Monday, September 30, 2019

For the tourist and the foreigner

A Dying Colonialism is a story of how Fanon, during the Algerian Revolution, described how people changed the century-old cultural ways and adopted a certain practice that was designed to destroy the so called â€Å"tyrants† during that time.On the first part of the book, Fanon devoted many pages to the veil and its political importance:â€Å"For the tourist and the foreigner, the veil demarcates both Algerian society and its feminine counterpart.† (A dying colonialism, pg. 35-36)There is a certain complexity of the role of the veil in the Algerian revolution. There have been issues with European bosses trying to put their male Algerian employees on the corner by demanding that they bring their wives to company functions. So the dilemma is that if they agree to do as their bosses wish, they are going against their cultural ruling out against women being on display but if they decline, they would be risking their jobs they risked losing their jobs.† And so, as Fano n has stated,â€Å"The rape of the Algerian woman in the dream of a European†¦is always preceded by a rending of the veil.† (A Dying Colonialism, pg. 45)On the first part of the book, one could see that Fanon emphasized the fact how women are distinguished during those times. The veil distinguishes an Algerian from a foreigner, and was stated in the page of the book below, one could see that Fanon took care in reiterating the fact that there are very clear distinctions on the society during those times.â€Å"In the case of an Algerian man, on the other hand, regional medications can be noted: the fez in urban centers, turbans, and djellabas in the countryside. The masculine garb allows a certain, margin of choice, a modicum of heterogeneity. The woman seen in her white veil unifies the perception that one has of Algerian feminine society. Obviously, what we have here is a uniform which tolerates no modifications, no variant.The haik very clearly demarcates the Algerian colonized society. it is of course possible to remain hesitant before a little girl, but all uncertainty vanishes at the time of puberty. With the veil, the things become well-defined and ordered. The Algerian woman in the eyes of the observer, Is unmistakably â€Å"she who hides behind the veil† (A Dying Colonialism, pg. 36)From the phrases above, one could see that there are certain way accepted way on how people should go about things. And that is what they wanted to change. They wanted to change the image of a traditional woman and they have transformed and defined women in a different light.That was why their political doctrine at that time was that â€Å"If we want to destroy the structure of Algerian society, its capacity for resistance, we must first conquer the women; we must go and find them behind their veil where they hide themselves and in the houses where men keep them out of sight† (pg.38) It was a very striking and very meaningful phrase such that it im plies the power that women have that they think they haven’t explored yet.By finding these women behind their veil, it not only implies letting them know what they really are and should be, but it is also an implication that there are options that are yet to be explored in the governance of a country as rigid as Algeria during those times. If women can be conquered and put to use, there is so much unexpected things that can happen. The mind of a woman is yet to be explored and exploited and by un-inhibiting them from self-expression, the possibilities of changing the Algerian society are infinite.A Dying Colonialism is a story of the liberation and newly discovered power Fanon claims that the Algerian women have struggled for and succeeded through their active involvement in the Algerian. It was also implied in the book that Fanon believed that the recent victory of women for respect and equality held by the prominent women was permanent, an indication of the outlook on †Å"modern,† socialist, revolutionary Algeria.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Mcdonald’s Healthier Happy Meals Essay

McDonald’s Happy Meals for children came under extreme scrutiny when parents, consumer-advocacy groups, and certain city councils deemed it to be inappropriate to lure children to such an unhealthy meal by including a free toy. In November 2011, the San Francisco city council decided to prohibit the addition of toys to meals that did not conform to specific nutritional values (Melnick, 2011). In July 2011 McDonald’s announced that they plan to provide their customers with a healthier option. In order to successfully make these changes McDonald’s hired a research group to conduct an extensive research and present them with a cost effective solution. The Research Questions The questions the company had to look into to resolve this issue was: * How can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? * How can they cut the calories from their existing meals? * How can they make healthy food desirable to children? * How can they keep these healthier options cost effective? * What would be the best marketing strategy to launch these healthier changes? The Hypothesis A hypothesis explores a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation (Merriam-Webster, 2013). In the exploration to raise a question and find an answer, the company has to face the question: how can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? Through the years McDonald’s has added a couple new features to their menu like a wider selection in desserts, a value menu, and select new refreshing healthier choices to their fast food chain. But the question now is, how can they further cut the calories from these meals? Yes, McDonald’s has gained a fine respect in the fast food industry for upgrading to healthier choices, but now the kids menu may need some revamping on their own. If the regular menu can provide healthier choice selections like salads, less than 400 calories, and weight watcher approved items, what can they do about happy meals? A solution to providing a healthier selection is to offer a more beneficial meal that kids can enjoy. Apple bags, celery sticks, carrots, reduced milk, baked instead of fried items and healthier meat. Those are just a couple of suggestions to an issue that is easy to solve. The main purpose is to change the world one step at a time, and healthier living for is the new road to take. The Variables Local societies are becoming more health conscience and looking for healthier options when going out to eat. Even though McDonald’s did not follow the popular approach by luring people in through the use of famous celebrities, people felt that offering toys with their Happy Meals were unacceptable. The variables in a research scenario are considered to be independent (IV) and dependent variables (DV). In this research scenario the independent variables are the food and the marketing strategy, while the amount of calories and interest of the children are the dependent variables. Many children were attracted to McDonald’s Happy Meals for the toy they got with it and this is what their marketing strategy revolved around. In April 2012, The Time’s released the article â€Å"Why we’re eating fewer happy meals†. The article’s main focus was McDonald’s use of toys with their Happy Meals and the use of a clown who â€Å"is hell-bent on the creepy mission of luring children into McDonald’s, where they’ll be fattened up and primed for a lifetime of regular fast-food dining visits† (Tuttle, 2012, p. 1). Along with improving their Happy Meals, McDonald’s has also changed their marketing strategy. They still offer the toys but it is no longer their main focal point. Instead they now show Ronald McDonald playing around, participating in healthy activities and proclaiming that a healthier life style is a lot of fun.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Marketing and Product Life Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing and Product Life Cycle - Essay Example In addition, these will also aid the company in informing customers on the usage of the new product. During the launching, in-store promotions will also be used in order to allow the customers to experience and be educated of Key Ring. Questions will be entertained and freebies will also be given to participants. During the growth stage, it is expected that the product will already be popular in the market but competitors are trying to catch up by making their own campaigns. Procter and Gamble will counter this by giving higher discounts to the company's products. Bundling and in-store promotions will still be utilized. Noting the strong brand equity of Procter and Gamble, it is expected that buyers will still gravitate to its products and will be seeking more ways to get discounts. Sales is expected to taper off during maturity when demand slowly stabilizes. Procter and Gamble can stimulate the use of Key Ring by including its new product lines in the discount coupons. Since the company is very much aggressive in introducing new product variants, it is very much advisable to entice customers in buying these products by allowing them to purchase at a discount.

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Criminal law system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Criminal law system - Essay Example This means that even those who enact laws or promulgate policies are not exempt from the objective purpose of the law-that anyone who commits any crime or aggression must be brought before the courts of justice and be given fair and impartial trial according to non-arbitrary legal procedures. Justice, in the strictest essence of the word, means that all men are equal under the aegis of the law and have the opportunity to develop and to achieve free from state compulsion and threats and intimidation of others. If a person's right is violated and that the law penalizes such violation committed by another, the state may step in to protect the rights of the aggrieved and penalize the aggressor. This, in effect, is the role of criminal justice system There are main major components of criminal justice system. These are the following-1) the existence of law enforcement; 2) the establishment of courts of justice; 3) and the existence of clear objective penalties. These components must be in accordance with the rule of law so that government agencies and institutions tasked with the protection of criminal justice system must act in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, that the courts' duty is to secure the accessibility of justice to all individuals, and that penalties must be fair, non-arbitrary, never excessive, and be meted out only to the guilty. In free and democratic countries like the United States, criminal justice system is defined by laws and policies promulgated by the state through the legislative branch. One of the mechanisms to strengthen criminal justice system is the President's Commission on Law enforcement and Administration of Justice issued in 1967 whose purpose is to prevent and combat crime (McCord, 1997). Every country in the world has its own criminal justice system. This is because sound and efficient criminal justice system will guarantee peace and orderly society, as well as the economic progress and political maturity of a nation. There is an undeniable connection between effective criminal justice policy and good governance, the same way that there is symbiotic relationship between the first and economic development of a nation. Corruption One of the aspects that largely undermine criminal justice system is the practice of corruption, which is a criminal offense since it is perpetrated to defraud the government and the taxpayers. Though generally committed by government officials, private individuals, particularly those who enter into contracts with the government, may also perpetrate corruption. There are manifold forms or facets of corruption, a dim reality that makes it hard to detect and deter. This is the reason why the government must establish effective mechanisms, as well as institutions and agencies, designed to detect graft and corrupt practices and to punish perpetrators. The clever schemes of corrupt individuals, both public and private, including their illegal activities and practices, must be detected and deterred by anti-corruption government agencies in order to discourage impunity and deter future crimes. Based on the report of Transparency International (2007), corrupt practices constitute of the "abuse of entrusted power for private gain." The intent of the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The impact of advertisements on customers Research Paper

The impact of advertisements on customers - Research Paper Example Therefore, the advertising done by any company should be planned and executed in an excellent way so as to affect the customers. Successful advertising can impact on customers psychologically, emotionally and rationally. Advertisers have to pay a lot of attention to the way customers think and behave. They have to carefully study the impacts their advertising can have on customer`s minds. Their main focus is on the design of their advertising as that is the component affecting the decision making behavior of the customers. The main goal of advertising should be to attract as many customers as possible and also to analyze the affects that advertising can have on the minds of the customers (The positive effects of advertising, Web). The psychological effects of advertising are such that it arouses the customer`s wish to purchase the products. In the process of advertising, firstly, the customer`s attention is focused on the design of the advertising and the information being told through it. After that, the process of reasoning takes place during which the customer`s emotions are transferred into desires of actually acquiring the product. This desire of customers is then turned into an action when they actually purchase the product. An example of this psychological impact on customers is when a particular customer watches an advertisement of a product like a burger on television. This is the first stage during which the customer`s attention is focused on this burger and the different features or ingredients of this particular burger. In the second stage, the customer starts desiring the burger and wants to actually go out and buy this burger. During the last stage, the customer will go out and purchase this burger in order to fulfill his desire and wish. After consuming it, if it satisfies the customer then he will become a regular buyer and will keep buying it and if not then he will regret his decision, will not buy it again and will even tell others not to buy this burger in the future. Therefore, a company should make sure that its advertising successfully promotes the true features of its products and should not misguide the customers (The psychological impact of advertising , Web). Apart from the psychological impacts of advertising, there are a number of emotional impacts of advertising as well. Advertising can emotionally affect the attitudes and purchase decisions of customers. Researchers have proved that the emotional impacts of advertising can indirectly affect the memory of customers. Many advertisers today are trying to create emotional impacts on customers through their advertising strategies and lure them into buying the products in order to increase their sales. According to a theory, advertising can have three kinds of impacts on customers. Out of these three impacts, two are positive while one relates to a negative emotion. One of these emotional responses relates to the arousal stage of the psychological impact process and involves emotions such as joy, surprise, excitement etc. the other set of positive emotions include feelings of warmth, hope as well as care and gentleness. These emotions can together have an impact on the customer att itudes and intentions of purchase of all the customers. The impact that advertisers plan to have on customers is actually different from what customers feel and this is portrayed in their attitudes.

Answer question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Answer question - Essay Example Samsara is a complex state of the mind where a recreation occurs in the material world. In Buddhism, the process entails three crucial states of beginning, death and the recreation of an individual. An individual experience process when the mind wonders in a systematic ritual. Buddhism describes Samsara as the desires to recreate existence within the mind while opening and closing the eyes within different intervals (Wangu, 2009). The existence provides other interaction platforms of individuals within the recreational process. Samsara entails the Karma as a recycled process of birth. Buddha offered guidance on how to stop the process through individual determination and decision. The process of Samsara and Nirvana entail complex mental states that transform the individual mind. The belief on both the processes lacks the concept of reality but entail a defined existence. In Buddhism, both processes occur because of individual decision to existence and self-acceptability. The mind is the distinguishing element to define and relate the two

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Film and critical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Film and critical - Essay Example Quentin Tarantino’s achievement in his film Pulp Fiction was to create the ultimate example of a post-modern film. The work has a sense of nostalgia while creating something that was new and interesting for a generation that was looking to find out I there was something new to be seen. Tarantino created a work that was written in such a way as to engage the viewer in confusion that had to be unraveled and evaluated for its ultimate content. The use of pop culture imagery and dark counterculture lifestyles creates a universe that feels as though it is just off center to reality. The storyline is non-linear, creating complex web of interconnections between the characters. It is not hard to understand the film, but there is a world of theory that can be explored in the narrative allowing for a fresh perspective to be gained through multiple viewings. has a surreal quality while remaining intense in harsh strokes. The quotes that come from the dialogue have become a part of contemporary slang, giving the film elevated status in pop culture. The achievement of this film is that it appeals both intellectually and gutturally. When it was released, it was a huge success, re-launching the career of John Travolta and instantly elevating Tarantino into celebrity. The film became influential in subsequent work and instigated a new point of view. Analysis from a political point of view allows for an understanding of the position that was held in the early 1990’s as the political landscaping was changing. Released in 1994, the film reflects a growing conservatism that was cynical reaction to a liberalist attitude whose idealism had fallen short of the dream. Creating an immersion into violence, the film creates the feeling that order can be maintained only from a patriarchal dominance that has swift and bloody retribution. According to

Monday, September 23, 2019

Senator Michael F. Nozzolio Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Senator Michael F. Nozzolio - Article Example He also serves in the Senate finance and Senate Rules Committees, meaning that he and his colleagues have power over the budget of the State (Nozzolio) . Senator Nozzolio has over the past years been an active participant in the House of Senate, proposing bills and being involved in passing of these bills. For Example, in January 2014, he voted against the bill to implement and enforce a secure ammunition and firearms team. This bill was passed by the house. In May 30th 2013, Senator Nozzolio proposed a bill to the Senate House, the bill proposed an act to amend the law on environmental conservation. The motion brought forward touched on the authorization of hunting in the Wayne County (United state snate). He proposed that the Senate should revoke such an authorization once it expires in 2015 so that that part of the law is not renewed. Senator Nozzolio and other 61 members of the house voted yes to such an amendment and the bill was passed. Senator Nozzolio during elections made a commitment that he would enhance the job-producing small businesses project. He is now encouraging citizens to involve themselves in the small businesses and promote the already established ones by shopping at local businesses. He thus designated a Saturday called, â€Å"Small Business Saturday† where the locals and their leaders come together to acknowledge and appreciate the small enterprises that have been established locally to encourage people to shop locally (Nozzolio). He had also promised that he would try and reduce the burden tax payers have to carry to keep the country running. Therefore he has over the years been committed strongly to fulfilling this election promise. The previous the senator stated that there has been formation of a new move by the Senate to create jobs and mitigate the burden taxpayers have to carry. Senator Nozzolio was born and bred in Seneca County, and served in the senate for quite a long time.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Effects of Media on Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Media on Communication - Essay Example For example, Americans can find virtual friends online from other countries who eventually become their real friends. As communication with the virtual friends become more frequent, communication with real friends and family take an opposite direction. This is true not only in social networking sites but with the effects of other media as well such as the television. While one family member spends his time on the computer, another is in front of the television while still another is speaking on the phone. This causes families to be there but not ‘really being there’ for each other. It could also be similar to a family who may all be in front of the television whose communications become problematic as well because each one is concentrating on what is being shown on TV. Members could speak with each other but their communication is not too involved compared to when they have nothing else to do but communicate. This is because their attention is divided. In conclusion, media affects communication in so many ways, positively and negatively. However, people should bear in mind that the things we use to improve our communication do not simply improve or destroy communication on their own but it will take people to do those. Therefore, it is the decision of a person if media will destroy his communication or improve it. After all, everything that is good always have something bad it brings along but it will always depend on the people how they will let these things affect them.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Post-Compulsory Education and Training Essay Example for Free

Post-Compulsory Education and Training Essay * Learning Objectives Justify your choice by reference to the cohort analysis, scheme of work and the assessment schedule.LO1 To be introduced to the meaning of Autism and Asperger’s syndrome, and compare and contrast the difference between the two conditions.LO2 After watching a video, all learners will be able to discuss the triad of impairments linked with autism.LO3 All learners will be introduced to the term ‘Theory of Mind’ and how this develops in children.LO4 All learners will be able to identify the key components of The Sally Anne study. Most learners will able to summarise its strengths and weaknesses in supporting Theory of Mind.LO5 Most learners will correctly answer an OCR past paper exam question on Baron-Cohen.LO6 All learners will consolidate their learning with an interactive plenary on the topic covered in today’s session.The aims and objectives in this lesson were chosen in order to relate to OCR Psychology (3.2 AS Unit G542: Core Studies) Allowing the students to be aware of this link to the assessment criteria will keep them motivated, and give their learning purpose to aim for a long term goal. The Learning Objectives have been differentiated to allow for learning to take place at all levels, and to allow for inclusion for all, despite the fact that candidates may have difficulties i.e. one learner has Asperger’s syndrome, and another has dyspraxia. These objectives will be achieved using all 3 VAK learning styles.(Honey and Mumford 1992)The learning objectives are differentiated and specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART) to ensure accessibility (Wallace, 2011) * Teaching and Learning Activities Justify your choice of methods and resources to be used by matching them against learning objectives using reasons and evidence from appropriate models of learning. The teaching and learning activities for this session have been designed to introduce a new topic in Psychology, Core Studies. As this is an introductory lesson to a topic, I have prepared learning activities which are accessible to all the learners, to ensure that nobody is excluded at any time. (Wallace 2005) All activities are varied to accommodate all levels and learning styles (VAK) as pupils are often a combination of visual, audio and kinaesthetic. (Claxton 2002)I will promote inclusiveness during the session by having a list of key words if at any point they are unsure; have specific instruction written down as well as reading them out. Hand-outs will be given out with a choice of colour, and supporting any learners one to one where necessary. I intend to keep learners motivated by making everyone feel comfortable and safe in the classroom environment, ensuring a sense of belonging and to meet all learners self-esteem needs encouraging praise and independence where necessary and promote optimism so that all students are self-actualised (Maslow 1908-1970) Ensuring the humanistic learning theory is addressed, I will allow drinks of water when necessary, and provide fairness and equality for all learners. (Disability and Equality Act 2010)Room set-up- Arrange the tables into groups. This will encourage all learners to get involved (every learner matters) and to make sure that no learner is seated with their back to me and that I am not sitting behind a desk as this creates a physical barrier between the teacher and learner and encourages eye contact. (Wallace 2007)Questioning- Non directed questions will be asked at the beginning of the session to assess prior knowledge, which will be demonstrated through a thought-shower on the board (visual and auditory). Through-out the session the questions will become directed and scaffolded (Bruner, cited in Jarvis 2004) to assist in gaining knowledge and answers from learners.When asking questions, use learners names your and prior knowledge of their ability and personality (as I have never taugh t this class before, they have been given name stickers) This ensures that learners feel valued and supported. (Keeley-Browne 2007)Pre-starter – I have included a pre-starter activity, as with it being a 3pm class, students can often come in lethargic and unmotivated. They often need some immediate stimulation, to wake them up and encourage a productive lesson.Starter – We will create a though shower (visual) on the board to assess prior knowledge of this new topic being covered, and it gives the learners ownership of their own work, as their input is what gets written on the board. Prior learning experiences have the potential to enhance or interfere with new learning’ (Knox, 1997)Main Learning Process – The majority of the lesson is based around PowerPoint slides, videos and group discussion/work. This ensures that all three domains of learning are being addressed – cognitive (thinking in their groups and whilst listening to the presentation), affective (feeling how autistic people may feel after watchi ng the video clips), and psychomotor (applying their knowledge in a hands on task) (Bloom et al, 1971) This adopts VAK learning styles. Everyone benefits from using a wide variety of styles also known as whole brain learning. (Coffield et al 2004) When learners make an interesting observation/ comment, or get an answer correct, it is vital to give them praise. Many learners in sixth form can have low self-esteem; therefore giving out praise when warranted can enhance their feeling of self-worth and competence by acknowledging their qualities and strengths (Vizard 2007.)Group Work Group work can be a largely effective way of learning, taking strengths from each individual and combining it for model answers. In this session, learners will be split up into groups for part of the task, ‘As well as being an enjoyable activity in itself, this provides huge opportunities for learning. It requires that learners process the new material and make personal sense of it.’ (Petty 2009) From the cohort analysis, I am aware of who works well and encourages/motivates each other. The learners are aware of this themselves, and usually sit with the people/person they work well with. If people are distracted then I will take action by changing the group dynamics. In their groups they will discuss one of the triad of impairments from their prior knowledge and information given on a video. This shows that they can apply the knowledge they have gained the thought shower and video into a new situation. (Blooms Taxonomy – application of knowledge.) Once they have completed their group work, they will now share and discuss their ideas with the rest of the class, by sticking their A3 sheet of ideas on the board. (Think, pair, share.)Hand-out- All work sheets are on coloured paper (if possible), which aids any dyslexic learners without them standing out, as the whole class will have the same colours. ‘Everyone who can benefit from further education should be able to participate’ (John Tomlinson 1996) The PowerPoint presentation will be accessible on Moodle for future reference and revision purposes.Assessment for Learning- A past paper question will be asked in order to assess their level of understanding from the lesson. They will complete the question under exam conditions (no notes or talking, and timed) and peer mark the question. They will be given feedback on which is a model answer, and which isn’t sufficient, and I will collect in and monitor progress. It is imperative feedback is given (Black William, 1998).Plenary- All learners will participate in an interactive activity to assess and ensure learning has taken place (formative assessment.) Looking at the cohort analysis, and after a couple of lessons observing this group, I have noticed they work well as a whole class and enjoy interactive plenaries. The Deal or No Deal task will allow learners to gain feedback from the teacher, peers and feedback from themselves as they answer questions. It has been suggested that formative feedback has some of the most positive effects on learners. The greatest effect is on the weakest learners (Black and William, 1998) The group can become a little bit chatty and excitable when completing a group task, therefore I will need to manage the noise levels.Rewarding good behaviour and achievement allows learners to be respected and valued for who they are, how hard they have tried and what they have achieved and build up a mutual and trusting relationship between the teacher and learner, allowing the learner to feel safe and valued in class. This is expressed as ‘unconditional positive regard’ (Rodgers 1983)Try and make students feel good about themselves, even when you are criticising their work/ answer and trying to guide them onto the right path (two stars and a wish) Articulate the standards you have identified, i.e. elaborate what will actually happen in terms of teaching and learning activities against each standard, Do not just list or re-state the standards you have ticked off.You may group related standards together where they are addressed through one activity.Standard(s): AP 4.1 Use relevant theories of learning to support the development of practice in learning and teaching.Articulation: Use of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Proving a safe and comfortable learning environment, using praise to build up self- esteem on order to achieve self-actualisation. Blooms Taxonomy was also used applying the knowledge from the video clips and PowerPoint in the session to the group work on The Triad of Impairments.Standard(s): AP 4.2 Reflect on and demonstrate commitment to improvement of own personal and teaching skills through regular evaluation and use of feedbackArticulation: I write a reflection after every taught session. I plan to use De Bonos Thinking Hats after this session, using the feedback gained on the scales given to the class at the beginning and the end of the session.Standards(s): AP 6.2 Demonstrate good practice through maintaining a learning environment which conforms to statutory requirements and promotes equality, including appropriate consideration of the needs of children, young people and vulnerable adults.Articulation: This lesson meets the statutory requirements of a teacher required by Cronton Sixth Form College, meets the requirements of the examining body. The lesson filly includes all learners, and the cohort analysis has allowed me to be aware of individual needs and requirements.Standard(s): BP 1.1 Establish a purposeful learning environment where learners feel safe, secure, confident and valued. Articulation: Again this links to Abraham Maslows ‘hierarchy of needs’, providing a safe classroom environment, allowing for students to pass through all the stages to become self-actualised. Applying Rodgers ‘unconditional positive regard’ throughout the session, rewarding and praising good behaviour will allow for learners to feel valued and respected. Standard(s): BP 2.1 Provide learning activities which meet curriculum requirements and the needs of all learners. Articulation: The aims and objectives in this lesson were chosen in order to relate to OCR Psychology (3.2 AS Unit G542: Core Studies)The Learning Objectives are all differentiated, which will meet all learners various needs so ensure learning takes place. This links into Every Learner Matters.Standard(s): BP 2.4 Apply flexible and varied delivery methods as appropriate to teaching and learning practice.Articulation: There are many different delivery methods used for learning in this session, allowing for all types of learners to learn and achieve (VAK.) Such methods used are throughout the session are thought showers, questioning, practical hands-on activity, video clips, group work, peer assessment an interactive assessment activity.Standards(s): BP 3.1 Communicate effectively and appropriately using different forms of language and media, including written, oral and non-verbal communication, and new and emerging technologies to enhance learningArticulation: I will use various forms of communication during the session. Using theory on paralanguage to ensure my body language is open, e.g. no folded arms, eye contact and make sure I circulate the room so everybody feels included. I will have a steady pace, clarity and tone in my discussion and instruction (behaviourist). All meta-language used is listed on a key terms sheet to help with meaning of words, and the PowerPoint is clear and concise. I have implemented video clips on PowerPoint to keep up with emerging technologies, as oppose to me talking all of the time. This breaks up the lesson into chunks (cognitive theory) which makes them gain fulfilment and enjoyment out of the tasks (humanism)Standard(s): BP 3.3 Structure and present information clearly and effectively.Articulation: All information is presented on a PowerPoint, on hand outs and also read out so that it is clear for all students and their learning style. The lesson is all structured, differentiated and timed to allow for learning to take place in all learners. The presentation (including video clips) will be made available on Moodle for future reference and revision purposes.Standards(s): BP 5.1 Select and develop a range of effective resources, including appropriate use of new and emerging technologies.Articulation: The resources chosen for this session are varied in learning styles (VAK) and include all 3 theories of learning to ensure the lesson appeals to all, and doesn’t get monotonous. There is a PowerPoint presentation, group work, key words hand-out, a booklet to fill in whilst being accompanies by new and emerging ICT technologies. This includes video clips in the PowerPoint and an interactive Deal or No Deal Plenary.Standards(s): CP 1.1 Ensure that knowledge of own specialist area is current and appropriate to the teaching context.Articulation: I have ensured my knowledge of the topic autism is totally up to date and current. Figures and facts change yearly, so it is important to keep up to date. I have broken down my knowledge of Psychology from my degree to A level standard, so it can be inclusive to all learners, whilst still capable of stretching and challenging the more able learners.Standards(s): DP 1.2 Plan teaching sessions which meet the aims and needs of individual learners and groups, using a variety of resources, including new and emerging technologiesArticulation: This session meets the aims of the curriculum for this module, meets the schemes of work and is differentiated so that it is inclusive to all learners in this cohort (from Aspergers syndrome through to gifted and talented student). The resources compliment the plan and are varied in learning style and theory, whilst adopting new technology methods, such as interactive games for plenary in formative assessment.Standards(s): EP 1.3 Develop, establish and promote peer and self-assessment tools, including where appropriate, those which exploit new and emerging technologies. Articulation: This lesson will consist of them self-assessing their initial knowledge of autism, whilst continually self-assessing through the lesson. I will reinforce this with praise at correct answers and good feedback, and guide it through direct and non-directed questioning. Peer assessment will take place during the formative assessment (past paper questioning) Standard(s): EP 2.1 Apply appropriate methods of assessment fairly and effectively.Articulation: Directed and non-directed questioning is used; giving learners at all levels the opportunity to participate in the lesson. The Deal or No Deal formative assessment task allows all learne rs to participate, and makes assessing what they have learnt interactive and fun.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Electronic Company Sales and Recruitment

Electronic Company Sales and Recruitment Elec company is specialized in importing and distributing electronic and electrical products in Sri Lanka market. Their product range consist of television, home theater systems, digital cameras, kitchen appliances, refrigerators, gas burners and ovens, washing machines and personal computers. The organization wants to make use of their promotional effort to the maximum so that they are planning to come up with an integrated marketing promotions to support the selling activities. Company is going to develop the sales structure and required to add few more people there to support the expansion. They wont to set sales targets for representatives, come up with a plan to recruit new positions to the sales function, develop a benefit package for them, introduce sales package for them, introduce techniques to co ordinate and control sales procedures for the company. In this report there is a sales plan to the company and there are some suggestions to expand sales. First explained about the personal selling to support the personal mix and analysis the role of the sales team within the marketing strategy. Then revised their sales strategies in line with the cooperate objectives. Then explained the appropriate recruitment strategies and selection procedure. The role of motivation for field sales representatives, remuneration package and training in sales management. Explained the sales structure, territorial design, sales recordings and methods to control sales activities. After that explained how sales representative could make use of database in setting effective sales management programmed. Then developed a sales plan to promote electronic and electrical items. Finally investigate the opportunities for using exhibitions or trade fairs to promote the electronic and electrical items to the target customers. Introduction Elec Company is specialized in importing and distributing Electronic and Electrical products in Sri Lankan market. Their Products range consist of Televisions, Home theater systems, Digital cameras, Kitchen appliances, Refrigerators, Gas burners and ovens, Washing machines and Personal computers. Currently it is covering the main cities in the country with ten sales representatives. They all report to one sales manager who is located in the head office. They go on filed visits and make sales to B2B shops which are operating all over Sri Lanka. Some times their sales trips spring to two or three days in filed, before they make the next sales visit. But, their selling tasks within the company are not properly organized. In many occasions, they met together, since there is no proper field visit scheduling done. Sales records are poorly maintained. The company wants to restructure their business operations and align the sales operations to match with the organizational objective. The company wants to streamline the sales channel and expand the business operations to achieve the organizations corporate objective. The company is willing to implement a proper planning and monitoring system to have a better quality sales operation and to increase the profitability. Personal selling Personal selling is where businesses use the sales force to sell the product after meeting face-to-face with the customer. The sellers promote the product through their attitude, appearance and specialist product knowledge.  They aim to inform and encourage the customer to buy, or at least trial the product. A good example of personal selling is found in department stores on the perfume and cosmetic counters.   A customer can get advice on how to apply the product and can try different products.   Products with relatively high prices, or with complex features, are often sold using personal selling.   Great examples include cars, office equipment and many products that are sold by businesses to other industrial customers. Point-of-sale merchandising can be said to be a specialist form of personal selling.   POS merchandising involves face-to-face contact between sales representatives of producers and the retail trade.   A merchandiser will vis it a range of suitable retail premises in his/her area and encourage the retailer to stock products from a range.   The visit also provides the opportunity for the merchandiser to check on stock levels and to check whether the product is being displayed optimally. Advantages of personal selling are high customer attention; message is customized, interactivity, persuasive impact, potential for development of relationship, adaptable and opportunity to close the sale. Organization sell and customer buyer behavior in relation to purchase decisions Digital crameras and the washing machines products that selling at the Elec company. People buying Digital crameras and the washing machines for different purposes. First we have to identify the purposes of the customers before selling products. Digital crameras are mostly needed for the younger generation and photographers. But when we come to the washing machines, mostly it is important for women. Then the company have to use different ways to advertise their products. When the company is going to advertise for the washing machines, it is better to put those advertisements in a womens news paper rather than putting that advertisement in other newspapers. When selling digital crameras it is little bit different. When the company selling digital crameras it is better to advertise in commercial magazines than womens magazines. Washing Machine Buyers Digital crameras Washing machines are house hold items . It is already use in houses. When people wants to get a washine mechines they mainly focused about the price and the facilities in that. Consumers are individuals, households or businesses who use the products. Consumer characteristics vary from country to country. Therefore it has become challenging task for marketer to understand the need, buying behaviour of consumer before developing product and marketing program. It has been found that the consumers decision making process is influenced by Usability aspect. Here the peer group pressure, Promises, Digital Processing, Flash, Location services, Cost of service Spare parts cost combined together affect the consumer to decide while purchasing a digital camera. The feature of the product is next important factor that heavenly influences the buying decision of the consumer. Here the consumer pays a great attention towards features like Picture quality, Zoom facility memory of the camera. The accessories have become an important factor in purchasing a digital camera. Apart from the features, the customer is very much interested in other add-on  like colour, carriage bag, weight trendiness of the camera. Other factors that are crucial in decision making while purchasing digital camera are service, value for money promotional schemes. Price has not emerged out as a very crucial factor for the consumers. The consumers give more weight age to usability features of the product in comparison with price. Promotional schemes like discounts emerged out as the least important factor for the consumers. Role of the sales team The sales team is responsible for researching and analyzing the business and the market. Using the information gathered, the marketing plan, budget and key performance indicators are developed. Action plans are devised and the marketing strategy is implemented. The marketing department measures and reports on the results of the marketing strategy. Staff in the marketing department train staff in other departments so they are conscious of current campaigns. The purpose of their activity is to manage the four Ps of marketing. The aim is to stimulate demand for the business goods and services and to generate leads. Leads are customers who are likely to make a purchase. Leads are identified by collecting the details of people who contact the business to ask about products or services, or by gathering details of prospective customers from online surveys, competition entries or newsletter subscriptions. Lists of potential customers can be purchased and classified into ranges of income, loc ation and purchasing preferences. The marketing department can analyze their customer database to highlight customers and their preferences, those who make regular purchases or those who are due for upgrades or replacements. After raising interest and demand for the products and services, the leads that are generated are passed on to the sales department. Leads are people who may make a purchase. It is up to sales staff to contact people, identify their needs and help them make a purchasing decision. Sales staff deal directly with customers and they must build a good relationship. Sales staff also deal with people who walk in off the street or contact the business through their website. The role of sales staff is to make sure the business gets a return from its investment in marketing and to turn demand into sales. Corporate Sales Planning Elec is having multiple ranges of electrical and electronic home appliances to meet with different needs of the families. Company management is more focused on building a business which is sustainable and more profitable for the stake holders. Further they want to have the brand presence as well. The company vision is more focused on creating better values for their end users, sellers and other stakeholders. Further the company is looking for the growing opportunities with business expansion and new sales force recruitment. Moreover the company should develop and competitive environment for the target market to choose Elec products over the competitor brands. Elec management should understand the corporate objectives of their organization clearly and should develop the sales planning accordingly. The sales force management in the Elec Company seems to be very weak and the company is not having and efficient tracking system on the employee customer visit plans. The company is in a position where they have to make strong call on how they are going to manage their sales planning and client management. Elec as a importer and supplier of house hold electronics and electrical thorough out the country, the company should understand the need for designing a sales plan with clear reporting and account management guidelines. As the company is managing a considerable amount of resellers its will be better to change the sales representatives roles to Key Account Managers. Key account managers will be assigned with different shop owners who could be taken care by the respective account managers. Each shop will be considered as separate accounts. The account manager will be responsible to handle any queries related to the accounts under his observations. When the company is designing the account managers reporting lines it can have a 2 layer or 3 layer reporting line. The overall sales and distribution operation would be handled by the country head for sales. And he can have three Senior Sales managers reporting to him, who will be responsible to handle the account managers. The account management can be differentiated into two main criteria. The first criteria would be the large resellers who by more than certain quantity every year. The company can check their past sales records and list the top 25 B2B buyers as the Key Accounts of the company. And the Key accounts can be handled by the Key account managers while the other B2B customers can be handled by the other customer account managers. Among the 3 senior sales managers one manager should handle the Key account Managers who will be handling the main customer accounts of the company while the other 2 senior managers could handle the other customer account operations. When assigning the account managers to the resellers other than the key account managers, the company may practice a territorial approach. This will help the company to plan their sales operations effectively. Same way the company can divide their key accounts into 3 or 4 territories which will make the client management and customer visits more convenient. Company can figure out the compatible staff from the current sales force and promote them as key account managers. If they give the internal staff, the opportunity to handle the key accounts, it will be much convenient for the company to have the rapport with the existing customer hence they already have some kind of relationship among them. Proposed Hierarchy of the Sales Department at Elec Company Country Head Country head for sales should be responsible for overall sales planning and budgeting of the department. The country head will be a member of the senior management team and will have the sales planning with the corporate objectives. He will play a major role in communicating the overall organizational expectations with the sales unit staff. He should have the capacity to develop a sales design and make rapid decisions based on the customer and corporate demands. Senior Manager Key Accounts Senior Key accounts Manager will be handling a team of Key account managers who will be responsible for delivering the set profit targets and achieving the organizational goals. Further the managers will be responsible to manage the account managers reporting to him and to provide them better guidance in delivering satisfactory performance. Further the senior account manager will also have occasional liaisons with the key clients. Senior Manager Customer Accounts Management Senior Manager will be responsible for handling the staff directly reporting to him and growing the unit performance. Also increasing the profitability of the sales team will be a major goal of the manager. Managers will also handle the customer grievances and provide professional guidance to the team members in personality development and business development. Key Accounts Manager Key account managers will have the direct liaison with the key customers assign to them and increase the companys profitability and developing the brand presence in the assigned region. Also they will be responsible to retain the customers and grow the portfolio size. Customer Account Managers The customer account managers will be responsible to handle the customer accounts of the company from the assigned territorial limits. The Account will be handled in terms of increasing sales and convincing the accounts to promote the Elec products over the competitor products. Also the Account managers will be responsible to have sustainable account management and relationships with the customers. Restructuring the sales department should be planned properly as the changes take place in the company to avoid the staff getting the wrong message. The company should give the existing staff more priority for the appropriate positions. And the company should have a clear change management strategy in the role changes and planning. Human Resources Management Human resources management functions related to the sales department will include staff retention, employees welfare management and motivation, recruitment and selection, training and development and Employees Evaluations and other activities related to the staff management. Human Resources Planning for the Sales Unit Human resources planning process involves identifying the need for human capital against the organisational goals and current human capital strengths. Any company in the market should do a human resources planning in order to have a competitive human resources and enjoy the economies of scale. Any decision on recruitment should be made only if the necessity is found through a human resources planning activity, if not the recruitment may be a burden for the organisations future. At Elec, as the company is planning on expansions and growth, the company is in need for more staff to match the need of the sales expansions and adoption of new customer accounts. Human resources planning will have several sensitive steps which need to be carried out with strategic thoughts and information. Evaluating the organisational goals and objectives This should be found from the top management decisions and needs. Identifying the need of human resources (Human resources Demand) The company HR should negotiate with the line managers and middle managers on the need of employees for the achievement of set objectives. The need can be identified by the average productivity assumptions. Identifying the currently human resources availability (Human resources Supply) Gather information from the HRIS or from departmental managers and payroll system on the availability of staff power. And the skills of the employees should be also identified. Evaluating the gap between supply and demand. The management should evaluate the gap existing with the demand and supply of human resources and the skills. Planning the strategies to meet the required human resources level. If the supply and demand is matching the company could focus on training and developing the employees to achieve the goals. If the company has staff surplus, it should implement strategies to downsize the human capital, if not they can reduce the working hours of the employees or prepare rosters for working. But the company may focus on new account adoption and increase the targets of the staff that are with little portfolios. If the company has a staff shortage the company can increase the working hours of the staff and pay overtime or if the need is a long term oriented, they can recruit new employees. Also they can outsource few functions which are not core activities of the business. Implementation of the plan and monitoring the process as a continuous cycle. The activities planned should be implemented and monitored to assure the execution aligns with the planning. And the planning process is a recurrent process which needs to be carried out frequently to assure the human capital is utilised effectively. The above HR planning process should be carried out on a frequent manner to understand the companys sales departments position based on the human resources need. This will help the managers to understand the over heads and shortfalls in the unit. Recruitment and Selection Process The need for recruitment would be identified through an effective HR planning process. ELEC should make their recruitment decisions by carrying out HR Planning activity. If the recruitment is done just for the request of the department managers the company may have to suffer unnecessary financial losses. The recruitment and selection process of the company should be strategically designed to match with the company culture and the industry they operate in. Recruitment and selection process may have the following steps in general. Analysing the vacancy identifying the job role and specialities need for the job role. Analysing the skills and qualifications expected to meet the vacancy. Identify the personality needed from the individual for the position vacancy. Identifying the recruitment method whether the company is planning to fill the vacancy from the internal staff or looking from outside. The company can call applications though education and professional bodies, via referrals and public advertising, etc. Selection process Screening the applications received to identify the qualified candidates. Preliminary interviews for the shortlisted candidates Exams/tests related to the job for the successful candidates Next level of interviews Reference checking and background analysis Offer of employment Acceptance by the employee and employment contract. Induction Evaluation of the Selection process The above procedures could be followed by the ELEC to recruit a suitable candidate for the vacancies. Elec can recruit staff with experience in the same industry and can attract staff members from their competitors by giving better benefits for their staff members. Selecting and recruiting the most suitable candidates will help the company to have a committed staff force who will help the company in achieving the competitive advantage over the competitors. Employees Motivation Elec Company should implement a better employee motivation system as the current system in the company is not very competitive to have a satisfied and motivated sales force. In order to have a motivated sales team the company should focus to develop a satisfied sales force and then motivating the sales team. If the company invests on employee motivations without achieving the employee satisfaction the company many suffer unnecessary losses. The company should make the employees to feel that they are being taken cared by the company and if they perform more the company will reward for their additional contribution. Company should take initiatives to hear the employee grievances and provide proper solutions to match their needs. The company can include employee protection schemes with insurance benefits and health protection for the staff and immediate family members. Also the company should introduce a competitive rewarding scheme based on the account management profits generated by each account manager. This will give them the motivation to focus on increasing the sales and build a strong business portfolio for their benefits and organizations benefit. In addition Elec can introduce a sales tracking mechanism which will provide the staff real time updates on their portfolio position and how their monthly incentives are going to be. Also if the company can introduce Tabs or laptops for the sales staff to have communication medium with the head office and to see the stock in demand and orders to the stores based on the clients needs. This will reduce the companys operational cost on communication medium though the initial investment may look higher. Further the company should have employee get together, family outings and special value adding rewards such as MDs awards to recognize the employees for their extraordinary contribution to the company growth. In addition to the above the company should invest more on the employees training and development. This will help the employees to have a trust on the company. Also they will be happy to see themselves growing within the company. Marketing Mix and Business Development Company should develop a marketing mix based on the corporate strategy of the company. The marketing mix will focus on the competitive advantage over the competitors. The Elec products are tangible and the consumers always want to have key benefits and values to be matched for the money they pay. Elec should evaluate the cost benefits before designing the marketing mix of the company. The marketing mix will be more focused of reaching the shop owners than the end users as the shop owners will be focused on sales growth to end users. Elec should build good rapport with the shop owners and identify the product movement style and analyze the best markets places for the range of products they have. They should provide the right products and the right quantity to the right shop to avoid returns of the goods which will cost extra on transport. Further the company should fix a price which will give better yield for itself, shop owners and cost advantage for the end users. Also they should match their prices with the main competitors to win in the price competition. The Company will have their main stores based on the head office and distribute the goods every fortnight based on the orders received. This system will help them to enjoy the cost advantage again without having many distribution centers. The market placing will be done through the account managers to the shops they manage. And the end users can buy the products from the shops hence the company doesnt need to meet the end user directly. Further the company could train the shop technical staff on the repairs and damage complain handling which will help Elec to have a professionalism in the shop level as well in treating the customers fairly. Also this will help the shops to be satisfied with the support given by Elec. Promotional activities related to the product range will be handled by the Elec corporate office. The promotional activities of the company will have 2 phases where one phase will be focused on the shops and the other phase will be focused on the end users. The public media advertising will have more focus on the general public and end users. But the advertisements done for the end users may have considerable influence on the decision making of the shop owners as well; hence the message received from the media will create a stereo typing on the shop owners mind. The company will carry out personal marketing to the shop owners with the support of the technical sales team and the account manager. Also the senior managers will be getting involved in negotiating the wholesales pricing and the profit margins with the shop owners. International movement of the company is pretty competitive. As the company is still focusing on establishing the brand in Sri Lanka they should do a feasibility study on the competitiveness and profit advantage of entering a new international market. Participating in Trade fairs will help the company to meet the end users in the selected area and identify the real needs and demands of the end users than they learning from an intermediary. Also they can learn about the influences of the other brand in the customer decision making process. Conclusions In summary Elec should develop a sales plan focused on account management concept and differentiate the account based on the profitability and turnover. The high profitable accounts will be managed by the key account managers and the other accounts should be managed by the customer account managers. The company may have to invest more on developing a professional account management team. Further the company has to invest in recruiting the best candidates and training them. The marketing mix of the company should be restructured to match the organizational overall expectation and the company can have products distribution strategies to match the regional demands. Also the whole sale pricing should be negotiated with the key customers and the senior managements involvement is much appreciated on this. Also the company moving international is not recommendable at this point of time hence the company is in need of more cash to stabilize themselves in the local market.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Christopher Columbus, the Conquerer Essay -- Christopher Columbus Essa

Christopher Columbus, the Conquerer Depending on how you look at it, Christopher Columbus was either a great man of adventure and achievement Or the kind of person that does not see shame in killing and enslaving thousand of Native Americans. Christopher Columbus came to America in hopes of finding new land, new opportunities, and gold. On the view of the Spaniards side he was helping them expand a money thirsty empire. He was helping route and map new uncharted land. He was bringing his ships back so full of gold that they almost sunk. On the view of Native Americans he was looting and plundering their valubles, family members, houses, pictures and basically anything he wanted. He sacrificed many Natives, crushing their whole world for the purpose of expanding his and make himself known. Christopher Columbus was a destroyer. Whether it was a day of huge discovery or a day of dark doom, Christopher Columbus set out from Spain on August 3, 1492 (Microsoft Encarta). With him he had high hopes, great expectations, a dream, a highly moraled crew, and three Spanish caravel ships. The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. At that time the crew and Columbus had strong intentions of reaching what they thought was the East Indies (Burdette 26). However, the crews were a week and a half out from Spain. They were sure they were near land. It could have been just a see bird or the weeds growing on the Sargasso Sea. A prime example that the rest of the crew or Columbus himself had not had any exact information such as maps about the sea. Following the trade winds they had followed, they were being lead to N. America With a bold yell Columbus sat perched on the tower of the Santa Maria and hollered, "From the West to the East we will... ...on stake war on great empires such as the Aztecs. Although the natives were very willing to defend their empire, Spain had the upper hand. With canons, swords, and rifles the Spanish soon totally annihilated the people. Killing, burning, hanging or decapitating were of the possibilities (Stannard 237). Spain showed no mercy and ultimately crushed the empire. With enough gold to nearly sink Columbus ships, the ships returned to celebrate. The "fantastic voyage" was nothing short of the expected success. Works Cited Burdette, Silver. Christopher Columbus. Milan: Silver Burdett, 1982. "Chistopher Columbus." Microsoft Encarta. 1995. Levinson, Nancy. Columbus: Voyager to the Unknown. New York: Knopf, 1990. Sperry, Armstrong. Voyages of Columbus. New York: Random House, 1950. Stannard, David E. American Holocaust. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Miss Fozzard in Alan Bennetts Talking Heads Essay -- Papers

Miss Fozzard in Alan Bennett's Talking Heads The video, â€Å"Talking Heads Two† was made in 1998. It is a collection of six dramatic monologues by various different actors, each one telling their own story. Bennett wrote a series of monologues in 1988 for BBC 2 at a time when they were having financial difficulties. Monologues were chosen as they only required a few actors and cameramen. They were successful and Bennett decided to write a second series of monologues, the one which I am going to study is called â€Å"Miss Fozzard finds her feet† and I will be discussing how Alan Bennett creates her character and how her story is told. The monologues were written for, and shown on television. The use of the â€Å"talking head† as a dramatic device is effective as the audience sees the expression on the actors face and then feels the emotion the actor is portraying in their role. The effect of using the monologue form is effective as there is only one character so the audience can connect and understand the character better. In the collection of monologues there are no special effects used i.e. flashbacks, distractions also helps the audience understand the character. The audience also has to use their imagination as other characters are only spoken about and not seen so the audience has to imagine what they look like. Also, as the monologues are only set in one scene, for example Miss Fozzard’s lounge, the different locations described by the characters also have to be imagined. The purpose of the monologue is to entertain, however there is a limit to which effects the producers can afford to use however, many wouldn’t be used in a monol... ... tone of voices of the unseen characters used by Patricia Routledge (the actress) creates a successful character. I think her characters exterior seems boring to someone who takes a first glance, but as you get to know her throughout the monologue her character evolves into someone interesting and funny. If I was a member of the audience I think I would find Miss Fozzard inoffensive and quite eccentric. However, I think these qualities in a person are often amusing, as we frequently find in the monologue, and her prejudice views may be at times questionable, but are mostly harmless and funny. The audience would feel that this is only due to Miss Fozzard’s old fashioned manner and this is what she has been brought up to think. Overall, her character is excellently created and brought to life and I enjoyed the monologue.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Software and Copyright Essay example -- Computers History Technology E

Software and Copyright Current copyright and patent laws are inappropriate for computer software; their imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin foil sandwitched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we haven't done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and films,which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on a computer, it is considered writting, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). It is generally covered today by copyright laws, for most mass market software at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results in many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain the protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bob's Graphic Progra... ... Anne Bilodeau House Bill Would Limit Hyperlinks. http:/.www.webweek.com/96May20/nes/netcopy.html (1996). Richard Raysman et al Computer Law: Internet Copyright Developments. http://www.brmlaw.com/doclib/complaw196.html (1996). Del Guercio, Gino. "Softwars." World Monitor Oct. 1991: 22-24. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel Grant. "Computer Copycats Blur Rights." Christian Science Monitor Oct. 3 1991: 12. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Linking http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/linking.html (1996). Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Software Patents http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/patent.html (1996). David Pressman Patent It Yourself http://www.nolo.com/pat/toc.html (1996). Niva Elkin-Koren Copyright Liability of BBS Operators http://yu1.yu.edu/csl/journals/aelj/articles/13-2/elkin.html (1995). Gleick, James. "I'll Take the Money, Thanks." New York Times 4 Aug. 1996. 16. Dukelow, Ruth. The Library Copyright Guide Chelsea, Michigan., 1992. Ross, Philip E. "Cops vs Robbers in Cyberspace." Forbes 9 Sept. 1996. 134-140. Software and Copyright Essay example -- Computers History Technology E Software and Copyright Current copyright and patent laws are inappropriate for computer software; their imposition slows down software development and reduces competition. From the first computer as we know them, the ENIAC, computer software has become more and more important. From thousands of bytes on miles of paper to millions of bytes on a thin piece of tin foil sandwitched between two pieces of plastic, software has played an important part in the world. Computers have most likely played an important role in all our lives, from making math easier with calculators, to having money on the go with ATM machines. However, with all the help that has been given to us, we haven't done anything for software and the people who write it. Software by nature is completely defenseless, as it is more or less simply intellectual property, and not a physical thing, thus very easily copied. Copied software does not make money for its creators, and thus they charge more for whats not copied, and the whole industry inflates. There are two categories of intellectual property. The first one is composed of writing, music, and films,which are covered by copyright. Inventions and innovations are covered by patent. These two categories have covered for years many kinds of work with little or no conflict. Unfortunately, it is not that easy when dealing with such a complex matter as computer software. When something is typed on a computer, it is considered writting, as it is all written words and numbers. However, when executed by the computer, it functions like an invention, performing a specific task as instructed by the user. Thus, software falls into both categories (Del Guercio 22-24). It is generally covered today by copyright laws, for most mass market software at least. More advanced software or programming techniques, however, can be patented, as they are neither obvious nor old. This results in many problems which I will go into later. Copyrights last the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years, and can be renewed. Patents last only 17 years, but cannot be renewed. With technology advancing so quickly, it is not necessary to maintain the protection of the software for the length of the copyright, but also, it is sometimes necessary to renew them (Del Guercio 22-24), say, for a 10th sequel in a video game series or version 47.1 of Bob's Graphic Progra... ... Anne Bilodeau House Bill Would Limit Hyperlinks. http:/.www.webweek.com/96May20/nes/netcopy.html (1996). Richard Raysman et al Computer Law: Internet Copyright Developments. http://www.brmlaw.com/doclib/complaw196.html (1996). Del Guercio, Gino. "Softwars." World Monitor Oct. 1991: 22-24. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel Grant. "Computer Copycats Blur Rights." Christian Science Monitor Oct. 3 1991: 12. Reprinted in Technology 3. Boca Raton, Florida: SIRS, Inc., 1996: Article 75. Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Linking http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/linking.html (1996). Daniel A Tysver BitLaw: Internet Software Patents http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/patent.html (1996). David Pressman Patent It Yourself http://www.nolo.com/pat/toc.html (1996). Niva Elkin-Koren Copyright Liability of BBS Operators http://yu1.yu.edu/csl/journals/aelj/articles/13-2/elkin.html (1995). Gleick, James. "I'll Take the Money, Thanks." New York Times 4 Aug. 1996. 16. Dukelow, Ruth. The Library Copyright Guide Chelsea, Michigan., 1992. Ross, Philip E. "Cops vs Robbers in Cyberspace." Forbes 9 Sept. 1996. 134-140.

A Memorable Term Essay

In Mr. Rodriguez’s Spanish 1-2 class, we have learned so many new things and have had the amazing opportunity to gain more fluency in another language. Some of the goals we had in the beginning of the term were to learn the appropriate level of Spanish, for example more knowledge of verbs, and how to say basic conversations and greetings. We were expected to have learned everything we were taught, and the basic part of the Spanish language. Mr. Macfarland was our Spanish teacher, and his techniques were that we did our homework in homework packets, and we would sing our vocabulary, which benefited us and helped us memorize it in an easier way. When we took test, quizzes and answered questions aloud, he could judge if we were learning or not by the answers we would give, or the grades we would receive. The family project we did in Mr. Macfarland’s class was definitely the most memorable and enjoyable assignment we did. Throughout my freshman year, I didn’t do any other project that was like the family project we did in his class, and that is what made it so enjoyable. It was fun to go through old pictures, and be able to sort of introduce you’re family to your class. I did well in my Spanish class, receiving high grades on most assignments. Some of the difficulties I experienced were doing homework, because that was the only class I had homework in everyday and also book work, because it was hard to understand sometimes. I learned many new interesting things; I learned how to have a conversation in Spanish, also verbs in Spanish. Throughout this term I have improved greatly. I have gained a lot more knowledge, because in the beginning of the term the only thing I could say was hello. As for my achievements, I am so proud that I received an A in my class, because that was highly beyond my expectations. I would grade my effort about a B-, because there were a lot of times I would slack off and not do homework and my performance about a B because I sometimes talked during that class but paid attention and got serious when it was necessary. Learning Spanish can benefit me in my future because I will be able to slightly comprehend others when they are speaking Spanish, which is very important because many people speak Spanish in San Diego. Also, I will continue learning Spanish for my sophomore year. I did not have issues out of school that affect my classroom experience. Next year I would like to improve my effort, and if I continue taking Spanish in college it could help my transcript from having learned a second language. To reach my goals in the near future, I will continue taking languages because I feel it is something I need to succeed and something I enjoy doing. During this Spanish class, I have had so many amazing experiences it is beyond belief. I will never forget how comical and odd Mr. Mac was. I will also never forget how he made us sing our vocabulary because I have never been able to have fun while learning the meaning of words. Overall, I have made many memories in this Spanish 1-2 class that I will never forget.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Government Intervention in Venezuela’s Economy

Economic Commentary_1 The article: How can Venezuela be so rich in resources, but so low in supplies? By Douglas French/April 24, 2012 http://www. csmonitor. com/Business/The-Circle-Bastiat/2012/0424/How-can-Venezuela-be-so-rich-in-resources-but-so-low-in-supplies To what extend do a country’s natural resources explain whether consumer goods are on the nation’s shelves for people to buy. Venezuela is a prime example of this question.This is a country having abundant natural resources for it is one of the world’s top oil producers and rich in gold and other minerals, also the rich soil and temperate climate allow the country for productive agriculture. However, there are shortages of staple products like milk, meat and writing paper. This commentary focuses on the main reason causing this problem in Venezuela that is over intervention of the government towards the free market. In order to maintain the level of consumer prices, the president of Venezuela imposed pr ice controls by setting the price ceilings.Government officials claim â€Å"companies cause shortages on purpose, holding products off the market to push up prices. This month, the government required price cuts on fruit juice, toothpaste, disposable diapers and more than a dozen other products. † However, bad consequences of the price ceilings set by the government were inevitable in terms of shortages in supply, decreased market size, elimination of allocative efficiency and black markets. In figure1. 1, the original market equilibrium price under the intervention of free market is at Pe where the quantity demanded and the quantity supplied are equal.After intervention of the central government, a binding price ceiling is set and the new market price is created at Pmax where the quantity supplied is much lower than quantity demanded. The artificially low price has caused more demand for the product, thus creating a movement from Qe along the demand curve to Qd. At the same time, producers cut production in response to the lower price, moving down along the supply curve from Qe to Qs. The distance between Qd and Qs shows a shortage of the good in supply.Because of this, now residents in Caracas are forced to rely on the once-a-week deliveries made to government-subsidized stores. Moreover, as figure1. 2 suggests, the gap between Qs and Qd creates a tension in the market. At Qs there are many consumers who would be willing to pay more than Pmax if Qs is on the market. These consumers may have a strong incentive to gain the goods and services they want on the black market. As a result, the supply curve will shoot right up at Qs and the price will raise right up at that point high on the demand curve.This shows that some price ceilings may actually drive the price higher than the original equilibrium and can be just applied to the case of Venezuela. Also, setting a maximum price lower than the market equilibrium price will result in a decreased market siz e as some of the companies will be driven out of the market. The government setting prices are too low for companies to make money so they either curtail production or stop all together. As shown in figure 2. 1, initially the producer surplus of the private companies, in terms of profit, derived by firms is shown as the area from the initial market price line to the supply curve.After price controls by the government, now the new producer surplus is shown as the area from the new price line to the supply curve which is smaller than before and this reflects a lower producer surplus, therefore a welfare loss in the society. In addition, the price ceilings eliminate an allocative efficiency in the country’s economy in a competitive market as it can only be achieved when the society produces enough of a good so that the marginal benefits is equal to the marginal, in other words, producer supply and consumer demand meet at a market equilibrium price.Due to intervention of the gove rnment, price controls disenable society to get goods and services it wants most. As Times mentions, â€Å"some of the shortages are in industries, like dairy and coffee, where the government has seized private companies and is now running them, saying it is in the national interest. † But the consequence of this action is that the government will turn the markets into monopolies as there would be only state ownership in these industries, so there are no competitions between various firms and consumers will not be able to acquire substitutes in the markets.What’s more, while these industries are being completely controlled by the central planner and create state ownership of the factors of production in addition to the guide of Venezuela socialist government, it will result in the lack of individual property rights and incentive to achieve maximum efficiency in the use of resources which characterize private ownership. To conclude, Venezuela is a typically very rich in resources but very low in supplies, price controls in the markets as well as

Sunday, September 15, 2019

4d Scheduling the Future of Planning?

4D Scheduling; The Future of Planning? The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with an understanding of the concept of 4D Scheduling, how and where it is used, whether it is currently of benefit to the construction industry and can it revolutionise planning in a positive manner for small, medium and large scale construction Projects. What is it? 4D Scheduling is a Programme which allows the Project Plan to interface with 3D software and build a live model which displays the Project Progress in real time.The 4D planning tool is used at Tender and Preconstruction stages, kept live throughout the project and reviewed upon completion to assess Project Success. To understand how the Programme interfaces and accurately reflects progress we first need to define and understand Building Information Modelling. Building Information Modelling is a building design and documentation system based on coordinated, reliable, high quality information.This system enables the design and constr uction teams to create and manage information about a project consistently and reliably across the scope of the project. This information is stored in a unique model which ensures the information is coordinated, consistent and complete. Traditionally Building Projects were illustrated with manually created drawings, information was added to these illustrations by using motes and specifications. As CAD technology progressed this system became automated, though the output remained the same.The development of the Building Information Modelling methodology has created a new way of thinking and working. It gives us ability to model with objects and minimizes tedious drafting by allowing one 3D object handle multiple 2D representations when placed in an object. The coordinated data represented in the model allows us to visualize and analyse designs and make better informed decisions. Building Information modelling supports large team workflows to improve project understanding and enable t he team to predict more likely outcomes.The visibility which the BIM provides to all Project Team members contributes to the overall success of the Project through better coordination, improved accuracy and an ability to make informed decisions earlier in the Project. 4D BIM uses 3D CAD or 3D modelling and links individual 3D parts or assemblies with the project delivery timeline to add time; the fourth dimension, to the BIM. This management technique vastly improves the project management and delivery of construction project of any size or complexity. 4D Scheduling/ModellingA 4D model incorporates a 3D/BIM with a Project Schedule so that all Stakeholders can visualise the sequence of Construction. The model may be created to varying levels of detail, from high level zone analysis during the design phase( this can be useful for allowing foremen, area owners and Health and Safety agree on areas of responsibility and ownership), to detailed breakdowns for use by subcontractors so they can coordinate their own activities during construction of a project. This same model can be updated and maintained through the duration of the project based on an updated schedule and 3D model.The 4D elements are created by linking pre made 3D components to an activity in the Project Schedule. For example Task 1 is to erect 400m of Perimeter fencing. For every 10% which is completed on the Project Schedule, 40m of fencing will appear on the graphic. One aspect of 4D scheduling which is of particular aid to Planners is that it allows them to visualise a related sequence of activities in the construction process which may not have always instantly have occurred to them, such as changing location of traffic lanes and set down areas as buildings appear on a large site, or the changing locations/restrictions of swing space for cranes.Like an actual event or construction stage these non visual type activities require both start and end dates in the schedule linked to 3D components so th at they can be visualised in the model. 4D Scheduling in the Project Life Cycle; Though one of the most attractive uses of 4D (which I will detail later in this report) is at the bidding stage, there are three main stages of utilisation for the 4D model, Design, Tender and Construction. Design; 4D models can be used to determine , different configurations to Lay Down areas, Compound ownership, and Swing space for cranes to optimise the Project Layout and Project Schedule.The model will allow for multiple alternatives which can be assessed in detail at relatively low cost. It can also allow the designer to provide alternatives to the original brief which can show how to crash the project schedule, and the effect can be shown visually with workflows , or the impact of external traffic to the site during peak hours can be assessed. Tender/Bidding; The 4D model is fully utilised at this stage to demonstrate the Contractors ability to understand, direct and execute the brief and instil c onfidence in the client that the Project will be delivered on.The fact that time is linked to the 3D model allows the client to see the growth of the project and how all external factors have been taken into account and considered. It also generates a wow factor and allows the Contractor to stop and breakdown in detail different tasks at any stage of the presentation. Construction; 4D models can be used for several aspects of Construction, its Coordination and regular milestone reviews. From identifying and communicating where, how and when different trades will operate, to understanding the traffic, site and workflow processes.The model can be used on site for progress reviews and compared to as built/scheduled plans, by the management for both milestone reviews, and indeed for claims purposes also. The overall model & Schedule can be broken down into individual components for communication between main and subcontractors, and also used for communication between subcontractors them selves. Where possible the Main Contractor will allow the subcontractor access to the schedule so that they can visualise, communicate and update as required. Another valid use of the model during the construction phase. Project Team & Implementation D modelling/Scheduling is a combination of both the design and the schedule, so it is crucial to have various members of teh Project team on board to design, schedule implement and maintain the process. The first step is deciding who will create the model and who will provide teh inputs. Typicially teh team can be broken down and defined as follows; 3D Modeller; Generates teh 3D model and updates as per design requirements. Scheduler; Generates the project schedule, timeline and provides updates. 4D Modeller; Links the 4D model, provides guidance to both the Scheduler and 3D Modeller for updates.Project Stakeholders; Provide inputs on their own requirements and constraints at different stages of the project. Project Manager; Though the Project manager does not require direct operational input or control of the 4D Model, they need to consider and understand a number of crucial factors; Software Integration; Some 4D Software may only support certain formats of schedules and models. The project team should be confident that the 3D model and the supporting schedule are compatible and can be imported to the relevant 4D software.Interface Issues; It is not a necessity for all stakeholders to create and edit the 4D model but it is beneficial for all stakeholders to view teh progressing model. Stakeholders may be allowed to view only teh required aspects of teh model which affects their work. This can be done by creating basic video files or animations that can be viewed by basic media players. Thus reducing teh outlay for smaller subcontractors on expensive software packages or licences where they may not be entirely required.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Drama Exploration Essay

During this task, we got into groups of four or five. Each of the four groups was given an Act from the play to create a statue of Proctor at contrasting moments. Proctor’s emotions varied; each statue had a very different objective, e. g. to intimidate, to plead, etc. My group, looked for lines to base our statues on in Act One. Through my statue of Proctor- I had a straight back, my arms + hands were pointed forward and I had a frown, based on the line,† be you deaf†¦ â€Å", I discovered a few things about Proctor. Because the moment I chose was one that I preformed in an angry tone, I choose an angry line: â€Å"I’ll show you a great doin’ on you arse†¦ † This line is preformed in mockery and is almost playful but, stern. I realized that Proctor is the only character so far to whom we can relate. He has a sense of humor and seems like the only character that is not constantly serious. Proctor is calm and we can visualize his entrance and aura. The fact that he has a sense of humor makes us, as the audience, like him. Group Two looked at Act Two. There were many contrasting moments. The statues that I remember did not focus on the relationship between Elizabeth and Proctor, to the extent that I would have liked. The statue that did a small investigation on how Proctor is feeling was Justin’s: Sitting on a chair, hands interlocked with a soft face and an arched back as if talking softly to someone (Elizabeth). He said his line â€Å"I mean to please you† sincerely and softly. Because of Justin’s performance, I realized that Proctor and Elizabeth are still uneasy because of the affair. Furthermore, Elizabeth is being very difficult and Proctor is trying very hard to try and get the relationship back together. Another line which comes to mind is â€Å"an everlasting funeral marches around your heart. † This is when Proctor loses his temper; Proctor has tried really hard and is lashing out because of what Elizabeth said to him. The important thing that I realized: Proctor did commit adultery but, there is a substantial possibility that it was not entirely his fault. If Elizabeth is acting this way at this point â€Å"un-cooperative and stubborn† there is a substantial possibility that she had the qualities before the affair, refining my point. Group Three looked at Act Three. During this scene that is entirely located in the courthouse, various things happen. Proctor entered the courthouse very calm: Andres portrays Proctor holding himself very high, his head is thrown back and he has his chest out, revealing the new information to the court: â€Å"She never saw no sprits sir† The tone is almost pleading; Proctor is really respectful to the Judge and he understands that he needs to keep his temper cool. I believe that Group Three covered the main moments. They chose the line where Proctor looses his temper and finally cracks- Proctor calls Abigail a- â€Å"whore†- and reveals that he has had an affair. The important thing that I realized is: Proctor has admitted his sin to the Puritan society. Proctor knows by revealing the information about his affair with Abigail he has ruined his name in Salem. The reason why Proctor has revealed the information is important: he really loves his wife Elizabeth and he would sacrifice everything for her. Proctor’s plan backfires; Elizabeth tells a lie. Group Three choose that moment: â€Å"God is dead† I realized that it’s not because Proctor does not believe in God. I realized and was reminded that Proctor says that because he believes that the events would not happen if God were looking after them: young girls should not be able to manipulate a court of grown men. Group Four looked at Act 4. At this point Proctor is broken. Proctor is shown having his life taken away; he still has his dignity. Proctor is reduced to almost nothing: he is kneeling, Proctor wanted his life. Proctor chooses to reveal he was working with the devil, because he wants to live with Elizabeth. Because of what Danforth wants from him Proctor lost his temper- Proctor is asked to sign his name to his statements. When Danforth asks him for his signature, at this point, Proctor has had enough and decided to be hung. The image, when Proctor stood tall and opposes Danforth, helped me understand something very important: Proctor is the hero of the play. Proctor chooses to die then make his friends die pointlessly. Proctor’s sacrifice: condemning himself to death instead of letting his friends die in vain. It would be so easy for Proctor to give up and live his life quietly in the farm. However, because of his sacrifice he has shown ultimate courage and goodwill. Proctor is the hero who we admire. Miller wants us to like Proctor. Proctor is human; he had an affair; we all have flaws. Proctor contrast, with other charters. Tituba was in a similar position but she broke and told lies. Proctor stood up for what is right. Proctor goes against the court and it costs him his life. Miller is trying to tell us something: Miller wants us to realize that heroes don’t always win. A hero is someone who stands up against adversity and does what he thinks is right. We repeated the same procedure with Abigail. However, Abigail had no lines in Act 2 and 4 so those two groups were forced to create images for Abigail. I was part of Group One. The statue that was shown had a lot of contrast. Abigail was shown as a girl that had different emotions depending on who she was talking too. Our group choose the moment where Abigail was threatened the other girls â€Å"a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. † I was the statue for that line. I closed my fist, as if mimicking the knife, and said my line cruelly with nostrils flaring. The audience had contrast between my line and Nicole’s: â€Å"give me a word John†¦ † This shows that Abigail changes her personality refining my first point. Nicole said the line trying to seduce John, her head was tilted back and her face was soft, the audience has to realize that Abigail has not given up on John even though she had been sacked. Furthermore, Abigail changes her personality according to the people around her. Group Two focused on Act Two. Abigail had no lines in Act Two, so the group had to invent some. The statue that I think conveyed the importance of Act Two was Enrique’s. Enrique was sitting on a chair clutching his stomach: rolled on the floor and groaned and said, as held up his hand, â€Å"a needle†. The audience has to understand that Abigail really wants to kill Elizabeth ruining her name so. Because Abigail did this and said, we are told by Herrick, â€Å"Goody Proctor sent her sprit on me† Elizabeth is taken to prison. Furthermore, John got direct and aggressive and decided to go with Mary Warren to confront the court. Group Three focused on Act Three. This is the scene where Proctor confronts the court trying to prove Abigail as a liar. The most important statue that I remember: Abigail in fright and her line â€Å"Why do you come yellow bird? † This acting by Abigail is very smart- she diverts all the attention away from her. Abigail is kneeling looking up with her hand in her hair, this makes her look venerable and we pity her. Proctor challenges her in front of the court revealing the affair, although not proven, to bring the tension away from her she chooses to make a scene. Through this acting the accusation of her innocence is forgotten, the attention is drawn to Mary Warren- Abigail is a smart girl and everything is planned in her mind. Group Four focused on Act Three. Similarly to Act Two, Miller only references Abigail not giving her any lines. The statue that I felt was most important: Abigail sobbing. Abigail had her head in her hands and said â€Å"no! He is dead†. Abigail still loves Proctor. Abigail did not want Proctor dead, only Elizabeth. As a child, Abigail can not comprehend with Proctor’s mentality. Abigail does not understand that Proctor really loves his wife, the affair was a mistake. Abigail can’t accept that Proctor does not love her. The audience has to realize that Abigail did those things not to be popular or for fun. I feel that Abigail honestly wanted to hurt people. In act 2 and 4 Abigail has no lines but is mentioned and events- Elizabeth being taken to prison- a result of Abigail. This shows her importance and how events are carefully planned by her. She did exactly what she wanted to do. She is a leader and has a lot of power. Abigail, through the menacing lines warning and threatening her friends get what she wants.