Home Is Where the Heart Is

Growing up in foster care kids never grow to understand the phrase, â€Å"Home is where the heart is. † This phrase isn’t making reference to a house or a tangible item in your life. An emotional connection you have with someone or something is what I believe home represents. The feeling of being secure, knowing you’ll be taken care of no mater what you say or do, and always feeling like your loved and wanted. Hundreds of kids have grown accustomed to the feeling of hopelessness and loneliness. Kids have grown accustomed to feeling like they don’t belong anywhere; I was once one of those kids. I remember the bone-chilling feeling of seeing the black almost hearse-like car coming to take me away from the only place I was familiar with. I remember the feeling of confusion, the feeling of sorrow, and the feeling of anger. I remember getting into the car and smelling the old, damp, mildewed scent of previous the rider’s tears. The tears I had grown so accustomed to. I remembered how I wished to scream and squeal, like the brakes, when the car stopped at my new quarters. I remember telling myself, â€Å"Don’t get comfortable Josh, because you won’t be here long, right? I’ll be home soon. Right? † I remember the feeling of being abandoned, the feeling of being unwanted, feeling just plain alone. Throughout my years as a foster child and adolescent, I moved in and out of countless houses, met and said goodbye to countless families, friends, and teachers. I remember the Bensons; they took me in when I was seven. I had already been moved around eight times. The first thing they said to me was, â€Å"It’ll be okay, you don’t have to worry anymore, you’ll be here for a long time. The weight of uncertainty lifting off your shoulders is a good feeling; in fact, it could be the best. Being able to take off your shoes, plunge down on the couch, and say hello to someone who says hello back. Having the ability to look someone in the eyes and, not only feel, but here, â€Å"I love you. † Home to me is all of those things tied together and put in my back pocket, saved for a rainy day. I grew comfortable and unworried the two years I didn’t have to pack around any extra weight with me. It was presentation day, in my third grade class. For my presentation I chose an animal, the cheetah. Did you know that a family of cheetahs will stay together until the babies are all grown up, and will support each other? † I gave my presentation and was feeling good about it. I was chosen to hold our class pet, the gerbil, he was brown and smelled almost exactly like an old crusty sock, I was overtaken by the joy of his warm pulsing body. My class and I were sitting in a circle around my teacher, listening to our daily reading of the second Harry Potter, when the door opened and the sound of my teachers voice was cut short of telling us what happened next. Two gloomy adults came in, a man and a woman. The man was tall, dressed in nice black slacks and a black sports jacket, the woman was short, dressed in black dress pants and a red sweater which had thirteen black buttons straight down the front. My teacher excused herself and met them at the front of the class. My friend and I started laughing at the gerbil; he was doing summersaults on my lap and almost fell off. â€Å"Josh,† my teacher called my name, â€Å"Come up here please,† I gave the gerbil to my friend and went to the front of the class. As I was walking to the front of the class, I noticed my teacher’s eyes; they seemed to be turning a glossy color, almost like two wet marbles shimmering in the bright sun. The two people dressed in black were smiling down at me with blank expressionless looks on there faces and said â€Å"hello. † Their words were cold and harsh. I noticed a sharp fast glare, almost like needles, injected from my teacher to the two people dressed in black. My teacher knelt down to my level so we were both eye to eye. She stared at me with her big marbles and said, â€Å"Josh, these people are going to take you out to lunch. You need to go with them, OK Josh. † My teacher’s eyes were getting wetter, â€Å"You need to be a big boy, OK Josh. You be a big boy now. † Before I knew it, she had engulfed me into her chest, wrapped me neatly into her arms, and covered my head with her chin. Warmth and love surged through my body as if I was hit by a bolt of lightning cupid had mistaken for an arrow. I felt a warm drop of water hit my head. â€Å"OK Josh, it is time to go,† said the large man dressed in black. I felt his cold hand grab my shoulder, abruptly stopping the lightning from continuing through my body, forcing it out of me. My teacher released me, stood back to her full height, and pricked them agin with her needle. The woman dressed in black took my hand; her hand felt like an ice cube, cold and damp. The man and woman led me away from my teacher, away from my friends, away from my security, away from my love, away from my peace. As soon as I got into the lifeless car, all of the lost feelings returned to me at once. â€Å"It’s happened again. What’s wrong this time? Was it me? Maybe I can take whatever I did back and say I’m sorry? † â€Å"Josh, we’re taking you to another house. An enormous weight hit my chest; I couldn’t breathe, I felt my eyes swelling, my nose began to run. A salty liquid hit my mouth again and again, my memories flooding out, like millions of bees swarming and stinging after their homes have been breached by smoke, engulfing me. Just as I had felt for years and years kids are still felling today. Kids still feel unwanted and unloved, kids still don’t have the consistency and trust they need to become who they are and construct their home, and kids still have the lay their head down every night and wonder if the pillow their laying on will be the same tomorrow night. Kids in foster care may have a house but they don’t have anyone they can make a home with. People in the foster system are so concerned with is putting kids in houses (not saying that this is a bad thing), but they should focus more on the home. Instead of being full of emptiness the kid’s homes that they create, should be full of trust and security, truthfulness and consistency, laughter and love.

Spare Parts

Spare Parts In the United States, drinking and driving is a major concern in today’s society as about thirty-two percent of total traffic deaths involve alcohol (Hanson). To prevent people from driving under the influence, many slogans and advertisements are used mainly to encourage driving carefully. One advertisement made by the car manufacturer BMW is found in Public Interest Magazine and promotes safe driving with the message â€Å"Don’t Drink and Drive. † The visual in this advertisement is a bare right leg of a man and next to where it should be the left leg of the man is a prosthetic leg and foot.On the right side of the visual image the advertisement reads: â€Å"Spare parts for humans are not as original as those for cars. † At the bottom of the page it states, â€Å"Don’t Drink and Drive† along with the BMW logo. This BMW advertisement is an effective and reasonable way to prevent people from drinking and driving because it shows th e negative consequences of getting into an accident, such as losing a leg, and it promotes safe driving. In order to prevent people from drinking and driving, the car company BMW uses this advertisement to promote awareness of the dangers and negative outcomes.Many consequences can occur when the driver is not able to realize what is going on, drifts off the road, and gets into an accident. This BMW advertisement only shows one possible injury of an accident where the man in the visual has lost his leg and it was replaced by an artificial one. To promote the message â€Å"Don’t Drink and Drive,† this advertisement shows that it is extremely dangerous and can cause injury, amputation, and/or death. Some severe types of injuries can potentially cause people to lose their leg, other body parts or even a life as a result of a car accident.It affects the viewers who see this advertisement because they do not want to turn the picture into reality now giving them the choice o n whether to do the right thing and drive safely or not. From seeing this advertisement, it develops the primary appeal of pathos because it displays the emotion that one gets from seeing a person with one real leg and one prosthetic leg. After seeing this photo it makes the viewer think about the consequences of being under the influence and driving at the same time.Having an artificial leg will greatly disable a person where they become unable to do the things that they were able to do before the car accident. This holds true whether it was the person driving themselves or someone else driving, especially an innocent driver in another car. This advertisement proves that it is possible to replace car parts, but there is nothing one can do to replace body parts or even someone’s life. They will have to suffer the negative results of making the bad decision to drive drunk.Through showing a possible consequence, this advertisement is effective because people can relate to this problem if they have been injured or know someone who has been injured or has died from a drunk driving accident. It would make people make sure not to drink and drive because it would make the picture turn into reality and no one would want that. There is a possibility this can happen so it makes the advertisement extremely believable affecting anyone who was to come upon it. Another appeal is to logos through the quote that is displayed in the advertisement.It states, â€Å"Spare parts for humans are not as original as those for cars. † This statement is used to prevent the issue of drinking and driving as it means that human body parts are not as appealing as those that can be changed in cars, especially since parts of a human are impossible to re-manufacture. If there are spare parts on a car, it is hard to tell that there is a difference between the original and replacement parts. But when a human’s body parts are replaced by something else like an artificial or p rosthetic part, it is possible to tell the difference because it does not look like the original body part.It is important to know this because while driving, people are not only responsible for their own safety but of other peoples’ safety as well. They may cause someone other than themselves to become injured or hurt just because they made the bad decision to drive while intoxicated. This advertisement promotes safe driving through its simple and clean layout using a white background and simple black font. This technique is used to make consumers think the product being sold (which in this case is a car) is simple and clean as well which means that the car will be reliable and also safe.Even though BMW is selling their company and their car, they also show their awareness of drinking and driving. With this white background, it makes the image stand out on its own requiring viewers to focus primarily on the picture. After seeing the prosthetic leg, it will grab and keep peop les’ attention to get them to wonder what the advertisement is all about. Therefore they become encouraged to read the words to further understand what BMW is promoting because they believe it is necessary for people to be aware.By doing this, the advertisement focuses on the importance of the issue over what BMW is actually selling. This advertisement does not show the product purposely to show how much BMW cares about preventing drinking and driving. They are trying to persuade people to buy their cars since they are aware of the consequences of drinking and driving. BMW uses this advertisement to show that they are trying to prevent the issue of driving under the influence to gain the trust of the consumers. If the company is considered trustworthy, they will create a good reputation for their cars so that people will buy them.They want to show that their car is safe and reliable as well. When buying a car, consumers’ number one concern is usually the need to feel s afe. This is a way for them to gain customers appeal and hopefully they will buy BMW cars. Even though this car company wants to be able to sell to the general public, an especially meaningful message is intended for people who drive. This can be seen through the image, which is a human and it will affect people who see the advertisement because they will not want to end up with a prosthetic leg or any other body part.By promoting safety and proving that there are negative consequences of drinking and driving, BMW uses an advertisement to help people make the right decision when getting behind the wheel. They require people to take action so that they can prevent alcohol related car accidents from occurring because they are so fatal. People become aware that it is extremely dangerous to drink and drive through this advertisement because they know they would never want to have a prosthetic leg. BMW created an effective advertisement requiring people to stop and think about the realit y of drinking and driving and to hopefully make a good decision.

Analyzing the Literary Features of “The Lottery” Essay Example for Free

Analyzing the Literary Features of â€Å"The Lottery† Essay In the story of Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery†, many literary devices are used to convey messages, give clues and give the reader a better understanding on the story overall. Within the story, literary devices such as allegory, symbolism, and satire are used, which are for the moral that Jackson is trying to send to readers. Other devices used are foreshadowing, imagery and irony. Jackson uses imagery to give a good visualization of the setting. Foreshadowing helps give a clue as to what to happen next in the story, and Jackson uses irony for surprise effect to shock the reader in the end of the story. At the beginning of â€Å"The Lottery†, it opens with â€Å"The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. † This description Jackson gave is a clear example of imagery as she uses phrases such as: â€Å"richly green† â€Å"blossoming profusely† and â€Å"fresh warmth†. After reading this, the reader gets a sense of pleasantness in the story. Furthermore, Jackson writes â€Å"The lottery was conducted–as were the square dances, the teen club, and the Halloween program–by Mr. Summers†. This excerpt meant the lottery is traditional, and is followed by other fun activities such as square dances, the teen club and the Halloween program. From knowing the ending, this is an example of irony because the lottery is thought to be a fun opportune activity, but in the end it is found that the winner receives the prize of death. On forward, the lottery is introduced with the arrival of Mr. Summers and his black box he brings for the drawing. In the story, Jackson states â€Å"The black box grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained†. The literary devices of symbolism and foreshadow are used here because the box color â€Å"black† is a symbol of death. With the box being in bad shape being faded and splintered badly, this adds to the symbol of death as fading means disappearing and wood splintering is signs of the wood’s breakdown. The names of these characters are also a form of symbolism and foreshadowing. Two characters, Mr. Graves and Mrs. Delacroix have names with deeper meaning. In the name â€Å"Graves†, grave means death as well, and within â€Å"Delacroix†, Croix is the French word for cross, which in the story of the bible, Jesus was sacrificed upon a cross and both are a form of Jackson’s symbolism to give a message. These objects of symbolism give off the literary device of foreshadow as the symbol of death means something bad may happen later within the story. Analyzing the Literary Features of â€Å"The Lottery†. (2016, Sep 13).

Discussion Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Discussion Topic - Essay Example Thus, unconventional war should be resulted to, under conditions where the enemy side has the military capability to devastate the other side, and under conditions where it is most apparent that victory in that war is not likely to be attained (Paret, et al., 1986). Further, the modern and ancient writings agree that the unconventional war should also be aligned to the principle of war requiring surprise attack, such that it should be conducted through underground and intelligent means that are not open to confrontation, until at such a time that the enemy has been incapacitated from effectively raising a reprisal attack (Sawyer, 1993). Therefore, both the modern and the ancient writings about the unconventional warfare holds that it the unconventional war is a tool for offensive as opposed to defensive strategy that should be applied on the event that the enemy side is mightier. However, the modern writings differ on the ancient writings about the unconventional war, in that the mod ern writings emphasize that, while opting for the unconventional warfare strategy, the preparation for conventional and confrontational war should be underway, due to the fact that the unconventional strategy can be intercepted and the confrontational war resulted (Paret, et al.,

Black Americans suffers ater war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Black Americans suffers ater war - Essay Example ime differences between the pre-war and post-war rights of the Black Americans were that after the war, they were able to cast vote, hold their own offices and also go to schools. In addition to these three differences, societal norms and practices had also altered in favor of the Black Americans. In 1867, one of the most integrated Southern cities, New Orleans distorted the long-prevailed segregation in the street cars, elected 95 black representatives and 32 black senators for the state from 1868 till 1896. Thus, more Black Americans were in politics than ever before. â€Å"African Americans so dominated the catering business that they formed the United Public Waiters’ Mutual Beneficial Association† (â€Å"After the Civil War†). Moreover, interracial marriages were also legalized. Nevertheless, life of the Black Americans in the South was yet quite imperfect in spite of all these changes. In the days of Reconstruction, opportunities for the black Americans were limited by the Black Codes according to which, Black Americans that went into professions other than agriculture were supposed to pay taxes. The Black Americans were also not allowed to possess guns or rent the land. Immediately following the Civil War, numerous anti-black agencies had surfaced one of which was the Ku Klux Klan. Lynching is the term used to refer to the illegal execution of an individual that is accused of a crime by the mob. This was originally used by White Americans to punish the Black slaves. Not just the slaves, even members of the White community that expressed their consent against lynching had had their lives put in risk. Alton Observer’s Editor Elijah Parish Lovejoy was assassinated by the White Americans on 7 November 1837 due to his criticism for lynching and consent for the eradication of slavery (â€Å"Lynching†). In the post-war era, lynching was frequently used by the Ku Klux Klan to execute the Black Americans. The period between 1868 and 1871 was when the lynching

ICT Consolidation using Virtualization Technologies a Cost Effective Research Paper

ICT Consolidation using Virtualization Technologies a Cost Effective Approach - Research Paper Example way of thinking about it is that virtualization provides a way for a company to invest in fewer physical machines and replace them with virtual machines. Virtualization can be thought of in terms of a way to create hardware through the use of software that mimics what the hardware will do but without the actual machine being used. Through this use, one physical machine can hold within it numerous virtual machines that can be more flexible in the ways in which they can be used. Virtualization provides a streamlining of the way in which IT is handled within a business. Virtualization is not a new idea in Information and Communication Technology as it is has been around for more than a decade. Technologies like Microsoft Terminal Services, VMware and Citrix Metaframe have been available in the industry for many years. Microsoft Terminal Services, VMware and Citrix Metaframe have been in use in small segments of implementation of business technology. These technologies have also proven to be excellent solutions for many IT problems, appearing impossible to solve at first, but a large scale deployment could not happen in the past due to the unjustified high costs of communication links. The industry lacked consolidated strategies and an implementation approach of Virtualization whereby the ICT Management did not focus on the holistic picture of its benefits to the business at strategic levels. The concept of virtualization has also been in conflict with the interests of a large number of ICT vendors; hardware vendors as well as software vendors. As a result of this the vendors have been grossly discouraged to use virtualization to ensure that they are able to push their own technologies to Companies. The spurt of continuous disuse of hardware at a high rate and poor justification of the Return of Investments in ICT hardware and software every year, has compelled the modern ICT Management to re-look at virtualization for possible implementation at larger scales.

Information Security Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10500 words

Information Security Master - Essay Example IT security policies in the private sector are also reviewed. In part II (3.0 -- 3.7) we shall focus attention on plans and efforts to implement the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) by the computer security division of NIST. NIST has created what it describes as the "FISMA Implementation Project" which NIST has broken down into three phases. Phase I discusses security standards and Guidelines, Phase II delves into organizational accreditation program while phase III is called the Security Tool Validation Program. We review too Department of Defense (DoD) security certification and accreditation (DITSCAP) program. We take a look too at funding sources for implementing FISMA and how the private sectors are reacting to FISMA. Part III of this thesis (4.0 - 5.0) takes a deep look at the impact of FISMA in federal government agencies and departments and compliance efforts. We examine a few case studies and then move on to look at the private sector compliance initiatives, including software produced by the private sector software industry to help government agencies and departments achieve compliance easily We link how the various policies, circulars and presidential executive orders shaped management of information and information systems in the federal government. Our methodology is to link how the various policies, circulars and presidential executive orders shaped management of information and information systems in the federal government. We analyze the US Government Accounting Office (GAO, 2006) report and the House 'FISMA Report Card' (Federal Computer Security Grades: 2001 -2005) In the Thesis conclusion we show that FISMA has infact reduced the risk, albeit slowly, to information security in Federal

The benefits of Using the Smart Phones Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The benefits of Using the Smart Phones - Essay Example According to Polichar et al. et al. individuals use Smartphones to fulfill their individual needs regardless of the functions and the interface of the phone, they customize their phones according to their own needs to benefit from the phones (Polichar et al. et al. 629). Clough et al. et al. argues that Smartphones are utilized by both adult and youth population to attain education that is informal in nature. In this report I am going to argue that Smartphones are benefiting adults and teenagers in various aspects of life (Clough et al. et al. 359). In order to find studies that have already focused on my report’s topic, I went through various libraries such as the ProQuest database. Secondly, I even conducted a search through the Google’s search engine under the option of Google Scholar and found various articles from various journals to assist me in my assignment. The journals from which I obtained the journal articles includes: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning as well as Personal and Ubiquitous Computing and others. Following the sources along with their annotations that I am going to utilize to complete my report and defend my stance: Polichar et al. et al. conducted a study named (Empowerment through Seamfulness: Smart Phones in Everyday Life) in order to figure out how adults use mobile phones such as Smartphones to satisfy their needs (Polichar et al. 629). To conduct this study they conducted interviews from 21 participants and these participants were using Smartphones such as BlackBerry and iPhone. Clough et al. conducted a study to figure out the link between Smartphone use and informal learning and figured out that individuals use Smartphones for the purpose of conducting informal education that is intentional in nature (Clough et al. 369). He and fellow researchers even identified that owning a Smartphone influenced users

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 7

Project management - Essay Example The management and implementation of projects in the public sector is a very big challenge simply because there is large number of constraints that restricts the operations. The major issue of projects in public sector is that it is under the control of government and it is their task to deliver quality project at the specified time. The government policies as well as projects needs to be delivered within the time, should meet the expectations as well as should be within the budget. To accomplish such a task is not easy because the environment in which public sector organizations operate is very competitive. The project taken into consideration is related to the work area or more specifically taking the support of external suppliers to deliver services that would be beneficial for the workers who are disabled to reintegrate in terms of workplace and provide services to all other employers and workers who might require such services. The design phase of a project requires availability of essential resources in right proportion. The designing phase of any project is very crucial simply because it lays the foundation of development of the project. The design needs to contribution from all the key personnel in the organization. The management of the organization as well as other executives needs to have well defined tasks so that none of the responsibilities overlap each other. For smooth running of a project it is very essential that the user’s expectations are kept in mind. The first factor that plays a critical role in project management is to have an appropriate team for project design, development and implementation. The leadership skills are very essential for effective management of project because it enhances the motivation level of the project team members. The members involved in the project needs to be highly motivated and should be enthusiastic

Motivation of Maids in Motels Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Motivation of Maids in Motels - Essay Example According to the essay "Motivation of Maids in Motels" findings, the additional responsibilities such as being maà ®tre d’hà ´te, preparing the work roster can keep them more engaged. Similarly, combining several work activities can help in creating challenging and enriching job description. Through this, the maids would feel that the role that they do is much more important and meaningful than before. For example, as a part of their core job of housekeeping, a combination of tasks such as profiling a customer, providing inputs to the other service teams and so on can be assigned to them. This allows the maids to learn and use a wide variety of skills than before, thus providing them more opportunities as well as ensuring that the get the opportunity to indulge in workplace learning. These physical changes in the job description can be a source of great motivation to the maids. Along with the physical changes, it is also necessary to consider the strategies to enhance the pe rsonal identity of the motel maids. The main strategy that needs to be considered here is to make sure that the self-esteem of these workers is not just preserved, but improved (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2009). For example, improving their dress code and ensuring that they look smarter can be a great way to enhance the personal identity. Many employers think that since a maid does not have interaction with the guests, there is no actual need for a good and smart dress code. Another strategy that should be considered seriously is reinforcement. The management of the organization should reinforce constantly about the high importance of the role that they play in the organization (Chance, 2003). Efforts should be taken so the maids feel that they have a crucial role to play. This will provide the necessary respect and would make them proud about the work that they do. Furthermore, steps also should be taken so that the maids do not feel that they are at the bottom of the hierarchy of the org anizational structure of the motel. From a long-term perspective, there should an aim to move to a horizontal organizational structure. For Western motels, the right approach to leadership would be the transformational style of leadership. One of the main reasons that were identified as the reason of the high churn rate of maids was very low motivation. A transformational leader would have the capability to bring around a good change in this respect (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2009). This form of leadership has the potential to create a very valuable change in the staff and can enhance motivation levels, performance as well as the morale in the staff. With the help of individualized concentration, the leader can act as a mentor or coach and try to understand the reason for high attrition. Through intellectual stimulation, the leader can stimulate creativity and positivity in the staff. In the case of the maids, by providing them a variety of options, the leader can foster creativity to

Gogols Petersburg Tales Essay Example for Free

Gogols Petersburg Tales Essay Compare Nikolai Gogol’s â€Å"The Overcoat† with the other St. Petersburg tales. Nikolai Gogol’s St. Petersburg stories have been interpreted as tales of social injustice, urban and human isolation, psychological studies, love stories, moralistic fables and social satires. In keeping with emerging trends of â€Å"naturalistic† writing, the stories deal with relatively lowly members of the social strata in the Petersburg bureaucracy – the everyman. This essay will compare â€Å"The Overcoat† with â€Å"Diary of a Madman† and â€Å"The Nose† and examine how each of the main characters in Gogol’s stories survives in the seemingly unnatural and fabricated world of St. Petersburg. The principal character in â€Å"The Overcoat†, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin buries himself so deeply in his paltry work of copying documents that his work almost supersedes the actual reality in which he inhabits, he is described walking through the streets of St. Petersburg oblivious to the people around him or the rubbish being thrown out windows onto him, he sees nothing but a line of beautiful words to copy. He later does the same when obsessing about the coat which he is having made to shield him from the bitter Russian winter. This need to cloak and insulate oneself from the cold harshness of modern society is an idea which runs through these three stories, and seemed to preoccupy Gogol himself. He was a secretive person about which very little is known, he said himself in his letters â€Å"But how can one judge about a secretive person in whom everything is inside, whose character hasn’t even taken shape but who is still educating himself in his soul and whose every move produces only misunderstanding? How can one make conclusions about such a person basing oneself on a few traits which have inadvertently stuck themselves out? Won’t this be the same as to conclude about a book by a few sentences torn out of it – not in order either, but from different passages.† Gogol was interested in how the character and worth of someone is judged by others, the characte rs in The Petersburg Stories are all defined, both by themselves and by others, by their professions, which are comically insignificant, Akaky Akakievich copied pages and Poprishchin in â€Å"Diary of a Madman† was in charge of pencil sharpening. These characters are defined by the role they serve as part of the bureaucracy rather than by any kind of individual identity. Gogol paints a picture of a society in which values the most superficial aspects of a person, an idea which is taken to comical new heights in â€Å"The Nose†Ã‚  when the preposterous and vain main character Major Kovalyov loses something which serves no great purpose other than normalising one’s appearance – his nose. Escapism is essential for Gogol’s characters. Each of the main characters feels happiest when they are detached from reality, when they have some sort of rosy, imaginary insulation between them and the inescapable monotony of their lowly lives. Akaky Akakievich is described garnering a disproportionate amount of joy from his work copying documents, smiling to himself as he coppied letters he particularly liked, going home and copying just for fun and â€Å"when all strive to divert themselves† going to bed â⠂¬Å"smiling at thought of coming day†. Akaky puts all of his faith and love and passion into something arbitrary and ultimately meaningless as a coping mechanism, for how else would he survive his pitiful life? The main character in â€Å"Diary of a Madman† Poprishkin is driven to a similar detachment from the real world as his lowly and socially immobile position as a titular councillor becomes too much to bear. He loses his sanity but arguably gains something of greater value; confidence and social mobility. In creating a world for himself where he is no longer one of many middle aged, poorly paid low ranking civil servants but the King of Spain he frees himself from his suffocating ties to societal norms, he no longer believes in the inherent superiority of those of a higher social status, he even has the audacity to call his employer as â€Å"an ordinary doornail, a simple doornail, nothing more. The kind used in doors†. Similarly, Kovalyov deludes himself to give his life a sense of importance and signi ficance. He gives himself the title of â€Å"Major† and struts down Nevsky Prospect making eye contact with everyone and imagining attention from ladies that he passes. The key difference between the coping mechanism employed by Akaky and the methods used by Poprishkin and Kobalev is that Akaky’s world is not one which elevates his social status. His extremely introverted behaviour does not disrupt the status quo. It is arguably their obsession with class and how they appear to others which causes all of both Kovalev and Poprishkin’s strife. Contrastingly, Akaky just wants to be left alone, he doesn’t care that people often see him with trifle or hay stuck to the back of his cape, this makes Akaky a more likeable, sympathetic character, he is completely harmless and innocent a perfect victim. This is the only story in which Gogol allows us to be fully sympathetic with a character. There are indeed moments in â€Å"Diary of a Madman† which could and should stir sympathy for Poprishkin in the reader, but Gogol always undermines these moments with a humorous or nonsensical comment. In â€Å"The Overcoat† however, the narrative tone flips from heart wrenchingly sad to funny and light hearted and then back again in the space of a page – Gogol displays his talent for evoking sympathy and emotion in a reader and his gift for comedy side by side. It is not just the characters who seek to cover themselves up and conceal the truth from the reader; there is a lack of reliability coupled with nonsense running through all three of the narratives which obstinately refuses to make sense. â€Å"The Overcoat† introduces us to this immediately, it begins with a digression â€Å"In the department of but it is better not to mention the department.† The narrator continues in this vein, using a conversational, unreliable tone, often forgetting the facts or losing their place in the story. Gogol’s deliberate elusiveness undermines the idea of the omniscient authorial voice of the narrator and injects suspicion and confusion into the narrative. Gogol uses a similar narrative voice in â€Å"The Nose†. The narrator of â€Å"The Nose† is similarly uninformed and forgetful and makes no attempt to elucidate the reason for all the bizarre occurrences in the story. Things in these stories can often just disappear into a puff of smoke, Gogol increases the confusion, and elusiveness with the use of a lot of mist and smoke imagery, he is like a magician, cloaking his intentions, keeping himself safe behind a cloud of nonsense and a mist of confusion. Gogol’s St. Petersburg stories portray many different types of characters, but pervading through the stories and uniting them is this sense of heightened self-consciousness a need to protect oneself from a befuddling, cold harsh world. Gogol himself put it best in another St Petersburg story – Nevsky Prospekt â€Å"It had seemed as if some demon had crumbled the world into bits and mixed all these bits indiscriminately together† Bibliography Gogol, Nikolai translated by Macandrew, Andrew R and Meyer, Priscilla The Diary of a Madman and Other Stories SIGNET CLASSICS, January 2005, New York, NY/US One Of The Oldest Cases Of Schizophrenia In Gogols Diary Of A Madman Eric Lewin AltschulerBMJ: British Medical Journal , Vol. 323, No. 7327 (Dec. 22 29, 2001), pp. 1475-1477 Published by: BMJ Publishing Group Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25468632 Cloaking the Self: The Literary Space of Gogols Overcoat Charles C. Bernheimer PMLA , Vol. 90, No. 1 (Jan., 1975), pp. 53-61 Published by: Modern Language Association Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/461347 The Laughter of Gogol R. W. Hallett Russian Review , Vol. 30, No. 4 (Oct., 1971), pp. 373-384 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Editors and Board of Trustees of the Russian Review Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/127792

Total Knee Replacement Post Op Pain Management

Total Knee Replacement Post Op Pain Management To improve the quality and mobility of life, the most frequently used operative procedure is the total knee replacement. But it is necessary to administer the pain relief measures in the post operative period which would allow the ambulation and reduce the post operative complications. It is important to consider the pain relief options provided in the text with reference to the possible adverse affects in each case. Objective The main objective is the identification of the most suited method for the post operative pain control after the Total Knee Replacement Surgery. Methodology The random control trials executed on adult patients with the Total Knee Replacement Surgery was identified by going through the databases of MEDLINE, PUBMED, COCHRANE and CINAHL from the year 2000 to the present year. Results The patients involved in this study had pre operative and post operative osteoarthritis diagnosis. The continuous pain arising due to the arthritis can be eliminated by the total knee arthoplasty treatment. The use of femoral nerve blockade can be used to treat the pain after the total knee arthoplasty. Reduced oral opioid were taken in by the patients with primary, unilateral, noncemented total knee arthoplasty. These patients are also known to take less stool softener as a post operative measure and have increased mobilization. The patients poor health often resulted due to the obesity which led to a modifiable co-morbidity as was shown by the higher classification of the ASA. Conclusion Until now no adequate solution has been found to the pain after the Total Knee Replacement surgery. Although some consideration could be given to the combined femoral nerve block, the author however supports the use of multimodal approach in the control of postoperative pain in the TKR surgery. This method should be administered keeping in mind the clinical status of the individual patient, availability of skilled technicians and adequate equipment.Contents Page 1 Introduction Pain according to the International Association for the Study of Pain, has been described as an unpleasant emotional and a sensory experience that is often connected to an actual or a potential damage or is a sense that may be described in terms of that damage (Merskey, 1986). Although much advancement have been made in the study of mechanisms and their treatment, still they scientists have been unable to find the appropriate solution to postoperative pains (Joshi and Ogunnaike, 2005). If the inadequate methods of relieving pains are administered, then this may cause damage to the physiological and psychological workings and the patient may need more time to recover and return to the daily life (Gottschalk and Smith, 2001; Joshi and Ogunnaike, 2005). The most dreadful consequence can be death itself. In addition patients are complaining about the post operative symptoms such as pain which results due to the anesthesia or any surgical procedure. It is also an established fact that a postoperative pain treated inadequately can inculcate into a chronic pain which may be not diagnosed properly and will lead to its negligence (Joshi, and Ogunnaike, 2005). The health care costs and the resources are required more in these cases (Phillips, 2003). It is important that steps be taken to improve the control of preoperative pain which is a much better option and will lead to the reduction of post operative morbidity. This will therefore increase the standard of health associated quality of life and will also benefit the health sector economically. Theory of Pain The Gate Control Theory was established by Melzack and Wall (1965), to explain the differences in the perceptions of the similar stimuli. These scientists believed in the existence of some sort of a gate in the spinal cord that would open in specific situations and allow the passage of the nerve impulses linked with the pain stimulation which was then read by the brain as a sensation of pain. They also believed that certain psychological factors such as the anxiety would also affect the degree of the opening of the gate. Therefore in order to minimize the pain the theory was based on the idea of closing this gate. According to the Gate Theory, it was possible to control the transmission of the pain impulses through a gating mechanism present along the nervous system. The pulses can move in both the direction both up and down the nervous system. This means that the whole nervous system is involved in the perception of the pain response (Suza, 2007). Physiology of Pain The basic process of the pain transmission is Nociception. According to Loeser and Treede (2008), the Nociception is the neural process of encoding and the process of noxious stimuli. The mechanical, thermal or the chemical changes when surpasses the set limit, then they can be detected by the nociceptors or the pain receptors. The nociceptors transmit a signal along the spinal cord after its stimulation, to the brain which is then perceived by the brain as a sensation of pain (McCaffery and Pasero 1999). Pathophysiology of pain The sympathetic nervous system is activated by the stress responses in which the body is alerted to the existing harm. This denotes that the stress responses are a protective measure by nature. Through the stress responses the damages like blood loss is minimized as well as the perfusion to the vital organs will be maintained, healing will be enhanced and prevention to infections will also be carried out (Singh, 2003). But if the pain is prolonged then harmful consequences may be caused to the multiple systems of the body. A calculated amount of the hormones are released by the endocrine system which are responsible for the conversion process and the utilization of the carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Excessive amounts of these hormones are released by the endocrine system when the person is under stress. These hormones include Cortisol, Growth hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Antidiuretic hormone, Catecholamine and Glucagon. Tachcardia, fever, shock, increased rate of respiration and some severe results leading to death may be produced by the combination of the inflammatory process, endocrine and the metabolic changes. The stress responses are prolonged by the pain and physical changes and may severely affect the recovery of the patient from the situation of trauma (McCaffery and Pasero, 1999). The sympathetic nerves system is activated as a response to the stress by the cardiovascular system. A number of affects are caused by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system in the post operative period, such as; increase in the heart rate, hypercoagulation due to the decrease in the fibrinolysis, blood pressure, oxygen demand and a cardiac workload. Major impacts of the hypercoagulation may be seen on the morbidity and the mortality as these may be connected to the infarction, irregular angina and myocardial ischemia. The risks of pulmonary embolism may be increased due to the deep venous thrombosis (DVT) which is generally associated with the surgical procedures and an absence in the movement postoperatively. The respiratory system affects of the severe pain can be calculated in terms of the high inspiratory and expiratory residual capacity, tidal volumes and the alveolar ventilation. If the controlling measures applied to the postoperative pain are not adequate then the adverse respiratory affects can convert to severe pulmonary complications in the form of atelectasis and pneumonia (McCaffery and Pasero, 1999). The urine outputs, electrolyte balance, other fluids are regulated by the hormones in the Genitourinary System. These hormones also control the blood volume and the pressure. These hormones may include ADH, cortisol, angiotensin II, catecholamine, prostaglandins and aldosterone. If the pain is not relieved then it may lead to the excess release of the hormones which can cause the water and the sodium ions to be retained, the functional extracellular fluids are decreased with the fluids being moved to the intracellular compartments and the excess excretion of the potassium ions. Among the harmful effects are: decrease in the urinary output, increase in the cardiac workload, urine retained, hypokalemia, hypertension and the overloading of the fluids (McCaffery and Pasero, 1999). The activity of the sympathetic nervous system is increased due to the stress responses which affect the Gastrointestinal System, increase in the smooth muscle sphincter tone, intestinal secretion and the decrease in the gastric disposal and intestinal motility. These may lead to the gastrointestinal function to be temporarily impaired (McCaffery and Pasero, 1999). The pain in the Musculoskeletal System may lead to the impairment of the muscle function, muscle spasm, immobility and fatigue. The short and the long term recovery can be affected by the inadequate control of the pain after the execution of an orthopedic surgery as this may create interference in the patients performance of the physical therapy exercises (Choy, Bandar, Scott and Dockets, 2010). The hospital stay for the patient may be prolonged as a result. The time duration spent by the patient in the hospital indicates the patients satisfaction level. Patients who had a short stay were found to be more satisfied as compared to those with longer hospital stay. The Immune function can be suppressed by the pain (page 2000) which will make the patient more vulnerable to postoperative infections such as pneumonia, sepsis and the wound infection. The severe acute pain or the pain which is prolonged can affect the Cognitive function which will make the patient to undergo some behavioral changes such as the increased sensitivity to the external stimuli like light and sound. Individuals may react by withdrawing themselves form interpersonal interactions and an increased indulgence in ones self concern (NHMRC, 2005). If the pain is not relieved the patient may experience a loss of control over the environment such as the expression of anger and resentment which may make the patient believe that the treatment is being delayed (Joshi and Ogunnaike, 2005). Postoperative pain control The surgical pain should be appropriately managed owing to the negative effects that it has on the physical and the psychological system of the postoperative patient. The following methods have been applied in the Total Knee Surgery in the practice area of the author in the area of orthopedic surgery: Systemic Opioids The treatment of moderate and acute pain can be done through opioids which is still the main systemic analgesia. Titration is needed to estimate the individual needs as the opioids requirements differs from one patient to another with respect to dosage. The most effective pain relievers are the opioids but they are generally not desired by the patients or the doctors due to the wide ranging adverse effects (NHMRC, 2005). Paracetamol To treat the post operative pain, paracetamol was introduced as an analgesic and antipyretic. The use of opioid was reduced by 20-30% by the usage of paracetamol and the level of patient satisfaction was also increased. The postoperative pains are also affectively dealt with the combination of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the opioids. The NSAIDs are effective analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs and antipyretics. The NSAIDs are also helpful in reducing the usage of opioid, but the adverse effects associated with this drug has made the clinicians extra careful when using it. The method in which the patient can administer the analgesics as needed is referred to as the Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA). Although this term may be more frequently associated with the programmable infusion pumps that administer the dose for the opioid medication intravenously (Morgan, et al. 2006). The cumulative doses of the drugs are decreased in comparison to the continuous epidural infusion by the usage of Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia which contains Bupivacaine and Fentanyl. This may be done without any difference seen in the side effects or the relief of pain. The duration of the postoperative analgesia is extended beyond the duration which is generally available in a single injection by the help of Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blockade (CFNB). The technique utilized in the nerve location, the typology of the continuous catheter, local anesthesia, equipment and the management is some of the technical issues that are brought under consideration. The CFNB is sometimes referred to as the 3-in-1 due to the triple benefits that it offers as when it the catheter is positioned in the femoral nerve sheath, it will allow the penetration of the local anesthesia to the lateral femoral cutaneous, the obturator nerve and the femoral nerve block (NHMRC, 2005). Total Knee Replacement (TKR) The patient suffering from acute pain and unstable knees, in order to gain a pain relief and a functional movement, requires a total Knee replacement surgery. Prophylaxis and early mobilization can reduce the complications and morbidity caused after the surgical procedures. Prophylaxis According to Palmer (2010), in the absence of prophylaxis there was an occurrence of 40-88% of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after the TKR. According to Palmer several methods can be applied to reduce these risks such as low dose of warfarin, mechanical compression stockings, heparin of low molecular weight and aspirin. Mobilization A rapid recovery to the normal functions after surgery can be done through postoperative mobilization. If the postoperative pain is not relieved then it will lead to late mobilization which will increase the DVT risks, chest infection and pulmonary embolism. If the chest infection is concurred, then the static secretions will lead to atelectasis and pneumonia (Bone and Joint, 2009). 3 Methods The method of study was primarily based on the extensive literature review of the publications which were related to the management of postoperative pains in adults who have undergone Total Knee Replacement Surgery. The method was more preferred by the author due to limited clinical access to the patients as the author is an international student. This method was also chosen under the light of the statement by Aveyard (2007), who said that the literature review is able to provide a complete picture and helps in forming a systematic approach towards the studys answer. Therefore the study will include as many options available from the literature review as possible. Search strategy The Cardiff Universitys electronic database was used as the source to gain data on the most effective method used in the post operative pain control after the Total Knee Replacement Surgery. The search gave 246 hits with the keywords used such as Pain, Analgesia, Anesthesia, postoperative and Knee. Among these results the author selected the most relevant options with the help of Medline Ovid. The search was limited to the English language due to convenience in understanding this language as compared to the others and included results from the year 2000 to the present. The appendix 1 shows the details of the research strategy. Scope of the study The inclusion of the data in the study was based on adult human beings and total knee replacement surgery. The pediatric and other surgical specialties were not included in the research as was the study involving non human subjects. Data collection The MEDLINE, PUBMED, COCHRANE and CINAHL were the primary source of information. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme criteria were used in the judging of the key methodological points considered in the Randomised Control Trials (PHRU, 2006). Data analysis In the published materials, broad themes were identified and studied with the most common and frequently used methods of pain relief resulting for the Total Knee Replacement Surgery were compared and analyzed with each other. The adverse effects of these methods were also considered in the analysis. The results were analyzed under the CASP (PHRU, 2006) criteria which was developed by the Center of Evidence based Medicine (CEBM, 2011). The appendix 2 shows the appraisal sheet. 3 Results (Review of the literature) A double blinded Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted by Kardash et al (2007), for the comparative analysis of the obturator with the femoral nerve block used for the analgesia after the Total Knee Replacement surgery. This was done by using at the surgerys end the spinal anesthesia with the femoral, obutrator or the placebo nerve block. The study consisted of 60 patients who were divided in treatment groups of varying sizes. The participants and the collectors were not aware of this allocation at all. All the patients were present in the study except for one patient who was removed from the study due to the confusion of the patient in the recovery room postoperatively. The patients were given a follow up after 48 hours of post surgery. The pain scores were found to be lowered after the femoral nerve block as compared to the obturator nerve block. But no difference was found in the groups after 48 hours related to pain or baseline among the groups. There was an absence of a sign ificant difference between the groups with the pain score of p=0.03 as an option. This would favor mobilization of the femoral block over the obturator block. The data is widely represented as shown by the demographics of the total knee replacement population. The findings could not be generalized owing to the small size of the groups. A prospective randomized placebo controlled single blind study was executed by Macalou (2004). The assigning of the patients into three groups was done randomly through envelops given to the patients. A femoral nerve block (FNB) was given to group 1 while combined and selective obturator nerve block, FNB=33 was given to the group 2. The group 3 was given the placebo FNB (n=28) with a total of 90 patients enrolled in the study. The three groups demonstrated no significant demographic differences. All the participants were present in the study without any dropouts and there was no failure of the block experienced which makes the study even more valid. In the first 6 hours the patients were monitored postoperative. The administration of the Patient Controlled Analgesia was initiated post anesthesia without the recording of any symptoms of pain in the first 6 hours. The study follow ups are from 24 to 48hours which means that the duration of the study of 6 hours is not sufficient to obtain any conclusions. 3 tables and 1 graph presented the study. The results obtained in the first 6 hours after the surgery showed the morphine boluses given through the PCA were consumed in a lesser number in group 2 as compared to the group 1 and 3 (P0.05). The ITM group showed an increase in the occurrence of nausea, pruritus and vomiting. About 20% of the patients in the ITM group in the follow up satisfactory survey rated their anesthetic experience as not satisfactory. These were considered in comparison with none in the FNB group (P=0.035). The validity and reliability of the study was enhanced by the reporting of the P value and the confidence interval. Equal amounts of the postoperative analgesia were experienced but the fewer side effects were seen in the FNB group such as nausea, itching and vomiting. Less level of satisfaction was observed among patients receiving T morphine. However the interventions were not sufficient to provide the completed postoperative analgesia. A randomized controlled trial was conducted by Davies in 2004, in which the 60 patients who underwent unilateral primary total knee replacement surgery were included in one of the two study groups. The continuous epidural analgesia was given to the group 1 until a single shot combined with sciatic plus femoral which is available in 3 in 1 combined block. The research used a random number generator, Arcus Quickstat version 1.0, to divide the participants in groups in which a third party would store the codes in sealed and opaque envelopes which would reduce the chances of bias (Parahoo, 2006). The exclusion of the patients was done on the following basis: local anesthesia, ASA>3, neuraxial blockage or the use of tourniquet, contraindications to use the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, pain poly analgesia. The criteria used for the exclusion seemed to be correct. All the participants were present in the study and in the conclusion. The failure to locate the epidural space led to the exclusion of one patient. After the exclusion the analysis was done but no difference in the results were seen in the analysis on an intention to treat the basis. The data collection was done in a similar manner and the follow up was carried out. A performance bias was created by the inconsistencies. The analysis of the patients was done for the pain assessment after 48 hours postoperatively with the use of a visual analog VAS. The power analysis was used to determine the sample size, obtained from a lower limb neural block study which showed the 10mm VAS difference. A risk of 0.05 was obtained in group A and a risk of 0.2 was obtained in group B. a minimum of 24 patients would be sufficient for the study. In each group 30 patients were however recruited to make up for the incomplete data collected and to make sure that the validity was ensured. 3 tables and 3 graphs were used to demonstrate the results. An absence of a statistical difference between the two groups was seen in the two groups for the block insertion time (P=0.92). The dose given for the fentanyl was to be same. In both the groups the score for the pain was higher than 24 and 48 hours. A greater number of the patients were found in the epidural group with the completed recovery of the analgesia. There was no pain reported in the 0.23 of 39 patients when a movement was attempted as compared to the 16 out of 30 patients form the block group. The scores of the level of satisfaction were found to be high in both the groups with an increased tendency of the statistical significance which was found to favor the block group at 48 hours. The validity of the study was increased with the discussion of the P value and the confidence interval. A practical alternative to the epidural analgesia was offered by the combined block for the total knee replacements. The results can be applied to the clinical setting.

Uses of DNA Technology

Uses of DNA Technology Introduction DNA typing was first used in Great Britain for law enforcement purposes in the mid- 1980s and has revolutionized forensic science and the ability of law enforcement to match perpetrators with crime scenes. It wasnt employed in the United States until 1987. DNA profiling has changed forensic science. DNA technology has given police and the courts a means of identifying the suspects of rapes and murders. Thousands of cases have been closed and innocent suspects freed with guilty ones punished because of the power of a silent biological witness at the crime scene. Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation performs the bulk of the forensic DNA typing for local and state law enforcement agencies. In criminal investigations, DNA from samples of hair, bodily fluids or skin at a crime scene is compared with those obtained from suspected suspects. (http://faculty.ncwc.edu) ‘DNA fingerprinting, or DNA typing (profiling) as it is now known, was first described in 1985 by an English genet icist named Alec Jeffreys. Dr Jeffreys found that certain regions of DNA contained DNA sequences that were repeated over and over again next to each other. He also discovered that the number of repeated sections present in a sample could differ from individual to individual. By developing a technique to examine the length variation of these DNA repeat sequences, Dr Jeffreys created the ability to perform human identity tests. (John Butler, 2005) Sir Alec John Jeffreys, was born 9 January 1950 at Oxford in Oxfordshire. He is a professor of genetics at theUniversity of Leicester, and he became an honorary freeman of the City of Leicester on 26 November 1992. (Leicester City Council, 1992) In 1994, he was knighted by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, for Services to Science and Technology. Jeffreys had a eureka moment in his lab in Leicester after looking at the X-ray film image of a DNA experiment at 9:05 am on Monday 10 September 1984, which unexpectedly showed both similarities and differences between the DNA of different members of his technicians family. (BBC Radio, December 9, 2007) Within about half an hour, he realized the possible scope of DNA fingerprinting, which uses variations in the genetic code to identify individuals. The method has become important in forensic science to assist police detective work, and it has also proved useful in resolving paternity and immigration disputes. (BBC Radio, December 9, 2007) The method can also be applied to non-human species, for example in wildlife population genetics studies. Before his methods were commercialized in 1987 his laboratory was the only center carrying out DNA fingerprinting in the world, and during this period of about two or three years it was very busy, receiving inquiries from all over the globe. (Ne ston, Giles February 2, 2004) The technique used by Dr Jeffreys to examine the VNTRs was called restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) because it involved the use of a restriction enzyme to cut the regions of DNA surrounding the VNTRs. This RFLP method was first used to help in an English immigration case and shortly thereafter to solve a double homicide case. Since that time, human identity testing using DNA typing methods has been widespread. The past 25 years have seen tremendous growth in the use of DNA evidence in crime scene investigations as well as paternity testing. Today over 100 public forensic laboratories and several dozen private paternity testing laboratories conduct hundreds of thousands of DNA tests annually in the United States. In addition, most countries in Europe and Asia have forensic DNA programs. The number of laboratories around the world conducting DNA testing will continue to grow as the technique gains in popularity within the law enforcement com munity. (John Butler, 2005) How DNA Typing Is Done Only one-tenth of a single percent of DNA (about 3 million bases) differs from one person to the next. (Internet Source www.ornl.org, 2009) Scientists can use these variable regions to generate a DNA profile of an individual, using samples from blood, bone, hair, and other body tissues and products. In criminal cases, this generally involves obtaining samples from crime-scene evidence and a suspect, extracting the DNA, and analyzing it for the presence of a set of specific DNA regions (markers). Scientists find the markers in a DNA sample by designing small pieces of DNA (probes) that will each seek out and bind to a complementary DNA sequence in the sample. A series of probes bound to a DNA sample creates a distinctive pattern for an individual. Forensic scientists compare these DNA profiles to determine whether the suspects sample matches the evidence sample. A marker by itself usually is not unique to an individual; if, however, two DNA samples are alike at four or five regions, o dds are great that the samples are from the same person. If the sample profiles dont match, the person did not contribute the DNA at the crime scene. If the patterns match, the suspect may have contributed the evidence sample. While there is a chance that someone else has the same DNA profile for a particular probe set, the odds are exceedingly slim. Many judges consider this a matter for a jury to take into consideration along with other evidence in the case. (Internet Source www.nfstc.org, 2009) Experts point out that using DNA forensic technology is far superior to eyewitness accounts, where the odds for correct identification are about 50:50. The more probes used in DNA analysis, the greater the odds for a unique pattern and against a coincidental match, but each additional probe adds greatly to the time and expense of testing. Four to six probes are recommended. Testing with several more probes will become routine, observed John Hicks (Internet Source www.alabany.edu/nerfi, 200 9). He predicted that DNA chip technology will enable much more rapid, inexpensive analyses using many more probes and raising the odds against coincidental matches. Types of DNA Technologies Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism RFLP is a method used by molecular biologists to follow a particular sequence of DNA as it is passed on to other cells. RFLPs can be used in many different settings to accomplish different objectives. RFLPs can be used in paternity cases or criminal cases to determine the source of a DNA sample. RFLPs can be used determine the disease status of an individual. RFLPs can be used to measure recombination rates which can lead to a genetic map with the distance between RFLP loci measured in centiMorgans. (Internet Source www.bio.davidson.edu, 2009) Total DNA is first extracted from the microbial community and the16S rRNA gene  is amplified from samples using fluorescently-labeled forward and reverse primers. Next, the PCR product is purified and subjected to restriction enzyme digestion with enzymes that have 4 base pair recognition sites. This step generates fluorescently-labeled terminal restriction fragments. The digested products are then se parated and detected on an appropriate electrophoresis platform. For a given sample the terminal fragments will contain a fluorescent label at the 5 end and will therefore be detected. The output will be a series of peaks (fragments) of various sizes and heights that represents the profile of that sample. (Osborn, A. M., Moore, R.B. and Timmis, K.N., 2000) Polymerase chain reaction PCR is used to make millions of exact copies of DNA from a biological sample. DNA amplification with PCR allows DNA analysis on biological samples as small as a few skin cells. A polymerase is a naturally occurring enzyme, a biological macromolecule that catalyzes the formation and repair of DNA (and RNA). The technique was made possible by the discovery of Taq polymerase, the DNA polymerase that is used by the bacterium Thermus auquaticus that was discovered in hot springs. This DNA polymerase is stable at the high temperatures need to perform the amplification, whereas other DNA polymerases become denatured. Since this technique involves amplification of DNA, the most obvious application of the method is in the detection of minuscule amounts of specific DNAs. This is important in the detection of low level bacterial infections or rapid changes in transcription at the single cell level, as well as the detection of a specific individuals DNA in forensic sci ence. It can also be used in DNA sequencing, screening for genetic disorders, site specific mutation of DNA, or cloning or subcloning of cDNAs. (Internet Source www.plattsburgh.edu, 2009) Short tandem repeat STR technology is used to evaluate specific regions (loci) within nuclear DNA. Variability in STR regions can be used to distinguish one DNA profile from another. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uses a standard set of 13 specific STR regions for CODIS. CODIS is a software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons. The odds that two individuals will have the same 13-loci DNA profile is about one in a billion. (Internet Source www.ornl.org, 2009) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has chosen 13 specific STR loci to serve as the standard for CODIS. The purpose of establishing a core set of STR loci is to ensure that all forensic laboratories can establish uniform DNA databases and, more importantly, share valuable forensic information. If the forensic or convicted offender CODIS index is to be used in the investigative stages of unsolved cas es, DNA profiles must be generated by using STR technology and the specific 13 core STR loci selected by the FBI. (Internet Source www.dna.gov, 2009) Mitochondrial DNA analysis mtDNA can be used to examine the DNA from samples that cannot be analyzed by RFLP or STR. Nuclear DNA must be extracted from samples for use in RFLP, PCR, and STR; however, mtDNA analysis uses DNA extracted from another cellular organelle called a mitochondrion. (Internet Source www.fbi.gov, 2009) While older biological samples that lack nucleated cellular material, such as hair, bones, and teeth, cannot be analyzed with STR and RFLP, they can be analyzed with mtDNA. In the investigation of cases that have gone unsolved for many years, mtDNA is extremely valuable. (Internet Source www.dna.com, 2009) All mothers have the same mitochondrial DNA as their offspring. This is because the mitochondria of each new embryo come from the mothers egg cell. The fathers sperm contributes only nuclear DNA. Comparing the mtDNA profile of unidentified remains with the profile of a potential maternal relative can be an important technique in missing-person investigations. ( Melton, T. et. al., 2001) Y-Chromosome Analysis The Y chromosome is passed directly from father to son, so analysis of genetic markers on the Y chromosome is especially useful for tracing relationships among males or for analyzing biological evidence involving multiple male contributors. Y chromosome analysis is a useful technique for analyzing DNA that can be likened in one sense to studying male surnames. Think about the way that male surnames are passed down from one generation to another and continue on through sons. This mechanism is a simplistic representation of Y chromosomes. A son inherits a Y chromosome from his biological father and he also inherits an X chromosome from his biological mother. Conversely, a female would inherit an X chromosome from her biological mother and an X chromosome from her biological father. (Internet Source www.esploredna.co.uk, 2009) As such, when scientists study Y chromosomes, they are studying these chromosomes as they are inherited over time through males in a famili al line. This type of DNA analysis has important ramifications for scientists wishing to investigate the familial ties between male members. (Internet Source www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2009) Conclusion No field has benefited more from the tools of molecular biology than forensic science. DNA technology affords the forensic scientist the ability to eliminate individuals who have been falsely associated with a biological sample and to reduce the number of potential contributors to a few (if not one) individuals. Inculpations are strong evidence regarding the source of the biological sample. Today, some wrongly convicted people have been exonerated because of DNA evidence. Moreover, in casework, individuals are excluded routinely. Since the inception of forensic DNA profiling, there has been a debate in the legal setting regarding admissibility on the methods and the practices of computing DNA profile frequencies. While the scientific basis of DNA typing were sound, both the methodology and the statistical interpretations were aggressively challenged in court. The methods challenge focused on reliability and validity testing. The statistics debate focused on the reliability of the ass umption of independence for applying the product rule to derive estimates of DNA profile frequencies. References Butler, John â€Å"Forensic DNA Typing: Biology, Technology, and Genetics of STR Markers† 2nd Edition 2005 Elsevier Science Desert Island Discs, â€Å"Desert Island Discs with Alec Jeffreys† BBC Radio 4 December 9, 2007 Leicester City Council â€Å"List of persons upon whom the honorary freedom of the city has been conferred† http://www.leicester.gov.uk/aboutleicester/lordmayorcivic/freeman/honorary-freemen/list-of-freemen Retrieved December 10, 2009 Newton Giles, â€Å"Discovering DNA fingerprinting: Sir Alec Jeffreys describes its development†. Wellcome Trust. http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk.doc Retrieved December 10, 2009 Osborn, A.M., Moore, R.B. and Timmis, K.N. (2000). An evaluation of terminal-restriction fragment lengty polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis for the study of microbial community structure and dynamics. Environmental Microbiology 2(1): 39-50. Journal of Forensic Science â€Å"Diversity and Heterogeneity in Mitochondrial DNA of North American Populations.† January 2001; 46 (1):46-52. Melton T. et al Internet Source www.ornl.org 2009 Internet Source www.plattsburgh.edu 2009 Internet Source www.fbi.gov 2009 Internet Source www.dna.com, 2009

Poetry Coursework :: English Literature

Poetry Coursework I am going to compare these two poems by thinking about the theme, purpose, mood, language and imagery. An extract from â€Å"The Ballad of Reading Gaol† by Oscar Wilde. In the first verse of this poem, the writer introduces us to a miserable setting of a prison, â€Å"the dripping wall, the leaden sky.† This sets us in the mood of how it was to be a prisoner at the end of the 19th century. Oscar Wilde introduces us to another character, a murderer. Throughout the poem, Wilde sympathizes with this character. We see this by the use of language. Wilde tells us about the wardens who watched this prisoner, â€Å"for fear the man might die.† â€Å"And by each side a warder walked.† Although the wardens knew that this man would be put to death, they still watched him in the event that the prisoner might take his own life. Wilde refers to this man as ‘prey’ thus giving the impression that the wardens are hunting this man’s blood. This use of language reveals that Wilde disapproves of the way the man is treated and sees this as an unjust act. The purpose of Wilde’s poem is to protest against the authorities and against the way the prisoners are treated. He writes about the harsh conditions, â€Å"We rubbed the door, and scrubbed the floors, And cleaning the shining rails: And, rank-by-rank, we soaped the plank, And clattered with the pails.† The rails were already shiny they didn’t need cleaning. Wilde also protests against the difficult and monotonous work. The structure, language and brisk rhythm in this poem give emphasis to the main point of Wilde’s poem. â€Å"And shaven heads and feet of lead Make a merry masquerade.† He uses harsh repetitive words that are difficult to pronounce. â€Å"With blunt and bleeding nails.† Just as this is difficult to say, it was difficult work to do. The thought of this cruelty makes you quiver. Oscar Wilde was in prison when he wrote this poem, and therefore he could not openly address his intended audience. Instead, He used a lot of irony in his writing. He questions the role of compassion through irony, in such a place with a definitely ironic tone, â€Å"And what should human pity do Pent up in a murderer’s hole? What word of grave in such a place Could help a brother’s sole?† Wilde is attacking the governor, the doctor, and the Chaplin for not having pity on the prisoners. He disapproves of their approaches by listing their actions coldly. A minister of church should be praying with him. Religious men have jobs to pray with him and accompany him. But the Chaplin isn’t doing his job.

The New York Crystal Palace :: Architecture History

An Ode for the Inauguration of the American Crystal Palace: The nations meet, not in war, but in peace, beneath this dome. They meet to bring glory to God on high and goodwill to men. The Crystal Palace is a symbol of the might of Man. Look on, ye Nations, and vow eternal peace and justice. -William R. Wallace (New York Times, July 14, 1853) When the first major international exhibition of arts and industries was held in London in 1851, the London Crystal Palace epitomized the achievements of the entire world at a time when progress was racing forward at a speed never before known to mankind. The Great Exhibition marked the beginning of a tradition of world's fairs, which would be held in major cities all across the globe. Following the success of the London fair, it was inevitable that other nations would soon try their hand at organizing their own exhibitions. In fact, the next international fair was held only two years later, in 1853, in New York City. This fair would have its own Crystal Palace to symbolize not only the achievements of the world, but also the nationalistic pride of a relatively young nation and all that she stood for. Walt Whitman, the great American poet, wrote in "The Song of the Exposition": ... a Palace, Lofter, fairer, ampler than any yet, Earth's modern wonder, History's Seven out stripping, High rising tier on tier, with glass and iron facades, Gladdening the sun and sky - enhued in the cheerfulest hues, Bronze, lilac, robin's-egg, marine and crimson Over whose golden roof shall flaunt, beneath thy banner, Freedom. The plan for an American Crystal Palace originated with Edward Riddle, a Boston auctioneer and carriage-maker. He assembled a group of New York bankers who had either visited or heard marvelous stories about the London exhibition and were more than willing to invest in a similar project in the United States. Riddle tried but failed to interest the famed entrepreneur, P.T. Barnum, in the project. The group of investors soon petitioned the Board of Aldermen in New York City for use of Madison Square, located in lower Manhattan where Broadway and Fifth Avenue meet at 23rd Street, to build a "house of iron and steel for an Industrial Exhibition.

A fine White Dust :: essays papers

A fine White Dust Facets of Religion The novel was very interesting. It caused me to think of many ideas of religion and of the many processes of conversion. The book portrays religion and conversion to religion in many ways. It uses the various characters to show the many different possibilities that you can have in your religion. Pete is a very interesting character. He has some interesting quirks; he first is strangely religious for his young age for no obvious reason. His parents seem to be very nonreligious so a possibility for his disproportionate spirituality is as a reaction to his parents’ lack of religious zeal. â€Å"I started simmering inside because they wouldn’t go to church with me, because they didn’t seem to care about heaven or hell or their boy’s need for religion.† Pete’s impression of the Preacher Man at first before he is swayed by the preacher’s skills seems to be very accurate. He believed the â€Å"hitchhiker†, who was actually the Preacher Man, to be a member of the shadier element. Some of the possibilities he thinks of are an axe murderer or some kind of violent criminal. This at the end of the story appears to be the most accurate picture of the Preacher Man. The negative image of the Preacher Man is the most correct of all the impressions that Pete has toward the Preacher Man. Pete finally sees through the Preacher Man’s fake facade. Especially After he has had time to allow the effects of his religious experience to abate. Pete is the main character of the story; the story is his discovery of a hero and his subsequent betrayal by this his new hero. Pete is an innocent and naà ¯ve character he is easily taken by the powerful preaching about salvation and heaven by the Preacher Man. The Preacher Man shows him religion that is an escape from the horror and pain of hell. It appears that it is mainly a technique of salvation by fear; if you are afraid enough you will convert and be saved from the dangers of hell. This is a very two-dimensional religion it only is about you not about God. A truly loving God would not want his people to be afraid continually of hell. He would want us to be thinking of him and heaven.

Kotu Fashion Accessories Shop

Vietnam was positioned in 23rd among 30 countries for owning one of the most attractive retail markets globally. The total retail value for clothing and accessories sector in Vietnam was 7. % and held 72. 9% of share in 2009. From 2004 to 2009, there was a growth in the number of clothing and accessories retailers in Viet Name. As predicted in 2010, the number of goods and services would grow 18-19% in 2011.Along with this growth, the rate of retailing goods in 2011 was quite slow compared to previous years due to a decrease in consumption and economic difficulties. However, retailing market like accessories and clothing markets still continued to be the most attractive market ever. According to the Global Retail Development Index (201 1), clothing and accessories retailing is a attention business in Vietnam and stands at a vital position in the market, which influences not only private retailer but also the government's attention.The government has tended to pay more attention to th e local retail market. To be more specific, they have encouraged people to increase the use of local products, which urges the local market to improve. For instances, many campaigns were emerged by the government with the purpose of developing the industry potentially such as the recent campaign named Vietnamese people buy Vietnamese goods'. According to Ministry of Industry and Trade (2010), a report in September ‘Industry and Trade' in 2011 showed that in the first 9 months of 2011, the total sale of goods and services rose more than 17%.Nevertheless, this was still a low percentage compared to previous years, which tended to grow more than 20%. In 2010, the total retail grew to 24. 5% compared to previous year. This shows that Vietnamese demands for accessories have been rising and are more likely to be an upward trend. Hence, the opportunities for an accessories retailer to enter the market and increase the number of customers are very significant. RESEARCH QUESTION How ca n SOOT Shop attract more customers and increase the number of loyal customers?METHODS In order to effectively respond to the team's research question, the research team have examined both primary and secondary research. For primary research, in order to clearly understand the shop owner's problems, on 6 March 2013, the research team visited and had an interview with the owner of SOOT Fashion Accessories Shop, Mrs.. Maim Then Then (See Appendix A). On 5 April 2013, the research team visited Qua Tang shop, one of the most popular accessories shop among the area to observe ND compare SOOT Shop with its neighboring competitors.In addition, the research team visited a competitor's accessories page named V;C on 5th April 2013. Furthermore, a survey was conducted randomly including 10 males and 10 females respondents on 10 April 2013 (see Appendix C). The data was clearly identified with a table of survey results, proportions, bar graphs and pie charts. Finally, on 14 April 2013, the team members had met with Ms. Unguent NCO Line, an online shop owner who has five years experience in doing Internet advertising (See Appendix B).Then, he research team interviewed the expert Do Truing Tuna, an owner of a grocery shop on 15 April 2013 to find out more about special offer strategies (See Appendix B). And on 12 April 2013, the team interviewed Mrs.. Cacao HTH Hung, the owner of Gardenia Hotel in Dalai City about her specialize on membership program (See Appendix B). For secondary research, the research team have searched on REMIT Online Library, government documents, and Google Scholar to find out about the possible problems as well as solution regarding social networking sites, special offer and loyalty program.Figure 1 . Gender of respondents FINDING Social Networking Sites (An) In the interview on 6th March 2013,the owner of Soot shop, Ms. Maim Then Then claimed that she would like to increase the number of customers by using Faceable which she has not had any experienc e in the previous time. Based on the survey that the research team conducted on 10 April 2013 on randomly adolescents a young adults (See), seven out of ten respondents research on Faceable before purchasing (See). On 14 April 2013, in a meeting with Ms.Unguent NCO Line, an online shop owner has five years experience, emphasized that social networking sites are opportune for business to increase customers (See). After researched and visited on a competitor's accessories page named V&C on 5th April 2013, the research team noticed that they often stay online to quickly answer customers' question about the products and have separated albums for each kind of products. Bankcard (2011) indicates social networking sites help to connect nodes and branches.The author states that social networking sites contribute to increase sales, services and brand the products as a major hub. According to the Thou Tree News (2012), there was a growth of approximately 200% from 2. Million to more than 8. 5 million in the number of Faceable users in Vietnam. Unguent (2012) adds that the majority users' ages in 2011 are from 15 to 34 years old which is similar to the target ages of the business. Unguent also represents that Faceable has the highest rate of number users and a large gap comparing to Vietnamese social networking sites in 2011.Special Offer (That) Ms. Then, owner of SOOT shop states during the interview on 6 March 2013 that she has considered using special offer to attract more customers to her shop (see Appendix A). A survey was conducted on 10 April 2013 (see Appendix C), in which 9 UT of 10 respondents would choose to buy goods from accessories shop, especially, which offers them several gifts or discounts. 50% of those like to make purchases on special days if this shop offers ‘5-10%' discount and another 50% refers buying if the shop applies ‘buy 2 get 1 free' (see Figure 1).The expert Do Truing Tuna, a owner off grocery shop states in the interview on 15 April 2013 that special offer is a sales promotion tool which is extremely important for any small business, as it can help the business gains its reputation, prestige and therefore, attracts more customers to grow the profits (See Appendix B). According to David K and John M (2000), special offer is a tool to keep loyal customers and satisfy new customers. The authors claim that a retailer can apply special offers for different customers by recognizing loyal or new customers digitally via Kiosks, Internet and mobile devices.By using it, business can conceive different offers for different customers based upon their historical purchases and preferences. On 5 April 2013, the research team visited Qua Tang shop, one of the most popular accessories shop among the area, which also is a strong competitor of SOOT shop (see figure 2). The team found out that Qua Tang hop offers discounts and other sales promotion strategies frequently. For instance, the shop offered ‘buy 2 get 1 free in the woman day last month and it was high appreciated within new and loyal customers (see Appendix C).According to Wend (2012), some small businesses are now considered special offer through email marketing promotion as an effective way to get more attention of the customers. Special offer can be a way to motivate customers to buy products, it can be occurred with many forms as well, for instances, ‘buy and get discount on the second product', ‘buy one get one free' and free shipping. In order to create an efficient email advertised offer, Wend mentions four advices.Firstly, a business should understand the need of the customers and offers them products with perceived value. Secondly, business has to be well defined their goals, why they do an offer. The reason they make the offer should not be because their competitors do. Thirdly, firms should be clear about their ability, which meaner that they have to make sure they can afford the offer. Finally, a successful busi ness should think about partnering with a non-profit making organization in order to position the business's name in the mind of customers.According to Jim (201 1), some businesses have mistaken the true meaning of special offers, which caused irreparable damages to a company's reputation. He expresses some main ideas help firms to understand more about special offer. One of the most common mistakes that most of small business makes is training the marketplace to wait'. For example, a seminar business applies an early-bird discount to persuade customer to book promptly although customers still buy tickets with the actual price. Then, when the seminar' s date gets close, he offers X% to sell his tickets quickly.Eventually, the business loses it reliability. Secondly, Jim found that famous brand companies are often successful with their special offer strategies. The reason is that big companies often spend quite a long time for their wide research and receives advices from their profe ssionals. Membership Card (HTH) Ms. Maim Then Then, the owner of SOOT Shop stated in an interview on 6 March 2013 that she wants to apply sale promotion strategies, which can effectively attract more customers and improve the shop's loyal customers (See Appendix A).The research team's survey on 10 April 2013 shows that 9 out of 10 respondents are attracted to the idea of having a membership card for an accessories shop (See Figure 3) and they would like to make more purchases if the shop provides promotions (See Appendix C). In an interview on 12 April 2013, Mrs.. Cacao HTH Hung, the owner of Gardenia Hotel in Dalai City, implies that membership card is one of the most important promotion tools to keep the loyal customers on track (See Appendix B). However, there are many firms failed to run the customer loyalty programs effectively.She also states that in order to run the customer loyalty programs efficiently, businesses should do surveys and market researches on customer urchin's behaviors and then create an adequate reward for loyalty. According to Dowling and Uncles (1997), a European investigators researching business-to- business marketing in the sass stated that a firm is mostly profitable from their loyal customers. This is because of seeking more profits by lower servicing costs, less price sensitivity and suggestions passed on to other potential customers by loyal purchasers.On 5 April 2013, the research team visited Qua Tang shop, one of the strongest competitors of SOOT Shop and noticed that Qua Tang Shop has paid special attention to improve their customer loyalty programs such as patronage rewards and membership cards. They offered membership cards with different colors and designs aiming to different valued cards. According to Little&King integrated marketing group (n. D), businesses should be aware of the mentality â€Å"one product fits all† because not all of the customers' needs and wants are always the same.Therefore, a hierarchy of valued consumers should be released such as diamond, premium and gold membership cards. Furthermore, ‘lapsed' members, who signed for a membership card, but only use it for one time and never use it again, are also problems dealing with membership cards and challenging almost all genuineness. If the shop provides membership cards for those who will probably ‘lapsed', the shop will not only waste their efforts to maintain the customers, but also suffer from loss of resources such as the cost to make the membership card.According to a survey of professor Worthington (2009), although membership cards often attract widespread customers' interests, they are still likely that it has a large amount of ‘lapsed' members. There is no accessible information that could show the percentage of membership cards that are ‘lapsed' or ‘active'. Nevertheless, professor Worthington survey outcomes indicate that the most frequent reason for not participating in membership p rograms are not attracted by the prizes and a slight rate of people who cited ‘privacy' reasons.RECOMMENDATION Social Networking Site (An) On the survey conducted by the research team, nine out of ten respondents like purchasing accessories on Faceable. The expert, Ms. Unguent, said that having an efficient controlled Faceable page could help to increase the number of customers. Noticed by the research team, the competitor, V&C shop, also had a Faceable page, which had well decorated picture albums and quick service.Bankcard (2011) asserts that by directly using a social networking site and connecting with the customers could collect positive reviews and high reputation as return since customers feel that their feedbacks are important and they are cared. The Thou Tree News (2012) reports that the number of Vietnamese Faceable users increased of around 2 times within one year. Unguent (2012) adds that the significant Faceable users' age are from 15 to 34. Therefore, Soot shop s hould create a Faceable page, which is easy and inexpensive, to increase the potential customers.The expert, Ms. Unguent, advised that the shop should have 2 Faceable pages, which are a personal page and a fan page. The shop can update the information and pictures related to their products, notes, and feedbacks from customers and use the personal page to share this information and add friend. In this way, the shop can be active in increasing the number of users they want to transfer information because users do not randomly like the page unless the shop has a big brand name or high products' prestige. Ms.Unguent also recommended not tagging the customers in the pictures to avoid disturbing them, except the owner's friends if they do not mind. Ms. Unguent added that the pictures should have clear descriptions and be similar to the products because if the products and picture are not matched, the shop could lose their prestige. The most impressive aspect on the competitor's Faceable p age is they have separated albums for each kind of products; this could help customers to save their time for searching purposes. Soot shop should consider this aspect.The most important thing that V&C shop cannot efficiently manage is that there are many other shops' advertising on the page and the host also updates personal statuses and emotions. This could get bad reputation in return and the customer could click on the other's pages, as a consequence, they might lose their customers. Hence, Soot shop should not post any personal activities onto their business pages. On the survey administered by the research team, service is the most importance to the female customers and the second importance to the male customers.In addition, the competitor shop also has the order service for the products that they do not have. Therefore, Soot shop should try often stay online to quickly response to customers. Their strength is to make handmade accessories hence producing stuffs that customers order is also possible. Special offer (That) The research team administered a survey and pointed out that there are 9 out of 10 respondents would like to buy products from accessories shop where offers them gifts or discounts (See Appendix C).Half of the respondents like to make purchases on special days if this shop offers ‘5-10%' discount and another 5 respondents refers buying if the shop applies ‘buy 2 get 1 free' (See Appendix C). The research team observed a well-know accessories shop named Qua Tang, which is one of a SOOT shop's competitor. Qua Tang implements sales promotions strategy frequently to acquire more customers. The latest is ‘buy 2 get 1 free' offers on woman days and it is widely popular among the area. According to Wend (2012), special offer through email marketing promotion is now extremely important to small business.She informs that special offer indeed can be an effective way to prompt customers to buy products. In order to attract custome rs by special offer, Wend argues that a firm has to understand the need of customers and offers them products with appropriate value. Moreover, business needs to know their specific goals and abilities to make a healthy offer. Jim (2011) states that not every business understands clearly the true meaning of special offers, which leads them to several inevitable losses. He mentions an example regarding to his one customer that losses its reputation due to misunderstanding of special offer.According to David K and John M (2000), special offer is an efficient strategy to fulfill loyal customers' and new customers' expectation. The authors infer that a retailer can know more about customer's buying powers and preferences using modern tools such as Kiosks, Internet and mobile devices in order to manage different offers for each group of customers. The positive aspects of special offer are obvious; every customer refers to receive discounts and gifts when they make purchases. Thus, if SOO T shop wants to increase the number of first-time customers and preserve the number of membership, sales promotion as special offer is essential.However, special offer is quite popular among other accessories shop, many competitors also apply special offer to attract more customers such as Qua Tang shop. Therefore, SOOT shop also has to make sure the reason for offering, who to offer, what and when to offer. For example, shop can offer ‘5% discount' for new customers and ‘10%' discount for loyal customers on special days such as Valentine and Mother days. In addition, in order to prevent unnecessary losses, Ms. Then needs to know clearly the ability to offer.If she offers a product value 10,000 vend and sells it 12,000 vend after discount, she would be suffered because she still has to pay money for employers, electricity, and many other fees. Membership card (HTH) A survey released by the research team on April 2013 indicated that 90% of respondents are interested in ha ving a loyalty card for a fashion accessories shop (See Appendix C). Mrs.. Cacao HTH Hung, the owner of Gardenia Hotel in Dalai City, mentions in an interview on 12 April 2013 that one of the most significant promotion tools to maintain the loyal customers is offering membership cards (See Appendix B).Nonetheless, there are not many companies can succeed in implementing the loyalty programs. She goes on to suggest that considering the evaluation of customer purchasing behaviors and then generate the accurate rewards of loyalty are the most important factors to maintain loyalty customers. Dowling and Uncles (1997) refer to a research, which was found by European researchers studying business-to- easiness marketing in the sass. The research claimed that loyal customers are the main contribution to a company's profit.It is due to its lower expenses by lower servicing costs, lower advertising costs and advices passed on to other potential buyers by loyal purchasers. It will cost much mo re to persuade a new buyer to make a purchase in the shop than to make a current shopper to purchase again. Hence, SOOT shop should focus more on their current customers and often remind them about the shop through providing promotions and running membership programs. The research team visited one of the competitors, Qua Tang shop, on 5 April 2013 ND noticed that Qua Tang Shop has fully concentrated on improving their membership programs.They provided different colors and designs cards, which distinguished between levels of card members. Little;King integrated marketing group (n. D) states that companies should notice the mentality â€Å"one product fits all†, because there are always differences between every customer's needs and wants. Therefore, a hierarchy of valued consumers should be released such as diamond, premium and gold memberships. Thus, SOOT shop should apply membership cards to its customers (See Figure 3). The differences between membership cards allow the hop to serve a certain type of persons based on their standard of membership.To illustrate, the system can automatically find the names of customers, their mobile phone numbers, email addresses and save their previous purchases when they use their membership cards to make a purchase. Through that process, the shop can easily classify the customers' interested items and clothes in order to introduce different kinds of items, clothes to different types of customers. In addition, the shop can efficiently inform different types promotion information to different types of buyers through their mobile phones or email addresses. One of the difficulties of providing membership cards is ‘lapsed' membership card. Lapsed' member meaner customer who applied a membership card and only use it for one time. According to a survey of professor Steve Worthington (2009), it always has a large amount of ‘lapsed' members in every business. There is still lack of available information that could show the percentage of membership cards that are ‘active' or ‘lapsed'. Yet, professor Worthington examinations results imply that the most common reason for not taking part in membership programs are because they are not attracted by the rewards and a small proportion of respondents who cited ‘privacy' reasons.Thus, SOOT Shop must be aware of their responsibilities to its consumers in satisfying the redeemable prizes and customers' information to remain customers' beliefs. In order to do so, firstly, SOOT Shop should pay more attentions to members who ‘lapsed' through classifying members' last purchases. And then try to find out the customers' reasons of not taking part in the membership programs. Finally, inform different types of promotions to different customers. For example, a shop finds out that a small umber of their customers quit being the shop's loyalty customers because of the low membership cards' benefits.The shop may apply different type of promo tions to those particular members. The shop may send a message to those customers that they fortunately won a randomly contest of the shop and they will receive double points in every purchase by membership card. CONCLUSION In conclusion, SOOT accessories shop should apply the use of social networking sites such as Faceable in order to attract more customers. It should consider launching a Faceable page, which has well decorated products' albums and information because Faceable takes no cost to create and advertise.It also should strike up friendship with Passbooks users to advertise products widely. Moreover, it should stay online over time to answer customer's questions and feedbacks. By that way, customers will probably feel that they are respected and it helps the shop to improve its reputation. The shop also has to make sure that the quality of products is similar to the pictures that it has on Faceable to earn customer's belief. However, SOOT shop should manage to avoid irrita ting people by tagging them every hour with pictures.In addition, most of people like to make purchases when there is a discount or gift offer. Thus, SOOT shop should apply special offer to get new customers as well as to preserve loyal customers. Nevertheless, other accessories shop also apply special offer, so SOOT shop should be considered when applies this sales promotion tool. To be more specific, SOOT Shop should clearly understand the reason for making the offer, who to offer, what and when it should offer. SOOT shop should not forget their ability to make an offer because if it gives customers more than what it can afford, the shop will face difficulties.Furthermore, SOOT shop should be concentrated on keeping loyal customers by reminding them via membership programs because it will save the services and advertising costs. Providing membership cards have different colors and designs can help SOOT shop to easily classify each type of customer through their names, phone number s email addresses and purchasing powers. Therefore, the shop would be able to know more about customer's wants, interests and preferences. One of the difficulties of membership program is that there could be many ‘lapsed' membership cards.Unguent NCO Line, who has a successful online cosmetic shop named Rim Catnap Skincare, to ask for comment on my recommendation for the business that my research team currently working on. An: Hello Line. Thank for spending time to meet me. I'm An from research and report writing class. As I told u before that today I want to interview you for advice on my project. Ms. Line: Hi An. So how far have you been doing? And which problem that you want me to give advice on? An: Ah. The business that I'm working on is a clothing accessories store. The owner wants to increase the amount of customers.The subtopic I'm doing is social networking sites. However it seems totally new to the owner, her shop doesn't even have a Faceable page which is now quite familiar to the teenagers and young adults. Ah one more thing, teenagers and young adults are her target customers. That's why I suggest her to have one. Ms. Line: Oh I see, you are right that Faceable is now getting more popular and it can help to increase sales. But let me ask u this, have u ever been tagged by an online shop in its pictures. An: Yeah, a lot. Ms. Line: How do u feel about that? An: A little bit annoying.At First, I Just ignored them, but there were many notifications and that disturb me. Therefore, if any shop tags me, I will block them or report as spam.. Ms. Line: So why do you suggest the owner to have a Faceable page? An: Ah I'm going to ask her create a fan page. Can you tell me how to increase the â€Å"like†? Ms. Line: k, because she and I work on different kinds of business so you may apply in some ways but not exactly the same k? I suggest having 2 pages, one is a personal page and one is a fan page, because the customers do not randomly like your page unless you have a big brand name or prestige of your product.An: can you please explain in more details? Ms. Line: for the fan page, you update all the product' details there such as pictures, notes, feedback from customers, etc. For the personal page, all you have to do are adding friends and share what you have updated on the fan page. Because the customers are afraid to be annoyed therefore we have to be active by adding friends with them and remember not to tag them, I think you already know why, huh? Maybe you could tag some of your friends if they don't mind. And sharing the stuffs that you updated on fan page that mean the information is transferred to the users twice.An: Ah I got it. Ah I also want to recommend on the pictures that she is going to post on Faceable, it must be clear, close enough to see what the product made from. What else do you think I should suggest her? Ms. Line: ah it's good to do that but you should put the description for the pictures, because pi ctures sometimes are not clear and that could cause misunderstanding about raw materials. Ah it reminds me that the real products and pictures have to be the same because you may lose prestige if the products look different.You could describe in the pictures that the products may slightly different because of the light. And you could also create an album of customers wearing your products on Faceable, which could help to increase the loyal customers and increase sale from your customers' relatives since the products is ore reliable when it is introduced by friends. If you are lucky, your customers could be some hot girls or models etc. , you know, stuffs are worn by beautiful girls maybe look more beautiful (laugh) and their fans could come to buy as well.An: k, it sounds good to me. Thank you very much for meeting me again. I would go back to work on the recommendation. If there is any problem, don't you mind if I call you to ask? Ms. Line: Call me as soon as you have questions. I' m very glad that I can help you. k see way. An: Thank you. Audio script of the interview on 11 April 2013 with Mr.. Do Truing Tuna, owner off rockery shop for over 20 years to ask for some advices for the business That: I m working on a small accessories shop and I intend to ask you some advices for my sub topic which is special offer.Tuna: so its about loyalty program? That: yes and also attract first-time customers Actually, I plan to recommend this shop to apply discount on special days like Valentine and Woman days, specifically, ‘20% discount', what do you think? Tuna: well, on special days? Mum†¦ I think that it s not a good idea. Firstly, every shop especially small shop should not apply more than 5 to 10% on special days because they can ell more of their products within those days; some shops don't even have enough stuff to sell, so why then they apply discount?Why do you choose special days to offer? That: I think that special offer will attract more customers, maybe new customers. Many people don't usually buy products unless it is special days. Those days, they are encouraged to buy something for their friends and family right? Then I think I can focus on new customers Tuna: I think that you should balance between loyal and new customers, I mean it s more about services. If you offer discount for ewe customers the same amount you offer for the old one, they must be upset. Why don't you separate the offer?I mean decide different offer for different customers? For example, offer 5% for first time customers and 10% for old customers. That: but how can we realize who is the new and who is old customer? Tuna: I think the shop should have been applied some of the other sale promotion tools which can help you to recognize customers such as membership card. There are many way to recognize them, I suggest you to research more about how to realize customers digitally through the internet since the internet is necessary for all the business.