Gallardo’s Goes To Mexico Business Analytics Essay

Situation: â€Å"Growing but not winning†- The US market for Gallardo’s sauces, salsas and seasoning had saturated. Having seen immense potential for its product, it entered the Mexico market in 2001. They have grown 20% every year, and their share has grown from 12% to 15%. They have positioned their products on the basis of the jobs carried out by customers, which was a success in the US. Despite all of their efforts to discover separate, distinct jobs to be done and to position their brand on these jobs, they are not growing fast enough and have not been able to overtake California. Gallardo tried to position itself as a distinctive aspiring brand that commanded a significant price premium, however this has not worked and they have not been able to differentiate their products from that of California. Gallardo’s discovered the job-to-be-done, the market leader already had a product in the market that could readily do the job. Objective: To formulate a winning strategy so as to make it a market leader in Mexico. Hypothesis: 1. Gallardo has not been very successful in forging a strong link in the consumers’ minds between the jobs carried out by them and Gallardo’s brand. 2. The communication strategy is a major challenge and there is a need to re-position the brand in the minds of the consumers. 3. Gallardo has not been able to provide value to Mexican women, who are very passionate about cooking. 4. Gallardo holds only 10% share in general trade which accounts for 90% of the overall sales of salsa, sauces and seasoning. Evaluation: 1. Gallardo 2. Gallardo has positioned itself as a product to get a job-done; however, it is equally important to consider the user while positioning the product especially where the demographics of the new market are so different from the company’s market in USA. As per the case, the women in advertisements were not representing the common women in Mexico. Hence, making the brand distant from its users. 3. Although Gallardo could picture the passion for cooking, it couldn’t provide the value to its consumers. This was mainly because of their premium pricing. For example, a small deficiency in California products can be compensated by a little amount of salt or pepper. For this minor adjustment, consumers didn’t find it justified to pay 30-40% more. They were not getting any additional value of the product offering. The product attributes and usage experiences required to do the â€Å"jobs† were not well distinguished from each other, further enlarging this gap. Their products were designed on experience, which the consumer was already having. In short, we can say that value propositions offered by Gallardo were not unique enough to sell it. 4. The figure of 10% shows that there was very less penetration in the general market. This needs to increase as it shows the huge amount of untapped market for Gallardo. This would include distribution and household penetration beyond urban.

Caring of Parents

Caring for Elderly Parents How to care for elderly parents is a major concern of many Foreign Service families. Our concerns mirror those of other American families, but how to ensure good health care, find the right living situation, and handle legal questions is often complicated for Foreign Service families by being posted abroad. The distance involved makes it harder to get information and help so contingency planning is essential. Often Foreign Service families only have short visits during R & R or on home leave and hate to spend the precious time with their parents talking about serious business or unpleasant possibilities. Or we may be caught up in hectic preparations for an overseas assignment and not want to take the time to do contingency planning with parents. While it is difficult to discuss the issues of aging, the family who has discussed the options and agreed on plans will be better able to handle whatever happens. It will be worth the time taken, if there is an emergency. The ideal situation is when the parents take control of their own situations and make decisions in advance of an emergency. They should investigate the types of retirement options and decide which is most appropriate, make informed decisions about life-sustaining medical care, and make sure that documents, instructions, and powers of attorney are available to those who must take responsibility in an emergency. The American Association of Retired Persons recommends that elderly people use a document locator list (scroll to bottom of this page) to make sure their papers are in order. This list can then be given to the person(s) who will be responsible for them should an emergency arise. Going through the list with your parents should ensure that their wishes are understood. Communicating with Elderly Parents Talking with our elderly parents about their living situations and the possible need for change is not always easy. A successful conversation depends to an extent upon the relationship we have with the parent, as well, of course, as on the parent's mental, emotional and physical condition. While many people put off serious conversations to avoid conflict or awkwardness, both parent and adult child may lose an opportunity for closeness, understanding, access to information that may affect the decision, and optimum peace of mind. To the extent possible, talk with your elderly parents gently and honestly about their wishes, their abilities and their options. Far more often than not, these conversations are helpful and put the adult child in a better position to make decisions later when the parent may not be able to do so. The following are suggestions for conversations with your elderly parent: * Share your own feelings, and reassure the parent that you will support them and can be depended upon to help them solve their problems. * Help the parent to retain whatever control is possible  in making his or her own decisions. Respect and try to honor their wishes wherever feasible. * Encourage the smallest change possible  at each step, so that the parent is more able to adjust to the change. Educate yourself on legal, financial and medical matters  that pertain to your parent as background for your conversations, including current knowledge on the aging process. * Respect your own needs  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ be honest with your parents about your time and energy limits. If this kind of conversation seems impossible or the situation and relationship with the elderly parent become overwhelming, professional counseling may be very helpful. You may also consider using the Department of State's resources to appro ach this delicate issue somewhat indirectly. Filling out FIVE WISHES for yourself and sharing your decisions with your parents may encourage them to open up on the subject. You may also wish to raise the subject of long-term care insurance as a practical matter. (For more information about FIVE WISHES and Long-Term Care Insurance, see below). When a Lifestyle Change May Be Necessary Physicians and geriatric social workers warn that there are a number of danger signs that indicate an elderly person needs extra help or a change in living arrangement. Any marked change in personality or behavior should be heeded. However, no change in lifestyle should be made without discussions with the elderly person, other family members, and doctors or other health professionals. Danger Signals * Sudden weight loss  could be an indication that the elderly person is simply not eating or not preparing foods. * Failure to take medication or over-dosing  may indicate confusion, forgetfulness, or a misunderstanding of the doctor's instructions. * Burns or injury marks  may indicate physical problems involving general weakness, forgetfulness, or a possible misuse of alcohol. Deterioration of personal habits  such as infrequent bathing and shampooing, not shaving, or not wearing dentures could be the result of either mental or physical problems. * Increased car accidents  can indicate slowed reflexes, poor vision, physical weakness, or general inability to handle a vehicle. * General forgetfulness  such as not paying bills, missing appointments, or consistently forgetting name, address, phone number, and meal times could be a signal. * Extreme suspiciousness  could indicate some thought disorder. Your parents thinking that their neighbors, friends, family, doctor, and lawyer are all conspiring against them would be an example. Intense ungrounded fears about dire consequences may be a danger signal. * A series of small fires  could be caused by dozing off, forgetting to turn off the stove or appliances, or carelessness with matches. They may indicate blackouts or dizzy spells. * Bizarre behavior of any kind  could be a warning sign. This behavior could be dressing in heavy gloves and overcoat in 90 degree weather or going outside without shoes when it's snowing. Watch for uncharacteristic actions or speech. Disorientation of a consistent nature  may indicate a need for help. Examples include not knowing who one is, where one is, who the family is, or talking to people who are not there. Elder Care Options If you see danger signals in your parent's behavior, it is important to discuss the changes and do some research. (See IQ: Information Quest below for information about the Department of State's free resource referral service. ) There are many housing options available to the elderly. Choosing the best one will depend on the elderly person's preference, age, health, and financial condition. Aging in Place Under this option, the elderly person continues to live in his/her own apartment. Many elderly people live in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), apartment buildings, condominiums, or cooperatives not designed as retirement communities but where at least 50 percent of the residents are 62 years old or older. These buildings often have amenities such as grocery stores, pharmacies, limousine service, or shopping services. Recent technological advances often make aging in place easier: Velcro asteners, lightweight wheelchairs, devices to control appliances and dial telephone numbers. There is even a â€Å"walk-in bathtub† for people who have difficulty climbing into an ordinary bathtub. Many services are available to help the elderly person stay in his/her home. Information about them can be obtained from contacting IQ: Information Quest (see below) or  your local Area Agency on Aging. * Home care services  are available in many communities, pro viding appropriate, supervised personnel to help older persons with either health care (giving medications, changing dressings, catheter care, etc. or personal care (bathing, dressing, and grooming). * Meals and transportation  are available to older people to help them retain some independence. Group or home-delivered meal programs help ensure an adequate diet. Meals-On-Wheels programs are available in most parts of the United States. A number of communities offer door-to-door transportation services to help older people get to and from medical facilities, community facilities, and other services. * Adult day care  is similar to child day care. The elderly person goes to a community facility daily or 2 or 3 days per week. Activities include exercise programs, singing, guest lectures, and current events discussions. Cost varies and there are often long waiting lists at such centers. * Respite care  brings a trained person into the home to give the full-time caregiver time off to get a haircut, visit the dentist, or take a vacation. Service is generally offered through area Departments of Social Services and is based on a sliding fee scale. Other Housing Options There are several types of retirement communities that provide living arrangements and services to meet the needs of both independent seniors and those who need assistance. Large hotel corporations are in this field and other facilities are set up for members of a certain organization (retired military, Elks, etc. ). It is important when investigating these housing options to understand completely the services provided and the cost. * Adult congregate communities  are designed for the fully able-bodied, 55 and older. Residents buy co-ops or condominiums and pay a monthly fee for grass mowing, leaf raking, and snow shoveling. A pay-as-you-go medical center is on site and a nurse is on duty 24 hours a day to make home visits in emergencies. Leisure World is the most famous example of an adult congregate ommunity. * Assisted living communities  are rental retirement communities for independent seniors who need some assistance. A homelike atmosphere, three meals a day, maid, linen, and laundry service, availability of a registered nurse, and many personal care services are provided in the all-inclusive rent. * Rental retirement communities  with fee-f or-service nursing units charge residents an entrance fee plus a substantial monthly rent. When the need for nursing care arises, residents pay an extra daily fee and stay in a nursing unit, usually located on site or nearby. Life care or continuing care communities  provide a continuum of care from independent living to nursing home care on the premises. The individual must be independent when s/he enters the community. These communities require a substantial entrance fee and monthly service fee. Residents get one meal a day in a dining room, maid service, linen service, maintenance, transportation to shopping and cultural events, travel planning, and a pull cord to an emergency nurse. If nursing care is needed, it is provided at no extra cost. Personal care homes (board and care)  are licensed in many communities to provide shelter, supervision, meals, and personal care to a small number of residents. * Subsidized housing for the elderly  is an option for the elderly poor in reasonably good health. Subsidized by Department of Housing and Urban Development, income limits apply. No round-the-clock care is provided but nurses come in to check blood pressure and assess a resident's functioning. Residents take meals in a dining room and may have use of a library, recreation area, or beauty shop. Nursing Facilities If the elderly person is not capable of independent living, a nursing home may be the appropriate option. Nursing homes offer two levels of care – skilled nursing and intermediate care – depending on the patient's needs. Most nursing homes offer both levels of care on a single site. * Skilled nursing facilities  provide 24-hour nursing services for people who have serious health care needs but do not require the intense level of care provided in a hospital. Rehabilitation services may also be provided. * Intermediate care facilities  provide less extensive health care than skilled nursing facilities. Nursing and rehabilitation services are provided but not on a 24-hour basis. These facilities are for people who cannot live alone but need a minimum of medical assistance and help with personal and/or social care. Paying for Long-Term Care It is important to understand the different types of insurance that are available to older people. Many people believe that Medicare will cover long-term care needs. It will not. Medicare Medicare is a Federal health insurance program which helps defray many of the medical expenses of most Americans over the age of 65. Medicare has two parts: (Part A) Hospital Insurance  helps pay the cost of inpatient hospital care. The number of days in the hospital paid for by Medicare is governed by a system based upon patient diagnosis and medical necessity for hospital care. Once it is no longer medically necessary for the person to remain in the hospital, the physician will begin the discharge process. If the person or the family disagrees with this decision, they may appeal to the state's Peer Review Organization. Medicare  does not  pay for custodial care or nursing home care. It will, however, cover up to 60 days in a nursing home as part of convalescence after hospitalization. (Part B) Medical Insurance  pays for many medically necessary doctors' services, outpatient services, and some other medical services. Enrollees pay a monthly premium. Medicaid Medicaid is a joint federal-state health care program for people with a low income. The program is administered by each state and the type of services covered differs. There are strict income requirements so it is necessary for the person to â€Å"spend down† all income and assets to poverty levels before becoming eligible. Medicaid is the major payer of nursing home care. The Medicaid requirement to â€Å"spend down† all income and assets created a great hardship for the spouse of a person needing nursing home care. Changes in the Medicaid rules now allow the spouse to keep a monthly income and some assets, including the primary residence. The amounts allowed change, so you must check for current levels. Other Insurance Why buy other insurance? The purchase of additional insurance gives the policy holder access to a greater choice of facilities without dipping into additional financial resources. Medigap  is the name given to rivately-purchased supplemental health insurance. It is designed to help cover some of the gaps in Medicare coverage but does not cover long-term care. Study Medigap policies carefully to be sure they provide the protection needed and do not duplicate other health insurance. Long-Term Care Insurance  is a private insurance that is usually either an indemnity policy or p art of an individual life insurance policy. An indemnity policy pays a set amount per day for nursing home or home health care. Under the life insurance policy, a certain percentage of the death benefit is paid for each month the policyholder requires long-term care. Policies are priced differently depending on the age of the policyholder, the deductible periods chosen, and indemnity value or duration of benefits. Information about other long-term insurance policies are available from: The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Retiree Liaison 2101 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-338-4045  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  , ext. 528 Fax: 202-338-6820 E-mail:  [email  protected] org http://www. afsa. org American Foreign Service Protective Association (AFSPA) 1716 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-833-4910 Fax: 202-883-4918 ttp://www. afspa. org As with Medigap health insurance, it is important to read the policy carefully and understand its restrictions before purchasing. Who Can Help? IQ: Information Quest (formerly LifeCare? ) IQ: Information Quest is a free 24-hour/ 7 days per week counseling, education and referral service t hat can help Department of State employees find the programs, providers, information, and resources they need to manage personal and professional responsibilities. IQ: Information Quest makes referrals, not recommendations. IQ: Information Quest counselors will help etermine what services are needed and available in any U. S. locality and refer to appropriate providers. In addition to other services, they provide referrals in the area of adult care services (anywhere in the U. S. ), including case management, emergency and respite care, home health care, long-distance care giving and legal and financial issues. Their web site features information on caring for an aging loved one, discussing caregiving options with your loved one, adult care information worksheet, caregivers of older adults, managing work while caring for your loved one, and geriatric care management services. IQ: Information Quest will also provide an â€Å"Eldercare Kit† upon request which features caregiving guidance, checklists, and resources information, as well as a few useful practical items such as a pill sorter, night light and jar opener. Permanent employees of the Department of State, The U. S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and FMAs overseas are eligible to use IQ: Information Quest. For the Department of State, this includes both Civil Service and Foreign Service employees serving at any Department assignment location nationwide and worldwide. Other employees working for the Department are not covered at this time (contractors, Foreign Service Nationals, PITs, PSCs). Spouses, children or others who are members of the employee's immediate household may use IQ: Information Quest. They verify eligibility by providing the name and date of birth (month and day) of the eligible employee. Employees of agencies other than the Department of State should check with their headquarters for guidance in how to contact and use IQ: Information Quest services. IQ: Information Quest Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-800-222-0364  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  or  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-888-222-0364  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  for the hearing impaired http://www. worklife4you. com For access to the passworded area of the site, contact your agency's HR Bureau. The Employee Consultation Service (ECS) The Employee Consultation Service (ECS) at the Department of State should be the first stop for Foreign Service members with eldercare concerns. The clinical social workers offer brief counseling and help in coordinating an evaluation and assessment anywhere in the United States. ECS social workers act as a liaison in providing appropriate and necessary services for the elderly. All services are free and confidential. In Washington, make an appointment for a personal consultation; from overseas write or cable for advice. ECS also conducts support groups for employees and their families who are responsible for an aging relative. The groups meet at the State Department to share issues, resources, and approaches to the problems that arise as an elderly person declines, including the issue of emotional stress that occurs for family members watching such decline. Employee Consultation Service (M/MED/ECS) Columbia Plaza, Room H246 Washington, DC 20520 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-663-1815 FAX: 202-663-1456 Email:  [email  protected] gov The Administration on Aging (AoA) The Administration on Aging (AoA) is part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was set up to â€Å"remove barriers to the economic and personal independence of older persons and to assure the availability of a range of appropriate community and family based services for older persons in social or economic need. AoA supports a network of the state and  Area Agencies on Aging  that reinforce and supplement the daily support that the elderly receive from family, friends, and neighbors. Administration on Aging Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-619-0724 http://www. aoa. gov To get information on eldercare servi ces in a particular community, contact the Area Agency on Aging. One can locate a specific state agency on aging through the Eldercare Locator Service via telephone (  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-800-677-1116  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ) or the website at  http://www. ldercare. gov. The  Eldercare Locator Service  is sponsored by the AoA and operated by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 927 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Tele:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-296-8130 http://www. n4a. org Services provided by Area Agencies on Aging include information and referral, homemaker/home health aides, transportation, congregate and home delivered meals, chore and other supportive services. Types of services available vary in each community based upon needs and resources. Private Geriatric Care Managers Private geriatric care managers are professional social workers and nurses who assist the elderly and their families by assessing need, coordinating services, and monitoring care for a fee. They are particularly helpful when long-distance care giving is necessary. Fees vary and are sometimes covered by Medicare or private insurance. The Department of State's Employee Consultation Service or IQ: Information Quest, the local Area Agency on Aging, and community agencies can provide referrals nationwide. If the older person has been hospitalized, hospital discharge planners can also provide information and referrals for after-care. Services Offered by the Private Sector Some private companies have set up programs to help their employees with eldercare. Foreign Service spouses who work in the private sector should investigate any eldercare options offered by their employers. These programs can include seed money for eldercare services, flexible work schedules for caregivers, subsidies for eldercare expenses, unpaid leave for up to a year, referral services, inter-generational day care centers (for both the elderly and children), geriatric assessment and case management, and group rates for long-term care insurance. Unfortunately, many of the services provided by companies require that the elderly person meet the tax-law definition of a dependent. This increases the burden for families whose elderly relatives are not financially dependent or who are not living with the employee. Eldercare in the Foreign Service Putting Parents on Your Orders Foreign Service employees may request that their elderly relative(s) (including step parents and legally adopted parents) be approved as an eligible family member and added to their Post Assignment Travel Orders for an overseas assignment. The employee must complete an OF-126 Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report. This form can be found on the Department of State Infoforms with instructions on completion. Each new OF-126 replaces the old OF-126, therefore all blocks must be filled out each time a new OF-126 is done. The new OF-126 must be forwarded to the employee's personnel technician in HR/CDA/ASD, Room 2419, Truman Building (Main State). Travel orders can not be authorized for newly-acquired eligible family members until the personnel technician receives the OF-126 form. Along with a completed OF-126 form, the officer must prove that the relative is at least 51 percent dependent for support (subject to review and approval per 6 FAM 117; USAID employees should also see Supplement 1B to HB 32, Chapter 1). The officer must quantify that he/she has provided more than 51% of support by submitting an affidavit or notarized statement testifying to that fact. This is termed passing the â€Å"financial support test. † An explanation regarding the parent's residency is also required, with an explanation as to why the application is being made to add the parent to the travel orders. Other documentary evidence may be required by the employee's agency. These documents are attached to the completed OF-126 form and sent to the officer's agency as specified on the forms. Requests are reviewed for approval by a Personnel OF-126 Committee. Employees of the Department of State can obtain advice on how to put your parents on your orders through the Career Development and Assignments (CDA) division of the Bureau of Human Resources. Ask for an Assignments Support (CDA/AS) officer. Employees of other agencies should contact their HR representative. See section below, Taking an Elderly Relative to Post, for details regarding official government support. Bringing Parents to Post Who Are Not on Your Orders If your relatives are not financially dependent on you, they may come to post as members of the employee's household, but will receive no official support from the U. S. Government. No official support translates into no access to the U. S. embassy health unit, no airfare or allowance payments in the case of evacuation from post, and no diplomatic status with the host country. Parents who come to live overseas for an extended period of time should consider having additional medical insurance (Medicare does not cover costs related to care overseas). In addition, parents should also maintain Air Medical Evacuation Insurance. A list of companies that provide this insurance can be found on theDepartment of State Consular Affairs  web site. Family Medical Leave Act and Family-Friendly Leave If you think you may need to care for an elderly relative, be sure to check the provisions of the 1993 Family Leave Act on taking leave for this purpose and contact the a leave specialist in your agency. Department of State employees can contact a Department leave specialist in the Office of Employee Relations (HR/ER/WLP) about paid and unpaid leave at  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-261-8180  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel (Eldercare EVT) In January 2001, the Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel (Eldercare EVT) provision was implemented, permitting travel at government expense for employees and eligible spouses serving at an overseas post who need to assist parents in declining health. Eldercare EVT allows an employee two trips over a career to visit his or her parents. It is meant to support one mother and one father of the employee and of the eligible spouse. It does not mean a couple may pool their four eldercare visits to assist the parent(s) of only one member of the married couple. For more information, email the Family Liaison Office ([email  protected] gov) for a copy of â€Å"Questions and Answers on Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel. † Taking an Elderly Relative to Post If elderly relatives are classified as eligible family members, they travel on diplomatic passports and have the same diplomatic immunity as a spouse or child. If not classified as such, elderly parents use tourist passports and do not have diplomatic status. Housing assignments are based on the number of official eligible family members the employee brings to post. Travel to and from post (with the exception of medical travel) is also available to all elderly parents designated as eligible family members. Elderly parents, regardless of their status, are  not covered  by the Foreign Service medical insurance program. While the use of post's health facilities is not promised as a benefit, these limited facilities are sometimes available depending on the location and an authorization by the Ambassador. The medical officer has the authority to refuse to provide services should a patient have a complicated problem that the physician is unable to treat. Employees may, however, ask the Health Unit for names of local physicians who can provide medical services for their elderly parent. This kind of assistance from the Health Unit may also be requested during the bidding process, to determine if a post has adequate local heath care providers to meet the medical needs of a parent. The Department of State Office of Medical Services has a brochure entitled  Medical Questions and Answers about Taking Your Parent Overseas. The brochure addresses the questions of obtaining prescription medicines overseas, high altitude climates and the elderly, health unit access, hospitalization overseas, and more. For a copy of the brochure or more information about medical questions related to taking your parent overseas, contact the Office of Medical Services, Foreign Programs (MED/FP). Because elderly parents are not covered under the Foreign Service medical insurance program, they also do not have access to embassy medical evacuation (medevac) services. Therefore, all parents coming to post for either a short or an extended period of time should purchase (and maintain) Air Medical Evacuation Insurance. A list of companies that provide this insurance can be found on the  Department of State Consular Affairs website. Medical Insurance It is essential that a parent going overseas, either officially or unofficially, have adequate medical insurance. Medicare only pays medical expenses in the United States, and in Canada and Mexico under certain very limited circumstances. The insurance companies listed below provide a variety of coverage and can be contacted for more information. Pay special attention to â€Å"age limit† noted in the policy. Clements and Company Under its GlobalCare Plus program, Clements and Company provides overseas major medical insurance, including full world-wide evacuation services. Coverage is offered for individuals as well as families. Substantial coverage is available at a reasonable cost. GlobalCare Plus is for policies lasting 6 months to one year. Clements also write policies for shorter-term travel (15 days to 4 months) through Patriot Travel Medical Insurance.

Feminism & Postcolonialism in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre Essay

As a representative work of a female author who was well ahead of her times, Jane Eyre can safely be regarded as the magnum opus of Charlotte Bronte. A literary career that spanned for a meager six years, it was really incredible as to how Charlotte Bronte could excel so much as a novelist so as to be able to pen down the account of a lonely and principled woman who has since been looked up as the very epitome of womanhood, let alone the politic of feminism. Moreover, elements of postcolonialism and their influence on individual behavior can also be traced in the polarized character sketching of Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason. In contemporary literature, gender and postcolonial discourses do not seem to rest solely on any stereotypical convention of characterization. Instead, such approaches tend to de-categorize women according to their individual identity. In other words, a female character in today’s literature would rather have patchy dispositions, as opposed to having lofty and focused ideals. What makes Jane Eyre a true critique of postcolonial and feminist literature is its assimilation of the contradictory traits of womanhood – good and bad, elegance and vileness, civility and impudence – within a single narrative framework. In the light of this observation, this paper attempts to justify Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre as a fictional illustration of feminism and postcolonialism. To substantiate the thesis, the paper will look into chapters 26 and 27 – a transitory phase in the storyline of Jane Eyre. Most of Charlotte Bronte’s novels, including Shirley (1849) and Villette (1853), deal with a vivid picture of colonial Europe and document how social conventions are shaped and redressed by colonial aggressions. At the end of chapter 26 of Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester asks Jane to accompany him to France – a place not colonized by Great Britain. This shows how the concepts of meta-colonization were imbued in the author’s mind while writing the novel. What it also brings out is how the male protagonists of Bronte, while most of whom have a sardonic and bipolar attitude to romantic relationships, invariably prefer women having a distinct colonial background in order to rule out the possibility of a foreign intrusion into their hardnosed Victorian veils. Meyer points out that there is a fusion of postcolonial societal doctrines and racial synthesis in the way Bronte treats her women characters in Emma (1853) and Jane Eyre. This hints at a dichotomy of social prejudices regarding how a common European would respond to the color of human skin on one hand, and how it would be treated as a benchmark for social permissibility. The paradigm of postcolonialism is embedded at the heart of the novel when Mrs. Reed grows an aversion to little Jane on the ground of her ethnic background, alien to the former’s own (249). Meyer further discusses the literary tropes Bronte uses in Jane Eyre to signify race relations prevalent in contemporary English societies. Bronte, according to Meyer, uses the concept of blackness in a figurative way to connect the actual history of British colonization with racial â€Å"otherness†. This psychological practice of attributing â€Å"otherness† to was a result of a colonizer’s preoccupation with Whiteness. There is a paradigmatic shift from literature to life, however, in the way Bronte pinpoints the presence of both class and race discrimination in the British society. She does this to unmask the patriarchal impositions that were central to the overall aura of dominance practiced by the British over their colonies. The politics of feminism in Jane Eyre is quite complex in nature, simply because a number of related factors are interwoven in the plot. Quoting Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Meyer argues that Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason represent two distinct leagues of feminism. While Jane is a sober and progressive woman capable of bettering her situation on her own accord, Bertha Mason is a compulsive character, almost an obstacle character, lying beyond the scope of self-improvement or redemption. Bertha Mason is a representative of the aboriginal race, precariously positioned between human and bestial instincts. In dealing with the development of a meaningful character, Bertha Mason is deliberately stripped of the very qualities that are bestowed to Jane Eyre. Consequently, Jane grows to be the epitome of womanhood with all her feminine virtues (250). But Meyer does not take Spivak’s argument at face value. She further questions the validity of the claim that Spivak makes about the correlation between feminism and imperialism in Jane Eyre. If imperialism can be cited as a tentative offshoot of postcolonialism, it would be easier to substantiate the thesis. From imperialistic perspectives, Bertha Mason qualifies as a colonial woman who is supposed to have an individualistic entity of her own. But then again she is also portrayed as a native woman, which seems to obfuscate the earlier attribution to imperialism. Going by Meyer’s argument, it is clear that traits of both imperialism and postcolonialism cannot coexist within a single character, and if it does, one must remain dormant for the other to thrive (250-1). Hence, it is logically better to link patriarchy with colonial dominance, as both have their origins rooted in the nineteenth century British high-bloodedness that had historically been proved to be discriminating on gender issues. Rositsa Kronast examines Bronte’s introduction of the â€Å"female colonial Other† in the context of a male dominated regime. Citing Jane Eyre as her principle reference, along with Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea, Kronast shows how the tables can turn with changes in power and hierarchy. It may be noted, however, that this change may or may not come from internal agents. As is the case with Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason, the change is imposed by the Victorian norms that were outright puritanical. Consequently, Jane, despite being a woman of substance, is pitted against seemingly insolvable situations especially when her love affair with Mr. Rochester comes under serious threat from Bertha Mason. While Jane is drained of her power, Bertha Mason steps in as an empowered woman, capable of inflicting great damage at a public level. The reversal of fortune is only possible because the Victorian times in colonial England allowed for total submission of women before male whims. The Victorian concept of womanhood that Jane embodies is based on relative compatibility with men. Women were seen to be playing second fiddles to their gender counterparts in a number of roles – from mother to wife (3). What is interesting to note from Kronast’s argument is that if Jane is the Other woman, she is at once powerless and empowered. This brings us to the same logical fallacy that has been mentioned earlier in the paper – two contradictory traits cannot control a character’s life in any way. So to put matters in the right context, it is reasonable to infer that the Creole woman portrayed by Bertha Mason must give in to the author’s intention of representing the colonized face of womanhood, in order to accommodate for a lofty and ideal feminine role for the individualistic Jane (Staines 42). In essence, reading into the feministic and postcolonial components in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre brings out the difference between what is intrinsically feminine and what is not. It is basically a novel based on modern concepts of feminism. Jane’s personality exudes a rich ardor of feminine grace and beauty. Postcolonialism, on the other hand, is only introduced for putting the concept of feminism into perspective. Therefore, Jane and Bertha continue to hold their respective positions of significance, with the latter playing the role of a borderline character. Works Cited Kronast, Rositsa. The Creole Woman and the Problem of Agency in Charlotte Bronte’s â€Å"Jane Eyre† and Jean Rhys’s â€Å"Wide Sargasso Sea†. Munich: GRIN Verlag, 2010. Meyer, Susan L. â€Å"Colonialism and the Figurative Strategy of Jane Eyre. † Victorian Studies. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1990. Staines, David. Margaret Laurence: critical reflections. Ottawa, Ontario: University of Ottawa Press, 2001.

National Oilwell Varco Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

National Oilwell Varco - Research Paper Example Such regulatory risk may mandate National Oilwell Varco make changes to the segments in which NOV is operating. 1. Environmental Protection Agency: an agency created to unite the federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities that would provide environmental protection. As a result of the exploration and production of oil and gas in the recent tears, there appeared new norms and rules that companies should apply for drilling permits. Thus, the Environmental Protection Agency is working to curb pollution and emissions created by the oil industry. That requires National Oilwell Varco to deal with the enhanced involvement by the organization’s administration. National Oilwell Varco focuses on safety from the hazardous working conditions, it should ensure the compliance with the regulation on each of its oil platform. Refineries should require the regulations on nitrous oxide emissions, byproducts and products the company manufactures and sells (Hackett, Regoli, De Deo, Polley, 2014). Despite the oil and gas businesses questioned the need for tighter controls because of the regulation to be the most expensive in US history and have little impact on the environment and consumers, however, EPA stated that a combination of the proposed air pollution rules would assist in meeting the proposed standards of cutting smog-forming emissions from oil and gas industry and transportation.2. American Petroleum Institute: a national trade association that represent U.S. oil and natural gas industry.

Discuss how structural and institutional factors in Britain and Essay

Discuss how structural and institutional factors in Britain and America may have limited the scope for improving corporate perfo - Essay Example Secondly, soft laws, which are encouraged by the highly influential Cadbury commission of institutional investors in the United Kingdom, which gets into contracts with portfolio companies. Thirdly, attention to issues of Corporate Social Responsibility, which is encouraged by â€Å"the Institutional Shareholders Committee, which represents over 80% of institutional investment in the UK† (Malhotra, 2009, p. 246). Institutional factors have a lot of influence on the performance of organizations. Limitations or possibilities for how and how quickly organizations can change depend on institutional factors. These â€Å"include factors such as to what degree policies-and the laws that formalize policies –are really driving actions of senior executives , civil servants and front line service providers† (Fowler, Acquaye-Baddoo, and Ubels, 2010, p.150), and how far a nation’s budget process is driven by interests of influential people or by policies. Presence or la ck of a positive relation between corporate governance and corporate financial performance has been used to test whether reforms in corporate governance have a positive impact on industries in Britain. According to Prasad â€Å"corporate governance refers to the relationship that exists between the different participants, and defining the direction and performance of a corporate firm† (2006, p.1). Corporate governance is vital in international business. Poor financial performance by corporate can be attributed to bad corporate governance. This can be seen in the case of the United States where â€Å"companies with weaker corporate governance structures (indicated by substantial agency problems) perform less well than companies with better corporate governance structures† (Solomon, 2010, n.p.). This can be clearly seen in the case of the United States where there is poor performance by companies with poor corporate governance structures, while those with good corporate governance structures perform well. Structural reforms in nations have had a number of benefits. Structural factors are important determinants of competitive business and growth prospects. Since the late 1970s, structural reforms have attracted a lot of attention by policy makers. In Britain, structural reforms began when the government â€Å"was under Mrs. Thatcher, it adopted a series of structural reforms to result in successfully reviving the British economy. The US government under President Regan followed Mrs. Thatcher’s policy by pursuing structural reforms and successfully rejuvenated the US economy† (OECD, 2005, p.24). In recent years, developed and developing countries have recognized the beneficial effects of structural reforms, and have therefore adopted them. Among these nations, some have successfully attained economic growth, while others haven’t been successful. From this it is clear that structural and institutional reforms can have positive or negative impacts on corporate performance in nations, which is among the factors that determine economic progress. Structural and Institutional Reforms in Britain and America

Illegal Immigrants and Their Effects on Crime in America Research Paper

Illegal Immigrants and Their Effects on Crime in America - Research Paper Example USA, illegal immigrants represent a relatively high percentage of the population – if compared with other countries with similar political and economic frameworks. The reason is probably that job market in the USA is highly developed – following the high performance of the country’s industries; another reason could be also the fact that the countries surrounding USA – referring especially to the countries cited in the south, especially Mexico – have weak economies– compared to that of USA; therefore, USA is considered by immigrants as an exceptional chance for improving the quality of life; under these terms, immigrants decide to enter USA even illegally – most of them do not meet the requirements for entering the USA legally. This practice has led to the increase of the number of illegal immigrants across USA; at the next level, the increase of criminal activity developed in most states has been related with illegal immigrants. This i ssue is set under examination in this paper; it is proved that the rate of illegal immigration in USA has started to be decreased; however, the crimes in which illegal immigrants are involved have not been particularly reduced; it is concluded that measures need to be taken by the USA government so that immigrants are discouraged from entering the country illegally; in other words, preventive measures should be rather developed instead of punitive ones. The population of illegal immigrants in USA is high; in accordance with a recent report the illegal immigrants in USA are estimated to 11.9 million – a figure reflecting the country’s illegal immigrants population for 2008 (Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, ALIPAC, 2010); it is also noted that ‘the nations immigrant population (legal and illegal) reached nearly 38 million in March 2007, one-third of which are comprised of illegal immigrants’ (ALIPAC, 2010). In a series of statistics presented by the Center for Immigration Studies, the

The Cultural, social and economic townscape of Kings Lynn Research Paper

The Cultural, social and economic townscape of Kings Lynn - Research Paper Example Business activities developed around the waterways which stretched to the land from Lynn. The town developed and occupied the space between Purfleet River to the north and Millfleet River to the south. A period of expansion started in the late 12th century in Britain with broader streets and a larger market place. This Medieval town is the second between the Gaywood River and Purfleet. Bishop’s Lynn became rich on trade within Britain and abroad. The Hanseatic League was a German business organization comprising of merchants from Northern Germany and surrounding countries around Baltic Sea. After Henry VIII dissolving the monasteries, Lynn changed the name and became Lynn Regis and then later on was called King’s Lynn which has remained a very active port in the modern era. The town has been doing well with a strong industrial tradition and revolution. It has been an international trade centre back from the 12th century. However, several changes have been noted in the town’s economy. The Gross Value Added per capita has been forecasted to be below county values from 2001 to 2007 and the gap is increasing significantly. The productivity of labour has consistently been below county value from the year 2001 to 2007. In the years 2002 and 2003 a drop in labour productivity in the town was noted. (Great Britain, 2007) 2) The agricultural sector has been greatly boosted in Eastern England especially in Norfolk. The Agri-Tech Initiative has so far invested around 1.4 million pounds in local activities. Several businesses and projects have been funded in an attempt to improve the economy of King’s Lynn town and Norfolk at large. The Foster-Clarke Company based in Norfolk deals in agriculture, both arable and livestock. The funding will help in investigating new techniques of monitoring the health of crops by combining imaging techniques and light spectrums. The research aims at helping farmers to boost

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 134

Essay Example standards, innovation style, experimentation with drugs, alternative sexualities, interest in eastern religion, and rejection of materialism and claims of national consciousness. Kerounac, one of the ‘beat’ writers allows that it was it was street hustler Harbert Huncke who originally used the phrase ‘beat’ in an earlier discussion with him. ‘beat’ could colloquially mean ‘beaten down’ with the African-American community of the period and had developed from the image ‘beat to his socks’. One of the beat writers however altered the image and the meaning to include the connotations upbeat, beatific and a musical association of being ‘on the beat. John Clellon Holmes writes the article ‘This is the Beat Generation’ in New york Times Magazine in November 16, 1952 which gives several sentiments about the generation culture. The first concern is an eighteen-year old California girl who had been picked up for smoking marijuana and wanted to talk about it. In view of her contention, one of every five people you meet from the beat generation is a user of marijuana and people should leave them alone to do their own things. The writer is also concerned with a girl sentiment in a court courthouse for stealing a car and says that she believed small business to be dead and it intended to become a comfortable cog in the in the largest corporation it could find. The same generation is caught in the uncovering of the first non-virgin club in Illinois. The writer brings out the image of a group that drinks themselves to relaxation and as a way to solve their problems. Their sexuality morals are in question when the author points out that secretary of the beat generation are confused if to sleep with their boyfriends anytime, anywhere or to wait. They drink around and drive off to Detroit on a whim. The author sees the origin of the word ‘beat’ as obscure. To him it implies the feeling of having been used while still raw. He interprets it like some

Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis Paper - Essay Example Moreover, he has even-keel temperament and has ability for consensus-building. He's also a talented, introspective writer. However, Barrack Obama is more discussed from political and presidential point of view. This research paper discusses different forums where people have given their true opinions or reflections about Mr. Barack Obama. Reflections on Barack Obama The people opinions or reflections from online blogs, social networking websites, newspapers and articles are summarized as follows Online Blogs In an online blog, answering a question an individual stated that Barak Obama is the best president up till now the US has elected (Scifiman, 2007). Another user commented that he is a very courageous man who is continuously trying his best to satisfy the needs of the country. Moreover, his promise to make Washington work more transparent is appreciated. People have remarked him as hard worker who hasn’t turned his back on anyone. Some people appreciate the work of Mr. Oba ma commenting that all countries must have a president like him to make world a safer and gentle planet (Newbie, 2007). People have wished him success in all upcoming years and want him back again as president of US. Moreover, people believe that he is the one who will keep promise to strengthen US nation and will improve the lives of American nation (Troxler, 2008). Cammillie (n.d.) says that President Obama is better than the rest of the people and therefore he should be re-elected. Sarcastically, some people view him as best teleprompter reading (Sheltan, 2007). Although, he did well very little; but his speeches are heard by many. Moreover, Orson Scott Card (2008) comments that Obama's limited attitude about global warming and energy will add cost burden on America's poor people. Obama’s views on war are disagreed by most of the people. Deborah (n.d.) says that US must now stop invading other as the burden is shifted towards American taxpayer. Paying taxes kills American people. Moreover, people are against war which has resulted in sowing many social evil factors within American society such as drug abuse, disability, depression etc. People are more of view to have peaceful life. Rossmarie (n.d.) says that Obama is deceiving US nation by pretending that he is a transparent, moderate and unifying candidate. Moreover, he is destroying US military. Bobbie (n.d.) comments that Barrack Obama is a cold-hearted US hater who is somewhat responsible for the high debt that the country is facing in its history. Social Networking Websites Barack Obama is being discussed on Social media websites as well such as face book and twitter. Many face book pages are created on Barack Obama were people writes their comments, add videos, images etc. A quick survey of face book page shows that more people like him as their leader and have positive reviews regarding his presidency. The only thing that people discourages about his leadership is the increased tax burdens and war killings. However, besides appreciating US president, some people are against him and do not like his leadership. Slogans such as Go-Obama and No-Obama were observed my few individuals (Barrack Obama (b), 2012.). Similarly, social networking users have tweeted Barack Obama’s page on Twitter where the people’s opinion and discussions are same as that in face book (Barrack Obama News, 2012). Newspapers and articles New York Times has encouraged Obama as his victory is evidenced as he took

Role of U.S. Government Administrative Agencies Essay

Role of U.S. Government Administrative Agencies - Essay Example They play an appropriate role in checking the powers of business and other organs to prevent causing social, economic, and political and general form of harm to the national welfare. These agencies are formed for substantial national fields, such as security, transportation, labor, and immigration among others. This paper involves an analysis of ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission), as an agency created and empowered by the Congress to regulate interstate commerce in the United States. The case study has been used to answer how the government agencies function to improve the lives of the citizens when it overstretches its power to cause harm and its operations within a democratic government. The document also discusses the administrative law and how it merges with government agencies to improve citizens’ quality of life. Keywords: Government Agency, ICC, Business, Power, Congress, Citizens, Protection Law, Policies, Programs, Interstate, Intrastate, Regulations, Public Interes t The United States citizens have always been granted the freedom to express and practice legal businesses, as one way to improve their lives and contribute to the US economic development. However, the people, businesses, or organizations tend to make oppressive decisions or actions that could be based on self-interest first, before the rest of the society. As a result, the nation’s welfare and important issues could be injured at the expense of the minority groups; hence, the US government administrative agencies have to come in and to enforce law and order, through its bestowed authority to solve various controversies, by declaring implementation of specific public policies. In the Shreveport case, the interstate commerce commission (ICC), a Congress created and empowered regulatory government agency had intervened in the high rates of fare that were charged between Louisiana and Texas traffic, which could have damaged the commerce and interactive movement between the two s tates. After a deep investigation, the ICC found the interstate rates discriminative and unreasonable, it fixed the maximum rates of interstate traveling westwards to Texas market, and ordered the affected railroads to fix (raise) the intrastate rates of freight traveling eastwards to Texas markets (â€Å"National commerce† n.d., p. 72).  

What Do Responsible and Irresponsible Mean Essay

What Do Responsible and Irresponsible Mean - Essay Example As the paper declares an unreliable person who is negligent towards his duties and does not finish them accordingly is considered to be irresponsible. Responsibility is not restricted to one particular aspect but it rather plays a role in all the activities performed by a human being in his everyday life and a perfect standard of life can only be achieved by being responsible. From this discussion it is clear that the higher a position that a person acquires in the society, the burden of his responsibilities increases even more. A perfect example can be that of the heads of our states because they are accountable for everything that happens in the country and their responsibilities are not restricted to one area but rather they encompass the entire country. This responsibility is clearly associated with the management of people and the tasks that one has to perform. But apart from these obvious duties there are certain duties that own has towards the society. The norms that have been decided for the society teach a person about these responsibilities that he has towards it. A responsible human being will look into all aspects which include the leading of a moral and ethical life because he owes this responsibility to his Lord. Thus almost every activity that we perform is a reflection of our responmsible character. Irresponsible as the name implies runs on the opposite track to being responsible. An irresponsible nature is acquired by a person either intentionally or without intention. A person who knows that certain duties are important and should be performed but he still neglects them shows an intentional irresponsible character of a person. On the other hand a person does not even work to understand what he is obliged to do.  

Native Americans in the United States and Patrick J. Buchanan Essay Example for Free

Native Americans in the United States and Patrick J. Buchanan Essay In the introduction, Patrick J. Buchanan notes that Queen Elizabeth II went to the settlement of Jamestown in 2007, the town’s 400th anniversary. The Queen had been there before, when Jamestown was founded and again in 1957. Buchanan uses the Queens visit to Jamestown as a firsthand experience of how much has changed in Jamestown since its founding. He quotes the Queen, â€Å"Since I visited Jamestown in 1957, my country has become a much more diverse society just as the Commonwealth of Virginia and the whole of the United States of America have also undergone a major social change. † Buchanan mentions how different not only Jamestown was 400 years ago but also how different her citizens were. For example, the citizens massacred Native Americans and enslaved Africans. Jamestown was not yet built around the ideas of democracy and equality. The American Revolution was another key example; it was fought for freedom and distance from Britain and not for equality. The only persons of power at the time were rich white men. Buchanan makes the point that America 400 years ago was not based around democracy, equality and diversity, so why should we value that in the present? In 1957 the Queen visited Jamestown, Virginia. The changes noted by the Queen were extreme. â€Å"Virginia has indeed become a radically changed society. No longer does Richmond proudly call herself the Capital of the Confederacy. Lee-Jackson Day is out. Martin Luther King Day is in. The Confederate flag flies nowhere. † This demonstrates how much can change in 350 years. Buchanan believes that 2007 Virginia is ashamed of 1957 Virginia, and the state should be proud of who she was in 1607. America in 1607 was did not celebrate diversity or multicultural beliefs, so why should they now? Buchanan describes early American settlers as having an us-or-them sentiment. For example, the early settlers thought that their Christian faith made them superior beings and those who opposed them were inferior. Another point that Buchanan makes is when other culture such as Native American, African, or Spanish cultures were introduced to Americans they were not only rejected, but fought against in a violent manner. In 2007 Virginia culture and diversity is not only welcomed, but celebrated. Buchanan believes that this is not what the Founding Fathers of America had in mind during the creation of our country. In his concluding thoughts, Buchanan remarks that America is a changing nation especially in the areas of diversity, democracy and equality. No longer is religion taught in schools, and with it dies the beliefs that founded this nation.

The Mayan Civilization In Mesoamerica

The Mayan Civilization In Mesoamerica This area is geographically varied, ranging from volcanic mountains to limestone, to rainforests. Often, these extremely varied geographic areas are divided into areas known as the Highlands, and the Lowlands, both important to the presence of trade in the Mayan civilization. The lowlands were a beautiful location, surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west, and on the east was the Caribbean Sea. This was an area that was essential in the planting and production of crops such as maize, squash, beans, cotton, and sisal. As you can believe, the lowlands climate was very warm, and even in Rain season provided little rain. The Southern lowlands were home to rainforests and savannahs, where lakes were present and fed by the Usumacinta River. Rainfall was much higher in this area and drained towards the seas, creating essential rivers, (the Usumacinta and the Grijalva) for the Mayan people. These large rivers also provided a means for transportation. The Northern Lowlands were relatively drier, and home to small trees. This area was often an area of slash and burn agriculture. The Highlands were a more dangerous area, composed of mountains and valleys, and were shouldered on the south by the Pacific. This area was home to dangerous animals, such as Jaguars and poisonous snakes. Even though this area was more prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanoes, the highlands were the Mayans source of precious metals such as obsidian, jade, hematite and cinnabar, which were extremely important in trade relations, as well as value for themselves, as burials of wealthy individuals contain items such as head dresses, necklaces and other items of value made from metals. The Mayan civilization had many advanced methods of food production. It is now thought that raised fields and terracing, field managing, and wild harvesting were needed in order to support the large populations, which can be seen through aerial photographs, and appear to be connected by man-made canals. Most commonly, maize was their primary staple, but Mayans also grew beans, squash, as well as sisal and cotton for textiles. The wax and honey production from bees was also obtained, and various alcoholic drinks were made from corn. The Mayan people are most commonly known for their development of a complex writing system, as well as the construction of large, dramatic urban centres for their people past and present. Out of all the Mesoamerican civilizations, Mayan architecture may be the most highly recognized. Definitely the most dramatic, Mayan architecture is known for its huge step pyramids, which were adapted from earlier nearby civilizations. These pyramids were built for honouring gods and past leaders, who are commonly found deep within. Often, these great pyramids were built over with new structures. Other significant buildings of the Maya were often related to religion, administration, observatories, or high ranking citizens. Buildings were created with large, careful stone placement, as well as highly decorated. Understanding this architecture allows us to understand the customs and ways of the Maya civilization. Building materials often consisted of Limestone, lime stucco, plaster, flint, and cement; as they were readily available and fairly easy to produce. Often, buildings were adorned with murals, sculptures, and short script which expressed activities that were related to the building, often presenting mythological features or impressions of their gods. This was all done through man-power, as there were no metal tools, large domesticated animals, or even wheels to move all of these materials for building. The houses of the Mayan people were located within the city limits, and are often referred to as compounds. These areas consisted of wide open parts in the middle, in which religious ceremonies were held, usually on raised platforms right in the middle, allowing all to see. Also located near the middle were administration and ball courts. Often, people higher on the social ladder were located on the inner parts of the city, closer to amenities, and had much more spacious living quarters then those of commoners. The Maya people were very interesting in their sense of keeping track of things. Large numbers of administration related buildings, their invention of the calendar, as well as their recordings on stone stelae were the evidence of progression to a real organized state. This helps with the decipherment of how the population lived in every aspect of their lives; who they worshiped and the importance to respect (often in the form of bloodletting), how they were organized as a civilization, as well as their forms of communication. A lot of the historical record of the Mayans was lost during the Spanish rule, which resulted in the burning of Mayan books. These books would have provided a lot of insight into the way they lived, as well as helpful information to deciphering hieroglyphs. The Mayan Collapse To this day, there is still a lot of debate on what actually happened in the fall of the Mayan civilization. Around 870 Ad, the southern part of the lowlands began to collapse. There was no new construction beginning, and the cities gradually became deserted. This was a result of a combination of events, and is still today not definitely answered why this happened. There are many different opinions readily available, but these were some of the most convincing I came across. One point of view was that warfare was the last string pulled in the collapse. Warfare had become widespread, and some argue that the increasing power of royalty lead to a revolt. Another view was that environmental issues led to the collapse. Over harvesting to feed the growing populations damaged the small area of land that was workable, and eventually draining the nutrience of the land. This put a huge strain on the stability of the community, and the possibility of a few droughts made it inevitable. Stanley believes that the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Maya centres were abandoned, not because of burgeoning managerial costs, peasant revolts, or invasions from the outside, but because of erosion of the systems economic baseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Santley 149), Basically stating that over-harvesting of land for food every year left unfertile soil, in which nothing would grow. Another view I found interesting was by Crist, where on page 29 he suggests that with a civilization as large as the Mayan come issues such as epidemics such as malnutrition and disease which could be triggered by the infertile land not being able to produce for the ever-growing population of the Maya. I could see this to also be a contributing factor, as they really did not have any way to treat disease, or any solutions to malnutrition when you combine it with the potential environmental issues at the time. I believe that any of the previous situations could have easily dispersed if not ended the Maya civilization, and a combination of the proposals out there would have definitely been detrimental In my opinion, the Maya people were extremely advanced people. As a group, they were very knowledgeable farmers, and used their land to their advantage. Their ability to extract gems and metals and create semi=precious pieces that were highly valued really put them on top with trade relations. Although we have seen substantial structures in the past, the Maya structures were enormous, and highly decorated. The power and respect that Nobelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s had to construct these types of structures must have been amazing, as well as the respect required for the cooperation needed for the labour of these cities. The Mayan were highly intelligent, as they were able to build on Olmec civilization and come up with their own original calendar system, hieroglyphic writing, as well as astronomy. These three areas are still very much a part of our education today, and I believe that even though it may seem farfetched, that the Maya had a significant impact on how our calendars and interpret ation of astronomy was constructed to be what it is today.

The Growing Advancements In The Technology Media Essay

The Growing Advancements In The Technology Media Essay With the growing advancements in the technology the mode of communication is being utilized in every field is becoming popular these days. Science and technology have been making continuous advancements in every field like, computer science, medical science, mechanical science, telecommunications, media, etc. science and technology are now having its first step in the technological advancements throughout the globe. Since the discovery of fire, to the innovation of the calculator, pendulum, thermometer, clock, medicines, telephone, television, small gadgets, camera etc. are all great achievements of science. The technological advancements are making the dreams come true and giving relief to the coming generation. Just like food and water, technological advancements are the essential part of oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s life in this growing area. Media is one field which is now completely dependent on the technological advancements. Just think, if there were no cameras, no technology to broadcast, no printing press technologies, no computers, no satellite channels, and no other such advancements, then would it be possible for everyone to know about the happenings in the world. Media is in itself a complete encyclopedia of the events that occurred and that are occurring in the world. The most helpful advancement in the media industry is the innovative technology of the computers, and broadcasting. Media is the controlling hub for the technological advancements like internet, television, mobile devices and the newspapers and magazines (Diamond, 2010). Media has been emerging now as the most powerful agency that controls the dynamics of information system (Chan, 2004). This paper discusses the advancements of communication technology involving the use of internet, newspapers and telecommunication services. Media works on the principle of the fundamental rights stated in the constitution, that is, freedom of speech, which can be done either in verbal sense or in writing. The countries that do not allow people to have freedom of speech, remain in the last position in knowing the world facts and governments of such countries may not be aware of the needs of the citizens because they are not able to express their feelings and can not demand for anything (Chan, 2004). The internet is being widely used in all over the countries across globe. With the increasing use of the internet, media is also stretching its arms to grab maximum opportunities in every field. The development of any new technology is the outcome of the requirements in various fields which is searched and identified by using surveys and polls all around the world. Any new development is also a result of solving the errors that occurred in the previous versions. The new developments may or may not be good for the society. In this developing world, where everyone is running too fast to achieve milestones internet is really proving to be a better source of all hidden knowledge and one can easily find all the links on a certain topic easily using a particular set of keywords. The various search engines provide valuable knowledge to the person searching for different purposes (Sen, 2009). Review of literature There are many articles that tell about the importance of communication technology in the media. This technology involves the use of internet, telephonic communication, newspapers, etc. the most important way of communication involves the use of the internet which brings people from distances come together and share their views about any ongoing topic or any kind of discussion about the political, cultural, and social behavior of a particular region. From many papers, some research are discussed below that shows the importance of internet in the media communications(Aelst et.al, 2002). According to Peter Van Aelst, and Stefaan Walgrave, the social behavior of the people and their collective action to protest has taken a common area for the activity and in the democratic world that it gives less surprises to the public and media. The media keeps waiting for such events to occur which make the public go mad and so make the moment as historical and people just want to take part in such activities without any reason except they become a part of the historical movement. However, for the anti-globalization protests, the situation was not like for the many others. People will not come for protests as expected from the other countries too. Only some countries expressed their protests which were from Seattle, Washington, Prague and Genoa, showing an unexpected mixture of the movements from different Nations. Media is so intelligent to broadcast all the movements in all areas of the world and is able to make them come together to protest for the same cause(Aelst et.al, 2002) . Media is thus playing a very crucial role in organizing the historical movements and share them with the other parts of the world. The article by Peter Van Aelst, and Stefaan walgrave, gives a glimpse of the movements which were in progress and analyze the websites of many protesting organizations with the help of internet. This article presents the contribution of the sites that have contributed a lot to start the formation of the movements. It also presents the studies on the collective participation of the countries, and the mobilization of a network of organizations. This research truly gives an idea of the role of internet in media and tells that the internet plays a very crucial role in helping out media to gather information from various sites about the ongoing movements and the organizations taking part in the movements to encourage public about the ongoing protest. This article also helps to prove that the use of internet by various organizations is also an indicator to t he integration of different Nations and the various agencies. Though the use of technology like the internet and other communication gadgets and services is increasing day by day, but it is difficult to give a static explanation and analysis that up to what extent this technology will show the miracles in the media industry (Aelst et.al, 2002). Zheng Xiang and Ulrike Gretzel present a paper study on the role of social media as an information source for travelers. Social media are playing an increasingly important role as information sources for travelers(Xiang et.al, 2002). The aim of the study is to know the extent to which the internet is able to show better results in the search of travel related websites in the various search engines. For the study, a research design was created to motivate the traveler to search about the site. The traveler is asked to plan the travel according to a given set of keywords in accordance to the nine United States tourist destinations. The analysis by the user shows after checking the search results, that the social media, that is internet plays a pivotal role in the search results and planning a tour for a particular destination. It also showed that the search engine directs the travelers to the chosen destination without any delay. This study rightly concludes that the use of internet in media services like the advertisement of the travel tour planning has its roots in it. It also proves to be an important part in the online media generation. It also shows clear evidence for obstacles faced by traditional service providers like a guide or face to face information collected for travel-related guidance (Xiang et.al, 2002). Proposal The use of search engines on the internet and the use of mobile devices to communicate long distances, are the basic innovations done so far that has their maximum use in the media industry. The use of internet has a profound effect on the people working in the media industry. People are now dependent on the internet for getting help from several resources. In communication technology, telephone and use of mobile devices have a lot of research for many years. The discovery of the telephone and the use of printing technology for communication have their roots in the early years of the history. Though the devices and gadgets used at that time were heavy and are with some limitations, but advancements have gone since then with the use of the technology. The devices have been made small in size and efficiency in their working (Sen, 2009). Internet communication has also been under research for many years. For the first time, the internet has been only for the use of businessmen and entrepreneurs. As the time is running ahead in a fast speed, the use of internet has been increased. It has been widely used by all levels of users. Students, employees, businessmen, politicians, and all other people are using internet for their works. There are many applications to be used on the internet which serves many different purposes. The main area of research on the internet is the use of the data with certain privacy (Fulk, 1993). In the media industry, the internet serves many purposes like the editing, getting ideas for script writing of the previously written articles, being creative in the presentation and the overall knowledge about the new topics. The communication technology can be further studied for its relevance and the reliability for the public. It seems that as the use of communication technology is increasing, the privacy of a person is decreasing day by day. The privacy of the government organizations and other private organizations is getting disturbed due to the use of the internet (Ungerleider,1991). Research Question It is a question of great concern about the misuse of the internet in the media. The internet has been used as a technology for illegal activity to open up some scams in the big organizations which is just similar to the sting operation and so communicated through the internet to the various other organizations. Recently, the rise of Wikileaks and the whistle-blowing activities were in the news which were using internet applications as an illegal agent of the technology. Innovation and Its Importance: Whistle-blowers are the persons who provide the details of any illegal activity in the country or outside the country that occurs in the government department or the private companies to the public. These activities can be related to the corrupt activities, any scam, fraud, violations of the fundamental duties by the governmental officials, etc. These people then provide such kind of information to the other organizations and then reach to media for broadcast. When such illegal activities to reach the public, the public from all parts of the world come together to protest against any crime and which leads to a mass movement throughout the globe (Essienubong et.al., 2010). Many website hackers are able to hack the system of some government agencies also that have much confidential information which is not being shared with the public. Like the role of whistle-blowing technology has changed over time, the technology of the use of the internet by the media and the overall media system has changed. This change in the technologies used by the media to communicate with the other sources throughout the world has to come in front of the public. There are many whistle-blowers that are linked with many organizations and these organizations are linked to many media channels which forms a network and so any information can be exchanged from one corner of the world to the other corner of the world (Fulk,1993). The main area of concern and the study topic chosen is the changing trends in the internet services to the media and the technology related to the whistle-blowers over time. The modern technique involved in the whistle-blowing is the use of internet by which the information can be sent in seconds. Prediction The prediction in the use of technology is that due to increase in the use of internet technology and the media services, the information leakage has been increased by the time. This leakage has to be stopped before it goes into the wrong hands like the terrorist groups who can misuse the information for their own purposes (Diamond, et.al., 2010). In every country, the terrorist activities can be seen within less time period which indicates that they have such kind of technology with them like the media and other communicating channels, through which they are able to gather the information in less time and efficiently. The research can also be continued to explore the areas which can be harmful if the information reach to wrong hands. Such areas can only be explored by the help of internet services and the media networks all around the globe. For all the research, the help of the media organizations and the use of internet services and various applications will be required that brings the truth of the increasing activity of the internet in the media and other services provided by the internet to media. If the media personals remain in their limit and broadcast only those matters which are of great concern to the public then we can see a peaceful world without any mislead groups in the society.

The US Border Patrol :: Immigrants Immigration

The US Border Patrol The U.S. Border Patrol is the organization that polices the entry of illegal immigrants into our country. The official mission of the United States Border patrol is to protect the boundaries of the United States by preventing illegal entry, and by detecting, interdicting, and apprehending illegal aliens, smugglers, and contraband. Today, the United States Border Patrol consists of 21 sectors. Each sector is headed by a chief patrol agent. There are 145 stations located throughout the continental United States, and in Puerto Rico. The Border Patrol controls the border by land, sea, and air. The Border Patrol has jurisdiction across all United States borders and at least 25 miles off the border. The Border Patrol agents are responsible to check factories for illegal workers. As of September of 1995, the Border Patrol had 530 agents. The Border Patrol's efforts may be sufficient but many people believe that there are many problems in the methods of the Border Patrol. First, many people think that all of the equipment is costing the taxpayers too much. An estimation by TIME magazine states that in California alone, $400 million is spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants. CNN says that the care of illegal immigrants in one hospital in Jacksonville, Florida costs taxpayers $44.5 million. A Federal Government estimate says that $1.6 billion dollars is spent on the education of illegal immigrants each year in California alone. Just think of how much money is spent on illegal immigrants across the country. Now this is just the cost of the immigrants that get through the border patrol. These costs could be greatly lowered if the Border Patrol would do its job. Let alone the cost of the illegal immigrants that manage to get through the Border Patrol, the Border Patrol alone is costing plenty. In an overview, some people believe that we are spending too much money on the border patrol, considering that they simply are not doing their job. We are giving them so much money to get the latest equipment, but still people are getting through. The people in favor of the Border patrol have the basic idea that, yes, the Border Patrol used to be ineffective, but now due to many improvements in federal money, manpower, and technology the Border Patrol is very effective. They say that the reason for all the illegal immigrants in the U.S. is due to when the Border Patrol was not as effective as it could or should be. The US Border Patrol :: Immigrants Immigration The US Border Patrol The U.S. Border Patrol is the organization that polices the entry of illegal immigrants into our country. The official mission of the United States Border patrol is to protect the boundaries of the United States by preventing illegal entry, and by detecting, interdicting, and apprehending illegal aliens, smugglers, and contraband. Today, the United States Border Patrol consists of 21 sectors. Each sector is headed by a chief patrol agent. There are 145 stations located throughout the continental United States, and in Puerto Rico. The Border Patrol controls the border by land, sea, and air. The Border Patrol has jurisdiction across all United States borders and at least 25 miles off the border. The Border Patrol agents are responsible to check factories for illegal workers. As of September of 1995, the Border Patrol had 530 agents. The Border Patrol's efforts may be sufficient but many people believe that there are many problems in the methods of the Border Patrol. First, many people think that all of the equipment is costing the taxpayers too much. An estimation by TIME magazine states that in California alone, $400 million is spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants. CNN says that the care of illegal immigrants in one hospital in Jacksonville, Florida costs taxpayers $44.5 million. A Federal Government estimate says that $1.6 billion dollars is spent on the education of illegal immigrants each year in California alone. Just think of how much money is spent on illegal immigrants across the country. Now this is just the cost of the immigrants that get through the border patrol. These costs could be greatly lowered if the Border Patrol would do its job. Let alone the cost of the illegal immigrants that manage to get through the Border Patrol, the Border Patrol alone is costing plenty. In an overview, some people believe that we are spending too much money on the border patrol, considering that they simply are not doing their job. We are giving them so much money to get the latest equipment, but still people are getting through. The people in favor of the Border patrol have the basic idea that, yes, the Border Patrol used to be ineffective, but now due to many improvements in federal money, manpower, and technology the Border Patrol is very effective. They say that the reason for all the illegal immigrants in the U.S. is due to when the Border Patrol was not as effective as it could or should be.

Tay-Sachs Essays -- Health Medical Medicine Biology Essays

Tay-Sachs Abstract Tay-Sachs is a disease caused by a mutation to the gene which codes for Hex A. Without Hex A, a cell cannot degrade GM2 ganglioside into GM3 ganglioside. This results in a build up of ganglioside’s in lysosomes of neurons. The result is varying degrees of mental deterioration. New DNA-based screening is currently being developed to replace the enzyme-based screening techniques that have been used since 1969. This will not only speed up the diagnosis, but also allow for earlier detection of Tay-Sachs by using the parents genotypes. Introduction Tay-Sachs disease is one of three autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage disorders, collectively known as the GM2 gangliosidoses. They result from accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in lysosomes, primarily of neurons. The clinical symptoms of Tay-Sachs vary from infantile lethal neurodegenerative disease to less severe adult onset forms. The latter are often characterized by motor neuron impairments. The recognition of the high incidence of this disease among Ashkenazi Jews and the identification of the deficiency of hexosaminidase A as the basic defect were essential findings leading to the establishment of mass carrier screening programs for this disease [2]. Recently, research has focused on the DNA-based diagnostics that are anticipated to play a role in future carrier screening programs [1]. GM2 ganglioside hydrolysis The lysosomal hydrolase, beta-hexosaminidase, occurs predominantly in two forms, hexosaminidase A (Hex A) and hexosaminidase B (Hex B). Hex A is comprised of one alpha and one beta subunit while Hex B is comprised of two beta subunits [3]. While both subunits contain similar active sites, only the alpha subunit can hydrolyze GM2 gan... ... Gravel, R. (1990). The molecular basis of Tay-Sachs disease: mutation identification and diagnosis. Clin. Biochem. 23:409-415. 2. Navon, R., Proia, R. (1991). Tay-Sachs disease in Moroccan Jews deletion of a phenylalanine in the alpha-subunit of beta--hexosaminidase. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 48:412-419. 3. Gray, R.G.F., Green, A., Rabb, L., Broadhead, D.M., Besley, G.T.N. (1990). A case of the B1 variant of GM2-gangliosidosis. J. Inher. Metab. Dis. 13:280-282. 4. Meier, E., Schwarzmann, G., Furst, W., Sandhoff, K. (1991). The human GM2 activator protein. J. Biological Chem. 266:1879-1887. 5. Mahuran, D.J. (1991). The biochemistry of HEXA and HEXB gene mutations causing GM2 gangliosidosis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1096:87-94. 6. Robbins, S., Ranzi, R., Kumar, V., (Eds). (1984). Pathologic Basis of Disease. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Co. 142-145.

I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers

I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story. I-function and AI :: Biology Essays Research Papers I-function and AI The idea of creative and intelligent nonhumans is at once exciting and extremely useful. Wouldn't it be great to have a computer assistant that could anticipate your needs, or come up with novel solutions on its own? Scientists have often compared the function of the nervous system to computer programming, but does this comparison translate to an actual causal relationship? The way physics describes communication between computer parts in a binary system remarkably resembles the communications between neurons in the body. When considering the brain, science only looks at the physical components. If this physicality is sufficient to explain behavior then we can recreate this mechanism artificially in a computer. Thus, on the surface creating a computer that also shares the human behavior of intelligence and functions of the mind seems possible. To explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence, AI, this paper will consist of four sections. First, we will examine how computer programs and AI systems work. Then, the possibility of comparing these to the mind will be explored. A criterion for intelligence and consciousness will be derived with which to evaluate AI. Finally, the standards will be applied to current AI programs and tests. In conclusion, future for AI will be explored. Computers and Programming Computer programming breaks down to a simple code of on and off circuits, 1's and 0's-- binary code. AI addresses the cognitive skills of solving problems, learning and understanding language (4). Researchers use weak AI as a tool for merely modeling mind systems, whereas strong AI is a mind itself and presents its own set of cognitive explanations (6). AI systems of artificial neural fields compose response rules for themselves based on notions of the present situation. Expert systems, another branch of AI, consist of a knowledge base and a reasoning engine. Systems perform specific tasks by applying the built in knowledge to the task with an interference engine, a reasoning structure (4). Processing relies on rule-based system of if-then statements to form a line of reasoning. The programming of chess programs such as Deep Blue uses this type of limited intellectual mechanisms (5). Other AI programs try to mimic human understanding in language. Weizenbaum's ELIZA program models human communication by engaging in conversation, through asking questions based on responses of a user (6). Another program by Schank simulates human understanding of a story and answers implicit questions about it given a representation of the information presented in the story.

William Blake’s Poetry Demonstrates His Fascination with the ‘Marriage of Opposites’

William Blakes rime demonstrates his fascination with the brotherhood of opposites William Blake manipulations a re sensitiveal of techniques to demonstrate his interest in the marriage of opposites. Opposite is defined as atomic number 53 that is contrary to another. Innocence is frequently associated with jejuneness and youngsterhood as it is the sincere beauty of life. Those who ar innocent argon unconscious of sexuality or the wickedness of this land to which they atomic number 18 helpless once morest. W here(predicate)as be grow is the fights and gap by some involvement innovative which leads to a new understanding.It is a collection of lessons that a someone goes through with(predicate) during their lifetime. The contrast amongst naturalness and grow is portrayed in Blakes poems Infant gladden, Infant sadness and The lamp lamp chimney Sweeper ( sinlessness), The Chimney Sweeper (experience) through the put on of similes, symbolism, resourcefulness, col location, emotive vocabulary, repetition, alliteration and assonance. This act will examine the feelings of naturalness and experience through references to the poetic techniques applied in the poems. Infant Joy is one of the poems by Blake which falls in the Songs of Innocence.What is the difference between a figurative and a unfeigned analogy?Notions of purity are pictured in the poem through the way Blake has employ language which resembles that of a nestling. The cerebration of innocence is too portray by the satisfactionous and happy sapidity utilize throughout the poem. The child, who is the section, verbalizes as if it is so delightful to be alive. This is similarly shown through the use of poetic techniques such(prenominal) as repetition. The takings of the talking to sweet joy gives a positive disposition as two represent happiness. The use of imagery is also evident when he writes pretty joy It provides us the optic of a genuinely adorable baby and allows us to see a newborn child, so naive and unaware of the dangers of this world. The technique Blake has employ in structuring the poem tacks it out in analogy to a lullaby. The short sentences, simple words and optimistic language add to the notion of innocence as infancy and innocence are often associated with one another. run-in such as happy, sweet, joy, pretty, smile and sing, sway positive connotations and in using these inside the poem, Blake has created a fundament of cheerfulness and purity.Blake uses comparable techniques in The Chimney Sweeper (innocence) as he did in Infant Joy to portray the notions of innocence. He has once again employ a child persona and simple language to identity the rawness and purity in the poem. Poetic techniques such as symbolism, repetition, visual and aural imagery are used to assist in creating this theme of infancy and ingenuousness. There are many uses of symbolism throughout the poem. And by came an Angel who had a magnifice nt key, and he opened the coffins and tick them all free. This musical note holds two manikin of symbolism.One cosmos the bright key which symbolises freedom and hope for the chimney sweepers, the other being the coffins which represent their goal and the actual chimney that the children would have normally died in. Repetition is seen in the line could s crappertily cry cry Weep Weep Weep The use of repetition here emphasizes the young person of the child when its parents had sold them and also speaks for all the other chimney sweepers who had to be sold at a early twenty-four hour periods age. The use of visual and aural imagery in the line then take down a green plain, leaping, laughing they run, and laundry in a river and shine in the Sun. identifies the happiness of the children as they have been set free from their chimneys. You can visual the children zoom and giggling across the green plain on a bright sunny day and see the big smiles on their faces as well as hear them laughing. The use of words such as newfangled and little create the theme of innocence in the poem. As William Blake is fascinated in the marriage of opposites, all of his songs of innocence accessory with a song of experience. Infant Sorrow contrasts to Infant Joy as it holds minus connotations. This is done by setting a lost, hopeless, depressing and despairing tone.This tone is created by poetic techniques such as visual and aural imagery, simile, and figurative language. Visual and aural imagery can be identify when the child is explaining how it was brought into the world. piping loud gives us a glimpse of what it was like when this happened and what an indefinable experience it was for the baby. A simile is used in the line like a fiend hid in a maculate. This is also the use of figurative language as the child is not literally like a demon in the cloud however it is implying that it feels that way.The child senses that its parents are not very acheive of it be ing brought into the world and the child feels as though it is alone and will have to get by on its own without the love, support and comfort of its parents. That is why it has chosen to swan it is like a fiend hid in a cloud because it feels out of manoeuver and on its own. The diction used in this poem demonstrates that it is a song of experience as it uses words such as groaned, wept, dangerous, helpless, fiend and struggling.These words give contradict connotations and therefore add to the theme of discouragement and desperation. The Chimney Sweeper (experience) uses similar techniques as Infant Sorrow to depict the notions of experience. Blake has set a resentful and bitter tone through the child persona as we hear about the child reprobate its parents for their actions. Poetic techniques such as juxtaposition, illustration and aural imagery are used to enhance these themes. A little total darkness thing among the century is the use of juxtaposition as it is contrastin g black and snow.It is suggesting that the child is the little black thing as it is covered in lampblack from the chimneys, and is lying on the white snow. The theme of this poem is also portrayed when the child says crying weep, weep, in notes of woe this is an example of aural imagery as we can hear the child weeping. A metaphor is used in the line who tiller up a heaven of our ill. The child is conveying how its parents make up the heaven of our misery, implying that they are the heaven of our misery. This metaphor holds negative connotations as the child expresses how his parents are guilty of putting him in this misery.The childs parents act as if they are religious people when they would happily correct their innocent child to this life. When analyzing the diction used in the poem, words such as crying, weep, death, injury and misery can be found which demonstrates negative connotations. In conclusion, William Blakes fascination with the marriage of opposites is clearly r ealized in his poetry. The contrast between innocence and experience is clear in his songs of innocence and songs of experience as innocence is associated with youth and purity and experience is linked to sadness and despair.