Illegal Drug Use in Vietnam War Essay

During the Vietnam War, American soldiers and officials used illegal drugs such as marijuana, heroin and opium to release stress from war and to kill the pain of an injury. The uses of narcotics were not strictly monitored and were sold at low prices increasing the amount of usage. The use of illicit drugs may have also resulted in some sexual assaults that led to children with mixed nationalities. Before the Americans came into Vietnam, drug laws were not well determined and people did not use dope as much. However, soon after the Vietnam War started, most soldiers and citizens dramatically started using narcotics, mostly marijuana. Marijuana was available all over the country and this type of drug was a convenient crop to produce although it was an illegal act. Marijuana usage in Vietnam was far more widespread than it was in the United States and was cheap since it does not have to be imported from a foreign country. However, the South Vietnamese Government tried to tighten its policies so that it will be harder to obtain. In about 1970, the North and South Vietnam militaries pressured the soldiers to reduce the use of marijuana. This led to soldiers smuggling narcotics and wanting a refined kind of drug that could not be noticed easily. When heroin was first introduced, people hid it in their cigarettes and consumed by smoking. This highly addictive drug became very popular in Vietnam and was consumed a lot. Statistics and army records show that about 50% of the soldiers and officials had used either heroin or opium during the war.

Guns, Germs and Steel Essay

The book Guns, Germs and Steel is an interesting impression of Jared Diamond to challenge and refresh our outlook towards the effect of politics to cultural and individual development as based from historical and theoretical concept. JD is a physiologist and evolutionary biologist and has made this work on a broader scope during his explorations in New Guinea to study the culture as well as the environment of the people. It started out in a prologue while Jared travels with his friend Yali, a New Guinean and questions the diminutive cargo of the locals against the bulk of cargos of the Eurasians. JD tried to explain to Yali by answering him with historical and theoretical views according to his research. JD said that while the natives own the land and the resources, the foreigners are capable of dominance because they are superior in technology as can be seen with their tools and machinery. But JD explained to Yali that what he sees is not proof of the superiority of the Eurasians over the natives but rather the opposite. JD said that Yali’s people are actually smarter and adaptable to any environment because they live in a world that has requires critical survival. Chapter 1 of the book discusses the origin of man and their discovery of tools and art as depicted from their paintings. JD theorizes that man made a great leap and used his intelligence 50,000 years ago as found on skeletons found in Australia and New Guinea. Accordingly, the Americans were probably colonized during 11,000 BC which correspond to the final stage of the Pleistocene Era and the melting of the ice in the last Ice Age. Chapter 2 details the war between the Maoris against the Morioris in Polynesia as early as 1835 in the Chatham islands and. Polynesia during that period has different set of climates, geography, resources and political and social conditions which lead to less diversification of human populations to be able to adapt in their environment. Chapter 3 details the conquest of European Francisco Pizarro and his men to capture Atahuallpa, the Inca emperor at Cajamarca, Peru in 1532. The superior weapons and their armor which were made of steel and the horses and cavalry pushes the natives out of their place while the Europeans brought along with them diseases such as smallpox and eventually infected and killed another native emperor of different tribe. JD pointed out that people of dominant culture has the foremost advantage over those who are less in technology and political organization as the Incas does not have. On Chapter 4 of the book, JD significantly emphasizes the importance of agriculture to propel the development of a fragile society because with the increase of food production there is a room for population to grow larger and stronger. Enough supply of food can sustain people to be more vigorous and organize themselves without resorting to violence to survive. An organized society can form political government to protect its people against conquest such as JD pointed out. In chapter 5, the author describes the technology of calibrating sites for food production by naming sites and crops suitable to grow in their environment while in chapter 6, 7 and 8 discusses his confidence the possibility of converting native hunters into agriculturist because of degeneration of wild games and animals in their environment. He said that there are already great varieties of plants and animals that can be domesticated and cultured and there is no need to hunt for food for a family to survive. JD gave an example in chapter 9 and 10 the success of the Indians in domesticating animals and prevents the extinction of wild animals in their forest. He said that breeding animals is one of the most accepted principles in domesticating animals that even wild species of animals can be bred in captivity. But this depends on the adaptability of animals with the climatic conditions on certain locality. Lack of animal adaptation means limited domestication and cultivation of animals and plants. The New World on the other hand is located on a tropical zone therefore people have more favorable climatic conditions as compared with the Eurasian countries. However, major infectious diseases or what JD calls â€Å"killers of humanity† mainly comes from animals men domesticates. He said that small pox originates from cowpox, flu from pigs and ducks and tuberculosis from cattle. These are only few of the negative impact on the cultivation of livestock by man that even people in the cities are not safe from certain diseases as they kept animals as pets. Industrialization gave man endemic diseases because he attracts germ carrying pests and we now have yellow fever, hookworm, bubonic plague and many other diseases transmitted by pests. Man also is a carrier of pest and diseases to his fellow human such as the body lice, sexually transmitted disease and other human infections. The following chapters introduced the origins of writings in early period of Mesoamerica and most part of Asia. JD significantly highlights necessity as the mother of invention and the invention of writings lead to the invention of the technology and then to arms for weapons and destruction. He said that the introduction of technology was also the beginning of civilizations to colonize other civilizations, destroying their population and their culture. The author also reviews the societal form of organization on a certain level which starts from the smaller faction or the band. The â€Å"band† is composed of people that are usually related by blood, nomadic in nature and have one ethnicity and language and no more than 5 to 80 people bonded together to be form a small society. The â€Å"tribe†, however has more people with fixed community, one ethnicity and language but being led by a leader in a societal form of government such as tribe in New Guinea and Australia . The â€Å"group† leads to chiefdoms and then to a larger extent which forms the state. The â€Å"state† have more than 50,000 people living in various villages, class and residence-based relationships. They also have more than one language, have centralized bureaucratic government levels and politicians to man the government, the law and the state. States have also their police and militaries to protect its citizenry against injustice. This was discussed on chapter 14. Chapter 15 to 16 depicts the Australian and New Guinean’ climate where Yali belongs. These two countries were formerly united as one large mass of land but separated because of the effect of large body of water 10,000 years ago. The following chapters discuss how China became the China of today which brought by forced unification of the Qin dynasty in 221 BC. Continuous fighting and dominance of Asian ethnicities in old China produces mixed races of different Asian origins but came up to have one traditional language which is the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. Among these languages is the Mandarin. Chapter 17 is explained by JD on how the islands of the Pacific were able to be colonized by the Asians who arrived in New Guinea around 40,000 BC. This Asian group composes the ancestors of Philippine Negritos and formerly called the Austronesian. Their migrations began from China, reached Taiwan and then the Philippines at around 3000 BC. Those who came to Sumatra and Java became the Malayo-Polynesian while those who arrived in Northern New Guinea and Samoa became the Samoans. JD reviews on chapter 18 the factors which led to the European conquering Americas. The Europeans are better in food production, domestication of animals, producing metals and weapons, organization of armies, transportation and communication and solid political organization which the people of early America lacks. The people of the New World such as New Guinea, however are more primitive and backward and lacks capabilities to organize themselves. This was the reason why the Europeans or the Eurasians have been able to establish their colony in their nation without conflict and resistance. And finally chapter 19 discusses how the people of Africa came to be blacks. Accordingly, in the previous era, North Africans were whites who resemble Middle Eastern and Europeans and speak Afro-Asiatic languages. The pygmies or small black African people are mostly confined to Central Africa but were outnumbered by indigenous people. The blacks occupy only most of the Saharan Africa but extended their occupancy to the East coast to Cape town. From there they began to cultivate crops and domesticate animals and expand largely in numbers. The epilogue of this book answers Yali’s question on why whites have been so successful with their trades and always have larger cargos compared with the locals on a shipping trade comes to conclusion. The book answers his question by chapters and details. The effect of geographical formation and the environment clearly emphasizes the commencement of dominance by the Eurasian whites. Dominance factors illustrates the capability of the Eurasian to domesticate plant and animals better than the people of the New World, the speed of their technology which also sped up the rates of migration and their concrete population and size of their continents enable them to migrate and search for more opportunities to other continents. Furthermore, JD wants to search further with his study to come up with more variables that could defend his theory. He believes that he can only do this through natural historical experiments that need to be researched. These involve the history of human societies which are always intricate to understand than the lost dinosaurs of the old world (McGoodwin). Work Cited: McGoodwin, Michael. â€Å"Jared Diamond: Guns, Germs and Steel. † (2000). April 10, 2008 .

A Concept note is designed to allow you to demonstrate an Essay

A Concept note is designed to allow you to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts that are dealt with during the delivery of the module - Essay Example Positivism emerged due to the rejection of the metaphysics concepts for example, god. Sociologists then found it difficult to explain concepts and neither could they prove and test these ideas; therefore, they saw the need of looking for alternative ideas. Moreover, they felt that social science should be as objective and verifiable like other subjects; thus, they came up with positivism as an alternative to metaphysics (Anderson, 2004; p. 142). Therefore, positivism was applied to describe social phenomenon, but did not dig deep into what was unlikely be known or those phenomena that were considered to be beyond the scope of social science. The positivists concluded that research work could be analyzed and concluded only from what is observable. Therefore, according to positivism, what could be seen and measured from the subject matter under study. Notably, positivism can find its application in research marketing in that some phenomena of marketing can only be measured and analyzed through observation (Browne, 2006; p. 400). For instance, observation is sometimes vital in measuring the trend in some market activity from which conclusions can be made on the best marketing practices to be incorporated to increase such marketing activities. On the other hand, Interpretivism emerged because scientists felt that human being were never puppets to respond to stimuli in certain defined or prescribed manner. The defined human beings as purposeful and active: thus, they were expected to react to stimuli in differently depending on their means of interaction and interpretation (Belk, 2006; p. 157). Moreover, they define human beings as objects having power and intent interpret actions; therefore, they were capable to construct actions taking place within their surroundings as opposed to being mere spectators to the events taking place about them (Browne, 2006; p. 400). The interpretivists stressed on the thinking, behaviors, and intentions of human beings

Healing and Spirituality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healing and Spirituality - Essay Example Conversely, some patients may be cured but they may not feel healed, for instance a breast cancer patient may still find herself grieving about her situation despite going into remission. The main aim of healing hospitals is to enhance harmony of a patient’s mind, body and spirit (Marberry, 2006).. With this in mind it is necessary to create an environment that reduces the patient’s anxiety, stress and which can positively impact on the patient’s health and steer him or her towards recovery. The concept of healing the healing hospital is based on three main components namely; the physical environment, the integration of technology and work design and a caring and loving culture. The physical environment refers to the patient’s general surrounding in the cause of the illness. This includes the people around the patient and the nature of the room. A good physical environment is one that makes the patient comfortable and less anxious. ). A noisy and confused environment increases the patient’s anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure which slow down the healing process. A renowned medical scholar, Florence Nightingale, suggested that the best environment that supports healing is on e that is quite and allows the patient access to natural lighting and fresh air. The other component of healing hospital is the integration of technology and work design. This entails medical stuff and physicians employing the most advanced technology to facilitate the patients’ healing process (Marberry S. 2006). The latest technology available can be easily be integrated with the working design of the hospital to enable staff and physicians to identify the best ways possible to make the patient comfortable. The last and most critical element of hospital healing is the hospital’s culture. This entails the organization adopting a philosophy that revolves around a caring and loving culture. It involves how the medical staffs treat and relate with patients and their families or their care takers. A strong compassionate culture facilitates healing through a holistic approach which seeks to address the patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual feeling. Since healing is a holistic approach aimed at creating harmony between one’s mind, body and spirit, spirituality is a very important element in the healing process (Marberry S. 2006). In instances where physicians may have different religious practices and beliefs, they should not let their personal bias affect the way they perceive their patient’s spirituality. Spirituality and healing are closely intertwined. It is very important for health care providers in healing hospital to consider their patient’s spirituality and religious beliefs in order to promote a good healing environment. When patients are allowed to practice their spiritual beliefs, they will feel more comfortable with their treatment and hence move faster toward healing. Questio n 2; Challenges of creating a healing environment Despite it being necessary for health care providers to create a good healing environment, there are various challenges that make this a difficult task. One of the biggest challenges in this aspect is finance. Creating an environment conducive for healing requires huge financial investment which most health organizations lack. Enabling a good

Budget for Apple Vision Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Budget for Apple Vision - Research Paper Example Quantifiable Elements for Evaluating, Monitoring, and Controlling Marketing Plan The effectiveness of marketing plan can be controlled, evaluated, and monitored via various quantifiable elements within the market scenario. Despite the fact that such quantifiable elements differ from one product to another and from one firm to another, there are those that are universally applied in achieving the objective. The following discussion identifies some of the quantifiable elements that can be used in monitoring, evaluating, and controlling the effectiveness of marketing plan. Market Share: There is need for one to study the market share of the compare before the introduction of Apple Vision as well as after the introduction of the product. Market share measures the number of customers that buy and use a particular product. In this case, the number of consumers of Apple Vision will represent the market share of Apple, Inc (Kotler & Keller, 2009). Nonetheless, since Apple Vision is a new product there is a serious need to identify previous market share of Apple, Inc (Kerin, et al., 2009). The figure should be measured against the market share after introduction of Apple Vision. If there is a positive change in the market share as portrayed by the two figures then there is enough evidence to believe that Apple Vision has attracted more customers into the business. Therefore, this is one of the quantifiable elements that can be used in measuring, evaluating, controlling, and monitoring whether the marketing plan is effective. Revenue: Another quantifiable method of measuring, evaluating, monitoring, and controlling the effectiveness of the marketing plan is through revenue. ... Item 2011 2012 2013 Total Revenue 365,000 435,000 432,100 922,100 Profit margin 25% 91,250 108,750 108,025 230,000 Costs Advertising 50,000 50,000 50,000 150,000 Promotion 10,000 10,000 10,000 30,000 PR 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 Personal selling Total 80,000 80,000 80,000 200,000 Quantifiable Elements for Evaluating, Monitoring, and Controlling Marketing Plan The effectiveness of marketing plan can be controlled, evaluated, and monitored via various quantifiable elements within the market scenario. Despite the fact that such quantifiable elements differ from one product to another and from one firm to another, there are those that are universally applied in achieving the objective. The following discussion identifies some of the quantifiable elements that can be used in monitoring, evaluating, and controlling the effectiveness of marketing plan. Market Share: There is need for one to study the market share of the compare before the introduction of Apple Vision as well as after the introduction of the product. Market share measures the number of customers that buy and use a particular product. In this case, the number of consumers of Apple Vision will represent the market share of Apple, Inc (Kotler & Keller, 2009). Nonetheless, since Apple Vision is a new product there is a serious need to identify previous market share of Apple, Inc (Kerin, et al., 2009). The figure should be measured against the market share after introduction of Apple Vision. If there is a positive change in the market share as portrayed by the two figures then there is enough evidence to believe that Apple Vision has attracted more customers into the business. Therefore, this is one of the quantifiable elements that can be used in measuring, evaluating,

Episcopal Social Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Episcopal Social Services - Essay Example From its humble beginnings of providing assistance to needy immigrants in New York, ESS has expanded its activities to take on several social activities, starting with children and going on to adolescents requiring support and then on to adults. At the heart of the social activities lies the theme of improving the capabilities of individuals to become productive members of society and improve the quality of their life. This paper describes Episcopal Social Services and its activities as a social service organization. This paper has been written after visiting Episcopal Social Services, 305, Seventh Avenue, New York and collecting information from Naomi Hopkins, their Communication Manager. ESS was founded in 1831 by members of the Episcopal Church, in an attempt to assist the vast number of immigrants arriving in America to overcome their difficulties. Though it had a religious background ESS from its founding days remained non-sectarian as it reached out any person that was poor, sick, homeless, hungry, or imprisoned to provide the needed service (Episcopal Social Services, 2011). Throughout its 180 years of existence ESS has maintained this mission of attempting to transform and better the lives of the disadvantaged and needy residents of New York City (Episcopal Social Services, 2011). These services cover children, families and children. As early as 1864 ESS reached to provide convalescent homes and summer camps for the infirm and the undernourished; temporary lodging; clothing, food, and emergency funding for the destitute; trade schools for developing skills in the unskilled; and social clubs and free reading rooms to help keep poor people off the rough and dang erous streets of New York (Episcopal Social Services, 2011). Expanding their activities, ESS in 1907, set up an office at Ellis Island for the purpose of providing assistance to newly arrived immigrants, who were quarantined

Informal Analytical Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informal Analytical Report - Essay Example The people way of life will be affected as they may be forced to change in productive ways that use less land. The idea is to make them look out for jobs to cater for their daily needs since farmlands can be reduced. The people living on the proposed site may be forced to vacate the land to newer areas which may be less productive, and this will force the people adopt different ways of survival. Moving vehicles may knock down people as they perform their errands since most of them use footpaths, which may be destroyed forcing them, use the roads. The water catchments may be destroyed, and rivers may be diverted towards far areas forcing them look for water from afar. The main construction will cause noise pollution and air pollution from fumes emitted by the vehicles undertaking the construction. To solve the possible emerging issues and retaliation; the community will be sensitized to effects and possible solutions the company is willing to put in place. The manufacturing company will come up with solutions to each problem they will cause as they create the diversion. Footpaths will be constructed alongside the main roads to prevent people being knocked down by vehicles. However, in case of accidents when people are crossing the roads, the company caters for the expenses incurred for the medical services of the individuals working in the institution and is involved in an accident. Bumps must be placed on strategic crossing sites, and the community must be taught on road safety. On matters of diversion of rivers, the company must provide piped water to each doorstep to reduce movement of people and animals to and from the rivers. This will reduce a number of accidents thus reducing compensation to be made by the company. Though the community will feel the road is an unnecessary evil, they must be shown the positive impacts the roads can inflict to their

Sports and Leisure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sports and Leisure - Essay Example There can be concerns among customers or local people over issues of, crime, violence, disorderliness, and general safety in and around leisure or leisure sports sites. Due to the combined efforts of organizations like, Institute of Sport and Leisure Management, The Fitness Industry Association, Sport England and The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management leisure and sports is considered to be a professional industry with highly trained, educated and conscientious individuals. With increase in the quality of professional standard employment in the sports and leisure industry is considered competitive, prestigious as well as fun oriented. This perception has contributed towards drawing in a lot of young people, and towards integration of sports and leisure as part of higher education. It has also lead to the creation of greater employment opportunity, with greater investment in the public sector by both local governmental and private players. Sports England has implemented various schemes for various project objectives successfully. PRIDE is concerned with establishing professionalism in the leisure industry, providing equal employment opportunity to blacks and ethnic minorities. Community Network Alliance is driven towards supporting new organizations within the "community sports network. Social Issues like equality and integration through sports; issues of racism in sport's scenario; social responsibility of Sports (by employing the youth's productively and reducing the rates of drug abuse, juvenile delinquents etc); unequal representation of gender in sports; leisure as a sort of splurge by a consumption driven society and it's environmental implication are some other contemporary and future issues in sports and leisure that have gained momentum. With growing competitiveness and professionalism as well as popularity there have been concerns over the issues of sports governance. An example of this can be found in the campaingn spear headed by an association of football supporters the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) as well as its sister concern, shareholders United (SU),protesting against the projected takeover of Manchester United by BSkyB satellite television company. With increasing consciousness among the people about health and the benefits of exercise, individuals are displaying a proclivity towards fitness and health clubs. Regular exercise like running, leisure and hobby sports has increased. Fitness Industry Association (FIA) is one among the many group of lobbyist who are campaigning for the incorporation of USA type benefits for people joining health clubs. They base their logic on the fact that healthier people mean less spending by the national Health Services. Leisure includes a gamut of activities including sports, leisure trips and tours. Within the frame work of leisure, the direction of issues is multifarious including the analysis of the social and environmental impact of tourism. While conceding that tourism offers great employment avenues and is revenue generating industry there is increasing concerns about its effect on the eco-system and environment. Hence the move is towards sustainable development and eco-tourism. Many individuals and organization have

Natural monopoly Essay Example for Free

Natural monopoly Essay This report studies what are the various sources of monopoly and real life examples for each source. It analyses how each of these businesses grew into a monopoly and substantiates the analysis with actual facts figures (wherever available). Methodology of study: The subject has been divided into sub-topics based on the source out of which the monopoly arises. The report begins with the introductory analysis of the monopoly functioning. Each source has then been studied with reference to one real life example followed by the conclusion. What defines a Monopoly – Its Characteristics: Profit Maximizer, Price Maker, High Barriers to Entry, Single seller, Price Discrimination: Major sources of monopolies: 1. Ownership of strategic resources: A monopoly is likely to arise if a firm has complete control over a key input or resource used in production. Famous example is diamond trade monopoly firm De Beers. 2. Government regulations: A government-granted monopoly (also called a de jure monopoly) is a form of coercive monopoly by which a government grants exclusive privilege to a private individual or company to be the sole provider of a commodity. Potential competitors are excluded from the market by law, regulation, or other mechanisms of government enforcement. 3. Patents: Patents grant the inventor the exclusive right to produce a product for 20 years (new worldwide patent period established with a 1995 GATT agreement). By granting the right to produce a new product without fear of competition, patents provide incentive for companies or individuals to continue developing innovative new products or services. For example pharmaceutical companies spend large sums on research and development and patents are essential to earning a profit. 4. Natural monopoly: A natural monopoly is a company that experiences increasing returns to scale over the relevant range of output and relatively high fixed costs. A natural monopoly occurs where the average cost of production declines throughout the relevant range of product demand. When this situation occurs, it is always cheaper for one large company to supply the market than multiple smaller companies. An early market entrant that takes advantage of the cost structure and can expand rapidly can exclude smaller companies from entering and can drive or buy out other companies. Monopoly through ownership of key resource: De Beers Diamonds are one of the worlds, and specifically Africa’s, major natural resources. An estimated US$13 billion worth of rough diamonds are produced per year, of which approximately US$8. 5 billion are from Africa (approximately 65%). Global diamond jewellery sales continue to grow, increasing three-fold in the past 25 years, and are currently worth in excess of US$72 billion every year. Chronology over which DeBeers has become one of the world’s most powerful monopolies:1. Ownership of all South African diamond mines: Smaller groups needing common infrastructure form diggers committees and small claim holders wanting more land merge into large claimholders to form larger ones. In no time, it could establish De Beers consolidated mines. 2. Supply and Demand control: The Diamond Trading Company has been formed. The mantra is: Create a scarcity of diamonds and high prices will follow. And while other commodities have seen price fluctuations over the years, diamonds prices have climbed since the Great Depression mostly. Demand has also been consistently good over the years irrespective of economic scenario. [pic] [pic] 3. Business model: De Beers and its Central Selling Organization established exclusive contracts with suppliers and buyers, making it impossible to deal with diamonds outside of De Beers. The structure remained the same for much of the 20th century: A De Beers subsidiary would buy the diamonds. De Beers would determine the amount of diamonds they wanted to sell, and at what price, for the whole year. How the monopoly functions: Sends invitations to 250 chosen clients to attend the 10 annual â€Å"sights â€Å"client receives a small box: uncut diamonds price of the box ($1-$25 million) client can only buy the whole box and he cannot resell it in a rough form. Thus, De Beers decides: How many diamonds of each quality will be distributed in total. How this supply will be divided among the clients and the Price of diamonds. 5. The creation of Debswana: A joint venture between the company and the nation of Botswana meant a significant shareholding claim in De Beers by the African country. 6. Marketing campaigns: Coined world famous marketing campaign, A diamond is forever† 7. Antitrust laws of US and conflict with various governments: During its initial years, it controlled over 90% of world’s diamond production but over time, it has lost its monopoly to various controversies and oppositions from countries with great stockpiles. [pic] Source: CNN Money Report 8. Statistical graphs showing how De Beers fared over years in its sales, production and profitability: [pic] Source: De Beers Group Website [pic] [pic] Source: Rapaport Trade Report [pic]. Above graph indicates how competitors have dampened the monopoly of DeBeers over the years. Like ALROSA, De Beers needs to be assured of a sustainable level of demand for its goods. Monopoly through govt. owned strategic resources: Coal India limited CIL is the worlds largest coal mining company both in terms of proven coal reserves and coal production. It is entirely owned by the union government, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Coal. It is involved in coal mining and production and contributes around 81. 1 per cent of Indias coal production. It produced around 431. 32 million tons of raw coal in fiscal 2011. CIL currently operates eight subsidiaries, of which, seven are involved in coal production while the eighth is Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) which is involved in mine planning and other consultancy services related to mining. The seven coal-producing subsidiaries of CIL: Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) ,Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL),Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL),Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL),Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL),South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL),Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL)[pic] Outlook on demand, supply, and imports of non-coking coal and cooking coal in India over the next five years: CRISIL Research expects the total demand for non-coking coal to grow at 10 per cent CAGR over the next 5 years (2012-13 to 2016-17). Production of non-coking coal is expected to rise only at a CAGR of 7 per cent from 2012-13 to 2016-17. Consequently, imports are set to increase to 196 million tonnes by 2016-17 from 83 million tonnes in 2011-12. Growth in steel production through the blast furnace route and pig iron production are expected to increase coking coal demand, to 68 million tonnes in 2016-17 from 38 million tonnes in 2011-12 rising at 12. 4 per cent CAGR over the next five years. On the other hand, coking coal production is expected to rise to 60 million tonnes in 2016-17 at a CAGR of only 6. 6 per cent. CIL hike domestic coal prices in February 2011 Coal India Limited (CIL) has increased the prices of different grades of coking and non-coking coal with effect from February 28, 2011. For the first time in its history, CIL adopted a differential pricing approach by increasing the prices of coal for industrial end-use sectors such as steel, cement, paper, and aluminum, while effecting only a marginal increase in the prices of coal for deemed essential services such as power utility, fertilisers, and defense sectors. This differential pricing is intended to bring the prices of coal consumed by non-priority sectors in line with the international coal prices. Cement and sponge iron players to be affected. The Economic Survey has said that Coal India Ltds (CIL) â€Å"near monopolistic† position has also led to â€Å"supply bottlenecks†. Calling for infusing competition in the domestic coal sector, due to the CIL’s dominance there have been delays in development of new coal fields and inadequate emphasis on cost reductions at operational levels. [pic] Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said the Government should take steps to end the monopoly of Coal India and allow private players in coal mining. As regards coal, today our imports are 15 per cent. By the end of the 12th plan, imports are going to be 28 per cent, he said, adding currently power plants with 22,000 MW capacities are suffering due to lack of availability of coal. What can be done to reduce monopoly of CIL India 1. The gap between demand for coal and domestic availability is widening at a faster pace. There is perhaps need to introduce competition in this sector India must bring in more private miners to develop coal reserves which majority state-owned Coal India Ltd has left untapped.. It will push up the cost of power generation and the resultant pressure on the regulated tariffs in the power sector. Therefore, both the factors should be considered. 2. Coal pricing is also a major issue. It has to be transparent, flexible and based on global norms. Monopoly through the ‘Patent’ way : In the highly competitive pharmaceuticals sector where development programmes last for years and have budgets ranging into six-figure sums, maintaining a monopoly position for an important drug is key to commercial success. Only by securing a monopoly can a company justify the very significant investment of time and funding into the pre-clinical and clinical development necessary to support the stringent requirements for grant of a marketing authorization. The mechanisms for achieving this include: †¢ Patent protection †¢ Supplementary protection certificate †¢ Data exclusivity †¢ Orphan drug status. The European framework for pharmaceutical regulation and authorization attempts to protect the investment of companies in their innovations by providing periods of so-called data exclusivity. The Food and Drug Administration can also protect the company’s exclusive access to the market, independent of the patents. Such exclusivity prevents FDA approval for a competing drug for up to seven years, depending on the type of drug. In addition to the market exclusivity and patents, drug companies already receive incentives to develop so-called orphan drugs used to treat rare diseases. These incentives include FDA research grants, tax credits for up to 50 percent of the cost of clinical research and a waiver of FDA fees. Fewer drug companies competing in a therapeutic class leads to fewer prescription drugs being developed within that class and allows the companies to use their patents and market exclusivity to further increase prices. Effect on price of the Drug before and after Patent expiry The following graph shows the effect on price of the drug when the patent gets expired and more and more generic manufacturers enter into the marketplace. Initially the price of the drug is very high but as patent gets expired and more manufacturers comes in the price of the drug falls[pic] Effect on revenues earned by company before and after patent expiry: The following graph depicts the effect of the revenues due to patent. Initially the revenues earned are in negative because of huge initial investment that is required for the launch. The next few years the revenues earned increases every year till the year when the patent gets expired and more players enter into the market and the revenue earned by the company goes down. [pic]. The case of Zyprexa : Zyprexa (olanzapine), an antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is an atypical antipsychotic medication by Eli Lilly. The patent of which got expired in October 2011, generated more than 20 percent of the company’s total revenue in the year-ago quarter. With new generics now competing in the market, revenue from the drug slid 44 percent to $749. 6 million from $1. 34 billion [pic] The case of Ambien (Zolpidem by Sanofi aventis): The first drug to compete with Ambien was Sonata (active ingredient Zaleplon) introduced to market in 1999, but did little to compete with Ambien. In fact, it did not even make the list of top 200 selling drugs from 2003-2007. By that time Ambien had already captured most of the United States insomnia market. Ambien and Sonata held the market until 2005 when Lunesta (active ingredient eszopiclone) was approved. Lunesta’s popularity steadily grew and sales remain around $900 million. All three drugs are structurally similar, and act on the same class of receptors. The sales of Ambien continued to stay strong until its patent expired in 2007. Shortly after, 13 generic drugs manufactures got approval to manufacture Zolpidem and the sales of Ambien fell from about 2 billion to less than 1 billion. [pic] Total yearly sales of Ambien and Lunesta. A case of Natural Monopoly: Indian Railways At the centre, there is a Union Minister of Railways, under whom there are two Minister of State for Railways. At the national level, the Railway Board is responsible for formulation of policies and effective operation of railways. Operating ratio was 91. 1 percent in 2010-11, improved to 95. 0 percent in 2011-12. How it became a monopoly: IR is a classic example of a public monopoly. Historically, this monopoly was a necessity since construction of railway infrastructure required large resources, investment involved long gestation periods and returns were uncertain. Capital Intensive venture, which can be understood from the fact that Indian railways has a separate budget each year 1. Economies of scale, as Indian railways operate all over India and thus have sufficient operating domain to achieve economies of scale which a new entrant cannot easily replicate 2. Government rules and regulations Factors that enabled railways to engage in price discrimination using up part of consumer surplus: 1. The products or services of Indian railways are not resalable and thereby restricts its discount customers to become resellers and benefit from arbitrage. 2. It has monopoly and hence is able to dictate the pricing terms and conditions to a greater extent, in spite of being owned and regulated by Indian government. Degrees of price discrimination, the tools that express monopolist’s power and capacity of price making: Second degree price discrimination: Usually monopolist sets the block prices, under which prices are highest for first block of quantity bought and it is reduced for each successive purchase. Indian railways charge for every kilometer which is reduced as one travels longer and longer. Thus a train ticket for the Rajdhani’s 1st AC between Bangalore to Delhi (Rs 4555) is lesser than the cost of two 1st AC tickets one from Bangalore to Nagpur (Rs 3245) and Nagpur to Delhi (Rs 2845). The cost differences are negligible if any for providing the same seat on the same train on same day. The price differences are much more than what can be explained by cost, hence this is a case of second degree price discrimination. | |Bangalore to Delhi |Bangalore to Nagpur |Nagpur to Delhi | |Rajdhani 1st AC fares |4555 |3245 |2845 |. * Source: www. irctc. co. in Third degree price discrimination: Here, price usually varies by attributes such as location of purchase, customer segment etc. Indian railways heavily employs third degree of price discrimination as below: |Train |Child (5-12 years) |Citizen (12 60 years) |Senior Citizen (M, F) | |Sampark Kranti |1873 |3560 |2548, 1873 | |Rajdhani |2330 |4555 |3220, 2330 | |Karnataka Express |1806 |3427 |2455, 1806 | |Discount Code |Description |Discount Percent | |SPORTN |Sports National Level |50% | |STDNT |Student Concession |50% | |TEACHR |Teacher |25% | |TLSMIU |Thalassemia Patient |50%. | |KIDNEU |Kidney Patients |50% | |YTH2SR |Unemployed Youth for Interview |100% | * Source: www. irctc. co. in Statistical data showing the indispensable monopoly of Indian railways: [pic] [pic][pic] Conclusion: Whilst we want to be in a perfect competition, sometimes it isn’t possible due to multiple constraints. Sometimes, it is also useful especially when it comes to cost efficiency in terms of natural monopolies. And then there are cases of strangle holding system to exert monopoly like De Beers. All these play different roles under different situations. Going by the examples we discussed, there may not be complete monopoly due to inherent monopoly’s inefficiencies and a constant push to improve market equilibrium for the social welfare of the society. References: 1. Unvieling the diamond industry – 2011 report – Bain and Company 2. www. diamondcouncil. org 3. http://www. businessinsider. com/history-of-de-beers-2011-12? op=1#ixzz25KFAEdXk 4. Crisil Research Report – Coal India Limited 5. Railway Budget Highlights 2011-2012, Govt. of India report. 6. www. irctc. co. in 7. Indian Pharmacy Society Report 8. Sanofi Aventis Annual Report.

Hobby and Outdoor Pursuits Essay Example for Free

Hobby and Outdoor Pursuits Essay Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved! ) Any material not supported by sources may be challenged and removed at any time. This article has been tagged since June 2006. A hobby-horse was a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like the real hobby. From this came the expression to ride ones hobby-horse, meaning to follow a favourite pastime, and in turn, hobby in the modern sense of recreation. Hobbies are practised for interest and enjoyment, rather than financial reward. Examples include collecting, creative and artistic pursuits, making, tinkering, sports and adult education. Engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring substantial skill, knowledge, and experience. However, personal fulfillment is the aim. What are hobbies for some people are professions for others: a game tester may enjoy cooking as a hobby, while a professional chef might enjoy playing (and helping to debug) computer games. Generally speaking, the person who does something for fun, not remuneration, is called an amateur (or hobbyist), as distinct from a professional. An important determinant of what is considered a hobby, as distinct from a profession (beyond the lack of remuneration), is probably how easy it is to make a living at the activity. Almost no one can make a living at cigarette card or stamp collecting, but many people find it enjoyable; so it is commonly regarded as a hobby. Amateur astronomers often make meaningful contributions to the professionals. It is not entirely uncommon for a hobbyist to be the first to discover a celestial body or event. In the UK, the pejorative noun anorak (similar to the Japanese otaku, meaning a geek or enthusiast) is often applied to people who obsessively pursue a particular hobby that is considered boring, such as train spotting or stamp collecting. [edit] Development of hobbies into other ventures Whilst some hobbies strike many people as trivial or boring, hobbyists have found something compelling and entertaining about them (see geek). Much early scientific research was, in effect, a hobby of the wealthy; more recently, Linux began as a students hobby. A hobby may not be as trivial as it appears at a time when it has relatively few followers. Thus a British conservationist recalls that when seen wearing field glasses at a London station in the 1930s he was asked if he was going to the (horse) races. [citation needed] The anecdote indicates that at the time an interest in nature was not widely perceived as a credible hobby. Practitioners of that hobby went on to become the germs of the conservation movement that flourished in Britain from 1965 onwards and became a global political movement within a generation. Conversely, the hobby of aircraft spotting probably originated as part of a serious activity designed to detect arriving waves of enemy aircraft entering English airspace during World War II. [citation needed] In peacetime it clearly has no such practical or social purpose. Types of hobbies Collecting The hobby of collecting consists of acquiring specific items based on a particular interest of the collector. These collections of things are often highly organized, carefully cataloged, and attractively displayed. Since collecting depends on the interests of the individual collector, it may deal with almost any subject. The depth and breadth of the collection may also vary. Some collectors choose to focus on a specific subtopic within their area of general interest: for example, 19th Century postage stamps, milk bottle labels from Sussex, or Mongolian harnesses and tack. Others prefer to keep a more general collection, accumulating Star Trek merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world. Some collections are capable of being completed, at least to the extent of owning one sample of each possible item in the collection (e. g. copy of every book by Agatha Christie). Collectors who specifically try to assemble complete collections in this way are sometimes called completists. Upon completing a particular collection, they may stop collecting, expand the collection to include related items, or begin an entirely new collection. The most popular fields in collecting have specialized commercial dealers that trade in the items being collected, as well as related accessories. Many of these dealers started as collectors themselves, then turned their hobby into a profession. There are some limitations on collecting, however. Someone who has the financial means to collect stamps might not be able to collect sports-cars, for example. One alternative to collecting physical objects is collecting experiences of a particular kind. Examples include collecting through observation or photography (especially popular for transportation, e. g. train spotting, aircraft spotting, metrophiles, bus spotting; see also I-Spy), bird-watching, and systematically visiting continents, countries, states, national parks, counties etc. Games [pic] [pic] Card game, 1895. A game is a structured or semi-structured recreational activity, usually undertaken for enjoyment (although sometimes for physical or vocational training). A goal that the players try to reach and a set of rules concerning what the players can or cannot do create the challenge and structure in a game, and are thus central to its definition. Known to have been played as far back as prehistoric times, games are generally distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration. Because a wide variety of activities are enjoyable, numerous types of games have developed. What creates an enjoyable game varies from one individual to the next. Age, understanding (of the game), intelligence level, and (to some extent) personality are factors that determine what games a person enjoys. Depending on these factors, people vary the number and complexity of objectives, rules, challenges, and participants to increase their enjoyment. Games generally involve mental and/or physical stimulation. For this reason, they are beneficial after a large meal or a long and tedious task, but counterproductive if played immediately before sleeping. Many games help develop practical skills and serve as exercise or perform an educational, simulational or psychological role. Outdoor recreation Outdoor pursuits can be loosely considered to be the group of sports and activities which are dependent on the great outdoors, incorporating such things as hill walking, trekking, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, caving, and arguably broader groups such as watersports and snowsport. While obviously enjoyed by many as a bit of fun, an adrenaline rush, or an escape from reality, outdoor sport is also frequently used as an extremely effective medium in education and teambuilding. It is this ethos that has given rise to links with young people, such as the Duke of Edinburghs Award and PGL, and large numbers of outdoor education centres being established, as the stress on the importance of a balanced and widespread education continues to grow. Depending on the persons desired level of adrenaline, outdoors can be considered a type of hobby. As interest increases, so has the rise of commercial outdoor pursuits, with outdoor kit stores opening up in large numbers and thriving, as well as outdoor pursuits journalism and magazines, both on paper (for example Trail [1]), and online (such as Eclipse Outdoor [2]). The increased accessibility of outdoor pursuits resources has been the source of some negative publicity over the years also, with complaints of destroying the landscape. A widely-seen example is the destruction of hillsides as footpaths are eroded by excessive numbers of visitors. Creative Hobbies Some hobbies result in an end product of sorts. Examples of this would be woodworking, software projects, artistic projects, creating models out of card or paper called papercraft up to higher end projects like building or restoring a car, or building a computer from scratch. While some of these may just be for the enjoyment of the hobbyist, there have been instances where it has come into demand at the request of friends or passerbys observing said project. At this point it has the potential to become a small business. Cooking Cooking is an act of preparing food for eating. It encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to improve the flavour or digestibility of food. It generally requires the selection, measurement and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure in an effort to achieve the desired result. Constraints on success include the variability of ingredients, ambient conditions, tools and the skill of the individual cooking. The diversity of cooking worldwide is a reflection of the myriad nutritional, aesthetic, agricultural, economic, cultural and religious considerations that impact upon it. Cooking requires applying heat to a food which usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance, and nutritional properties. Cooking proper, as opposed to roasting, requires the boiling of water in a receptacle, and was practiced at least since the 10th millennium BC with the introduction of pottery. There is archaeological evidence of roasted foodstuffs, both animal and vegetable, in human (Homo erectus) campsites dating from the earliest known use of fire some 800,000 years ago. [citation needed] [edit] Gardening Gardening is the art of growing plants with the goal of crafting a purposeful landscape. Residential gardening most often takes place in or about a residence, in a space referred to as the garden. Although a garden typically is located on the land near a residence, it may also be located in a roof, in an atrium, on a balcony, in a windowbox, or on a patio or vivarium. [pic] [pic] A gardener Gardening also takes place in non-residential green areas, such as parks, public or semi-public gardens (botanical gardens or zoological gardens), amusement and theme parks, along transportation corridors, and around tourist attractions and hotels. In these situations, a staff of gardeners or groundskeepers maintains the gardens. Indoor gardening is concerned with the growing of houseplants within a residence or building, in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse. Indoor gardens are sometimes incorporated as part of air conditioning or heating systems. Water gardening is concerned with growing plants adapted to pools and ponds. Bog gardens are also considered a type of water garden. These all require special conditions and considerations. A simple water garden may consist solely of a tub containing the water and plant(s).

Strategies That The Proponents Plan To Execute Marketing Essay

Strategies That The Proponents Plan To Execute Marketing Essay This chapter will include a clear discussion on the marketing strategies that the proponents plan to execute for the first 5 years of business operation in Singapore. Specific marketing strategies that include SMART objectives will be used to acquire the desired market share. It will also include the specific target market and positioning statement of the proposed product. Specific Target Market The proponents have decided to target the age group of male and female18 years old and above in the whole country of Singapore. Based on our GMID research, this age group accounts for more than 3.6 million of the total population in year 2010 and it is forecasted to increase to more than 4 million in year 2015. Singaporeans give much importance to their health. They become increasingly health-conscious, as expenditure in health sector remain strong the more this sector is viewed with high importance. Aside from ageing population of Singaporeans, it is also becoming a trend to the young generation (18 years old and above) to practice living healthily through taking health supplements and doing other health and wellness activities. The age group (18 yrs old and above) lives a busy lifestyle. They are active in different activities and are more prone in acquiring diseases. Trends in taking health supplements are now shifting to bigger target consumers. Children are now also advised by their parents to take food supplements especially those who are entering the real world industry. This is due to the fact that parents worry that their children are not getting enough nutrients because of the hectic lifestyle today. Competitive Review Cerebos Pacific Ltd Due to the companys dominance in vitamins and dietary supplements, Cerebos Pacific Ltd was ranked first with a value share of 5% in 2009 within overall consumer healthcare. This was mainly because the brand name became the first choice of the consumers. The market started to purchase their product because the company was able to establish good reputation among their consumers in providing quality products. In addition, its wide range of products catering to consumers from the young to the elderly contributed to its success in vitamins and dietary supplements. Cerebos Pacific Ltd positions itself in the high-end of the product categories. The establishment of its brands ensures that consumers remain willing to purchase their products. Strategies: Product Line Innovation Cerebos Pacific Ltd continues allot time and money to introduce innovative products to meet consumers demands. The company has research and development laboratory located in Singapore for product innovation purposes. In mid 2009, the company introduces Brands InnerShine Prune Essence to provide consumers with a liquid supplement that has both beauty and digestive benefits. Due to expansion of product line and product development, the company was able to gain more profit. They were able to cater bigger market and able to meet the demands of the consumers. This strategy was very effective because it gave positive outcomes in terms of profits and market. Extensive Advertising Cerebos Pacific Asia Ltd relied heavily on extensive advertising. The company does not target only the elderly but the young generation as well. To appeal to the younger generation, the company made MTV video jockey. The company also revamped the packaging of its child-specific vitamins and dietary supplements and renamed it to Brands AlphaMynd. The company believes this will enable them capture the taste of young generation because of its appealing packaging. Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd RAP is a well-known company because they produce products that are made from 100% natural herbs. The company uses the finest natural ingredients and is well known for soothing, refreshing and good tasting properties. Ricola is paying great attention to the selection of where and how the herbs for its products are to be grown. The company promotes natural cultivation in Swiss mountain areas, in good distance from major roads and agglomerations. Source: http://www.ricola.com/index.cfm?420FE8BA7A614BCA820514D4818D1042 Strategies: Good Taste Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd is well-known for producing herbal products are that refreshing and good in taste. The company in fact won the Best Taste Award in 2008 which proves that Ricola herbal products are unique and good in flavor. For after nearly 70 years, Ricolas Original Herb Candies have remained unchanged, as good as they always were: hard and slightly rough on the outside, wonderfully mild and delicious inside. Ricola has been blending 13 precious medicinal herbs from Switzerland with the same delicious recipe. The mix is particularly effective for colds, coughs and hoarseness, always refreshing and has that fabulous, unique flavour. Focus on health Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd is known for producing herbal products that are made from 100% natural ingredients. For the past 70 years, the company has emphasized all natural and good health in its marketing campaigns. Ricola emphasized to their consumers that the company uses only herbs that comes from natural cultivation and healthy to human body. Comes in convenient packs Ricola offer their products in convenient packs. The company wanted to promote herbal products to be a daily use to the consumers. The company introduced the convenient click-shut box pack that fits any pocket and is ideal for travelling. With this strategy, the company emphasized in their marketing campaign Never be without your favourite Ricola candies again and enjoy the smooth, soothing flavour of natural mountain herbs in a variety of selected flavours wherever you are. Positioning Statement Tagline : ZILI Plus: Spice your life, the healthy way! Catchy taglines act as an edgy marketing tool in defining the business and product. The proponents have decided to use ZILI Plus: Spice your life, the healthy way as the tagline for the proposed product. This gives the target market the idea that our product is all about health. ZILI Plus is a food supplement made from all natural cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is one of the most powerful herbs in the world because of its benefit to human body. It is made out of vegetable capsules which has the highest concentration of Capsaicin among other pepper herbs. Capsaicin found in cayenne pepper contains Vitamins A, B, C and K. It stimulates blood circulation and digestion and contributes significantly to a healthy heart and strong peripheral circulation. Market Positioning: Health and dietary supplements with 3 powerful health benefits in one capsule The market positioning statement states how the proponents want the public to perceive the proposed product. In this case, we want the public particularly Singaporeans to view our product as a health and dietary supplement which differs from other products due to the three benefits that it offers healthy heart, stimulates digestion and healthy blood circulation. Marketing Objectives and Strategies FIRST YEAR OPERATION: 2012 Product Strategy Objective To be able to introduce and launch ZILI Plus in Singapore in the first term of year 2012 To create brand awareness among majority of our target market which are male and female ages 18 and above in Singapore by the end of year 2012 Product Description: ZILI Plus is made from all natural cayenne peppers. Cayenne peppers contain capsaicin compound which is used to stimulate blood circulation and digestion. The proposed product serves as a food supplement which can be used to prevent diseases related to heart, digestive and circulatory system. It contains highly concentrated capsaicin found in no other herbal products; Used in cleansing the digestive tract and helps peripheral blood circulation. Unique Selling Proposition: Three health benefits in just one capsule For healthy heart, stimulates digestion and healthy circulation Strategy: ZILI Plus is not just ordinary food supplement. It is 100% herbal product. It is made from all natural grounded cayenne pepper. This product is not just designed for adults but also for young ones who also seeks to live a healthier lifestyle. Proponents want to change the thinking of people that herbal food supplements are only for by adults. Now, food supplements are taken not only by the adults but also by the teens. Joining the trade fairs The proponents will introduce ZILI Plus in Singapore through joining trade fairs in 2011, the year before the product will be launched. This will be able to help the company create brand awareness among majority of the potential customers in Singapore by the end of the year 2012. There are several trade fairs held in Singapore year after year and it includes health related fairs. Distribute flyers to the general public The proponents will instruct our potential distributors in Singapore to distribute the flyers to the public in the major streets and roads in Singapore. This will be able to increase brand awareness and let the public know that the proposed product is now available in the Singaporean market. Pricing Strategy Objective To be able to sell ZILI PLUS at a price of SGD 15 in Singapore Strategy: The proponents decided to use comparative pricing strategy during the first year operation in Singapore. Comparative pricing is a strategy where in the seller takes into account competitors pricing. For our case, the average price of 60 capsule health supplement bottle is sold at an average price of $15. Through this strategy, the competitors would be able to directly compete with the existing food supplements available in Singapore. Base from research, Singaporeans are quality based purchasers. They consider the quality and benefits that they will get from the product. They weigh the benefits offered by a certain product with another product before buying it. Export Sale Export Sale (PHP) (SGD) Factory price 163.2 4.8 FOB Manila cost 54.74 1.61 subtotal 217.94 6.41 Exporter mark up 50% 108.97 3.21 subtotal 326.91 9.62 Importer mark up (30%) 183.07 5.38 Final selling price 509.98 PHP 15.00 SGD Exchange Rate: As of March 6, 2011 1 SGD = 34 PHP Factory Price of product PHP SGD Direct Materials 40.8 1.2 Direct Labor 51 1.5 Factory Overhead 71.4 2.1 Product Cost 163.2 4.8 Place/Distribution Strategy Objective: To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: Terms of Distribution The proponents have decided to use indirect selling in distributing our product in the market. ZILI Plus will be exported to Singapore via Ship and FOB shipping point. The proposed product will be distributed to largest retailing stores in Singapore who will be selling it to market. This will able to create brand awareness to our target consumers thus expanding our market and increase sales. Illustration 6.1 Distribution Channels in Singapore Source: Trade Sources and Market Observations Small shops illustrated in the diagrams include family owned and operated organic food and health food businesses; some are single site operations, while others have multiple outlets. It also involves large chains of health food shops, pharmacies, personal care shops and specialist nutrition retailers. Pharmacies and health food shops located on the premises of Singapores hospitals are also classified under the small shops. GNC as distributor of ZILI Plus in Singapore Global Active Limited (GNC / General Nutrition Center) Global Active Limited is the leading retailer of Health and Nutritional Supplements in Singapore. The company strives to provide a complete range of nutritional products to its customers The popular brands that Global Active Limited offer includes LAC, NURTURE, EAS, Muscletech, Optimum Nutrition, GU Energy Gel, Nutrition Now, BSN, Cytosport, Pacific Health, Solaray, Lily of the Dessert, Rainbow Light, MHP and Natural Balance. Global Active Limited has the widest selections under categories such as Vitamins Minerals, Lifestyle Formulas, Weight Watchers, Food Supplements, Sports Nutrition, Herbal and Beauty Care. The company is the sole franchisee for GNC in Singapore. GNC is the worlds largest chain of health food and has 7,000 GNC stores worldwide. Have a total of 55 outlets currently operating in Singapore. Importer-Distributor-End User The proponents would like to use the importer-distributor/retailer-end user method of distribution during the first year of operation. The importer and distributor will serve as the intermediary between the proponents and the end user in Singapore. The proponents chose Global Active Limited to be the importer and distributor of our product to the end users. It is already assumed that these intermediaries will surely place a margin over the original price of the product. The proponents prefer to have Global Active Limited GNC to be the retailer of our product during our first year operation because of its long existence in the market. The company already established a name in the market and have gained the trust of the public. It is important for choose a retailer with good reputation because they will be the representation of what the product is all about. The company is known for selling only quality products at an affordable price. LIST OF GNC OUTLETS IN SINGAPORE [emailprotected] City Link Anchor Point Shopping Centre Centrepoint Ang Mo Kio Hub Chinatown point Arcade City Square Mall Bedok Central Clementi Central Bugis Junction Compass Point Bukit Merah Central Fuan IT Mall Bukit Panjang Plaza Great World City Bukit Timah Plaza Harbour Front Centre Chevron House Forum Hougang Mall IMM ION Orchard Guthria House Junction 8 Holland Viallage Jurong Point Guthrie House Liang Court Internationla Plaza Lot 1 Millenia Walk Nex Mall Novena Square NorthPoint Paragon Marina Square Parkway Parade Raffles City Suntec City Tampines Mall Takashimaya Tanglin Mall Tao Payoh Vivocity West Mall White Sand West Coast Plaza TRANSPORT TIME (MANILA PORT SINGAPORE PORT) Port of Loading : Manila, PH Port of Discharge : Singapore, SG Transport Time : 4 days and 2 hours Distance : 1373 nautical miles Vessel Speed : 14 knots Source:http://www.searates.com/reference/portdistance/?fcity1=11602fcity2=12117speed=14ccode=9030 Promotion Strategy Objective: To be able to acquire 0.5% of the total market share at the end of December 2012 Strategy: The proponents decided to use push strategy in promoting the proposed product to the distributors/retailers in Singapore. Distributors/retailers will then be the ones who will market our product to the end consumers. In our first year operation, GNC will be the distributor of ZILI Plus. Retailers/ Distributors, the medium to reach consumers/ end users are very important factor in distribution. Proponents must be able to convince them that the product will be a great opportunity for them to increase their profit. Once proponents are able to convince retailers/distributors that ZILI Plus will be beneficial for them, it will now be sold in their stores and it can reach the end users. Good reputation of GNC GNC has been existing in the market for quite some time. They are known for selling only quality health related products. They were able to gain the trust of the public through maintaining a good reputation and ensuring the public that all their merchandises are safe and of quality standard. The proponents are taking the opportunity and use this to gain the trust of the public. Since GNC will be our distributor, it basically sends the message to the public that ZILI Plus is safe and made from quality ingredients. Online advertisements: Proponents will be utilizing the power of the internet to reach to a wide target audience. A company website will be created to give knowledge to the public that such company exists. It will contain all the basic information about the company and the product lines the company is selling. The website will be submitted to major search engines like the Google and Yahoo. This will enable the company to reach the target market easier. Online advertisement is a means to create brand awareness. If people want to know more about the product all they have to do is just type it in their local search engines and click it. Trade fairs The proponents plan to join trade fairs which mainly focus on health to further promote the product. It will create brand awareness among retailers in Singapore and at the same time promote it to the locals. Other promotions will include flyers and brochures for the proposed product. This will highlight the three main benefits of the product namely a healthy hearts, stimulates digestion and healthy blood circulation. These advertisements must be captivating to ensure that the market will be attracted to it. Green will be the colour for main colour to be used in the proposed product because it represents nature and it also says healthy. We want our product to be known for its all natural ingredients and benefits for the body. Contingency Plan 2012: In any case that the marketing plan set up for year 2012 may fail due to unfortunate events that may occur, the proponents prepared a backup plan that should be executed immediately. The only problem that may occur is that the public might not respond well to the product due to the fact that the brand is new in the market. It can be assumed that promotional strategies may not be enough for the market to see the benefits of the product. So to resolve this problem, additional promotional strategies may be asked from the potential distributor GNC. Proponents will negotiate with GNC that further promotion may need to be executed like putting an ad in their local newspaper or coming up with more flyers. SECOND AND THIRD YEAR OPERATION: 2013-2014 Product Strategy Objective To be able to a acquire 1.4% of the total market share in Singapore by the end of December 2014 Strategy: During the second and third year of operation, the proponents would like to increase the market share in Singapore as stated above. Apparently, before the proponents can be successful in increasing the market share, brand awareness should also be increased. Assuming that the first year operation was successful, the proponents plan to continue what has been done during the first year and make some improvements. We will ensure that the production will be efficient and yet meeting the quality standards. Quality is the most important asset of the proposed product. The consumers will choose our product over the others due to its quality. To accommodate the increasing potential consumers, production will be doubled from 2100 bottles per day to 4200 bottles per day. Pricing Strategy Objective To be able to maintain the retail price of ZILI Plus at S $15 Strategy: The proponents will still stick to the pricing strategy used during the first year operation which is comparative pricing. Since the product is still new in the market, it is not yet advisable to increase the price of ZILI Plus. We will still maintain the price of SGD 15 per bottle. Assuming that we are profitable during the first year operation, we are confident that profit will increase as brand awareness continues to arise. Place/Distribution Strategy Objective To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: The proponents again will use the traditional importer-distributor/retailer- end user method of distribution. During this 2013-2014 operation, the proponents are planning to make the product available in more stores through having additional distributor which is the Unity NTUC Healthcare. Unity NTUC Healthcare is also one of the top retailers of health supplements in Singapore. In this case, Unity will also be the importer. Numerous people visit their stores everyday to purchase health supplements. There are more than 25 Unity NTUC Healthcare stores in Singapore today, so basically they can help promote our product. More people will be exposed to the proposed product because of the availability of it in several stores. It can also result to increase in brand awareness. Trade discounts will also be offered to our potential distributors to be able to convince them to sell ZILI Plus. Through this, distributors may tend to purchase/order more because trade discounts will be offered when the distributors are willing to purchase more. It will also be a way to convince these retailers to market the product for us in Singapore. Unity NTUC Healthcare as Distributor Unity NTUC Healthcare is the largest healthcare cooperative in Singapore. Currently operates 48 Unity pharmacies across Singapore Unity NTUC Healthcare delivers superior range of health and wellness products and services, served by warm and professional staff, pharmacists, physicians, therapists and dentists. Unity NTUC Healthcare range of merchandise focuses on stay well along with get well aspect of health. LIST OF UNITY NTUC HEALTHCARE IN SINGAPORE Ang Mo Kio Hub Plaza Singupura Bedok Pungool Plaza Bishan Raffles cIty Bukit Batok RivervalePlaza Bukit Merah Central Serangnoon Central Bukit Panjang Plaza Singapore Post Centre Bukit Timah Plaza Suntec City Clementi Tanpines Mall Dawson Place Tamplines One Eastpoint Mall Thomson Plaza Fortune Centre Tiong Bahru Plaza Great World City Tao Payah Lorong 4 Harbour Front Centre Tampines Street 83 Hiugang Tanglin Mall Hougang Point Tao Payoh Lorong 4 Jurong East West West Coast Plaza Jurong Point White Sands Shopping Centre Lot 1 Shoppers Mall Woodlands Civic Centre Marine Parade Yew Tee Point New Upper Changi Yishun Sources : https://www.ntuclink.com.sg/linkpoints/merchants/merchant_subdetail.aspx?id=78 Promotion Strategy Objective To be able to increase profit by 5% during the end of December 2014 Strategy: The proponents will continue to use the push strategy in which proponents will market the product to the distributors/retailers. We believed that this strategy will be able to help us increase our sales and boost product awareness. Since it is apparent that using push strategy is successful, the proponents are now taking the next step through adapting to another strategy which is the pull strategy. Pull strategy involves motivating customers to seek out your brand in an active process. Of course to make this strategy successful, participation from distributors will be needed. The proponents will ask the distributors to make our product more visible to the public through making their sale displays attractive especially for our product. On the other hand, we are confident that a distributor like GNC will sell our product is because the brand doesnt offer a product like ours. Their products are more on specialized like food supplements for a healthy heart but nothing can directly compete with our ZILI Plus. Online advertisements will still be utilized to further increase the brand awareness and information can be accessible to everyone. The website will also include other promotion strategies which will be used to further promote the product. The company will continue to join trade fairs in Singapore to which will promote overall well-being and health. During this year the proponents are planning to sponsor seminars which will highlight the importance of health or health related. Through this, brand awareness will be created hence giving the company an edge in the market. The company can also establish a good reputation in Singapore by exercising social responsibility and showing that the company cares for the overall well-being of the people and not just about profits. Contingency Plan: In case that marketing plan for year 2013-2014 is not a success, the proponents will have to make certain adjustments. Like instead of comparative pricing, the product will now be sold at a lower price using the market penetration strategy. This will probably help the proponents to increase profit. The market may not respond well to the product due to its still early and brand recognition is not yet widespread. Also, proponents may have additional promotion strategies like giving promos like buy one take one or handing out sample products. Through this, consumers can try how effective ZILI Plus can be and the benefits they can get from it. Sometimes giving out freebies results to brand awareness or brand recognition. Practically because people gets attracted to free stuffs. FOURTH AND FIFTH YEAR OPERATION: 2015-2016 Product Strategy Objective: To be able to increase the market share up to 3% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: During this time, the company have already established a name and the product is already known to the locals in Singapore. This will lead to increase in demand hence the company is now operating full-time. Machines will run for 24 hours a day with 3 shifts of employees. Comes in convenient packs Now that the company is on its 4th and 5th year operation, products will now be offered in blister packs to further answer the needs of the market. Seeing how well the market responded o the product, proponents want to offer the product in bottle or in blister packs. This will give the consumers convenience in carrying around with them the ZILI Plus capsules. Whether going to work or just having relaxing day outside of their homes, it is still necessary to look out for their health and take ZILI Plus. Pricing Strategy Objective: To be able to increase profit by 5% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: During the 4th and 5th year of operation, the proponents plan to price the product a little bit higher compared to the competitors. Using premium pricing will be able to highlight the unique features of the product. It will also reflect how well the market is responding to the product. Premium pricing will be able to emphasize that the product is differentiated from the others due to its 3 in 1 benefits. Proponents want to give emphasis to the fact that though the product is priced a little bit higher; every cent is worth it due to the added value they will be receiving. Health is wealth as they say and its not a practical thing to bargain for it. Based from the GMID Euromonitor, Singaporeans doesnt really mind if the price is high as long as benefits are met and exceeded. Quality of the product is important especially when it comes to health goods because it is their health we are talking about here. They want to make sure that manufacturer can be trusted thats why proponents chosen to use distributors with good public reputation. Place/Distribution Strategy Objective: To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: During the fourth and fifth year of operation, proponents decided to have another distributor in Singapore which is the Natures Farm. This company is known for retailing local and foreign brands food supplements. Like GNC, they also have their own brands for health supplements. Hundreds of people visit their stores because of the convenience they provide. They are known to offer a wide variety of health supplements in capsules or in tablets. The proponents are confident that Natures Farm would be able increase our sales through being one of our distributors. Just like with the previous distributors, Natures Farm will also be offered trade discounts to persuade them to have bulk orders. Natures Farm as Distributor Natures Farm is the first specialty health supplement retail chain in Singapore that offers comprehensive range of quality health supplements suitable for modern Asians at great convenience. Natures Farm has successfully positioned itself in the market as a leading modern, Asian health food store supplier of quality natural health food at reasonable prices. The retail company is committed to deliver the highest quality nutritional and health food supplements at the best value to customers. The companys range of health products includes vitamins and minerals, diabetic and organic food and health supplements. Natures Farm has 27 small shops operating in Singapore. LIST OF NATURES FARM OUTLETS IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL REGION EAST / NORTH EAST REGION Bugis Junction Compass Point Ngee Ann City Tampines Mall Junction 8 Parkway Parade Centrepoint Shopping Centre Nex Serangoon Great World City WEST REGION United Square IMM Building Toa Payoh Central West Mall Marina Bay Sands Jurong Point Shopping Centre NORTH REGION Bukit Timah Plaza Thomson Plaza SOUTH REGION Ang Mo Kio Hub Chinatown Point Causeway Point Marina Square Northpoint Shopping Centre The Arcade International Plaza Suntec City Mall Promotion Strategy Objective: To be able to increase the market share up to 3% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: Extensive Advertising The proponents are now on its 4th and 5th year operation. Brand awareness among majority of the potential customers in Singapore is acquired and the brand is now known all over Singapore. Assumin

Kids feel safe in Boston public school environment :: Journalism School Papers

Kids feel safe in Boston public school environment A Boston high school student stood alone, waiting for a public bus to take him home after school had let out. When he was approached by a group of kids who attempted to assault him, his first instinct was to run. He did not run to a neighbor's house. He did not bother to look for a police station. He simply ran to the safest place he knew — his school. He proceeded to bang on the double doors until a custodian reluctantly opened them. But it didn't matter. The kids had already dispersed when the student reached the school grounds. "He clearly thought it was a safe-haven because he ran back to the building and begged to get in," said John D. Sisco, the chief of school police in Boston. Sisco said students over the last 10 years have come to view their schools as an escape from the outside world. "In general, I believe the kids do feel safe," Sisco said. "Kids tell us that it's dangerous in the streets." In September, a 15-year-old Charlestown High School student was shot in the leg while walking to volunteer at a Boys & Girls Club after school. Boston Police Captain Bernard O'Rourke said the shooter was standing on the corner of Bunker Hill and Polk Streets, about 150 yards from the school, at about 2 p.m. when school let out. After the incident, extra police officers were temporarily assigned to cover the school, but they were soon called away to deal with other incidents. "It would be nice if they would have a police car there at dismissal but it just happened that day that there was no police car there," said Headmaster Michael Fung. Nathalie Martinez, who has lived in the development behind the school for 10 years, told the Boston Globe right after the incident that "usually it's pretty quiet around here, except when it's during the school year. It's crazy, and it's only the beginning of the school year. What's going to happen in the middle?" In response to this comment, Fung said of his 1,190 student campus, "it's always quiet if there are no people around." "Charlestown has the lowest crime rate in Boston," Fung said. "Lower than Beacon Hill." He said things like the shooting are "unpredictable" and that it was an "isolated case." "I usually go home real late, at like 8 or 9 [p.m.], and just go there to the bus stop and nothing ever happens.

Walt Whitmans Influence on Germany :: Walt Whitman Germany Poetry Poets Essays

Walt Whitman's Influence on Germany Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is considered to be one of the greatest American poets of the nineteenth century. While Edgar Allan Poe may have been more widely read, Whitman had more international writers actively respond to him and his poetry than any other American poet. A century after his death, writers around the world are still in dialogue with him, pondering the questions he posed, arguing with him and elaborating on his insights. People have been attracted to Whitman for numerous reasons. For his time he was truly unconventional and introduced the modern lyric with his autobiographical collection of prose poems called Leaves of Grass. The impact Whitman has, however, exceeds technical innovation; it lies in his universal appeal. Walt Whitman is many things to many people. The poet once remarked about the various photographs of himself he used to come upon, "I meet new Walt Whitmans every day. There are a dozen of me afloat." Perhaps even more manifold than the physical images of the author are the ways in which he has been perceived. The purpose of this paper is to examine how Walt Whitman's poetry influenced Germany. How the poet was received, which aspects of Whitman's philosophy most attracted Germans, ultimately has to do with the Zeitgeist, the intellectual climate of the day. For numerous authors Whitman has primarily been a poet of democracy and political questions have often been at the center of the international responses to Whitman. While this aspect of his poetry has inspired people from states such as the former Soviet Union and China, it has not been the only theme to spellbind his admirers. Authors from India, for example, have been able to identify with Whitman on a spiritual plane, seeing in him a Hindu vision. Clearly the way in which people relate to the poet has much to do with what is essential and pertinent to their own lives. Whitman's Influence For Whitman's contemporaries the most obvious deviation from the norm was his prose style. Whitman does not submit his thoughts to metered rhyme, yet they are rhythmic, just not in the traditional sense of a stanza. His free verse forms have been likened to the ebb and flow of the ocean tides, which inspired him throughout his life. The innovation of Whitman's poetry, however, exceeds structure and pattern and those who have admired his poetry have also been intrigued by its content.

Media influence on homosexuals

Those who are interested in how media has influenced the LGBT community. Essay Question: How has the media influenced the LGBT community and society's view on the LGBT community? Thesis: One main contributing factor that has impacted our societys view on gay marriage is how they have been portrayed on the screen, by celebrities and in the media. Rationale: My original paper was supposed to be about weddings and social media but I found that to be too broad and extremely difficult to research.After a couple days of thinking I decided to narrow that topic even more. I decided on how the media has effected society's opinion on homosexuality because I thought it was interesting to see how much the mass media can affect our views on something so controversial. Strengths and Problems: Argument: Some may argue that the media's influence is not a good thing because a lot of people are still against homosexuals but I believe it is something that we cannot avoid. My argument is stronger in thi s final draft, but may still be confusing.Evidence: I spent a lot of time trying to research this topic because this is something IVe never thought about before this paper so it is very unfamiliar to me. Once I started researching though it was apparent how much TV has influenced me and my views on homosexuality, which can be seen in my introductory paragraph. I was so surprised to find out about the term, contact hypothesis. Before this paper, I knew the definition but wasn't sure if there was a term for it. Organizational: I definitely tried to make this paper flow more smoothly. Writing the transition were a little difficult though.I still feel like my conclusion is very weak, I struggled for a long time but could not come up with something that would wrap up the essay better. Style: I'm ot sure what to describe my style as. I Just hope the readers will be able to relate. Revisions and Discoveries: I added more about Ellen DeGeneres, and I also added a paragraph about the film, V alentine's Day. I took out the paragraph about adopting children because I realized that there wasn't much correlation with what the media has done. Questions: Am I using the terms of gays, lesbians, homosexuals and LGBT correctly?Which evidence stood out the most? Yvonne English MiddelJans Media and Homosexuality Autumn 2013 What do we typical think of when we hear the word gay or lesbian? Is it a flamboyant male or a tomboy female? Many years ago this may have been the case and to some it still may be. But when I hear the word gay or lesbian I automatically think about my favorite show, Greys Anatomy and the lesbian couple who are attractive and nothing like tomboys. Homosexuality is one of the most controversial topics in our society but in the past t years our opinions and dispositions nave change d.One main contributing factor that has impacted our society's view on gay marriage is how they have been portrayed on the screen, by celebrities and in the media. On January 1 lth, 97 3 PBS released its first broadcast of, An American Family. The show was a twelve hour documentary series that followed the Loud family of Santa Barbra, California. An American family spanned out into a twelve week show following Bill and Pat Loud and their five children, Lance, Kevin, Grant, Delilah and Michele. This documentary challenged the traditional views of an American middle class family.Unlike shows such as, The Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver, which depicted a happy and perfect family, The American Family showed a family going through a divorce and their oldest on, Lance's decision to tell his parents about his homosexuality (An American Family). Lance is widely believed to be the first gay person in American reality television and because of this it has made him a well-known, â€Å"gay icon† to the LGBT community. Lance went on to be a part of a popular band, â€Å"The Mumps† and died at the age of 50 in 2001 due to Hepatitis C and HIV.Lance was an inspir ation and paved the way for homosexuals in the media. Since Lance Longs premier on television many popular shows and movies have aired that have a lead or supporting actor/ actress that is a homosexual or portrays a homosexual. Most of these portrayals have had a positive influence on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. As more LGBT celebrities came out about their sexual orientation the more acceptable it became for LGBT characters to appear on television. This is a great example of the Contact Hypothesis and the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis.The Contact Hypothesis can be accredited to Gordon W. Allport and states that â€Å"under appropriate conditions, interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. The Parasocial Contact Hypothesis is similar but focuses on one sided relationships. For example, how an individual may know about a celebrity through mass medias but that celebrity does not know about the individual (Schiappa) In 2008 it was briefly legal for homosexuals to become married.Ellen DeGeneres and her partner of then four years, Portia de Rossi took this window of opportunity to become married. DeGeneres lied about her sexual orientation for many years. She made her television debut on The Tonight Show in 1986 and that same year the AIDS epidemic was at its high so a ot of homosexuals were not ready to reveal their sexual orientation due to the fear of being Judged or out casted by society. Ten years later Ellen DeGeneres had the opportunity to have her own show, Ellen. Yet she still decided to keep her orientation a secret.In 1997 during the fourth season of her show, DeGeneres decided to come out about her sexual orientation in a sitcom where she is in the waiting room of an airport trying to tell a woman that she is attracted to her, instead she announces it to the whole audience by accidentally leaning over a microphone Ellen DeGeneres is undoubtedl y a charming person. DeGeneres has won 49 out of 51 award nominations and won the hearts of many Americans. Just some of the great roles she has been a part of include hosting the Emmy Awards, Judging season nine of American Idol and using her popularity to bring awareness to many humanitarian efforts.DeGeneres has supported over 35 different charities including Susan G. Komen for the Cure and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Neary). Ellen DeGeneres is another perfect example ot the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis. We know everything about ner because of the media, and by seeing her positive influence on the world we have an nclination to like her. In 2008 the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) did a survey of more than 2,000 U. S. adults 18 and older and found that two out of ten changed their views of homosexuals to a more positive view point in the past five years.Thirty four percent said their views were influenced by seeing a gay or lesbian character on tel evision and twenty nine percent said it was by a gay or lesbian character on film (Watercutter). It's amazing how societys view of homosexuals can be changed from a negative to a positive understanding by the power of mass medias. Before the LGBT community was represented on television or films, society did not have an accurately representation of what gays and lesbians were like.Probably thinking that being a homosexual is unnatural and even a mental illness! Some people may still believe that but since being exposed to LGBT characters from shows like Friends (Carol and Susan), Greys Anatomy (Calliope and Arizona) and Will & Grace it has enabled society to be more welcoming or sympathetic towards the LGBT community and resulting in LGBT individuals feeling less like an outcast. The media has also helped promote the realization that omosexuality is very much a part of todays culture in the United States.One of the longest running television shows with gay characters is Will & Grace. Over the eight year span on this television show (1998-2006) Will & Grace has earned sixteen Emmy Awards and eight-three nominations with an average of 17. 3 million viewers a week at its peak in 2001. Will & Grace is a show that positively portrays two gay men with completely different personalities. Will Truman is a gay attorney whose orientation is not necessarily made clear at first to a viewer but his co-star Jack McFarland fits the tereotypical homosexual male.Jack is â€Å"flamboyantly gay, continually unemployed and a self-described actor/dancer/choreographer. † (Schiappa). By showing two different personalities of gay men it can help us better understand that yes, there are homosexual men that are flamboyant but a homosexual man can also take form in a charming and handsome man such as Will Truman. Another idea that was promoted or bought up in Will & Grace is when Will married his long time on-again off-again love affair, Vince and then two of them went on to raise a son together.This brings up he idea of same-sex marriage and how two homosexuals can raise a child together which many people still think is not appropriate but Will & Grace have brought attention to issues like these that the LGBT community have to face daily. Although there aren't as many films that help bring awareness to the LGBT community there are usually small supporting actors that will portray a homosexual. One movie that comes to mind is, Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day follows intertwining couples and single people in Los Angeles and what they expect on this day of love. There is Holden Wilson who is portrayed by Bradly Cooper.Wilson is on the plane chatting up a character played by Julia Roberts. They start to talk about their lives and how Wilson is recently single. Up until the end of the movie not much is told about Wilson's personal life. Then there is Sean Jackson, played by Eric Dane who is a top NFL player who is contemplating retiring from his career. During a press conference Jackson says that typically someone retires because they want to spend more time with their families but Jackson has not been able to do that because he is gay and nas nad to hide his sexual orientation tor the sake ot his career.The reporters are confused on whether or not Jackson will continue to play. He makes it clear that he is going to continue playing in the NLF but he did not want his goals of having a family postponed due to his previous fear of coming out. One of the ending scenes is Wilson surprising Jackson at his home. Throughout the entire movie I had no idea that either characters were homosexuals. Jackson and Wilson are both very handsome and their characters in the movies showed no signs of the stereotypical gay man. This shows that anyone can be gay and that the â€Å"stereotypical† homosexual individual is a tereotype that is slowly dying.By making the characters Wilson and Jackson relatable it helps us as a society have a more accurate r epresentation that anyone around us can be a homosexual and not Just the old stereotype of flamboyant men and tomboy females. The LGBT community has come a long way since the 1970's and they are still fighting for equal rights. Because of the portrayals of gays and lesbians in the media and also the uprising of homosexual celebrities it has helped our society become more open minded and welcoming of the LGBT community when ompared to the mindset of the society fifty years ago.Without the media's influence, where would society be in regards to how much more open minded the world has become of homosexuals? Thanks to the media, it is almost like an approval for individuals that it really is okay to a homosexual and that there is no need to be ashamed. Because if so many people love Ellen, who seems like a normal individual other than the fact that she is a lesbian then there is no need to Judge others on their sexual orientation.