Comparing social behavior between fresh H2O dolphins and salt H2O Lab Report

Comparing social behavior between fresh H2O dolphins and salt H2O Dolphins - Lab Report Example The work also shows that their social behavior is also demonstrated through dolphin human relations behaviors]. *Iriarte, V., and Marmontel, M. (2013). River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis, Sotalia fluviatilis) Mortality Events Attributed to Artisanal Fisheries in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Aquatic Mammals, 39(2), 116-124. [The author points out dolphins’ social behaviors through the prism of ecological adaptation. His work also offers insight into marine environment. The work also shows how human beings can interact amicably with dolphins without any conflict]. *Lundquist, D.J. (2011). Behaviour and movement patterns of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) off Kaikoura, New Zealand: Effects of tourism. A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Lundquist’s study offers species specific information on the behaviors of dolphins. His study narrows down to behaviors, which can be assessed at species level. His work attempts to show how travel and movements patterns are critical as dolphins’ social behaviors within a pod]. [The authors’ research is critical in demonstrating social behaviors in dolphins. The study also shows how such behaviors compare with those of other animals as well as human beings. The study also highlights on other random social behaviors are ecologically acquired and serve a specific social purpose]. [The author’s work demonstrates that part of dolphins’ social behavior involves echolocations mechanism of group location. Their work show how high frequency whistles assist in finding mates and social groups amongst dolphins]. *Orbach, D.N., Kirchner, T., and WÃ ¼rsig, B. (2014). Measuring the Mating Behaviors of Free- Ranging Dusky Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). Proceedings of Measuring Behavior

Food Cloning Essay Example for Free

Food Cloning Essay Food cloning is a very controversial topic to be discussed because of the large number of disagreements associated with it. Just like anything else in the world, it has positive and negative sides to it. The consumers all over the world only see the negative side. It is time that they now witness the benefits that cloned food brings along with it. This paper will outline these controversies and will describe how the media portrays them. It will also demonstrate the effect of food cloning on our culture, if there is any, and will highlight what this new technology can do for man’s future. Discussion Food cloning is basically obtaining food from cloned animals. How exactly does this work? It is as simple as this. Biotech companies clone animals such as cows, pigs and goats etc by taking the nuclei of cells from adults and combining them into other egg cells from which the nuclei have been extracted. Using this method, a large number of livestock have already been cloned for sale to producers (Reuters, 2003). The first cloned animal that was ever produced was a sheep in 1997. Since then, this technology has become more common and common with time. Because of this reason, the Food and Drug Authority asserted its control over cloning (Patel Rushefsky, 2002). Food cloning is a controversial topic since the time cloning of animals was introduced in 1997. Consumer groups all over the world want authorities to look in ethical and moral issues that are associated with cloning. People are not accepting this new technology and the benefits that come with it for a variety of reasons and controversies. The controversies largely have to do with the degree of safety of the meat, milk and other food products that are obtained from these cloned animals. Why is safety an issue? The answer to this question is obvious. Man is once again trying to intervene with nature and this may not give out the best results because man is subject to errors. Therefore, man will never be able to produce or reproduce animals and food products exactly like the ones present naturally with the help of science and technology and this difference is the main health concern of authorities all over the world. Another reason why cloned food is considered unsafe is that cloned animals usually have higher death rate, low life expectancy and are more prone to diseases (Poulter, 2008). Other safety issues that are considered to pose include the possibility of causing allergic reactions in human and unexpected genetic effects, altering of significant nutrients that are required, containing higher level of toxicants, reducing the effects of antibiotics, and others (Gralla, Gralla, 2004). After the famous Mary Shelly’s story in which she creates a Frankenstein, people have started to associate cloned animals with that as well. They fear that just like the Frankenstein turned against its creator, the food products obtained from cloned animals may also back fire. They think that just like the Frankenstein turned out to be harmful, cloned food products will also turn out to be harmful. Because of these health concerns, consumers all over are getting worried and concerned regarding whether of not the food products they are having are cloned or not. According to a source, companies now want their produced food products to be labeled as â€Å"clone free† so that their consumers can buy and consume food products without having to worry about safety issues. We can take the example of Ben and Jerry’s. Because of this non acceptance of the consumers, Ben and Jerry’s which is a popular ice cream producing company want to ensure their customers through media that the ice cream they produce comes from normal cows and not clones (The Associated Press, 2008). The media has a huge role to play in this. It made the debate regarding food cloning very open and all the concerns were right there in front of the consumers. Despite being confirmed as safe by the government, cloned food will not be accepted by consumers. However, the reality may be a lot different from this perception that the general public has regarding cloned food. Various legal authorities have given a green light to the use of cloned food as they consider it safe. These include the government, scientists and agencies like the Food and Drug Administration are using media to affirm the fact that there is no difference in food products from cloned animals and from conventional livestock. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine announced that â€Å"meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as the food we eat every day,† Both cloned and natural foods are equally safe and this also goes for the food obtained from off springs of cloned animals (The Associated Press, 2008). They say that there is nothing in the world that is completely natural, therefore there is no reason to stop when it comes to food and not use science and technology to use ways in which abundant food can be made available and that too at better quality. An example of potatoes is given. It is said that potatoes are not edible in their natural form as they are poisonous. Only after selective breeding, they are made edible (Crompton, 2007). Another point put forward to counter the argument of cloned animals being more prone to diseases and having a lower expectancy age is that the milk and meat obtained from cloned animals while they are healthy and alive will not harm the consumers in any way. Therefore there is no reason to be scared to consume such foods. The government and agencies like FDA have confirmed the safety of the foods but still the businesses are not ready to use cloned animals for their products. They fear that if they use such animals, they will have to label their products as ‘cloned’ and because of this people will not go for this product. However, their fear is logical because people are not ready as yet. We are living in a world where the population is increasing at a very rapid exponential rate. This increasing population will eventually demand food and the rate at which we are using up all our resources, it is predicted that very soon man will not have a lot to eat. We need to find better and newer ways which enable that we have abundant food supply for everyone in the world. Biotechnology is a new field that has been grown because of this. Cloned food is something that has been developed as a result. There were health concerns in the past regarding cloned food, but since now the government and other authorities like FDA have confirmed the safety of food obtained from cloned animals, we consumers must learn to accept it as in near future, this food will become a necessity and out only option. Conclusion In conclusion, I would once again like to emphasize on the need to accept such technologies. Food cloning was considered unsafe in the past because it is something new. Everything new has to go through a testing stage until it can be made ready to use. Similarly, food cloning has undergone the testing stage and it is now safe and ready to use. It is no longer the Frankenstein that it was once considered and because of this it has been made legal all over the world. References The Associated Press (2008) Cloned food may prompt ‘clone-free’ labels. Retrieved, 4 Oct, 2008, from MSNBC. Web site: http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/16383458/ Crompton, S. (2007) Frankenstein’s monsters or the future of food? Retrieved, 4 Oct, 2008, from Times Online. Web site: http://women. timesonline. co. uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1461151. ece Gralla, J. D. Preston Gralla (2004) Complete Idiots Guide to Understanding Cloning. Alpha Books. Patel, K. Mark E. Rushefsky (2002) Health Care Policy in an Age of New Technologies. M. E. Sharpe. Poulter, S (2008) EU gives green light for cloned food to go on sale in UK shops. Retrieved, 4 Oct, 2008, from Daily Mail Online. Web site: http://www. dailymail. co. uk/health/article-507700/EU-gives-green-light-cloned-food-sale-UK-shops. html Reuters (2003) Cloned Food OK by FDA. Retrieved, 4 Oct, 2008, from Wired. Web site: http://www. wired. com/techbiz/media/news/2003/10/61038

Tackling Obesity at a Global Level

Tackling Obesity at a Global Level Shirley PANG Obesity has become increasingly recognized as a serious health issue and has aroused public concern. World-wide, 475 million adults and 200 million teenagers are currently struggling with obesity (World Obesity Federation, 2014). The majority are in America and Europe (Ibid). This phenomenon results from diet imbalance due to over-consumption of calories and lack of exercise. Not only are people suffering from several types of disease such as heart problems and high blood pressure (World Obesity Federation, 2014), but also are being suffering discrimination by society as abnormal. The prevalence of obesity has been rising extensively and constantly in UK over the past two decades (Public Health England, 2014). Currently, 67% of males and 57% of women suffer from obesity or are overweight (Tran, 2014). Obesity is not just destructive and antagonizing to patients’ own physical health, but also a heavy burden to the government and the whole economy. This essay will examine the ca use of obesity and drawbacks of unsatisfactory levels of obesity. The conclusion of the paper present various strategies used in Denmark and UK to reduce the levels of obesity. Firstly, wholesome foods such as organic vegetables and vitamins are getting more expensive than ever and have become relatively expensive for citizens. For example, the cost of fruit and vegetables rose markedly by 17% in 1997 and 2003 (DeFusco, 2014). Obviously, non-nutritious foods such as canned foods and processed foods are cheaper, which provides an incentive for customers to purchase them. (Harvard School of Public Health, n.d.). As a result, unwholesome food trades a bigger market than fresh food. Low-income families tend to spend more on bargain groceries, and having a higher consumption rate of junk food in households induces a high obesity rate (Yale Rudd Centre, n.d.) The different structures of price greatly impact chronic obesity, which is why governments seek to implement a fat tax to prohibit such a situation. Secondly, moving to another cause of obesity. Continuing physical activity delivers the benefit of burning calories. Without a doubt, people are contributing less and less of their time to exercise that maintains a healthy lifestyle. This globalization of this circumstance commonly occurs because of shifts in economic development and modern technology (Harvard School of Public Health, n.d.). In the United Kingdom, people are less active as result their desire to own a vehicle instead of walking or cycling (Ibid). Frequently diet or eating high calorie foods, especially sugars and fats, which gradually accumulate in the body without regular physical exertion (NHS Choices, 2014). As a consequence, there has been a modest increase in mortality. It is compelling that insufficient physical activity is a crucial explanation for the growth in obesity. Obesity is considered as a potential threat to life expectancy. Heart disease is the main cause of fatalities, killing 598,000 people annually (FOX, 2013). Heart disease is followed by cancer, which causes 575,000 deaths annually (Ibid). Cardiovascular diseases are come from overweight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Officially, the expected longevity for a female is 81 years, while for a male it is 76.2 years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The measure of body mass index (BMI) is a tool for assessing the appropriate level of weight (NHS Choices, 2014). Researchers investigated the effect of body mass index on life span. A BMI of 30-35 kg/m2, which is regarded as modest obesity, causes a loss of 3 years of lifetime (University of Oxford, 2009). A BMI with 40-50kg/m2, which is considered as morbid obesity, causes a decrease in lifetime of 8 to 10 years (Ibid). Thus, the greater BMI value, the higher the likelihood that people will be afflicted w ith various types of disease. It is noteworthy that obesity both maximizes the risk of death and minimizes the quantity of life. We will now consider the negative connection in between obesity and income. Obese employees have diminished job prospects and fewer opportunities for promotion. Theoretically, wage is determined by how much a worker contributes to a company (Cawley, 2011). For example, not only does obesity contribute to limited productivity, which leads to reduced company profit, but it also increases the likelihood of diseases, leading to workers frequently applying for sick leave with a higher cost for health insurance (Havard School of Public Health, 2012). Therefore, an obese worker produces less output and reduces company profit, causing that employer to avoid hiring or promoting obese workers. Food and beverages plays a vital role in declining obesity rates because of the calories that they contain a huge energy. The UK government has reported that excess calories are the result of sugar (Public Health England, 2014). Therefore, The UK department of Health declared a â€Å"Calorie reduction pledge† would be implemented. These days, 39 food companies have given support and signed an agreement agreeing to reduce sugar and calories in soft drinks (Department of Health, 2014). Coca-Cola is a large-scale manufacturer retailing a wide variety of drinks. Apart from reducing calories in carbonated drinks, Coca-Cola is also providing a detailed accounting of the calories in their drinks and providing easily understood nutrition labeling on their improved products. To illustrate, cola without sugar and calories accounted for 42 % of beverages sold (Department of Health, 2014).The producer has encouraged their retail merchants to purchase Diet Coke and Coca‑Cola Zero be cause these drinks are without calories and sugar (Coca-Cola, n.d.). Apparently, the motivation is to assist their customers to improve their lifestyle though promotion of healthy beverages. Without enforcement of legislation, advertising continuously promotes unwholesome food products. Advertising has been recognized as a highly effective medium for communication, and for selling products to particular targets, particularly aimed at obese people and children (Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh and Merchant, 2005). Research has verified that 10% of advertisements promote confectionary or fast food chain restaurants such as KFC or McDonalds during family time (BBC News, 2014). Children and obese people are powerfully susceptible to choosing foods as a result of broadcast stations which promote a variety of food and beverage and large scale convenience food restaurants. Meanwhile, they prefer eating morsels of photo chips, and snacks with carbonated drinks instead of food with good nourishment. Therefore, the advertising legislation was officially announced starting from April 2007 by the regulator, Office of Communications. Ofcom analyzed the outcome and efficiency of the scheme by c ontrasting 2005 and 2008. They found that children watched advertisement with unhealthy foods 41% less (Department of Health, 2012). With unhealthy products sharply dismissed from advertising, children watching advertising fell by 25% (Office of Communications, 2010). These data indicated a considerable reduction of opportunities to view harmful advertising. Food advertisement is a form of marketing skill, providing a variety of information and affecting food choices and the preferences of viewers. A corporation mostly seeks to earn profits and attain turnover. Hence, rigid rules and regulation on advertising have decreased purchases of fast food. Physical activity reduces the cost of obesity and improves economic effectiveness. A study has recommended that an adult should exercise for 2.5 hours weekly while an adolescent and youngster should spend more than 7 hours per week exercising, on average. (World Health Organization, 2010). The unexpected outcome was that merely 27.1% of high school students actually allocate 60 minutes for a daily exercise (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The survey indicated that less than 48% of adults fulfilled the requirement(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The imposition of taxes is a global strategy used to reduce the prevalence of obesity by shifting food choice to away from the consumption of unhealthy and fatty foods. In fact, taxing is not only implemented to curb obesity, it is used to improve the average life experience by reducing heath disease and other serious illnesses (Kaplan, 2013). Denmark as an example, being the first European country to apply a surcharge on high saturated foods. The surcharges were applied to foods containing more than 2.3% of saturated fats, butter, meat and Danish pastries (Channel 4 News, 2011). Prices increased sharply by 14% for oils and fats, 4% for meats and 3% for milk (Petkantchin, 2013).In addition, healthier foods are taxed favorably versus junk foods which are taxed heavily, making them costly. As a result of, consumers lowered their demand for butter, cream and cheese by almost 7% (Snowdon, 2013). Not all the consumers could suffer the increase in the price, especially for those needy peop le. For public of the view, perspective of tax collecting was pessimistic although markup the price to regulated consumer purchase fatty food. The public was displeased about the increased prices due to taxation however the tax was successful at reducing the consumption of fatty foods. Bibliography BBC News, (2014).Ban TV junk food ads until 21:00, say campaigners. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26665952 [Accessed 7 Jul. 2014]. Cawley, J. (2011).The Obesity Wage Penalty. [Online] The New York Times. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/11/28/should-legislation-protect-obese-people/the-obesity-wage-penalty [Accessed 29 Jul. 2014]. Coca-Cola, (n.d.).Coca-Cola Enterprises : Product Portfolio. [Online] Available at: https://www.cokecce.com/corporate-responsibility-sustainability/product-portfolio [Accessed 7 Jul. 2014]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2014).Facts about Physical Activity. [Online] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/facts.html [Accessed 28 Jul. 2014]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2014).Physical Activity Adolescent and School Health. [Online] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/facts.htm [Accessed 28 Jul. 2014]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2014).FastStats How Healthy Are We. [Online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/healthy.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2014]. DeFusco, D. (2014).High Cost of Fruits, Vegetables Linked to Higher Body Fat in Young Children | News | School of Public Affairs | American University. [Online] American University, School of public affair. Available at: http://www.american.edu/spa/news/fruits-vegetables-children-study.cfm [Accessed 3 Jul. 2014]. Dehghan, M., Akhtar-Danesh, N. and Merchant, A. (2005). Childhood obesity, prevalence and prevention.Nutrition journal, [online] 4(1), p.4. Available at: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/4/1/24#sec3 [Accessed 27 Jun. 2014]. Department of Health, (2014).Responsibility Deal annual updates 2013/14 published today. [Online] Available at: https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/responsibility-deal-annual-updates-201314-published-today/ [Accessed 6 Jul. 2014]. Harvard School of Public Health, (n.d.).Physical Activity. [Online] Harvard School of Public Health. Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/physical-activity-and-obesity/#references [Accessed 28 Jun. 2014]. Harvard School of Public Health, (2012).Economic Costs. [Online] Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/economic/#references [Accessed 29 Jul. 2014]. Mayhew, L. (2009).The impact of obesity on life expectancy. [Online] Cass Business School. Available at: http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2009/april2/the-impact-of-obesity-on-life-expectancy [Accessed 31 Jul. 2014]. NHS Choices, (2014).Whats your BMI? [Online] NHS Choices. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/BodyMassIndex.aspx [Accessed 31 Jul. 2014]. NHS Choices, (2014).Causes of obesity. [Online] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx [Accessed 31 Jul. 2014]. Public Health England, (2014).About Obesity [Online] Available at: http://www.noo.org.uk/NOO_about_obesity [Accessed 25 Jun. 2014]. Tran, M. (2014).Cadbury makes anti-obesity pledge with cap on chocolate bar calories. [Online] Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jun/03/cadbury-anti-obesity-pledge-cap-chocolate-calories-mondelez [Accessed 7 Jul. 2014]. West Virginia Health Statistic Center, (n.d.).Section One Continued OBESITY AND MORTALITY. [Online] West Virginia Health Statistic Center. Available at: http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/obesity/mortality.htm [Accessed 30 Jul. 2014]. Worldobesity.org, (2014).World Obesity Federation about Obesity. [Online] Available at: http://www.worldobesity.org/aboutobesity/ [Accessed 25 Jun. 2014]. World Health Organization, (2010).Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health. 1st ed. [eBook] World Health Organization, p.8. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599979_eng.pdf [Accessed 28 Jul. 2014]. Yale Rudd Centre, (n.d.).Rudd Center for Food Policy Obesity — What We Do — Economics — Topics: Food Prices. [online] Yaleruddcenter.org. Available at: http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/what_we_do.aspx?id=85 [Accessed 3 Jul. 2014]. University of Oxford, (2009).Moderate obesity takes years off life expectancy. [Online] University of Oxford. Available at: http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2009/090317.html [Accessed 31 Jul. 2014]. Chan, K., Prendergast, G., Grà ¸nhà ¸j, A. and Bech-Larsen, T. (2011).Danish and Chinese adolescents’ perceptions of healthy eating and attitudes toward regulatory measures. 3rd ed. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, p.219 Channel 4 News, (2011).Denmark introduces fat tax on food. [Online] Available at: http://www.channel4.com/news/denmark-introduces-fat-tax-on-food [Accessed 26 Jun. 2014]. Office of Communications, (2004).Childhood Obesity à ± Food Advertising in Context. 1st ed. [eBook] Office of Communications, p.13. Available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/tv-research/report2.pdf [Accessed 26 Jun. 2014] National obesity observatory, (no date).TV viewing and obesity in children and young people. [eBook] Available at: http://www.noo.org.uk/uploads/doc/vid_15867_TV_viewing.pdf [Accessed 27 Jun. 2014]. Department of Health, (2012).An update on the government’s approach to tackling obesity. [eBook] National Audit Office, p.25. Available at: http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/tackling_obesity_update.pdf [Accessed 27 Jun. 2014]. Office of Communications, (2010).HFSS advertising restrictions. 1st ed. [eBook] Office of Communications, pp.2-3. Available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/tv-research/hfss-review-final.pdf [Accessed 28 Jun. 2014] Benson, B., Ferris, A., Eberle, M. and Huntington, C. (2008).The Economic Impact of Prevention. 1st ed. [ebook] University of Connecticut, p.i. Available at: www.publichealth.uconn.edu/assets/economicimpact_06_25_08_final.pdf [Accessed 28 Jun. 2014]. NHS, (n.d.).Obesity Causes NHS Choices. [Online] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx [Accessed 28 Jun. 2014]. Stanford Hospital Clinics, (n.d.).What Causes Obesity?. [Online] Available at: http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bariatricsurgery/obesity/causes.html [Accessed 1 Jul. 2014]. Harvard School of Public Health, (2013).Eating healthy vs. unhealthy diet costs about $1.50 more per day. [online] Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/healthy-vs-unhealthy-diet-costs-1-50-more/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2014]. Kaplan, K. (2013).Denmark aims to improve health with. [online] Los Angeles Times Articles. Available at: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/03/news/la-heb-fat-tax-denmark-20111013 [Accessed 2 Jul. 2014]. Petkantchin, V. (2013).Nutritiontaxes:thecostsofDenmarksfattax. [ebook] Institutà ©conomiqueMolinari, p.3. Available at: http://www.institutmolinari.org/IMG/pdf/note0513_en.pdf [Accessed 2 Jul. 2014]. Snowdon, C. (2013).The Proof of the Pudding: Denmarks fat tax fiasco. 1st ed.[ebook] The Institute of Economics Affairs, p.20. Available at: http://www.nzjba.org.nz/myfiles/The_Proof_of_the_Pudding.pdf [Accessed 2 Jul. 2014]. European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2013. Physical Education and Sport at School in Europe Eurydice Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. P.1

Interpretation of A Feminist View on Pornography Essay -- Critique Reb

Interpretation of A Feminist View on Pornography The article that I will be breaking down in the following paper is â€Å"Pornography, Civil Rights, and Speech† by Catherine A. MacKinnon. I believe the best area to start is to briefly describe MacKinnon and her article. MacKinnon is a professor of law at the University of Michigan. The article deals with the affects of pornography on society. MacKinnon feels that some pornography should be illegal. Her reason for this view is not that she finds it offensive, but rather that she considers it as a form of sexual discrimination. There are many different views on pornography ranging from the belief that it is harmless fantasy all the way to it being a prime factor of the deterioration for society. MacKinnon says that pornography subordinates women and institutionalizes male supremacy. She even goes so far as to say that it is a political practice. Advocates of pornography claim its ultimate end to be pleasure, but MacKinnon says that the actual end is power. The article will att empt to prove a correlation between pornography and the violence taken against women, as well as their social and economic inequality. I feel that the article itself is poorly written, but will attempt to make her points a little easier to understand. I feel the necessity to state that the feelings of the paper are that of my views on MacKinnon’s article. They are not my views and may in fact be, misinterpretations of her views. To spare us the confusion, I will rebut it with my views that pornography is harmless, at the end of the paper. The article starts with a brief passage on sexual equality in society. Her presentation of the argument is to explain it as if she agreed with it, only to refute it by say... ...hy. It is a genre in which men are completely subordinate, and women have all the power. Her article is so weak because it does not take that into account. I know that is only one case, but we have stated time and again that philosophy must be consistent. If she cannot/does not take dominatrix into account, then her philosophy is inconsistent. To fully explain this article and pornography would require a lengthy paper that exceeds the requirements and purpose of this prà ©cis. I will end my paper by saying that I believe everyone has a right to free speech and equality, and I appreciate the article for what it was worth, but I do not feel it is justifiable or relevant to society. She bases her entire argument on an improvable correlation of pornography and sexual discrimination. Not to mention the fact that women also buy pornography. But that is a whole other prà ©cis.

Biography of Andres Bonifacio

Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897), a Philippine revolutionary hero, founded the Katipunan, a secret society which spearheaded the uprising against the Spanish and laid the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic. Andres Bonifacio was born in Tondo, Manila, on Nov. 30, 1863. He grew up in the slums and knew from practical experience the actual conditions of the class struggle in his society. Orphaned early, he interrupted his primary schooling in order to earn a living as a craftsman and then as clerk-messenger and agent of foreign commercial firms in Manila.Absorbing the teachings of classic rationalism from the works of Jose Rizal, Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew, books on the French Revolution, and the lives of the presidents of the United States, Bonifacio acquired an understanding of the dynamics of the socio-historical process. This led him to join the Liga Filipina, which Rizal organized in 1892 for the purpose of uniting and intensifying the nation alist movement for reforms.When the Liga was dissolved upon the arrest and banishment of Rizal, Bonifacio formed the Katipunan in 1892 and thus provided the rallying point for the people's agitation for freedom, independence, and equality. The Katipunan patterned its initiation rites after the Masonry, but its ideological principles derived from the French Revolution and can be judged radical in its materialistic-historical orientation. The Katipunan exalted work as the source of all value.It directed attention to the unjust class structure of the colonial system, the increased exploitation of the indigenous population, and consequently the need to affirm the collective strength of the working masses in order to destroy the iniquitous system. When the society was discovered on Aug. 19, 1896, it had about 10,000 members. On August 23 Bonifacio and his followers assembled at Balintawak and agreed to begin the armed struggle.Two days later the first skirmish took place and a reign of t error by the Spaniards soon followed. Conflict split the rebels into the two groups of Magdiwang and Magdalo in Cavite, on Luzon. Bonifacio was invited to mediate, only to be rebuffed by the clannish middle class of Cavite. Judging Bonifacio's plans as divisive and harmful to unity, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the elected president of the provisional revolutionary government, ordered the arrest, trial, and execution for â€Å"treason and sedition† of Bonifacio and his brothers.On May 10, 1897, Bonifacio was executed. Contrary to the popular view, the cause of Bonifacio's tragic death at the hands of other Filipino rebels cannot be solely attributed to his own personal pride. Rather, the correlation of class forces and the adventurist tendency of Bonifacio's group led to his isolation and subsequently to Aguinaldo's compromises with the American military invaders.

Atlantic Computer Case Study Essay

Atlantic Computer developed a product, the â€Å"Atlantic Bundle†, to meet an emerging basic server market. The Atlantic Bundle is a Tronn server coupled with the Performance Enhancing Server Accelerator software tool â€Å"PESA†. Atlantic Computer must decide on the pricing strategy. Situational Analysis The external analysis is as follows: †¢Customers: The first customer identified has a primary need to host websites, â€Å"Web Server† customer. The second customer identified has a primary need for file servers that help layout designers share graphic, text, and layouts, â€Å"File Sharing† customer. Customers in these segments appear to be the ones that will benefit the most from the PESA tool. †¢Competition: The primary competition in the market is Ontario who claims 50% of revenue market share with the remainder of market comprised of many smaller venders (external threat, Appendix A). Ontario’s business model focuses on driving out non-value added costs and competing largely on price (value pricing). Its products are sold primarily through the internet. †¢Collaborators: The server division relies upon a high-touch direct sales channel at a higher cost than that of online sales. Sales reps receive 70% salary and 30% commission. †¢Context: The largest segment of the server industry is the high performance server segment. The segment is expected to demand approximately 200,000 units next year and is expected to grow at approximately 3% annually over the following two years. The basic server segment is a newer segment with strong forecasted growth of 36% (external opportunity, Appendix A). The segment will comprise approximately 20% of total units sold next year at 50,000 units. By the third year of the forecast, the basic server market will make up approximately 30% of total units sold. The internal analysis is as follows: †¢Company situation: Atlantic is a well-established company with over 30 years of experience in the server market. The company is known for providing top-notch, highly reliable products and high quality, responsive post-sales assistance (internal strength, Appendix A). Atlantic has focused on selling high-end performance servers to large enterprise customers. The â€Å"Atlantic Bundle† was developed to assist the company in emerging into the basic server segment. The product was created to produce a basic server without creating a substitute product to the high performance servers. However, the logic seems flawed as customers would not have viewed the basic server as a substitute to the high-performance servers (internal weakness, Appendix A). In the past, Atlantic’s sales force gave away software tools. †¢Relative market/competitive position: Ontario’s Zink server performs at approximately the same level as Atlantic’s Tronn. Even without the built-in PESA R&D costs the Tronn was priced higher relative to the Zink. Hence, the target market was narrowed to include customers that require more than one server. PESA allows the Tronn to perform up to four times faster than its standard speed. The â€Å"Atlantic Bundle† will allow companies to reduce the number of basic servers they must purchase and reduce operating expenses such as electricity charges and software license fees. Mr. Matzer indicated the â€Å"Atlantic Bundle† is the sale they want. †¢Results: The gains to customers from the PESA software tool were examined and it was found that the Web Server and File Sharing application segments will benefit the most from the tool. The conclusion was based on the benefit to customers of being able to purchase fewer servers and the resulting savings (internal strength, Appendix A). †¢Challenges: The primary challenge will be to address whether Atlantic will be successful utilizing its commissioned sales force rather than online sales. Another problem arises in how to motivate the sales force and the training required to sell the â€Å"Atlantic Bundle†. Finally, software has historically been given away which appears to be the industry norm. Charging for software may alienate customers (internal weakness, Appendix A). Alternative Courses of Action Free PESA Software with Purchase. Rather than regarding the PESA R&D as a sunk cost, I chose to distribute the costs to every server. The price under this route was determined to be $2,122 (see Appendix B). The primary drawback is that a customer who would have normally purchased the Tronn without the software would be charged a higher price ($2,122 vs. $2,000). Continuing with the tradition and norm of free software, staff would not have to be retrained and customers will not feel alienated. Furthermore, the one-bundle price could easily be transitioned to on-line sales, and the low price will increase market share. The â€Å"free† software could create an illusion of low perceived value. Finally, the lower price will result in lower profit margins, and it does not take into consideration the value advantage received by the customer. Competition Based Pricing. The price under this route was determined to be $3,400 (see Appendix C). Under this route, the company will earn more profit per bundle sold. Additionally, minimal effort is required to determine the price. However, the competition based pricing creates indifference between the â€Å"Atlantic Bundle† and its competition. The higher price will also reduce market share and could stir a pricing war. Cost-Plus. The price under this route was determined to be $2,245 (see Appendix D). Atlantic would gain market share under this route as the price is low relative to the benefits the customer receives. Additionally, the pricing will remain the same for the next three years. This approach does not take into consideration the value advantage received by the customer. Also, it results in lower profit margins per bundle sold. Value-In-Use. The price under this route was determined to be $3,200 (see Appendix E). The primary benefit is that the approach is customer focused. The price is justified and the customer will perceive higher value for the price. Higher margins will also be earned. However, Atlantic will lose market share under this route at the higher price. Additionally, staff would have to be extensively re-trained and motivated. Customers who primarily purchase online may be reluctant to sit through â€Å"We can save you money!† sales pitches. Recommendation The company should proceed with the free PESA software route. The primary benefit is that the company will be able to initiate online sales which will reduce training costs, salaries, and commissions and will make up for the lower profit margins earned. One primary drawback is a customer will be charged a higher price even if they do not require the PESA tool. However, the target market has been narrowed to include customers that require more than one server, because it is unlikely that a customer who requires only one server will purchase the Tronn over the Zink. The most likely response from Ontario is to lower the price of the Zink to remain competitive. At the low price of $2,122, Ontario would have to lower Zink’s price to less than half of the price of the Tronn to fight for market share from the target market. Finally, the lower price feeds into the market-penetration strategy to maximize market share. The issue of perceived low quality can be disregarded as customers h ave proven the low-cost strategy utilized by Ontario has not affected their opinions on quality. Conclusion The free PESA software will allow the company to compete on the same level as Ontario through price and online sales without having to retrain employees, stray from the general rule of providing free software, or introducing sales pitches to customers who will likely be reluctant to take part. The low, competitive price will support market penetration and favor Atlantic should Ontario reduce its prices.