Biography of the Benjamin Franklin

Biography of the Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin is among the founding fathers of the United States of America. Although not originating from a politically influential family, he solely worked hard to become the cream of the elite class. As the pioneer of electricity, he experimented and wrote on different subjects in the field, which the American society still recognizes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Biography of the Benjamin Franklin specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through hard work, profound innovations, and proposals, he won governmental positions, which drew him close to the political class and other leaders building a concrete American economy. Franklin’s skills and tactics in carrying out diplomatic relations represented a unique American personality. As a fearless, visionary leader, he symbolizes liberty, enlightenment, economy, and unity, which represents the American character. Descriptively, Benjamin Franklin was a father fig ure, leader, politician, writer, scientist, inventor, and philanthropist among other qualities that a one person hardly posses. Besides heading a smooth family, he struggled to contribute to the attainment of independence of the US. Franklin stove and electricity harnessing are some of the innovations under his name. His character as a bold person and a diplomat qualified him for an achiever of the society. Through his tremendous contribution to the American politics and economy, Benjamin developed a solid relationship with the United States of America. Franklin’s father migrated to America in 1635 where he married his second wife after the death of the first one. Therefore, becoming an American citizen by birth, Franklin established solid roots in America. At the tender age of twelve, he learned printing skills, which motivated him to develop writing skills eventually becoming a publisher and a leader. Franklin’s skills in diplomacy not only led to independence of the US, but also to the unification of the different states of America. His government duty as a diplomatic official and an ambassador led to the establishment of the American constitution and American flag and currency, which was unique among all the nations. Franklin is a symbol of American economy, currency, constitution, and politics. Due to his accomplishments in the education sector, America has produced the best scientists and inventors all over the world. As a diplomat, he called for peace among nations like Britain, the US, and France. Moreover, he united the thirteen states of America to create a solitary nation. Consequently, during Franklin’s time, the US was at peace, which led to the establishment of communication, transport facilities, and other industries. Economically, he is the pioneer of the American currency, which explains the presence of his portrait on it. Furthermore, he was a player in the team that wrote the constitution of the US, which is the basis fo r the bearing political stability that the US enjoys even in the contemporary times. Thus, in the contemporary society, Franklin is a symbol of the strong American economy, which rarely dwindles.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The aforementioned contributions of Franklin not only to the US, but also to the entire world categorize him as a courageous, bright, and tactful person. Contemporarily, he is the American character and decades later, nobody has risen to match his personality. He solely combined different disciplines ranging from social, political, economical, and scientific, which culminated into a superpower. In summary, Benjamin Franklin was a unique person that the world ever experienced. His ability to combine all disciplines enabled him to develop the nation of United States of America. He is a symbol of the concrete American economy, which is at the brim of the world’s economy. Truly, his intellectual abilities typify the American character.

Mercury 13 - First Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLATs)

Mercury 13 - First Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLATs) In the early 1960s, when the first groups of astronauts were selected, NASA didnt think to look at the qualified female pilots who were available. Instead, the agency focused on test and fighter pilots, roles that were denied to women, no matter how well they could fly. As a consequence, the U.S. didnt fly women in space until the 1980s, while the Russians flew their first female astronaut in 1962. First Efforts That changed when Dr. William Randolph Randy Lovelace II invited pilot Geraldyn Jerrie Cobb to undergo the physical fitness testing regimen that he had helped to develop to select the original U.S. astronauts, the Mercury Seven. After becoming the first American woman to pass those tests, Jerrie Cobb and Doctor Lovelace publicly announced her test results at a 1960 conference in Stockholm and recruited more women to take the tests. Testing Women for Space Cobb and Lovelace were assisted in their efforts by Jacqueline Cochran, who was a famous American aviatrix and an old friend of Lovelaces. She even volunteered to pay for the testing expenses. By the fall of 1961, a total of 25 women, ranging in age from 23 to 41, went to the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They underwent four  days of testing, doing the same physical and psychological tests as the original Mercury Seven had. While some had learned of the examinations by word of mouth, many were recruited through the Ninety-Nines, a women pilots organization. A few of these pilots took additional tests. Jerrie Cobb, Rhea Hurrle, and Wally Funk went to Oklahoma City for an isolation tank test. Jerrie and Wally also experienced a high-altitude chamber test and the Martin-Baker seat ejection test. Because of other family and job commitments, not all of the women were asked to take these tests. Out of the original 25 applicants, 13 were chosen for further testing at the Naval Aviation center in Pensacola, FL. The finalists were dubbed the First Lady Astronaut Trainees, and eventually, the Mercury 13. They were: Jerrie CobbMary Wallace Wally FunkIrene LevertonMyrtle K CagleJaney Hart (now deceased)Gene Nora Stombough [Jessen]Jerri Sloan Now deceased)Rhea Hurrle [Woltman]Sarah Gorelick [Ratley]Bernice B Trimble Steadman (now deceased)Jan Dietrich (now deceased)Marion Dietrich (now deceased)Jean Hixson (now deceased) High Hopes, Dashed Expectations Expecting the next round of tests to be the first step in training which could conceivably allow them to become astronaut trainees, several of the women quit their jobs in order to be able to go. Shortly before they were scheduled to report, the women received telegrams canceling the Pensacola testing. Without an official NASA request to run the tests, the Navy would not allow the use of their facilities. Jerrie Cobb (the first woman to qualify) and Janey Hart (the forty-one-year-old mother who was also married to U.S. Senator Philip Hart of Michigan) campaigned in Washington to have the program continue. They contacted President Kennedy and vice-president Johnson. They attended hearings chaired by Representative Victor Anfuso and testified on behalf of the women. Unfortunately, Jackie Cochran, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, and George Low all testified that including women in the Mercury Project or creating a special program for them would be a detriment to the space program. NASA was stilling requiring all astronauts to be jet test pilots and have engineering degrees. Since no women could meet these requirements due to being excluded from such service in the military, none qualified to become astronauts. The Subcommittee expressed sympathy, but did not rule on the question. Nevertheless, They Persisted and Women Went to Space Former Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova and U.S. astronaut Cady Coleman (right), together before Colemans 2010 launch to space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazahkstan. NASA   On June 16, 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. Clare Booth Luce published an article about the Mercury 13  in Life magazine criticizing NASA for not achieving this first. Tereshkovas launch and the Luce article renewed media attention to women in space. Jerrie Cobb made another push to revive the womens testing. It failed. It took 15 years before the next U.S. women were selected to go to space, and the Soviets didnt fly another female for nearly 20 years after Tereshkovas flight. Sally Ride was the first U.S. woman astronaut. NASA In 1978, six women were chosen as astronaut candidates by NASA: Rhea Seddon, Kathryn Sullivan, Judith Resnik, Sally Ride, Anna Fisher and Shannon Lucid. On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. On February 3, 1995, Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle. At her invitation, eight of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees attended her launch. On July 23, 1999, Collins also became the first woman Shuttle Commander.   Today women routinely fly to space, fulfilling the promise of the first women to train as astronauts. As time passes, the Mercury 13 trainees are passing on, but their dream lives on in the women who live and work and space for NASA and space agencies in Russia, China, Japan, and Europe.   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper - Coursework Example Though these activities may be short-term, activity based cost reduction activities should provide a better alternative for cost management of the ongoing activities. To implement cost reduction activities in the organization, the top senior managers should be committed. The board should be willing and ready to provide the necessary resources needed. Performance management and activity-based cost reduction models is the key to success of every organization. In non profits organizations such as the Innovations theatre, Reginald Foster Dance Troupe, Century Child Care, and Center Neighborhood Settlement, performance management and activity-based cost reductions models have been applied to achieve the success of the organizations (Walsh, 2002). In the Innovations Theatre the board and the staff members perform the activities with the sole purpose of achieving organizational success. The board is clearly aware of their duties and hence seeks development for the theatre. They also articulate the vision of the theatre and work towards achieving their vision by incorporating the other workers. Duties are assigned to different groups of people. The board has also engaged in activity-based cost reductions such paying a membership fee and other annual membership dues. These will go a long way in facilitating the company’s activities. They have also expanded the theatre by establishing new home theatre. The organization also recruits new members to the board who have financial ability and other professional talents that would be helpful to the organization (Firstenberg, 2009). The member is also expected to have a high social civic standing a factor that will make the organization gain some social status. There is a free flow of communication between the workers and the board members and the workers decisions are highly valued during the meetings. This

Issues and Risks of the Performance a Management System in the Merged Coursework

Issues and Risks of the Performance a Management System in the Merged Organization - Coursework Example Implementing a single performance management system would not be appropriate to measure the performance of all employees due to the differences in their competencies and skills. Since the performance management system would have its own rating parameters, there are chances that it could be fair for some individuals and unfair with some. This is because staffs perceive fairness with regards to comparisons. Employees compare inputs with one another, such as their efforts and expertise, their job performances and compensations with other employees. Due to the disparity in skill levels and the varying levels of inputs, efforts or expertise among employees, the performance evaluating parameters would be improper indicators of actual performance levels and productivity. Some employees are likely to get overrated while some of them would remain underrated. This would appear to be unfair for staffs which would eventually render the system ineffective. It is important that the performance man agement system measures the different activities accurately. If they do not, then the system results would differ from the actual results which would give its managers an inaccurate picture of the conditions of the firm and results of their decisions. All members from the two organizations might not be equally educated and updated about the use of the system. All managers might not be adept in a single technology which can cause differences in the ways they use or operate the system. This could also arouse differences they interpret results or outcomes of measurements. Improper and inaccurate ratings can generate out of difference in assessments methods and techniques which can yield inaccurate results in the system (Markus, 2004, p.6-10). Mitigating risks of the performance management system in the merged organization Firstly, it must be ensured that parameters for measuring performance must be based on fairness and equality. The different skills, expertise and competencies of staf fs must be measured through different parameters in order to yield unbiased and accurate results. Aspects like extent of criticality of tasks, difficulty of work activities, time taken for performing a particular work activity must be considered while measuring task performances. It is essential to train staffs and employees on the new system of performance management. The first step must be to educate staffs with regards to the importance of the system and make them understand the key concepts, terminology and best practices. It is crucial to clearly set out environmental and personal factors required for delivering top performance and the importance of supervisors to facilitate a high performing work environment in the organization. One method to eliminate discrepancies in use of parameters is to include a structured and quantitative approach. This is particularly effective in cases where the performance management is likely to be used as an input to a pay for performance scheme. Ideally, it is crucial to associate a certain weight to the job accountability and accountability in proportion to its importance and also each relevant competencies and skills if the organization wishes to reward certain behaviors. It is important to align the system with the organizational objectives and goals. Skills which are critical for the attainment of those

Modern transparencies and unwanted-exposures Essay Example for Free

Modern transparencies and unwanted-exposures Essay Human beings have been constructing shelters to serve different purposes since the beginnings of civilization. How a building was constructed depended on three qualities set out by Vitruvius, the Roman architect in his treatise De Architectura †¢ Durability †¢ Utility †¢ Beauty Across the ages, one of these three criteria has been more important than the other. The precept of modern architecture is ‘form follows function’. The function of the building determines its structure. But built into this precept are many other modern and post-modern conceptions of notions such as privacy, publicity, sexuality, art, etc. Some of the key components of design are space, volume, mass, texture, shadow, light, materials, structure, etc. Each of these components has been given varied importance in the different times. Modernist architecture has been influenced heavily by the Austrian architect Adolf Loos who believed that ‘ornament is crime. ’ He said, The evolution of culture marches with the elimination of ornament from useful objects. He believed that the influence of culture on ornamentation would change with changing culture and therefore ornamentation itself would become obsolete. Adolf Loos said, â€Å"Does it follow that the house has nothing in common with art and is architecture not to be included in the arts? Only a very small part of architecture belongs to art: the tomb and the monument. Everything else that fulfils a function is to be excluded from the domain of art. † Ornamentation is tantamount to art, which Loos completely discredits by saying, â€Å"The house has to please everyone, contrary to the work of art which does not. The work is a private matter for the artist. The house is not. † He differentiates designing a house and depicting art in these words, â€Å"The work of art is brought into the world without there being a need for it. The house satisfies a requirement. The work of art is responsible to none; the house is responsible to everyone. The work of art wants to draw people out of their state of comfort. † Loos echoes the philosophy of Deleuze when he says, â€Å"The work of art shows people new directions and thinks of the future. The house thinks of the present. † According to Deleuze, art is supposed to provide signs reading which a person is supposed come out of the rote of daily quotidian life and move towards creativity. Entailed in this function of art is deep discomfort which is why a house is not supposed to perform the function of art. Entailed in the notion of a house is a feeling of comfort in the present. â€Å"The house has to please everyone, contrary to the work of art which does not. The work is a private matter for the artist. The house is not. † â€Å"The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative. † Adolf Loos strived to strip culture of ‘art’ and ‘ornament’ and bring to it pragmatism, functionality and rationalism. Each of these qualities is attributed to the male. They are in stark contrast to the Jugendstil artists from the Wagner school. According to Susan Henderson, â€Å"Loos maintained that strict gender distinctions were basic to the ordered logic of modern society, and he decried the ambiguous gender roles that had invaded art and culture. Jugendstil decadence lay in its unrealistic attitude towards the capitalist economy, its regressive fascination for a dying aristocratic tradition, and a benighted love of ornament that sapped the productive energies from Viennese culture. His call for cultural reclamation through a reinvigorated rhetoric set the stage for embedding a new masculinism in the language of early modernism and the reassertion of middle-class values after a generation of retreat from the productive enterprise. † There exists an in-built contradiction between notion of perfect space that the architect harbours and the real mess of daily life. In both cases the woman is positioned as hidden and within and is always object subject to the male gaze. The domestic space of the Josephine Baker is converted into an erotic space. Josephine is present ‘in absentia’. The architecture is incorporated into the body of Josephine Baker and the body is entrenched in the architecture. â€Å"This is a wide-ranging and multifaceted notion of circulation, which includes passages, traversals, transitions, transitory states erotic circulations. † (Bruno, 1992) Given this understanding of Loos’ psychology it is a little complicated to learn the aesthetics of the Josephine Baker villa in Paris. This villa stands in contrast to many other designs of Loos. Feres el-DahDah says, â€Å"It is an epistolary attempt to detail her image in ‘various points’ through a kind of writing that stretches a third skin between the body of the architect and that of the dancer. The house is an apparatus†¦through which one can somehow rub against, or trap, a dancer’s exoticized body. It is a building designed as a tactical enterprise, as the imaginary ‘prose’ of an amorous conquest in between whose lines (in between the stripes of its facades and the distribution of its rooms) one is to decode a longing to signify desire. In other words, this house corroborates someone’s yearning to touch the absent body of Josephine. † This ‘present absence’ of Josephine Baker is called by Adolf Loos, ‘modern distinction’. The intense longing for the absent object brings to life that objects giving it a surreal physical manifestation. The elevations of the Baker house support this Freudian argument. The empty spaces represent Loos’ phallocentric desired for the absent object. If the Josephine Baker house is a modern depiction of sexuality that uses large unwanted space as a representation of desire for the body of Josephine Baker, large space is also used to represent violence and inspire fear through the designs of panopticons. Panopticon is a prison designed by Jeremy Bentham, the eighteenth century English Philosopher. The function of a panoticon is to watch the prisons without the prisoners themselves being aware either of the observer or of the process of observation. Jeremy Bentham called it ‘sentiment of an invisible omniscience. ’ â€Å"the more constantly the persons to be inspected are under the eyes of the persons who should inspect them, the more perfectly will the purpose †¦ of the establishment have been attained. Ideal perfection, if that were the object, would require that each person should actually be in that predicament, during every instant of time. This being impossible, the next thing to be wished for is, that, at every instant, seeing reason to believe as much, and not being able to satisfy himself to the contrary, he should conceive himself to be so. This point, you will immediately see, is most completely secured by my brothers plan; and, I think, it will appear equally manifest, that it cannot be compassed by any other, or to speak more properly, that if it be compassed by any other, it can only be in proportion as such other may approach to this. † The fundamental structure of a panopticon consists of a circular building. The rooms of the prisoners are present in the circumference of the building. Iron grating is present on the inner circumference. But this grating is virtually invisible to the prisoner. Such a grating traps the prisoner between the feelings of freedom and imprisonment. The prisoner knows that there is a grating but he cannot see it. It places him a limbo between privacy and publicity. Violation of private space is violence nonetheless. The room of the inspector is at the centre of the building. The windows of the prisoners’ room ‘radiate’ through the centre of the inspector’s room such that the inspector has a direct view into the rooms of all the prisoners. The windows would be covered by blinds till the eye level of the prisoners. This function of a window is opposed to that perceived by Adolf Loos, â€Å"to let the light in; not to let the gaze pass through†. Of course, the context of the windows in both cases is very different. In a panopticon, light is allowed to pass through only to the extent that allows the inspector to see the inside of the cell. In a house, light must be let in to brighten the house and make it comfortable to the inhabitants.

College Admissions Essay: Celebrating Diversity -- College Admissions

Celebrating Diversity    Growing up in Florida, the prevalence of a diverse society has always been evident to me. While realizing at a young age how many differences exist in my hometown of Orlando, I eagerly wanted to become a part of each segment of my world. From a young age, my parents could tell that I had an interest in the international cultures in my life.    When I started high school, I wanted to study other cultures and further my knowledge of another language. Besides taking classes in Spanish, I chose to volunteer after school with Bosnian refugees. The volunteer program aids Bosnian refugees in their immersion into American culture. I volunteered to help a family become accustomed to life in the United States, and was paired with a family who had spent less than three weeks in our country. My family included a mother and two teenage daughters around my age. Within the first hours of meeting the Sinanovics, I believed that through an ongoing relationship, I would be able to have a lasting impact on three lives.    Because the Sinanovics spok...

This Piece of Writing Deserves a Level 7

This Piece of Writing Deserves a Level 7 It’s simple. I have worked my fingers to the bone to bring you this wonderful piece of writing that will most definitely be worthy of a level seven. I will use varied sentence length, pairs, sets of three, quotations, metaphors, similes and many more rhetorical devices to create a piece which you will not be able to take your eyes away from. You see Mr. Deane; this writing is like a magnificent and stunning cake – something which you cannot take your eyes from.Yes, this writing is a cake bursting with delicious cream and icing and chocolate, just waiting for you to sink your teeth deep into it. If this first paragraph has not convinced you that this is worthy of a level seven, then my next paragraph will do. Keep reading. I had no trouble starting this paragraph. I may be right in saying this is unlike a few – if not many – people in my form who had trouble starting. This is not me. I have simply strived to string t his braid of bubbling and beautiful words together. Also read: Principles of Good Writing by L.A. HillDo you not find the alliteration, sibilance, plosive sounds and onomatopoeia in the last sentence level seven worthy? I’m hard pressed to find a reason for not giving me a level seven, as, a great man like you can, I hope, see what is right in front of you – a level seven-worthy piece of writing. If can find a reason against me, then I implore you to keep reading, as you will come to see that by the end, that this piece of writing will deserve a level seven. If you are still yet to be convinced, then I ask you, if this does not gain a level seven, what will the other teachers think of your educating?By giving this writing level seven, you will not only be gaining the love and appreciation and of one of your students, but also the admiration and respect of your fellow English teachers, who will find your ability to bring out the best writers amazing. This, I assure you, you will enjoy, and as Plutarch once said â€Å"The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it. †. So, if you still do not think this deserves a level seven then, as George Santayana once said, even â€Å"The wisest mind has something yet to learn. †.

Ipod Decision Making Process

Describe and explain the characteristics that affect consumer behaviour and outline the consumer decision-making process as it relates to Apple iPod Introduction ‘Consumer purchases are influenced strongly by cultural, social, personal and psychological characteristics’ (Kotler, Armstrong, Wong & Saunders). This report will investigate the characteristics that affect consumer behaviour and the consumer decision-process as it relates to the purchase of an Apple iPod.This report will be describing and explaining how consumers go through five different stages to reach a buying decision and outlining the consumer decision-making process when a consumer buys a product. The Apple iPod is a brand of portable media players and was launched on October 2001. There are four different types of players, which can play both music and videos, including the ‘iPod Classic’, ‘iPod Touch’, ‘iPod Nano’ and the ‘iPod Shuflfe’. The Apple â⠂¬Ëœitunes’ software can be used to transfer music to the iPods from computers.Both the Sony Walkman and Samsung YP-P2 are the iPods biggest competitors and have the same touch screen control panel. They both can hold similar amount of music to that of an iPod. ‘Mintel forecasts that the UK audio equipment market will grow by an estimated 8% to reach a value of ?2. 2 billion at current prices over the period 2007-12. In real terms, with massive price deflation for electronics taken into consideration, this equates to 100% rate of growth until 2012. (mintel, accessed at 19th November 2009) ‘Market growth since 2006 for the Apple iPod has been in decline due to the high pricing scheme of the devices although price cuts like those applied to the iPod shuffle on Tuesday and cheaper Internet –capable models down the line should help the company reverse course and maintain a steady rate of growth through 2009, says one Wall Street analyst’, (http://www. ap pleinsider. com/articles/08/02/20/growth_potential_seen_in_steadily_maturing_ipod_market. html 20th February 2008). The Apple iPod is aimed at young adults aged between 12-25, both males and females.The Apple iPod is aimed at people in the middle/high class and for those who have a particular interest or passion in music. The report will also provide a discussion of the type buying behaviour related with Apple iPods and compare the process with a less complex product, such as a bottle of water in this report. Marketing recommendations will then be given for the purchase of an Apple iPod. The Characteristics that Affect Consumer Behaviour It can be seen that cultural, social, personal and psychological are the four characteristics that influence consumer behaviour.This section will describe how some of the characteristics associate with consumer behaviour when purchasing an Apple iPod. For the social characteristic influence, this can be that the person who is buying an iPod can be i nfluenced by friends, family or any other groups the person is part of, a friend of the person may recommend an iPod to be the best portible audio player to purchase, which would then give the consumer more confidence to buy an iPod. Inspirational groups, such as celebrities who could be seen using an iPod, might have also influenced consumer behaviour. This may influence a consumer, due to the status of a celebrity.Personal characteristics such as the age of a person can affect consumer behaviour. In this case a consumer may be in an age group where it is cool and common to have an iPod, so this would be more of a want for the buyer to have the product. An Outline of the Consumer Decision-Making Process Type of Buying decision behaviour This section of the report will discuss the type of buying decision behaviour associated with the Apple iPod. The decision behaviour for the buyer of an iPod would be complex buying behaviour due to the high cost of the product and is mainly purchas e infrequently.It could be said that the consumer has much to learn about the product and may have little knowledge about the product before making a decision to purchase it. For example, an iPod buyer may not know what functions of the product to consider. ‘Many product features carry no real meaning to the great majority of potential purchasers’ (Kotler 2008 page 263, p1). This can relate to the iPod when looking at the memory size and price of the product, a customer may not know the difference between a ‘10GB iPod and a ‘160GB’ iPod. So the buyer will pass though a learning process, first developing attitudes, and then making a thoughtful purchase choice’ (Kotler 2008, page 263, p1). So for marketers of an iPod, they must understand the way a consumer gathers information and the evaluation behaviour of a high involvement product. The advertising and size of the iPod may be used to help make it easier for a consumer to understand what the me mory size is of an iPod. Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour can be associated with the buying of an iPod, due to how expensive the product is and how infrequent it is purchased.For example, consumers buying an iPod could face a high involvement decision because of the high price of an iPod compared to a low involvement product such as a toothbrush and how the product can express the consumer, such as the which style and colour of iPod suit the consumer best. The Consumer may evaluate and do some research into the types iPods, prior to the buying decision to make give them more knowledge of the product. An explanation of each stage of the decision-making model This section of the report will explain each stage of the decision-making model for a buyer of an iPod.Below is the five-stage decision making process, buyers go through when they purchase a product. ‘The buying process starts with need recognition – the buyer recognising a problem or need’ (Kotler 2008, p age 265, p4). The first stage of the decision making model is where the consumer has recognised a problem or a need. Need recognition In relation to the iPod, is where the consumer has recognised that the product is available to buy and may have dissatisfaction with their current portable audio player.The iPod is not necessary a need, such as food or water. It is more of an individual want and the consumer may have more income spare to purchase an iPod. The purchase of an iPod could be mainly because of its appeal. ‘A need can also be triggered by external stimuli. Anna passes a bakery and the smell of reshly baked bread stimulates her hunger; she admires a neighbour’s new car; or she watches a television commercial for a Caribbean holiday’. (Kotler et al 2008, page 266 p1). This statement states that external stimuli can trigger a need.In relation to the iPod, the external stimuli could be an advert on television or someone in the public using an iPod, who seems to be having a fun with the product. The second stage of the decision-making model is the information search stage. This is the stage where a consumer is aroused to search for more information about the product they have been attracted too in the need recognition stage. ‘The consumer may simply have heightened attention or may go into active information search’ (Kotler et al 2008, page 266 p2). Heightened attention simply means the consumer becomes more receptive to information about a product.The consumer may pay more attention to adverts and products used by friends. Active information search is where the consumer gathers information, such as searching reading material or phoning friends to gather information, this usually depends of drive of the consumer to search for information about a product. ‘The amount of searching she does will depend upon the strength of her drive, the amount of information she starts with, the ease of obtaining more information, the v alue she places on additional information and the satisfaction she gets from searching’ (Kotler et al 2008, page 266 p2).This statement explains that the more a consumer wants a product, the more searching for information about the product will occur. In relation to the Apple iPod, a consumer may have been aroused by external stimuli such as an advert on television and then may go through active information search, where the consumer can obtain information from any of the following sources: * Personal sources: Family, friends, neighbours Commercial sources: Advertising, salespeople, the Internet, packaging, displays * Public sources: Mass media, consumer-rating organisations * Experiential sources: Handling, examining, using the product Personal sources can be the most effective for some products, as friends and families recommendations can be more reliable than an advert on television. As more information has been gathered from the above sources, the consumer’s knowle dge of the iPod increases. The consumer may know the different types of iPods available and their features that best suit the consumer.The third stage of the decision-making purchase is the information evaluation or evaluation of alternatives. This is the stage of the decision-making process, where the consumer uses information from the previous stage to evaluate other brands, products and services. The consumer also evaluates the benefits and features of the product they are going to buy. For high-involvement products such as the Apple iPod, the consumer is more likely to carry out a more extensive evaluation. Such as evaluating the advantages and benefits of the product they are interested in purchasing.

The Role of Aphrodite in Greek essays

The Role of Aphrodite in Greek essays The Role of The Greek Goddess Aphrodite In Divine Myth As a mother, and arguably a daughter, the Greek goddess of love is a powerful and passionate woman. The Greek goddess Aphrodite is portrayed in Greek myth as a mysterious and beautiful seductress but yet she is also depicted as devious and cunning. There are some Greek myths that suggest that Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, but the favorable and most common myth of Aphrodites commencement of life is from the sea. She is born from the surrounding foam from the severed genitals of Uranus. In Hesiods description of the birth of Aphrodite, she emerged from the sea as a modest and beautiful goddess (Theogony 193). Aphrodite is such an influential goddess, according to Hesiod, that even the great god Zeus uses her characteristics in the producing of Pandora Aphrodite the golden he told to crown her head (Pandora) with desire/but with the heartbreak as well, and all the aching sorrow of love (Works and Days 64-65). Aphrodite is married to the Greek god Hephaestus, but their marriage is a complete mockery of the sacred union to the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. Aphrodite is known for her frequent rendez-vous with Ares. The kind where many of the other gods and goddesses are well aware of too. As Homer says, Ares would wait till Hephaestus would leave town, and then go into his house where Aphrodite would be waiting in bed for him. They are both caught together by Hephaestus, while Poseidon pays Ares debt to Hephaestus (Odyssey 8.266-366). Aphrodite does not only cheat on Hephaestus with immortal gods but she also has passionate relationships with mortal men as well. The prince Anchises is fooled by Aphrodites beauty and deceitfulness when Zeus casts a spell on Aphrodite to lust over a mortal man. At first Anchises is love struck and does not care who or what Aphrodite is (thus it is sinful for a morta...

Battle of Sullivans Island in the American Revolution

Battle of Sullivan's Island in the American Revolution The Battle of Sullivans Island took place June 28, 1776 near Charleston, SC, and was one of the early campaigns of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Following the beginning of hostilities at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, public sentiment in Charleston began to turn against the British. Though a new royal governor, Lord William Campbell, arrived in June, he was forced to flee that fall after Charlestons Council of Safety commenced raising troops for the American cause and seized Fort Johnson. Additionally, Loyalists in the city increasingly found themselves under attack and their homes raided.      The British Plan To the north, the British, who were engaged in the Siege of Boston in late 1775, began seeking other opportunities to strike a blow against the rebelling colonies. Believing the interior of the American South to be friendlier territory with a large number of Loyalists who would fight for the crown, plans moved forward for Major General Henry Clinton to embark forces and sail for Cape Fear, NC. Arriving, he was to meet a force of predominantly Scottish Loyalists raised in North Carolina as well as troops coming from Ireland under Commodore Peter Parker and Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Sailing south from Boston with two companies on January 20, 1776, Clinton called at New York City where he had difficulty obtaining provisions. In a failure of operational security, Clintons forces made no effort to hide their ultimate destination. To the east, Parker and Cornwallis endeavored to embark around 2,000 men on 30 transports. Departing Cork on February 13, the convoy encountered severe storms five days into the voyage. Scattered and damaged, Parkers ships continued their crossing individually and in small groups.   Reaching Cape Fear on March 12, Clinton found that Parkers squadron had been delayed and that the Loyalist forces had been defeated at Moores Creek Bridge on February 27. In the fighting, Brigadier General Donald MacDonalds Loyalists had been beaten by American forces led by Colonel James Moore. Loitering in the area, Clinton met the first of Parkers ships on April 18. The remainder straggled in later that month and in early May after enduring a rough crossing. Armies Commanders Americans Major General Charles LeeColonel William Moultrie435 men at Fort Sullivan, 6,000 around Charleston British Major General Henry ClintonCommodore Peter Parker2,200 infantry Next Steps Determining that Cape Fear would be a poor base of operations, Parker and Clinton commenced assessing their options and scouting the coast. After learning that the defenses at Charleston were incomplete and being lobbied by Campbell, the two officers elected to plan an attack with the goal of capturing the city and establishing a major base in South Carolina. Raising anchor, the combined squadron departed Cape Fear on May 30. Preparations at Charleston With the beginning of the conflict, the president of the South Carolina General Assembly, John Rutledge, called for the creation of five regiments of infantry and one of artillery. Numbering around 2,000 men, this force was augmented by the arrival of 1,900 Continental troops and 2,700 militia. Assessing the water approaches to Charleston, it was decided to construct a fort on Sullivans Island. A strategic location, ships entering the harbor were required to pass by the southern part of the island to avoid shoals and sandbars. Vessels that succeeded in breaching the defenses at Sullivans Island would then encounter Fort Johnson. The task of building Fort Sullivan was given to Colonel William Moultrie and the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. Commencing work in March 1776, they constructed 16-ft. thick, sand-filled walls which were faced with palmetto logs. Work moved slowly and by June only the seaward walls, mounting 31 guns, were complete with the remainder of the fort protected by a timber palisade. To aid in the defense, the Continental Congress dispatched Major General Charles Lee to take command. Arriving, Lee was dissatisfied with the state of the fort and recommended that it be abandoned. Interceding, Rutledge directed Moultrie to obey [Lee] in everything, except in leaving Fort Sullivan. The British Plan Parkers fleet reached Charleston on June 1 and over the next week began crossing the bar and anchoring around Five Fathom Hole. Scouting the area, Clinton decided to land on nearby Long Island. Located just north of Sullivans Island, he thought his men would be able wade across Breach Inlet to assault the fort. Assessing the incomplete Fort Sullivan, Parker believed that his force, consisting of the two 50-gun ships HMS Bristol and HMS Experiment, six frigates, and the bomb vessel HMS Thunderer, would easily be able to reduce its walls. The Battle of Sullivans Island Responding to the British maneuvers, Lee began reinforcing positions around Charleston and directed troops to entrench along the northern shore of Sullivans Island. On June 17, part of Clintons force attempted to wade across Breach Inlet and found it too deep to proceed. Thwarted, he began planning to make the crossing using longboats in concert with Parkers naval attack. After several days of poor weather, Parker moved forward on the morning on June 28. In position by 10:00 AM, he ordered the bomb vessel Thunderer to fire from extreme range while he closed on the fort with Bristol (50 guns), Experiment (50), Active (28), and Solebay (28). Coming under British fire, forts soft palmetto log walls absorbed the incoming cannon balls rather than splintering. Short on gunpowder, Moultrie directed his men in a deliberate, well-aimed fire against the British ships. As the battle progressed, Thunderer was forced to break off as its mortars had become dismounted. With the bombardment underway, Clinton began moving across Breach Inlet. Nearing the shore, his men came under heavy fire from American troops led by Colonel William Thomson. Unable to safely land, Clinton ordered a retreat to Long Island. Around noon, Parker directed the frigates Syren (28), Sphinx (20), and Actaeon (28) to circle to the south and assume a position from which they could flank Fort Sullivans batteries. Shortly after beginning this movement, all three grounded on an uncharted sandbar with the latter twos rigging becoming entangled. While Syren and Sphinx were able to be refloated, Actaeon remained stuck. Rejoining Parkers force, the two frigates added their weight to the attack. In the course of the bombardment, the forts flagstaff was severed causing the flag to fall. Jumping over the forts ramparts, Sergeant William Jasper retrieved the flag and jury-rigged a new flagpole from a sponge staff. In the fort, Moultrie instructed his gunners to focus their fire on Bristol and Experiment. Pummeling the British ships, they caused great damage to their rigging and lightly wounded Parker. As the afternoon passed, the forts fire slackened as ammunition ran low. This crisis was averted when Lee dispatched more from the mainland. Firing continued until 9:00 PM with Parkers ships unable to reduce the fort. With darkness falling, the British withdrew. Aftermath In the Battle of Sullivans Island, British forces sustained 220 killed and wounded. Unable to free Actaeon, British forces returned the next day and burned the stricken frigate. Moultries losses in the fighting were 12 killed and 25 wounded. Regrouping, Clinton and Parker remained in the area until late July before sailing north to aid in General Sir William Howes campaign against New York City. The victory at Sullivans Island saved Charleston and, along with the Declaration of Independence a few days later, provided a much needed boost to American morale. For the next few years, the war remained focused in the north until British forces returned to Charleston in 1780. In the resulting Siege of Charleston, British forces captured the city and held it until the end of the war.

Apple computers inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Apple computers inc - Essay Example m 1978 to 1983, the company had many successful breakthroughs such as replacing the cassette drive with a floppy disk drive and VisiCalc as well as Lisa and generating sales of over $700 million. The years between 1989 till 1991 are known as the â€Å"golden ages† for the apple company by introducing the â€Å"PowerBook† technology. The company also presented three new products (i-mac, i-pod and i-store) between 1998 and 2005 which were new beginnings for the company. The company’s main target is to establish their brand name and become internationally diversified. The company plans to achieve this target by putting the effort and having the ability to constantly innovate their products and believes that it needs to be successful in product differentiation in order to maintain and satisfy the needs of loyal customers. The ipod product, has contributed the most to establishing the company’s brand name worldwide and this product has become an international phenomenon. Apple has an everyday operation and the actual performance of the company is in very good shape. The company adopts different competitive strategies depending on which market it is operating in. The company targets many segments in the market and operates in international markets. The company mainly adopts either the market leader or market challenger strategies and has also made some use of the niche player strategy. This has been highly determined by the product they are delivering to each market segment. However, there are weaknesses, treats and challenges in front of any company which apples would not be an exception too. The apple company is well known for producing the easiest products to use in the workplace and the weaknesses are the simplicity in the use of the product provoked an image problem, lack of capability to make Predictions of demand, pricing strategies and being not IBM compatible. The treats are also considerable for apple company.As a result of the new window NT that