Culture Difference in Business Negotiation

Globalisation, the expansion of intercontinental trade, technological advances and the increase in the number of companies dealing on the international stage have brought about a dramatic change in the frequency, context and means by which people from different cultural backgrounds interact, especially cross-cultural communication in international business. Global communications bring countries and cultures closer to each other every day even though they may be on separate continents. However, barriers to communicating still exist due to cultural differences as well as dialects. In the business world, cross-cultural barriers can be significant in conducting global commerce. International trade presents multi-level challenges dealing with cross-cultural communication. Language is the biggest problem and global companies recognize the need for employees who are fluent in several languages. Of course, in addition to language, religion, customs, methods of dealing with people also play a significant role in international negotiations. Once some link has the problem, which will lead to the breakdown of negotiations. Therefore, This requests negotiations both sides correctly utilize the negotiations skill, making the negotiations complete smoothly. 1. Definition Intercultural communication refers to the different cultural backgrounds of communication between individuals, that is, people from different cultural backgrounds of the interaction. In recent years, it causes most people's attention. In China, the language teachers to show great interest, reflecting the changes of the times and demands, has attracted people from the perspective of cross-cultural education of foreign language teaching in-depth thinking. 2. Case description Ma Ping works in a joint-venture company as an executive in China. His boss is an American named Steve. They are good friends Once, at a meeting with mostly Chinese participants including Ma Ping, Steve didn’t listen to much different ideas when asking for any suggestions on his new project. So he took it for granted that his new project would be quite satisfactory to everyone present at the meeting and decided to implement the plan. But to his great surprise and puzzlement, after the meeting, Ma Ping came to his office and told him that there were problems with the project, and the project might not work properly. This time, to Ma Ping’s surprise, Steve didn’t seem happy but even annoyed with this. Analysis: In China, if you disagree with your friend at the meeting, you can’t speak out in public. Because if you do that, your friend will lose his face. The best action is to talk with him in private . While in the western country, if you have a different idea about the project of your friend at the meeting, you must raise an objection instantly rather than in private later. I conclude that in business negotiations, cultural differences between the negotiating parties will often become an obstacle to the negotiations,and even lead to the breakdown of negotiations. Therefore, we should pay attention to some skills in the negotiations to avoid the breakdown of negotiations 3. Intercultural communication skills Business negotiation can be understood as a process in which two or more parties come together to discuss common and conflicting business interests in order to reach an agreement of mutual benefit . Negotiation can be considered a delicate business, made even more delicate by different cultural understandings. How can we avoid the subtle pitfalls and make deals go smoothly? There is a detail way to solve this ituation. 3. 1The preparation before the intercultural negotiation A good pre-preparation is a key note to have a successful negotiation. If we have a negotiation in hurry, we will know little about our partner and we can not get the most benefits during the intercultural negotiation. And of course, our partners will think that we did not pay much attention to this negotiation, so it can show our careless attitude about the business and our partner. Therefore, we will fail in the negotiation. So it is important to make a good preparation before we go into the intercultural negotiation, but how to make preparations before we begin the negotiation? Next there is some advice. First we must organize our team well, because the team is the oundation of our successful negotiation. We can keep our team as small as possible. But it does not mean what the less people our team has, the more effective work we can get. Some people who have specialized skills, communication ability, team spirit and gamesmanship must be contained in our team . 3. 2The bridge-building between the different cultures But just making those preparations a re not enough, we must know what will happen during the intercultural negotiation. Next this thesis will give us a detail explanation to the problems. Supposed there are two persons: Tom in the West and Marry in the Eastern country. They have the same likes and dislikes, and Tom recently spoke for days with Marry, his potential business partner and yet the barriers between them were never broached — and the deal didn’t get inked . The problem had to do with different conceptions of the negotiation process itself and misinterpretations of the other’s behavior. For Tom, negotiation is about pushing through a deal period. When he didn’t think their discussion was moving forward as quickly as he thought it should, his arguments became increasingly forceful. Because his opposite read this as disrespect, the negotiation essentially ended days before their talks did. Although globalizing communications and marketing have made the world smaller in many ways, deep differences between cultures remain. Despite similar tastes, Tom and Marry each approach negotiation in a way heavily conditioned by his national culture. Because they sat down at the table without understanding the other’s assumptions about the negotiation process, all they ended up with was an impasse. So, we must pay attention to the question that is how to build the bridges between the different cultures so that the degree of mistrust is diminished until it is non-existent. In order to prepare for our negotiations try the following: (1) Get to know the individuals that we will be personally dealing with. Making a one-to-one human connection is one of the best ways to overcome mistrust! (2) Background: checks into the company that we are doing business with. Get to know the company as much as possible. Have credit checks done on the company. Learn about their financial situation in any way possible. (3) Research the culture of the foreign company and sensitize ourselves to the possible differences that we may be confronted with. 4) Get the assistance of a company that is expert in dealing with such cultural differences that can give us some tips. 3. 3 Learn the other side’s culture It is very important to know the basic components of our counterparty’s culture. It’s a sign of respect and a way to build trust and credibility as well as advantage that can help us to choose the right strategies and tactics during the negotiation. Of cou rse, it’s impossible to learn another culture in detail when we learn at short notice that a foreign delegation is visiting in two weeks’ time. The best we can do is to try to identify principal influences that the foreign culture may have on making the deal. 3. 4 Don’t stereotype Making saaumptions can creat distrust and barriers that expose both your and the other side’s need, positions and goals. The way we view other people tends to be reserved and cautious. We usually expect people to take adventage of a situation, and during the negoations the other side probably thinks the same way, especially when there is a lack of trust between counterparts. In stead of generalizing, we should make an effort to treat everyone as individuals. Find the other side’s values and beliefs independently of values and beliefs characteristic of the culture or group being represented by your counterpart. 3. 5 Find ways to bridge the culture gap Apart from adopting the other side’s culture to adjust to the situation and environment, we can also try to persuade the other side to use elements of our own culture. In some situations it is also possible to use a combination of both cultures, for example, regarding joint venture business. When there is a diffculty in finding common ground, focusing on common professional cultures may be the initiation of business relations. 4. Conclusion International business negotiation is playing a more and more important role in our economic lives in modern society. Obviously, international business negotiations take place across national boundaries. This means that understanding the different cultural environments that exist among nations and considering cultural differences in all facets of business are crucial for negotiators in the operation of international business negotiation. International business negotiators are distinguished from each other not only by geographic location, language spoken, more importantly by the specific cultures in which they grow up. Cultural differences influence negotiation in many aspects, even before the face-to-face negotiation starts The understanding of negotiation in the western culture is alien to that of the eastern culture. Many Americans see negotiation as a good approach to resolve conflicts while Japanese or Chinese do not like it at all. The composition of negotiation team relies greatly on culture that defines the number and the selecting criteria of negotiators. Japanese or Chinese negotiation team is often large, usually led by an old person with high status. Whereas,American team tends to be small and its negotiators are chosen on the basis of competence at the issue under negotiation. Simultaneously, people from different cultures prefer to use different negotiating strategies and styles. Therefore selection of different strategies and tactics results in different outcomes in international business negotiations. Different selection of pragmatic strategies may produce different results in a business negotiation: a win-lose result, a win-win result or lose-lose result. In order to maintain a long-term cooperative business relationship between both negotiating parties concerned in a win-win business negotiation situation, the selection of strategies should be of crucial importance. Our nation is mentioning to establish harmonious society, if we want to be a successful negotiator, we should set up an atmosphere of harmony. I think the best result is a win-win result in international negotiation. So we will have many chances cooperate with our foreigner. Our Chinese people also can become the successful men.

Whaling: A Narrow Vision of the Future

Whaling is a controversial issue today. Thousands of ecological organisations vote for an international ban on whaling to give whale populations a chance for a rebound. The current paper discusses the pros and cons of an international ban on whaling. The paper seeks to prove that there should be no international ban on whaling, as long as whaling benefits economies and medical research. The paper tries to deny an assumption that a moratorium on whaling can give whales a chance to rebound sufficiently and, instead, promotes an idea that legalisation of whaling will facilitate monitoring and managing whaling operations all over the world. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 4 Whaling: A Brief Insight 4 An International Ban On Whaling: The Benefits of Legalisation 6 Whaling: A Never Ending Debate? 8 Conclusion 10 Recommendations 10 References 11 WHALING: A NARROW VISION OF THE FUTURE Introduction Whaling is a controversial issue today. Thousands of scientists and ecological organisations argue for an international ban on whaling and view such a ban as the only way to restore whale populations in global marine ecosystems. Thousands of others are confident that an international ban on whaling will not benefit animals: the decreasing number of whales is the reflection of the natural processes which no ban can stop. The history of whaling dates back thousands years ago. People hunted whales as long as they had boats and could sail. Today, whaling has become a convenient object of speculations and no one has been able to justify the need for an international ban so far. Objectively, there should be no international ban on whaling because whaling benefits economies and medical research, and legalisation of whaling will facilitate monitoring and managing the number of whales hunted and killed for commercial purposes. Whaling: A Brief Insight Whaling is a controversial issue today. Thousands of ecological and animal rights organisations argue that an international ban on whaling is necessary to give whales a chance to restore their populations. The estimated number of Blue Whales today is less than 3500; in 1931 alone, almost 30,000 Blue Whales were killed for commercial purposes. The current population of Blue Whales represents less than 1% of the total number of whales killed between 1910 and 1969. However, it was not before 1966 that an official moratorium on commercial whaling was provided, to afford a good beginning on the long journey to recovery. Whaling dates back to the times when humans started to build boats – thousands of years ago, whaling was one of the most widely used forms of hunting. For thousands of years, whales had served excellent sources of food, wax, and oil. Hunters valued them even more for their size and the quantity of various resources they could provide at once. Only by the middle of the 1870s did whale oil products give place to oil products based on petroleum and since then, whales have been mostly used for meat. Today, Japan and Norway are considered as the biggest threat to whales – these countries, plus Iceland, seek to lift the ban on whaling by all possible means. More importantly, these countries continue hunting whales despite the moratorium on whaling brought in in 1986. Norway is hunting whales in the North Atlantic; American Eskimos and Russian northern aboriginals are allowed to hunt whales in small quantities to meet their needs for food. Japan actively engages in whaling, to pursue the needs and goals of medical research. Notwithstanding the potential benefits of the ban on whaling, this ban is likely to cause serious economic difficulties. Today, no international ban on whaling should exist, because whaling is associated with significant economic benefits, because whales serve the needs of medical research and, finally, because legal whaling will facilitate monitoring the number of whales hunted and killed for commercial purposes. An International Ban on Whaling: The Benefits of Legalisation That whaling is the source of both direct and indirect economic benefits is difficult to deny, and there should be no international ban on whaling, to let different countries meet their economic needs. The inner markets for whale products are too small to support the countries like Norway and Iceland. The latter continue hunting whales, according to the quotas that had been set by the International Whaling Commission. Japan and Norway fail to meet their sales targets and lose significant financial resources due to the small quotas and the lack of hunting opportunities. In 2008 alone, Japan lost more than $20 million â€Å"whaling† dollars, which could have been directed to support various economic social programmes; in the similar fashion, Norway is experiencing difficulties with its whale product markets. Given the difficult economic situation, whaling could become an excellent opportunity for countries like Norway and Japan to generate additional jobs and to use whale products as an extremely valuable export item. Before the moratorium on whaling in 1986, the share of whale products in Norwegian exports accounted for 2 percent of all marine products and, simultaneously, for more than 70 percent of the total merchandise products on average. There should be no international ban on whaling, because it limits economic opportunities of sea countries and does not give them a chance to improve their economic situation. Whaling is the source of numerous indirect advantages. Indirect benefits of whaling arise from the link between commercial whaling, the size of natural whale populations, and the size of fish stocks. Because whales are the largest consumers of fish stock in the North Atlantic, they threaten the stability of numerous other fish stocks, including krill and cod. Although the relationships between whales and other fish populations are increasingly complex, scientists assume that whale stocks around Iceland could lead to the 10 percent decline in other fish stocks, including cod stocks. Given that the annual sustainable yield of the cod stock is no less than 350 thousand tons, a ban on whaling could cost Iceland 35 thousand tons of cod stock every year – a number too significant for a small country like Iceland. There should be no international ban on whaling, based on the premise that whales were and remain an important object of medical research. Whales are equally important for human and animal research, and it would be fair to say that an international ban on whaling will significantly reduce the existing medical research opportunities. As a result, an international ban on whaling will wane the hopes of those who seek a cure for the most difficult diseases. Since the middle of the 20th century, whales had been hunted and used for their hypophyses. The number of whale hypophyses dropped with time and their popularity declined, but they made a profound contribution to the development of medical research and pharmacology. Whales’ pancreases were extensively used in the production of insulin. Whales used to be an effective source of growth hormones for people; the hormones were extracted from whales’ thymus glands. Today, the world must think twice before an international ban on whaling becomes a reality. The world must avoid banning whaling activity in the future, to give medical researchers sufficient opportunities to pursue their research goals. Although the topic of animal research is increasingly controversial, it is not within the scope of this paper to discuss the pros and cons of such research. Simultaneously, it is clear that despite all limitations, researchers will continue to apply to the benefits of animal research, to enhance the efficiency of their research operations. In the current state of medical knowledge, whales present a valuable opportunity to help people with complex diagnoses. In general terms, any ban on whaling is likely to result in significant negative changes and serious losses, both economic and scientific. Nevertheless, ecological and animal rights organisations continue asserting that such a ban is necessary to restore the number of whales in natural marine ecosystems. Whaling and Nature: A Never Ending Debate? That whale populations decline and need a chance to restore their number is the central argument ecological organisations use to support the need on an international ban on whaling. Needless to say, whale populations do decline but whether whaling is the direct cause of ecological problems is difficult to define. The current state of research provides compelling evidence that the decline in the number of living whales is natural, and no ban can change it. The argument in favor of an international ban on whaling exemplifies a recurrent conflict between perception and rhetoric, and while more and more scientists vote for an international ban on whaling, even more scientists and organisations come to recognise the irrelevance of such a ban. The fact is in that scientists lack scientific evidence to prove that whale populations, including Atlantic humpbacks, can rebound sufficiently due to an international ban on whaling. Another question is in whether an international ban on whaling and, as a result, the growing number of whales is likely to misbalance the global marine ecosystem. Throughout the last centuries, the number of whales had been constantly declining. Whether more whales work for the better or the worse of the ecological system is still the issue of the major concern. The historical data regarding the number of whales that lived in the international ecosystems and were hunted throughout the last two-three centuries implies that whales living in super-abundance do not benefit ecological systems but, on the contrary, can â€Å"eat out the oceans as fast as they can go†. Scientific assumptions about potential extermination of whales are based on numbers – scientists believe that the rapidly declining number of whales during the last two centuries indicates the threat which whaling poses to the stability of whale and other fish populations in various marine ecosystems. However, before an international ban on whaling becomes a reality, scientists must decide what natural effects it will produce and whether it is worth banning whaling for the sake of insignificant changes in whale populations. Moreover, it would be fair to assume that even in case of such a ban, countries will continue their whaling activities; and not a ban but legalisation of whaling will give ecological organisations better opportunities to manage and monitor various whaling activities. Murray (2010) is correct, saying that the resumption of limited legal whaling will help organisations reign control of the practice and will, ultimately, save the lives of almost 18,000 whales every year. If ecologists seek effective means to restore whale populations, there is no way for them better than making whaling legal, acceptable, and widely spread. Conclusion Whaling is a controversial issue today. Thousands of ecological organisations vote for an international ban on whaling, to give whales a chance to restore their populations. There should be no international ban on whaling. Whaling is the source of significant economic benefits. Whaling benefits economies through more jobs and higher export profits. Indirect benefits of whaling imply an opportunity to preserve numerous fish stocks, including krill and cod, which whales consume in thousands. Whales benefit medical research and give a hope to cure the most complex human diseases. That the number of whales gradually declines is not necessarily the result of whaling but a natural process which no ban can stop. Legalisation of whaling will facilitate monitoring and managing whaling operations, and if ecologists seek effective means to control whale population there is no way for them better than to make whaling legal and acceptable. Recommendations Whaling should be legalised. Governments and ecological organisations must develop a system of quotas and limits to the annual number of whales available for hunting. A system of monitoring must be developed to control the number of whales killed for commercial purposes and the changes in whale populations in various ecosystems.

To What Extent Is There a Democratic Deficit in the Uk?

Government & Politics Essay To what extent is there a democratic deficit in the UK? There is an argument that the government has the power and right to change laws and represent people without necessarily having to be elected. This can also be known as ‘Democratic deficit’. An example of democratic deficit is the House of Lords. The members in the House of Lords aren’t elected but they get to make laws and represent the people. The members in House of Lords are usually given their seats hereditarily so many people found it unfair that they’re not elected into the Parliament but they can make decisions and laws on our behalf.On the other hand, people may argue with the fact that there is the House of Commons as well as the House of Lords and the House of Commons has more power than the House of Lords has. H of C can make laws and policies without consulting H of L, whereas H of L has to consolidate H of C with the policy or law they want to pass. There has a lso been some sort of reform in the H of L to make it fairer, there are only 92 hereditary lords left in the H of L so people may say this is an example of the UK not being a democratic deficit. In this essay I will be assessing for and against views of the UK being a democratic deficit.Some people agree with this view that there is a democratic deficit in the UK because as I mentioned earlier the members in House of Lords aren’t elected, the head of state (Queen) can decide whether or not laws can be passed and practiced in the UK but she’s not elected and can reign as long as she stays alive for which some people find unfair because the laws she passes affects them. Another example of Democratic deficit is the European Union who makes regulations and decisions that has an effect on all the countries across Europe which includes the UK.Some people think this is unfair because they make decisions that affect the way we live in the UK and they haven’t even been e lected to do so; however others may say that they may not be elected but they do make laws and decisions that help the UK such as health, education, social security and social services. The EU being an example of democratic deficit can be argued both ways one being bad for people because they can make laws that the people don’t like but they have to follow them regardless and the other being the fact that the EU makes laws that helps the country as a whole such as education and health.Judges can be said to be an example of democratic deficit because they aren’t elected by the people but they can make decisions that affect people’s lives. Judges can direct a verdict, they can interpret and apply the law and they can even make laws in some cases and all without even being elected. Some people may see this as unfair because judges can be biased and judgemental and sentence someone to more years than they deserve because they know that they can’t be fired.How ever, some people may disagree with this because judges do what’s best for the society and for the people and if they didn’t sentence harshly or fairly, criminals would be out in the public repeating their acts. However, some people may argue against this by saying that there are juries there in the court to make sure that the sentencing is fair and the trial isn’t sabotaged or biased. Juries also give their verdict on how they found the criminal/defendant so the decision isn’t fully dependent on the judge. Low participation rates in the UK are one of the features of democratic deficit.In the 2010 general elections more than 16 million% of people could have voted but chose not to. The overall turnout in the UK as a whole was 65%. In 2005 the voting turnout was 61% approximately, which means over a period of 5 years the percentage has risen by 4% over the UK. This shows that there is an in fact low participation rate in the UK and this is due to situations such as First Past the Post. On the other hand, others may disagree because the turnout of participation has increased in the last two general elections. In 2001 the overall turnout of participation was 59%, and in 2005 the overall turnout of participation was 61%.This shows that the participation in the UK is rising. There is also some other forms of participation in the UK that have increased such as boycotting, petitions etc. These have gone up over the past years with more people becoming more interested in politics. FPTP is an electoral voting system based on constituencies, for a party to win a general election outright they must win an absolute majority of constituencies. FPTP is used for elections to the House of Commons. FPTP has some advantages like the results can be calculated quickly and makes the transfer of power from one party to another much easier.However, it also has some disadvantages like smaller parties are disadvantaged because the number of votes they get is n’t reflected in the number of seats they gain. Also, tactical voting which is not voting for a preferred party but to defeat a bad party or to vote for a least bad one will become more likely and there will be wasted votes which is a vote that doesn’t affect the outcome of the election either because it’s for a losing candidate or because a candidate already has lots of votes which can lead to voter apathy.This can be seen as unfair because third parties are usually disadvantaged because of the number of seats they get compared to the number of votes and because some voters’ votes may not be counted because it is for the losing candidate or because the candidate already has enough votes. This gives voters reason to tactically vote instead. As you can see throughout the essay there have been a lot of arguments for and against the view that the UK is becoming a democratic deficit.However, for arguments have seemed to outweigh against arguments by a cm. We have heard that House of Lords not being elected, the Head of State, The EU, Judges, Low participation rates and voting turnouts, and First Past the Past have all been examples of why there is a democratic deficit in the UK, while Juries, Increased turnout rates, Forms of participation increased, House of Commons, and reform of House of Lords have all been examples of why there isn’t a democratic deficit in the UK.In my opinion, I think that the UK does have a democratic deficit and my reasons for thinking so are revealed in this essay. I think the UK does have a democratic deficit in the UK but it only has it to a certain extent which is where the arguments against it balance it to not make it a democratic deficit.

Wood and stone carvings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wood and stone carvings - Essay Example Other traditional and cultural use of wood artistically include making of decoys as well as fish carvings. These are common across cultures. Cultural Due to woods lightness and ability to take very fine details, it is very suitable for sculpting marks and other ornaments that can be worn by people. Moreover, wood is much easier to sculpt than stone and is cheaper. As discussed by Sayers, C. M. (2012) various methods and techniques exist for wood sculpting. These include: chip curving, relief carving, caricature, whittling, treen and lovespoon and Scandinavian flat plane among others. Techniques involved on the other hand include use of tools like V tool, curving knives, veiner, chisel, gouge, copping saw etcetera. These tools are used in different methods to come up with the beautiful artistic and cultural sculptures that are used by diverse societies. The carvings could also be colored, or sealed to protect the wood from moisture and dirt. Shuman, A. (2015) discuses stone carving as amongst the ancient activities that involved use of stone to make ornamental sculptures. Stone works created during the prehistoric periods are in existent to date owing to the materials. Stone carvings in the early days were done through use of hard stones to scratch the softer ones in to shape. However, the discovery of iron has made it possible for manufactory of tools like chisels that can now be used to achieve the desired shapes even more easily. This process commences with selection of stones that are suitable for curving. The stone can be an inspiration for the object curved out of it while in some cases some artist would be having idea I the mind and look out for the best stone. Large portions are then knocked off the stone and then a chisel is brought in to action to shape the intended statue. The final product is then smoothen and its shaped enhanced with rasps and rifflers. Li, X. H. (2011) explains that stones have been used for

Reflective Portfolio 05204 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Reflective Portfolio 05204 - Essay Example The emergence of globalization has highly influenced various internationalisation strategies of organisation in terms of their international trading procedure. Various organisations have started to market their products within a global platform, it has become essential to analyse and select various internationalization strategies such as standardization or adaptation of the marketing mix (Hise and Choi, 2011). Schmid and Kotulla, (2011) have described that increase in technologies has created a union of culture and similarities in customer demands. Therefore, this situation has developed the practice of standardization of international trading. Standardization approach has assisted organisations to achieve economies of scale while efficiently monitoring the global communication. The standardization of international trading strategy of Coca-Cola Company has enabled the organisation to treat their different market as a single global platform (Newburry and Yakova, 2006). Gerpott and Jakopin (2005) have argued against the implementation of standardization by stating that this process provides little scope of flexibility and marketing effectiveness while it can generate negative reaction due to neglecting local requirements. Alternatively, adaptation of local market allows marketers to modify their marketing mix as per local specifications which provide them comparatively strong hold of the global market. Different successful organisations have considered both standardization and adaptation to increase their global marketing reputation. McDonald’s has utilized both these strategies which assist them to maintain their standard in terms of product line, advertising and customer management. This process has assisted them to focus on modifying their product ingredients and specifications as per local taste preferences (Karpiarz, et al., 2014). The increase in globalized economy has also

Strategic Alliances the Right Way to Compete in the 21st Century Assignment

Strategic Alliances the Right Way to Compete in the 21st Century - Assignment Example The author of the paper states that strategic alliances are detrimental to an organization for various reasons. First, they spur out organic growth. Such growth is not enough for an organization to achieve its stipulated mandate. It further speeds up the marketing process for the produced goods. In addition, many businesses are on the verge of embracing diversification of services and goods. No one business can fully be at the dispensation of having all-around skilled human resources. Hence, such alliances bring up elements of skills exchange. Moreover, there is an established trend in research and innovation, making the firm competitive globally.  It becomes easier for the business to venture in the market, as its operational base is stronger. Advancement in technology, ICT, and transport makes the entry point easier. Venturing out in the international market may be quite a complicated and expensive process, but there is a cost reduction in the case of two firms. It is easier to o vercome many obstacles such as hostile policies and competition. Shared knowledge and risks add up to become a strength to the firms.  Decentralized Federation applies when companies that are trying to expand in foreign countries are faced with domestic competition. Therefore, they require coming up with multinational strategies with a decentralized federation. Therefore, the requirement to form local production facilities, and to ensure that this local unit becomes increasingly independent. The internal culture of this organization should be able to embrace personal relations rather than formal structures, and economic controls more than technical/operational details. These local units have more functioning independence and strategic freedoms from their headquarters, and they are managed as a collection of an offshore investment instead of a single worldwide business.

Intermodal Transportation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Intermodal Transportation - Research Paper Example However, recent findings and literature regarding intermodal transportation ports review a contradictory outcome of these measures. The following paper investigates and discusses the effects of actions taken to up security at ports. Actions taken to improve the security at ports has negatively affected throughput, increasing costs and reducing the quality of operations. In 2005, a research by Ronald W. Tarr, Vicki McGurk, and Carol Jones made the realization that there are dangers facing intermodal transport ports after 9/11 are volatile (Tarr, et al., 2005). This unpredictability arises from the likelihood that terrorists may use intermodal transport to deliver weapons and explosive material. Oversized significance of stepping up security measures in these ports. The article explores the effects of training through collaboration and decision-making and its support of the response of transit organizations in the course of the 9/11 attacks (Tarr, et al., 2005). These effects revealed the substandard quality of intermodal transportation during the attacks and the ways the harmed output during the implementation of the already established security measures. A recent research by Nil Kula Degirmenci and Gul Denktas Sakar recognized number of security-linked challenges the intermodal transportation sector has been dealing with for the past several years (Degirmenci and Sakar, 2012). Among these challenges are piracy and terrorism. The researchers noted that security measures alone could not address the many low-quality operations, equipment, and industry players. Degirmenci and Sakar proceed to propose a system for gaining a general insight of the current security concept in intermodal transportation ports. This system takes into account the legal, innovative, and economic aspects. Consequently, system identifies key elements of security in intermodal transport by concentrating on requirement

CS Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CS Analysis - Essay Example To date, Channel 4 is increasingly challenged to come up with even more effective decision making strategies directed towards effective branding, cross media development, on-going operational matters, diversification as well as channel strategy. However, Channel 4 is favored by high level of investment in the making go programs and it is characterized by high diversification levels. British television is characterized by multiple forces, goals and programming approaches and is keener in absorption rather than redirection as a response to new and ever increasing market demands (Catterall 15). Channel 4 caters for specialist and minority groups totaling to approximately 10% to 20% of British viewers. Stiff competition has been the major factor that has pushed changes in the British television industry since the early 1980's, due to a multi-channeled system. Competition has had a major impact on the direction of Channel 4 in key performance areas.

Therapeutic Landscape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Therapeutic Landscape - Essay Example Thus, intervention in the front lawn of the school should improve students’ wellbeing. The site should support students’ better socialization, relaxation, and learning. The discussed site is a large space (about 340 meters), and therefore has a large potential. It’s generally, an open space with a nice view to the lake into the distance. For this reason one feels relaxed in the site, but at the same time, insecure. Queen Str. road going by only increases feeling like exposed. It would be hard to make the site attractive for students because now, there’re rarely any students. Therefore, first challenge is to save an open space while taking away feeling of being exposed for students’ comfort. The site already has some plants growing, and there’re also some material objects. Growing grass, a few tamaracks, maples, cedars and oaks already growing make a good start for a picnic, relaxation, and gathering area. However, the challenge is that plants grow mostly randomly, without any use. Similar challenge is to deal with objects. Large maple tree has four branches around. They can serve well for a new design, but there’s also a memorial in the middle of the site. It draws all the attention, thus it’s a challenge to design new landscape around the memorial. Important is to keep in mind that the site is a part of educational institution property. Julie M. Johnson (2007) discusses specifics of school landscapes and says, â€Å"In school landscapes design qualities need to support meaningful experience for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development†. Generally, the school site should serve for a better learning helping to relax after lessons, or to clear one’s mind in solitude. At the same time, the site should encourage students on group discussions and social activities (including ceremonial) etc. Johnson (2007) says it’s important for students to feel safe when doing any of those activities. School landscape should

The Golden Ratio Essay Example for Free

The Golden Ratio Essay The Golden Ratio is a fascinating number which can be found almost everywhere –from nature to architecture to art. To 18 decimal places, it has a value of 1. 618033988749894848 but is usually shortened to 1. 618 much like ? is usually rounded off to 3. 1416 (Powis, n. d. ). Signified by the letter Phi (? ), the Golden Ratio can be simply defined as â€Å"to square it, you just add 1† (Knott, 2007). Written in mathematical equation, this definition becomes ? 2 = ? + 1. When the resulting quadratic equation ? 2- ? 1=0 is solved, there are two solutions: 1. 6180339887†¦ and -0. 6180339887†¦. Notice that the two solutions have identical decimal parts. The positive number is the one considered to be the Golden Ratio. Another definition for ? is â€Å"the number which when you take away one becomes the value of its reciprocal† (Powis, n. d. ). Notice that the value of the reciprocal of 1. 618 (1/1. 618) is 0. 618 which is just one less than the Golden Ratio. The Origins of the Golden Ratio Euclid of Alexandria (ca. 300 BC) in the Elements, defines a proportion derived from the division of a line into segments (Livio, 2002). His definition is as follows: A straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the lesser. In order to be more understandable, let’s take Figure 1 as an example. In the diagram, point C divides the line in such a way that the ratio of AC to CB is equal to the ratio of AB to AC (Livio, 2002). When this happens, the ratio can be calculated as 1. 618. This is the one of the first ever documented definitions of the Golden Ratio although Euclid did not call it such at that time. A C B Figure 1. Point C divides line segment AB according to the Golden Ratio The Golden Ratio 3 The Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture Throughout history, the Golden Ratio, when used in architecture, has been found to be the most pleasing to the eye (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). Rectangles whose ratio of its length and width equal the Golden Ratio are called golden rectangles. The exterior dimensions of the Parthenon in Athens, sculpted by Phidias, form a perfect golden rectangle. Phidias also used the Golden Ratio extensively in his other works of sculpture. The Egyptians, who lived before Phidias, were believed to have used the ? in the design and construction of the Pyramids (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). This belief however has both supporters and critics. Theories that support or reject the idea of the Golden Ratio being used in the construction of the Pyramids do exist it is up to the reader to decide which ones are more reasonable (Knott, 2007). Many books also claim that the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci used the Golden Ratio in painting the Mona Lisa (Livio, 2002). These books state that if you draw a rectangle around the face of Mona Lisa, the ratio of the height to the width of the rectangle is equal to the Golden Ratio. There has been no documented evidence that points to da Vinci’s conscious use of the Golden Ratio but what cannot be denied is that Leonardo is a close personal friend of Luca Paciolo, who wrote extensively about the Golden Ratio. Unlike da Vinci, the surrealist painter Salvador Dali deliberately used the Golden Ratio in his painting Sacrament of the Last Supper. The ratio of the dimensions of his painting is equal to ? (Livio, 2002). The Golden Ratio in Nature The Golden Ratio can also be found in nature. One of the most common examples is snail shells. If you draw a rectangle with proportions according to the Golden Ratio then consequently draw smaller golden rectangles within it, and then join the diagonal corners The Golden Ratio 4 with an arc, the result is a perfect snail shell (Singh, 2002). There have also been ongoing debates and conflicting research results regarding the relationship of beauty and  in humans. Some argue that human faces whose dimensions follow the Golden Ratio are more physically attractive than those who don’t (Livio, 2002). With conflicting results aside, the existence of the Golden Ratio just shows that beauty (whether in art, architecture or in nature) can be linked to mathematics. The Golden Ratio 5 References Blacker, S. , Polanski, J. and Schwach, M. (n. d. ). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. geom. uiuc. edu/~demo5337/s97b/. Knott, R. (2007). The golden section ratio: Phi. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. mcs. surrey. ac. uk/Personal/R. Knott/Fibonacci/phi. html. Livio, M. (2002). The golden ratio and aesthetics. Plus Magazine. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://plus. maths. org/issue22/features/golden/index. html. Powis, A. (n. d). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://people. bath. ac. uk/ajp24/goldenratio. html. Singh, S. (2002 March). The golden ratio. BBC Radio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/radio4/science/5numbers3. shtml.

Art To Bring Us Closer To The Truth Philosophy Essay

Art To Bring Us Closer To The Truth Philosophy Essay Art is a lie which brings us closer to the truth- Pablo Picasso Ever since I can remember I have always loved art in one way or another. I remember, on numerous occasions, sitting my father down at the kitchen table and begging him to draw me a family of horses, this consisted of mum and dad and babies running along behind trying to catch up. For a long time I practically worshipped these pictures and let the horses run free in my imagination making them go on big adventures with one another. As I got older the pictures stayed with me, but I grew out of the way they looked. They no longer burst out of the page and came to life; they just did not look like real horses anymore. Life had disappeared from them. I suppose I fell into the trap in which many people fall into. This trap could be called ignorance. Many people believe that skill is the most important feature in a piece of art. They think that paintings or drawings that look-real must be the best because they have required the most attention from the artist. Some people say that these pieces are the true meaning of art. Of course this is something to admire about a piece of work, but does this mean that paintings or drawings with fewer detail are less good? Who is to say that these detailed pictures are the truth? Who is to say what the truth is? In order to put this theory into practice I have taken two pieces of art work. Albrecht Durers Crab made in 1495 and Rembrandt van Rijns Two Studies of a Bird of Paradise. It is obvious how much detail and time Durers watercolour of the Crab has taken but who was to say that the birds are less good and required less skill? Rembrandts Birds do an incredible job of portraying the texture and character of the Birds with merely a few simple lines. He grasps their curiousness and profound features of their faces along with the softness and majestic element of their bodies. The piece may not look as realistic but it portrays the birds characteristics much better, something which could be seen as portraying the true nature of the birds as opposed to a real life drawing. Another example of this are the Disney characters. Mickey Mouse looks nothing like a real mouse but the artist, Walt Disney, knew it would be better to distort or change the way the real thing looked. This could have been to make him seem more like a mouse because of his added characteristics and more pleasurable to watch for a younger audience. By making him less mousy he has made him even more mouse-like. Even though Mickeys appearance is unlike a real mouse at all, a distortion of the truth, you do not see people complaining about it. This is because when watching a film or studying this particular art, people are not worried about art as a work or piece, only a source of entertainment or pleasure. This could also be because Walt Disney is a respected and admired man who is seen as a classical artist whose work has been carried on for generations. Yet, if a modern artist were to draw something in his own personal way, just like Walt Disney once did, he would most likely be frowned upon and thought untalented. This leads us onto another piece. Pablo Picassos work of a hen and her chicks is an interpretation of a mothers caring nature towards her children. They way her body is bent towards them and her soft gaze shows that she is focused entirely on her chicks and their wellbeing. It really is a work that many people would find hard to criticise. However, when Picasso created his piece Cockerel he was not satisfied with giving a life-like aspect to the picture as he had done with the hen and her chicks piece. Instead, he wanted to grasp the birds belligerent and foolish nature. Picasso has taken a cockerel and changed it into something even more chickeny than the real thing. All of the cockerels characteristics are portrayed in the piece so that the onlooker can almost see, touch, hear and feel what the bird would be like in real life. This is where the statement Art is a lie which brings us closer to truth comes into account. The piece Cockerel is a lie because of its distortion of nature, it looks nothing like what a real cockerel looks like. However, it brings us closer to truth, closer to what a real cockerel behaves and acts like by its exaggerated features and comedic charms. In this work we can almost hear exactly what the bird would sound like, when interpreting the piece; one would suggest his voice would be loud, frantic and desperate. This is due to his bulging eyes, elongated neck, his mouth opened to a massive size and his small sharp tongue sticking out. The birds franticness and clumsiness is suggested from his outstretched wings and bowlegge d feet. His toes suggest a thought of scratching around and quick movement showing that he is all over the place. From Picasso portraying the cockerel to be like this, we can see the cockerel to be more like a real cockerel than if Picasso just drew one from life. We humans have a habit suggesting that nature must always look like what is considered, by us, to be normal in paintings. It must always look like what we are used to in our everyday life; we are almost forced from a very young age only to accept plain and predictable shapes and colours as the correct ones. An example of this is how we draw when we are younger. We are led to believe that a tree has one large straight trunk and a round bushy ball of leaves stuck on the top. We all know that no real tree looks like this, but if it were drawn any different, it would be thought unusual. Another example is how children perceive stars. Stars are not star-shaped at all as believed but every child will draw a star like this. This is also when art is a lie which brings us closer to the truth comes into account as well. Even though a star is not shaped like this, it still gives a clear outline that the small star gives off light; the stars hands acting like rays of light being given off. Altho ugh this exaggeration is not necessarily a bad thing, it would be better if everyone disconnected themselves from this trap and we look at things afresh, without interference. In fact, many artists are able to disconnect themselves from this and look at the world and the natural surroundings as if they have never seen them before. This means that they would be seeing everything for the first time. Who is to say that the sky is blue and clouds are white? In fact, we would probably find things in the most astonishing colours and forms. If every person was to think like this and every artist was not persuaded or affected by society, art would never be considered a lie. For me, a lie can be different for each individual person, we as humans have created lies. A lie is seen as something which is not the truth, not normal. Therefore, a piece of art which does not portray the normality of the world is therefore considered a lie. Yet, if there was no such thing as normality, there would never be such thing as a lie. Then we come back to the question; who is to say what the truth is, and what a lie is? I suppose the answer to this question is everyone. We all have different opinions on what is the truth and what is not, but if we all look at things outside of the box and with open eyes, surely we will be able to accept completely different things to what we are used to, to be normal. To conclude, I believe that skill is not the most important aspect in a painting or drawing. If an artist portrays what he or she wants to portray, it cannot be considered a lie. Furthermore, a lie is something which changes according to each individual. Some may believe something to be the truth, while others may believe it is not. No one really knows for sure what is the correct way of drawing or painting a certain object or form. And if they insist that they do and state that people draw it wrongly because it is not like that in normality, it just means that they have been persuaded by society and the people around them, as well as the banality of our own sense perception. An example of this is how children draw hearts in heart-shaped form. Hearts are not really shaped like this at all, but it is how everyone knows a heart to be drawn and is not considered a lie, yet it brings us closer to the truth by showing us that a heart has two sides; a left and a right side. This leads to b iological explanation of what each side does, the right side pumps blood to the lungs to be oxygenised and the left side pumps the oxygenated blood all around the body. The fact that the heart shape shows a left and right side would not be evident if it was just drawn as an oval-like shape. This is how art can bring us closer to the truth even if it is a lie. TOK ESSAY Art is a lie which brings us nearer to the truth (Pablo Picasso). Evaluate this claim in relation to a specific art form (for example visual arts, literature, theatre). Alice Elphinstone Centre number: 002351 Candidate Number: 026 Word Count: 1668

Male Sub-fertility: Causes, Effects and Treatments

Male Sub-fertility: Causes, Effects and Treatments M. M. A. Priyantha Introduction Subfertility is a common problem affecting nearly 10 -15 % of couples attempting to conceive a baby even though theyve had frequent sexual intercourse for a year or longer. In up to one third of people having problems in getting pregnant, the issues are related to male reproductive system.[1][3] Definition Male sub fertility is any condition in which the man negatively affects the ability of initiating a pregnancy with his partner. Most commonly, those issues arise when the male is unable to deliver or produce fully-functioning sperm.[2] Prevalence of Male Subfertility Prevalence of subfertility among male varies depending on the definition. Some reports show that worldwide between 3% 7% of all couples / males alone have an unresolved problem of subfertility. [14] Some other couples, has involuntary childlessness in a range of 12% to 28% at least one year: [14] Sub fertility issues affect one in seven males in the UK.[15]nearly half of fertility issues occurred with the male in UK.[13] Male subfertility counts to 25% of infertile peoples In Britain. [14] Nearly 10% of peoples expecting children are sub fertile in in Sweden. Of these peoples one third of the man has the problem. [8] The Causes of Male Subfertility Male Subfertility is driven by many causes, such as hormonal imbalances, physiological problems structural defects and other abnormalities in the reproductive system, and psychological and/or behavioral problems and illness or even trauma. [13] The most common problems of male sub fertilityrelate with the production and development of sperm. Sperm may be abnormally shaped, not develop normally or not making movements properly. Or, even though having normal sperm in structural of functional, it may be produced in abnormally low count which is called as oligospermia.[1] When delivering the sperm, an Obstruction may lead to sub fertility by blocking sperm from its normal passage. It can be caused by a various factors, like prior surgery (includingvasectomy),[1] inflammation or development problems and repeated infections. Any part of the male reproductive pathway can be obstructed, avoiding normal transport of sperm from the testicles to the urethra. Hormonal Problems A small percentage of male subs fertile are caused by hormonal issues.Hormones produced by thepituitary glandare responsible for stimulating the testicles to make sperm. So, when these hormone levels are severely low, low sperm production and development can be result. The gonadotrophic-releasing hormone (GnRH)[3] stimulatesthe hormonal pathway which stimulates testosterone synthesis and so on the sperm production. An inadequaterelease of GnRH results in low levels of testosterone production and a failure in sperm production. The pituitary can fail to produce adequate Lutenizing hormone (LH)[3] and follicle stimulating hormonewhich is called as FSH, which help to stimulate the testes and from that, the testosterone/sperm production.In testosterone and sperm production, these hormones, LH and FSH are very important in the hormonal pathway. Also the sex-hormone balance of a male can be interrupted by some other hormones and some chemical compounds which are produce by himself[13] Physical Problems Many physical problems can cause male sub fertility. These issues will direct affect on sperm production of male body or interruption in the pathway which sperm travel from the testes to the penis and then the female body. These issues are normally identified by a low sperm count and sometimes using the abnormal sperm shape. Varicoceles Varicoceles are the most common correctable cause of male Subfertility:The dilated scrotal veins are present in 16% of all male but are most seen in sub fertile male 40 percent. They interfere with sperm development by fail to give a proper blood supply to testis. Varicocoeles can be result in low sperm count and abnormal sperm morphology which cause sub fertility. Varicoceles are easily identified by physical examination because the veins feel especially like a bag of worms. They can also be able to be enlarged and twisted enough to be seen in thescrotum.[8][9] Damaged Sperm Ducts: 7% of sub fertile male cannot deliver sperm from their testicles to out using their penis. This pathway can be blocked by a various conditions: A genetic or developmental abnormalities can be result in obstruction or cause not having of one or both tubes which needed importantly to transport the sperm from the testicles to the penis to pass the female. Scarring from tuberculosis or some STDs can block the epididymis or tubes. An elective or accidental vasectomy may interfere with tube continuity.[3][8] Retrograde ejaculation Retrograde ejaculation is another physiological phenomenon which can be result in male subfertility. When semen pushes backwards into the bladderthan out thepenis, retrograde ejaculation occurs. This is caused by nerve failure and muscles in the bladder neckto close during orgasm. It can be occur as result from some diseases acting on the nervous system, though out a previous surgery or medications. Cloudy urine after ejaculation mainly helps in identifies this condition. In some cases, diminished or dry ejaculation with orgasm may also help to identify this condition.[3][8] Torsion it is a common issue affecting sub fertility that can be caused by a supportive tissue abnormality which can be result in the testes to twist inside the scrotum which is identified by extreme swelling. Torsion pinches the blood vessels that supply the testes shut which causes testicular damage. When both testes twist, it can be a severe condition which can then results in permanent subfertility if emergency surgery is not to be done to untwist the testes.[3] Infection and Disease: Typhoid, influenza, tuberculosis, brucellosis, gonorrhea, Mumps, syphilis and smallpox can lead to testicular atrophy. A low level of sperm count and low sperm motility are characteristic of this condition. Also, high FSH levels and other hormonal issues are indication of testicular damage. Some STDs like gonorrhea can cause sub fertility by blocking the epididimis or tubes. These situations are usually treated with hormonal replacement therapy and surgery.[13] Genetically Problems Genetics issues have a major contribution to sub fertility. Abnormalities inchromosomalnumbers in the cells and structural issues such as deletions of the relevantY chromosomepresent in normal males can be also interfering with fertility. E.g. Klinefelter’s Syndrome: Is a genetic condition in which is created by additional X chromosome. Physiological symptoms may include peanut-sized testicles which are small than normal size and having enlarged breasts. Most of these males who have genetic issues will suffer with subfertility. Behavior Problems. Some bad behavior pattern also can lead to male sub fertility. # Smoking-significantly decreases the sperm count, volume, quality and sperm cell motility. [13] # Prolonged usage of drugs like marijuana and other recreational drugs. # Chronic alcohol abuse. # Anabolic steroid use- causes testicular shrinkage and then the sub fertility. # Inadequate vitamin C and Zinc in the diet. # Tight underwear-A common reason which increases scrotal temperature and results in decreased sperm production. # Exposure to environmental facts and toxins such as mercury,benzene, boron ,pesticides, lead and heavy metals, paint, radiation, radioactivesubstances. # In some cases excessive stress can also be result in male sub fertility. #Strenuous riding[4] Improving or simply change some pattern of these behaviors can help in sub fertility. Medication Some medications which are sing to treat conditions like arthritis, digestive problems, infections,and even cancer can affect sperm production. Also medication for hypertensionand depression can also be affect on male sub fertility.[13] Diagnosing male Sub fertility Diagnoses can be done using a complete history and physical examination and is usually followed by blood andsemenanalysis. From a sample of semen obtained through masturbation, it can check the factors like concentration, movement, volume, count, and structure of spermatozoa. The low values in any of the above factor can also indicate a problem with the development of male reproductive system or delivery of sperm which require some further testing. In atransrectal ultrasound, which mean an imaging test that places a probe into therectum safely to beam high-frequency sound waves to nearbyejaculatory ducts. This test can check whether these structures of male reproductive system are either abnormally developed or obstructed withcysts,calcificationsor other obstructions. Atesticular biopsyis useful to be done when a semen analysis results gives very low count of sperm or either no sperm. This test is done under general or regionalanesthesia through a small cut in the scrotum or using a needle which is inserted through the skin over the testicle for microscopic evaluation. The biopsy is important to be done in two ways. First, it is to determine the cause of sub fertility, and, if necessary, to get sperm sample for use in assisted reproduction. A hormonal profile is also an important evaluation to test sperm-producing ability. The pituitary hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which is responsible in stimulating testicles in sperm production. High levels of follicle-stimulating hormone may indicate that the pituitary is over producing the hormones to stimulate the testicles which they are not responding.[13] Treating Male Subfertility The treatment using for male subfertility bases on specific issue. Unfortunately, no treatment will be available for some cases. But more often, there is a mix of medications, Simple lifestyle changes, assisted reproductive techniques (ART), also the surgical approaches are available as treatments for the male subfertility. Some treatment ways are – Minor outpatient surgery (varicocelectomy) is used more frequently to rearrange dilated scrotal veins (varicoceles), which may help in develop sperm concentration, sperm movement, and its structure. An obstruction causing sub fertility can also be surgically corrected for some extend. [1][3] Intrauterine insemination (IUI) means placing the sperm directly into theuterusvia acatheter close to thefallopian tubes where fertilization occurs. IUI can be a successful solution in avoid the sperm movement problems and sperm count problems like immunologic subfertility or retrograde ejaculation, and some other causes. Taking place the fertilization in a laboratory Petri dish, which means outside the body, is called as vitro fertilization (IVF). There, the male sperms are joined with egg of a female partner .When using IVF, the ovaries should be overly stimulated. Fertility drugs are normally used for that which is facilitating the retrieval of multiple mature eggs. Soon after 2 to 3 days of incubation, this fertilized egg (embryo) is inserted in the uterus of female partner which result the normal pregnancy.[8] When a male with sub fertility and the semen quality is poor or low in volume, a different treatment method is used which is called as Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The method is to inject a good quality single sperm directly in to an egg of female partner. Once it is fertilized, it can place inside in female uterus.[1] Treating Hormonal Problems Medication:pituitary hormone deficiency can be corrected with using the drugs such as clomiphene or gonadotropin If Lutenizing hormone (LH) or follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are abnormally low but both the pituitary gland and hypothalamus gland are functional properly, using the drugs likeclomiphene citrate (Serophene, Clomid) which helps to stimulate the hypothalamus and helps to release GnRH withregular intervals. When the pituitary is not functioning properly and not produce the necessary sex hormones, hormonereplacement therapy can be used which is usually works in about 4 months. Injecting of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) helps to the increase LH levels and it helps in production of testosterone and sperm by stimulating the testes. In case of unresponsive to hCG , a combination of LH and FSH which is called as the Pergonal drug is used to stimulate spermproduction. The drug Parlodel (bromocriptine) can correct hyperprolactinemia.[3] Cortisone replacement therapy is used to stimulate the pituitary. Testosterone replacement therapy is highly effective for males with low testosterone levels. Treating Physical Problems: Varicocele[8][9] Varicoceles are most often treated by microsurgery. Surgical treatments improve the semen in 70% of male and results in pregnancy in 60% of couples. Surgery relates the interruption of the damaged testicular veins. Blocked Ducts: The sperm travelling pathway which is, from the testicle to the penis, can become interfere or blocked by several factors. In situations like voluntary or accidental vasectomy, the testicle and vas deferens should reconnect by using a vasectomy reversal.In situations like congenital absence of the vas deferens, a male’s sperm can be retrieved using three methods. Micro Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA)- Which is getting a sperm sample proximal to the tubal obstruction using fine surgical techniques. [8] Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA)- which is using a small needle to aspirate spermfrom a location proximal to the tubal obstruction. Testicular Sperm Biopsy (TESE)-Which is using a small biopsy of testicular tissue. [13] Treating Psychological/Physical Problems [1][13] Pharmacological treatment: More commonly related to use of medications which helps to restore erections. Severaldrugs are currently used to treat. Sildenafil (Viagra) is normally taken orally to increase penile bloodflow which is highly effective. Caverject is a drug which is effective highly to cause anerection in penis after injected directly to it. Mechanical Treatment is also effective butmore cumbersome Treatment which uses a vacuum erection device and a constriction ring. The penis get into an erection by the vacuum from the. The constriction ring helps to maintain the erection by blocking blood fromexiting the spongy bodies of the penis. Surgical Treatment can be used in restore erectile capacity of penis. In these treatments, repairing or correcting the vascular damage/blockage or use of implants is used to restore erectile capacity.Arterial and venous reconstructive surgery helps moderatelyeffective and can obtain to restore a male’s erection ability of the penis. As treatments for premature ejaculation squeeze technique can be used effectively.When using squeeze technique, male is stimulated continually until they reach orgasm and after that, his partner squeezes his frenulum. With using this technique, longer sexual intercourse becomes possible. Another treatment option for premature ejaculation is to collect the ejaculate which is used for fertilizing an egg of female partner by using artificial insemination. As treatments for ejaculatory incompetence behavioral therapy can be used for some extend.When using behavioral therapy, ejaculation of a male can be stimulated by using both manual stimulation from insertion of penis into the vagina of his partner and masturbation together. If this method is failing to success, an ejaculate which takes through masturbation can be used in artificial insemination with a female egg and overcome the sub fertility of male. References Mens Health Male Factor Infertility. University of Utah Health Sciences Center. 2003-04-01. Brugh VM, Lipshultz LI (2004). Male factor infertility. Hirsh A (2003). Male subfertility. The Vicious Cycling: Bicycling Related Urogenital Disorders. Leibovitch I, Mor Y (2005). Agarwal A, Prabakaran SA, Said TM (2005). Prevention of Oxidative Stress Injury to Sperm. Journal of Andrology 26 Robbins WA, Elashoff DA(2005). Effect of lifestyle exposures on sperm aneuploidy. Cytogenetic and Genome Research Ji G, Long Y, Zhou Y, Huang C, Gu A, Wang X (2012). Common variants in mismatch repair genes associated with increased risk of sperm DNA damage and male infertility. Infertility in men. Retrieved 2007-11-21. Costabile RA, Spevak M (2001). Characterization of patients presenting with male factor infertility in an equal access, no cost medical system. Masarani M, Wazait H, Dinneen M (2006). Mumps orchitis. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Hwang K, Walters RC, Lipshultz LI (February 2011). Contemporary concepts in the evaluation and management of male infertility.Nature Reviews Urology Mens Health Male Factor Infertility. University of Utah Health Sciences Center. 2003-04-01. Web site http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=male+infertility Himmel, W.; Ittner, E; Kochen, MM; Michelmann, HW; Hinney, B; Reuter, M; Kallerhoff, M; Ringert, RH (1997). Voluntary Childlessness and being Childfree NICE fertility guidance. Acknowledgment I would like to offer an especial thank for Dr. K.D. Mahinda (Department of Physiology) for spending his valuable time and for giving his precious advice to make my effort more effective. And I also thank every other person who helped me in this effort.

Ghost Children of San Antonio Essay -- Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Ghost Children of San Antonio The legend of the Ghost Children of San Antonio dates back to the first half of the 20th century, with the majority of accounts placing its origins within a period extending from the 1930’s to the 1950’s. The story is based on a supposed freak accident involving a school bus full of children. As the story goes, the school bus stalled over a set of train tracks and was subsequently hit by an oncoming freight train, killing everyone on board the bus. (Weiser) Not soon after this grisly event, it was said that, should anyone park their car on the very same train tracks and place the gears in neutral, the car will roll uphill (seemingly defying gravity) off of the train tracks to a safe distance away. According to legend, the ghosts of the dead children from the bus accident push one’s car to safety (seemingly uphill) so they may avoid a similar fate. (Mikkelson) This story was recounted to me by a 20 year old female student at my University. She is a Communications major, coming from an upper middle class family in the rural suburbs of New Jersey. I interviewed her in her apartment sometime in the late afternoon in an informal setting. Although she is skeptical about things such as urban legends and ghost tales, she explained to me that this story always unsettled her in an inexplicable way. Yeah, there’s one [story] that’s pretty scary that comes to mind. My one friend [name omitted] – I think you met her once – well she moved to Jersey from Texas about 3 years ago and told me about this place kids would go when they were drunk or just looking for something to do. I asked her if she’d ever been there, but she told me she’d only heard it from a friend of a friend kind of deal. Well, an... ... that the story is representative of how all ghosts behave. Society prefers to consider ghosts as â€Å"protectors† or â€Å"helpers† rather than as â€Å"frighteners† or â€Å"killers.† Works Cited Juliano, Dave. "Haunted Places in Maryland." The Shadowlands Ghosts and Hauntings. 09 Apr. 2006. http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/. Lane, Stephanie. "Cry Baby Bridges." Dead Ohio. 09 Apr. 2006 www.deadohio.com. Mikkelson, Barbara. "Helping Hands." Snopes. 24 Mar 2003. Urban Legends Reference Pages. 09 Apr. 2006. www.snopes.com. Sceurman, Mark. Weird U.S. Weird NJ, Inc. 09 Apr. 2006. www.weirdus.com. Wagner, Stephen. "The Haunted Railroad Crossing." About Paranormal. About, Inc. 09 Apr. 2006. http://paranormal.about.com. Weiser, Kathy. "Lone Star Legends: Ghostly Children." Legends of America. Oct 2005. Legends of America.com. 09 Apr. 2006. www.legendsofamerica.com.

Euthanasia In The United States :: Free Essay Writer

Euthanasia in the United States Every year two million people die in North America. Chronic illness, such as cancer or heart disease, accounts for two of every three deaths. It is estimated that approximately seventy percent of these people die after a decision is made to forgo life-sustaining treatment (Choice in Dying). In America and all around the world, the ongoing debate is whether patients should have the opportunity to implement this critical alternative of euthanasia. Although controversial, it is imperative that United States citizens are not denied this right to a humane death. Groups in opposition to euthanasia say that patients who yearn to make this decision are neither in a healthy psychological state of mind nor have the God-willing right to do so. These groups feel if euthanasia were to become a publicly accepted option to the terminally ill that physicians, family, and even patients may abuse it. They also strongly support modern end-of-life treatment, known as pall iative care, as a more logical and moral option. Perhaps the strongest belief that euthanasia is wrong comes from those who follow the words of the Bible and believe that every aspect of life belongs to God. The Old Testament records an incident involving King Saul of Israel, who became seriously wounded on the battlefield. Fearing the advancing enemy, Saul took his own sword and tried to fall against it. He cried to a soldier, â€Å"Come and put me out of my misery for I am in terrible pain but life lingers on.† The soldier acted in accordance with the wishes of the king and killed him. The soldier then brought some of Saul’s armor to David and said, â€Å"I killed him, for I knew he couldn’t live.† David ordered the soldier put to death (Eareckson, 111). Those who believe in the Bible clearly see here that, whether a monarch or a common person, mercy killing is perceived as iniquitous in the Lord’s eyes. To see a more recent example of the Cathol ic Church’s disagreement of euthanasia we only have to look back a few years. In 1994, for instance, the Dutch television station IKON’s filming of the death of a man with Lou Gehrig’s disease in a documentary, â€Å"Death on Request,† brought a denunciation from the Vatican (Branegan, 30). Equally important to those supporting the anti-euthanasia cause is the thought of any physician, family member or patient who would abuse this right if given the chance.

Balance Based Literacy: Is it the Best Solution?

Literacy has become an important consideration in the field of education. To address literacy problems, educators (Strickland, n. d. ; Frey et al. , 2004) use the Balance Based Literacy Program, which specifically stresses the use of varied approaches to teaching literacy. According to California Department of Education (as cited in Frey et al. , 2004), the term balanced literacy originated in California in 1996. This was made into a curriculum in response to low reading scores of students on a national examination. It promotes the concept that reading and writing must go hand in hand to promote literacy.In contrast to using a specific approach to teaching literacy such as Phonics Approach or Whole Language Approach, Balance Based Literacy combines these approaches and more in order to ensure meeting the goal of literacy. Believing that every student has the capability to learn how to read and write, Balance Based Literacy allows students to achieve a certain literacy level through a combination of approaches relevant to their ability. The literacy model established with balance allows students to plan their own personal progress, and attempt new techniques in learning, with the support of teachers and resources.Based on Frey et al. (2004), many authors believe that combining a balance of teacher-directed instruction and student-centered activities is the most effective way of teaching literacy. In addition, Asselin, and Pearson (as cited in Frey) believe that Balance Based Literacy must include elements of community, authenticity, integration, optimism, modeling, and student control and connectedness. Activities incorporated in Balance Based Literacy include reading and writing aloud, shared reading and writing, guided reading and writing, and independent reading and writing. According to Mrs.Stewart’s Kindergarten Web site, one model of Balance Based Literacy being employed nowadays is the Literacy Collaborative Model. This comprehensive model is desig ned to provide a school-wide approach to improve reading and writing. This model includes a wide range of individual, small-group, and large-group reading and writing activities (Literacy Collaborative Web site). One component of Balance Based Literacy is Reading and Writing Aloud. In Reading Aloud, students learn the language through acquisition. It supports the idea that language is acquired, thus students are asked to read aloud a text to other students.By doing such, the read language registers in the mind of the students, making them learn the language. However, beyond the purpose of learning, the goals of Reading Aloud are to promote enjoyment and emphasize the uses of print (Mrs. Stewart’s Web site). It exposes the students to the uses of printed materials, and develops discussion skills by motivating them to ask questions during the activity. During Reading aloud, students do not need to view the read text. The focus is not on the content of the text, but what the stu dent reads or explains about the text.The selection for such activities may be fiction or nonfiction, or it can be a narrative, or a picture book Another component of Balance Based Literacy is Shared Reading. During Shared Reading, students reformulate ideas from the context. Either the teacher or a proficient student reader reads to the class, while the rest of the students are invited to join in the reading. One important component of shared reading is an enlarged text which is readable by all children. The text used may contain songs, poems, charts, or lists created by the teacher or developed with the class during shared writing activities.During the reading, the teacher or student reader points to or glides a locator on the reading material to guide the students in reading. This is to draw students’ attention to the print in order to promote familiarity with words in the text. Shared reading activities involve multiple readings of books over several days. During the init ial reading, the teacher emphasizes reading for enjoyment while subsequent readings are done to increase participation, and teach vocabulary, ideas, author’s style, and intonation patterns.Through repeated readings of a particular text, children become familiar with word forms and build up recognition of words and phrases used in the text (Bridge, Winograd, & Haley; Pikulski & Kellner, as cited in Frey et al. , 2004). The third reading component of Balance Based Literacy is Guided Reading. In this kind of activity, students are given more chances to express their ideas and feelings through inquiry. As such, it requires more student participation. In most cases, students are grouped together according to their level, and asked to read a text appropriate to their reading ability.In this case, the teacher needs to carefully identify each student’s level to ensure proper assessment. The fourth reading component is Independent Reading. This activity allows the student to ch oose from a wide variety of texts. It aims to make students become confident, motivated and enthusiastic about their ability to read. Considered as an advanced approach to reading, this activity makes use of skills learned during the Reading Aloud, Shared Reading, and Guided Reading activities. The writing components of Balance Based Literacy also ensure variety in the application of approaches and resources.One component is the Shared Writing activity. In this activity, the teacher and the students together decide to write a text in which the teacher acts as the scribe. The activity requires discussion of what they are writing about, and modeling of the teacher on the board how the text should be written. The students are asked to verbally interact with the teacher before, during, and after the activity to help make connections. The second writing component is the Interactive Writing activity. In this activity, either the teacher and the class, or students in groups collaborate to write a material.The students articulate the words or sounds that they are about to write, and discuss with the teacher or group mates what they are writing about. The third component is the Guided Writing or Writing Workshop. This intends to allow students to spend time daily to write about things that interest them. Students are guided to experiment with a variety of genres. The ultimate goal is for students to develop a style of their own, and apply previous learning. In addition to the writing activity itself, the teacher offers a whole class session, small group lesson, or a conference where students can learn and share their written output.The fourth component is the Independent Writing. This activity allows students to write independently by choosing their own topic and genre. By letting them write freely, students develop the natural habit of writing, thereby making them improve along the process. In this kind of activity, teacher evaluation is set aside in order to promote creativity. The components of Balance Based Literacy are directed toward a common goal: to ensure effective strategy in teaching literacy. They support basic literacy theories introduced in the past such as the constructivist, interactive, and experiential theories.Encompassing these theories, Balance Based Literacy may be viewed as a holistic approach to literacy instruction. Taking from the behaviorist theory of B. F. Skinner, the Constructivism theory believes that all knowledge is constructed through a process of reflective abstraction (Huitt, 2003). In the constructivist classroom, the learner is presented with opportunities to construct new knowledge in addition to prior knowledge and experience. In particular, Reading Aloud and Shared Writing support this theory. As students read and write aloud, they learn new sounds and vocabulary, and benefit from the sharing done by their classmates.Interactive Reading and Writing anchor on the Interactive theory. This theory believes tha t learning is best attained through interaction with others. As discussed above, during Interactive Reading and Writing, students are given the opportunity to listen to other’s ideas. All the components mentioned above support the experiential theory. This theory purports that learning will best occur through individual experience. By asking students to read and write aloud, express ideas in interactive activities, and read and write on their own, teachers promote experiential learning as the very basis of their instruction.Although many educators believe in the effectiveness of Balance Based Literacy Instruction, some authors see disadvantages in its application. For instance, Wren (n. d. ) suggests that the needs of the learners must be the first consideration when designing an appropriate program of instruction. He claims that instruction should be patterned to the needs of the learners and not specific of one approach or a balance of many approaches. Another issue regardi ng application of Balance Based Literacy is the specific focus it gives on reading and writing.This tends to neglect other skills such as speaking and listening, which are also important aspects of literacy. To mitigate problems arising from this neglect, the teacher should incorporate speaking and listening resources as tools for reading and writing instruction. For example, instead of focusing on printed materials, guided writing could use listening resources as motivation activities. Furthermore, technological resources should likewise be used to promote a holistic approach. Conclusion Balance Based Literacy has been considered by many as an ideal program to teach literacy.Given its whole rounded and comprehensive approach to reading and writing, it purports not just base learning but mastery of skills in the target areas. In addition, the activities it introduces provide a way to monitor the progress of students, and allow them to experience learning in various ways. Studies val idating the effectiveness of Balance Based Literacy have found its applicability to young learners. However, not much has been said about its applicability to adult learners who are more in need of a balanced instruction.In this regard, it is highly recommended to conduct research on the applicability of the said program of instruction among adult learners. References Balance overview. (n. d. ) Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://projectcentral. ucf. edu/Past%20Initiatives/BALANCE/index. html Dorothy S. Strickland (n. d. ) Balanced Literacy: Teaching the Skills and thrills of reading. http://teacher. scholastic. com/professional/teachstrat/balanced. htm Frey, Bruce B. , Steve W. Lee, Nona Tollefson &Lisa Pass. (2004). Balanced literacy in an urban school district. Retrieved 17 March 2008, from http://people. ku. edu/~bfrey/balancedliteracy.pdf Kolb, David A. , Richard E. Boyatzis & Charalampos Mainemelis. Experiential learning theory: Previous research and new directions. Retrieve d March 20, 2008, from http://www. learningfromexperience. com/images/uploads/experiential-learning-theory. pdf Literacy collaborative: Our purpose. (n. d. ) Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://www. literacycollaborative. org/about/characteristics/ Martha Manson French, M. (1999). Planning for literacy instruction: Guidelines for planning and instruction for literacy. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://clercdev. gallaudet. edu/cc/Products/Sharing-Ideas/planning/guidelines.html Root, Cathy (n. d. ) Balanced : Reading and writing in the first and second grade classroom an internet-based treasure hunt on balanced literacy. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www. swlauriersb. qc. ca/english/edservices/pedresources/balancedlit/balancedliteracy. htm Thelen, Jeff. (n. d. ). A balanced literacy program for the upper elementary grades. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://curriculum. edenpr. org/~jthelen/languagearts/a_balanced_literacy_program. htm Wren, Sebastian. (n. d. ) What do es a balanced literacy approach mean? Retrieved from http://www. sedl. org/reading/topics/balanced. html

Midterm Exam Business Valuation and Stock Valuation Essay

It is generally more expensive to form a proprietorship than a corporation because, with a proprietorship, extensive legal documents are required. (b) Corporations face fewer regulations than sole proprietorships. (c) One disadvantage of operating a business as a sole proprietorship is that the firm is subject to double taxation, at both the firm level and the owner level. (d) One advantage of forming a corporation is that equity investors are usually exposed to less liability than in a regular partnership. If a regular partnership goes bankrupt, each partner is exposed to liabilities only up to the amount of his or her investment in the business. (2) (TCO G) A security analyst obtained the following information from Prestopino Products’ financial statements: Retained earnings at the end of 2009 were $700,000, but retained earnings at the end of 2010 had declined to $320,000. †¢ The company does not pay dividends. †¢ The company’s depreciation expense is its only non-cash expense; it has no amortization charges. †¢ The company has no non-cash revenues. The company’s net cash flow (NCF) for 2010 was $150,000. On the basis of this information, which of the following statements is CORRECT? (Points : 10) (a) Prestopino had negative net income in 2010. ( b ) Prestopino’s depreciation expense in 2010 was less than $150,000. (c) Prestopino had positive net income in 2010, but its income was less than its 2009 income. (d) Prestopino’s NCF in 2010 must be higher than its NCF in 2009. (e) Prestopino’s cash on the balance sheet at the end of 2010 must be lower than the cash it had on the balance sheet at the end of 2009. Which of the following is most likely to occur? (Points : 10) (a) The required rate of return for an average stock will increase by an amount equal to the increase in the market risk premium. (b) The required rate of return will decline for stocks whose betas are less than 1. 0. (c) The required rate of return on the market, rM, will not change as a result of these changes. (d) The required rate of return for each individual stock in the market will increase by an amount equal to the increase in the market risk premium. (e) The required rate of return on a riskless bond will decline.

Shark Fins

Should we eat sharks’ fins? Shark’s fin soup is a delicacy which is enjoyed by many people around the world, especially the Chinese as they believe that it symbolizes wealth, honour and respect. However, the practice of cutting off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea had caused increasing awareness and ire of animal rights and environment advocates. Statistics have estimated that one hundred million sharks are killed every year, not considering the fact that these numbers are still increasing.In my personal viewpoint, I feel that sharks’ fins should not be consumed due to ethical, environmental and health issues. It is immorally incorrect to cut off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea. By doing so, we are inflicting excruciating pain and suffering to the sharks. Science research has shown that there is actually in fact no great biological divide between humans and animals. Darwin demonstrated how anima ls and humans are clearly linked through evolutionary continuity and recent research has even shown that similar nervous systems as humans and respond to pain like we do.It is highly inhumane and cruel to slaughter sharks in such a way that they have to experience so much agony just for the sake of our desires and craves. There is no reason for the very fact of humanity’s superiority over other animals means we have the reason to exploit other species. It is only reasonable for us to leave sharks alone when they have not caused much harm to us in any way. Since it is incorrect for us to kill sharks, we should deter ourselves from craving for sharks’ fins.Additionally, by killing such a great number of sharks would lead to environmental issues. One of the impacts would be the imminent extinction of the shark species. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 143 shark species which is over 55 percent of the shark species are facing a high risk of extinction either now or in the near future. It has also been discovered that excessive fishing has caused a 90 percent decline in shark populations across the world’s oceans and up to 99 percent along the United States east coast.Another impact would be an imbalance in the ecological system. In the natural world, all elements of an ecosystem are interconnected and depend on each other in one way or another. Sharks, being the top predator, act as caretakers of the environment, picking off the smaller and weaker species, but helping to ensure healthy populations and a balanced ecosystem. Hence, if the shark population is wiped out from the eco system, it will have a devastating impact on other species within the marine environment.Some of these species are valuable sources of food, and economic gains. Therefore, environmental concern is one of the most crucial reasons why we should not consume sharks’ fins. Besides being morally wrong and creating harm to the enviro nment, eating shark fin has been proven to be harmful to our bodies. Some people have claimed health benefits of sharks’ fin soup. However, these claims are unfounded. Instead, in fact, sharks contain a high level of mercury which would cause damage to the human central nervous system and birth defects in infants.The United States Environmental Protection Agency caution consumers that sharks, with their long life spans of fifty plus years, absorb and store significant amounts of mercury in their fins often at high level. Additionally, it is discovered that sharks’ fins are often treated with hydrogen peroxide so as to make their colours more appealing to consumers. Moreover, there have been several cases in which business companies sell fake shark’s fins for the benefit of economic gains. The China Daily in Beijing and Japanese language Hong Kong Post have reported on phony fins sold as pure sharks’ fins sold through Asia and North America.Generally, most of these cases involve bogus fins made from a variety of ingredients before being bleached white with highly corrosive chemicals. The consumption of these bogus fins is definitely harmful to health. Given the adverse effects on human health, sharks’ fins should hence not be eaten. In conclusion, sharks’ fins should not be consumed due to the several negative impacts it will bring to the environment and our health, even to the extent of sacrificing our moral values.

“Travel Broadens the Mind” – or Does It?

I do agree, but I also disagree with this axiom, this self evident truth. What is â€Å"broadening one ;s mind†? What is â€Å"traveling†? â€Å"Travel broadens the mind†, at least according to an axiom that is very well known, as well as used. I am not quite sure that this particular axiom still holds true. At least not for me. But then again, maybe it does. And this, exactly, is my point. First of all, the ever expanding international tourism makes the world smaller.Not in actual size as a planet, of course, but people (and peoples) get ever more closer to ACH other, and have now, more than ever, probably, an amazing ability and opportunity to go and see new places; distant and exciting destinations are suddenly â€Å"available† to them, places people only dreamed about and was â€Å"out of their reach† only a few decades ago. Now, It's all there – cheap, fast, exciting†¦ Nearly everyone Is â€Å"golf abroad† these days. Going a broad can, and does, broaden your mind. I ; m sometimes Just not sure about the travelers awareness, or â€Å"motivation†, If you will, for his or her or their traveling.So, why do we travel? To get away from home. To get that perfect tan we missed because of the rainy Norwegian summer of 2011. To visit a friend. To see the Seven Wonders Of The 10 go snooping canapà ©, expensive stun. 10 see Tanat Tavern Dana AT ours Tanat din ;t come to Norway because they only toured Canada this year.. L could go on and on, and on†¦ There are as many reasons for traveling as there are travelers, I suppose. Or even more. In one way or the other, the traveling around is bound to have at least a minimum of effect on the â€Å"mind-broadening†.Even though, in some cases, you aloud ‘t necessarily be aware of this – you Just (at least) feel some kind of satisfaction from the fact that you really have â€Å"done something for yourself†. Well done! Traveling exposes us to a huge variety of NEW sensations; there are sights to be seen, sounds to be heard, food to taste, and wine, and there are smells and beliefs and cultures and rituals†¦. All of which are, or can be, new to us. It's right there. One click away. If, or rather when, I go too place where I have or haven ;t been before, I always look forward to these things, these new sensations.. SST of all, the food, I must admit, but every single discovery and new experience is heartily welcomed. One of the very best memories I have from traveling around the world, is one from Mexico around ten years ago†¦.. L sat all the way out on the tip of the YuccaГn Peninsula, all by myself, with my left foot in the see-through blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and my right foot in the Caribbean Sea. In that particular situation, I know for a self-established fact, that my mind was broadened. Not intellectually, I'd say, rather more in a spiritual way. It was awesome.This brings me to a poin t where I'd like to stress something quite important, more or less my topic sentences for this essay: What exactly does â€Å"broadening one's mind† mean? .. And what exactly is â€Å"traveling†? I dare say that this could, and probably will be, discussed, forever. Talking with other people's, surfing the internet, reading books, cartoons, texts, watching TV-shows about The Great White Sharks in the Pacific Ocean†¦. This is also part of the whole aspect of traveling, and it also hopefully does, broaden peoples ‘ minds. You can maybe even learn a few new words!So, the mission of your (or my) traveling is an aspect that is quite interesting†¦ Why do we do it? What do we want to achieve? What's out there that's not here? Let's face it. Some, or many of us, are lazy. We sit at home, right in the midst of summer, watching â€Å"Characterize† . We laugh at, not with, the television personalities that at least actually got their bottoms out of their cou ches, to go on vacation. To have fun. And we feel that we are better people than them. I know at least I do. And a few toners. I guess It always apneas on ten traveler s â€Å"mission†, or goal, Tort ten trap.Is It the tan? Is it to learn Hieroglyphs? To walk the mountains around Everest? Or is it something completely different? Is Charter-tourism broadening one's mind? Going â€Å"All Inclusive†, with everything paid for and made out for you beforehand.. You don ‘t actually do anything but follow the orders that you ordered online? It can be. But you could also stay at home, get a housekeeper for a few weeks, go to the tanning studio and maybe save a couple of pennies for the piggy-bank†¦. And rent some movies, and surf the internet and listen to good music.That probably would be cheaper, and as I see it, much more mind- broadening. But then again, if you chose the charter-way, you would have the opportunity to see Grand Canadian ‘s beautiful countrys ide, the mountains, the small towns, the local fishermen.. Outside of Lass palms and all the other tourist-traps. You would ‘t have that opportunity if you stayed home, obviously. Conclusion: â€Å"Travel broadens the mind†. Yes it does, and no, it doses ;t. But then again, it does. And so it goes. It all depends on the â€Å"Whoso†, the â€Å"What's†, the â€Å"Whereas† – the definition f â€Å"broadening one's mind† and â€Å"traveling†.Also, it depends on the purpose of the traveling, if there is one. But, I presume that one can say that there always is. And, of course, the WAY you re traveling. Are you actually, physically on Flight 943 to New York, sitting in seat F in row 34? Or are you perhaps reading a book about it? Or are you dreaming about doing so? Maybe you're already in Lass Palms, physically, in the Magnolias desert, rambling around having the time of your life in a dune-buggy†¦. Or, as the flogger â€Å"Kan ata† insightfully states : â€Å"l am reminded of E. M. Forester's A Room with a View.