Avon Corporation Case Study

In order to begin to understand the industry in which Avon functions as well as the specifics around the introduction of the new EAS drive, I used the 5Cs analysis to outline the company’s current situation. Situation Analysis via the 5Cs: Company * Avon manufactured a number of electrical products * Sold products to both end users and OEMs * $6M in sales annually of the AVDC drives, lost sales to EAS drives Collaborators * Distributors and OEMs  ­ Avon could establish many more relationships once they can compete in more than just the AVDC drives, and can address the more price sensitive side of the market Customers * Three types of adjustable speed drives: MAS, EAS and AVDC, with different applications and price levels * Some of Avon’s customers required EAS drives for their business and Avon lacked this line Competitors * 7 companies manufactured MAS drives, with 2 accounting for 50% of sales (gross margins of 20%) * 5 companies manufactured EAS drives, with 1 major player (gross margins of 50%) * 4 companies manufactured AVDC drives Context * Avon’s new EAS design was different but not patentable and could be replicated by a competitor in approximately 2 years * For m any of the MAS and EAS companies, the drives were its major product Based on this analysis, it is clear that the competitive landscape is going to play a key part in determining initial pricing of the new drive. There are a number of existing players in the space who will want to defend their territory. In order to build a bigger market for the EAS drive, Avon will have to steal customers from both the MAS manufacturers, existing EAS drives in the marketplace as well as potentially cannibalize some of their own AVDC sales. The total market size of all drives was $269M, with the MAS segment accounting for more than 50%. However according to the research performed, if the new EAS drive was introduced at the MAS price of $3750, than the EAS market would grow to $135M. Avon estimated that they could take 50%

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Five

The full moon was directly overhead when Stefan came back to the boarding house. He was giddy, almost reeling, both from fatigue and from the glut of blood he'd taken. It had been a long time since he'd let himself feed so heavily. But the burst of wild Power by the graveyard had caught him up in its frenzy, shattering his already weakened control. He still wasn't sure where the Power had come from. He had been watching the human girls from his place in the shadows when it had exploded from behind him, sending the girls fleeing. He had been caught between the fear that they would run into the river and the desire to probe this Power and find its source. In the end, he had followedher , unable to chance her getting hurt. Something black had winged toward the woods as the humans reached the sanctuary of the bridge, but even Stefan's night senses could not make out what it was. He had watched while she and the other two started in the direction of town. Then he had turned back to the graveyard. It was empty now, purged of whatever had been there. On the ground lay a thin strip of silk that to ordinary eyes would have been gray in the dark. But he saw its true color, and as he crushed it between his fingers, bringing it slowly up to touch his lips, he could smell the scent of her hair. Memory engulfed him. It was bad enough when she was out of sight, when the cool glow of her mind only teased at the edges of his consciousness. But to be in the same room with her at the school, to feel her presence behind him, to smell the heady fragrance of her skin all around him, was almost more than he could bear. He had heard every soft breath she took, felt her warmth radiating against his back, sensed each throb of her sweet pulse. And eventually, to his horror, he had found himself giving in to it. His tongue had brushed back and forth over his canine teeth, enjoying the pleasure-pain that was building there, encouraging it. He'd breathed her smell into his nostrils deliberately, and let the visions come to him, imagining it all. How soft her neck would be, and how his lips would meet it with equal softness at first, planting tiny kisses here, and here, until he reached the yielding hollow of her throat. How he would nuzzle there, in the place where her heart beat so strongly against the delicate skin. And how at last his lips would part, would draw back from aching teeth now sharp as little daggers, and- No . He'd brought himself out of the trance with a jerk, his own pulse beating raggedly, his body shaking. The class had been dismissed, movement was all around him, and he could only hope no one had been observing him too closely. When she had spoken to him, he had been unable to believe that he had to face her while his veins burned and his whole upper jaw ached. He'd been afraid for a moment that his control would break, that he would seize her shoulders and take her in front of all of them. He had no idea how he'd gotten away, only that some time later he was channeling his energy into hard exercise, dimly aware that he must not use the Powers. It didn't matter; even without them he was in every way superior to the mortal boys who competed with him on the football field. His sight was sharper, his reflexes faster, his muscles stronger. Presently a hand had clapped him on the back and Matt's voice had rung in his ears: â€Å"Congratulations! Welcome to the team!† Looking into that honest, smiling face, Stefan had been overcome with shame. If you knew what I was, you wouldn't smile at me, he'd thought grimly. I've won this competition of yours by deception. And the girl you love-you do love her, don't you?-is in my thoughts right now. And she had remained in his thoughts despite all his efforts to banish her that afternoon. He had wandered to the graveyard blindly, pulled from the woods by a force he did not understand. Once there he had watched her, fighting himself, fighting the need, until the surge of Power had sent her and her friends running. And then he'd come home-but only after feeding. After losing control of himself. He couldn't remember exactly how it had happened, how he'd let it happen. That flare of Power had started it, awakening things inside him best left sleeping. The hunting need. The craving for the chase, for the smell of fear and the savage triumph of the kill. It had been years-centuries-since he'd felt the need with such force. His veins had begun burning like fire. And all his thoughts had turned red: he could think of nothing else but the hot coppery taste, the primal vibrancy, of blood. With that excitement still raging through him, he'd taken a step or two after the girls. What might have happened if he hadn't scented the old man was better not thought about. But as he reached the end of the bridge, his nostrils had flared at the sharp, distinctive odor of human flesh. Humanblood . The ultimate elixir, the forbidden wine. More intoxicating than any liquor, the steaming essence of life itself. And he was so tired of fighting the need. There had been a movement on the bank under the bridge, as a pile of old rags stirred. And the next instant, Stefan had landed gracefully, catlike, beside it. His hand shot out and pulled the rags away, exposing a wizened, blinking face atop a scrawny neck. His lips drew back. And then there was no sound but the feeding. Now, as he stumbled up the main staircase of the boarding house, he tried not to think about it, and not to think about her-about the girl who tempted him with her warmth, her life. She had been the one he truly desired, but he must put a stop to that, he must kill any such thoughts before they were started from now on. For his sake, and for her own. He was her worst nightmare come true, and she didn't even know it. â€Å"Who's there? Is that you, boy?† a cracked voice called sharply. One of the second-story doors opened, and a gray head poked out. â€Å"Yes,signora -Mrs. Flowers. I'm sorry if I disturbed you.† â€Å"Ah, it takes more than a creaky floorboard to disturb me. You locked the door behind you?† â€Å"Yes,signora . You're†¦ safe.† â€Å"That's right. We need to be safe here. You never know what might be out there in those woods, do you?† He looked quickly at the smiling little face surrounded by wisps of gray hair, the bright darting eyes. Was there a secret hidden in them? â€Å"Good night,signora .† â€Å"Good night, boy.† She shut the door. In his own room he fell onto the bed and lay staring up at the low, slanting ceiling. Usually he rested uneasily at night; it was not his natural sleeping time. But tonight he was tired. It took so much energy to face the sunlight, and the heavy meal only contributed to his lethargy. Soon, although his eyes did not close, he no longer saw the whitewashed ceiling above him. Random scraps of memory floated through his mind. Katherine, so lovely that evening by the fountain, moonlight silvering her pale golden hair. How proud he had been to sit with her, to be the one to share her secret†¦ â€Å"But can you never go out in sunlight?† â€Å"Ican , yes, as long as I wear this.† She held up a small white hand, and the moonlight shone on the lapis ring there. â€Å"But the sun tires me so much. I have never been very strong.† Stefan looked at her, at the delicacy of her features and the slightness of her body. She was almost as insubstantial as spun glass. No, she would never have been strong. â€Å"I was often ill as a child,† she said softly, her eyes on the play of water in the fountain. â€Å"The last time, the surgeon finally said I would die. I remember Papa crying, and I remember lying in my big bed, too weak to move. Even breathing was too much effort. I was so sad to leave the world and so cold, so very cold.† She shivered, and then smiled. â€Å"But what happened?† â€Å"I woke in the middle of the night to see Gudren, my maid, standing over my bed. And then she stepped aside, and I saw the man she had brought. I was frightened. His name was Klaus, and I'd heard the people in the village say he was evil. I cried out to Gudren to save me, but she just stood there, watching. When he put his mouth to my neck, I thought he was going to kill me.† She paused. Stefan was staring at her in horror and pity, and she smiled comfortingly at him. â€Å"It was not so terrible after all. There was a little pain at first, but that quickly went away. And then the feeling was actually pleasant. When he gave me of his own blood to drink, I felt stronger than I had for months. And then we waited out the hours together until dawn. When the surgeon came, he couldn't believe I was able to sit up and speak. Papa said it was a miracle, and he cried again from happiness.† Her face clouded. â€Å"I will have to leave my papa sometime soon. One day he will realize that since that illness I have not grown an hour older.† â€Å"And you never will?† â€Å"No. That is the wonder of it, Stefan!† She gazed up at him with childlike joy. â€Å"I will be young forever, and I will never die! Can you imagine?† He could not imagine her as anything other than what she was now: lovely, innocent, perfect. â€Å"But-you did not find it frightening at first?† â€Å"At first, a little. But Gudren showed me what to do. It was she who told me to have this ring made, with a gem that would protect me from sunlight. While I lay in bed, she brought me rich warm possets to drink. Later, she brought small animals her son trapped.† â€Å"Not†¦ people?† Her laughter rang out. â€Å"Of course not. I can get all I need in a night from a dove. Gudren says that if I wish to be powerful I should take human blood, for the life essence of humans is strongest. And Klaus used to urge me, too; he wanted to exchange blood again. But I tell Gudren I do not want power. And as for Klaus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped and dropped her eyes, so that heavy lashes lay on her cheek. Her voice was very soft as she continued. â€Å"I do not think it is a thing to be done lightly. I will take human blood only when I have found my companion, the one who will be by my side for all eternity.† She looked up at him gravely. Stefan smiled at her, feeling light-headed and bursting with pride. He could scarcely contain the happiness he felt at that moment. But that was before his brother Damon had returned from the University. Before Damon had come back and seen Katherine's jewel-blue eyes. On his bed in the low-roofed room, Stefan moaned. Then the darkness drew him in deeper and new images began to flicker through his mind. They were scattered glimpses of the past that did not form a connected sequence. He saw them like scenes briefly illuminated by flashes of lightning. His brother's face, twisted into a mask of inhuman anger. Katherine's blue eyes sparkling and dancing as she pirouetted in her new white gown. The glimmer of white behind a lemon tree. The feel of a sword in his hand; Giuseppe's voice shouting from far away. The lemon tree. He must not go behind the lemon tree. He saw Damon's face again, but this time his brother was laughing wildly. Laughing on and on, a sound like the grate of broken glass. And the lemon tree was closer now†¦ â€Å"Damon-Katherine-no!† He was sitting bolt upright on his bed. He ran shaking hands through his hair and steadied his breath. A terrible dream. It had been a long time since he had been tortured by dreams like that; long, indeed, since he'd dreamed at all. The last few seconds played over and over again in his mind, and he saw again the lemon tree and heard again his brother's laughter. It echoed in his mind almost too clearly. Suddenly, without being aware of a conscious decision to move, Stefan found himself at the open window. The night air Was cool on his cheeks as he looked into the silvery dark. â€Å"Damon?† He sent the thought out on a surge of Power, questing. Then he fell into absolute stillness, listening with all his senses. He could feel nothing, no ripple of response. Nearby, a pair of night birds rose in flight. In the town, many minds were sleeping; in the woods, nocturnal animals went about their secret business. He sighed and turned back into the room. Perhaps he'd been wrong about the laughter; perhaps he'd even been wrong about the menace in the graveyard. Fell's Church was still, and peaceful, and he should try to emulate it. He needed sleep. September 5 (actually early September 6-about 1:00 a.m.) Dear Diary, I should go back to bed soon. Just a few minutes ago I woke up thinking someone was shouting, but now the house is quiet. So many strange things have happened tonight that my nerves are shot, I guess. At least I woke up knowing exactly what I'm going to do about Stefan. The whole thing just sort of sprang into my mind. Plan B, Phase One, begins tomorrow. Frances's eyes were blazing, and her cheeks were flushed with color as she approached the three girls at the table. â€Å"Oh, Elena, you've got to hear this!† Elena smiled at her, polite but not too intimate. Frances ducked her brown head. â€Å"I mean†¦ can I join you? I've just heard the wildest thing about Stefan Salvatore.† â€Å"Have a seat,† said Elena graciously. â€Å"But,† she added, buttering a roll, â€Å"we're not really interested in the news.† â€Å"You-?† Frances stared. She looked at Meredith, then at Bonnie. â€Å"You guys are joking, right?† â€Å"Not at all.† Meredith speared a green bean and eyed it thoughtfully. â€Å"We have other things on our minds today.† â€Å"Exactly,† said Bonnie after a sudden start. â€Å"Stefan's old news, you know. Passe.† She bent down and rubbed her ankle. Frances looked at Elena appealingly. â€Å"But I thought you wanted to know all about him.† â€Å"Curiosity,† Elena said. â€Å"After all, he is a visitor, and I wanted to welcome him to Fell's Church. But of course I have to be loyal to Jean-Claude.† â€Å"Jean-Claude?† â€Å"Jean-Claude,† said Meredith, raising her eyebrows and sighing. â€Å"Jean-Claude,† echoed Bonnie gamely. Delicately, with thumb and forefinger, Elena drew a photo out of her backpack. â€Å"Here he is standing in front of the cottage where we stayed. Right afterward he picked me a flower and said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Well,†-she smiled mysteriously-â€Å"I shouldn't repeat it.† Frances was gazing at the photo. It showed a bronzed young man, shirtless, standing in front of a hibiscus bush and smiling shyly. â€Å"He's older, isn't he?† she said with respect. â€Å"Twenty-one. Of course,†-Elena glanced over Tier shoulder-â€Å"my aunt would never approve, so we're keeping it from her until I graduate. We have to write to each other secretly.† â€Å"How romantic,† Frances breathed. â€Å"I'll never tell a soul, I promise. But about Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena gave her a superior smile. â€Å"If,† she said, â€Å"I am going to eat Continental, I prefer French to Italian every time.† She turned to Meredith. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"Mm-hmm. Everytime.† Meredith and Elena smiled knowingly at each other, then turned to Frances. â€Å"Don't you agree?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† said Frances hastily. â€Å"Me, too. Every time.† She smiled knowingly herself and nodded several times as she got up and left. When she was gone, Bonnie said piteously, â€Å"This is going to kill me. Elena, I am going to die if I don't hear the gossip.† â€Å"Oh, that? I can tell you,† Elena replied calmly. â€Å"She was going to say there's a rumor going around that Stefan Salvatore is a narc.† â€Å"A what !† Bonnie stared, and then burst into laughter. â€Å"But that's ridiculous. What narc in the world would dress like that and wear dark glasses? I mean, he's done everything he can to draw attention to himself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and her brown eyes widened. â€Å"But then, that may bewhy he does it. Who would ever suspect anybody so obvious? And he does live alone, and he's awfully secretive†¦ Elena! What if it's true?† â€Å"It isn't,† said Meredith. â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"Because I'm the one who started it.† At Bonnie's expression, she grinned and added: â€Å"Elena told me to.† â€Å"Ohhhh.† Bonnie looked admiringly at Elena. â€Å"You're wicked. Can I tell people he's got a terminal disease?† â€Å"No, you cannot. I don't want any Florence Nightingale types lining up to hold his hand. But you can tell people whatever you want about Jean-Claude.† Bonnie picked up the photograph. â€Å"Who was he really?† â€Å"The gardener. He was crazy about those hibiscus bushes. He was also married, with two kids.† â€Å"Pity,† said Bonnie seriously. â€Å"And you told Frances not to tell anyone about him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Right.† Elena checked her watch. â€Å"Which means that by, oh, say two o'clock, it ought to be all over the school.† After school, the girls went to Bonnie's house. They were greeted at the front door by a shrill yapping, and when Bonnie opened the door, a very old, very fat Pekingese tried to escape. His name was Yangtze, and he was so spoiled that no one except Bonnie's mother could stand him. He nipped at Elena's ankle as she went by. The living room was dim and crowded, with lots of rather fussy furniture and heavy curtains at the windows. Bonnie's sister Mary was there, unpinning a cap from her wavy red hair. She was just two years older than Bonnie, and she worked at the Fell's Church clinic. â€Å"Oh, Bonnie,† she said, â€Å"I'm glad you're back. Hello, Elena, Meredith.† Elena and Meredith said â€Å"hello.† â€Å"What's the matter? You look tired,† said Bonnie. Mary dropped her cap on the coffee table. Instead of answering, she asked a question in return. â€Å"Last night when you came home so upset, where did you say you girls had been?† â€Å"Down in the-Just down by Wickery Bridge.† â€Å"That's what I thought.† Mary took a deep breath. â€Å"Now, you listen to me, Bonnie McCullough. Don't youever go out there again, and especially not alone and at night. Do you understand?† â€Å"But why not?† Bonnie asked, bewildered. â€Å"Because last night somebody was attacked out there, that's why not. And do you know where they found him? Righton the bank under Wickery Bridge .† Elena and Meredith stared at her in disbelief, and Bonnie clutched at Elena's arm. â€Å"Somebody was attacked under the bridge? But who was it? What happened?† â€Å"I don't know. This morning one of the cemetery workers spotted him lying there. He was some homeless person, I guess, and he'd probably been sleeping under the bridge when he was attacked. But he was half dead when they brought him in, and he hasn't regained consciousness yet. He may die.† Elena swallowed. â€Å"What do you mean, attacked?† â€Å"I mean,† said Mary distinctly, â€Å"that his throat was nearly ripped out. He lost an incredible amount of blood. They thought it might have been an animal at first, but now Dr. Lowen says it was a person. And the police think whoever did it may be hiding in the cemetery.† Mary looked at each of them in turn, her mouth a straight line. â€Å"So if youwere there by the bridge-or in the cemetery, Elena Gilbert-then this person may have been there with you.Get it ?† â€Å"You don't have to scare us anymore,† said Bonnie faintly. â€Å"We get the point, Mary.† â€Å"All right. Good.† Mary's shoulders slumped, and she rubbed at the back of her neck wearily. â€Å"I've got to lie down for a while. I didn't mean to be crabby.† She walked out of the living room. Alone, the three girls looked at one another. â€Å"It could have been one of us,† said Meredith quietly. â€Å"Especially you, Elena; you went there alone.† Elena's skin was prickling, that same painfully alert feeling she'd had in the old graveyard. She could feel the chill of the wind and see the rows of tall tombstones all around her. Sunshine and Robert E. Lee had never seemed so far away. â€Å"Bonnie,† she said slowly, â€Å"did you see somebody out there? Is that what you meant when you said someone was waiting for me?† In the dim room, Bonnie looked at her blankly. â€Å"What are you talking about? I didn't say that.† â€Å"Yes, you did.† â€Å"No, I didn't. I never said that.† â€Å"Bonnie,† said Meredith, â€Å"we both heard you. You stared out at the old gravestones, and then you told Elena-† â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about, and I didn't sayanything .† Bonnie's face was pinched with anger, but there were tears in her eyes. â€Å"I don't want to talk about it anymore.† Elena and Meredith looked at one another helplessly. Outside, the sun went behind a cloud.

Analysis on Climate Change and the Deterioration of the Environment

Analysis on Climate Change and the Deterioration of the Environment In the years spanning the twentieth through twenty-first centuries, global climate change and environmental degradation have steadily worsened due to human activity. Fracking, emissions, industries, modern agriculture, and poorly managed waste are just some of the many devastating ways that the human community has contributed to Earth’s environmental decline. Evidence of climate change cited by NASA include the following: the rise of sea levels, the rise of global temperature, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, declining arctic sea ice, glacial retreat, extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and decreased snow cover (Climate Change Evidence†). These multitudes of scientific evidence support the phenomenon of global warming, making it an unequivocal occurrence that severely impacts the health of the Earth and, in turn, the well being of the global human community in its survival on planet Earth. Despite the mass amounts of evidence for climate change and environm ental degradation, there still exist populations that deny the validity of global warming on the basis of personal or religious belief. Whatever the reason for disbelief may be, the issue of global climate and environmental change does not fundamentally involve belief, but rather is a matter of scientific fact. The drastic change in the Earth’s environment is a phenomenon without borders and has induced worldwide concern. Unless more awareness is raised and greater environmental action is taken, the Earth’s environmental condition will only continue to worsen. Thus, global climate change and environmental pollution are part of an ongoing, grave, and pressing issue that demands the collective action of the international community, regardless of differing religious or ethical outlooks. That is not to say that religion cannot have a role in motivating people in taking environmental action because some religious teachings certainly do emphasize the importance of environmen tal ethics. Western religions teach that humans are to reflect the same care that the Creator has for them. For instance, the biblical teaching of mutual care for people, â€Å"love your neighbor as yourself,† and the idea of sacraments, or Christian expressions of divine love, can be geared towards care for the environment. Although religious thoughts and beliefs can influence environmental ethics, its fundamental guide must be scientific. In other words, even though religion can posit reasons for environmental action, science provides the more correct reasons and therefore, should act as the key motivator. Unlike religion, science provides universally undeniable evidence for the fragile reality of the Earth and this evidence should be the true elicitor for morally correct action in the environmental movement, demanding participation from the global community as a whole, regardless of individual moral or religious principles. Therefore, the need for environmental ethics and action owes more to the fact that it is essential for human survival than to a matter of choice or moral obligation guided by religious thought. One of the major opponents to enacting widespread and effective environmental action is social disposition, politics and legislation. Because religion is regarded with bias and controversy in the mainstream media, and thus society, it would not be substantial or appropriate as the main proponent for environmental ethics. Debate over what is right or wrong and what one religion teaches better than another would inhibit proper environmental progress. One scientific writing that did cause major social change through raising public awareness and, in turn, political action is the book, Silent spring, by Rachel Carson. In her book, Carson discusses the deadly effects of the pesticide, DDT, on the environment. She meticulously and scientifically described the process of DDT entering the food chain and building up in the fatty tissues of animals, humans included, and causing cancer and genetic damage. Expecting major reactions from chemical companies producing DDT, Carson collected a mass am ount of evidence supporting her writing that led to government investigation and ultimately the ban of DDT. One of the major legacies of Carson and Silent Spring is a new level of public awareness regarding environmentalism. With knowledge and this new awareness, everyone now had the potential to enact major social change. In chapter 17 of Carson’s book, she states the following: â€Å"We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frosts familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road — the one less traveled by — offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth† (Carson 114). Here Carson argues that, with the knowledge and awareness to act, society now needs to decide to take the appropriate action. Having the right to know, the knowledge that is needed to act, and the full ability to act are the parts of a successful formula for enacting mass environmental change. By writing Silent Spring, Carson provides the middle part of the formula, thereby changing the course of environmental activism for the better. The current environmental situation is similar to the DDT situation in that society has all the evidence it needs to act and, indeed, has made great strides in mediating the global climate change crisis. Therefore, following Rachel Carson’s model of using science to increase public awareness, modern environmental ethics has no necessity for religious guidance since morality—right or wrong—does not depend on religion, and science can provide the middle part of the discussed formula to enact social change. That is not to say that environmental ethics cannot be at least partially influenced by religious teachings, as this would not interfere with environmental action on a grand scale. Although religion should not provide the basis for environmental ethics, it certainly does have its merits in that it can motivate individuals enact positive environmental change under the moral guidance of their religions. In a lecture on religious environmental ethics by Keith Douglass Warner and David DeCosse at Santa Clara University, Warner and DeCosse discuss the environmental morals that are inherent in religious teachings. They argue that due to modernization of societies, the traditional religious attitudes toward nature have mostly disappeared. The lecture presented various writings on the issue of religious environmentalism and ultimately draws the conclusion that environmental action is an essential part of religion. Warner and DeCosse posit that western religious institutions had failed to lay out a â€Å"religious rationale for environmental protection,† but have since posited that the ecological crisis is a moral obligations for all human beings. They also put f orth the claim that environmental action is a sacrament, or â€Å"expression of divine love† since the creation of the whole world has religious significance for the religious community (Warner DeCosse). The position that is mainly argued is that the environmental ethics part of religion is something that is ancient and lost, but needs a revival to solve environmental issues in our modern world. Warner and DeCosse argue that the incorporation of environmental activism into religious teaching is a phenomenon occurring in almost every religion, but drawing general conclusions is difficult to do. This is due to the variety of religions on the planet and the fact that many religious environmental teachings and ethical practice are of a local scale while climate change is a matter of a global scale (Warner DeCosse). Thus, as this Santa Clara lecture explains, environmental ethics is an aspect of religion that has significant history. However, due to the diversity and locality of these teachings, it is difficult to draw a generalized and unified approach to solving environmental issues using religion alone. This idea of having a multitude of religious ideas within the broad spectrum of environmental ethics is explored in the article written by Jane Freimiller in the journal Capitalism, Nature, Socialism about the book Earth’s Insights: A Multicultural Survey of Ecological Ethics from the Mediterranean Basin to the Australian Outback by J. Baird Callicott. This article discusses the main points of the book: the cataloging of religious systems of thought, the provision of theoretical justification for doing so, and the report on the environmental movements that had religious backings. The article characterizes the book as a survey of world beliefs from the perspective of environmental ethics. In the discussion of the various perspectives on environmental ethics, the idea of the â€Å"shopping mall† dilemma arises, where one belief system out of the many varied beliefs in the world is picked over another in the grand goal of religious environmentalism. The solution proposed b y the book is to integrate all elements of the world’s religions and harmonize it with modern science (Callicott 152). The author of the article argues that a multicultural survey of environmental ethics, one that accounts for the differing views of several cultures regarding environmentalism, is a step in the right direction instead of formulating a new, integrated environmental ethic, as the book suggests (Freimiller). Therefore, Freimiller’s argument is convincing, as religion is so multifaceted that it is hard to unify the environmental movement under religion. Instead, a survey of world beliefs regarding environmental ethics seems like an appropriate part of the environmental solution that can incorporate religious thought, but is fundamentally scientific, as science is straightforward and universal. As demonstrated from the discussion of the two sources above, although religion can positively influence environmental ethics, it is too varied across the globe to form a consensus on environmental ethics. Thus, science would form the better basis for environmentalism as it is uniform and its proof is undeniable. The relationship between science and religion in the sphere of environmental ethics is one that carries great significance in the environmental movement. In Rebith of the Sacred: Science, Religion, and the New Environmental Ethos by Robert L. Nadeau, the author argues that to resolve the environmental crisis, it is essential that society changes its political and economic institutions as well as adapt to new standards for moral and ethical behavior. Nadeau proposes that the solution can be found if sufficient numbers of environmentally concerned people participate in the dialogue between the truths of science and religion. The truth of science, according to Nadeau is that it provides a link between the spirituality of religion and the human mind. That is, science can account for evolutionarily produced cognitive faculties that gives humans â€Å"the capacity to engage in spontaneous moral behavior and to experience the other as oneself† (Nadeau 143). Thus, Nadeau argues that m oral behavior is inherently derived from nature not nurture. In regards to the truth of religion, the author states that despite â€Å"differences in the narratives of the major religious traditions of the world, the most profound religious and moral truths are virtually identically† (Nadeau 145). Thus, Nadeau believes that all of the world’s diverse religions are interconnected and unified by the same thread of spiritual awareness. The author cited scientific research to align with this idea of common spiritual awareness when he stated the following: â€Å"Since the brain scans of the Buddhist monks and Catholic nuns were virtually identical, this strongly suggests that they were in very similar states of profound spiritual awareness.† Together, the truth of science and the truth of religion can be incorporated in Nadeau’s â€Å"New Environmental Ethos,† which is the combination of a â€Å"spiritual and physical reality†. Those who embrace this ethos, according to Nadeau, will view human pollution as immoral and see that neuroscience can explain emotional and unconscious processes that influence human behavior (Nadeau 146). Thus, Nadeau argues, science is in accordance with religious or spiritual morality as science provides the biological explanation for the neurology from which moral thoughts stem. In other words, the fundamental scientific truths are fully compatible with spiritual truths, as defined by Nadeau. However, having a common spiritual awareness across different religions may not translate to taking environmental action in the same fashion. Thus, discord can arise from differences in approaches to environmental action. This is supported by the fact that the Buddhists in the study mentioned by Nadeau sees a different spiritual being than the nuns. This may mean that the ways they worship and what they worship may differ and thus, the approach they take in environmentalism may differ. For instance, one may take direct action while the other takes on advocacy. What is essential for the health of the environment and the human population is not differing routes of environmental activism that may result in inefficiency but rather a unified, well-backed, and efficient approach that can lead to a common solution. Although Nadeau’s â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† does not necessarily conflict with the discord in differing religious views that lead to different environmental ac tion, his thesis treats science and religion as equally important components in environmental ethics, which they are not, and is not completely holistic. In his book, Nadeau states that moral reasoning is not the same as proactive moral behavior (Nadeau 147). In this sense, if science is assumed to be the basis for moral behavior, then the basis for environmental action can be mostly scientific. Then, the spiritual aspect of the â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† is simply an extraneous factor that can act as a motivator for environmental action. Nadeau’s religious environmentalism argument, which is heavy on spirituality, can also encounter a potential conflict with the atheist community. Since environmental change is a global issue, then a global solution encompassing all people must be devised. Nadeau’s â€Å"new environmental ethos† disregards atheists, which equates to disregarding the atheist community. This community makes up 11% of citizens that participated in the 2015 Gallup pole regarding religion (Losing our religion?†). Therefore, the â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† proposed by Nadeau i s not a holistic solution in that a necessitated global environmentalist approach needs to include all people, not just those who are religious or spiritual. While science is undeniably the basis of environmentalism, some may argue that religion can have a role of equal or greater importance in guiding environmental ethics. As mentioned before, various religions across the globe have long stressed environmental action and taking care of nature through religious teachings, texts, and the previously mentioned idea of â€Å"sacraments.† In Warner and DeCosse’s lecture, they also discuss a global, trans-religious phenomenon called â€Å"the Greening of Religion† in which many of the world’s religions are stressing environmental action as a moral obligation (Warner DeCosse). This similarity of environmental teaching among religions support the argument that religion does indeed have a role that is as or more important as science in guiding environmental ethics. In regards to the scientific side of the objection argument, some may say that science cannot account for morals and thus cannot account for environmental e thics. The same people may also posit that the purpose of religion is to impart moral values and thus influence environmental ethics in that fashion. That is, religious teachings influence moral values and what is right or wrong when it comes to environmentalism. In response to this argument, it is important to note that global warming is a scientific process. Without scientific evidence, there would be not enough awareness of global warming in the first place for the religious institution to call for environmental action. Though, with this scientific knowledge, religion is not necessarily essential to enact social change, as demonstrated by the impacts of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Science therefore can account for ethics and religion is not the only proponent of morality in regards to environmentalism. Thus, science is the only necessitated part of environmental ethics while religion can act as a possible secondary motivator in enacting environmental action. Through the holistic analysis of religion, the relationship between science and religion as they relate to environmental ethics, and the unified, mass social change that science alone is capable of initiating, as proven by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, it can be concluded that the fundamental guide to environmental ethics is science. Without the multiplicity of differing views and approaches that exists within religion, science can provide a clear and unified basis for environmental action for global community as a whole, regardless of individual moral or religious principles.

Personal statement to a university in the UK Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

To a university in the UK - Personal Statement Example My analytical skills will help me come up with good designs and prototypes for different items in both my academic projects and work after education. My creativity and initiative is exemplified in my use of knowledge that I have gathered, to navigate the wiring system of our home and repair its issues without specialized training (Wilson 46). The United Kingdom is my preferred destination for the study of Mechanical Engineering because of the personalized learning that its universities give to their students. The latest technology and equipment that these universities use reassures me that I will get education of the highest quality (Rich 82). Finally, an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering will help me contribute meaningfully to nation building since the workmanship of engineers generates job opportunities and government income (Rhoden et al 101). The degree will also help in self-development making me a better person in the

Mbuti Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mbuti Culture - Research Paper Example The Mbuti tribe is dependent on the forest for all the aspects of their life including getting their food, clothes, materials for hunting, item of play, musical instrument etc. In the recent times the tribesmen have come in contact with the agricultural people living the peripheries of the forest. However hunting remains their primary source of subsistence. Even in their trade with the agricultural people they exchange the meat they get from the forest in exchange for farm products (Tanno, n.d. pp. 1-51). The forest and hunting activities influenced the culture, social structures, gender relations and the beliefs and values of the Mbuti tribe associated with the Molimo ritual of the tribe. Social Organization The difference in the strategy for procuring the subsistence has attracted the interest of the anthropologist and ethnographers. Along with the difference in the hunting technique some difference in the social structure has also been observed with reference to the number of memb ers in the community. The inhabitants of the southwestern region, the net hunters live in a comparatively large camp consisting to seven to thirty families together. There method of hunting and distribution of the hunt are also of communal type. The women beat the under bush to drive the animals to the net which are looked after by the men. According to famous pygmy researcher Turnbull, this method of hunting requires a number of families to cooperate with each other in order to procure their subsistence. On the contrast the archers live in small groups of three to five. Individual members hunt with the help of arches and bows. The different operations of arching are tracking and ambushing which requires less number of men than net hunting. Several reasons have been cited for this difference in hunting pattern and consequent social structure based on region. According to Turnbull, this has occurred due to the historical distribution of the forest. The southwestern parts of the count ries have been subjected to encroachment for agriculture, mining, plantations, tourist centers etc. As a result the inhabitable land and the land for hunting and gathering have been reduced. On the other hand the population of the tribe has increased over the years. As a result the tribe was forced to increase their utilization of the reduced amount of available land. Moreover due to the Law of Diminishing Return the tribesmen had to undertake more work individually in order to maintain similar level of consumption. Another interesting feature that has been pointed out by the scholars is that the pygmy tribe has a low exposure to the technological advancement. Therefore they are unable to increase the utilization of the plot of land with the help of technology. To compensate for that, the tribesmen are required to increase the coordination and cooperation among themselves to maintain similar level of consumption. (Abruzzi, 1979) Renowned anthropologist, Harako suggests another alter native theory. According to him the original mode of hunting of the Mbuti tribe was archery. But some time in history a part of the tribe came in touch with the Bantu speaking tribes. In course of their interaction and exchange the Mbuti tribe learnt to use the net as a tool for hunting. This theory gives an explanation for the division of hunting methods

Jewish Holy Days Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jewish Holy Days - Essay Example This is due to the fact that all non-Israelite firstborns were to be killed by an angel of death sent by God. However, in order for the spirit to distinguish in which houses to inflict death, all the Israelites were advised to slaughter a lamb and mark their doors with its blood such that the spirit would pass over their homes and go to those which were unmarked (Strassfeld, 2001). In this light, they were ordered to ensure that all the meat from the lamb was roasted and eaten without leaving any sign of it (August, 2000). While at it, they were to pack all their belongings i.e. the portable ones in readiness to embark on the exodus once the pharaoh had accepted to release them. The journey they were about to start was one which did give these people ample time to prepare as it was only in a one night notice and as such, most of the food especially bread was half or totally unleavened and they had to carry it in that state else risk starvation especially due to the fact that most of the terrain on their path was a desert. This was also informed by the fear that once their release was sanctioned, there was a possibility that pharaoh would change his mind and thus, they had to leave in a hurry and as quickly as possible. During the Passover night, the angel of death came as promised and killed all the firstborns in homes belonging to non-Israelites and in the aftermath, Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites free but as they had anticipated, he changed his mind and sent soldiers to bring them back but by then, Moses and his people had already crossed the red sea (August, 2000). The Passover celebrations are conducted beginning on the 15th day on the month of Nissan, which coincides with the months of March or April on the Gregorian calendar, and runs for 7 to 8 days (Strassfeld, 2001). During this period, believers observe various norms and festivities, most of which are symbolic expressions of the Passover night at the time of exodus. For example, all the househol ds are required to dispose all the chametz in their belonging by way of destroying it completely, or giving it out to non Jews with the intention of reacquiring it after the festivities. Chametz refers to the food items which are mostly products of grain, and which have undergone fermentation. Prior to the commencement of the holy day, households usually embark on a cleanup exercise aimed at removing any traces of chametz, including any utensils that have been used to prepare it, after which thorough inspection is conducted. This in itself symbolizes the unleavened bread that the Israelites carried from Egypt and also the removal of arrogance in the souls of the believers. Instead of chametz, the Jews feast on Matzoh i.e. a mixture of flour and water cooked quickly before 18 minutes are over. This is due to the assumption that dough starts rising within 18 minutes if it is left uncooked thereby becoming chametz (Strassfeld, 2001). The fast of the firstborns is also one of the activi ties associated with Jewish Passover (Sper, 2003). In this regard, all the firstborns are supposed to participate in commemoration of the fact that they were rescued from the wrath of the angel of death. The fasting is conducted on the day before Passover and is only an obligation of those firstborn males of 13 years and above, which is the most agreed age of halakhic adulthood.

Sensitivity analysis between three companies Term Paper

Sensitivity analysis between three companies - Term Paper Example Assessments at this level are those with inputs for both extreams oil prices, gas prices, percentage royalty and the NGL prices that are not grounded in real life market data. Trilogy Company has the highest upper limit values of oil price and gas prices than ARC and RMP respectively. Conversely, Trilogy has the highest percentage of income incurred, following the high level of royalty in the data sheet. The NPV for the underlying cash flows at a discount rate of 10% is equivalent to zero implying that the series of prevailing cash will yield precisely 10%. Moreover, as discount rates of Trilogy Company upturn higher than underlying 10%, the corresponding venture becomes less treasured. The net present value of ARC resources would be higher because there is no discounting rate applied to the project. Without discounting, it is economically approved that the project is possible and can be carried to term (Munier, Nolberto, Fernando and Diego 98). On the other hand, with a discount rate negligible amount correspondingly there is a rationalization for the project to be accomplished. Nevertheless, with a great discount rate of the costs offset the discounted benefits, signifying the project should not continue. Thus, in this situation of ARC, Trivoly and RMP, the case is viable to be continued to completion. Munier, Nolberto, Saez, Fernando, & Diego, Marta. Project Management for Environmental, Construction and Manufacturing Engineers: A Manual for Putting Theory into Practice. Dordrecht, NY: Springer,

Confederacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Confederacy - Essay Example When his own Vice-President, Alexander Stephens became an outspoken critic of the Davis’ war polices, newspaper editors declared Davis a despot and added to the erosion of the Confederacy from within. Food riots and the Impression Act of 1863 further alienated civilian support of Davis and his government. Southern citizens divided over the issue of his right to rule the Confederacy’s nationhood; either they believed he now held too much power and wanted more or they believed him weak and unable to govern successfully. The absence of centralized power defeated Davis’ ability to feed and clothe his armies, or gain support from European allies. The loss of Stonewall Jackson on May 2, 1863 cost the commander of the Confederate forces, General Lee his most valuable soldier, and did a great deal to decompress Confederate military moral. June of 1863 saw Vicksburg captured by Grant and allowed the Union forces to control the Mississippi River all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, and further hurt the Southern states ability to garner support and supplies from the western states. President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on November 17, 1863, changed the idea of Union for Union’s sake to Union for Freedom’s sake, and revitalized the northern impetuous to continue the war through to its end. Grants push southward using Sherman’s forces never retreated after 1864, and Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865, sealed the fate of the Confederacy. The collapse of the Confederacy was as inevitable as the Civil War itself. "We are not one people. We are two peoples. We are a people for Freedom and a people for Slavery. Between the two, conflict is inevitable." New York Tribune  publisher Horace Greeley said that about the United States in 1854 and Davis could have paraphrased it when describing the political state of the Confederacy in

BUS law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

BUS law - Essay Example It is further observed that the terms and conditions submitted by Wrench LLC to Taco bell on their request was not approved but still Alfaro, representative of Taco Bell continued promoting the caricature based on the ideas of Wrench LLC, which leads to the violation of rights under  §106 of Copyrights Act. Taco Bell is liable to be prosecuted for breaching implied contract as it has used the concepts, ideas and materials of Wrench LLC in its marketing before and after rejecting the terms of Wrench LLC. The above facts satisfy the requirements for an implied contract and Taco Bell is liable to pay for the losses incurred by Wrench LLC as it is upheld in Metrano v. Fox Broadcasting that â€Å"suit for breach of a promise not use †¦.ideas without compensation does not require proof of any element that is not required by the Copyright Act† (Anschell, Hodulik and Rohrer, 24). Anschell, J.H., Hodulik J.B. and Rohrer A.S. The Whole Enchilada: Wrench LLC v Taco Bell Corp. and Idea Submission Claims Communications Lawyer, The Journal of Media, Information and Communications Law, 21(4). 2004.

The risks and benefits of social networking services Essay

The risks and benefits of social networking services - Essay Example research, it was found that through social networking sites are hugely favourable among people, especially young adults; they have been ignoring various dangerous attributes of these networking services. Social networking sites can be defined as virtual communities used by individuals for interacting and communicating with friends, families and also meeting new people based on similar or shared interests. Social networking services such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram have taken a critical important place in the lives of new age individuals. Apart from that, websites such as Facebook are known to increase the overall technical literacy of young adults. At the same time, these social media services are the cause of various positive and negative trends occurring in the society (Zafirovski, 2001). Therefore, it is important to understand the critical influence of these social media services so that negative consequences can be minimized and positive effects can be maximized. The objective of the present report is to understand the various risks and benefits of social networking sites. Recent research on usage of social networking services has suggested that the overall interest towards these sites is increasing in a substantial manner. At the same time, there contribution towards risks and benefits in an individual’s daily life is also heightened. The most common social networking services are instant messaging services, email and websites where information is shared. According to a recent survey conducted in 2011, it was revealed that almost 73 percent children as well as 47 percent adults are using these social networks (Red Crbit, 2013). Various benefits have been identified related to social media services and their usages (Cohn, 2010). By frequently using video clips, photographs and access to numerous articles, young adults gain a significant knowledge and understanding about the nature, production as well as usage of multiple content forms,

Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding Essay Example for Free

Asses the Contribution of Functionalism to Our Understanding Essay Functionalist views are based on that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or consensus. They believe that every part of society performs functions that help keep society running effectively. They use the example of a body to explain the way society runs as each part of our body has to work together in order for us to stay alive this is the same as society according to a functionalist. Education according to Emilie Durkheim (1903) consists of two main functions, creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills. Social solidarity is the sense of being part of a group or society. Functionalists believe this is key to making education run accordingly as without social solidarity people would only self indulge in their own desires. Education helps to create social solidarity as it helps transmit societies culture, beliefs and values from ‘generation to generation‘keeping society running correspondingly. Schools also act in preparing children for society in real life by teaching the concepts of working together with people you do not always no. his links with working as in work you have to work coherently with people who you will not know. Specialist skills are having the necessary skills to perform their role in education to the ‘bride way’ towards working life. Education helps children prepare for this through teaching children in different a range of subjects which they will then come to specialise in the subjects they are good in which will in turn help them earn mon ey in society in later life. Education also according to functionalists gives all children an equal opportunity to develop on their own individual talents also known as meritocracy which is achieving through your own effort. Davis and Moore (1945) argue that education sorts children into their future educational roles by sorting their ‘aptitudes’ and ‘abilities’ which also links to social solidarity as to do certain jobs you need the necessary qualification and experience. However there are criticisms of functionalists and education. Melvin Tumin (1953) put forward a circular argument and criticises David and Moore by putting forward such questions as ‘how do we know what job is more important? ’ answer ‘because it’s highly Rewarded’ and why are some jobs higher rewarded than others? ’ answer ‘because they are more important’. Marxists believe that society only transmits the ideology of the ruling class therefore it disadvantages the working classes in education. One example is that Marxists prepare the working class for there jobs through education therefore it is only transmitting values of the ruling class. Also Marxists believe that the state is controlled by the ruling classes who transmit the ideology state apparatus which is that it maintains control through controlling people’s ideas, values and beliefs through religion, mass media and the education system. This criticises the functionalist view as social solidarity is meant to transmit these values and beliefs which according to Marxists are only means to control the working class. Meritocracy according to Marxists is a myth as we are controlled by the higher classes and we cannot achieve our status we ascribe our status. Another big criticism of functionalism in education is that functionalists believe that everybody at school behaves and accepts all that is taught when this is not the true case. It does not explain why some people come to fail examinations if everybody works in a general ‘consensus’. Dennis Wrong (1961) refers to this as ‘puppets in society’. The new right believe that the state fails to prepare the young for work as the state discourages choice and competition. Another disadvantage is that functionalists cannot explain under-achievement and inequality of opportunity in education. In conclusion Functionalism has a good general understanding of Education but it has quite obvious flaws as not everybody is going to get on in society so it is impossible to have a general consensus. Also the disadvantages of Functionalism in education seem to out weigh the positives therefore functionalism does not give a real positive understanding of education.

Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles Essay Example for Free

Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles Essay Hello my name is Chassidy Mitchem I would absolutely love to be a part of your cosmetology program. I love to do hair and, make up. Doing hair is something I enjoy doing in my free time. It’s a way to get away from people and let my mind explore into better things. I enjoy looking and trying new hair styles and colors. I have done makeup and hair for Homecoming court and Grand March. It would be an absolute dream to get into this school and have some hands on time with the things I love doing while learning more about Cosmetology. Cosmetology is very important to the world because someone will always want their hair done or make up done. Most people only want to go to a professional so they know they will be getting the best of their money. You could also be able to set up your own business around your area. I differ from a lot of my peers because no one really understands the importance of Cosmetology the way I do. Everyone thinks it useless. Cosmetology is just as important as other jobs because someone will always need you. There will always be someone needing their eye brows done or maybe there nails especially during homecoming and prom or even a wedding. I’ve talked to a couple people and got some really interesting opinions. Some people has told me I wouldn’t make it and some people has told me I would, but my motto is â€Å"Never give up, because you never know how close you are to fulfilling your dream.† I plan on getting this degree and opening my own salon and I feel that it will give me knowledge I need to know for success. I learned to do this at a young age and I feel very strong about this career. I believe this will be the field I dedicate myself to. I hope to be attending this college at whatever time the school year would begin

How Does Nutrition Affect Athletic Performance Physical Education Essay

How Does Nutrition Affect Athletic Performance Physical Education Essay Athletes are dedicated to their sport. They exercise daily, train with professionals, lift weights, engage in team practices, and compete against one another. All this commitment is made in an effort to make the human body work more efficiently. Continuous exercise and training, conditions the muscles to work better alongside the bones. For example, baseball pitchers would want to train the muscles in the arm to throw a blazing fast pitch, long distance runners would work to control the respiratory system in order to finish strong at the end of an extensive race, and football players build on agility and muscular endurance sequentially outrunning the opponent. The current generation of athletes has caused competition in sports to reach unprecedented levels. However, the burning question remains, are athletes consuming the right foods to fulfill their activities? Adequate nutrition is an integral aspect to athletic performance. Athletes that demand a higher performance in their respec tive sport and training should have a high nutritional value in relation to their activities. It is critical to maintain a balanced, healthy diet at all times in order to achieve maximum performance. A good diet with adequate nutrition such as vitamins, minerals, protein and water in terms of the proper amounts of calories support activities. Athletes acquire energy from the foods they eat. Food can be further divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients supply an athlete with direct sources of energy for daily life activities and physical exercise. Macronutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats  [1]  . Micronutrients aid in the processes of life, such as digestion and food metabolism. Although they are not able to provide energy, they are essential in generating energy for the human body. Some examples of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals  [2]  . Protein is a macronutrient involved in many chemical processes of life. Proteins are specialized for different organs and species. Proteins are combinations of amino acids that combine in various ways to make muscle, bones, tendons, skin and many other tissues. When proteins are broken down by the body at ingestion, amino acids are formed. There are 20 amino acids which help form human proteins, however only 9 are essential. Meaning 9 out of the 20 proteins are supplied by the food we eat, because the human body is unable to produce them through synthetic processes in the cell. Protein is one of the components in body tissues, necessary for cellular growth and repair, as well as in hormones, enzymes, the immune system, and bodily fluids  [3]  . Athletes need protein primarily to repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during physical exertion. Working out breaks down muscle fibers and the body has to quickly rebuild those fibers for future performances. Through the process of restoration the body synthesizes proteins. The muscle fibers broken down during training will strengthen over time as adequate amounts of protein are ingested to facilitate the growth process  [4]  . Protein is the last source of energy used when other macronutrients are available. When the body lacks adequate carbohydrates, the body turns to protein as a source of fuel for physical activity. During extreme physical activity, muscle tissue becomes an energy source because there is an insufficient amount of fat and carbohydrates consumed. Therefore it is necessary to maintain an adequate protein intake everyday, to make up for the protein lost in the muscle tissue during an increase in intensity or length of training  [5]  . Research has shown an amino acid known as creatine, can help enhance athletic performance. Derived from other amino acids, glycine, arginine, and methionine, creatine is stored in the skeletal muscle as creatine phosphate. The job of creatine phosphate is to help facilitate the production of energy. With an increased store of creatine phosphate in the body, the ability to produce energy during high intensity training is improved. This is a result of muscles in the body that have the ability to store a greater amount of creatine than what athletes consume from their diet. Athletes can obtain creatine primarily from meat and fish  [6]  . Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for the exercising muscles and are essential for supporting the training and performance of an athlete. They are the major energy source for anaerobic and aerobic activity. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose molecules and stored in our skeletal muscles and liver as glycogen. The amount of glycogen stored affects stamina and endurance. After an athlete is done training, glycogen is released from the liver into the bloodstream to restore the glucose levels in the blood, and glucose is transported to cells for energy  [7]  . If the blood glucose levels are low, athletes may feel irritable, tired, and lack concentration, interfering with their performance. Glycogen stored in the skeletal muscles provides fuel for the exercising muscles during high and low-intensity activities. There are limited carbohydrate reserves in the body and exercising causes the glycogen stores to become depleted very quickly. During exercise, if muscle cells run out of glycogen, the muscles lack energy and fatigue sets in. Performance suffers accordingly, but will vary depending on the sport and its intensity  [8]  . Therefore, daily carbohydrate consumption and training is necessary to maintain glycogen for optimal performance. In order for athletes to obtain enough energy to maximize athletic efforts, carbohydrates also aid in fat metabolism. The presence of carbohydrates is essential in utilizing fat for energy, associating with the old saying, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"fat must burn in a carbohydrate flameà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ Ã‚  [9]  . Increased fat-burning helps to conserve carbohydrates in the muscle, therefore the stored up amount is used to support athletes in later activities  [10]  . In general, endurance athletes use up more carbohydrates than athletes that use carbohydrates for strength and power. This is because endurance athletes are participating in physical activity over a longer period of time, meaning a grea ter amount of carbohydrates is required by the body to supply it with energy over the duration. On the other hand, athletes involved in strength and power events require fewer amounts of carbohydrates to supply a sudden burst of energy for powerful, but short-lived physical activities  [11]  . Adequate intake of carbohydrates will prevent the body from extracting other macronutrients from their desired jobs to become fuel for activity. Ideal sources of carbohydrates include whole-grain cereal, pasta, brown rice, and brown bread products. As part of a healthy diet, athletes should include at least two carbohydrate-rich foods accompanying each meal, and at least one with every snack  [12]  . Prior to competitions, athletes like to load muscles with glycogen to delay fatigue that occurs during endurance events. A diet that contains highly nutritious carbohydrates, covering 55-65% of total calories, is sufficient enough to provide adequate glycogen storages that will help support the athlete over the duration of their performance  [13]  . Fat is the predominant fuel source during prolonged exercise. The body has an unlimited storage capacity for fat, making it the largest reserve of energy in the body. It is integral for many metabolic processes such as energy production, synthesis of vitamin D, cholesterol, hormones, and transporters of lipid soluble vitamins. Fat can be classified into two categories based on its structure: unsaturated and saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are obtained from plant sources. Advantages of unsaturated fats include lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. Saturated fats on the other hand, come from animal sources and cheese. Saturated fats are not recommended in large consumption to athletes, because an excess of this macronutrient will raise cholesterol and/or lipid levels in the blood which can lead to the development of heart-related diseases  [14]  . However, fats do hold a place in sports nutrition. Fats are less oxygen-rich, and they can release a greater amo unt of energy at a greater speed than other nutrients. This can provide an athlete with a concentrated source of energy. Fat is essential for longer and lower intensity, endurance exercise. Another role that fats play in the human body is insulation. Fats assist in insulating and protecting vital organs and parts of the body  [15]  . Athletes can obtain fat from food sources such as milk, butter, meat and oils  [16]  . Athletes need to keep in mind to carefully monitor the type and the amount of fats they eat. Vitamins are essential micronutrients athletes need to produce energy. Vitamins mostly come from the food we eat, with the exception of vitamin D. Instead of participating in the metabolic processes of nutrients, vitamins help to regulate the reactions in metabolic processes. They are responsible in facilitating energy release and synthesizing bone and tissue. Absence of a vitamin prevents certain metabolic processes from occurring in the cell, which eventually affects the metabolic balance in the body, as a whole  [17]  . Another micronutrient occurs naturally on earth. It is found in the water, soil, and the plants of Earth. This micronutrient is known as the mineral. There are seven key minerals: calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulphur. Two minerals that are important for athletes are iron and calcium. Iron is a main component in the blood. It is critical for red blood cell formation, function and myoglobin composition. Iron operates in the blood as an oxygen carrier, a key role in sport performance. If iron levels are low in athletes, they can develop fatigue, poor appetite and an increase in resting pulse rate. This occurs because an insufficient supply of oxygen is distributed to parts of the body. Oxygen combines with glucose to form ATP molecules, the main source of energy for the muscles. The greater amount of ATP stored in the muscles, the more powerful they will be when it performs work. Low iron levels in the blood mean that muscles do not receive enough ox ygen to support exertion. This results in lactic acid being produced and the athlete endures pain and fatigue in the muscles. However, excess amounts of oxygen in the body help athletes to metabolize lactic acid back into useful energy molecules after exercise. This allows the muscles of athletes to recover faster and be able to carry out physical activity again without having to rest for long periods of time. Iron can be obtained from many food sources, such as cereals, red meats, and bread products  [18]  . When athletes want to develop stronger bones, they need to consume calcium in their diets. Calcium is a micronutrient from the popular dairy food group, comprised of milk, yogurt and cheese. Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in our body is stored in the skeletal system, while the remaining one percent is accumulated in the muscle cells  [19]  . When muscles are at work, calcium ions are released to trigger muscle contraction. Calcium ions are released into the sarcoplasm and then they find their way to attach onto the troponin molecules. Without the attachment of troponin molecules and calcium, the interaction of actin and myosin leading to muscle contraction will not occur. Thus, if muscle contractions are not generated, athletes are unable to perform their activity  [20]  . Low calcium levels in the body are in relation to developing low bone density. This causes the bones of the body to become more fragile and vulnerable to stress fractures, as the limiting amount of calc ium will be used for muscle contraction. Therefore in order for athletes to withstand intense physical activity, an adequate amount of calcium is essential in their meals  [21]  . Finally, athletes need to stay hydrated for optimal performance. The human body consumes energy during physical exercise and creates heat. Bodily temperature would rise drastically causing the body to overheat, if heat was not released. In conjunction with the release of heat, the bodyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s sweat glands discharge fluid to the surface of the skin, where it eventually evaporates. This overall process occurs in an effort to cool the body. However, this leaves the body dehydrated  [22]  . Water comprises 50-60 percent of the weight of human bodies  [23]  . This portion of water in the human body helps to regulate heat and maintain a constant body temperature. Water helps to transport nutrients to cells and extract waste products. Water distributes the heat generated by physical activity throughout the body and enables the body to perspire. Fluids, not just water, are lost when humans perspire, urinate, defecate, and respire. A constant replacement of fluids is necessary for the human body to continue to operate and achieve its optimal performance. Research has shown that when athletes sweat, they lose 1-2% of body weight which is linked to a decrease in blood volume. This process causes the heart to work harder to circulate the blood, resulting in muscle cramps and dizziness  [24]  . Athletes establish proper hydration by drinking the right fluids during physical activity. This means drinking fluids properly throughout the day when thirsty, and especially before an activity begins. In the course of a long competition, where fluid is being lost in sweat, sport drinks are good sources of electrolytes. The sodium levels in the drinks are ideal replacements of sodium secreted in sweat. Low sodium levels can affect concentration. In general it is not advised for athletes to drink sport drinks such as Gatorade, on a regular basis or every time they participate in physical activity. These fluids can interfere with the body absorbi ng the proper nutrients and encourages thirst in the individual  [25]  . The principle that underlies healthy eating and enhancing sports performance is maintaining a balance between food consumption and the amount of energy that is going to be used for work. Since athletes participate often in physical exercise, they will need to absorb more energy in the foods they eat. The following principle is expressed as an energy equation: Energy storage = Energy intake à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Energy output. Energy storage represents the amount of energy left in the body after the amount of energy used is reduced from the amount of energy taken in by the body. If athletes absorb insufficient amounts of energy from food sources, optimal performance will not be achieved. Muscles will weaken without nutrients and negative health effects become a concern for athletes  [26]  . Athletes spend many hours training and undergoing physical activity so the body can excel in sports performances. It is important that athletes keep their bodies nourished in order to supply fuel for athletic endeavours. Athletes need to develop a focus on maintaining proper nutrition, so the hours spent during physical activity and rest are not subjected to waste. Good nutritional habits are necessary to achieve optimal physical performance, however it does not mean that we should categorize foods as good or bad. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, athletes should consume foods from various food groups and make better food choices at the same time. Daily food choices should include macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fat, micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and most importantly fluids, such as water. Athletes are better equipped to meet their maximum athletic potential if the right foods are taken in the right amounts to fuel the body. Great athletic accomplish ments are determined by great nutrition.

Marriage Without Love in Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay -- Henri

Marriage Without Love in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House In his play, 'A Doll?s House,' Henrik Ibsen shows a marriage built only on appearances, and not love. Both Nora the wife, and Torvald the husband, pretend they are in love throughout the story. However, love should be patient and kind, and their love is anything but that. Nora treats her husband as a father figure. Her feelings towards Torvald are more about dependence than love. Torvald treats Nora like a child or a pet. He gets very angry and frustrated with Nora, and he does not truly love her. True love is perfect, not angry, controlling, and dependent as Nora and Torvald are to each other. Throughout the story, Torvald is constantly angry with Nora. He also tries to control everything she does. At the beginning of the story, Torvald accuses Nora of eating sweets. He says to her, ' Surely my sweet tooth hasn't been running riot in town today has she?'(Ibsen 874). He continues to pester her after she denies it several times. Later on Nora tells Kristine, . Torvald had forbidden them. You see, he?s worried they?ll ruin my teeth?(Ibsen 883). If Torvald really loved Nora, he would not care about petty things like that. If he truly loved her, he would not care if her teeth were ruined. He likes Nora for her looks and beauty, not her personality or character. Not only is he controlling of Nora, but also very angry towards her. When he finds out about her taking out a loan to save his life, he explodes on her. Torvald says to her, ? Oh what an awful awakening! In all these eight years- she who was my pride and joy ? a hypocrite, a liar ? Worse, worse ? a criminal?(Ibsen 916). Torvald does not truly love Nora if he can speak to her that way. Even after he say... ...t based on true love. Bibliography: Works Cited Gosse, Edmund. ?Ibsen?s Social Dramas.? The Fortnightly Review (January 1, 1889): 107-21. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism 37. Eds. Kepos. Detroit: Gale, 1991. 220-221. Isben, Henrik. ?A Doll?s House.? Making Literature Matter. Eds. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin?s, 2000. 872-921. Salome, Lou. ?Ibsen?s Heroines.? Black Swan Books (1985) 42-55 Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism 37. Eds. Kepos. Detroit: Gale, 1991. 226-231. Scott, Clement. ?Review of a Doll?s House.? The Theater (July 1889): 19-22 Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism 37. Eds. Kepos. Detroit: Gale, 1991. 221-222. Shaw, Bernard. ?The Quintessence of Ibsenism.? B.R. Tucker (1891): 82-86 Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism 37. Eds. Kepos. Detroit: Gale, 1991. 225-226.

The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales :: Canterbury Tales Essays

The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales People never change. In every town you will always be able to find the "rich guy," the "smart guy," the "thief," and the "chief." It has been that way since the first man was swindled out of his lunch. Throughout his life, Geoffrey Chaucer encountered every kind of person and brought them to life for us in "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of short stories written in the 1300's. There are tales of saints, tales of promiscuity, tales of fraud, and tales of love. While reading, one has no choice but to come to the simple realization that nothing has really changed from Chaucer's time to ours. In "The Canterbury Tales" Chaucer depicted people from all walks of life. Society then had three basic classes of virtue that most people fell under: the Revered, the Commonfolk, and the Despicable. In the days of Chaucer, these people could be found in any village or town, just as they can be found today in our towns. Times were different then, but the people haven't changed a bit. Chaucer wrote of only three people who are deserving of the title "The Revered." These are the people who are always admired for their altruism, honesty, and kindness. They are proud and courageous with unalterable beliefs and unbreakable morals. Each of them may have a few harmless quirks, but are nevertheless revered. The most known of "The Revered" is the Knight. The Knight served in the Crusades where he fought for his king and the preservation of his beliefs in Christianity. Honor and virtue were reflected in everything he did. The Knight represents one of the most admirable characters in literature and is revered because of what he stands for. Though the Parson did not fight in the Crusades like the Knight, he also served God. The Parson was a man of the church whose beliefs in Christianity were unyielding. Decent and principled, he was a man devoted completely to his congregation. The Parson fully accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him to guard his people from sin. He said, "If gold rusts, what will iron do?" By this he meant that if the priest became corrupt, what would the parishioners do? As a parishioner and a brother of the Parson, the Plowman was a prime example of how well this philosophy worked. The Plowman is considered to reside in society's lowest class. The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales :: Canterbury Tales Essays The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales People never change. In every town you will always be able to find the "rich guy," the "smart guy," the "thief," and the "chief." It has been that way since the first man was swindled out of his lunch. Throughout his life, Geoffrey Chaucer encountered every kind of person and brought them to life for us in "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of short stories written in the 1300's. There are tales of saints, tales of promiscuity, tales of fraud, and tales of love. While reading, one has no choice but to come to the simple realization that nothing has really changed from Chaucer's time to ours. In "The Canterbury Tales" Chaucer depicted people from all walks of life. Society then had three basic classes of virtue that most people fell under: the Revered, the Commonfolk, and the Despicable. In the days of Chaucer, these people could be found in any village or town, just as they can be found today in our towns. Times were different then, but the people haven't changed a bit. Chaucer wrote of only three people who are deserving of the title "The Revered." These are the people who are always admired for their altruism, honesty, and kindness. They are proud and courageous with unalterable beliefs and unbreakable morals. Each of them may have a few harmless quirks, but are nevertheless revered. The most known of "The Revered" is the Knight. The Knight served in the Crusades where he fought for his king and the preservation of his beliefs in Christianity. Honor and virtue were reflected in everything he did. The Knight represents one of the most admirable characters in literature and is revered because of what he stands for. Though the Parson did not fight in the Crusades like the Knight, he also served God. The Parson was a man of the church whose beliefs in Christianity were unyielding. Decent and principled, he was a man devoted completely to his congregation. The Parson fully accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him to guard his people from sin. He said, "If gold rusts, what will iron do?" By this he meant that if the priest became corrupt, what would the parishioners do? As a parishioner and a brother of the Parson, the Plowman was a prime example of how well this philosophy worked. The Plowman is considered to reside in society's lowest class.

GRENDEL THE SAVAGE :: essays papers

GRENDEL THE SAVAGE Portraying adolescents as false tragic heroes has been a theme explored in literature throughout the twentieth century. In John Gardner’s Grendel, the protagonist Grendel, portrayed as a parentless adolescent seeking guidance, finds happiness in violence. Grendel continually commits the ultimate act of evilness, murder on Hrothgar’s mead hall. Gardner creates a character and an environment in, which the reader must feel sorrow for Grendel, in order to have fulfillment by the end of the resolution. However, Gardner uses Grendel and writing in general as tool to communicate his liberal philosophies to a wider audience making it difficult to weep over Grendel’s death. Grendel is not a misguided youth; he is a monster who willingly takes part in his death by indulging himself in violence. In Grendel, the protagonist spends his ephemeral life attacking Hrothgar’s mead hall, and Grendel takes the lives of Hrothgar’s men during the raids. When Grendel encounters the dragon, Grendel turns into a barbaric machine, after his self-realization. After the dragon, Grendel begins his contentious â€Å"war† with Hrothgar. The attacks on Hrothgar are essentially a deranged pastime for Grendel. After the attacks, Grendel feels some remorse, although this could merely be a biological reaction to the tyranny. Even if Grendel feels remorse, it is still no excuse to slaughter. If Grendel’s attacks are means of survival, then he must surely realize his death is necessary. Grendel returns to the mead hall repeatedly, even after the scenes of sick compassion. Grendel’s regrets only last long enough for the reader to see another side of him. The side of remorse and regret quickly disappears as he feels the hunger of death again. Grendel is a three – dimensional character. At the same time, Grendel can lose his confused frivolous existence and become a bloodthirsty killer. Grendel reflects modern troubled youth. He is lost in a corrupt world and consequently the use of violence is a means of short-term escape. Although we want to see Grendel saved, it is impossible to aid all adolescents in troubled. In addition, if we say Grendel’s acts are justifiable because he lives in terrible world, we are also saying it is justifiable for a drug dealer to deal out drugs. In order to maintain balance in civilization, we must have equal shares of compassion and common sense. Common sense tells us children are not products of their environment.

Arabizi Effects on the Arabic language Essay

I. Introduction: Whenever you walk at the campus of the American University of Sharjah, you will definitely find the young Arab girls wear trendy Western dresses as well as the Arab boys wear stylish Western clothes. And even students with more conservative dresses seem more Western than Eastern. No matter how young Arab people wear or look like nowadays, they even tend to be different in the language they use in typing and communicating. There is a widespread linguistic phenomenon that tremendously encroaches their lives and ultimately leads them to write in an unusual language. This language is well-known nowadays among Arabs especially the youth as â€Å"Arabizi†. Arabizi, a slang term derived from the words arabi or Arabic and englizi or English, is used to describe the melding between Arabic and English (Yaghan, 2008). It is a common contemporary trend for typing that has largely spread among young Arabs who use Arabic numerals and Latin characters to communicate, i.e. â€Å"5alas† . Given the linguistic, cultural and social significance that Arabizi has in contemporary society, indeed it is extremely interesting and also important to deeply investigate this phenomenon in order to determine  its dimensions, causes and possible consequences. Questions, controversies and concerns have been heavily raised over this issue. Questions like â€Å"Why do young people use Arabizi?†, â€Å"To what extent will it affect our language which is a critical component of our Arabic identity?† and so on have been asked by many specialists and scholars and even ordinary people. Some users may think it is helpful and easy to communicate, but also others are concerned about how Arabizi can dramatically affect our Arabic language. Linguistic scholars specifically are concerned about the severe results of the continuous use of Arabizi in our daily activities that may lead at the end to the extinction of our language. Therefore, this paper will investigate the effects of Arabizi on the Arabic language as a major component of identity focusing on students from the American University of Sharjah. II. Literature Review: Technology and Language Arabizi may be considered as a new phenomenon in contemporary society; however, its origin goes back to the mid-1990s with the introduction of technology (Warschauer, 2002). Technology that was supposed to convert the world into a global village removing all borders among people, in reality worked reversely in categorizing people as well as countries into haves and have nots (Warschauer, 2002). That is if a product is made in the United Kingdom or the United States, it is up to the consumer whether to adapt to English or decide not to use the product at all. Dr. David Wilmsen, a professor of Arabic at the American University of Beirut that has written comprehensively on linguistics, considers cell phone as the critical Western product that created Arabizi in the Arab world (Salhani, 2013). According to Dr. Wilmsen, when mobile phones were firstly introduced to the Arab world, they were very expensive and keyboards came with Latin characters. Elites who could afford it, communicated t hrough messages easily in English. However due to the increasing demand, mobile phones became inexpensive and owned by almost everyone. Those people might not know English but they wanted to use the simplicity of the English keyboard on their mobile phones and the result was Arabizi (Salhani, 2013). Although cell phones and other technological means are provided nowadays with Arabic keyboards, Arabs still  do not use it and prefer to write in Latin characters. Bruna Kesserwani, the Middle East Regional Director of the World Youth Alliance, on a personal side finds it easier to write in Arabizi in spite of using both Arabic and English in workplace and daily life. However, Kesserwani strongly believes that Arabizi might have severe cultural and linguistic consequences (Salhani, 2013). Education System and Language The impact of Arab’s over-reliance on English-based technology has affected many other critical aspects of Arab society. As Warschauer explained throughout his book, university-level courses that are taught in English are expanding nowadays to further include other linguistic courses such as Arabic. Consequently, parents are forced to register their children in English-based schools so they can afford a good job in the future and maintain a high status in society (2002). However, this desire for upward social mobility has led to â€Å"cultural-linguistic dualism† (Findlow, 2006). Therefore, Arab youth can speak, interact and even live with a linguistic mixture of Arabic and English. However, this phenomenon can lead us to recognize these dramatic concepts â€Å"language death†, â€Å"language loss†, â€Å"language decay† and even â€Å"linguistic genocide†, which convey the increasing concerns about the future of the Arabic language (Findlow, 2006). Education has a critical role to play in the discourse of how the Arabic language is rapidly disappearing from new generations’ lives and heavily displaced by English. Schools nowadays in the Middle East adopt English as the major language of teaching and as a consequence they are teaching Arabic to Arab students as a foreign language: usually one hour a day (Dhabi, 2004). According to Dr. Saiyad Ahmad, assistant professor of Eastern Studies at the American University of Sharjah, â€Å"most Arab youth don’t know their language†. He highlighted the critical responsibility of the education system in maintaining the Arabic culture and heritage. According to him, â€Å"nowadays, if someone doesn’t know English, they’re seen as uneducated †¦ people have forgotten other ways and means of thinking†. â€Å"We have effectively lost our authenticity †¦ our ideas are not our own, but are imported like other products,† he added (El Darawy, 2005). Personal Justifications for Using Arabizi To assess the role of Arabizi in contemporary society, there is an inherent need to deeply answer the question â€Å"why young people nowadays use Arabizi?† In a study conducted by Dr. Mohammad Yaghan, a group of high school students were asked about their reasons and justifications for using Arabizi in their daily lives. One of the reasons was that teenagers nowadays find Arabizi a trend in which they would like to belong to and by that way they will blend easily with similar group members. Other students believed that classical Arabic letters should be used for educational purposes but not for slang. Also, students explained how Arabizi is useful in expressing issues that cannot be expressed otherwise in classical Arabic letters. Economics is another major reason of using Arabizi, since the number of characters allowed in a message written in English is much larger than that in Arabic. Last but not least, participants expressed their preference of Arabizi over pure Arabic or English as it is a flexible system, not taught and free of errors (Yaghan, 2008). In addition, many Arabs feel that Arabic is very complicated and therefore they wanted to combine their mother tongue with English to create Arabizi which is somehow easier in communication (Salhani, 2013). In an interview conducted with college students at the American University in Cairo asking about their logic for using Arabizi as a means of communication with their friends, students emphasized two main points. Firstly, they explained how Arabic restricts them from discussing everyday topics and on the other hand how melding Arabic and English allow them to talk freely about their daily issues. Secondly, they illustrated how comfortable they feel when they use Arabizi to talk about taboos and other issues that cannot be expressed in Arabic such as sex (Yaghan, 2008). Not only young Arab people have justifications and causes for using Arabizi, but also elder people do have their own defense for using it. Those young people who use Arabizi will soon graduate and get jobs, but they will also transfer with them their own way of typing and communicating. Ali Nasser, a 24 year old employee, sees no problems in using Arabizi. He considers Arabizi as a valid means of communication in emailing other co-workers and communicating inside the organization. Furthermore, he believes that Arabic  is difficult for typing and expressing the self and other everyday topics. Personally, he does not see any indication that Arabizi weakens his Arabic, but rather people are over romanticized about this matter (Ghanem, 2011). The Internet and Arabizi The internet and online usage of language reveal how complicated the issue is. A study on young internet users in Egypt was done by Mark Warschauer, a professor at the University of California, Ph.D. in Education program and founding director of UCI’s Digital Learning Lab, to determine which language they use on the internet. The study found that Arabic was rarely used on the internet, but rather a mixture of Arabic and English was commonly used by the participants. This â€Å"Romanized Arabic† as Warschauer called it, was heavily used in informal emails and online chatting. According to Warschauer, this phenomenon gave its users a new universe in which they can freely discuss different religious and political topics, due to the absence of an explicit authoritarian censorship in a context where informality was the basis (Attwa, 2012). In another study conducted in Egypt, Singapore and Hawai’i, online language use was analyzed to examine webs of interrelationships. The study concluded that in a world where English is the dominant language, there is a major contradiction between global networks and local identities (Warschauer, 2002). This major online presence in young Arab people’s lives can have major consequences on their belief system and language which is a critical component of their identity. A study on technology and youth at the University of Melbourne showed that communication technologies strongly empower young people to create and maintain a sense of identity, power and unity (Carroll, Howard, Vetere, Peck & Murphy, 2001). Since this created identity is the outcome of complex electronic interactions, then the required language for communication is what forms the user’s identity (Markham, 2008). Therefore, when Arab youth choose to construct their Arabic language with Latin letters, they create their own linguistic identity in the way they want to represent themselves to the entire world (Markham, 2008). In a study intended to investigate the impact of the internet in the Arab world, Arabs’ perceptions and opinions about the influence of the internet  on their belief system, language and identity were deeply investigated. It showed that the majority of well-educated Arabs are concerned that their inherited social norms are harmed by the internet and other new technologies. They also indicated their annoyance about Arabizi as a threat to their language as well as their identity (Loch, Straub, & Kamel, 2003). However, all individuals as well as countries kowtow to modern technology in all its forms which shapes their beliefs, behaviors and actions (Brette, 2003). Not only technology users have opinions and thoughts about this matter, but also people who are in position to affect how the Arabic language can be used on the internet have their own points of view. According to Fayeq Oweis, manager of the Arabic localisation team at Google, â€Å"Arabic is a thriving language and can be adapted to modern technology† (Al Tamimi, 2012, para.1). Oweis believes that there are basically three dangers that threaten the Arabic language in the Arab world. The first is using foreign terminologies in spite of the existence of Arabic synonyms. The second is writing Arabic but using foreign characters, which is heavily and commonly used on the internet. The third is including different dialects in the sentence. In Oweis’s opinion, the best way to avoid these three threats is to use correct and proper Arabic not only in everyday use or formal communication, but also in the technology field (Al Tamimi, 2012). In order to put this solution into practice, Google has introduced â€Å"Google Ta3reeb† in 2009 (Al Tamimi, 2012). This program came out due to the increasing use of Arabizi on the internet, so it automatically translates Arabizi into classical Arabic. Therefore, Google is seriously contributing to the survival of the Arabic language by preserving its existence on the internet. Arabizi and Identity An extremely significant question imposes itself on the scene, whether Arabizi negatively affects our language and identity or it simply finds a common ground to unite Arabs everywhere. According to a study conducted in order to investigate what Arabs think about the effect of Arabizi on their Arab identity, users affirmed that Arabizi does not negatively affect their identity as Arabs, but rather it helps them finding a common ground in which  they can easily belong to (Abdel-Ghaffar, N., et al, 2011). However, Abdel-Ghaffar found that Arabizi does not facilitate the communication process among Arabs but rather it makes it vaguer, inconsistent and misunderstood in many cases (Abdel-Ghaffar, N., et al, 2011).This is because Arabizi users use Arabic numerals mixed with the closest English counterpart to express what they want to communicate. For example, the Ø · can be represented with â€Å"6† or â€Å"t†, which creates inconsistency in communication (Attwa, 2012). T herefore, Abdel-Ghaffar suggested that using Arabic letters is the most effective, consistent and overall the clearest means for communication in Arabic (Abdel-Ghaffar, N., et al, 2011). Many Arabs consider Arabizi as a major threat or even a war against the Arabic language and they are concerned that it will further weaken the language or even replace it in the near future. Some Arabs even believe that if young Arab people continued to use Arabizi transferring it to the next generations, the Arab world can be imagined without Arabic language in few decades. According to Miral Dibawy, a university graduate and addicted user of Arabizi, Arabizi has weakened her Arabic language and she even needs to write firstly in Arabizi and then translate it whether in Arabic or English (Ghanem, 2011). On the other hand, Dina Jamal, a university student, does not use Arabizi although all friends do because she strongly considers it as a major threat to the Arabic language (Ghanem, 2011). Also, Taiba Al-Amoudi, an Arabic teacher, argued that Arabizi was severely affecting her students’ linguistic abilities (Ghanem, 2011). In order to determine the extent to which Arabizi can really affect our language and identity, we should definitely consider Edward Said case which is to some extent similar to what the Arab youth experiences nowadays. Said represented the issue of having unsettled identity since he was raised in a bicultural family, uncertain about which language or which identity he should more belong to (Said, 1999). This description of Said’s conflicting childhood in reality reflects today’s young Arab people, since they are enrolled in English-based schools but they communicate at home mostly in Arabic. Thus, they want to combine these two different languages together to represent themselves in a way that satisfies their needs (Kramsch, 2000). III. Research Question: Based on secondary data and another primary research, survey, the focus of this paper is to deeply investigate the consequences of using Arabizi on the Arabic language. The primary research was conducted at the American university of Sharjah, in order to reveal and determine the dimensions of this matter. Thus, the following research questions needed to be investigated: RQ1: What are the students’ motives to use Arabizi? RQ2: How do students perceive Arabizi and its effects on the Arabic language? RQ3: How does students’ proficiency in Arabic relate to the use of Arabizi? RQ4: How does students’ high school system relate to the use of Arabizi? Therefore, the independent variables are high school background, proficiency in Arabic, age, gender and nationality. And the dependent variable is the use of Arabizi. IV. Methodology: 1. Participants This study was limited to investigate participants from different ages, genders, colleges and nationalities at the American University of Sharjah. The sampling technique that was used to select participants in this research project was a simple random sample. The number of participants was 150 AUS students (N= 150). The ages of participants in this study range from 17 to 26 years old and the average ranged from 20-22 years (Appendix 1). The gender ratio is 1:1, so 75 males and 75 females participated in this study. Participants were chosen from the following available colleges at the American University of Sharjah: College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), College of Architecture, Arts and Design (CAAD), College of Engineering (CEN) and SBM (School of Business and Management). The final psychographic quality that was studied in this project is nationality. Nationalities were divided into the following four categories: 1) GCC Countries, 2) Al Sham Countries, 3) North Africa and 4) Other. Th e purpose of this categorization is to achieve simplicity. Participants from Al Sham countries made up 50% of the participants (Appendix 2). 2. Procedure: This primary research project was conducted through distributing printed surveys among AUS students during one week (from June 30th to July 7th 2013). Our main objective for this project was to randomly collect unbiased, rational and representative data. The data was collected from the Chemistry Building, Nab, Library, Student Center, Guys’ dorms and women’s dorms. It took around 10 minutes for participants to complete the survey. After the data was collected, we used the recommended ‘IBM SSPS Statistics Software’ to analyze the collected data. This software was very useful for the analytical and the reporting process that is basically due to the multiple integrated modules that we could easily use to get precise and exact reports. We were able to get accurate representation as well as attain reliable outcomes for our survey findings. In addition, due to the variety of the provided options in this software, we were able to get a full representative image of the results through descriptive statistics and many other statistical representations. 3. Measure: For the measurement process, we used the Likert scale as an effective, representative and accurate method. This scale provides respondents with the following five degrees of agreement: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree and Strongly Disagree. It quantifies the responses and allows for mathematical analysis. Also, it allows participants to respond with a flexible degree of agreement instead of forcing them to take a determined position. The collected data from this scale was easily and accurately used to create charts that represent how opinions are distributed across the population. Moreover, it allows for comparisons between and among the founded results. The Likert scale was used with the following questions: â€Å"Do you feel that Arabizi helps you express yourself more clearly?†, â€Å"In my interactions with others, I often do you mix English and Arabic?†, â€Å"Some people think that communicating in Arabizi, makes its users seem smarter?† and â€Å" I believe the use of Arabizi will negatively affect my proficiency in Arabic?†. V. Results: Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation HighSchool of participant 150 1.00 2.00 1.2267 .42008 Arabic proficiency of participant 150 1.00 5.00 2.5467 1.10876 Arabizi makes participant smarter 150 1.00 5.00 3.4133 1.08180 Arabizi negatively affects Arabic 150 1.00 5.00 2.5200 1.12160 Age of participant 150 1.00 4.00 1.6800 .66877 Paticipants College Year 150 1.00 4.00 2.6400 1.07616 Participants uses Arabizi with people who don’t speak English or Arabic 150 1.00 4.00 1.6733 .58501 Collage of participant 150 1.00 4.00 2.6200 1.00782 Gender of participants 150 1.00 2.00 1.5000 .50168 Participant mixes English and Arabic 150 1.00 5.00 2.5333 1.04699 Use of Arabizi makes clearer 150 1.00 5.00 2.4400 1.05855 Participants use Arabizi 150 1.00 4.00 2.2933 1.09634 MotherTongue of participant 150 1.00 4.00 1.4200 .97808 Nationality of participant 150 1.00 4.00 2.1600 .95594 Valid N (listwise) 150 Figure 1.1: Descriptive Statistics of 150 surveys Figure 1.2: Participants feel Arabizi express them clearer Figure 1.3: Participants Mix of English and Arabic Figure 1.4: Arabic proficiency of participants Figure 1.5: Relation between High school and use of Arabizi of participants Figure 1.6: Arabizi negatively affects Arabic VI. Discussion: The outcomes of the survey of 150 participants were not unexpected as they relate to the discoveries of past researches and findings referred in the literature review. To begin with, the table above contains the descriptive statistics of the 150 participants (Figure 1.1). For instance, the mean respond regarding the question of â€Å"Does Arabizi makes you feel smarter?, is 3.4133. Since the variable 3 is neutral and 4 is disagree, then the greater part was sort of inside that run. The same procedure is valid to each question. Regarding the research question expressed in part III, the question states; â€Å"Do you feel Arabizi helps you express yourself more clearly?† is replied through the pie outline in Figure 1.2. More than 36.7% of the members demonstrated that they use Arabizi in their daily communication since it helps in communicating their statements. The minimum picked reply, which just included 4.7% of the participants, was on the grounds that the individual they ar e conversing with can’t comprehend Basic English. This percentage indicates that teenagers and youth are adapting more to the use of Arabizi in their daily interactions more than ever before. The discoveries of this pie graph are parallel to what Ghanem (2011) discovered in her interviews with college scholars. Indeed, Bruna Kesserwani said the same thing (Salhani, 2013). Figure 1.3 and figure 1.5 illustrates the participant’s response to mixing English and Arabic in their daily interactions according to their education. The outcomes that are delineated in the figure indicated that the majority of participants come from English-based educational system. Then again, to evade misconceptions, the degree of every high school foundation was figured. For the individuals who went to an Arabic-based high school, the proportion of participants finding Arabizi express their ideas more clearly it is below 20% which approximately (=0.15). For the individuals who went to an English-based high school the degree is above 80% which (=0.85). The dispersion of both degrees is exceptionally far from each other with nearly 0.7 contrasts, which is high. The third question, â€Å"How do participants characterize their proficiency in  Arabic?† is diagramed in Figure 1.4. It indicates that the capability of a participant in Arabic dialect is identify with the practice of using Arabizi. The individuals who appraised themselves as phenomenal in Arabic had the most astounding degree of individuals who likewise said that they don’t use Arabizi; so they manage every dialect as its own particular. Moreover, participates who evaluated themselves with Average or above average in the language proficiency had an extremely thin rate of individuals who don’t use Arabizi; the larger part whose Arabic proficiency is below average uses it. This comes to accept that one’s capability in Arabic does influence his/her use of Arabizi. This comes as an inseparable unit with data addressed in figure in 1.5 with respect to the high school educational system of participants. One may go to an English-based high school, however be extremely exceptional at Arabic from his/her friends or any outside elements, which makes him/her barely Arabizi and consider it as a lifestyle habit. The fourth question addressed in figure 1.6 whether participants believed Arabizi will negatively affect their proficiency in Arabic. It showed that 50 participants and above are neutral about it, they don’t believe that the usage of Arabizi will negatively affect their proficiency level of the Arabic language. In contrast, 35 participants believe that Arabizi can form a threat to the Arabic language usage among youth and teenagers. Furthermore, around 9 participants do not believe that Arabizi is causing any threat to the language. These findings are constant with the Warschauer’s thoughts, as he believes that this phenomenon will lead to the death and loss of the Arabic language. The ultimate two questions were addressed when participants were asked about their opinions â€Å"If Arabizi threatens the existence of Arabic language?†. Therefore, most of the participant’s responses were balanced between supporting the statement and rejecting the statement. For instance a female participant clarifies her opinion saying, â€Å"No, it doesn’t because Arabic still exists as a spoken language, it’s just the form that is changing†. Another Female contradicts with that opinion saying, â€Å"I strongly disagree, because it’s a common language among all Arabs†. Females’ responses differed from males’ ones, for instance; a male participant who wrote unordinary response â€Å" no, it will help us learn new words from both  languages† while other male expressed a suggestion â€Å" simply, enrich and enlarge the areas of Arabic language usage, also encourage people to use it†. The differentiations of male and female opinions ranged between 17 to 22 years demonstrates to what extreme the language is important to the participant and to what extent it relates to his/her identity as an Arab. On the contrary, the survey shows large enough rations of unexpected responses that reflect the awareness of participants to the existence of Arabic language. The second question was â€Å"why do you use Arabizi?† Generally, most respondents said that they use it because it is trendy and much easier to use. A male participant said â€Å"it helps me use both the expressions from Arabic and English to express myself more vividly† another male explains why he uses Arabizi saying â€Å"due to the lack of practice of using Arabic letters†. On the other hand, females had other reasons why they use Arabizi â€Å"it makes texting faster, certain regional accents cannot be typed in formal Arabic language†. Our interpretation of Arabic language from the analysis of these two questions revealed the opinions of participants including males and females and where they see the Arabic language position in their lives. The responses of respondents and our interpretation ma tches Dr. Mohammad Yaghan group study when he asked students about their reasons of using Arabizi. One of the reasons that teenagers use it is that they find it a trend to which they would like to belong. VII. Conclusion: This research has multiple useful and worthy implications. It added to the reasons of using Arabizi. Also, it revealed participants’ own beliefs and thoughts about the consequences of using this way of typing. Furthermore, it showed the correlation between the school system and the use of Arabizi. This research project was carefully done to attain its goals. However, there were some inevitable shortcomings and limitations. One of these limitations was the time. Since we had limited time during the short summer course, we conducted our primary research throughout only two weeks. If we had more time, we could ask and survey more number of participants to enhance the generalizability of the results. Secondly, the designed survey for this project was somehow long which led some participants to skip or ignore open questions. Thirdly, that data we entered in IBM SPSS Statistics Software were done manually. Thus, it is subject to human error. Another limitation  is the place. We distributed surveys to only AUS students, so the answers cannot be generalized to any other places. The recommended future research of this project is to deeply investigate the influence of parents or the old generation on the use of Arabizi by the youth. Recently, this topic is one of the top controversial issues that need to be seriously investigated to determine its dimensions. VIII. References: Abdel-Ghaffar, N., et al. (2011), Arabizi or romanization: the dilemma of writing Arabic texts. Jil Jadid Conference. University of Texas, Austen. Attwa, M. (2012). Arabizi: A writing variety worth learning? An exploratory study of the views of foreign learners of Arabic on Arabizi. American University in Cairo. Arabic Language Institute 11. Retrived from http://dar.aucegypt.edu/handle/10526/3167 Al Tamimi, J. (2012, March 7) An Arabic speaker with a deep passion for his mother tongue, Gulf News. Retrieved from http://gulfnews.com/business/features/an-arabic-speaker-with-a-deep-passion-for-his-mother-tongue-1.990966 Brette, O. (2003). Thorstein Veblen’s theory of institutional change: Beyond technological determinism. European Journal History of Economic Thought, 10(3), 455-477. Carroll, J., Howard, S., Vetere, F., Peck, J., & Murphy, J. (2001). Identity, power and fragmentation in cyberspace: Technology appropriation by young people. Interaction Design Group, Department of Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, 1-10. Dahbi, M. (2004). English and Arabic after 9/11. The Modern Language Journal, 88(4), 628- 631. El Darawy, N. (2005, July 16) Death of a language, Gulf News. Retrieved from http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/notes/articles/death-of-a-language-1.294152 Findlow, S. (2006). Higher education and linguistic dualism in the Arab Gulf. British Journal of Sociology of Education 27(1), 19-36. Ghanem, R. (2011), Arabizi is destroying the Arabic language, Arab News. Retreievd from http://www.arabnews.com/node/374897 Kramsch, C. (2000). Language and culture (2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. (pp.8-14). Loch, K, Straub, D. & Kamel, S. (2003). Diffusing the Internet in the Arab world: The role of social norms and technological culturaltion. IEEE Transactions on Engineering 5(1), 45-63. Markham, A. N. (2008). The methods, politics, and ethics of representation in online ethnography. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials (3rd ed., pp. 247-283). Said, E. (1999). Out of place: A memoir. New York, NY: Knopf. (Ch. 1) Warschauer, M. (2002). Languages.com: The Internet and linguistic pluralism. In I. Snyder (Ed.), Silicon literacies: Communication, innovation and education in the electronic age London: Routledge. (pp. 62-74). Yaghan, A. M. (2008). â€Å"Arabizi†: A contemporary style of Arabic slang. Design Issues 24(2), 39-52. Retrieved from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/desi. IX. Appendix: YOUR ID_______________ Your Name ( optional) ________________ â€Å"Arabizi† is a slang term (slang: vernacular, popular informal speech) describing a system of writing Arabic using English characters. (Example: ya3ni) 1. What kind of high school did you go to? Private School Public School 2. What is your mother tongue? Arabic English French Other 3. Do you use Arabizi dialy ? Always Most of the times Sometimes Rarely 4. Do you feel that Arabizi helps you express yourself more clearly? Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree 5. How do you characterize your proficiency in Arabic?: Excellent Above Average Average Below Average Poor 6. In my interactions with others, I often do you mix English and Arabic? Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree 7. Are you used to Arabizi to an extent that you use it even with people who do not necessarily speak Arabic or English? O Yes O No 8. Some people think that communicating in Arabizi, makes its users seem smarter? Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree 9.I believe the use of Arabizi will negatively affect my proficiency in Arabic? Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree 10. Some people think that Arabizi threatens the existence of the Arabic language, what’s your opinion? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Can you tell why do you use Arabizi? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Gender: Male Female 13. Age: 17-19 20-22 23-25 26+ 14. College: CAS CAAD