An eater's manifesto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An eater's manifesto - Essay Example We don’t realize that in the sizzle of our steaks there is the suffering of animals, the mining of our topsoil, the slashing of our forests, the harming of our economy, and the eroding of our health. We don’t hear in the sizzle the cry of the hungry millions who might otherwise be fed. We don’t see the toxic poisons accumulating in the food chains, poisoning our children and our earth for generations to come. But once we become aware of the impact of our food choices, we can never really forget (Robbins, 57). There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to making our food choices. One of the biggest nutritional problems plaguing America today is the issue of obesity. One of the factors is a high intake of food that is high in saturated fat. Our bodies can make all the saturated fat we need, so we don't need to eat any of it. That's why saturated fat can be in the bad category—because we don't need to eat any of it, and it has undesirable effects in cardiovascular disease. In the United States and other developed countries, saturated fats come mainly from meat, seafood, poultry with skin, and whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream). A few plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats boost total cholesterol by elevating harmful Low Density Lipoprotein. Like all dietary fat, saturated fat also raises the protective High Density Lipoprotein. Unsaturated fat is much preferable since it lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good. When picking what to eat, take into consideration the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat you are putting into your body. Another thing to consider may be, for meat eaters, where the meat is coming from. There is the issue of the morality of eating meat. Animals have rights, and no matter how humanely an animal is treated in the process, raising it and killing it for food remains morally wrong. There is yet the issue of animal cruelty. More than 16 billion are killed for food every year in the US alone. They are neglected, mutilated, genetically manipulated, put on drug regimens that cause chronic pain and crippling, transported through all weather extremes, and killed in gruesome and violent ways. Even so called â€Å"free-range† animals are often mutilated without the benefits of painkillers; kept in filthy, disease-ridden sheds; forced to endure long trips to the animal slaughterhouse without food or water; and killed in the same way as animals from factory farms. It’s important to know whether the meat you are eating is from a reliable source. In addition to this, the world’s meat addiction is poisoning and depleting our drinking water, arable land, and clean air. More than half of the water used in the U.S. goes to animal agriculture, and since farmed animals produce 130 times more excrement that humans do, the runoff from their waste greatly pollutes our waterways. Not only does raising animals for food gobble up precious resources and produce tons of waste, it also steals food from hungry people. Raising animals for food is extremely inefficient.   For every pound of food that they eat, only a fraction of the calories are returned in the form of edible flesh. The problem comes in when people stop caring about all these issues and just eat for the sake of pleasing themselves. While eating one day, I found myself wondering about the people who had grown the vegetables on my plate. What were their lives like?

Bmw Swot Analysis Essay Example for Free

Bmw Swot Analysis Essay Logo-BMW’s white-and-blue logo is recognizable worldwide, and recalls the company’s start as an aircraft engine manufacturer. It symbolizes a pilot’s view through a propeller as alternating white and blue segments. †¢Most successful multi-brand premium car manufacturer-BMW has three brands, BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce. They delivered 141,952 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce automobiles in 2007 and sales increased by 7. 4% from the previous year. †¢Super luxury Rolls Royce car-The Rolls-Royce phantom holds the number one position in the super-luxury car segment. The Phantom was launched in 1993, and the final assembly, as well as all-wood and leatherwork are custom made for each customers individual specifications. The plant where they are produced, the Goodwood plant in England, contains only two robots to paint the space frame body; all other work is done by hand, in keeping with the Rolls-Royce tradition. †¢Spends one of the highest revenues on R;D-BMW Group employs about 8,000 people worldwide within the research ; development (R;D) network and has invested millions of dollars over the years. They employ engineers, designers, model builders, computer experts, and scientists of various disciplines FIZ co-ordinates and optimize research activities across the group to create the BMW cars of the future. †¢Brand-BMW ranked in the top 20 most recognized global brands. BMW is now the only multi-brand automaker that utilizes a pure, premium brand strategy. The objective behind this strategy is to generate higher income per vehicle on the basis of products with a high intrinsic value and a strong brand image. Their brand ranked number 15 in 2006. Longevity-Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) was formed in 1916 after two small aircraft engine manufacturers merged. In 1923, BMW began to build motorcycles, then its first car in 1928. †¢Driving School-Many manufacturers have associations with driving schools; BMW runs its own. The BMW Performance Center, adjacent to the BMW Manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, attracts owners and prospects from around the country for an ultimate br and experience. †¢Sales-BMW is one among the leading players in the premium cars segment. It achieved a record sales volume of 1,373,970 units in 2006. BMW is ranked among the ten largest car producers globally. Awards/Recognition-Reflecting BMWs commitment to developing quality and innovative products, the company has been honored with several awards in the past. For example, BMW was presented with the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in February 2006 for the BMW 6 Series Coupe and Convertible models. Presented by the German Design Council, the award was the highest official German design award. Following this, the MINI model of the company won the Golden Steering Wheel 2006 award in seven out of 15 categories, ten days ahead of its official market launch in November 2006. Formula 1-BMW won its first Formula 1 championship in 1983 using a four cylinder, 1. 5-liter production based engine. Of course it was turbocharged and could develop well over 1,000 horsepower, some say over 1,500 for short periods of time. BMW continues to field a Formula 1 team because it provides the ultimate in competition and thus the ultimate in learning for BMW. †¢Excellence through quality innovation-BMW Group’s success is its strategic focus on developing customer-friendly innovations, coupled with an approach to innovations management that is unique within the motor industry Customize your own car-BMW has the option of seeing a sample of the car you’d like by selecting different options such as the color of interior design and exterior design, the wheels, the model etc. †¢Intelligent processes-the COSP(Customer oriented sales and production process) bases production on the customer’s customized version and not by company standards. They employ 70,000 workers in 23 different locations to build the customized cars. A customer can change or alter the options and style of the car right before it goes into production. †¢Environment-friendly-BMW considers environmental and recycling requirements. They use recycled products to build cars. They have environmental standards for all the plants throughout the world. They build cars that lower the amount of fuel consumption. †¢Superior technology and development of new products BMW is doing this is by developing a hybrid engine as part of a global alliance. The aim of this development is known as a â€Å"two-mode† hybrid vehicle, combining a combustion engine with two electronic engines. This design is aimed towards improving the performance, fuel consumption, emissions and range of conventional hybrid vehicles. The primary goal of modern hybrid systems is to save fuel. †¢Commitment to customers BMWs’ main goal is to focus on getting the product to the customer as quickly as possible. BMW has a program known as the â€Å"Customer oriented sales and production process. † This way, the customer is able to make any last minute changes to the equipment and accessories they’ve ordered shortly before the vehicle goes to assembly-without delaying the date of delivery. †¢Design Work design process of building vehicles is done by California Innovation Triangle. This state of the art firm uses computers to help aid the process of design. The highlight of this facility is what the industry has begun to call â€Å"the model plate. † The model plate is a measurement system that transfers the contours of the object being scanned to computers where a 3D model is produced. The designers can then go in and make changes to the object through the computer in order to make the part as suitable for its intended use as possible. What makes this machine so rare is the size of object that can be scanned. The model plate can scan very large object, up to the size of an omnibus. With the use of this technology BMW and California Innovation Triangle are able to layout and design entire vehicles piece by piece. †¢Involvement in community South Africa serves as good example of BMW’s social commitment. BMW works to bring change from within by enacting equality in the workface, and investing not only in the business, but also in education, healthcare and recreational facilities for employees. The factory at Rosslyn, near Pretoria, evolved from a CKD facility to serve the old South Africa, into a sophisticated facility that is now part of BMW’s international production-distribution network. This risk BMW took provided South Africa the ability to export. And in 2002, the South African factory captured the J. D. Power and Associates gold award for initial production quality. †¢Environmental commitment BMW factories meet the demanding ISO 14001 environmental standards worldwide. This is not only true for the oldest BMW factory in the city of Munich and at 10 year old American plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, but also with new factories in emerging and less regulated markets like Thailand and Russia. Excellence through quality innovation-BMW Group’s success is its strategic focus on developing customer-friendly innovations, coupled with an approach to innovations management that is unique within the motor industry. From features like the twin-flat motorcycle engine, V-shaped overhead valves, and hemispherical combustion chambers introduced on the classics of the 1920s and 30s, to modern technology including ABS brakes, Xenon lights, smart airbags, the head protection system, Valvetronic and iDrive, BMW constantly reinforces its credibility as a premium manufacturer Management-Chief executive, Norbert Reithofer, who took office on September 1, will be seeking to build on the Bavarians’ global momentum. Reithofer has a brilliant track record as head of production, such as combining lean manufacturing and Japanese-like continual improvement with benchmark flexibility for a premium automaker which gives BMW a big cost advantage over leading competition and making it tough for competitors like Mercedes to gain any ground. †¢Young customer base-With the Mini and series 3, BMW has a significant dvantage of gaining younger and first time purchasers over other luxury brands. The youth market is critically important because if a young buyer chooses a particular brand for a first car, he or she is more than likely to buy others with the same name plate as they mature and move up in the market. Even though buyers in the 16-35 age category only accounted for a small percentage of overall sales it is important to gain there sales because as the old marketing principle goes it is easier to keep a customer than to gain new ones. WEAKNESSES †¢New Models-Is it really worth developing new models? It entails expenses along with shipping prices. Each day BMW is striving to produce and develop new cars to satisfy the customers. In the long run, who actually knows if these cars are going to be a big hit. The company might actually be wasting their time and money in producing a model that will not be worthwhile. When developing and producing cars it is important to decipher whether or not the car will become one that is popular on the market. †¢BMW’s heavy cost German base. -More and more competitors are shifting product development activities to lower cost countries. BMW could be forced to negotiate a way to maintain cost competitiveness and its reputation for German engineering excellence made in different countries. †¢Price-Another weakness of the BMW industry is getting the customers to buy these cars. Yes, the hybrid vehicle will save you fuel, but it will be so expensive that it might be hard trying to find customers to buy them at such a high price. Another reason the price of the vehicle is so high is because they are shipped across the United States and also come from a factory in Germany. The expenses of the vehicles and the shipping rate are two key weaknesses that many companies must work with. †¢Motorcycle Sales-The European market accounts for more than 60% of BMWs motorcycle sales on an average. The group is heavily dependent on this region with Germany being one of the largest markets for its motorcycles business. With the demand in Germany being highly inconsistent in the past six years, this high dependence on a particular region can have an adverse effect on the companys sales, during periods of demand stagnation in the region. For example, BMWs motorcycle sales in Germany declined by 9. % to 24,064 units in 2005, which further declined to 23,617 units in 2006. †¢Corporate image-too serious ad tradition-bound. †¢Hybrid Prices-These types of cars will save you a lot of money on fuel, but the problem BMW is having trouble with is pricing the hybrids. It would be hard for BMW to find customers that would buy the hybrids at a high cost. †¢Ship ment Cost-Most of the cars are shipped from Germany to the United States. The shipping cost would affect the price of the car. This is one the expenses that the BMW company’s would have to deal with in pricing their vehicles for the customers satisfaction. Online Strategies-BMW is not winning the â€Å"information war† in the market place about its own customers, their attitudes, complaints, wishes, etc. BMW is not operating in a manner, which acts to â€Å"include† its customers including their meeting and information sharing sources. Existing online efforts do not meet consumer needs. There is a lack of â€Å"human intelligence† and an over-reliance on visual marketing in BMW’s on-line strategies. †¢Dealer Networks-BMW’s dealer network is in the midst of great change. Overall basic product margins are down while business infrastructure requirements are up. Many dealers do not feel that the field reps are there to help them build their business but rather just to comment arbitrarily and deliver business change requirements from BMW headquarters. There is a problem with two way information flow in the distributor-dealer relationship. Dealers feel that they are not being listened to and are also not being serviced in critical areas of their business by BMWNA staff. †¢Management-Dealers want to be able to discuss key elements of their business given their limited capital resources. Given the size and nature of he motorcycle market many dealers feel that BMW’s current policies are overly restrictive to the healthy development of their business and that BMWNA should operate in a more flexible manner which could be seen as co-development of a dealer’s franchise not just top-down management by memo. †¢Changing Consumer Environments-Also, as it appears that BMW’s dealer strategy is to move to larger centralized â €˜corporate style’ stores, many of the smaller ‘mom and pop’ dealerships that historically or currently serve a key segment of the BMW owners/riders are being alienated and/or eliminated. By following this policy of upgrade or be eliminated BMW is removing both the habitat in which the consumers live as well as the knowledge base and support structure from which they engage in BMW oriented motorcycle commerce. OPPORTUNITIES †¢India-The Company has been launching several new initiatives and has been widening its product base since 2001. The company expects ample growth opportunities in India, and it is keen on expanding its bases in these countries. †¢The expansion of the euro. -In May 2004 more countries adopted the euro making it the world’s biggest trading block. This offers ample opportunities for BMW to leverage its strong European position in the premium car segment to gather more market share across new and expanding markets. †¢A Chinese luxury car market-Rigorous attempt to get into the Chinese luxury car market signifies an increase in the earnings of the company over the coming years. China already ranks as the third largest market for BMW’s 7 Series luxury limousines. BMW predicts that vigorous growth will place China among the company’s seven largest markets in a few more years. †¢Diesel Power-BMW foresees an immense opportunity in the diesel-powered cars segment. Tourism-the Zentrum building is located in South Carolina. This gives tourists the opportunity to take a look at the history of BMW, also at the cars, the speed and innovation free of charge. It is the only BMW museum in the United States. It is also located next to the only BMW manufacturing plant in the United States. BMW should take a look into bu ilding more museums throughout the world. †¢Expansion-although BMW is very successful they should think about expanding their manufacturing plants throughout the United States and other countries. They only have one location in the United States which is in South Carolina. †¢Have the best and most current technology-It is important for BMW to have the best research and development staff where they can keep the company up-to-date with technology. With the latest technology and supplies, BMW can create the best cars the fastest and most efficient way possible. †¢Broaden information sharing -BMW should broaden information sharing amongst their dealers, distributors, and factory. This will improve product repair knowledge resulting in improved customer service and satisfaction. Improve and run their business based on their business plan-Improving the capabilities of dealers to sell more BMW products in the marketplace through refinement of their business plan †¢Utilize the Internet more-Multiply the value of the ‘human capital’ in the BMW network by â€Å"e-knowledge† and â€Å"e-training. † †¢Better training of their salespeople-Deve lopment and implementation of business practices that harness the best of each individual dealer and make their unique market position/skills a valuable part of the entire network. Partnering with Sirius Radio-In 2005, BMW partnered with Sirius Satellite Radio to promote its new 3-serious car for 44 days. BMW used Sirius to promote its new car because the radio station had 1. 24 million subscribers and still growing. On the final day of promotion it broadcasted a live concert with various artists. †¢Acquiring Volvo-The chairman of BMW, Dr. Norbert Reithofer, is plan on expanding the business with a fourth brand name, Volvo. Although sales of Volvo has been slow in the North American and Europe, its brand name focuses mainly on safety and its fashion appeal is not attractive to the eye. BMW could help out by acquiring the company to make it a more global brand, also in the Asian Market. †¢Apple iPhone-The new Apple iPhone is one of the next best things of phones. It is a touch screen phone with a built in iPod. This would give BMW the opportunity to integrate the iPhone into their cars. †¢China market-An opportunity for BMW is the increase in the luxury automobile market in china. The most significant growth of the luxury market can be attributed to Jiangsu province which has created an 84 percent increase. Next to Jiangsu is Guangdong, making 79 percent recorded growth in the market. On the other hand, Zhejiang province also bagged a 54 percent increase. THREATS †¢Demand Patterns-BMW operates in an industry that is prone to cyclical demand patterns due to consumer wants and needs. †¢Currency-Any unfavorable trend in Euro valuation against major currencies can hurt BMWs performance. †¢Fuel Efficiency-While BMW continues to work on high performance, clean and efficient gasoline engines, the company is also committed to a green-house-gas- free hydrogen powered vehicle as a long-term strategy. At this time we have an active development program that will enable us still to bring to market a full size automobile, propelled with hydrogen, before the end of the decade. †¢The continuing decline of the dollar against the euro-This threatens to undercut BMW’s top-line thereby tempering its profitability. The euro to one-dollar ratio has dropped from 0. 702626 euros to 0. 690376 euros from October to November. †¢The rising price of raw materials -Materials such as steel threaten to offset the company’s earnings. BMW continues to face the rising cost of raw materials as the key challenge to maintain and improve their growth performance. The annual average market price of aluminum, copper and plastic rose by 34%, 76% and 13%, respectively, in 2006. Likewise, the price of industrial raw materials also increased by more than 30% in 2006. †¢Rising gas prices – with a weak U. S. market, steadily rising gas prices and gaining popularity in non-luxury vehicles there is the temptation to move down market.

Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman :: Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace

Ever since I have been in college my telephone has been shorting out every time I try to have a conversation with someone on it. It has been so aggravating! Especially when I am trying to talk and the person on the other line keeps saying, what, what...What did you say? It drives me crazy! Well when I got to college I was advised, and later informed, that it was a requirement to know how to use the Internet. So I signed up for an E-mail account. In high school I never used the computer for anything but assignments, but now I constantly find myself on line. I am either E-mailing friends far away, or talking to my family on IM (Instant Message). The Net has been most helpful to me when it comes to contacting others, especially since my phone doesnt work. Most importantly, I feel that the Net has brought my family and I closer together. After I read Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman, an essay explaining that to enjoy the Net we need to find our own place, our own communit y, so I realized that my community on the Net is E-mail, enabling me to talk to the people closest to me. The movie You've Got Mail starring, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, exemplifies how two people become closer through E-mail. Making it easier for people to connect in ways they always could, but never new how. Both the movie, Youve Got Mail, and Bruckmans Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace explore how the Net brings out a side of us that cannot be seen by the human eye. You've Got Mail is a love story about a man and woman who meet on the Internet and use e-mail to talk to each other. Although they havent met face to face they know so much about each other that if they were to meet, it wouldnt matter what the other person looked like. Hankss character owns a very popular bookstore that in turn makes Ryans tiny family bookstore go out of business. Therefore, Ryan hates Hanks throughout the whole movie. Everyday they seem to run into each other not knowing that the person(s) behind their face s are their soul mates. Little do they know the person they see everyday and the person that they despise is the same person they talk to every night when using E-mail or their I. Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman :: Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace Ever since I have been in college my telephone has been shorting out every time I try to have a conversation with someone on it. It has been so aggravating! Especially when I am trying to talk and the person on the other line keeps saying, what, what...What did you say? It drives me crazy! Well when I got to college I was advised, and later informed, that it was a requirement to know how to use the Internet. So I signed up for an E-mail account. In high school I never used the computer for anything but assignments, but now I constantly find myself on line. I am either E-mailing friends far away, or talking to my family on IM (Instant Message). The Net has been most helpful to me when it comes to contacting others, especially since my phone doesnt work. Most importantly, I feel that the Net has brought my family and I closer together. After I read Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace, by Amy Bruckman, an essay explaining that to enjoy the Net we need to find our own place, our own communit y, so I realized that my community on the Net is E-mail, enabling me to talk to the people closest to me. The movie You've Got Mail starring, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, exemplifies how two people become closer through E-mail. Making it easier for people to connect in ways they always could, but never new how. Both the movie, Youve Got Mail, and Bruckmans Finding Ones Own in Cyberspace explore how the Net brings out a side of us that cannot be seen by the human eye. You've Got Mail is a love story about a man and woman who meet on the Internet and use e-mail to talk to each other. Although they havent met face to face they know so much about each other that if they were to meet, it wouldnt matter what the other person looked like. Hankss character owns a very popular bookstore that in turn makes Ryans tiny family bookstore go out of business. Therefore, Ryan hates Hanks throughout the whole movie. Everyday they seem to run into each other not knowing that the person(s) behind their face s are their soul mates. Little do they know the person they see everyday and the person that they despise is the same person they talk to every night when using E-mail or their I.

Reaction About The National Sports and Physical Education Association Standards

The National Sports and Physical Education Association (NASPE) came up with the 3rd edition of the National Guidelines and Standards for the Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) which provides programs with guidance on the 2008 Initial and Advanced national physical education teacher training standards. Below are the INITIAL PETE Standards and reaction or view about each category: 1. Scientific and Theoretical Knowledge. Physical education teacher candidates know and apply discipline-specific scientific and theoretical concepts critical to the development of physically educated individuals. This standard assures that the teacher candidate has the scientific bases which could explain the concepts critical to the progress of an individual. The elements which must be done by the teacher started in describing and applying the scientific concepts related to the movement, physical activity and fitness, followed by identifying historical, philosophical and social perspectives of physical education issues and legislation, then lastly, analysing motor skills and performance concepts. It is very important for the teacher to know what he is teaching to the learners. This will help the teacher find ways on how to attack or target and plan for a physical fitness activity that is very effective and scientific. This is the most important thing to provide effective and purposeful program for physical education. 2. Skill-Based and Fitness-Based Competence. Physical education teacher candidates are physically educated individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to demonstrate competent movement performance and health-enhancing fitness as delineated in NASPE's K-12 Standards. After having the knowledge about the bases of the concepts in developing physically educated individuals, a teacher candidate should also know how to demonstrate different movements and fitness activities. He must reach and maintain a health-enhancing level of fitness throughout the program. This is important in conducting variety of physical activities and maintain the level of fitness. It also stated that there should be no discrimination among the persons with disabilities. Teacher candidates with special needs are encouraged to modify or use different ways in providing physical activities. . Planning and Implementation. Physical education teacher candidates plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences aligned with local, state and national standards to address the diverse needs of all students. This refers to the ability of the teacher candidate in designing, planning, managing and implementing learning experiences. Teacher should provide a progressive activities to meet the needs of the learners, especially today there is an increasing number of persons with a poor- healthy lifestyle. . Instructional Delivery and Management. Physical education teacher candidates use effective communication and pedagogical skills and strategies to enhance student engagement and learning. A physical educator must possess an effective verbal and non- verbal communication skills to encourage them to participate and get interested with all the planned physical activities. This is an effective avenue to promote fitness and wellness. A teacher who does not know how to communicate and deliver the competencies is not effective. Delivery and communication is a very important standard to make all the learners understand the importance of engaging to physical activities and enhance their abilities and skills. 5. Impact on Student Learning. Physical education teacher candidates utilize assessments and reflection to foster student learning and to inform instructional decisions. This standard refers to the employment of assessment and evaluation of the physical fitness activities. The importance of the assessments and reflection is knowing how effective the designed program or activities. It is also important to identify which part of the program needs to be improved and be adjusted. This helps the teacher to know the effect of the activities to the learners. 6. Professionalism. Physical Education teacher candidates demonstrate dispositions essential to becoming effective professionals. It is very important for the teacher to be a model of character/ behaviors, dignity and respect. Teacher must believe that all students can become a physically educated individuals. (REFERENCE: 2008 National Initial Physical Education Teacher Education Standards National Association for Sport and Physical Education ) In general, NASPE’s standards for the Physical Education Teacher Education will provide all the professional physical education teachers a guide and tool in achieving its mission- to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high quality physical education, sport, and physical activity programs. Physical Education teachers must be aware of this standards to properly direct the learners. Sadly, not all physical educators are familiar with these standards. The reason why, especially in our country, Philippines they see physical education as a non- academic subject and always given the less priority. As the head- teacher of our institution, I will make sure that all my physical education teacher will follow this standards.

Rebellion in Catching Fire

The Start of the Rebellion ?Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s stunt to win the last Hunger Games has inspired the beginnings of an uprising against the Capitol. This has put Katniss and her family’s life at risk. She tries to fix what she has started, and finds out she cannot; she then uses her influence to cause a rebellion in the districts. The author uses the protective control of the government and the rebellion to show what happens when a government takes citizens’ freedom away. ?Suzanne Collins became a popular writer with her series The Underlander Chronicles.Her fame has grown enormously from her newest series The Hunger Games. This series has made her quite famous. A movie has been made for the first book and one is also planned for the second book. Collins says her inspiration for writing is to entertain the youth (â€Å"Suzanne Collins†). ?In Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen is beginning a different type of life because she won the Hunger Game s. Katniss and Peeta Mellark faked a romance during the Hunger Games, and now they must continue this act so that the Capitol does not find out.President Snow greets Katniss at home before she goes off to tour the other districts, and he tells her that she and Peeta must sell this fake romance to all the citizens so that a rebellion does not begin. After the tour, she finds out she has not been able to prevent the rebellion. In a change of rules Peeta and Katniss must return to the Games. Peeta and Katniss team up with other tributes in order to survive. Haymitch saves Katniss in a hovercraft, because the rebellion has begun (Collins). ?Ever since Katniss had to support her family, she would go into the woods with Gale to hunt for food.They would go to the Hob and sell or trade their animals illegally. These activities were against the Capitol, but Katniss and Gale knew they had to support their families anyway they could. They used their time outside of the fences to talk about the Capitol and the injustices upheld against them. If the Capitol catches them they could be executed, but defying the rules for their families’ survival was more important. The author shows us that the reason for rebelling is to improve the lives of everyone (Collins). Before the uprising had ever begun, in the first Hunger Games which Katniss and Peeta participated in, they were the last ones left. Instead of killing each other they both grabbed poisonous berries and were about to eat them, until the Capitol stopped them and both were announced winners. All of the Districts saw this as an uprising against the Capitol. This gave the people of the districts the idea and courage to rebel (Collins). ? When the Capitol forces Katniss and Peeta to return to the games, they know it is to show that the Capitol is all-powerful.At their interviews, Peeta tells the audience that he and Katniss have already been married and that Katniss is pregnant. This news, although not true, makes th e audience furious. â€Å"The audience can’t absorb the news right away. It has to strike them and sink in and be confirmed by other voices before they begin to sound like a herd of wounded animals, moaning, shrieking, calling for help† the reaction of the crowd shows the intensity of the anger that the citizens have for the Capitol (Collins 145). Peeta has shown how unjust the Capitol is, and this alone might cause a rebellion among the districts.When Peeta comes back, all the tributes link hands in unity of the districts. This signifies that the districts are against the capitol. This unity of hands is a rebellion in itself (Collins). Collins uses symbols to add to her theme of rebellion. Collins uses these symbols to show the wrongs committed by a totalitarian government. One of the greatest symbols of rebellion used in Catching Fire is the mockingjay. Katniss wore a mockingjay pin in her first games, and since she the symbol of the rebellion, the mockingjay has bec ome a symbol for the supporters of the rebellion. The mockingjay symbol is a mockery of the Capitol.The bird comes from a jabberjay, a failed experiment of the Capitol, and a mockingbird. This symbol was unintentionally given to Katniss, but is a perfect symbol for the rebellion because it plays upon the faults of the Capitol. The strongest portrayal of this symbol is when Katniss’s dress turns into a Mockingjay. Katniss did not realize how important this symbol was to the resistance against the Capitol (Collins). ?Another significant symbol seen is the three finger salute. Katniss used this in her first Hunger Games in respect of Rue, a young girl from District 11 who was killed.On her tour of the districts, Katniss pays her respects to Rue in front of the townspeople of District 11. After her speech, â€Å"Every person in the crowd presses the three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips and extends them to me† (Collins 39). This sign of respect towards Katniss is also seen as dissent against the Capitol because this symbolizes a gesture that only District 12 uses. The townspeople did this because they respect Katniss and do not agree with the wrongs that the Capitol imposes upon them such as the Hunger Games (Collins). Catching Fire should be included in a list of works with high literary merit because the theme of rebellion is one that that is easily related to. The districts rebel because the tyrannical President Snow and the Capitol rule the districts with an iron fist. The citizens live in very poor conditions and without few freedoms. Readers agree with this theme because everyone wants to be free. The theme of fighting for a good cause against a cruel government is one that people of all races and religions can agree with, and is why Catching Fire should be included in a list of works with high literary merit.

Technology Essays (1907 words) - Apple Inc., NeXT, Free Essays

Technology Essays (1907 words) - Apple Inc., NeXT, Free Essays Technology There isn't hardly anybody around who can say their lives haven't been influenced by computers. Computers have all but taken over society as we know it. Everywhere you look, computers have greatly improved our lives. It can be as simple as going through a carwash, a computer processes the information that we feed it and adjusts the machine accordingly to give us the particular wash we paid for. Computers also play an extremely complicated role in one of the things that everybody uses in their everyday lives, our cars. Most people don't realize how much our cars have been taken over by technology, until they get the bill after one of these computers go out. Just about everything in a new car is controlled by a computer, a computer will read and recognize your driving patterns and adjusts how and when the transmission should shift from gear-to-gear so that you, as the driver, will get maximum performance from your car. In some vehicles, a computer will adjust how high the car rides from the ground. It lowers the car at highway speeds to make it more aerodynamic which will give you better gas mileage and makes the car easier to handle at these high speeds. The latest computer technology is an on-board navigational computer that will direct the driver into using the fastest and most efficient way to get to the destination. It will plan your route around any construction, traffic jams, and even inclement weather. If and when these cars break down, a mechanic will simply ask the car's on-board computer what is wrong, rather than having to go through a series of complicated troubleshooting tests. As I have clearly stated, computers have greatly improved something that most of us use every day. Another advantage of the computer that until recently I was unfamiliar with is the role of the computer in the workplace. I have worked at various jobs in my short existence on this earth. For the most part, the most technologically advanced any of them were was merely punching prices into a cash register, hardly a state-of-the-art process by any means. Most of the jobs I have worked at were more labor-oriented jobs, so I suppose that is why this is kind of a change for me. These days I wait tables at a local bar and grill. I have worked at restaurants like this before, but none of those places were dependent on a computer like this one is. For example, at my old job, when we took orders for drinks we scribbled it down on a sheet of paper and then threw it at the bartender along with another ten people so he could try and figure out just what the heck was written down. This process seemed to take forever. Now all I have to do is go to the computer, press a couple of buttons, and voila, the bartender gets a clear printout of what needs to be made. And with any luck, the drinks should be ready by the time I get to the bar. Needless to say I like the method of using the computer much better than the old way of writing everything down. This has also solved a lot of problems of the same kind in the kitchen, also. As having the experience of being a cook at one time, there was nothing that got on my nerves more than trying to read the handwriting of someone who had to take an order in a room filtering out more than 150 people making noise while trying to jot everything down as fast as they can. As you can probably imagine, this turns into a lose-lose situation for the people trying to work through all of this. The cook is mad at the server for not being able to write the order in plain English. The server is mad at the cook for always being so critical and not worrying about themselves. Eventually the person who is effected most by all of this is the customer. What happens is the cook finally just doesn't care about the order anymore and doesn't prepare a good meal, or the server gets ticked

Top 10 Womens Health Issues and Causes of Death

Top 10 Women's Health Issues and Causes of Death When it comes to womens health, what are the top 10 womens health issues you should be concerned about? According to a 2004 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the conditions described below are the top 10 leading causes of death in females. The good news is that many are preventable. Click on the headings to learn how to reduce your risk: 27.2% of deathsThe Womens Heart Foundation reports that 8.6 million women worldwide die from heart disease each year, and that 8 million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease. Of those women who have heart attacks, 42% die within a year. When a woman under 50 has a heart attack, its twice as likely to be fatal as a heart attack in a man under 50. Almost two-thirds of heart attack deaths occur in women with no prior history of chest pain. In 2005, the American Heart Association reported 213,600 deaths in women from coronary heart disease.22.0% of deathsAccording to the American Cancer Society, in 2009 an estimated 269,800 women will die of cancer. The leading causes of cancer deaths in women are lung (26%), breast (15%), and colorectal cancer(9%).7.5% of deathsOFten thought of as a mans disease, stroke kills more women than men each year. Worldwide, three million women die from stroke annually. In the U.S. in 2005, 87,000 women died of stroke as compared to 56,600 men. For w omen, age matters when it comes to risk factors. Once a woman reaches 45, her risk climbs steadily until at 65, it equal that of men. Although women arent as likely to suffer from strokes as men in the middle years, theyre more likely to be fatal if one occurs. 5.2% of deathsCollectively, several respiratory illnesses that occur in the lower lungs all fall under the term chronic lower respiratory disease: chronic obstructed pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. Typically, about 80% of these diseases are due to cigarette smoking. COPD is of particular concern to women since the disease manifests differently in females than males; symptoms, risk factors, progression and diagnosis all exhibit gender differences. In recent years, more women have been dying from COPD than men.3.9% of deathsSeveral studies involving European and Asian populations have indicated that women have a much higher risk of Alzheimers than men. This may be due to the female hormone estrogen, which has properties that protect against the memory loss that accompanies aging. When a woman reaches menopause, reduced levels of estrogen may play a role in her increased risk of developing Alzheimers.3.3% of deathsUnder unintentional injuries are six major c auses of death: falling, poisoning, suffocation, drowning, fire/burns and motor vehicle crashes. While falls are of significant concern to women who are frequently diagnosed with osteoporosis in their later years, another health threat is on the rise accidental poisoning. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Johns Hopkins, in a six-year study between 1999 and 2005, the rate of poisoning deaths in white women age 45-64 increased 230% as compared to the 137% increase experienced by white men in the same age. Diabetes3.1% of deathsWith 9.7 million women in the U.S. suffering from diabetes, the American Diabetes Association notes that women have unique health concerns because pregnancy can often bring about gestational diabetes. Diabetes during pregnancy can lead to possible miscarriages or birth defects. Women who develop gestational diabetes are also more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. Among African American, Native American, Asian American women and Hispanic women/Latinas, the prevalence of diabetes is two to four times higher than among white women.and2.7% of deathsPublic awareness of the dangers of influenza has spiked due to the H1N1 virus, yet influenza and pneumonia have posed ongoing threats to elderly women and those whose immune systems are compromised. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to influenzas such as H1N1 and pneumonia.1.8% of deathsAlthough the average woman is less likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease than a man, if a woman is diabetic , her chance of developing kidney disease increases and puts her equally at risk. Menopause also plays a role. Kidney disease occurs infrequently in premenopausal women. Researchers believe that estrogen provides protection against kidney disease, but once a woman reaches menopause, that protection is diminished. Researchers at Georgetown Universitys Center for the Study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging and Disease have found that sex hormones appear to affect non-reproductive organs such as the kidney. They note that in women, the absence of the hormone testosterone leads to a more rapid progression of kidney disease when they are diabetic. 1.5% of deathsThe medical term for blood poisoning, septicemia is a serious illness that can rapidly turn into a life-threatening condition. Septicemia made headlines in January 2009 when Brazilian model and Miss World pageant finalist Mariana Bridi da Costa died from the disease after a urinary tract infection progressed to septicemia. Sources:Deaths From Unintentional Injuries Increase For Many Groups. ScienceDaily.com. 3 September 2009.Estimated New Cancer Cases and Deaths by Sex, United States, 2009. American Cancer Society, caonline.amcancersoc.org. Retrieved 11 September 2009.Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2009 Update at a Glance. American Heart Association, americanheart.org. Retrieved 11 September 2009.Leading Causes of Death in Females, United States 2004. CDC Office of Womens Health, CDC.gov. 10 September 2007.Women and Diabetes. American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org. Retrieved 11 September 2009.Women and Heart Disease Facts. Womens Heart Foundation, womensheart.org. Retrieved 10 September 2009.Women More Likely To Suffer Kidney Disease If Diabetic. MedicalNewsToday.com. 12 August 2007.