Wednesday, August 26, 2020

USS Virginia (BB-13) in the Great White Fleet

USS Virginia (BB-13) in the Great White Fleet USS Virginia (BB-13) - Overview: Country: United States Type: Battleship Shipyard: Newport News Shipbuilding Drydock Company Laid Down: May 21, 1902 Launched: April 6, 1904 Commissioned: May 7, 1906 Fate: Sunk as an objective on September 1923 USS Virginia (BB-13) - Specifications: Dislodging: 14,980 tons Length: 441 ft., 3 in. Pillar: 76 ft., 3 in. Draft: 23.8 ft. Impetus: 12 Ãâ€"Babcock boilers, 2 Ãâ€"triple-development motors, 2 Ãâ€"propellers Speed: 19 bunches Complement: 916 men Combat hardware: 4 Ãâ€"12 in./40 cal guns8 Ãâ€"8 in./45 cal guns12 Ãâ€"6-inch guns12 Ãâ€"3-inch guns24 Ãâ€"1 pdr guns4 Ãâ€"0.30 in. machine guns4 Ãâ€"21 in. torpedo tubes USS Virginia (BB-13) - Design Construction: Set down in 1901 and 1902, the five war vessels of the Virginia-class were implied as a follow-on the Maine-class (USS Maine, USS Missouri, and USS Ohio) which was then entering administration. Despite the fact that expected to be the US Navys most recent structure, the new warships saw an arrival to certain highlights that had not been fused since the before Kearsarge-class (USS Kearsarge and USS ). These remembered the mounting of 8-for. firearms as an optional combat hardware and the setting of two 8-in. turrets on the vessels 12-in. turrets. Supporting the Virginia-class primary battery of four 12 in. weapons were eight 8-in., twelve 6-in., twelve 3-in., and twenty-four 1-pdr firearms. In a change from past classes of warships, the new kind used Krupp shield rather than the Harvey reinforcement that had been put on before vessels. Force for the Virginia-class originated from twelve Babcock boilers which drove two vertical altered triple extension responding steam motors. The lead boat of the class, USS Virginia (BB-13) was set down at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company on May 21, 1902. Work on the frame continued throughout the following two years and on April 6, 1904, it slid down the ways with Gay Montague, girl of Virginia Governor Andrew J. Montague, filling in as support. A further two years went before chip away at Virginia finished. Charged on May 7, 1906, Captain Seaton Schroeder expected order. The ships configuration contrasted marginally from its ensuing sisters in that its two propellers turned internal as opposed to outward. This exploratory setup was expected to improve controlling by expanding prop wash on the rudder. USS Virginia (BB-13) - Early Service: In the wake of fitting out, Virginia left Norfolk for its investigation voyage. This saw it work in the Chesapeake Bay before steaming north for moves close to Long Island and Rhode Island. Following preliminaries off Rockland, ME, Virginia moored off Oyster Bay, NY on September 2 for an assessment by President Theodore Roosevelt. Taking coal at Bradford, RI, the war vessel moved south to Cuba later in the month to secure American interests in Havana during a rebel against the system of President T. Estrada Palma. Showing up on September 21, Virginia stayed in Cuban waters for a month before coming back to Norfolk. Moving north to New York, the war vessel entered drydock to have its base painted. With the finishing of this work, Virginia steamed south to Norfolk to get a progression of changes. On the way, the ship continued minor harm when it crashed into the liner Monroe. The mishap happened when the liner was pulled towards Virginia by the internal activity of the war vessels propellers. Leaving the yard in February 1907, the warship put in new fire control gear at New York before joining the Atlantic Fleet at Guantanamo Bay. Leading objective practice with the armada, Virginia at that point steamed north to Hampton Roads to partake in the Jamestown Exposition in April. The rest of the year was spent leading routine activities and upkeep on the East Coast. USS Virginia (BB-13) - Great White Fleet: In 1906, Roosevelt turned out to be progressively worried about the US Navys absence of solidarity in the Pacific because of the developing danger presented by Japan. To put forth for the Japanese that the United States could without much of a stretch move its fundamental fight armada to the Pacific, he started arranging a world voyage of the countries ships. Assigned the Great White Fleet, Virginia, despite everything instructed by Schroeder, was doled out to the powers Second Division, First Squadron. This gathering additionally contained its sister ships USS Georgia (BB-15), USS (BB-16), and USS (BB-17). Leaving Hampton Roads on December 16, 1907, the armada turned south creation visits in Brazil before going through the Straits of Magellan. Steaming north, the armada, drove by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, showed up at San Diego on April 14, 1908. Quickly halting in California, Virginia and the remainder of the armada at that point traveled the Pacific to Hawaii before arriving at New Zealand and Australia in August. In the wake of participating in intricate and merry port calls, the armada steamed north to the Philippines, Japan, and China. Finishing visits in these nations, the American war vessels crossed the Indian Ocean before going through the Suez Canal and entering the Mediterranean. Here the armada separated to show the banner in a few ports. Cruising north, Virginia made a visit to Smyrna, Turkey before the armada rendezvoused at Gibraltar. Intersection the Atlantic, the armada showed up at Hampton Roads on February 22 where it was met by Roosevelt. After four days, Virginia entered the yard at Norfolk for four months of fixes. USS Virginia (BB-13) - Later Operations: While at Norfolk, Virginia got a forward pen pole. Leaving the yard on June 26, the ship spent the mid year on the East Coast before withdrawing for Brest, France and Gravesend, United Kingdom in November. Coming back from this trip it rejoined the Atlantic Fleet at Guantanamo Bay for winter moves in the Caribbean. Experiencing fixes at Boston from April to May, 1910, Virginia had a second pen pole introduced toward the back. The following three years saw the war vessel keep on working with the Atlantic Fleet. As strains with Mexico expanded, Virginia invested an expanding measure of energy in the region of Tampico and Veracruz. In May 1914, the war vessel showed up at Veracruz to help the US control of the city. Staying on this station until October, it at that point went through two years in routine obligation on the East Coast. On March 20, 1916, Virginia entered save status at Boston Navy Yard and initiated a noteworthy redesign. In spite of the fact that still in the yard when the US entered World War I in April 1917, Virginia assumed an early job in the contention when boarding parties from the ship held onto a few German trader transports that were in the Port of Boston. With the fulfillment of the redesign on August 27, the war vessel left for Port Jefferson, NY where it joined the third Division, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet. Working between Port Jefferson and Norfolk, Virginia filled in as a gunnery preparing transport for a significant part of the following year. After a short update in the fall of 1918, it initiated obligation as a caravan escort that October. Virginia was planning for its second escort strategic early November when word showed up that the war was finished. Changed over to a transitory troopship, Virginia cruised on the first of five journeys to Europe to return American soldiers home in December. Finishing these missions in June 1919, it was decommissioned at Boston the next year on August 13. Struck from the Navy List two years after the fact, Virginia and New Jersey were moved to the War Department August 6, 1923 for use as shelling targets. On September 5, Virginia was set seaward close to Cape Hatteras where it went under assault by Army Air Service Martin MB aircraft. Struck by a 1,100 lb. bomb, the old ship sunk a brief timeframe later. Chosen Sources DANFS: USS Virginia (BB-13)NHHC: USS Virginia (BB-13)NavSource: USS Virginia (BB-13)

Saturday, August 22, 2020

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 35

History - Essay Example It is for this idea alone that the remembrance is all the more generally referred to today as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The combination of the underground historical center to the dedication is a smart thought to give the entire structure an increasingly relative relationship to the Holocaust. In a manner this could fill in as a strong legitimization that the visual dynamic from the ideological importance. This idea of celebration is the whole explanation for all the debates, gestures of recognition and reactions, behind Peter Eisenman’s work. The assessment of Prof. Norman Finkelstein is very reasonable from his point of view as and his perspective of the entire situation as an industry. This is a significant trapped revisionist hypothesis that sees all that occurred under a totally different life than all that is contained in most history books relating to World War II. Finkelstein assessment of a Holocaust Memorial in Washington DC isn't without its legitimacy. The entire undertaking appears to be useless as there seems to be, in my view, no immediate connection that adequately requires it. This does, to a limited degree, induces the abuse of the Holocaust and the feelings it

Friday, August 21, 2020

Announcing LearnStorm Registrations open today!

Announcing LearnStorm Registrations open today! It’s a big day for Khan Academy - we’re officially opening registration for our first ever LearnStorm! If you’re a 3rd-12th grade student in the Bay Area, you can sign up now at    www.learnstorm2015.com. So what’s LearnStorm?  It’s a math challenge designed to grow your ability to learn anything. Until April 30, you’ll be able to earn points by mastering math skills and demonstrating your hustle. You’ll be able to track your progress on your own leaderboard and work with your friends to accumulate points for your school or city. There will also be weekly challenges to help you build a growth mindset. LearnStorm officially begins on February 9 and will wrap up with an in-person celebration complete with fun prizes. LearnStorm is for everyone, whether you’re working on counting or calculus. Best of all, it’s completely free, and you can participate from anywhere - your home, your library, your school, or wherever you like to use Khan Academy. We’re launching LearnStorm in ten Bay Area counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma - but we hope to expand to more areas in years to come. We hope you’ll join us on this adventure! For more details, or to sign up, visit www.learnstorm2015.com. If you know a student, parent, teacher, administrator, librarian or anyone in the Bay Area who might be interested please forward some of these resources to them today.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Microbiology Of Lyme Disease - 2421 Words

What is the first thing you think of when you hear Lyme disease? I asked my brother, just for fun, to see what his response would be, and his response was too good not to share. He said â€Å"Yeah, Lyme disease is when limes turn gross.† I can’t make this up! Sorry, Landon, not quite. Lyme disease is a rather increasing epidemic, not only in Iowa but also in great numbers on the east coast states. Throughout this paper, I will be discussing what Lyme disease is, the microbiology of Lyme disease, how one can get it, the typical signs and symptoms, typical treatments, and some epidemiology of this bacterial infection. Like we established earlier, Lyme disease is not what makes limes gross but in fact, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection†¦show more content†¦It has a spiral, helix shape with a double membrane resembling gram-negative bacteria when stained. When gram stained, it resembles gram-negative bacteria because it holds the safrin in its outer membr ane but the composition is much different than that of a gram negative cell. A gram negatives cell wall is made of lipopolysaccharides, whereas the outer membrane of a spirochete is made of scattered lipoproteins throughout. B. burgdorferi is also unable to live without a host, it is classified as a chemoheterotroph, relying on other sources for their amino acids, fatty acids, and other nutrients. Like I mentioned earlier, spirochetes have 2 membranes, with periplasmic space between each. Here, the bacteria carry their mode of transportation. They have endoflagella which are almost ‘hidden’ within the periplasmic space. They move in a cork-screw like fashion and are able to go almost undetected by the host immune response because of such. Also, because of the mode of motility, spirochetes are able to burrow deep into very viscous tissues like muscles and even cartilage. This makes spirochete hard to target, and hard to find as well. Normal antibodies cannot eve n get through cartilage, leaving the spirochete to carry out their destruction of the cells. Normally, flagella are antigenic, meaning they are something detected as foreign to the body and it elicits an immune response. Because theShow MoreRelatedDescriptive and Analytic Epidemiology1317 Words   |  6 PagesDescriptive and Analytic Epidemiology TUI University Lea Glover MPH 504 Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology Case Assignment #3 Dr. Sharon Nazarchuk Abstract Descriptive epidemiology is defined as the study of the amount and distribution of disease within a population by person, place, and time. Descriptive epidemiology answers the following questions: Who is affected? Where and when do cases occur? It describes cases by person, place, and time (TUI University 2008). Introduction DescriptiveRead MoreScope of Microbiology1359 Words   |  6 PagesSCOPE OF MICROBIOLOGY: What is Microbiology? | ï ¿ ½Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microbiology is the study of microorganismsï ¿ ½Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microorganisms, roughly, are living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eyeï ¿ ½Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microorganisms cannot be distinguished phylogenetically from ï ¿ ½macroorganismsï ¿ ½ (see  variety of microorganisms, below)ï ¿ ½Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microbiology is more a collection of techniques: aseptic technique, pure culture technique, microscopic observation of whole organisms, etc.ï ¿ ½Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MicrobiologistsRead MoreCase Studies1488 Words   |  6 PagesSeAnna Brantley Microbiology Case Studies 1.1-1.8 Case 1.1 1. The fertility specialist recommended the rubella vaccine because if the rubella virus is contracted early in pregnancy there is an increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects such as deafness, cataracts, mental retardation, heart defects, liver and spleen damage. There are contraindications related to conceiving within four weeks of receiving the rubella vaccination because it is a â€Å"live† vaccine and could still cause complicationsRead MoreA Research Study On Lyme Disease3615 Words   |  15 PagesLyme Disease 1. My name is Thomas Porter and I am a rising senior at Hilliard Davidson High School. In the near future, I hope to attend Ohio State University, Johns Hopkins University, or University of Pennsylvania and study neuroscience or biomedical engineering. Currently, I am trying to build my background in biomedical sciences and meet people with similar interests as me through the Mechanisms of Human Health and Disease class. I hope to someday become a physician-scientist researching neuroplasticityRead MoreAntimicrobial Lab Report1105 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Chemical methods of control: Antimicrobial drugs, involves the use of chemicals to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Pasteur and others observed that infecting an animal with Pseudomonas aeruginosa protected the animal against Bacillus anthracis. Later, the word â€Å"antibiosis† (against life) for this inhibition and called the inhibiting substance â€Å"Antibiotic†. As researchers found out more and more about these chemicals they were able to discover that antibiotics are chemicalsRead MoreAntimicrobial Resistance, Resistant Nosocomial Pathogens and Molecular Diagnosis of Emerging Infectious Diseases1624 Words   |  7 Pagesinfectious diseases depending on their virulence; this was first realised when Louis Pasteur discovered microbes contaminated wine, causing it to go sour. He wondered how microbes affected humans; however it was Robert Koch that linked the contamination of microbes to the cause of infectious diseases. Between them they discovered and ident ified many of the microbes that caused diseases. Bacteria, Fungi, Virus and protozoan are all agents that cause infectious diseases. Infectious diseases can be asymptomaticRead MoreThe And Food Safety And Security5803 Words   |  24 Pagesand transmission. Also under which conditions it takes place and its relation to humans-animal food safety and security. Firstly, Zoonoses are those diseases that are transferred from animals to human from different medium such as bacterial, viral of an animal host. It is spreads to humans through scratch, ingestion or bite. Impact of zoonotic diseases on human civilization means a lot by shaping modern societies, governments and farming practices. Secondly, details description of its emergence andRead MoreThe Impact of Microorganisms on Human Affairs4185 Words   |  17 PagesThe Impact of Microorganisms on Human Affairs What is microbiology? Microbiology is the study of microorganisms or microbes. The word micro means small in Greek, implying that microbes are very minute or small life forms that cannot be seen with just the naked eye. One would need a microscope to see these small life forms. Microbes are everywhere and have a large impact on the world. It all started when one of the most important discoveries in history was made in 1665. Englishman, Robert HookeRead More Emerging Infectious Diseases Essay2588 Words   |  11 PagesEmerging Infectious Diseases Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are the third leading cause of death in the United States and the first leading cause of death worldwide (3). Thus, should EIDs be considered an oncoming threat to human existence or is it Gods response to our unbiblical stewardship of the Earth or is it natures practical solution to overpopulation. Past EIDs Since the beginning of time, human existence has been overwhelmed by threatening diseases. To begin withRead MoreEssay on Study Guide: Microbiology 2964 Words   |  12 PagesMicrobiology, Test 3 Study Guide Chapters 14, 15, 16 and 17 Chapter 14 This chapter is about the principles of disease and epidemiology. Epidemiology – the science that studies when and where diseases occur and how they are transmitted. CDC, Atlanta, tracks and traces diseases. ONE World (the idea that it’s all in one place, it could happen anywhere; locally, states, large counties track the incidences and occurrences of disease)

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Introducing Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities

Introducing Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities Unique things to various folks, since the situation demanded. In the world today, there are a great deal of controversial events and issues that may inform a wonderful topic for critical analysis. If you don't understand the matter, you've hardly any opportunities to succeed. The examples of critical lens essay topics might be diverse, but we'll just offer a couple ideas for you to think about. Getting the Best Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities As a consequence of which you'll have the ability to understand every minute thing about the movie analysis essay writing. The caliber of the essay will be wholly judged by your capacity to choose one particular side of the coin, and how well you're able to develop and support that decision. Although you might believe that such paper might be used only in a negative meaning, you ought to know that it may be used as a positive evaluation of a particul ar book, poem, article or something of the sort. As a way to read a paper from a crucial perspective, you will need to set up the writer's intention and analysis. Critical analysis essays have a high level of subjectivity, as you're expected to present your unique viewpoints as assessment. Ask the professor their opinion on the subject you've chosen. On how to compose a vital analysis paper, you ought to be in a position to express your opinions basing from experience. Although, you'll be expressing your opinions, make sure you'll be fair and well informed. The Nuiances of Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities Within this section you will locate samples of essays belonging to several essay types and manners of formatting. It's wrong to presume that critical lens essays are wholly written in accordance with just a single format or citation style. It's sometimes essential to read between the lines. The slash is utilized to demonstrate a line break, which is no rmal in poems. So How About Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities? Choosing to engage in a career for a travel nurse usually means that you've got to deal with some issues all on your own, instead of allowing an employer to manage things like taxes and insurance for your benefit. For instance, the agency might actually collect the pay from your existing assignment, withhold the correct quantity of taxes and remit the rest of your wages to the bank account you specify. On top of that, the agency can withhold the quantity of the premium from your pay and forward to the insurance policy provider for your benefit. Ruthless Samples of Critical Analysis Essay from Universities Strategies Exploited Making a review of the information gained and the contestations intended is important. If YES, you're on the best way to the ideal solution to this problem. An arrangement of the type can be useful, especially in the event you work with over 1 employment agency and wish t o remain as independent as possible. Observe the rubrics or guide questions offered to you. Analysis essays are known to be among the hardest to write. Topics can change depending on your majors. Students in the fields of Science and Arts have to earn a crucial analysis of former works since these analyses will prove how well you've mastered a specific profession and utilize it like a basis to dissect work. In the event you're not certain how to compose an adequate vital analysis, Elite Essay Writers is prepared to help you! Stephen's essay is rather effective. The expert essay writers are almost always prepared to aid you in placing your perspectives into writing. You cannot truly blame 123helpme for those essays they did not write. When the paper is finished, it's critical to revise, proofread, pick a captivating title, and make ideal citations. Before you begin your essay, it's important to look at an outline. This kind of essays emphasizes the literary work that's studied. Read more on the best way to compose a critical academic paper. Looking into all the aspects necessary to create a right analysis, an individual can observe that with the appropriate use of authorities and evidence, creating a logically credible bit of writing is attainable. This switch is an attempt to boost student participation. In contrast to popular belief by a considerable part of students, critical essay writing isn't about criticizing or focusing on the negative component of analysis. The article was well collect and provided many current references as resources to provide more thorough understanding of the research. How to compose a vital analysis essay can just be a task worth your time when you're fully equipped with the most suitable info and materials along with your knowledge with regard to detailed application of the essential techniques. Additional how to compose a crucial analysis essay step by step demands a subjective method of observing plus evaluating situations.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

The Case About Rf and Tatarstan Delegation of Authorities free essay sample

Why Tatarstan was succeeded to be the â€Å"elected† region in terms of its’ authorities? As far as I could understand, the reasons why Tatarstan was chosen for delegation of Authorities and this Agreement are mostly historical. Historical and political preconditions of Tatarstan turned in such way, that Russian Federation and Tatarstan were nearly in equal position. For example, Tatarstan was independent co-founder of USSR, Tatarstan Tatarstan did not participate in election of State Duma in December 1993, Tatarstan did not sign the Federative Agreement in 1992. This shows the level of independence of Tatarstan from Russian Federation. In my opinion, Tatarstan was not very powerful republic, thus, to keep on developing it needed an alliance. It had political independence, but in terms of resources and power it did not have much. Russia, on the other hand, wanted to avoid appearance of another country just in the very heart of it. To avoid repeat of Chechnya Case, Russian Authorities decided to change the way they behave about it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Case About Rf and Tatarstan Delegation of Authorities or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Instead of gaining power using military forces, Russian Federation took the way of diplomacy and political alliance. Thus, we can say that both sides needed this agreement, bith sides could benefit from it, but in my opinion, Tatarstan would need it more than Russia, in the case of different location. 2. Suggest some more or less objective criteria to select regions for establishing special favorable regime of relations with the federal center. This question in my point of view cannot have theoretical solution, because in any different case there would be new accomplishments and new terms, that would challenge the theory pretty much. But still, some tips could be defined. I think that in century of innovations and technological development, very important aspect would be potential rate of development of the region. It’s not important how much the region is developed, it’s much more vital – how can we develop it. In what way we can grow industry, or culture or trade or any other side of life of country. This criterion is very subjective, I understand this, but this is more an advantage than a disadvantage. Because government should realize itself, for what reason it needs the region, why it is necessary to develop favorable relations with this or that region, in what way it could be profitable. From history of Russian Empire we know examples of having totally useless for Empire regions (Poland) and caused a lot of trouble in tries to keep it quiet and not rebelling. 3. What is the author’s opinion on respect of whether special delegation of authorities between Tatarstan and RF is a good thing? Do you agree with him and why? On example of RF and Tatarstan Agreement we can see how idea of federal construction, integration and decentralization actually works. Author has very positive opinion about creating decentralized country and going on forward in development of this way. I do not have any real opinion about this, but if we look at 70 years of centralized country, and look at what do we have to suffer afterwards, I would say that decentralization is the right way to develop country federal structure, so that all the knowledge and all the experience is circulating among regions, and let develop the weak.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Environmental Movement Essay Example

Environmental Movement Paper Due to its large membership, varying and strong beliefs, and occasionally speculative nature, the environmental movement is not always united in its goals. At its broadest, the movement includes private citizens, professionals, religious devotees, politicians, and extremists. History of the movement The roots of the modern environmental movement can be traced to attempts in 1 9th-century Europe and North America to expose the costs of environmental negligence, notably disease, as well as widespread air and water pollution, but only after the Second World War did a wider awareness gin to emerge. The US environmental movement emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with two key strands: preservationist such as John Mir wanted land and nature set aside for its own sake, while conservationists such as Gifford Ponchos wanted to manage natural resources for human use. Among the early protectionists that stood out as leaders in the movement were Henry David Thoreau, John Mir and George Perkins Marsh. Thoreau was concerned about the wildlife in Massachusetts; he wrote Walden; or, Life in the Woods as he studied the wildlife from a cabin. John Mir founded the Sierra Club, one of the largest conservation organizations in the United States. Marsh was influential with regards to the need for resource conservation. Mir was instrumental in the creation of Yosemite national park in 1890. Mir was also personally involved in the creation of Sequoia , Mount Rainier , Petrified Forest and Grand Canyon national parks. Mir deservedly is often called the Father of Our National park System. During the sass, sass, and sass, several events illustrated the magnitude of environmental damage caused by humans. We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Movement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Movement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Movement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In 1954, the 23 man crew of the Japanese fishing vessel Lucky Dragon 5 was exposed to radioactive fallout from a hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll. The publication of the book Silent Spring (1962) by Rachel Carson drew attention to the impact of chemicals on the natural environment. In 1967, the oil tanker Torero Canyon went aground off the southwest coast of England, and in 1969 oil spilled from an offshore well in Californians Santa Barbara Channel. In 1971 , the conclusion of a law suit in Japan drew international attention to the effects Of decades Of mercury poisoning on the people of Inanimate. At the same time, emerging scientific research drew new attention to existing and hypothetical threats to the environment and humanity. Among them were Paul R. Earlier, whose book The Population Bomb (1968) revived concerns about the impact of exponential population growth. Biologist Barry Commoner generated a debate about growth, affluence and flawed technology. Additionally, an association of scientists and political leaders known as the Club of Rome published their report The Limits to Growth in 1972, and drew attention to the growing pressure on natural resources from human activities. Meanwhile, technological accomplishments such as nuclear proliferation and photos of the Earth from outer space provided both new insights and new reasons for concern over Earths seemingly small and unique place in the universe. In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm, and for the first time united the representatives of multiple governments in discussion relating to the state of the global environment. This conference led directly to the creation of government environmental agencies and the UN Environment Program. The United States also passed ewe legislation such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental policy Act- the foundations for current environmental standards. By the mid-sass anti-nuclear activism had moved beyond local protests and politics to gain a wider appeal and influence. Although it lacked a single co-ordination organization the anti- nuclear movements efforts gained a great deal of attention. In the aftermath of the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, many mass demonstrations took place. The largest one was held in New York City in September 1979 and involved 200,000 people; speeches were given by Jane Found and Ralph Ender. Since the sass, public awareness, environmental sciences, ecology, and technology have advanced to include modern focus points like ozone depletion, global climate change, acid rain, and the potentially harmful genetically modified organisms . Scope of the movement Before flue-gas desertification was installed, the air-polluting emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the hysterical, chemical and biological components of the environment. Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how these properties are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment. Modern environmentalism Today, the sciences of ecology and environmental science, rather than any aesthetic goals, provide the basis Of unity to most serious environmentalists. As more information is gathered in scientific fields, more scientific issues like biodiversity, as opposed to mere aesthetics, are a concern. Conservation biology is a rapidly developing field. Environmentalism now has proponents in business: new ventures such as those to reuse and recycle consumer electronics and other technical equipment are gaining popularity. Computer liquidators are just one example. In recent years, the environmental movement has increasingly focused on global warming as a top issue. As concerns about climate change moved more into the mainstream, from the connections drawn between global warming and Hurricane Strain to AY Gores film An Inconvenient Truth, many environmental groups refocused their efforts. In the United States, 2007 witnessed the largest grassroots environmental demonstration in years, Step It up 2007, with rallies in over 1 ,400 communities and all 50 states for real global warming solutions. Many religious organizations and individual churches now have programs and activities dedicated to environmental issues. The religious movement is often supported by interpretation of scriptures. Most major religious groups are represented including Jewish, Islamic, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, Christian and Catholic. Radical environmentalism Radical environmentalism emerged out of an egocentrics-based frustration tit the co-option of mainstream environmentalism. The radical environmental movement aspires to what scholar Christopher Manes calls a new kind of environmental activism: iconoclastic, uncompromising, discontented with traditional conservation policy, at time illegal Radical environmentalism presupposes a need to reconsider Western ideas of religion and philosophy (including capitalism, patriarchy[l O] and globalization)[1 1] sometimes through rescanning and reconnecting with nature. 10] Greenback represents an organization with a radical approach, UT has contributed in serious ways towards understanding Of critical issues, and has a science-oriented core with radicalism as a means to underexposure. Groups like Earth First! Take a much more radical posture.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

abortion5 essays

abortion5 essays Of all of the issues being debated in the world today, perhaps the most controversial and intensely debated is abortion. This issue has forced its way into living rooms across the country through television, newspapers, and especially political campaigns. It has divided the community on many principles including peoples morals, ethnic background, and especially religious beliefs. However, many times people are too quick to jump on the bandwagon with one side or the other. They do not study the issue in order to develop a better understanding of what it is and why it may, or may not, be needed. This may be because of the fact that most people do not wish to go against public opinion. Perhaps they do not give the issue the attention it deserves, because someone has told them that it is a sin and should be banned from the face of the earth. Either way, this is a foolish course of action to take. Without looking at the history, uses, and the actual course of a procedure, it is impossible to give a valid and educated opinion on whether or not it should be practiced in todays medical field. Should they choose to look into the issue for themselves, people will realize that there are many methods of abortion practiced in todays medical field. Of the many different methods of abortion practiced in modern medicine, the most successful and safe procedures are carried out during the first trimester, or twelve-week period of fetal development. Of course birth control pills are the safest form of avoiding pregnancy. However, when this fails operations are necessary to prevent giving birth. The most common procedure, making up around 98% of the first trimester abortions, is Suction Aspiration. This is an operation in which the cervix is dilated, and a vacuum is used to remove the undeveloped fetus from the mothers womb. This is usually the most successful, as well as the safest procedure put to use these days. Howeve...

Friday, February 21, 2020

Starbucks International Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Starbucks International Operations - Essay Example Sweden is an affluent European nation that is a part of the European Union, Bulgaria is an East European nation that has a much lower per capita income and is not yet a member of the European Union, although it is provisionally set to become one in 2007, while Nigeria is an African nation that is the poorest among the three countries. This Report will select one of these countries as potentially the best country that Starbucks could consider entering and then outline an entry proposal strategy that Starbucks could apply in order to derive the best benefits from that potential market. In terms of worldwide coffee consumption, Scandinavian countries (Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway) â€Å"continue to be the areas with the highest consumption (Reporter, 2007). For this reason, Sweden offers enormous potential for Starbucks coffee because it is one of the highest per capita coffee consuming countries in the world, which is estimated at 10 kilos for an 8 million population. (McCabe, 1994). According to Datamonitor reports, the Scandinavians are coffee fiends and the average Dane drank his/her way through 7.5 kilos of coffee in 2002, which is about 75 regular sized cups of coffee (www.beveragedaily.com). Sweden follows this trend closely and one of the reasons that have been put forward for high consumption of hot coffee is the cold weather in the country. Additionally, the Datamonitor report states that this trend could â€Å"partly be explained by high alcohol prices – these mean caffeine can be a far more cost-effective way of getting wired than drinking† since coffee is also much cheaper (www.beveragedaily.com). However, there is one aspect that must be taken into consideration in countries such as Sweden, which is established coffee drinkers such as France and Italy.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Change Management towards a Successful Merger Essay

Change Management towards a Successful Merger - Essay Example This will be achieved by undertaking a questionnaire based survey in organisations that have undergone mergers and by undertaking in-depth analyses of case studies selected using non-probability sampling methods. There are limitations to using both questionnaires and the non-probability sampling methods, however by contacting the human resources departments, the study is increasing the probability of gaining a valid response; and whilst the non-probability sampling method may not produce statistically significant results, the case studies are part of a qualitative study, and it would be beyond the scope and resources of this study to undertake a study that would produce statistical significance. Organisational values are more important in the personal and societal context within which business operates. It is becoming more important to identify the organisation and what it stands for the customer, and these values are important to the majority of stakeholders (Barrett). Organisational culture is also important for determining an organisation's capacity, effectiveness and longevity (Woodbury 2006), and it also contributes significantly to the organisation's brand image. When this culture does not align with mission, core values, and operational strategy it can turn into a significant liability for the organisation, and this is more pronounced when the organisation undergoes change (Woodbury 2006). Therefore culture change is a result of the organisation moving away from its original mission, goals, and strategies, a process which is more associated with mergers. When the culture change occurs the organisation has to focus on building the values of the new organisation and th is involves; making the organisation's values meet the society's expectations, making values meet the needs of new shareholders, attracting the best people/employees for the organisation and retaining the best people (Barrett). Value building is even more important when an organisation is undergoing a culture change as it can affect how existing employees feel about the organisation and it will also affect the ability of the organisation to attract the best employees. Research has shown that corporate performance is strongly correlated with employee fulfilment, with 39% of corporate performance variability being attributed to the personal fulfilment of employees (Barrett). Employee fulfilment is also strongly correlated with the leadership skills and emotional intelligence of managers, with 69% of employee fulfilment variability being attributed to qualities of leadership of the manager or supervisor (Barrett). With these figures, organisations need be aware of the mechanisms for value building and culture change which include ensuring employee fulfilment by providing: physical fulfilment (remuneration, canteen, gym), emotional fulfilment (professional growth, work appreciation), mental fulfilment (accountability, creativity and personal growth), spiritual fulfilment (opportunity to be service) (Barrett). During a change management process, the organisation undertakes a variety of processes to make this process effect. The engineering process of value building

Monday, January 27, 2020

John Lewis partnership

John Lewis partnership What is John Lewis partnership? John Lewis partnership is a visionary and successful way of doing business, boldly putting the happiness of partners at the centre of everything they do. The outcome of nearly a century of endeavour to create a different sort of company, owned by partners dedicated to serving customers with elegance and fairness. All 71,196 staff are partners who own 28 John Lewis department stores, 213 Waitrose supermarkets, an online and with catalogue business, (John Lewis direct-john Lewis.com), a direct services company (Greenbee), three production units, and a farm with a turnover of nearly  £6 billion last year. Partners share in the benefits and profits of a business that puts them first and the partnership follows its seven business principles purpose, power, profit, members, customers, business and relationships. Mission statement Mission statement addresses the question where does it belong to in the business. The John Lewis Partnerships reputation is founded on the uniqueness of its ownership structure and commercial success. Its purpose is the happiness of all our members, through their worthwhile, satisfying employment in a successful business, with success measured on its ability to sustain and enhance the position both as an outstanding retailer and as a thriving example of employee ownership. Partnership Strategy Partnership strategy is based on three interdependent objectives partners, customers, profit which together will make its successful business. Partners should gain personal satisfaction by being members of a co-owned enterprise in which they have worthwhile, secure and fulfilling employment and confidence in the way the partnership conducts its business. The partnership should recruit and retain loyal customers through their continued trust and confidence in our reputation for value, choice, service and honesty. The partnership should make sufficient profit to sustain our commercial vitality and distinctive character, allow continued development and distribute a share of profits each year consistent with partners reasonable expectations. Environmental Factors As ROBSON(1997) conveys environment analysis takes an important part towards increasing the quality of strategic decisions considering relevant features well before making an irrevocable decision. Social Fairtrade, certifies producers against internationally recognised trading standards. Fairtrade items generate a guaranteed price to cover production plus a social premium to be reinvested in suppliers businesses or local communities. Recruitment, retention and training- Partnership aims to attract and retain the best people who share the values. Traceability- Having full traceability of products, and their ingredients or components, is critical to success and to consumer confidence. Product safety- Ensure the integrity of products and the application of the best standards in safety, quality environment and animal welfare. Animal welfare- Waitrose is committed to providing the best conditions for animals at all stages of the supply chain and to combating cruel practices. Environmental Energy and emissions- committed to tackling the issue of Climate Change and have set a public target of reducing CO2 emissions by 10% by 2010 Packaging and waste- The Partnerships longstanding objective is to reduce waste wherever possible, and to reuse or recycle more of what they produce. Economic As a business based solely in the UK, the Partnership is particularly exposed to any economic downturn which could affect consumer spending, most notably in the Department Store business. Political The Partnership remains sensitive to the regulatory environment in which it trades in order to ensure ongoing compliance with key regulatory requirements around planning, trading, tax and competition. SWOT Analysis The importance of performing a SWOT analysis is that, no business should take a high risk strategy if there are any significant weaknesses foreseen. Performing a SWOT analysis may consider in, What are the weak/strong products, divisions, attitudes etc.? Are there any gaps/opportunities? Are there any dangers/threats needs to be protected? Are we strong in the right way to exploit the opportunity? Considering the above facts a SWOT analysis has taken place to mark the right opportunity. Strengths Weaknesses The Partnership has many strengths such as committed and experienced Partners; the ability to trade well even when conditions were difficult. It had also come through a very difficult period with its integrity and the trust of customers intact. However, it had not been plain sailing as profits has been hit hard particularly in John Lewis. Sales in Waitrose have been more resilient but the division has fought hard by turning up the volume on price and the cost of that investment. As Partnership Chairman Charlie Mayfield reports, Profits could be down this year but their financial position remained strong. Their financial strategy is conservative as borrowings and mortgages are low comparing to competitors. This is due to the fact that they have planned and were able to cope with difficult economic periods. They also have good relationships with banks, but it has to be maintained to ensure their continued support in the future. However, plans for growth cost money and the business needs to consider how much more it could afford to invest when operating profits on under pressure. Opportunities Threats Clearly sales have been under threat during recession periods and there were risks around the operational side of the business. A biggest threat seen was the collapse of banking sector. John Lewis partnership didnt seem to be affected by it but still since it has not ended yet there is a caution of lending money from banks. Apart from it, implementing new products and multi-channelling occupied the ongoing of business. Organisational Structure Its Decision Levels Partnership council Partnership has a clear and streamlined management structure which means decisions could be taken very quickly. The Partnership Council symbolizes its democratic structure and represents the strategic level governing authority. Signifying Partners as a whole,  most of its members  are elected by  Partners. Its main role is to hold its management to account, to influence policy and to make key governance decisions. Partnership Board has ultimate responsibility for issues of major policy and for allocating the financial and other resources of the business. To a large extent its role is keeping the Partnership true to its principles both in terms of the vitality of its commercial progress and its distinctive co-ownership objectives. The Council should retain its three vital decision-making powers: to elect the Trustees of the Constitution and five directors to the Board to change the Constitution, with the Chairmans agreement to dismiss the Chairman. Managing the business This starts with the two divisional Management Boards, who have clear responsibility for developing a strategy for the ongoing development of our John Lewis and Waitrose businesses and then for seeing through its implementation in accordance with an approved business plan. Said two divisions share the Partnerships principles in the managerial level and a common approach to doing business, but they are substantial businesses in their own right. The establishment of the Management Boards clarified the responsibility they carry for the trading operations of the business. They are accountable to the Chairman for their performance, and they derive their authority from the Partnership Boards approval of their business plans. Waitrose Management Board The Waitrose Management Board is accountable to the Chairman for its performance and it derives its authority from the Partnership Boards approval of its business plan. John Lewis Management Board The John Lewis Management Board is accountable to the Chairman for its performance and it derives its authority from the Partnership Boards approval of its business plan. Partnership Services Partnership Services represents the knowledge level and designed to meet the Business plan and Partner needs with simple, efficient services, enabling a growing and successful Partnership. Partner Being a partner with a shared responsibility for the partnership and a drive to put its success first is a different aspect compared to operational levels in other organisations. Further partnervoice is the local avenue for Partner opinion and is the means by which Partners can provide feedback, question management on branch, raise their own issues and be consulted. Types of Decisions Made at Various Levels Multi-Channel Retailer Level Type of decision Type of IS Benefits to organisation Link to the mission Strategic level Build multi channel retail ESS- sales forecast for 3 years. Improvement of profit margins and expanding the organisation. Partners could be stretched and develop their career. Management level Budgeting Cost analysis MIS- Annual budgeting on channels DSS- analysing cost in implementing and maintaining channels Knowing the spending In finding the best possible way to suit the business To build a successful business Knowledge level Designing modern trends KWS- designing channel workstations Best possible way to suit the business Sustain as an outstanding retailer Operational level Schedule employees TPS- Training and development Processes daily activities smoothly To sustain as a business IS Recommendations Strategic level management of performance as a whole where how it could meet the expectations of organisation Management level performance report against the spending. Knowledge level design performance indicators Operational level pay reviews. International Expansion Level Type of decision Type of IS Benefits to organisation Link to the mission Strategic level International expansion ESS-prepare 5 year forecast in sales Growth in the partnership internationally Partner satisfaction Management level Budgeting Pricing analysis MIS- annual budgeting on expenditures DSS- determine prices Keep track on expenditures of the company. Towards the company profit margin. Success of the business Knowledge level Market analysis KWS-analysing retail market Acquire the best opportunities. Sustain in the business Operational level Process orders TPS-processing and tracking of orders. Process routines Success of the business IS Recommendations Strategic level franchise internationally Management level franchise budgeting forecast reports Knowledge level analysing markets for franchise Operational level keep up the standards as a franchiser. Increase Marketing Level Type of decision Type of IS Benefits to organisation Link to the mission Strategic level Increase Marketing ESS- 3 year sales forecast Increase of sales Sustain of the business Management level Marketing budget Cost analysis MIS-issuing marketing budget DSS-analysing costs towards marketing Manage marketing budget Find best possible for the company Enhance the position in the market Knowledge level Design marketing trends KWS-market analysis Attract customers to drive sales Success of the company Operational level Display marketing adverts TPS-point of sale To drive more sales More sales more bonus IS Recommendations Strategic level economic trends of a countrys condition in a given time period Management level sales analysis and sales reports. Knowledge level design products to suit the economic trend. e.g. to suit economic crisis Operational level production order of the new designed product. Expansion In UK Level Type of decision Type of IS Benefits to organisation Link to the mission Strategic level Expansion in UK ESS-prepare 3 year operating plan Bring more sales, profits Enhance the partnership Management level New budgets for new stores Costs in expansion MIS-spending budgets for annum DSS-contract cost analysis Make most of it towards the future Keep within budgets Sustain of business Knowledge level Design KWS-engineering workstations Keep up standards Towards success of the company Operational level Enter, process orders TPS-order process Make sales More sales more profit, bonus IS Recommendations Strategic level profit forecasts, sales trend forecast Management level sales management, sales analysis Knowledge level market analysis Operational level training development Ethical Issues Climate change Reduced overall CO2 emissions by 16% Waitrose are investing  £55 million over five years to replace refrigeration equipment and improve efficiency Improved shop energy efficiency by 15% in John Lewis, 19% in Waitrose Investigated alternative, lower carbon fuels for vehicles Founder member of the Environmental IT Leadership Team, a cross industry user group aiming to develop more sustainable IT strategies Packaging, waste recycling In 2007-08, John Lewis recycled 4,490 tonnes of waste (39%) and Waitrose 21,500 tonnes (49%) Waitrose reduced carrier bag usage by 30% this year John Lewis have introduced a number of carrier bag initiatives Waitrose are committed to reducing packaging and are introducing recycled recyclable materials. In John Lewis, all new paper and card packaging uses either recycled or FSC-certified material. Waitroses anaerobic digestion generates green energy from food waste from 5 stores Building and operating sustainable shops- Signed up to the BCSC Sustainability Charter Each building project now starts with a Sustainability Action Plan Working to identify ways to improve the sustainability impacts of the design and construction of interior fixtures and fitting Over 90% building waste was recycled during the fit-out of John Lewis Leicester All new Waitrose in-store graphics are made from paper or card, making them fully recyclable, and signage equipment is fully deconstructable so it can be recycled at the end of its life. Supplier relationships The Partnership have provided suppliers with a Responsible Sourcing Supplier Workbook to give suppliers a better insight into our Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice. Through day-to-day contact, John Lewis highly trained buyers give suppliers a helping hand in meeting the terms of our Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice Sustainable products- 78% of the garden furniture FSC certified John Lewis We Can Make a Difference promotion covered more than 600 biodegradable, organic, energy-efficient, Fairtrade, recycled and sustainable products Waitrose stock 180 Fairtrade lines and Fairtrade sales rose by 76% in 2007 Waitrose are the only UK retailer to insist all British fruit and vegetable growers adopt the LEAF certification standard Waitrose local and regional sourcing sales increased by 58% to  £21 million in 2007-08 Improving the customer experience Ranked first for service in the Verdict customer satisfaction index for 2007 Focusing on reporting and sharing details of any customer complaints, so that we can learn from such feedback All new John Lewis Partners currently receive an induction and lots of on-the-job training. This year, we are investing more in training Partners Chairman Charlie Mayfield appointed to the UK Commission on Employment and Skills (UKCES). Health nutrition Over 1,000 products now carry the Food Standards Agency (FSA) multiple traffic light labelling on their packaging, and all recipe cards and publications carry key nutritional information per serving. Waitrose Education invests approximately  £400,000 a year educating young people about nutrition and food. The online Nutrition Advice Service provides customers and health. professionals with help and advice on a wide range of food issues Supporting our communities- Partnerships contribution to charities and communities in 2007-08 was  £6.2 million. All Waitrose shops support local charities and community groups nominated by customers through its new Community Matters scheme. Partners have raised  £138,000 for Wallace and Gromits Childrens Foundation, this years John Lewis Charity of the Year. Waitrose Partners donated 4,221 hours and John Lewis Partners 22,500 through the Golden Jubilee Trust scheme.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Capital Punishment Must be Abolished :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Capital Punishment Must be Abolished       Evidence suggests that the death penalty does not deter people from committing crimes. It is a cruel and cold blooded form of punishment and there have been instances where innocent people were sentenced to death.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most common methods of execution are hanging and shooting. Countries like the U.S. use electrocution, gas chambers and lethal injections to dispose of the convicted. Some countries, like the U.S., have tried to minimise the pain of execution by introducing the electric chair. In some parts of the world, more pain is deliberately inflicted on the condemned, such as in the Islamic countries and Nigeria. In Nigeria the executions are done in public by a firing squad. The convicted are executed slowly, by firing bullets at intervals, starting at the ankles. In Islamic countries the condemned are stoned to death. But there are   special rules for these executions; (Amnesty International article1), "The Islamic Penal Code of Iran stipulates: "In the punishment of stoning to death, the stones should not be so large that the person dies on being hit by one or two of them."1 This is the kind of cruelty which is inflicted on the executed in those countries. Other methods of execution, like the electric chair and hanging, are also quite cruel to the convicted.   That is one of the reasons the death penalty should be abolished.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Does the death penalty really deter criminals?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is very little valid evidence to suggest that capital punishment deters criminals. The most recent study of research findings on the relationship between the death penalty and homicide rates, conducted for the United Nations Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, in 1988, has concluded that:"this research has failed to provide scientific proof that executions have a greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment."1. Many murders are committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs, some murderers might be mentally ill. If one of these factors influenced a person, how could he/she control and asses what he/she is doing or be deterred from committing the crime? It would be impossible, and after the incident he/she might not remember it. A cover story in the "Time"3 presents a report about a man called Doug McCray, then 32. He had a reasonable education after dropping out of college one and a half years later to enlist in the army. He was given a medical discharge seventeen months later.He married and went back to college. But his marriage didn't last long and he dropped out of college again and turned to alcohol. Sometime between October 13

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Orientation for New Employees Essay

Do you believe your design of the detailed organization chart indicates centralized or decentralized lines of authority for decision making? Can you explain your approach in one to two sentences? I do believe that my design is detailed centralized organization. In order for human resources to work, there has to be some type of organization. If there was no organization, HR would not function properly. At the hospital, HR has departments for specific needs. There is a department for Health Benefits and there is a different Coordinator for specific last names. I think it keeps it somewhat organized. Review the chapter text about information flow and Figures 2–2 and 2–3. Do you have â€Å"information flow-sheets† at your organization? What is the purpose for them? Are they always this formalized? Should they be? (If you don’t have a information flow sheet currently make one up for your organization) In the family practice we have two offices, I really did not know about flow sheets. I asked the billing person in the office and she did show me one and it is similar to 2-3. She did explain to me what they  are about and how they function for the office, but I don’t understand it as much. I think because I am more in the clinical side of the office it makes it hard for me to understand how they are used. She did mention they will be changing since the practice was bought out by the hospital. She stated it will be sometime in the upcoming year.

Friday, January 3, 2020

A Critical Analysis of the Documentary Supersize Me by Morgan Spurlock - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2174 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Cinematographic Art Essay Type Critical essay Did you like this example? In 2004, the American film-maker Morgan Spurlock made a documentary film Supersize Me. Produced in response to the unsuccessful legal suits against McDonalds fast food, the film brings to light Spurlocks own experiment with eating fast food and, above all, addresses those Americans who are obsessed with unhealthy fast food. The film-maker conducted the experiment for a month, during which he ate food only from McDonalds and observed the impact of fast food on his physical and emotional well-being. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Critical Analysis of the Documentary Supersize Me by Morgan Spurlock" essay for you Create order The more he ate in MacDonalds, the more side-effects he experienced, including depression, fatigue, sexual problems, headache, and chest pain. The camera captures all emotional and physical changes which occur in Spurlock. The film-maker cooperates with three doctors (a gastroenterologist, a cardiologist, and a general practitioner) who indicate the changes in his physical and psychological state (Sheehan, 2005, p.69). However, the principal idea to which Spurlock constantly returns throughout his documentary is that McDonalds fast food increases obesity in the United States (Sheehan, 2005, p.68). As is shown in the documentary, the weight of Spurlock before the experiment was 84 kg. In a period of one month, his weight increased up to 95 kg (Lusted, 2008, p.33). In addition to the weight increase, his cholesterol level changed from 168 to 230 (Sheehan, 2005, p.69). Observing such a damaging impact of fast food on patients health, the doctors recommended Spurlock to stop eating fast food in McDonalds. Although a low-budget documentary (with a budget only $65,000), Supersize Me has acquired great popularity among the national and international public due to its crucial social commentary on the issue of increasing obesity (Baym and Gottert, 2013, p.159). Spurlocks film consists not only of his own reflections and investigations, but also of a series of interviews which he took in the process of experiment (Day, 2011, p.116). Through his interviews with nutritionists, gym teachers, doctors, lawyers, cooks, and other experts, the film-maker attempts to gather diverse views on fast food eating and the fast food culture of modern America. In addition to the interviews, Spurlock also spreads a survey among children and finds out that they know perfectly well who Ronald McDonald is and know nothing about Jesus or George Bush. As is shown by Spurlock, McDonalds encourages children to eat fast food by organising birthdays and giving children free toys with its Happy M eals. To make his film more vivid, interactive, and factual, Spurlock uses cartoon animation (e.g. when showing how McNuggets are produced), statistics, and graphics (Day, 2011, p.116). Some statistical data are rather disturbing; for instance, the evidence gathered by the film-maker suggests that over 60 percent of Americans suffer from obesity and diabetes because of eating unhealthy fast food (Fazekas, 2005, p.144). Besides, 10,000 fast food advertisements are shown on television annually, attracting attention of not only adults, but also children (Fazekas, 2005, p.144). Throughout the documentary, the film-maker employs the shock techniques to evoke powerful emotions and reactions in his viewers. For instance, he depicts liposuction surgery, his own vomiting during the second eating of McDonalds meals, the numerous images of obese Americans, and school childrens addictive ingestion of harmful food. Spurlock also constantly returns to his own fast food addiction, demonstrating that he feels good only when he eats McDonalds food. While at the beginning of his experiment Spurlock looks and feels healthy, his physical and emotional state becomes worse with the progression of the experiment. Spurlocks girlfriend acknowledges that he smiles less than before, has sexual dysfunction, and depressive moods. Spurlock also demonstrates his own fears over the health problems which occur during the experiment. For instance, he depicts that one night he wakes up because of his inability to breathe. He is so afraid of this side-effect that he doubts whether to continue the experiment that threatens his life. However, Spurlock decides to finish the experiment even at the expense of his physical and emotional health. At the end of the film, Spurlock shocks his viewers by stating that he restored his physical and emotional health for about 14 months. He also shows a tombstone for the clown Ronald McDonald and asks his viewers: Who do you want to see go first, you or them? In addition to the use of shock techniques, the film-maker also uses comparative techniques. For instance, he contrasts American schools with fast food meals and soda machines to a school for troubled teenagers in Wisconsin where fast food was substituted for natural food (Fazekas, 2005, p.145). As Spurlock demonstrates, this food change has positively influenced childrens emotional well-being and behaviour. The film-maker gathers peoples opinions and visits McDonalds restaurants not only in Manhattan, but also in other American cities, such as Texas and California. By using both shock techniques and comparative techniques, Spurlock makes an attempt to engage the public into a dialogue on the issue of fast food eating. He also encourages parents to reconsider their childrens eating in McDonalds and their own responsibility for childrens healthy development. As Spurlock clearly shows in his documentary, parents are responsible for developing healthy eating habits in their childre n; otherwise, the consequences of their neglect will be detrimental for their children. In addition to parents irresponsibility, Spurlock also speaks against constantly increasing advertising of fast food. Although McDonalds claims that the company does not bear responsibility for peoples decision to eat fast food, it spends billions of dollars on advertising its products (Fazekas, 2005, p.144). To make things worse, Spurlock compares the amount of money which fast food companies spend on advertisements to the amount of money which healthy food organisations spend on advertisements. The figures he brings to the fore clearly demonstrate that the budget of healthy food organisations is significantly lower than the budget of fast food companies. In addition to his appeals to parents, advertisers, and the general public, Spurlock also appeals to the American government which fully neglects the reasons for peoples visits of McDonalds and consumption of unhealthy fast food. For instanc e, he shows the community which has no playground for children; hence, parents go to McDonalds because it has a playground. In other scenes, the film-maker focuses on school meals, demonstrating that schools often purchase fast foods for children because it is cheaper to buy fast foods than to prepare fresh meals. In view of such limited choices, children have to consume fast food instead of consuming healthy food. All these examples mentioned in Spurlocks documentary signify that both the government and educational establishments maintain the fast food culture to gain their own profits. Spurlocks documentary consists of several sections, each of which brings to light a new factor for his criticism of fast food eating. The film-maker often employs humour and satire in his discussion of a serious issue. On the one hand, this makes his documentary significantly entertaining. On the other hand, Spurlock succeeds in producing a black comedy which heavily relies on the elements of com edy to spread some crucial messages. This is especially evident in the scene when the American family tries to perform the Pledge of Allegiance near the White House, but forgets the words and starts singing McDonalds song. Although such scenes evoke laugh, they also make people think. Spurlock intentionally introduces funny elements to destroy peoples barriers and encourage them to perceive crucial information. As Supersize Me has clearly shown, such a technique is really successful as people tend to create barriers to somebody elses views and opinions; they tend to perceive these views with caution and distrust. However, when views and opinions are presented in a light, funny, and entertaining manner, people are more willing to accept them and, more importantly, believe the speaker. The film-maker also integrates music (e.g. Fat-Bottomed Girls by Queen) and new phrases (such as McStomach Ache or McTwitches) into his documentary to create appropriate mood and atmosphere. Besides, Sp urlock pays great attention to details (e.g. a hair in his food), uses entertaining pictures when changing the scenes, and effectively combines video and graphics. The use of all these techniques signifies that Spurlock attempts to produce not only a reflexive film, but also a highly experimental and dynamic film. Due to a masterful juxtaposition of techniques, Spurlock gradually engages viewers into the discussion. However, instead of providing a balanced standpoint, the film-maker expresses a significantly biased view on popularity of fast food eating in the United States. As such, the results of Spurlocks non-scientific experiment can be exposed to some criticism. For instance, Guy Russo, the chief executive of Australian McDonalds, opposed the view expressed by Spurlock by claiming that people do not eat fast food every day for three times (Gumbel, 2004, n.p.). Russo also criticised Spurlocks decisions not to do physical exercises and double his usual food intake during the e xperiment. In his viewpoint, such irresponsible and extreme actions, but not fast food eating had detrimental effects on Spurlocks physical and emotional well-being (Gumbel, 2004, n.p.). Klosterman (2006, p.65) points at the fact that Spurlock exaggerates the negative impact of fast food on his health because it is impossible to sell a movie about eating fast food and feeling fine. Klosterman (2006, p.65) also asserts that instead of putting the blame for eating fast food on an individual person, Spurlock puts the major blame on McDonalds and the American government. However, in the viewpoint of Klosterman (2006, p.66), McDonalds only gives people the product they want. Despite the mentioned critical comments, Spurlock has succeeded in producing a very important documentary which questions increasing popularity of fast food eating and makes the public and the American government reflect on the issues of unhealthy food and obesity. The film-maker has taken active steps in recognis ing a serious problem and in stirring up peoples emotional responses to the problem of unhealthy fast food and obesity. Throughout the documentary, Spurlock tries to convince viewers that fast food is a really bad choice; by bringing to light his recollections of childhood eating habits (e.g. when his family gathered together and ate home-made food), the film-maker demonstrates that such eating habits are significantly healthier and benefit children more than visits to McDonalds restaurants. As for Spurlocks biased views on fast food eating, it is necessary to take into account that the film-maker attempts to produce a point of view documentary which draws on the subjective approach and is strongly skewed toward a certain viewpoint (Lees, 2010, p.99). According to this distinct viewpoint, it is not only unhealthy menus of McDonalds and other fast food restaurants that pose a threat to the physical and mental well-being of children and adults, but the impact of fast food culture on p eoples values and lifestyles. Spreading fast food culture throughout America, corporations serve their own interests, while fully neglecting the needs and interests of common people. Although McDonalds fast food is inexpensive and tasty, the excessive consumption of this food (as Spurlock has clearly shown in his documentary) may be poisonous to the body of an adult, let alone to the body of a growing child. Spurlocks decision to focus on McDonalds restaurants does not mean that the film-maker has a personal dislike for McDonalds. His choice is explained by the fact that McDonalds is the largest company in the American fast food industry. Hence, by attacking McDonalds, Spurlock expresses his criticism of the whole fast food industry which manipulates people and makes them develop unhealthy eating habits. Although at times Spurlock turns to exaggerations, his documentary is perceived as a realistic account of the situation with American fast food eating. The film-maker intentional ly exaggerates some facts to accentuate the seriousness of unhealthy eating and obesity. In response to Spurlocks documentary, McDonalds has diversified its menu with some healthy food and has taken away the supersizing option (Sood, 2004, n.p.; Lusted, 2008, p.34; Baym and Gottert, 2013, p.159). Moreover, McDonalds has also started to provide information on fat content and calories so that McDonalds visitors can decide for themselves what to eat. As such, Spurlocks film has inspired slight changes in the American industry of fast food. Bibliography Baym, G. Gottert, C. (2013). 30 days. Social engagement. In: E. Thompson J. Mittell (Eds.), How to watch television (pp.159-167). New York: New York University Press. Day, A. (2011). Satire and dissent: Interventions in contemporary political debate. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Fazekas, I. (2005). The alkalizing diet: Your life is in the balance. Virginia Beach: A.R.E Press. Gumbel, A. (2004). The man who ate McDonalds. The Independent, 18 April. Available from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-man-who-ate-mcdonaldsacirc-6167144.html [Accessed 17 April, 2015] Klosterman, C. (2006). Chuck Klosterman IV: A decade of curious people and dangerous ideas. New York: Simon Schuster. Lees, N. (2010). Greenlit: Developing factual/reality TV ideas from concepts to pitch. London: AC Black Publishers. Lusted, M. (2008). Obesity and food policing. Edina: ABDO Publishing. Sheehan, M. (2005). Supersize Me: A comparative analysis of responses to crisis by McDonalds America and McDonalds Australia. In: C. Galloway K. Kwanash-Aidoo (Eds.), Public relations issues and crisis management (pp.67-80). Melbourne: Thomson Social Science Press. Sood, S. (2004). Weighing the impact of Super Size Me. Alternet, 29 June. Available from: https://www.alternet.org/story/19059/weighing_the_impact_of_%26%238216%3Bsuper_size_me%26%238217%3B [Accessed 18 April, 2015]