The Economic And Social Changes During The 1960s Under The...

Life in America began to undergo great economic and social changes during the 1980s under the Reagan Administration. During this period of time, stagflation began to distress the US economy, leaving millions of Americans to fall victim to homelessness and poverty. The unemployment rate had reached its highest peak since the Great Depression, creating a major crisis for low-income families and other individuals concerning living conditions. The introduction of Reaganism into society primarily focused on reducing the growth of government spending through the modulation of federal income tax and reduction of government regulation to diminish inflation. Despite all attempts for economic recovery, the US struggled to bounce back from the 1970s recession and in time led to the significant rise in urban poverty. Uniquely, an American film director from the 1980s by the name of John Carpenter produced a science-fiction film, They Live, that served as a powerful and eye-opening depiction of h is own personal views of Reaganism (Reaganomics). He essentially depicts our world to be controlled by powerful elites who have created a repressive society that we are unwilling brought to live and build in. He also clarifies how the majority of Americans during the 1980s were focused primarily on materialism and how an individual’s â€Å"success† was measured by the amount of money they possessed. Carpenter’s major criticisms of 1980s America included the impact of consumerism in America as well asShow MoreRelatedTax and Reagan1575 Words   |  7 Pagesconservatism in social, economic and political life in the 80’s. In the 1980 bid for President, Reagan won the Republican nomination after two failed attempts in 1968 and 1976. Although Ronald Reagan once held Democratic views, he grew more conservative and he official took the side of the Republicans in the 1960’s. Reagans domestic views were the change Americans were looking for and Reagan, al ong with his running mate George H.W Bush, won the 1980 election. In his 1981 inauguration, Reagans famous wordsRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union862 Words   |  4 PagesFrom Eisenhower to Reagan, US administrations aimed to maintain their territory and population safe without compromising its empire figure. Most of the policies and decisions made during the Cold War period can be understood under the Realism theory, as the presidents and other relevant parts of the government such as the CIA engaged in different activities to stop the potential world domination of the communist block, even if it meant the dead of thousands of Latin Americans under repressive and militaryRead MorePost Liberal Era Essay1559 Words   |  7 Pages The Post Liberal Era begins with the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Although Ronald Reagan was one of the most popular president in United States history, the years he served were not beloved by many. One example of this was Reverend Jerry Falwell. Reverend Falwell believed that â€Å"our grand old flag from going down the drain.† according to the Reverend Jerry Falwell, Moral Majority Fundraising Letter. He was against homosexual people and the distribution of pornography and R/X rated movies. He seemedRead MoreTinker V. Des Moines Independent Community School District1155 Words   |  5 Pagesanother state and have the procedure done. So Norma McCorvey decided to sue the state of Texas claiming that her constitutional rights were being taken away from her. The state court ruled in favor of McCorvey but it was not a strong enough verdict to change the arrests of abortion doctors in Texas because the exact part of the Constitution that dealt indirectly with the right to privacy could not be pinpointed, and so Norma McCorvey and her lawyer, Sarah Weddington, decided to take it to the SupremeRead MoreFederalism And Cities From The Middle Of The Twentieth Century1291 Words   |  6 Pagesbegan giving less money with mor e demands. During the Reagan administration the amount of funding was cut using the justification of shrinking a bloated federal government. This continued through George H.W. Bush. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush -- despite coming from different ideological goals -- both imposed substantial demands on grants to municipalities as a way to enact signature programs like welfare and housing reform, and No Child Left Behind. Under President Obama, partisan gridlock continuesRead MoreU.s. The Iranian Hostage Crisis1929 Words   |  8 PagesNot only did the American public hope to be able to rely on and trust their federal government, but they also desired strong management of foreign affairs. During the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, America faced many blunders overseas. One particular high-profile issue was the Iranian Hostage Crisis where, â€Å"Iranian students stormed the U.S embassy in Tehran and took 53 Americans hostage,† and the attempted rescue of said hostages which resulted in a collision between two helicopters and eight deadRead More Power Shifts In Intergovernmental Relations: A Result Of Fiscal Feder835 Words   |  4 Pagespassed the 1935 Soc ial Security Act, providing retired persons pensions and benefits for the unemployed and disabled. In addition to Social Security, the government also established the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in 1933 which provided states with money for the needy. The Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program was state-administered and federally funded, another example of state dependence on the national government. The Works Progress Administration is one of the multitudeRead More Nicaraguan Politics and Government Essay4652 Words   |  19 Pagesturmoil, social tension and economic dismay. The turmoil’s that have shaken the country make it plausible to believe that by some metaphysical law, Nicaraguan politics have accommodated to nature’s tantrums. Like its diverse, rugged and seismically active geology, the country’s politics have been irregular, impulsive and often explosive (Pastor, 15). The Nicaraguan election of February 25, 1990 represents the country’s attempt to break from its turbulent political past and pursue economic and politicalRead MoreThe Fall of the Liberal Consensus Essay1919 Words   |  8 Pagesconservatism with the election of President Reagan in 1980. The question must be posed, how in the course of 15 years did liberal consensus fall apart and conservatism rise to the forefront? What were the decisive factors that caused the fracturing of what seem ed to be such a powerful political force? In looking at the period from 1968 to the triumph of Reagan in 1980, America was shaken to the core by the Watergate scandal, the stalling of economic growth, gas shortages, and the Vietnam War.Read MoreAp Exam Essays1660 Words   |  7 PagesAP Exam Essays 2001-2010 2010 AP Exam Essays 1. In what ways did ideas and values held by Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s? 2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783. 3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming

Putting A Successful Business Peter Thiel - 1102 Words

Peter Thiel is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur who co-founded companies such as, Pay-Pal and Palantir. In his book Zero to One, Thiel talks about the essential steps to follow in creating a successful business. According to Thiel, in order to create a successful business the founder must create a new product that has never been done before. He talks about the horizontal and vertical process of businesses. The horizontal process focuses on the idea of doing more of what is already working. While, the vertical process focuses on a new or better way to do something. Thiel says that the vertical process is what is needed in starting a successful business. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, â€Å"Every moment in business happens†¦show more content†¦If you have a typewriter and build a word processor, you have made vertical progress.† This backtracks on the idea of the horizontal and vertical process; it is so vital that companies come up with new and upda ted ideas to in order to accomplish success. Another important idea that I took away from Peter Thiel’s book, Zero to One, was the idea that, in order to think clearly about the future one must question the past, Thiel focuses on this in chapter two. Business owners must learn from their past mistakes in order to create a business that has a strong foundation. Thiel goes into great detail about how important it is to learn lessons from previous mistakes and take one step at a time while building your business. In Chapter three and four, Thiel goes into vast detail about monopoly’s and non-monopoly’s, the two simple models in business. According to Thiel, every company that has a monopoly is so successful that no other company can compare to it. Non-monopoly’s generally, â€Å"exaggerate their decision by defining their market as the intersection of various smaller markets† (Thiel 29). Monopolies are idealistic for a company in a competitive marke t compared to competition in the business world, which can trap a business and makes them less successful. When explaining this, Thiel compares both Shakespeare and Carl Marx. He states that Shakespeare’s explanation that people who fight are commonly similar to each other is more similar to the business

The sights of leadership Free Essays

Every leader must master three aspects of visionary sight – 1. Hindsight: The ability to reflect and learn from the past 2. Insight: The ability to interpret and respond to the present 3. We will write a custom essay sample on The sights of leadership or any similar topic only for you Order Now Foresight: The ability to predict and prepare for the future But while every leader must operate in all three aspects of vision, which focus they rely on most will have far-reaching implications for their lives and organisations they build. Which focus do you favour? Hindsight Leadership: Tends to emphasise the value of experience and evidence. They look at the future through the eyes of the past. Like a lawyer they tend to look for a precedent for every decision. They’re hoping it’s true that â€Å"history repeats itself†. Although we absolutely must reflect on the past and learn the lessons it offers us, we cannot afford to become overly focused on the past in our leadership any more than we can afford to drive whilst staring in the rear vision mirror. Insight Leadership: Tends to emphasise the value of tactics and reality. They look at the future as an extrapolation of current events and trends. Finely tuned to what is happening around them, they hope that by responding correctly now they will experience success in the future. Although they’re not spending a lot of time looking backwards, they’re also not spending much time looking ahead. The focus becomes about where we are now and what step we could take next. For this leader the old adage not to â€Å"climb the ladder only to find it’s leaning across the wrong wall† contains an important warning. Foresight Leadership: Tends to emphasise possibilities and innovation. They look at the future as uncharted territory or a clean slate. Although they reflect on the past and respond to the present, they are much more concerned with preparing for the future. They drive their organisations with glances in the rear vision mirror and awareness of their surroundings but more than anything else they have clear focus on where they are going and what’s coming up on the road ahead. I often advocate insight which is the moment, that is the balancing or transformation point between hindsight and foresight. Insight is neither hindsight nor foresight. This point is also the birthplace of the two endpoints because what you do at this point of insight becomes your past and determines your future. The problem we so often experience is that we give our attention to the past or the future, at the expense of attending the all-important present moment. We worry about our past or fret about our future and in that process we give up our opportunity to exercise any influence we have in our lives, which can only happen in the here and now How to cite The sights of leadership, Papers

Study Of The Enviroment On The Cell Membrane Essay Example For Students

Study Of The Enviroment On The Cell Membrane Essay Study Of The Enviroment On The Cell MembraneDave LimaSBI OA1Mr. Swanson10/4/99Purpose: To study the effect of environmental changes in the permeability of living beet root cells. Procedure A: The effect of pH on the cell membraneMaterials Method1. Cut a beet root into slices approximately 2mm thick. Use a cork bore to cut out thirty-five (35) slices. 2. Place the discs in a 250 mL beaker and rinse thoroughly in cool running tap water. The red pigment collected comes from the damaged cells and can be used to analyze the chemical nature of the pigment. 3. The pigment in a beet, anthocynanin, should be analyzed before beginning. This can be done simply by first adding a few drops if concentrated acid to a sample if beet juice. 4. The resulting solution can be compared to a second sample made by adding a few drops if concentrates base to another sample of beet juice. Note the colours of each. Given stock solutions of 0.1 mol/L HCl and 0.1 mol/L NaOH, and graduated cylinders, prepare the following solutions in separate test tubes. a) 10 mL of 0.1 mol/L HClb) 10 mL of 0.01 mol/L HClc) 10 mL of 0.001 mol/L HCld) 10 mL of distilled watere) 10 mL of 0.001 mol/L NaOHf) 10 mL of 0.01 mol/L NaOHg) 10 mL of 0.1 mol/L of NaOH5. Place five (5) beet root discs in each of the 7 test tubes. 6. Leave them for 15 minutes and then record your observations. Agitate gently and continue to observe them at 15-minute intervals until no further changes occur. Procedure B: The effects Of An Organic SolventMaterials Methods1. Prepare beet root discs as for Procedure A. The number required will depend on the control you design. 2. Place five (5) of the discs in a test tube containing 10 mL of distilled water and 2 mL of ethanol. 3. Design a control for this investigation. 4. Agitate gently and periodically for 15 minutes and record your observations. Observations:Analyzing anthocynanin by adding concentrated acid and base to beet juiceMixture Observations recordedFew drops of concentrated acid added to a sample of beet juice -Concentrated acid caused the anthocynanin to turn to a slightly lighter shade of pink. Few drops of concentrated vase added to a sample of beet juice -Concentrated base caused the anthocynanin to turn a transparent yellow. Serial DilutionIntervals 0.1 mol/L 0.01 0.001 Distilled 0.001 0.01 0.1 HCl mol/L mol/L Water mol/L mol/L mol/LHCl HCl NaOH NaOH NaOH15 -lots of -less pigment -a small -very little -a small -barely -a yellowMinutes pigment lost lost than the amount pigment lost amount any pigment is-solution is dark 0.1 solution of from the beet of pigment present inpurple in of HCl pigment root pigment lost the colour lost lost from the solutionfrom the from the beet root beet root beet root 30 -slightly -slightly -slightly -slightly -slightly -slightly -slightlyMinutes more more more more more more morePigment pigment pigment pigment pigment pigment pigmentlost since lost since lost lost since lost lost lostthe the since the the since since sinceobservation observations obser- observations the the themade at made at vations made at observ- observ- observ-15 minutes 15 minutes made at 15 minutes ations ations ations15 made at made at made atminutes 15 15 15minutes minutes minutes45 -solution -solutio n -solution -a darker shade -solution -solution -theMinutes is dark is pink in is a of pink than is a light is a light mixture ispurple in colour lighter the 0.001 pink pink verycolour throughout shade of solution of through- through- yellowthroughout pink HCl but not out the out the throughoutthan that of the mixture, mixture, the actualthe 0.01 0.01 solution similar similar beet havesolution of HCl to that to that turnedof HCl of the of the brown in0.001 0.001 colourmol/L mol/LHCl HClThe Effects Of An Organic Solvent: Designing A ControlThe control our group designed for this investigation was to have one test tube with 10 mL of distilled water 2 mL of ethanol. This way both test tubes would have a total of 12 mL and 5 beet roots each. .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .postImageUrl , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:hover , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:visited , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:active { border:0!important; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:active , .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660 .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucad89fa60fb580f50e1279780eab1660:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Jackie Robinson EssayTest tube with 12 mL of water Test tube with 10 mL of water and 2 mL of ethanol-very little pigment lost-light pink in colour-beets moved (twirled) when agitated -very little pigment lost-only a light tint of pink could be seen-beets did not move when agitated, they remained at the bottom of the test tube-traces of oil were present in the test tubeDiscussion1. What relationship exists between the concentration of acid or base solution and the pH?In a solution, pH refers to the concentration of H+ ions. The pH is expressed as a positive number while the concentration of the H+ ions is taken in exponent form. Bases start at as low as 10-14 and acids are up to 1. Therefore taking the pH from the concentration is determined by taking the negative value of the exponent of hydrogen concentration H+2. How is the membrane affected by the different pH values of the solutions? What changes have the tested solutions created in the structure of the membrane?The pH value of Hydrochloric acid is 0, and the pH value of the Sodium hydroxide is 14. The acid caused the membrane to tear from the damage caused by. The anthocynanin then permeated through the membrane. Since the pH value of the distilled water is 7, which is neutral, caused no damage to the cell membrane. The closer the substance was to neutral the more osmosis pressure was create around the sell membrane. Once the cell was full with as much water as it could with hold, the osmosis pressure rises. The Sodium hydroxides pH intensity was so high that it caused the cell membrane to degrade, which made permeability increase. 3. At which pH does the maximum intensity of anthocynanin, occur? At which pH does the least occur?The pH that the maximum intensity of anthocynanin occurred at was at the 0.1 mol/L of HCl, due to the high pH content and the low dilution of the substance. The pH that did the least amount of damage to the cell membrane was the 0.001 mol/L of NaOH, due to the low pH content and the dilution of the substance. 4. Would you expect similar results using carrot roots (which contain an orange pigment)? Explain your answer. The pigment of the carrot cell is orange and would probably make it more difficult to decipher between the pH levels. While the beet root makes it easier. At each different level that the pH was diluted at, made the pink fluid turn lighter, until the use of NaOH then it slowly became more yellow. This would be more difficult with the carrot root. The membranes also differ quite a bit. 5. Under what circumstances would be of important to plants? Animals?If the pH inside of a cell, in a plant or animal is unbalanced and is either two high or two low it could cause destruction of damage top the cell which could cause the cell to die. The reaction to the beet root is a good example. 6. Compare the test tube with the organic solvent to the control, account for any changes seen. The two different test tubes differed in many ways. In the organic the beets stayed at the bottom while agitated, while the other test tube the beets spun around the tube when agitated. 7. Suggest how the ethanol has affected the cell membrane. Because both the water and the ethanol both have hydrogen bonds this could cause the beets to remain at the bottom of the test tube. When a polar solute, enters into water the water molecules surround the solute and it becomes no longer to diffuse through the membrane. .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .postImageUrl , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:hover , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:visited , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:active { border:0!important; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:active , .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3 .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u49871e19f07cc3a4c8321d9190d34fd3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How to Fight in Hockey Successfully Essay8. Would all organic solvents be likely to affect the permeability of the water membrane the same way? Explain. No, not all-organic substances would affect the permeability of the cell membrane, as the ethanol did. The non-polar molecules would not go also with the hydrophilic heads of the phospholipids. As well as alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Conclusion:A cell membrane reacts differently to its surrounding, which causes either a life or death situation for the cell. A pH with a very high, or a very low concentration, will cause damage to the cell, where a medium pH level will do very minimum damage to the cell. When damage is done to the cell, osmosis and diffusion become easier for outside solutions. When a cell reaches equilibrium (with water) it creates osmosis pressure. Osmosis pressure is when the hydrostatic pressure from inside the cell is greater then the pressure from outside the cell. Organic solvents also affect the permeability of the cell. Ethanol is miscible with water and both posses hydrogen bonds. Science Essays

Quran Essay free essay sample

Among the innumerable facts, this writing will contribute two facts only: First, the Quran contains many scientific facts that are only being found out recently. The Quran’s linguistic style is far superior then any other form of writing. Without a doubt men have negated and contested the truth and revelation from God including the Quran revealed to prophet Mohamed (sallahu alahi wa salaam). For that reason, men in their objection and adamant behavior suggested that the Quran is word of Mohamed or the Quran is created by Mohamed; such statement is away from the truth. Undoubtedly there are other verses in the Quran related to human development that will be understood in the future as our knowledge increases. † In the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wa tala) also speaks about the Cerebrum: ( ) ( ) (Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock (the front part of the brain also known as the prefrontal lobe) (15) A lying, sinful forelock! (96:15-16) Why does Allah describe the front part of the brain to be lying and sinful? In recent research scientists have found out that the prefrontal lobe actually controls a person’s decision making, cognitive behavior, personality expression, and moderating social behavior (Yang, Y Prefrontal structure†¦). We will write a custom essay sample on Quran Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This part of the brain also deals with the creation of thoughts and actions (Miller, Earl the prefrontal cortex†¦). This shows that the prefrontal lobe is the part of the brain that may engage in sinful behavior and entices someone to lie or not. This also shows that the Quran does confirm scientific facts and there is no way an unlettered nomadic Arab man[5] in the 7th century could have known these facts. The pagan Arabs of the 7th century were for the most part isolated from the two great empires[6] at that time. The two empires did not waste their time in conquering the vast Arabian deserts because of its plain and unattractive look. The Arabs had nothing, they didn’t have any monuments, and they didn’t have masterful pieces of art. Therefore the Arabs of Mecca[7] were not much of a concern to the two empires; as well the two empires were not willing to send their forces through the dangerous deserts. Thanks to this isolation, the Arabs were able to refine their language. After a few centuries, the Arabs had shaped their language into an eloquent language where everyman was known to be a poet. The Arabs prided themselves on their language. So much so, they would have tribal battles not with swords but rather their tongues and the losing tribe would be shamed. The pagan Arabs marveled at the amazing speech of the Quran. When a person speaks he is able to organize his thoughts, but a person is incapable of organizing their words based on what they are going to say later . For example, there are two ayahs that are very much the same one ayah states: â€Å"Say (O Muhammad): Allah is enough as a witness between me and you†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The other ayah states: â€Å"Say (O Muhammad): Allah is enough between me and you as a witness † The difference is sequence, in the first ayah Allah says â€Å"witness† first, and â€Å"me and you’ later. The Quran is very sensitive to context, at the end of the first ayah Allah says â€Å"†¦he is the ever all knower, all seer of his slaves†. The ayah ends speaking about Allah, the word â€Å"witness† for Allah is used first so therefore the ayah begins with Allah and ends with Allah. While the second ayah ends with speaking about people it uses â€Å"between me and you† first then â€Å"witness† second. So the ayah begins with speaking about people and ends with speaking with people. So what is about to be said in the future has a direct influence on how words are organized before. Humans are unable to do that. Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) was never known to be a composer of any types of poetry or any other forms of literature. So when they heard this literature they were amazed. â€Å"Umar bin Al-Khattab was a great enemy of the prophet. He planned to kill the prophet, but on his way he was informed that his sister had joined the religion. He immediately changed course. Upon arrival he hit his sister. He regretted what he did so asked for the paper she was reading (containing ayahs of the Quran). Once he read it he immediately went to prophet (sallahu alahi wa salaam) and accepted Islam†. Umar bin Al-Khattab was a man that was amazed by the Quran’s linguistic style and its strong meaning. This is one of the many men who accepted Islam because of the Quran’s amazing speech. The famous Arab grammarian H. Gibb had this to say about the Quran: â€Å"As a literary monument the Koran (referring to the Quran) thus stands by itself, a production unique to the Arabic literature, having neither forerunners nor successors in its own idiom. Muslims of all ages are united in proclaiming the inimitability not only of its contents but also of its style†¦ and in forcing the High Arabic idiom into the expression of new ranges of thought the Koran develops a bold and strikingly effective rhetorical prose in which all the resources of syntactical modulation are exploited with great freedom and originality. John Penrice stated: â€Å"That a competent knowledge of the Koran is indispensable as an introduction to the study of Arabic literature will be admitted by all who have advanced beyond the rudiments of the language. From the purity of its style and elegance of its diction it has come to be considered as the standard of Arabic † These two men have an understanding of the linguistic exc ellence of the Quran. Allah says: Do they not then consider the Quran carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein many contradictions. (Quran 04:82). The Quran contains many palindromes; palindromes in many languages can only be done with one word. For example, in the English language the word Race Car can be written the same backward. In the Quran there are entire sentences that are palindromes. For example, in the Quran, Allah says: ( ) Magnify your Lord (Allah)! (Quran 74:3) In conclusion, the Quran has impacted the world in many ways. The Quran was not only sent to the desert Arabs but rather it was sent to all of mankind. Allah sends out a challenge, Allah (subhanahu wa tala) says: ( ) â€Å"And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i. e. the Quran) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a Surah of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful. † (Quran 2:23) The Quran is a revelation from Allah and it was revealed upon the tongue of Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam). The Quran contains many scientific facts ranging from embryology to the purpose of the frontal lobe. All of this presented in a beautiful linguistic form, so much so when the Quran is translated into English, the language’s primitive level is unable to display the Quran’s linguistic beauty. This renders the English native unable to appreciate the Quran in a way the pagan Arabs of the 7th century were able. The Quran reaches the top level of eloquence in the Arabic language as well as other languages. The idea of Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) being able to go from being a unlettered man to the top author in the Arabic language is impossible on all plains of reality. Therefore, the only logical reason to say is that Muhammad (sallahu alahi wa salaam) has received revelation from the Almighty. QURAN: A REVELATION? Name: Harun O. G Course: GLE20 Teacher: Ms. Vacar Date: April 09, 2011 1]sallahu alahi wasalm means peace be upon him [2] Allah is the Arabic word for God and is preferred(to Muslims) [3] subhanahu wa tala means glorified and exalted be he(Allah) [4] Ayat: this is the plural version of Ayah, this word does not have a direct translation in English but the closest one is verse. In other places in the Quran ayah means signs. [5] According to sources Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alahi wasalm) was a illiterate man [6] Persian and Roman empire [7] Is found in Saudi Arabia and is th e holiest city for Muslims

Firestone Corporation essays

Firestone Corporation essays This work will attempt to address corporate social responsibility and the actions of Firestone, with regard to recent ethically questionable decisions. The work will touch on the most recent recall and eventual reparations awarded injured parties as a result of Firestone tire failure. The work will also identify the key ingredients that make such a failing possible in the long term through a look at the source of ethical (or unethical) decisions making. The core of the problem, according to many experts and by this writer is that profit is valued above safety and that the corporate climate as well as it support networks, such as law and education value secrecy rather than full disclosure when the potential for profit loss is projected. Scientists, CEOs and even line workers are implored to remain silent through overt and subtle coercion, even when they are aware of safety concerns and industry relies heavily on the time lag between the introduction of a potentially unsafe product and the time it takes to begin to restrict its use to safe practices or eliminate it altogether. It is difficult to imagine a socially aware individual being against corporate social responsibility, though many actions taken by individuals and corporate entities prove that the profit margin dictates the decisions made, even if this means practicing business in a socially irresponsible manner. (Berkhout, 2005, pg. 15) Such as in the case of the Bridgestone/Firestone, when dangerous products manufactured and sold by them caused deaths and permanent injury to many people, when they purchased the Ford Explorer new, with presumably new tires and then those products failed and caused serious accidents. In 2001, Bridgestone/Firestone and the Ford Motor Company apologized to consumers for a pattern of deadly tire failures, while blaming each other for the debacle. 9 Once again, major corporations are enveloped in ethics scandals that are generating new trem...

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Marks and Spencers Business Strategy

Marks and Spencers Business Strategy Introduction In section A of this report, we will analyse and assess Marks and Spencers (MS) food sector business strategy. In previous consultancy task we examined UK supermarket sector and business environment. That will be crucial in understanding current MS strategic position. Also, it will help us to identify sources of competitive advantage and at the same time opportunities for future strategic positioning. In addition, we have to be aware of companys non-financial performances as well as quantitative corporate objectives and key performance indicators. Analysing them using balanced scorecard and benchmarking method will show us, is our strategy sustainable, does it have long run perspective and direction we are currently moving. 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According to the Bowmans strategy clock this strategy is seen as high price strategy which gives perceived high value to customers. They choose to differentiate themselves from other food retailers with: top quality own label food, ready prepared meals, fresh food and food for special occasions. They do not attract customers for full weekly groceries shopping but gives them additional value for their money with focus on freshness and quality. Their simply food stores contributed with high margins to overall sales in past few years. Also, they expanded abroad to 40 countries in order to attract new sales into the same niche. This is consistent with Johnson et al. (2005) who explained that growth may be achieved by targeting new sale at the same market niche abroad. In previous consultancy we analyse supermarket sector using Porters five forces framework. That helped us to better understand industry in which MS operates. We concluded that power of suppliers is high due to a lot of supermarkets and brands. Also the threat of substitutes is high because customers now want better value for money. MS is aware of that, especially because that was primary reason for a big decline in sales in 1990. The power of suppliers is low because of huge number of fragmented suppliers. Threat of new entries is on medium level and competition among industry is on high level. The four biggest food retailers in UK (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison) have almost 76% market share. Therefore, MS with 3.9% market share in 2009 cannot compete with lower price strategy. Their focus is more on product quality. The MS food offer ‘has largely focused on the upper end of the mass market, typically higher than its positioning for non-food.'[1] They are selling own brand labels only to their customers which giving them value for money. It helps them in promotion of overall MS brand. The good thing is introduction of some branded goods from 2008, because of higher targeted customers demand. MS food sector strategy lies on companys basic values: Quality, Freshness, and Value, Standards of innovation, Ethical Sourcing and Healthy eating.[2] MS is premium food retailer and food sector is very important to overall group business and performance. It brings over 50 percent of group revenues in UK with sales of  £4.25bn in 2009. Previous consultancy also shows that the most influential trends in broad environment related to food industry are: Food industry was relatively recession proof and these days UK is officially out of recession after six consecutive quarters.[3] High level of inflation in UK (CPI inflation=3 percent) is the reason which contributed to retailers profitability. In 2009, MS reported slightly decrease in margins and profitability. Previous year, they were moving in good direction with initiatives to cut costs (marketing, distribution, support) and reinvest that money in prices to provide better value to customers. The bad thing is reducing capital expenditures for almost 40% which have to create value in future. Increasing number of healthy conscious consumers is a second trend. As a premium food retailer who is selling top quality food, this trend is big strategic opportunity for MS future strategic positioning. In addition to this, survey show that only one in six customers switched to less expensive and frozen food.[4] Today we have environmentally aware consumers. MS is first food retailer who realizes that. Thus, they presented Plan A in 2007 with 100 environmentally commitments to complete within five years. Today, after two years they achieve 39 commitments. This strategy have aim to differentiate their food business from main competitors. Online shopping is also todays trend and opportunity for retailers. They launched MS direct and free wine delivery as a result of growing demand. In 2009 MS market share decline from 4.3% to 3.9% and this is opposite to what board of directors announced in 2008. They predicted growth in market share to 5%.[5] In formulating strategy for next year, they have to take into account few things which will have effect on customers disposable income. From January 2010, we have increase in Value added tax from 15 to 17.5%. Personal income tax will stay at the same level in 2011.This fiscal measure will affect 70,000 people across UK who are now in higher tax band. Additionally we have announced increase in sin taxes for alcoholic drinks. Customers are today spending  £36 per person per week on food in UK.[6] Previous mentioned changes will have certain impact on customers spending habits. Probably they will not cut food expenses, but some products coul be more affected. That is one reason more for MS to provide customers with additional value for money. Part B Balanced scorecard The Balanced scorecard is â€Å"an integrated set of performance measures derived from the companys strategy that gives top management a fast but comprehensive view of the organizational unit.† (Drury 2004, pp.1001). The main question behind the balanced scorecard concept according to Kaplan and Norton (2001) is how to measure future performance. The authors were aware that companies are only in 10 to 30 percent successful in executing its strategy. The main reasons are vision, people, resource and other barriers. For example non-understanding of strategy by employees or management fails to link budget with strategy objectives. Also they realize importance of intangible assets, not capital anymore in adding value to company. In this new business environment focus only on past financial measures (profit, cash flow) and not taking into account non-financial performances such as customer satisfaction could be fatal for organization. The authors presented framework and suggest eve ry company to be viewed from four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth perspective. All financial and non-financial measures and objectives should be based on companys vision and strategy. That will help managers to have overview over whole processes in company and employees to better understand global firms strategy. We will use suggested framework to support formulation and implementation of Marks and Spencers current strategy. 1. Financial perspective Kaplan and Norton (2001) argue that non-financial perspectives are important but the same is with financial perspective. The reason is simple. Effects from other three perspectives will show their impact through companys financial performances. Marks and Spencer current financial objectives on group level and business unit level are to reduce costs and manage cash flow. In 2009, the effect of broad environment and recession in UK impacted direction of MS strategy. Because of decrease in UK food sector sales and decrease in market share from 4.3% to 3.9 % they choose to reduce costs with aim to keep profitability. Food gross margin was down 235 bps at 31.5%. We can continue to use gross margin as performance measure. Also, we could use profitability measures such as Operating profit, Return on equity, Return on capital employed and net margin which are already being used as MS key performance measures. The results of reducing costs are, reduced spending in support areas and marketing activities of 8.6% without threatening customer satisfaction (stayed at average high level of 84%) and increase of only 1.9% in staff costs. These activities will have impact on profitability in coming years. The target for next year should increase of 10% in mentioned profitability measures. On the other hand, significant cut in capital expenditures of  £450 million h ad immediate impact on companys cash flow from investing activities. MS also have to focus to on how to improve operating cash flow. They decreased cash conversion cycle for almost 6 days.[7] They should further monitor debtor payment period, creditor collection period and stock clearance period (decrease from 8.7 to 4.29 days in 2009).[8] In future, decrease of 10-20 % in stock clearance period and cash conversion cycle could help the company to have stronger cash flow. 2. Customer perspective Main objectives of MS in order to increase market share, acquire new customers and keep customer satisfaction on a high level are to provide customers on targeted market with additional innovation, improved on-shelf availability and to give them additional value for money. The last have roots to year 1935 slogan â€Å"Dont ask the price its a penny†[9]. They took numerous promotions like â€Å"Wise buys†, ‘Family favourites for  £4 and ‘Dine in for two for  £10 during the year. Despite this investing in prices across food range have impact on companys margins, it also provides customers with better value. In 2009 survey, MS is recognized as a leader in top quality food. In future, they should increase ‘wise buys products from existing 10% food range and set target measure to 15%. Also, innovation in products should be continued and monitored with comparing percent of new products in overall products. Relating to on-shelf availability, they already employ more people in stores, open new 75 and close 26 stores with underperforming performances. This trend should be continued because it gives customers more convenience shopping. Customer loyalty, satisfaction and quality customer service are important in future period especially when market share declined 0.4%. 3. Learning and Growth perspective Kaplan and Norton (1996) recognized importance of intangible assets and employees as most important resource company have. In order to keep customers satisfied and loyal, company need to invest in its employees, systems and organizational procedures according to Drury (2004). Therefore, employee satisfaction, investment in employee skill and training must not be overlooked. MS have good communication with employees via MS intranet and employee magazine. The results from employee satisfaction survey ‘Your Say show high response rate (90%) and consistent score with previous years of 70%. Another two measures could be applied to measure employee capabilities- employee retention and employee productivity. Last two derived from employee satisfaction, because only satisfied employee could be productive. Investment in employee skills is recognized as important for MS. Thus, organization of development programme for 2000 lines managers, leadership programme and food academy are vital for future growth and development. The aim to become most sustainable retailer by 2015 they converted into the Plan A. It is also in accordance with Food industry sustainability strategy presented by DEFRA in 2006. They already fulfilled 39 commitments in order to become energy efficient, send no waste to landfill and become carbon neutral. Target of accomplished 15 new commitments per year will keep them on right way to reach this strategic goal. 4. Internal business process perspective According to Drury (2004) internal business process perspective need to give answer on question what business processes will increase value to shareholders and customers and help company achieve its vision at the same time. MS recognizes that investment in innovation process and operation process (decrease distribution costs, maintain supplier satisfaction, increase efficiency in value chain and process quality) are vital to succeed. MS already presented innovation in food from national cuisines (Italian, Chinese etc.) and should monitor percentage of sales from these new products, also compare themselves with competitors (at first place Waitrose who is concentred on the same market niche- top quality food). To excel in innovation field, they should also focus on market products in which they are first or second in the market according to Drury (2004). Innovations in operation process has aim to make more efficient supply and value chain in a company. On one side we have suppliers and customers on other. Already half of 2000 suppliers were trained on MS ethical standards. Distribution costs will be managed with implementation of SAP software and building of domestic and international logistic and distribution centres. Once a build, they will significantly decrease distribution cost and time. Balanced scorecard method (BSC) will help organizations to translate vision into performance measures and improve communication within the company. Also we have to be aware of some limitations of BSC. Othman (2007) argues that BSC is static, ignores external environment and treat company as mechanical system. Drury (2004) describe that empirical study failed to provide evidence that link between non-financial data and financial performance in future exists- which is the assumption of BSC method. Benchmarking There are numerous definitions of benchmarking. One of the first books written about benchmarking providing definition of this method was in â€Å"The search for industry best practices that lead to superior performances† in 1989 by Camp. Until today many definitions emerged but still the most quoted one is from this book that says â€Å"Benchmarking is the search for the best industry practices which will lead to exceptional performance through the implementation of these best practices† (Ungen 2007,pp. 335). In this part, we are going to look at our internal strength and weaknesses, make comparison with our closest competitor in UK market- Waitrose, because both have almost the same market share of about 4% and the same market focus- top quality food. At the end, we will make comparison with Tesco and Sainsbury as a market leaders and see could we use knowledge to improve our operations. Here the aim is to learn from our competitors, not only to compare with them. First we have to understand our internal position- segments we are good at, possible opportunities and segments where improvement is needed. MS differentiate itself with high quality food and at the same time have perception among customers as a top food retailer. It has strong brand for last 125 years, strong internal financial sources and good communication with customers and suppliers. Almost 100% own label food is advantage but at same time could be weakness. So, they start selling branded premium food which they do not produce. Main opportunity is in further expansion to international market. Today, MS has 296 stores in 40 countries with significant 26% increase in international sales. In future, they should expand more as a wholly owned business, not as franchising business. Second, comparison with Waitrose we will start comparing their financial performances because they will show us how successful other perspectives from the balanced scorecard are. An MS food sector sale is down 0.1% at  £4.25bn with loss of market share of 0.4%. On the other hand, in the same period Waitrose increase its sale for 5% to  £4.2bn, market share 0.4% and decrease in operating margin 45 bps to 5.1%. Increase in Waitroses margins is at some part result of 13 Somerfield stores acquired in 2008. Waitrose is also focused on premium organic food brand. Comparing with Waitrose, MS opened 47 stores more and is selling 3600 products more with much more own label food selling. This store opening trend in previous years was primary reason for margin increase but now MS should closely monitor store performance (already close 26 underperformed stores in 2009) and different product lines and replace slow selling products. MS in terms of pricing is above Waitrose and selling almost 1 00% own brand food with products made in UK is major difference from competitor.[10] As a result their sales depends entirely on own label products. In addition to this in 2009 MS made a cut of  £127m in marketing activities which was important for him in food sector positioning.[11] In Corporate social responsibility section, MS is leader with presented 100 commitments plan A. Also partnership with Amazon will help them improve on-line shopping segment. On the other hand, Waitrose presented online food delivery service which could be next step for MS in satisfaction of customer needs. In UK food retail sector, major market share has Tesco and Sainsbury. They both have access to economies of scale and price promotions are fundamental part of their strategy. On the other hand, MS differentiate itself with providing additional value not cheaper price to customers. Despite different in size, MS could use good practice from leaders to achieve better results. Sainsbury launched these days promotion ‘buy now free next time.[12] MS could implement these on 500 wise buys products which are 10 % of range in a one month period and closely look at sales, profit margin and overall financial effect. Also, Tesco since last year increase 29% percent increase in marketing activities.[13] In year where we have 13.8% drop in organic food sale, cutting marketing activities as MS did should be re-examined. Tesco, for example offer double points in order to keep customer loyalty. MS has only 39 outlets out of 668 stores in UK. This number should be increased in future because of rising consumers demand for convenience shopping. Also, search for value and healthier eating will be still in customer focus.[14] Benchmarking can support BSC with recommendations from outside the company how internal, customer and learning and growth perspective could be improved. One of the main critics to benchmarking according to Johnson et al. (2005) it will not identify the reasons for companys good or poor performance. But Benchmarking as a tool have aim to improve companys performance and can support BSC. Therefore, synergy between benchmarking and BSC and implementation of current trends and best practice into organization will improve financial perspective of our company. Conclusion This report showed importance of understanding broad environment and market sector in strategy formulating and implementation. For example, mature supermarket sector in UK is one of the reasons for MSs decision to invest in developing countries in the same premium food market niche. In part B we showed changed focus from capital to intangible assets and from financial to non-financial measure. It is important for MS to monitor all four perspectives in order to have sustainable long- run strategy. Also it is vital for MS to understand what facors influence the financial and operational performance. Therefore, benchmarking and BSC should be used together in strategy formulation and implementation. References: Competition Commission (2000). Supermarkets: a report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom. Chapter 5. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.competitioncommission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/fulltext/446c5.pdf Competition Commission (2008). The supply of groceries in the UK market investigation. [online]. Last accessed on 23 April 2010 at www.competitioncommission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2008/fulltext/538.pdf Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2009). Food Statistics Pocketbook. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April at www.defra.gov.uk Delpachitra, S. and Beal, D. (2002), Process benchmarking: an application to lending products, Benchmarking: An International Journal Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 409-420. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.emeraldinsight.com DEFRA (2010). Recovery, Growth and the Environment. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk DEFRA (2010). UK Food Security Assessment. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk DEFRA (2010). Economic note on UK grocery retailing. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk Department store retailing (2007), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Drury, C. (2004), Management and cost accounting, 6th edition, Thomson learning, London Food Standards Agency (FSA) (2008). Consumer Attitudes Survey. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.food.gov.uk/ Food retailing in UK (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk IGD Retail Analysis (2010). IGD Retail Analysis News Tescos growth strengthens. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.igd.com/analysis/news/index.asp?nid=6634 Johnson, G., Scholes,K., Whittington, R. 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M. (1996), what is strategy?, Harvard business review, November-December 1996. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at http://hbr.org/product/what-is-strategy/an/96608-PDF-ENG Retail review, UK (2008), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Telegraf newspaper (2009), [online], Sainsbury launches first ever buy now free next time promotion, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/supermarkets/6609035/Sainsburys-launches-first-ever-buy-now-free-next-time-promotion.html Telegraf newspaper (2009),Shoppers turning their backs on supermarker own label brands, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/supermarkets/6790854/Shoppers-turning-their-backs-on-supermarket-own-label-brands.html Thompson, L. J. (2003), Strategic management, 4th edition, Thomson learning, London Ungen, C. M., (2007), Manufacturing best practices: implementation success factors and performance, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 18, issue 3,pp. 333-348. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.emeraldinsight.com Food retailing in UK (2009,pp.2), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Marks and Spencer annual report (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.marskspencer.com National statistics office, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.statistics.go.uk Managing food costs (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Marks and Spencer annual report (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.marskspencer.com Food retailing in UK (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Marks and Spencer report (2009),Fame database, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at https://fame2.bvdep.com/version-2010420/Report.serv?seqnr=0context=GH10NF_cid=159 Marks and Spencer report (2009),Fame database, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at https://fame2.bvdep.com/version-2010420/Report.serv?seqnr=0context=GH10NF_cid=159 Marks and Spencer annual report (2009,pp.37), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.marskspencer.com Department store retailing, UK (2007), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Retail review, UK (2008), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Telegraf newspaper (2009), [online], Sainsbury launches first ever buy now free next time promotion, [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/supermarkets/6609035/Sainsburys-launches-first-ever-buy-now-free-next-time-promotion.html Telegraf newspaper (2009), http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/supermarkets/6790854/Shoppers-turning-their-backs-on-supermarket-own-label-brands.html Retail review,UK (2008) [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk

The Euro :: essays papers

The Euro In 1991 it was decided that the Euro would be introduced. It officially became the currency of eleven European nations: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, shortly thereafter. Although the actually hard currency will not be introduced until January 1, 2002, it is possible to trade and complete transactions using this currency. This introduction allowed for a single money supply throughout most of Europe, caused increased transparency of prices and stocks throughout the nations adopting it and encouraged long-term investments between firms in different countries by eliminating exchange rate risk. Despite these benefits, the launch of the Euro has not gone as successfully as planned. Since it’s introduction the Euro has lost almost one third of it’s value compared to the dollar. This devaluation has the potential to create a large negative effect on European markets. To take control of the situation government intervention was deemed necessary. In early September, the European Central Bank lowered interest rates for the sixth time in less than a year, in hopes of initiating a rise in the value of the Euro. Despite these efforts the value of the Euro continued to falter. Then in late September central banks from many powerful economic nations collaborated in a major invention effort. The banks spent billions buying Euros to increase their demand while simultaneously selling dollars and yen. This effort seemed to have work as the Euro finally stabilized. This invention was an important step because a weak Euro would cause investors to lose confidence in the new currency. In addition it created a risk of increased inflation because of the increased expense of imports. However, the Euro is still not out of danger because many analysts feel that the reason that it is performing so poorly is because of the decreased amounts of investments in Europe as other markets, the United States in particular, continued to flourish. This is a long-term problem that the central banks will be unable to fix. Then in November as there were signs of slowing economic growth in the US the value of the Euro started to increase. By late November many businesses were acquiring a preference for the Euro because of the benefits it provided. According to one article, â€Å"The Euro has revolutionized corporate strategy and transformed approaches to doing business in Europe.

Ancient Greeks: Theatre as Competition and Ritual

Ancient Greeks: Theatre as Competition and Ritual The ancient Greeks were the inventors of what is today known as â€Å"theater. † Beginning with religious ritual celebrations and competitions, they created an art form which has been parent to the modern theater, as well as television and film. Although the origins of Greek theater are unknown, it is believed that it grew out of the dithyramb, songs and dances honoring Dionysus held at a festival called the Dionysia (Theater of Ancient Greece). Although these uninhibited songs and dances probably grew out of ritual celebrations, they eventually became more formalized and symbolic, eventually evolving into the Greek theater (The Ancient Greek Theatre Page). Theater started as ritual fertility celebrations by the â€Å"Cult of Dionysus† in Athens. These rituals altered over time and became Spring ritual with theater at the center of the celebrations (Drama 30), although it is impossible to know how the rituals separated into comedy and tragedy (Greek Theatre). A lesser festival in honour of Dionysus, The Lenea, became another theater festival/competition halfway through the fifth century BC. The rules of the Lenea were different from those of the Dionysia. In the Lenea, there were only four tragedies, two from each of two playwrights, and five comedies from five playwrights (Greek and British Theatre). According to Aristotle's Poetics, Greek tragedy came before satyr plays and comedies. Tragedy came out of the dithyrambs sung in praise of Dionysus at the Dionysia every year. By the 600's BC, the dithyramb was changed into a formalized narrative sung by a chorus (Greek Theatre). Tragedy lost its Dionysiac associations very early, and only one of the preserved plays, Bacchae by Euripides, has any Dionysiac content, namely the myth of resistance to the introduction of Dionysus's cult to Thebes, and the god's revenge upon the city (Greek Tragedy). In the 500s BC, the poet, Thespis of Attica, is credited with creating a new style in which an actor, called the protagonist, performed the characters' speeches in the narrative, using masks to distinguish between the different characters. The actor spoke and acted as if he were the character, and he interacted with the chorus, who acted as narrators and commentators. Because of this, Thespis is considered the first Greek â€Å"actor,† and his style of drama became known as â€Å"tragedy,† which means ‘goat song,' possibly referring to goats sacrificed to Dionysus before performances, or to goat-skins worn by the performers (Ancient Greek Theater) Aeschylus introduced the antagonist, and Sophocles introduced a third actor. Plays with more realism and dialogue were written by Euripedes and Aristophanes (Drama 30). Theatrical presentations had a religious element and attendance was practically compulsory. Because of this, the builders of Greek theaters had to provide enough space for large audiences . It is believed that the theatrical representations could have arisen from the substitution of an animal for a human sacrifice and, eventually, the formula of the sacrifice was enacted ritualistically without the actual sacrifice of the animal (The Greek Theatre). Plays were produced which could be seen as a formalistic representation of human sacrifice. An example of one of these representational plays is Oedipus the King by Sophocles. In the play, Oedipus becomes the embodiment of suffering and guilt, serving as a way of cleansing the spectators (The Greek Theatre). By the fifth century BC, the theater had become a major part of the culture of Athens. The most important element of the annual Dionysia celebration was the play competition between three playwrights at the Theater of Dionysus. These playwrights each submitted a trilogy of connected tragedies, along with a satyr play which dealt with the same subject matter as the trio of tragedies (Greek Theatre). The competitors were chosen by a government authority called the archon. Wealthy patrons, called choregos, financed the productions. The funding of the arts was a way of tax avoidance, so they were willing to do so. In return for funding a production, the choregos would pay no taxes that year (The Ancient Greek Theatre Page). These men paid for the production of each dramatist's series, the chorus, and other production costs. The actors were paid by the state. The directors of the plays were usually the actual playwrights (Greek and British Theatre). Once many playwrights began writing plays for multiple actors and submitting plays for the Dionysia, competitions began to be held all over Greece. Prizes were given for the best of these and they were written down and saved (Greek and British Theatre). In the competitions, there were ten judges. These judges were taken from each of the Athenian â€Å"tribes,† divisions of the people made for administrative convenience, not actual tribes. Choosing the â€Å"best new tragedy,† which was the purpose for the competition, was taken very seriously. In 449 BC an award for the best leading actor in a tragedy was introduced (Greek and British Theatre). Revivals of popular plays was not allowed in Greek theater. This was to encourage new plays to be written. In fact, a special state decree was issued to allow the Aeschylus's plays to be performed after he died. Until this, revivals had never happened. Revivals did begin to occur in the fourth century when touring companies began to perform in Attica, a rural area, and beyond (Greek Theatre). The ancient Greeks took their theater seriously. Beginning with religious ritual celebrations, the Greek theater evolved into the modern theater that we know today. Plays from those ancient competitions are known and performed all over the world. The Greeks' contribution to the cultural and artistic development of the odern theater is incalculable. Works Cited â€Å"Ancient Greek Theater. † Greek Theater. 6 Oct 2008. . â€Å"Greek and British Theatre† The British Theatre Guide. 6 Oct 2008. â€Å"Greek Theatre. † Greek Theatre. 6 Oct 2008. . â€Å"Greek Tragedy. † Greek Tragedy. 6 Oct 2008.. â€Å"The Ancient Greek Theatre Page. † The Ancient Greek Drama and Theatre History Page. 30 Sep 2008. . â€Å"Theatre of Ancient Greece. † Ancient Greece. 30 Sep 2008. . â€Å"The Greek Theatre. † The Greek Theatre. 6 Oct 2008. â€Å"The Theatre in Ancient Greece. † Ancient Greece. 6 Oct 2008. â€Å"When Did Theatre Begin? † Drama 30. 6 Oct 2008..

Bill Sikes Essays

Bill Sikes Essays Bill Sikes Paper Bill Sikes Paper Dickens begins this chapter by talking about Fagin in non-human terms that suggest he is frightening and dangerous. Words like lair, phantom, and fangs describe the Fagins house and his physical appearance. This isnt the first use of animal imagery to suggest Fagin is scary and dangerous in Oliver Twist. Fagin has been described before as a reptile and a predator. Dickens has used animal imagery to express a sense of evil. Dickens is suggesting that Fagin is about to act like an animal and is his need for revenge a strictly human evil? This remark by Charley Dickens, showing Olivers purity, further shows us that Fagin is willing to corrupt an innocent soul for the sake of his greed, as we find out later on that he was to corrupt the boy for money. He tries to make Oliver as one of his boys but in the end he does not succeed. Fagin seeks to corrupt even the innocent, which makes him almost evil. Making Fagin a Jew is a metaphor as Fagin himself is a recurring symbol for the devil. Several times Dickens refers to him with known devil names or symbols. He talks of Fagin with flaming red hair and a beard, along with a three-pronged roasting fork, which all are symbols. Before he is to die, he refuses to pray for himself and his being a Jew has a very evil connotation. He is greedy and mean, trying to pull Oliver and others into his web of evil. After Noah delivers his report, Fagin is furious with Nancy. When Sikes enters, carrying the loot from his nights work, Fagin un-nerves him by staring fixedly, speechless and twitching with emotion. The old man tells Sikes his story, masterfully rousing Sikes to a pitch of rage at the hint that the gang has been betrayed. Deliberately increasing the tension, Fagin wakes Claypole to make him tell Sikes about Nancy. WITH ALL OF THE SYMBOLISM AND MORAL ISSUES REPRESENTED IN OLIVER TWIST, ALL SEEM TO COME FROM REAL EVENTS FROM THE LIFE OF ITS AUTHOR, CHARLES DICKENS. THE NOVELS CHARACTER, OLIVER, IS A GOOD PERSON AT HEART SURROUNDED BY THE FILTH OF THE LONDON STREETS. FILTH THAT DICKENS MIGHT HAVE DEALT WITH IN HIS EVERYDAY LIFE. BUT THROUGH MORALS AND MERE CHANCE OLIVER BECOMES A LIVING SYMBOL. THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME, DICKENS APPEARED TO HAVE ACQUIRED A FONDNESS FOR THE BLEAK, THE SORDID, AND THE AUSTERE. MOST OF OLIVER TWIST, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKES PLACE IN LONDONS LOWEST SLUMS. THE CITY IS DESCRIBED AS A MAZE WHICH INVOLVES A MYSTERY OF DARKNESS, ANONYMITY, AND PERIL. MANY OF THE SETTINGS, SUCH AS THE PICKPOCKETS HIDEOUT, THE SURROUNDING STREETS, AND THE BARS, ARE ALSO DESCRIBED AS DARK, GLOOMY, AND BLAND. EVEN WHILE HIS LIFE WAS IN DANGER WHILE IN THE HANDS OF FAGIN AND BILL SIKES, TWO SCHEMING PICKPOCKETS, HE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STEALING WHICH HE SO GREATLY OPPOSED. ALL OLIVER REALLY LONGED FOR WAS TO ESCAPE FROM HARSH LIVING CONDITIONS AND EVIL SURROUNDINGS WHICH HE HAD GROWN UP IN. HOWEVER, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING THE EVIL MAY HAVE BEEN, OLIVER STOOD BY HIS BELIEFS. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY CRITICS HAVE FOUND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A BOY SUCH AS OLIVER TWIST COULD REMAIN SO INNOCENT, PURE, AND WELL SPOKEN GIVEN THE LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH HE WAS SURROUNDED BY EVIL AND INJUSTICES. FAGIN THE HEAD OF A GROUP OF YOUNG THIEVES SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME TRYING TO DEMORALIZE AND CORRUPT OLIVER AND PREVENT HIM FROM EVER COMING INTO HIS INHERITANCE. HE IS SEEN AS AN ESCAPE FROM ALL PREVIOUS MISERY. HE ALSO HELPS OLIVER TO EASE ANY FEARS ABOUT STARVATION AND LONELINESS. FAGIN IS A MASTER CRIMINAL, WHOSE SPECIALTY IS FENANG (SELLING STOLEN PROPERTY). HE EMPLOYS A GANG OF THIEVES AND IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW RECRUITS. HE IS A MAN OF CONSIDERABLE INTELLIGENCE, THOUGH CORRUPTED BY HIS SELF-INTEREST. HIS CONSCIENCE BOTHERS HIM AFTER HE IS CONDEMNED TO HANG. HE DOES HAVE A CYNICAL SENSE OF HUMOUR AND A MYSTERIOUS ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE. HES A VERY OLD SHRIVELLED JEW, WHOSE VILLAINOUS LOOKING REPULSIVE FACE WAS OBSCURED BY A QUANTITY OF MATTED RED HAIR. Fagin and his gang are of like qualities, all being thieves and gangsters, with whom poor Oliver unwittingly falls in with. Oliver, being a kind and innocent soul, is beguiled by Fagin and his boys into joining them for time. He uses double talk to keep his true motives from others. BILL SIKES IS A BULLY, A ROBBER AND A MURDERER. HE IS AN ALLY OF FAGIN. FAGIN PLANS THE CRIMES AND SIKES CARRIES THEM OUT. SIKES EVIL IS SO FRIGHTENING BECAUSE IT IS SO PHYSICAL. HE IS COMPARES TO A BEAST. NANCY IS THE HAPLESS PRODUCT OF THE SLUMS, THE PUPIL OF FAGIN, AND THE ABUSED MISTRESS OF SIKES. ALTHOUGH SHE IS A PROSTITUTE AND AN ACCOMPLICE OF CROOKS, SHE HAS THE INSTINCTS OF A GOOD PERSON. SHE IS PART OF A FEW OF THE MOST MEMORABLE SCENES (WHEN SHE VISITS FAGINS DEN, WHEN SHE WAITS FOR BILL TO COME HOME OR WHEN SHE MEETS WITH ROSE MAYLIE AND BROWNLOW TO HELP SAVE OLIVER).

Microsoft Vega Project Essay Example

Microsoft Vega Project Essay Example Microsoft Vega Project Essay Microsoft Vega Project Essay How does Microsoft conduct strategic planning and what role human resource management plays in that process? It is apparent that people are Microsofts greatest asset. Linking production areas and using an atmosphere that caters to the 30 year old average employee age, has made the company a fantastic place of employment. Human Resources is responsible for identifying, hiring, and retaining their gifted talent. Microsoft has also boasted as very generous compensation and benefits program that has created a quality employee experience. Microsofts work environment, is a catalyst for great achievements. With a strategic human resource plan, Microsoft ensures that a diverse range of candidates are considered for opportunities as well as retaining them in a very competitive market. Their results are shown through enhanced product development and employee performance. The HR department is great at spotting talent and potential and aim to hire people who are smart, work hard, and get the right things done. HR staffing seeks to hire talented people who are passionate about their work. This passion translates directly into products and services that enable Microsoft customers to do their very best. Its an important mission - bringing the right people in and taking good care of them. It plays a critical role in helping Microsoft generate technology that positively affects the lives of millions of people around the world (Microsoft. com 2008). The case study on the Vega Project shows that HR department as well as company directors are using the plan to promote, educate, and empower individuals. As this case shows, it does not always work out to be a successful match. However, according to Microsoft’s home page, I believe their HR approach is a great example of how to recruit, retain, and promote motivated employees. Where along the transactional-commitment continuum does Microsoft choose to be located ? Transactional leaders use strategy, structure and culture to strengthen their organization. This type of leadership can be displayed through a system of contingent-reward exchanges as well as active management. This style of leadership can be characterized through a process of goal-setting, setting expectations, and defining how followers will be rewarded (Gerhardt 2004). By achieving specific goals for both leaders and their followers, transactional leadership seeks to maintain stability rather than promoting change within an organization. This leadership style is closley related to the style used by Jim Kaplan in 1998. By recruiting MacLellan, he set goals, explained the rewards associated for meeting those goals, and maintain as close relationship with his new recruit. MacLellan was very excieted about his new Vega project and felt empowered to complete the project on time and meet the specified goals. He had a great commitment to the project, his team, and used many resources to ensure that it was a success. In my opinion I feel that due to the nature of Microsoft’s business, the company is high on the transactional-commitment continuum. This type of leadership is shown through the offer to MacLellan from Kaplan. Delivering the Vega project would mean a 14,000 dollar bonus, an allocation of 2,800 stock options, and promoted to a level 33 program manager, which carried a salary range of 85,000 to 110,000 dollars (Bassert page ? ). Microsoft Home Page http://members. microsoft. com/careers/careerpath/humanresource/default. mspx 2008 paulgerhardt. com/homework/TranformationalTransactonalLeadershipInRetail. pdf Paul Gerhardt-Transformational and Transactional Leadership in Retail (2004)

John Kerry on Syria Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

John Kerry on Syria - Assignment Example Having a weapon does not equate to automatic use and we did not even know if Assad has full control of them because there may be generals under him who would surreptitiously use it without Assad knowing. A. And we know what they did next. I personally called the Foreign Minister of Syria and I said to him, â€Å"If, as you say, your nation has nothing to hide, then let the United Nations in immediately and give the inspectors the unfettered access so they have the opportunity to tell your story.† Instead, for four days they shelled the neighborhood in order to destroy evidence, bombarding block after block at a rate four times higher than they had over the previous 10 days. And when the UN inspectors finally gained access, that access, as we now know, was restricted and controlled. B. Syria has chemical weapons and they are hiding it. When they were asked by UN for an inspection, they bombed it to destroy its evidence. They bombed it because their bombing rate was four time higher than the previous 10 days. C. This argument is unsound because Kerry immediately assumed that Syria is hiding its chemical weapons and that they are bent on hiding it so as to bomb it after UN advised for inspection. The certainty that they intend to hide their chemical weapons due to the increased rate of bombing is unsound. Increased rate of bombing can be caused by a multitude of factors and not just to hide it. It is also illogical to bomb their chemical weapons to hide them. Why not move and keep it somewhere else where no one can trace it? A. In all of these things that I have listed, in all of these things that we know, all of them, the American intelligence community has high confidence, high confidence. This is common sense. This is evidence. These are facts. C. The argument is just flatly wrong. What the American intelligence community is

Changing Role of Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Changing Role of Women - Essay Example While this new role of women is determined, it is also essential that such an investigative study incorporates the changed role of women in various sectors, sections, and nations. Therefore, the efforts to define the new role of women in the modern world should essentially include a research on the changing role of women in every sector and category of social life. This has been the central consideration for the selection of research articles for this anthology. As the title of this anthology suggests, this needs to be perceived as an attempt to define the changing role of women in the background of sex inequalities and gender role differences which has been a major research point of the feminist theorists in the modern world. It is indisputable that one of the most relevant topics in the modern feminist theory relating to the general theme of gender role and sex inequality has been the changing role of women. Therefore, this anthology endeavors to provide with the most accurate mate rials to conclude on the changing role of women in various sections and categories of modern life. Here, this Anthology by the title "Changing Role of Women" covers a broad span of articles which are related to the topic-changing role of women through several categories of modern women of various backgrounds. ... He in the article "From Emancipation to Liberation: The Changing role of Women in Turkey's Public Realm" which has been the first essay of the anthology, deals with the changed role of women in the public sector of Turkey. According to the article, the change of women in Turkey can be related to a change from emancipation to liberation, i.e. the change has been one of the attitudes mainly. This article introduces the history of the liberation of women in The Republic of Turkey. The article "introduces the historical context of women's emancipation in the Republic of Turkey and then discusses how different women's groups expanded, transformed or perpetuated the parameters of the public realm with their different, at times seemingly contradictory, discourses for liberation. The focus of this article is on issues and concerns around which women voiced their differences from the founding fathers who 'emancipated women,' and not on politics in formal political institutions, such as politi cal parties or parliament." ("From Emancipation to Liberation: The Changing Role of Women in Turkey's Public Realm" 107). The republican concept of secularism and nationalism strengthened the feminists of Turkey. In the society, women were provided with a new public space and their gender role was redefined. By taking effort to enforce the women's status, the state actually meant to cultivate nationalistic feeling in the minds of its citizens. Gender equality and gender rights were equal and the professionalism of women was supported by the government but they demanded for more rights especially the control upon their sexuality. The feminists were not satisfied those limited rights and tried to enter the male dominated politics and they started to express their

Asset Management Discussion Post 8 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asset Management Discussion Post 8 - Coursework Example home insurance and auto insurance liability coverage, for example, against additional liability coverage of auto, homeowners as well as boat insurance policies (Fox Business, 2013). It is also crucial as it provides coverage for claims that exclude other liability policies such as false arrest, rental unit’s liability, slander and libel liabilities. The insurance protection has been designed to kick on in cases where the liability of the other policies is exhausted (Mathias, Shugrue, Marrinson & Struck 2006). Individuals should not consider their net worth or other auto and homeowners insurances that they may have to cover some of the situations. Rather, Umbrella insurance is crucial as it insurer’s them beyond and above the other policies limits and will cover against situations that are never covered in other types of policies (Daily Finance, 2013). According to Breuer (2005), most of the umbrella insurances are associated with car accidents but also offer protection against home accidents. An example is when an individual falls down the stairs and sues you for poor construction or when the balcony collapses during a house party causing injury. Individuals will opt for umbrella insurances as a result of such instances or because they have a pool or property that may cause harm to someone and fear the consequences that will result from the harm or

The Tempest Essay Example for Free

The Tempest Essay Write about what Shakespeares theatre was like and how this links to The Tempest. Next talk about the characters Ariel and Caliban and say how Prospero treats them. Which character do you prefer and why? William Shakespeare wrote The Tempest at the earlier stage of his career. The Shakespeares theatre was for all classes of people, from the poorest to the richest. There were three different places for people to either sit or stand and watch the play. The Groundlings had to stand in the yard, because they only had to pay one penny. The place of Gentlefolks was in galleries for the price of two pennies and the lords would get to sit next to the stage and watch the play, because they paid twelve pennies. The theatre had no scenery. It only had a few props in the upper room where the machinery was located. Bu the language that the players used was very detailed and strong, which would have created a picture of the scene in audiences mind. As when Ariel describes that how the created storm was, she describes the scene of the play as well by the language that she talks. To every article. I boarded the kings ship. Now on the bear, Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, I flamed amazement. Something Id divide, And burn in many places; on the topmast, The yards and bowsprit would I flame distinctly, Then meet and join, Joves lightnings, the precursors O the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary And sight-outrunning were not. The fire and cracks Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune seemed to besiege, and make his hold waves tremble, Yea his dread trident shake. There were many poor people stood around the stage. Usually there were rowdy crowds. The play had to have dramatic opening in order to attract the audiences attention. The Shakespeares theatre was a open air theatre which would have helped to add on to the drama of the play by the atmosphere that it creates. For example The Tempest begins with a storm to grab attention of an audience and if there was a storm at the time, the play would be more realistic. In Elizabethans time women were not allowed to play on stage, because of this young boys whose voices were similar to women were used in theatre. Shakespeare has always used magical plays to interest his readers. He has always used fairy tale characters like prince, princess, witch and strange creatures to make his plays more interesting and more attractive. As in The Tempest which is a magical play he used two creatures, Ariel and Caliban and a witch Prospero.

Antiglycation Studies of Pd(II)-Hydrazide Complexes

Antiglycation Studies of Pd(II)-Hydrazide Complexes Introduction Glycation is a non-enzymatic spontaneous reaction between sugars and coexisting protein followed by a complex cascade of reactions including dehydration, redox reaction and other rearrangements [1, 2] forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs) [3]. Glycation reactions depend on the generation of reactive oxygen species by trace amounts of redox active metal ions [4] and on the degree and duration of hyperglycemia in vivo [5]. Glycation damages the collagen and elastin throughout the body. It is generally accepted that accumulation of tissue AGEs together with enhanced oxidative stress has an important role in the progression of aging and diabetic complications including retinopathy, neuropathy, embryopathy, delayed healing of wounds and others [6-10]. The increase in diabetic complications is the major cause of increased morbidity and mortality rate that has enhanced considerably in the two decades [11]. It has been estimated that the number of cases of DM will reach to 366 milli on by 2030 [12, 13] showing in fact a great challenge to healthcare systems [14]. The failure of existing antidiabetic drugs are forcing researchers to find out new inhibitors of proteins responsible for glycation in order to have a long term and sustainable solution for management of diabetes and age-related diseases. Protein Glycation The protein glycation, also called Millard reaction, involves non-enzymatic coupling of proteins with reducing sugars eventually producing advanced end products. The glycation is a spontaneous reaction, which stimulates the degradation of proteins with modification of their structures and biological activity [1-3]. Various reducing sugars including glucose, lactose, fructose, xylose, deoxyribose and galactose may take part in protein glycation [15]. Chemistry and Mechanism of Protein Glycation The protein glycation process initiates with the reaction of carbonyl (keto or aldehydic) group of reducing sugar with free amino group of protein forming a labile Schiff base 16. This is called early stage of glycation. The Schiff bases are then transformed through Amadori rearrangement into comparatively stable compounds known as Amadori products. At acidic pH or under oxidative conditions, the Amadori products or Schiff bases undergo degradation generating extremely reactive 1, 2-dicarbonyl compounds, such as methylglyoxal (Figure 94) 17-21. The formation of protein dicarbonyls through a protein enediol may generate superoxide radicals in the presence of transition metal ions and molecular oxygen 22. The superoxide radicals can be converted into most reactive hydroxyl radical via Fenton reaction 7. The reactive carbonyl compounds subsequently react with amino groups of neighboring proteins producing protein dicarbonyl compounds, which further contribute in the formation of various types of protein crosslinks and adducts called ‘Advanced Glycation End Products’ (AGEs). The autoxidation of Amadori products to AGEs is described as glycoxidation process. Figure 94. Structures of some reactive dicarbonyl glycation intermediates Advanced Glycation End Products The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) comprise a complex heterogeneous group of compounds produced primarily through the reaction of reactive carbonyls and proteins. AGEs demonstrate to have diverse molecular biological functions and structures 18, 23]. The amino, sulphydryl and guanidinum functional groups occurring in the intracellular and extracellular proteins are the main targets of reactive carbonyl compounds. Various AGEs have been recognized in different tissues that can be categorized into three major groups: fluorescent cross-linked AGEs (e.g. pentosidine and crossline), non-fluorescent cross-linked AGEs (e.g. alkyl formyl glycosyl pyrrole and arginine-lysine imidazole cross-links) and non-cross linked AGEs (e.g. pyrraline and N-(carboxylmethyl) lysine) 18. The structures of some AGEs are presented in Figure 95. Figure 95. Structures of selected advanced glycation end products Factors Affecting the Formation of AGEs In physiological environment, the generation of AGEs is a relatively slow process. Accordingly, the AGEs accumulation is dominant in long-lived structural proteins, for instance, tissue collagens and lens crystallins. The oxidative conditions are known to accelerate the formation of AGEs, which slows down under anaerobic environment [24]. The transition metal ions may induce the auto-oxidation of sugars to produce keto aldehydes and hydrogen peroxide that speed up the formation of AGEs [25]. The amount of AGEs formed is increased as a function of time and concentration of glucose and hence the AGEs formation is enhanced with aging and under diabetic conditions [26]. Site Specificity of Glycation of Proteins Glycation of protein is considered as a specific reaction; however, it is less specific compared to enzymatic glycosylation. Glycation often takes place at specialized site in the protein, such as the substrate binding site (e.g. Arg-39) of RNase, the allosteric site (e.g. ÃŽ ²V1) of hemoglobin, and the drug binding sites (e.g. Arg-410) on albumin [27]. The specificity of glycation may be determined by endogenous ligands and the structure of protein especially an amino acid sequence within the protein. The specificity of protein glycation is usually affected by both basic and acidic neighboring groups [28], either via catalysis of Amadori rearrangement (the rate-limiting step of protein glycation), or via effecting pKa of amino group that contributes in enhancing its nucleophilicity and formation kinetics of Schiff bases. This shows that there is a variation in the respective rate and extent of glycation shown by amino groups in the protein. The anionic ligands also catalyze the pote ntial glycation of proteins at specific sites [27]. Exogenous Sources of AGEs The formation of AGEs via Maillard reaction was originally described for physical and chemical changes occurring during heating of food [29]. Beside the natural formation of AGEs inside the body, there are some exogenous sources of increased AGEs including diet enriched with AGEs and smoking. The extent of absorption of AGEs ingested with food is very small [30]. However, there is a strong relationship of AGEs circulating in the human body with the AGEs ingested [31]. It has been investigated that tobacco smoke increases the formation of AGEs on plasma proteins due to containing some products, which produce protein crosslinks and AGE-like fluorescence and mutagenicity [32]. For example, the diarbonyl compounds, glyoxal and metbylglyoxal, are most likely to be present in cigarette smoke that act as mediators of AGE formation and formed by thermal decomposition of existing saccharides. Accordingly, the serum of diabetic smokers reveals enhanced levels of AGEs relative to diabetic non-smokers [33]. Similarly, the smokers are more susceptible to incidence of cataract, cardiovascular and lungs diseases as compared to non-smokers due to smoke-mediated AGEs formation [34]. Toxicity or Pathological Conditions Associated to Glycation and AGEs Formation The AGEs are more prone to proteolysis and degradation as compared to the original proteins. The accumulation of AGEs has toxic biological effects, causing disruption of many cellular processes leading to various pathologies. The AGEs as well as intermediate glycation products such as reactive carbonyls induce the production of free radicals in vitro and in vivo [35, 36] and hence increased oxidative stress [37]. The glycation-mediated free radicals are the major cause of protein fragmentation as well as oxidation of lipids (lipid peroxidation) and nucleic acids [7]. The reactive dicarbonyls have ability to bind with naturally active proteins of diverse physiology via intra- and inter-molecular cross linking resulting in deactivation of enzymes, transcription factors, membrane transporters and signaling components with eventual protein degradation and cytotoxicity [38-40]. The AGEs also bind to cell membrane receptors inducing signal cascades leading to inappropriate gene expressions and cellular activities [18]. The elevated level of AGEs in tissues has a strong correlation with severity of diabetic complications [41, 42]. This is because of modification of enzymatic activity in multiple ways including binding of ligand, change in protein half life, increased membrane permeability, decreased binding ability of insulin to its receptors, increased atherogenicity of LPL and variation in the immunogenicity [43-45]. The main diabetic complications include impaired wound healing and the serious damage and failure of various vital organs such as kidneys (nephropathy), nerves (neuropathy), eyes (cataract, retinopathy), blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and heart (cardiomyopathy) [11, 34, 46, 47]. The AGEs formation is also associated to aging, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic disorders [17, 10, 48-50]. Natural Biological Defense Mechanism against Glycation and AGEs The human body presents a certain mechanism to inhibit the glycation of protein and resulting AGEs formation. For example, ÃŽ ±-keto-glutaraldehyde dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme, has a capability to inactive 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), Arnadori-derived reactive intermediate and hence prevents the generation of AGEs [41]. The other enzymes such as aldose reductase and glyoxylase system (I and II) can catalyze the deglycation of reactive intermediate methylglyoxal into D-lactase [51]. Amadoriases are the group of enzymes found in Aspergillus, which catalyze the deglycation of Amadori products [52]. Some NADPH-dependant exogenous enzymes such as aldose reductase and oxoaldehyde reductase that metabolize ÃŽ ±-dicarbonyls, have the ability to reduce 3-DG and thus regulate the formation of AGEs [53]. Similarly, different plasma amines may reduce AGEs formation through reaction with carbonyl groups of sugar and Amadori compounds [54]. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C, provide prote ction against glycation-mediated free radicals, whereas, ceruloplasmin and other transport proteins bind with transition metal ions such as Cu2+, preventing them to take part in glycoxidation reactions or autoxidative glycation [55]. Inhibition of Protein Glycation and AGEs Several attempts have been made earlier to explore pharmacologically active antiglycating agents to prevent or slow down the production of AGEs [56]. The major side effects associated with antiglycation therapy limit the use and necessitate the discovery of new inhibitors of glycation with reduced toxicity and long half life to be implicated for large time span. Currently, two therapeutic strategies are highly successful having great effectiveness against diabetic complications and normal aging; one is the inhibition of formation of AGEs and other is the breaking of already established AGEs cross-linkages [57]. Promising Inhibitors of Glycation with Their Mechanism of Inhibition The antiglycating agents such as aminoguanidine, rutin, antioxidants, aspirin and other AGEs breakers have been examined extensively and received great interest. The structures of some potential antiglycating agents are depicted in Figure 96. Aminoguanidine Aminoguanidine is a derivative of hydrazine that inhibits the generation of AGEs and glucose-derived collagen cross-links during in vitro studies [58]. Aminoguanidine does not act on already formed AGEs but it reacts with reactive Amadori products such as 3-deoxyglucosone preventing additional rearrangements and intermediates crosslinking [59]. In addition, aminoguanidine is a free radical scavenger that contributes in reducing oxidative stress [60]. The treatment of diabetic animal models with aminoguanidine reduces AGEs accumulation, kidney lesions, albuminuria and long-term diabetic complications including retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy [61]. Aminoguanidine also exerts positive effect on the speed of nerve conduction [22]. Aminoguanidine therapy is limited by serious toxic effects attributable to high reactivity, subliminal concentrations and rapid renal clearance. The human trials with aminoguanidine experience vasculitis (inflammation of lymph or blood vessel), liver fu nction abnormalities [62] and less frequent flu-like symptoms, nausea and headache [63]. Figure 96. Structures of some potential antiglycating agents Aspirin Acetylsalicylic acid commonly known as aspirin is an analgesic has well known analgesic drug that also shows the preventive action against formation of cataract under diabetic conditions. Aspirin may limit the sugar-mediated formation of Amadori products by acetylation of free amino residues of proteins. Aspirin also stops the crosslinking of tendon in rat tail in vitro through inhibition of glycoxidation. Furthermore, aspirin is a free radical scavenger [64]. However, the use of aspirin is unlikely in controlling late diabetic complications because of some serious gastrointestinal side effects [41]. Rutin Rutin is a common flavonoid of vegetables and fruits that modulates the AGEs generation in vitro. The flavonoids including rutin that contain vicinal dihydroxyl groups have established their significant role as antiglycating agents. The mechanism of inhibition by rutin is suggested to involve the trapping of amino groups in proteins at early stage of glycation, especially in ketoamine formation, by rutin metabolites like keto-quinone intermediates. Rutin has shown significant inhibitory effect against hemoglobin glycation and it is more efficient compared to aminoguanidine [65]. Antioxidnats Since non-enzymatic glycation of protein is significantly accelerated by excessive generation of free radicals, the antioxidants and other free radical scavengers are expected to inhibit the process of glycation [24]. For example, vitamin E has been reported to appreciably reduce the glycation of hemoglobin [66]. The compounds that exhibit both antioxidant and antiglycation properties e.g. aminosalicylic acid, can protect endothelial cells with better efficacy than aminoguanidine against adverse effects of glycation and high glucose levels in vitro [46]. Similarly, carnosine that is a naural antioxidant and antiglycating agent, inhibits sugar-induced cross-linking of proteins by reaction with methylglyoxal and also sequesters metal ions (e.g. copper and zinc). Carnosine has shown its role in the treatment of cataracts and other diseases [67]. The glycation-derived free radicals generation may be reduced by chelation of transition metal ions, which are responsible for monosaccharide a utoxidation. For instance, the metal chelator, diethylenetriamine penta acetic acid has shown the inhibition of glucose autoxidation [68, 69]. AGE-Breakers AGE-breakers are the compounds, which remove AGEs cross-links through breakdown of ÃŽ ±-dicarbonyl bonds in glucose-derived cross-links of proteins [70]. However, the exact mechanism of inhibition for cross-link breaking is unclear so far. N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB) and its chloride form, alagebrium chloride (ALT-711) are the examples of AGE-breakers. It has been demonstrated that the increased arterial stiffness related to diabetes is successfully reversed through a short treatment with AGE-breaker, ALT-711. The cardiovascular stiffness related to normal aging process can also be reduced by ALT-711. For example, the treatment of normal aged dogs with AGE cross-link breaker has shown noticeable decrease in stiffness of left ventricle chamber [71]. The clinical trial studies on diabetic humans, dogs and other animals indicate the potentially promising use of antiglycation therapy in near future to prevent diabetic complications and other diseases related to protein glycation [56].