureus could mutate to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In both cases, these give rise to medical implications. In addition, the distinctive features of Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus allow it to be easily isolated and identified via culturing and biochemical tests. Staphylococcus was first discovered in 1880 by Alexander Ogston (Paniker 2005, p.192). Currently, more than 30 different species of the genus has been identified (Deurenberg Stobberingh 2008). The name Staphylococcus was derived from Greek, with the prefix Staphylo referring to bunches of grapes and the suffix coccus referring to granule (Ryan Ray 2004). As the meanings suggest, bacteria from Staphylococcus are circular-shaped and their arrangement resembles bunches of grapes when observed under a microscope. Typically, a Staphylococcus has a diameter of approximately 1ÃŽÂ ¼m (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The aim of the project is to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from the genus from a bundle of cat hairs and verify its identity via microscopic examination. No human specimen is used due to the potential pathogenic property of Staphylococcus. It is intended that a pure culture of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus is obtained. For the purposes of this project, the importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans, its classification in terms of morphology, physiology and structure, methods of isolation and identification by biochemical tests would be the objectives to be addressed. Importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans The importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans would be outlined by a review of the cell structure, cell physiology and environmental niches, followed by the medical implications of Staphylococcus. Cell structure Staphylococcus is a cocci bacterium. As a member of the Bacteria domain, it is expected that Staphylococcus has bacterial cell structure. In other words, it lacks nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. The structural elements in a cell of Staphylococcus should include a cell membrane, cell wall, ribosome and nucleoid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.98). On the other hand, it is worthwhile to note that Staphylococcus does not have flagella and spores (Paniker 2005, p.193). In addition to the above structures, Staphylococcus aureus possesses surface proteins that help attachment to proteins such as the fibronectin and fibrinogen-binding proteins involved in blood clotting (Baron 1996). This cellular property may explain the pathogenic nature of Staphylococcus aureus, as invasion might occur via wounds and abrasions. Cell physiology The cell physiology of Staphylococcus covers temperature, pH, osmolarity and oxygen requirements, as well as cell division. Staphylococcus typically grows from a temperature of 20oC to 40oC, with optimum temperature being 37oC (Todar 2000). Concerning the optimum pH for metabolism, it ranges from 7.4 to 7.6 (Paniker 2005, p.193). For osmolarity, Staphylococcus requires a water activity of at least 0.85 for substantial growth (Todar 2000). As for oxygen requirement, Staphylococcus is facultative anaerobic (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). This implies Staphylococcus can grow regardless of the presence of oxygen, but the presence of oxygen would be more favorable. Environmental niches The environmental niches of Staphylococcus can be addressed by its interactions with other organisms as to where it is found, how it synthesizes nutrients for growth and mutation. Staphylococcus is commonly found on the skin and mucous membranes of animals with stable body temperatures, including humans (OGara and Humphreys 2001, p.583). The salty environment along skin surface due to the production of sweat may account for the abundance of Staphylococcus, since its enzymatic activity is at alkaline pH (Blood et al. 2007). The prominent bacteria from the genus include Staphylococcus aureus, which colonizes in nasal cavity, larynx and on the skin surface (Andersson, Lindholm Fossum 2011). This may outline a parasitic relationship, in which Staphylococcus is the parasite and the animal supporting its growth is the host (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.725). In the presence of oxygen, Staphylococcus utilizes glucose to carry out cellular respiration, and electrons are passed on to the terminal acceptor, oxygen (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). When oxygen is lacking or absent, Staphylococcus may undergo fermentation and lactic acid is the usual product (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). In the process, glucose is converted into substrate pyruvate, followed by its binding to the cofactor Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) to produce lactic acid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.178) The interactions of Staphylococcus with the environment may also be underlined by mutation, which often occurs with Staphylococcus aureus. An example would be Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic, Methicillin (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The mutation is caused by an alteration of the methicillin-resistance gene (mec A) coding for a penicillin-binding protein (Davis 2011). This results in failure of antibiotics to cure infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which will be addressed in the medical implication section. Medical implications of Staphylococcus Staphylococcus can present a great diversity of environmental, medical or biotechnological implications. Being a mesophile, Staphylococcus can carry out metabolism under normal room temperature. Together with the abundance of warm-blooded animals which act as hosts to provide a salty medium, it can be said that Staphylococcus has an environmental implication of ubiquity. Statistics show that Staphylococcus aureus is present in 30% of healthy people (National Centre for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases 2003). Though Staphylococcus may colonize on the skin surface of the host without causing any harms, its ubiquity can still give rise to various medical issues. The MRSA mentioned previously would be one of the problems associated with Staphylococcus. Apart from methicillin, MRSA could show resistance against many other antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin (Agodi et al. 1999, p.638). The ineffectiveness of existing antibiotics to cure MRSA infections has resulted in fatality, and it is usually characterized by the incidence of septic shock and pneumonia (Klevens et al. 2007). A rapid increase of MRSA infections has been observed over the decades. The rate of hospitalized MRSA infections was only 2% in 1974 but this figure increases dramatically to approximately 40% in 1997 (Lowy 1998). This causes deaths of 19000 in t he United States of America annually (Klevens et al. 2007). As Staphylococcus colonies on skin surfaces and mucous membrane, skin infections and diseases associated with mucous membranes could be another medical implication. It is known that Staphylococcus aureus may cause Scalded Skin and Toxic Shock syndromes. Moreover, it may cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, food poisoning (Gill et al. 2004, p. 2426). Classification of Staphylococcus The classification of Staphylococcus can be reviewed in terms of its morphology and some of the physiological properties stated above. Morphology The morphology of Staphylococcus can be described as cocci gram positive bacteria arranged in a cluster. This can be explained by its property of cell wall and its behavior in cell division. The cell wall of Staphylococcus shows a gram positive reaction, which indicates its composition is essentially a thick layer of peptidoglycan (Todar 2011). This property of cell structure helps the identification of Staphylococcus. Moving on to cell division, it can be predicted that Staphylococcus reproduce by binary fission. The reason for its cluster formation may be explained by its capability of undergoing binary fission in multiple planes with daughter cells remains proximal to each other (Paniker 2005, p.192). Though the daughter cells remain in close proximity, the positions of attachment could vary and this leads to cluster being formed irregularly (Todar 2011). Physiological properties In terms of thermal requirement, Staphylococcus is a mesophile. Regarding pH requirements, it is a neutrophile. Being a facultative anaerobe, Staphylococcus is catalase positive. The absence of flagella indicates that Staphylococcus is a non-motile bacterium. In addition, Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive but not for other species in the genus. As light is not readily available on skin surface and mucous membranes, it is proposed that Staphylococcus obtain energy via organic chemical compounds. Hence it is regarded as a chemotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137). The facultative anaerobic property of Staphylococcus may lead to a deduction that it utilizes organic carbon as the source of electron when oxygen is present. Though some Staphylococcus may use reduced forms of inorganic nitrates to generate electrons, its preference towards an aerobic atmosphere should define it as an organotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137, 562). When comes to carbon source, Staphylococcus is a heterotrophy (Kumar, Hatha Christi 2007). That is to say, it attains its carbon source by converting organic substances for synthesis via oxidation (Voet, D, Voet, JG Pratt CW 2008, p.449). To sum up, Staphylococcus should be one of the members of the microbial group Chemoorganotrophic heterotrophs. Methods of Isolation of Staphylococcus The methods of isolation of Staphylococcus would include growing in medium followed by streak plating. Growth media To ensure optimum growth of colonies, Staphylococcus should be enriched in nutrient broth with sodium chloride (NaCl) before plating on a nutrient agar. A nutrient broth normally consists of beef extract and peptone as fuels for growth (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.148). The addition of salt allows a selective medium for Staphylococcus as it predominantly grows in salty environment. Alternatively, a growth medium can be done via a Mannitol salt agar (MSA), which consists of 7.5% of NaCl and a pH indicator. MSA essentially acts as both a selective and differential medium. NaCl selects for saline-favored Staphylococcus and the pH indicator differentiates between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Differentiation can be illustrated by the fact that Staphylococcus aureus utilizes mannitol in the agar for metabolism, and the generation of acidic product is indicated by a yellow color. However, this phenomenon does not apply to non-pathogenic Staphylococcus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.147). Streak Plating Following enrichment, Staphylococcus in the medium can be transferred to an agar plate with nutrient broth and salt, by employment of aseptic techniques. At the same time, a transfer to an agar plate with only nutrient broth should be performed as a control set-up. This is to ensure the effectiveness of the selective media because other bacteria could grow on the agar plate if the medium was not set up properly. Afterwards, the plates would be incubated for a week. Incubation should be done at 37oC as it is the optimum temperature for Staphylococcus to grow. Plating and incubation should be repeated a few times to make sure that the colonies grown are pure. Identification by biochemical tests The identity of Staphylococcus cannot be confirmed by carrying out the gram reaction alone due to the fact that a great variety of bacteria from other genus may also show gram positive reaction. Therefore, some biochemical tests have to be performed to verify that the bacteria isolated is in the genus of Staphylococcus and it is of the species Staphylococcus aureus. These tests include catalase, motility and cogulase. First of all, as Staphylococcus aureus is facultative anaerobic, it is expected that it contains enzymes to break down harmful products such as free radicals generated along its aerobic pathway (). In this case, the enzyme of interest is catalase, in which its presence allows the breakdown of toxic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen and water (). Therefore colourless gas bubbles can be observed when H2O2 is added to a colony of Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, as Staphylococcus aureus is non-motile, motility test can be performed. In a motility medium supplied with carbon source, a pink color can only be observed along the stab line (). This essentially means that the growht Staphylococcus aureus is localized and its colonies are not motile. Furthermore, the identification test between Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria from the genus would be based on its reaction with coagulase. Staphylococcus aureus readily coagulates plasma but not for others species in the genus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.750). To ensure accuracy of the test, it is preferable to test on colonies extracted from culture plates that are known to contain coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus epididymis respectively. The former acts as a positive control, while the latter acts as a negative control. Conclusion In conclusion, Staphylococcus is a ubiquitous bacterial genus that can pose various medical implications and it can be grown, isolated and identified based on its, environmental niches, morphology, physiological and structural characteristics. The aims of isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus can be achieved by a review of the four objectives as summarized below. Firstly, it is often found on epidermis of animal skins including humans and its ability to metabolize optimally at 37oC and at pH of 7.4-7.6 makes it a potential pathogen to humans. In particular, the species Staphylococcus aureus can cause a great diversity of diseases and the mutated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus could be fatal owing to its resistance to most antibiotics. Secondly, it can be classified by in terms of morphology and some of the physiological characteristics. Its morphology is gram positive cocci bacteria growing in clusters. It is a mesophile, nuetrophile and facultative anaerobe. It is catalase positive and only Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive. The energy, electron and carbon sources of Staphylococcus aureus can be described as chemoorganotrophic heterotrophic. Thirdly, regarding growth medium, the sample of cat hair should be enriched in a medium of sodium chloride before incubating on an agar plate of nutrient broth and salt at 37oC. The colonies should be streaked plated a few times to remove contaminants. This increases the efficiency of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. Lastly, Staphylococcus aureus can be identified by the catalase, motility and coagulase tests. It is expected that bubbling is observed as a positive result with the catalase test. As for the motility test, a negative test is expected. In other words, no growth is observed across the stab line. Clumping of plasma is seen as a positive result and this differentiates Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus.

The Anatomy and Actions of the Knee Essay -- essays research papers

The knee joint is formed by the articulation of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia. The fibula is only involved to the extent that it serves as an attachment site for connective tissue. In this paper, the anatomy of the joint will be discussed. The knee is a hinge-type, diarthrotic, or freely moveable joint. Also referred to as a synovial joint, the 2 articulating ends of bone are encased in a capsule that lubricates the joint with synovial fluid to reduce friction. Each bone in a synovial joint has articular cartilage at the articulating surface. The C-shaped medial and lateral menisci serve to deepen the articulation at the superior surface of the tibia, thus enhancing the bony stability of the joint. Also adding to the joints stability are the two major pairs of ligaments: the cruciates and the collaterals. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments have a stabilizing effect in a lateral plane of motion, helping to prevent sideward displacement and over-rotation. The medial collateral attaches the femur to the tibia, also attaching to the medial meniscus. The lateral collateral attaches the femur to the fibula but has no attachment to the lateral meniscus. Both collaterals lie slightly posterior to the lateral axis of the knee joint and are taut when the knee is full extension. This positioning of the ligaments causes a slackness when flexion occurs, allowing medial and lateral rotation to take place. The cruciate ligaments are so named because of their cross-configuration within the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament attaches to the tibia on its anterior-superior surface, crossing through the joint from the medial side to its lateral attachment on the femur. The posterior cruciate ligament attaches on the posterior-superior aspect of the tibia, crossing diagonally and medially to its lateral attachment on the femur. The anterior and posterior cruciates protect against hyperextension and hyperflexion, respectively. The actions performed at the knee include flexion, extension, and medial and lateral rotation. Flexion is the bending of a joint so that the angle between the two bones decreases. The primary muscles that flex the knee are a group collectively known as â€Å"hamstrings.† The hamstrings consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. The muscles that assist in flexion are the sartorius, gracilis,... ...g  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur, greater trochanter of femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS INTERMEDIUS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anterior and lateral femoral shaft Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of the knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS MEDIALIS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral TENSOR FASCIA LATA Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliac crest (posterior to ASIS) Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliotibial tract (which continues to attach to the lateral condyle of the tibia)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assists extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Superior gluteal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Solar Power

Peter Maloney writes in his article, † Environmentalists Against Solar Power† that solar power projects are facing major scrutiny, not from the coal or oil industry, but from environmentalists. Maloney says that Southern California is pushing for solar power in the desert cause the amount of sunlight with virtually no clouds, â€Å"but its also the home to the Mojave ground squirrel, the desert tortoise and the burrowing owl, and to human residents†. Maloney also states that the US Bureau of Land Management says that it had applications submitted for solar power that would cover 78,490 acres in the desert. For the entire US, the number of applications grew from zero two years ago to more than 125 with enouch potential electrical power of 70,000 megawatts or the equivalent to 70 large coal plants. The rush to try and get this land is caused by a California Law that calls for 20 percent of the state's electricity must come from renewable resources by 2010. Jim Harvey, who is the founder of the Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy, is quoted by Maloney saying, † Our position is that none of this is needed. We support renewable energy, and we support California's renewable energy targets, but we think it can be done through rooftop solar†. Harvey also pointed out the success that Germany was having by using rooftop solar panels. The way it works is that the government offers payments for electricity generated from solar panels. The payment is roughly 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The average payment in the US in 11 cents per kilowatt hour, but the payments would not be as high as the German payments here. Maloney goes on to say not only would the solar panels destroy habitats, it would run the deserts small water supply, as it is, even more scarce. The mirror and solar panels would have to be washed, and some panels use turbines which would require more water. Terry Frewin, chairman of the Sierra Club's California/Nevada desert commitee, says that † solar panels destroy all natice resources on site, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wilderness†. At the current rate of adding 200 megawatts of rooftop solar panels a year, it would take â€Å"100 years to meet the 20 percent renewable [target set] by California†. The first major debate over a large solar power project was over the 250 acres of land, which was on the outskirts of Victorville, California, on the western side of the Mojave that was gonna be used for the solar panels. Inland hired people to look for the endangered ground squirrel and desert tortoise. No squirrels were found but some tortoises were, so the Inland, cmpany building the panels, said for every acre of lost habitat they would buy one acre of land to offset it. Although it would cost some â€Å"6.5 million to 10 million dollars† to buy the offsetting acreage. Solar Power Peter Maloney writes in his article, † Environmentalists Against Solar Power† that solar power projects are facing major scrutiny, not from the coal or oil industry, but from environmentalists. Maloney says that Southern California is pushing for solar power in the desert cause the amount of sunlight with virtually no clouds, â€Å"but its also the home to the Mojave ground squirrel, the desert tortoise and the burrowing owl, and to human residents†. Maloney also states that the US Bureau of Land Management says that it had applications submitted for solar power that would cover 78,490 acres in the desert. For the entire US, the number of applications grew from zero two years ago to more than 125 with enouch potential electrical power of 70,000 megawatts or the equivalent to 70 large coal plants. The rush to try and get this land is caused by a California Law that calls for 20 percent of the state's electricity must come from renewable resources by 2010. Jim Harvey, who is the founder of the Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy, is quoted by Maloney saying, † Our position is that none of this is needed. We support renewable energy, and we support California's renewable energy targets, but we think it can be done through rooftop solar†. Harvey also pointed out the success that Germany was having by using rooftop solar panels. The way it works is that the government offers payments for electricity generated from solar panels. The payment is roughly 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The average payment in the US in 11 cents per kilowatt hour, but the payments would not be as high as the German payments here. Maloney goes on to say not only would the solar panels destroy habitats, it would run the deserts small water supply, as it is, even more scarce. The mirror and solar panels would have to be washed, and some panels use turbines which would require more water. Terry Frewin, chairman of the Sierra Club's California/Nevada desert commitee, says that † solar panels destroy all natice resources on site, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wilderness†. At the current rate of adding 200 megawatts of rooftop solar panels a year, it would take â€Å"100 years to meet the 20 percent renewable [target set] by California†. The first major debate over a large solar power project was over the 250 acres of land, which was on the outskirts of Victorville, California, on the western side of the Mojave that was gonna be used for the solar panels. Inland hired people to look for the endangered ground squirrel and desert tortoise. No squirrels were found but some tortoises were, so the Inland, cmpany building the panels, said for every acre of lost habitat they would buy one acre of land to offset it. Although it would cost some â€Å"6.5 million to 10 million dollars† to buy the offsetting acreage.

Dark Matter and a Distant Supernova Make an Eerie Cross

Dark Matter and a Distant Supernova Make an Eerie Cross A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...a massive star exploded. That cataclysm created an object called a supernova  (similar to the one we call the Crab Nebula). At the time this ancient star died, own galaxy, the Milky Way, was just starting to form. The Sun didnt even exist yet. Nor did the planets. The birth of our solar system still more than five billion years in the future. Light Echoes and Gravitational Influences The light from that long-ago explosion sped across space, carrying information about the star and its catastrophic death. ​Now, about 9 billion years later, astronomers have a remarkable view of the event. It shows up in four images of the supernova created by a gravitational lens created by a galaxy cluster. The cluster itself consists of a giant foreground elliptical galaxy collected together with other galaxies. All of them are embedded in a clump of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹dark matter. The combined gravitational pull of the galaxies plus the gravity of dark matter distorts light from more distant objects as it passes through. It actually shifts the direction of the lights travel slightly, and smears the image we get of those distant objects. In this case, the light from the supernova traveled by four different paths through the cluster. The resulting images we see here from Earth form a cross-shaped pattern called an Einstein Cross (named after physicist Albert Einstein). The scene was imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. The light of each image arrived at the telescope at   a slightly different time - within days or weeks of each other. This is a clear indication that each image is the result of a different path the light took through the galaxy cluster and its dark matter shell. Astronomers study that light to learn more about the action of the distant supernova and the characteristics of the galaxy in which it existed.   How Does this Work? The light streaming from the supernova and the paths it takes are analogous to several trains that leave a station at the same time, all traveling at the same speed and bound for the same final destination. However, imagine each train goes on a different route, and the distance for each one is not the same. Some trains travel over hills. Others go through valleys, and still others make their way around mountains. Because the trains travel over different track lengths across different terrain, they do not arrive at their destination at the same time. Similarly, the supernova images do not appear at the same time because some of the light is delayed by traveling around bends created by the gravity of dense dark matter in the intervening galaxy cluster. The time delays between the arrival of each images light tell astronomers something about the arrangement of the dark matter around the galaxies in the cluster. So, in a sense, the light from the supernova is acting like a candle in the dark. It helps astronomers map the amount and distribution of dark matter in the galaxy cluster. The cluster itself lies some 5 billion light-years from us, and the supernova is another 4 billion light-years beyond that. By studying the delays between the times that the different images reach Earth, astronomers can glean clues about the type of warped-space terrain the supernova’s light had to travel through. Is it clumpy? How clumpy?   How much is there?   Answers to these questions arent quite ready yet. In particular, the appearance of the supernova images could change over the next few years. Thats because light from the supernova continues to stream through the cluster and encounter other parts of the dark matter cloud surrounding the galaxies.    In addition to the Hubble Space Telescopes observations of this unique lensed supernova, astronomers also used the W.M. Keck telescope in Hawaii to do further observations and measurements of the supernova host galaxy distance. That information will give further clues into conditions in the galaxy as it existed in the early universe.

A New Nation1 essays

A New Nation1 essays Starting things off, Lipset seems to be a very articulate man. His views on this beautiful country are exactly down to earth. Lipset began talking about how this country is the best in some areas but how we lack our supremacy in other areas. For instance I will express crime rate and military power. In Lipsets passage he stated that the crime rate in the United States is well above all other nations, but the American military is the strongest in the world. That is not a contradiction but only a mere example. Now with being the strongest military power in the world many smaller and third world countries tend to look up to us. That statement is easily represented by the fact that we are a city on a hill. This nation might be on top is some aspects of the game but there is a few things that weigh us down. We won both world wars, set peace in the Middle East, and maintained our economic prowess. But are our greatest years starting to fall behind us? According to Lipset we are starting to distrust our leaders and have slim confidence in our institutions. That does not mean that everything is going south but what it really means is that we need to get in gear and do something about these situations. Not only are the Americans aware of this but so are other nations in the world. Japan knows our educational average is below standard. Germany knows that our some of our citizens hate our democracy. So once again the eyes of many are upon this huge city on top of a steep hill. Lipset then proceeded to talk about how a lot of our fine nations essays were written under the direction of foreign pens. The only way that is possible is by comparing a culture that one is well established with to a culture that he is not that aware of. Most foreign travelers wrote about how exceptional this plac ...

Time Capsule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Capsule - Essay Example Between 1404 and 1414, Konrad came up with a number of paintings that were a depiction of ‘The Crucifixion’. During this period of Renaissance, religious forms were widespread in the society because of a society domination of the Church of Roam and the Catholic Church (Kleiner, 2006). On the Age of Baroque, an example of a possible Caravaggio find would be one of Caravaggio’s paintings—an Italian painter who downplayed the pre-existing rules of painting and came up with a new way of doing his artwork. His paintings, such as the â€Å"Inspiration of Saint Mathew,† were a reflection of the emotional and physical aspects of a human being. His work was a true image of â€Å"The Age of Baroque† in Italy and France that used exaggerated motion to elicit drama, grandeur, and tension alike (Guisepi, 2007). Music Throughout the existence of humanity, music has existed to move the human being emotionally and pump him up physically. In both periods of Renaissance and the Age of Baroque, music could be found in the form of sheets or notes. This could be a clear reflection of an era where the humanity existed without any advancement in technology that dominates the contemporary world. Additionally, from a critical look at of some of the musicians one would show that they helped to lay a platform of establishing musical sound of then and today. One is likely to find music notes of the likes of Leonel Power, a composer of early Renaissance times and Jacopo Peri, an Italian musician of the Age of Baroque (Guisepi, 2007). Descriptions of drawings or architecture Architects of the Renaissance time wanted to transform their status of professionalism from skilled laborers to artists. The architects of this era wanted to come up with structures that would be appealing to the human being both emotionally and reason wise (Kleiner, 2006). In this regard, one would hope to find in the time capsule notes and a set of plans on marvels like the Florence Cathedral among other great structures of the time that paved way for modern architecture. In the time capsule, works by Renaissance architects like Leon Battista, Andrea Palladio, and Filipo Brunelleschi could be a possible find. A possible reflection of Baroque architecture could be through finding the works of architect like Sir Christopher Wren. Such a finding would mirror the new emphasis that Baroque architecture placed on bold massing, domes, and light and shade colonnades etcetera. A possible find in the time capsule would be a set of plans or notes that relate to the rebuilding of the churches of London following the 1666 Great Fire of London (Kleiner, 2006). Philosophy From a philosophical point of view, the age of Renaissance portrayed a transition from the mediaeval thinking of an anonymous existence to the uniqueness in man be cause of enlightenment that characterized the man of the time. While Greece could be the source of early philosophers, the age of Renaissance came up with new values while old philosophies found new meanings. Recovery of ancient documents, renewed emphasis on individual freedom, and opposition of institutional authority made the practice of education undergo a revolution. In the time capsule, one can locate a copy of Galileo’s work on the telescope. A more interesting find however would be a discovery of the telescope he used to make astronomical observations. Galileo, an Italian, helped revolutionize the scientific landscape of the era of Renaissance through his invention of the telescope and many contributions in mathematics and physics. The nature of the Age of Baroque could be reflected in the time capsule by coming across the work of a philosopher of the time like

Can stem cell research promise any improvement in autoimmune diseases Paper

Can stem cell promise any improvement in autoimmune diseases - Research Paper Example Stem cell research promises improvement in autoimmune diseases. The immune system is the body’s main line of defense against invasion by infectious organisms. The body has many cellular components, and the immune system must be able to differentiate components of invading organisms and of its self to conduct its protection functions effectively. Through this, it only attacks the invading components and not its own components. The immune system may fail to recognize and eliminate invading components on time, and this result in infections. However, autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis,  occur when the immune system fails to distinguish its own cells or components and attacks them by mistake (Ra, Kang, Shin, Park, Joo, Kim, Kang, Lee, Nakama, Piao, Soh, and Kurtz, 2011). Stem cell research helps explain why the bodys immune system, for some reason, turns against itself. Stem cells helps heal damaged tissues. Researchers have established the use of Haematopoetic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) in the management of malignant and non-malignant diseases (Holbro, Abinun, and Daikeler, 2012). Currently, research indicates that stem cell therapy induces intense healing action in animals with different forms of autoimmune disorders. Stem cells have the unique ability to adjust the immune system to avert pathological responses while at the same time maintain its ability to repel disease (Hugle and Daikeler, 2010). Stem cells and particularly, mesenchymal stem cells, produce anti-inflammatory agents in inflamed tissues. They do not suppress the immune response of the patient’s whole body like immune suppressive agents such as methothrexate and steroids, which present lasting unfavorable effects, and need for lifetime treatment. Instead, the stem cell mediators act locally. Alan Tyndall confirms that more than 1500 patients have received HSCT as

Performing Arts - Film and Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performing Arts - Film and Drama - Essay Example In the silver screen, the audience, regardless of seat location, has a relatively better view of the presentation. In this regard, the actors may easily convey emotions or thoughts through their facial expression. The multiple cameras used in shooting a movie may zoom in on a particular angle such that the audience may have a good view of what the director and cinematographer intend for them to focus on. On the contrary, the audience of a live drama, especially in large theatres, may have a limited view of actors’ facial expressions. As such, they would have to utilize other non-verbal forms of communication to get their emotions across. With this, stage actors put much emphasis on gestures rather than facial expression to enable the audience to relate. In â€Å"The Constant Gardener†, movie actors Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz have portrayed the characters - British diplomat Justin Quayle and his activist wife Tessa, in a much toned down manner. They played the role a s if in real life, how real people normally react in dealing with the given dilemmas. In contrast, energy level of stage actors Kaleo Griffith and Ruth Eglsaer, who played the role of Jack Tanner and Ann Whitefield are relatively higher. They delivered dialogues and acted out gestures in a manner that electrified the audience and carry the story forward. Since film is recorded and edited prior to actual showing, the shift in the setting is quite flexible. Moreover, in the movies, scenes can be shot on location.

A Classification Of Residential Neighbourhoods Essay Example for Free

A Classification Of Residential Neighbourhoods Essay Without customers, any business will fail so before setting up any firm we must be sure that there is sufficient demand on the market to keep the firm running. There are many ways of finding out about potential customers. One of these is to look at how many people there are living in the area of Stockbridge. This is useful because it would be convenient for the residents of that area to often have a quick snack or meal from a fast food restaurant. By using the Census Report of 2003, I have found that approximately 6,954 people live in the area with the postcode beginning with EH4, which is the Stockbridge area. This number of residents gives a promising outlook on the number of local potential customers. Stockbridge is an area near to the main part of Edinburgh so many businessmen will work in the local area so would visit Stockbridge at lunch for a quick meal. I feel those people would be the main type of consumer which the product is aimed at. This is because many of those young professionals want a fast lunch so that they can get back to their busy work and they also will want something healthy because young professionals are known to eat and exercise well to keep in shape. One lunchtime on a working day, I went out to Stockbridge and inspected the number of young people wearing a suit. The results were as expected as a lot of the people I saw were dressed in this way so we can assume they are young professionals. The main target market will, therefore, be young professionals. The ACORN (A Classification Of Residential Neighbourhoods) group performs vast amounts of research into different aspects of area, some of these include attitudes, housing, socio-economic profiles and media aspects. One of the pieces of data stated that the number of microwave purchases was low, this could mean either two things: people eat out often or people do not use the microwave to prepare meals. It also states that eating out is extremely popular in Stockbridge, particularly in the evenings, and all cuisines are popular except English. These two pieces of data are very useful because they show that many people do not eat at home but go out to restaurants. A Subway branch has potential to be one of these restaurants that people go out to eat at. The number of households in the area with two or more cars is rated high by the ACORN profile. This could mean that incomes may be fairly high and couples live together. If there are two cars then each one will probably be for each person in the couple, so at least one person in the relationship will work because they need two cars because they will be doing two different things at the same time. This will mean that there is at least one professional in each household and they will most likely be a young professional because 47. 6% of people in Stockbridge are 20-49 years of age. The socio-economic profile for the area is the population is well educated and there are nearly three times the amounts of professionals in Stockbridge than the national average. Young professionals are the target market for the Subway restaurant so this information is very promising in constructing a customer base. Attitudes are very important in every day life. They can determine what we buy, where we go and what we do. ACORN tells that there is a 60% greater chance of someone being a vegetarian in Stockbridge than the national average. This may be the cause for the low meat consumption in the area. The most popular grocery products are ground coffee, dog food, mineral water, fresh fish and fresh fruit. Subway provides its customers with a range of fresh products and almost all sandwiches bought have salad and other vegetables in them. It seems that people in Stockbridge enjoy fresh foods and do not eat much meat. Because of the customisability of the sandwiches, the customers can choose what they would like on their sandwich so if they do not want meat, it will not be added to their sandwich. Unfortunately, winter holidays are 73% more popular and long holidays are 2. 7 times more popular than the national average so sales may be expected to decrease in the winter and on holiday occasions. Many of the young professionals will not travel though because they will be hard working and want to spend lots of time on their job so may not want to travel far away, such as abroad. Stockbridge is a very affluent area with 3. 5 times more people earning i 40,000 per annum than the national average. This will mean there is more professionals in the area than in other places. Professionals take their jobs very seriously and do not have long lunch breaks so fast service is very important along with the healthy lifestyle the majority of people now lead. Leisure activities are very popular in the area as people are very active. According to ACORN, they do lots of sports so probably live by the attitude of a healthy body is a healthy mind. One part of having a healthy body is the food they eat, eating at Francos (an unhealthy restaurant in Stockbridge) would not be a common option for healthy eaters, instead they would probably prefer a healthy sandwich. The results of my survey indicated that most people questioned in my random sample were between the ages of 20 to 39 as shown in the below distribution graph. These ages are also the type of age which most commonly care about their general health, so it is very promising when these are the sorts of people the target market for the sandwich restaurant would be. Most of the people in the survey turned out to live in the area. Each person who answered that they would visit the restaurant if one were to open in Stockbridge and also said they lived in the area may become regular customers due to the ease of being able to reach the restaurant and they also expressed an interest in visiting the store. Repeat customers are vital to the success of a business and make up most of the total number of sales a business will receive. This market seems to have vast amounts of young professionals in it which are the main target market. The healthy choice Subway provides would well suit the healthy attitude that most of the people of Stockbridge seem to live on so therefore there is a fairly high demand for healthy fast-food but there is no supply. A niche has been found in the market.

Adidas and Reebok Marketing Communication Strategies

Adidas and Reebok Marketing Communication Strategies Introduction: This reported is presented with intent to draw would the comparison in the marketing communication strategies and mix adopted by the shoes brands Adidas and Reebok. The dual brands are functioning in a non-monopolistic global market environment which imposes the need to be market savvy and creative on the part of the business houses such as Adidas, Reebok and many other established brands to not only retain their existing market segment but also grow into new market on a local, national and international plane. There is a pre-existing need to modify strategies in context to pricing, advertising, product lines, product quality and marketing communication strategies. Failure to do so on the part of the business houses could adversely affect the sales of the product and lead the company and the product to an undesirable state of declination. The fact cannot be denied that the athletic shoe brand market has been emerging to be extremely competitive and a few brand names such as Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Puma have successfully captured certain market segments. These brands recognise the need to retain their market position and work towards market growth in the process. Adidas and Reebok, for the sake of exemplification have proven the fact that besides high quality products, a good market communication strategy and mix is vital for survival and simultaneous growth in a market which is constantly driven by a competitive atmosphere. I intent to utilize the following techniques to present a comparative analysis on the strategies adopted by Adidas and Reebok: Primary Research: Consumers would be interviewed and data compiled would be analyzed and inferences would be drawn on that basis. Secondary Research: Secondary Research would be gathering, analysing and segregation of data from websites, business journals and books. Business Analytical Tools: S.W.O.T. Analysis, Marketing Mix Market and Literature Review: Adidas: The German National Adolp Dassler could be credited with the creation of the phenomenal brand Adidas. His nickname Adi and the first syllable of his last name Das put together created the brand name Adidas. History states that Adolf was a shoe fanatic who spent several hours in his workshop designing shoes with intent to perfect it and to surpass anyone in this line of work. His dedication towards his cause led to the creation of this brand which in todays day and age is the second best global athletic shoe brand commanding a market position of 33% internationally after Nike. This brand came in to limelight with the 1926 Olympic Games wherein the sport star of the Games Jesse Owens wore Adidas shoes which performing at the Olympics. This led to instant recognition of this brand and soon the sales was reported to have gained huge momentum. The Olympic Games was the most crucial turning point in the history of the brand Adidas. From then on, Adidas, the Business house has been essentially sponsoring Global Sports Events, Olympic Games and many such events and has amassed mass popularity for their product lines. This strategy of the organization has helped the brand gain great worldwide media coverage for their product lines and the sales have been reported to grow in continuity. Zidane, Beckham and Kaka are the celebrities who wear Adidas shoes while performing at the games. The dual effect of high media coverage and the celebrity wearing Adidas creates a celebrity of sorts of the shoe brand Adidas. Today celebrity soccer players such as Kaka, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and many more are being sponsored by Adidas. Adidas has been successfully in existence for around 80 years being an integral part of the sports world providing hi-tech sports footwear, accessories and apparel. At the moment the business house takes pride in commanding a world position in the athletic shoe brand market. Adidas products especially shoes are sold all over the globe being available in almost every country of the world with multiple retail outlet wooing the consumers proving the fact that the business house has carved a distinctive niche for itself in the global market. Adidas has graduated from a small workshop in a little know German village to a world renowned global enterprise. (http://www.adidas-group.com/en/ourgroup/history/history.aspx) The distinctive logo it possesses and the catchy advertising slogan Impossible is Nothing further consolidates the brand image and popularity. Reebok: Reeboks United Kingdom-based ancestor company was started off to cater to one basic need which was to help athletes run with speed of lightning. Joseph William Foster in 1890s created one of the first known running shoes with spikes in them. By the period of 1895, Foster was in business handmade shoes by hand for the countrys top runners; and not before much time his fledgling company, J.W. Foster and Sons, created success by catering to an international customer of highly known athletes. The family-owned business house with pride created the running shoes which were used by athletes in the 1924 Summer Games celebrated in the film Chariots of Fire. In 1958, Fosters grandsons commenced a companion company that was christened by them as Reebok, named for an African gazelle. In 1979, Paul Fireman, who was a partner in an outdoor sporting goods distributorship, noticed Reebok shoes at an international trade show. Later on, he went on to negotiate for the North American distribution license and made a grand introduction of three running shoes in the U.S. that year. At the selling price of $60, Reebok was the most expensive running shoes on the market. Currently, Reebok International is a highly marked player in the sports and fitness products market, with a particular emphasis on footwear. Its prime strengths lied in its size and massive brand awareness. While athletic shoes are clearly its core products, concerns are being brought up over its comparative lack of interest in the associated athletic apparel market, which is over double the dimensions of the footwear global market. (http://bostonjobsource.com/reebok.html) Methodology: The methodology to execute this report successfully was primary and secondary method techniques. Primary method comprised of Consumer poll wherein a set of questions was asked to consumers of athletic shoes for their responses. The questionnaire comprised 10 questions based Reebok and Adidas drafted to draw answers which facilitated a comparative analysis While carrying out the secondary research, books and websites and learning modules were studied and comprehended. Employing the primary and secondary research techniques data compilation and analysis was carried out to draw inferences. http://media.katu.com/images/060124adidas_reebok.jpg Analysis and Discussion: Core Competencies (Jobber 2004) Adidas Core Competencies Technology Customer focus Brand recognition Supply chain Collaboratively competitive Reebok Core Competencies Trend Identification Ability to market to a niche segment Womens shoe design Design expertise Celebrity relationships S.W.O.T Analysis: (Belch 2004) A S.W.O.T Analysis in conducted of a business house helps us in understanding the strengths of the organization, the weaknesses it is confronted with, the opportunities the organization could avail of and the threats which present harm its growth, diversification and existence. Adidas Reebok Strength The prime strength of the organization is its 8 decades of existence in the global market. The employment of high end technology in the production process improves quality, precision and durability which are the most desired aspects by athletes. The organization has the largest international portfolio of celebrity sports ambassadors. The business house as a part of promotion sponsors football teams and has a high consumer brand loyalty mainly in U.S.A and India. Statistics and surveys indicate that Adidas has the maximum level of popularity and brand image in India. Reebok presents growing sales revenue. ON account of a part of a strategy to expand quality market share, the company indulged in the process of investing in three key products and marketing platforms: Performance, RBK and Classic. Reebok International happens to be the second largest producer of athletic shoes in the US, following Nike. The Reebok brand succeeds in accelerating sales pushing it closer to huge competitors such as Adidas. Reebok prides itself in being the number two or number three brand in most of its global markets. It dominates on 10% of the global market. The business house succeeds in increasing profits even though retail conditions are challenging. Weakness The pricing strategy of Adidas for all its products including athletic footwear lacks flexibility and is highly rigid and this proves to be a weakness in a general price conscious economy. Adidas is hovered over with a close competitor in the form of Nike, Puma and many more in the global market. The Indian subcontinent, which in now identified as a potentially growing market with high potential of revenue, the brand has not been showing good revenue results. The business has low market share in the apparel segment. Reebok has always focused on athletic shoes and not apparel. Here is where the business lags behind. The apparel market is twice as large as the footwear market and the competitors such as Adidas and Nike take advantage of this and sell their apparel products which add on heavily to their annual global turnover Opportunity Adidas should avail the opportunity to explore new world markets in the global arena. Health consciousness among the people in general is creating a good need for athletic shoes which should be skillfully tapped by Adidas. Creative advertising employed in continuity could open up opportunities of market growth and sustenance. The shoes are priced below average with a starting range of 45 dollars which is 15 dollars less than any other brand which sells at a basic 60 dollar price tag. Reebok could boost its price as it has a large consumer base worldwide and a price deviation is not expected to hinder sales but increase profitability. The organization could work on creating a better brand awareness in order to increase volume of sales. The brand could employ the best of technology to add quality and precision to its products. Threat Statistics show that Reebok, a competitor of Adidas has a good market share and employs a higher sum for market communication strategies. This presents a threat which is growing for Adidas. New entrant brands such as GAP, CAT prove to be a threat as they are eating in on the market share of Adidas which it has created over a period of time The brand is heavily reliant on footwear sales for its revenue input. This could pose a threat as there are continuous new entrants in the athletic footwear market. Reebok needs to diversify into other areas such as bags, sports equipments and fashion accessories to stay afloat in this highly competitive market which is unpredictable. Adidas commands a global share of 16% while Reebok stands at 6% Marketing Mix: (Pickton 2005) Product: ADIDAS: This brand has a huge product line of athletic footwear and apparels making it one of the most sought out brands besides Nike. The product is highly advertised through sports events where it gains good media coverage. Adidas uses cutting edge technology to offer comfort and style in their product which are light in weight. Undoubtedly, the products of Adidas have great value for money. Adidas shoes are known to have a grip which the sole provides and this is on account of good design and is useful especially in hiking. They go with ease on the legs and prevent any kind of twist or sprain. Reebok: The product line of Reebok is limited to footwear. Reebok has a good line of womens footwear. The brand has invested highly in technology to better its product lines. In the apparel sector the brand is lacking far behind from Adidas. Place: Adidas and Reebok have been selling in almost every nation of the world and they follows one level channel or an indirect channel to make their product reach out to the final consumer. The products are manufactured by the producer and it then reaches the retailer who in turn sells it to the final consumer. Price: Adidas shoes are priced higher than that of Reebok. Adidas can afford to charge higher than Reebok as Adidas is a far more established brand than Reebok. The quality of Adidas is known to be better than that of Reebok Promotion: Reebok: The promotional technique used by Reebok is basic advertising. The brand needs to develop better promotional strategies. New punch lines and slogan should be used by Reebok to create an impact on the consumers. It is observed that Reebok has the potential to closely compete with Adidas. Adidas: Sponsoring large scale sports events, adverting through different forms of media. Adidas have been constantly engaged in brand building programs. Adidas has joined in with the strategy of high fund allocation to boost sales and compete. Adidas with their innovative campaigns have proven to be at par and have to a large extent created the much desired impact which they set out to create at the onset of bringing about an improvisation of their promotional propaganda. Conclusion: It should be understood that footwear is no longer considered as a product that just offers a sense of protection for feet. What was hitherto taken as a Want is at the present day a basic Need. Today, the footwear business is a widespread and dynamic global business operation comprising of huge economies of scale. The athletic shoe segment is tremendously competitive in nature with the phenomenal players such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok and New Balance strategizing meticulously to retain their consumer market share and the small time players such as Puma attempting to gain large market share. The athletic footwear industry stresses branding more than any other competitive benefit. By the employment of advertisements, celebrity endorsements, varied promotions, and licensing agreements, the top enterprises or rather branded companies in this industry have allocated much of their resources to creating the much required brand recognition and loyalty. Significant features of this highly competitive market segment are expensive and continuous advertising, celebrity endorsements, brand awareness techniques etc. Nike, Adidas, Reebok and a few more brands are the market leaders in the world due to their market communication and mix innovative strategies. (Bovee 2003) Recommendations: It is recommended that Reebok work on improving its promotional strategies. Reebok should also focus on the apparel segment which is a large and promising market. The business house has developed a good consumer base and can work on increasing the prices of their products as this would bring in higher revenue, part of which could be employed for advertisement and promotion expenditure. Adidas should work towards improving market share and being at par with Nike which is currently the world leader in Athletic footwear. Adidas should focus on roping in more celebrities to endorse their products as celebrities are undoubtedly crowd pullers. It is also recommended that Adidas improve its product lines substantially as variation in products could lead to better and improved sales which form a major objective of any business organization. (Pettit 2003)