Micromax Market Mix Essays

Micromax Market Mix Essays Micromax Market Mix Essay Micromax Market Mix Essay The mobile phone market in India is worth 130 million handsets annually. While the big boys like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson make up for 70% share, the market has of late seen a slew of domestic firms such as Micromax, Karbonn and Intex making large inroads and new established brands like Videocon and Onida entering the field. Among the domestic firms, one of the most promising brand is Micromax. Micromax is known to be one of the leading Indian Telecom companies that have 23 domestic offices located all over the county along with International offices. With a futuristic vision and an exhaustive RD at its helm, Micromax has successfully generated innovative technologies that have revolutionized the telecom consumer space. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. The company is known to be a leading provider in the country for wireless technology solutions. Latest technological advancements are used by the company to bring landmark solutions for the users in the mobile world and to create a niche for itself. There are many â€Å"first† to the credit list of Micromax. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. A Brief History of the Company Few years ago, when Vikas Jain’s firm was delivering computer printers and monitors across India, he saw first-hand how pervasive Nokia had become and also observed that When Nokia or Samsung roll out a new model they do so from its global portfolio rather than launching something specifically for India and Despite Nokia’s dominance, the Indian mobile-phone market was far from being saturated. Jain saw his chance, who set up the company in 1990s along with three friends from engineering collegeRahul Sharma, Rajesh Agarwal and Sumeet Kumar, all of whom are in their mid-30s to early 40s. Micromax, started operations in 1991 as an embedded software design firm, but was incorporated as a company in 1998, when it branched out as a distributor of computer peripherals such as printers, monitors, scanners from manufacturers such as LG, Sony Inc. , Dell Corp. Though Micromax made its debut in 1991 but it presence has been felt majorly in few previous years. Serious developments and rise was seen in the year of 2008 when the company entered Indian Cell phone handsets market. Company entered market in March 2008 in which it had a market share of meager 0. 59% average. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. Company overview Micromax is a telecommunications company based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets. Micromax has 23 domestic offices across the country and international offices in Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and now in Nepal. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010 after Nokia and Samsung. Micromax, as they claim on the company’s website, is on a mission to successfully overcome the technological barriers and constantly engender â€Å"life enhancing solutions†. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year With young enthusiasts as its anchor, Micromax Informatics Limited has created a niche for itself in the telecommunication industry. Micromax ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the technology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Today Micromax has become a brand which people relate and look up to for realizing their individual device preferences and other out-of- the-box solutions. The Marketing Mix for the company Marketing is one of the most important part in any company’s growth. The growth of Micromax is due to the strong marketing strategy of the company. Micromax Inc. has seen some serious rise in market share in few years. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010. On March 31, 2010 the company registered the market share of 6. 24% for that quarter, which grew from 0. 59% in September, 2008. Micromax became the fastest growing mobile brand in India for the fiscal year 2009-10. Handset sales have grown by 123. 48% from 1. 5 million units in the quarter ended June 30, 2009 to 2. 57 million units in the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Micromax also sells data cards to service providers in India which includes Indias leading operators like AirTel and BSNL. Recently Micromax has launched their first Android mobile Micromax Andro A60 in India for a cheaper price tag than the competing models. The major m arketing management decisions can be classified in one of the following four categories: Product, Price, Place (distribution), Promotion. These variables are known as the marketing mix or the 4 Ps of marketing. They are the variables that marketing managers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market and the firm attempted to generate a positive response in the target market by blending these four marketing mix variables in an optimal manner Product The product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. In the case of physical products, it also refers to any services or conveniences that are part of the offering. Product decisions include aspects such as function, appearance, packaging, service, warranty, etc. Unlike many challenger brands, Micromax was careful in its product strategy. Although all Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the brand was focusing on adding more features at a reasonable price. Micromax has currently around 75 mobile sets in the market. The focus was more on value than price, that value orientation with a clear differentiation was a significant factor that aided the significant growth of this brand in Indian market. The company in their website claims to have invested heavily in the product development. The brand boasts of launching many firsts in the market like Handsets with 30 days battery backup Handsets with Dual SIM / Dual Standby Handsets Switching Networks (GSM CDMA) using gravity sensors Aspiration Qwerty Keypad Handsets Operator Branded 3G Handsets OMH CDMA Handsets, etc. Micromax recently ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the technology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication – Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Innovation, Cost-Effective, Credible and an Insightful RD are given high emphasis at Micromax in the telecom vertical. Price The product and price go hand in hand for any company, that mean if there is a product there must be price and vice versa. Pricing decisions should take into account profit margins and the probable pricing response of competitors. Pricing includes not only the list price, but also discounts, financing, and other options such as leasing. All Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum . These mobile phones generally good features in an affordable price that mean value for price. Some of the mobile sets are noted below. The new Micromax X414 is a large 2. 8-inch Touch Screen mobile phone 2. 0 MP Camera FM Radio/Recorder/Scheduler Multi Format Audio and video Player Expandable Memory (upto 4GB) Bluetooth with A2DP Theft Tracker GPRS/WAP/MMS Price: The new Micromax X414 touch screen mobile phone price in India us Rs. 5, 500 Micromax X117 key features: Dual SIM GSM (GSM+GSM) FM Radio Up to 15 hours talk-time Up to 30 days standby time expandable memory up to 8GB Color TFT display screen The new Micromax X117 mobile phone is available in India at price of Rs. ,490 Price of Micromax Q1 mobile is Rs. 2550/- Price of Micromax C112 mobile is Rs. 1,600/- Micromax H360 The price in India of the new Micromax H360 3G mobile phone is Rs. 5, 500 . It will only be available with the MTNL connection. Micromax x800. 2. 8-inch Touch-Screen 8MP Camera(Auto Focus) Xenon Flash Smile Detect 262K Colors GPRS/WAP/MMS MP3 Player Theft Tracker Bluetooth with A2DP Expan dable Memory Pict-Bridge PHB Import/Export TV Out Price and availability: The new Micromax X800 mobile phone is available in India at price of around Rs. 3,000. From the above data it is clear that Micromax is clearly providing value for money. All its products are having high feature in a comparatively low and affordable price. How did Micromax, which started off barely three years ago, grow to be the third-largest handset maker? Analysts say Indian firms have benefited from the price sensitivity of the market. Most Micromax models cost less than Rs 5,000. â€Å"Lower price points with similar features as that of a Nokia or a Samsung are driving Micromax’s growth,† says Anubhuti Belgaonkar, telecom managing analyst at Ovum India. Place (distribution) Place (or placement) decisions are those associated with channels of distribution that serve as the means for getting the product to the target customers. The distribution system performs transactional, logistical, and facilitating functions. Distribution decisions include market coverage, channel member selection, logistics, and levels of service. It was in 2008 that Micromax ventured into the mobile handset market. The brand wanted to create a base before taking on the large players. Hence as a go-to- market strategy, Micromax concentrated on the rural market first. It was a different move altogether since most of the marketers tend to concentrate on the urban markets then move to the rural markets. One of the major aspects that contribute towards the substantial monthly growth of Micromax is its 80% sales in the rural areas. Micromax launched its first phone in the rural market with a very unique USP- 30 days battery standby time. The brand was launched from a consumer insight that most of the rural households do not get enough electricity to recharge phones on a daily basis. Hence a phone with a 30 day battery standby would be a worthwhile differentiation. The first product was a big success. The first product Micromax X1i priced at Rs 2150 was lapped up by rural market. The success of X1i encouraged the company to go aggressively into the market. But tapping the rural market is not an easy task. There is severe logistics pressure in servicing these markets. One of the first things that Micromax did was to establish the distribution network. According to a report in Forbes India (March 5, 2010), Micromax created a distribution network comprising of 34 super distributors, 450 distributors and around 55,000 retailers. The brand could also take advantage of the inroads made by other brands into advantage. One of the highlight of their distribution strategy was that Micromax managed to make these dealers pay in advance by offering them more margins. Marketers will vouch that the most difficult part in managing distribution is the payment collection part. According to the news report, Micromax managed this hurdle through this strategy of more margins for advance payment. It is not a new strategy to offer such kind of discounts for advance payments (cash discounts), but to make a retailer accept such an offer is indeed a remarkable feat. One of The distribution strategies for long-term dominance adopted by the company is expansion into international markets. In fact, Micromax has already set up shops in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and is looking forward to launch operations in the Middle-East in August 2010. As company officials say, Africa and Latin America will then follow. Many are aware that Micromax entered the handset market only two years back, but many dont know that it had already ventured into the distribution business six years before it even thought of betting big on handsets. They already had a B2B business in place, which gave them an automatic exposure to market truths and psychology of the consumers. This helped them understand what the market would desire in their handset. Developing an edge on the distribution front is also what the top honchos at Micromax worked on to succeed in India. The prime reason for this was to reach out to the non-connected rural and smaller locations, which were still untouched by rivals. The company also paid great attention to keep their channel partners pleased, up and running. With the system in place, it was not long when the company entered in the urban market through phones like the Q2, which marked Micromaxs entry into the QWERTY category. With an attractive price tag of just Rs. 4,000, it became a runaway hit (as at that time Nokia’s QWERTY range started at a price point of Rs. 12,000). By changing the rules of the game, Micromax has indeed developed a short term sustainable competitive advantage. In January, TA Associates, a mid-market private equity firm, invested $45 million (Rs 208 crore) to buy a minority stake in the firm. â€Å"As a fast-growing, profitable company in a growth industry, Micromax fits TA’s investment profile,† says Naveen Wadhera, director at TA Associates. Jain and Sharma plan to use this fund as a war chest to beat off competition as Micromax grows. The company is already present in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and it plans to have footprints in Nigeria by the end of April, and in Brazil by the second week of May. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year and the company also plans to open around 100 exclusive stores in coming years. Promotion Promotion decisions are those related to communicating and selling to potential consumers. Since these costs can be large in proportion to the product price, a break- even analysis should be performed when making promotion decisions. It is useful to know the value of a customer in order to determine whether additional customers are worth the cost of acquiring them. Promotion decisions involve advertising, public relations, media types, etc Advertising is the one of the biggest tool to development of integrated marketing communication. So the Micromax uses IMC tools to promote the product and build the strong image of the brand in the consumers mind. Integrated Marketing Communication ( IMC) is the practice of unifying all marketing communication tools so the send a consist, persuasive massage promoting company goals. The following tools of IMC are being used by Micromax: Events and experiences For marketing of its products the company is riding on two enduring Indian obsessions–sports and films–to build its brand. Following up on its association with the popular Twenty20 cricket Indian Premier League (IPL), Micromax, a brand that is less than three years old, has become the title sponsor of almost all tournaments and series of which India is a p art, including the recently concluded Asia Cup. The objective behind the cricket â€Å"roadblock†, as such behavior is termed in advertising, is to drive brand awareness and recall. The company believes that while cricket may boost a brand instantly, viewers may still not remember the brand after the match or the tournament. Even if consumers remember a series, they may not remember the advertisers. That’s when they thought of a roadblock and decided to sponsor all cricketing properties post IPL. It was one of the principal sponsors of the South Africa VS India ODI series in 2010. According to a survey the company has shown a makeable growth in its business after sponsoring the recent India and southafrica match (refer the fig) Bollywood is also a major platform for the brand, which is targeting consumers between 18 and 27 years. Bollywood’s most bankable star Akshay Kumar was signed on as the brand ambassador six months ago. More recently, his wife Twinkle Khanna was engaged to promote Micromax’s bling phone that comes with Swarovski crystals and a vanity mirror. To push its association with films, the firm also sponsored the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards held in Sri Lanka, where Micromax recently launched its phones. The brand is now ready to enter Bangladesh and West Asia. Advertising Broadcast media Micromax use television to broadcast their advertisements. Apart from using cricket, films, celebrity Micromax also advertise through news papers. They also utilize hoarding and bill boards to advertise their products. Prime site recently kicked off a month-long campaign for Micromax mobile phones in Delhi, executed mostly through hoardings. Going further, this promotion will be extended to the other regions of northern India as well. The city of launch was Delhi to start with, and post which they did the launch in Patna and Jaipur. Indore is next in line. There are more cities where the campaign will be launched in the near future for which we would be briefed accordingly. All the Medias used by Micromax are very carefully selected as to reach its target audience and through each medium the innovative aspect of the product is portrayed. Besides the focus on product development, Micromax has invested heavily in brand building. The following table shows the companies spending in media for FY. 09-10 Handset Companies: Media Spends (Apr 09- Mar’10) | |Handset marquees | |Spends Rs Cr | | | | | |TV | |Radio | |Print | |Total | | | |  Ã‚  Nokia Corporation | |266 |10 | |126 | |401 | | | |  Ã‚  Samsung India Electronics Ltd | |162 | |0 | |50 | |212 | | | |  Ã‚  LG Electronics India Ltd | |74 | |4 | |28 | |106 | | | |  Ã‚  Spice Mobiles Ltd | |63 | |1 | |37 | |101 | | | |  Ã‚  Micromax Informatics Ltd | |35 | |1 | |12 | |48 | | |   Ã‚  Karbonn Mobiles | |16 | |0 | |25 | |40 | | | |  Ã‚  Videocon Industries Ltd | |21 | |0 | |14 | |34 | | | |  Ã‚  Sony Ericsson (India) | |13 | |2 | |15 | |30 | | | |  Ã‚  Lava International Ltd | |20 | |1 | |7 | |28 | | | |  Ã‚  Maxx Mobile Communications | |13 | |0 | |14 | |27 | | | |Total handsets category | |766 | |22 | |402 | |1190 | | | | | Source draftfcbulkacomstrat. com/about_comstrat2010. html Most of the brand promotion for Micromax is centered on products. The ads are for individual products highlighting the product features and USPs. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Micromax is currently the third-largest GSM vendor in the Indian market, with a share of 8. 1%, perhaps just a few notches behind Samsung who at the second position has 10. 4% control, as per market reports. [Nokia with 52. 7% share is the number 1 vendor]. Micromax has been selling anywhere around a million handsets every month, for the past year, and as company officials state, it has earned about Rs. 15 billion in revenues during the past year. So here’s something to digest – going by the numbers, the Indian handset market is estimated to have sold about 130 million handsets units in the last calendar year alone, which implies, that if we were to consider just the sales during the past 12 months, Micromax has a market share of 9. 3%, much closer (as compared to the previously stated 8. 1%) to the 10. 4% share of Samsung! And there is a lot more to be had from a handset market that currently, only has a tele-density of 49. 5% and has supposedly clocked a turnover of over Rs. 200 billion over last year. Little wonder, that many global bigwigs like Nokia, Samsung, LG Sony Ericsson have time and again referred to India as one of their key markets. But with great opportunities, come greater challenges, and the same is true for the Once, Micromax was a challenger; today it is also being challenged by many entrants like Karbonn, Lava, Maxx, Intex, Lemon, Gee Pee, Videocon, Usha Lexus, Orpat, Airfone and many more. Consumers’ feedback analysis As per the study conducted in the market taking a random sample of around 40 people the following points are found regarding the acceptance of Micromax mobile in the market. More than 70% people are interested to buy Micromax due to its cheap price. While 65-70 % are happy with the value for price of the mobile, 25-30 % still need some more additional feature like torch, additional ear phone etc. Around 25% are still unaware of the brand. And 20-30% still believes the brand is not good as compare to Nokia or Samsung may be due to no advertisement by the company regarding brand. More than 40% people are not happy with the information provided with the mobile at the time of purchase. Many people complain about the reach ability (coverage) of the mobile, as per them they have to move around 30 to 40 Km in order to get a mobile of Micromax. But the most and very important accept of the survey that almost all the customers are not happy with the post sales service provided by the company. And many of the people are quite confused with the meaning of the tag line of the company i. e. Nothing like anything. Distributors’ feedback analysis From another survey that had been conducted over 10 dealers/retailers regarding the acceptance of the mobile in the market as pre the selling point of view, the following points were being founded. All most all dealers/retailers are happy to sell Micromax mobile due to its increasing demand Many dealers/retailers are happy with the margin rate in the product. While many of the dealers/retailers are ok with the offers and promotion of the product almost all complain about the unavailability of the product to meet the demand in time. Some of the dealers/retailers want to have some extra commotion or margin to be applied by the company who used to sell some more no of unit as compare to other. Though they agree that it is steel behind from companies like nokia and Samsung in terms of brand name and post sales service still they appreciate the way the company is growing and trying to solve the issues SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis of the company is as follow: Strengths The following are the strengths of the company ? Latest technological advancements ? Innovative technologies. ? Mobiles having 30 day battery life ? Affordable QWERTY phones ? Affordable Double Sims phones ? Has 23 domestic offices ? More than 40,000 stores of Micromax all over the country ? a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy ? High penetration into rural market ? Mobiles specially designed according to Indian market Weaknesses’ No corporate brand building campaign. ? Confusing tagline. ? Low brand image as compare to nokia. ? Poor after sales service with just 450 service centers in the country. ? Fewer products targeting high end customers. Opportunities There is a huge opportunity there in the market for the company as the Indian mobile market is quit price sensitive and growing in a grate pace. The company with its new and innovative ideas and with value for price strategy can really do well in this market having heavy potential Threats Though there is a huge potential in the Indian market for mobile phone the competition is also getting tougher day by day new player entering the market. Earlier there were fewer companies like Nokia, Samsung, and LG etc but now there are around 72 companies which provide mobiles in the countries among them some are also have good brand image like Onida, Spice, i-ball etc Beside this low priced chinies sets are also a main threat for the company and big boys’ like Nokia and Samsung are also coming with low end phones with good features and there brand name can help them to get benefit from this also. Finding and suggestions From the above study the finding can be pointed as mentioned below: ? The company is the 3rd largest in the company after nokia and Samsung ? The company is first to invent some new features. ? The company has a high presence in the rural market. The company strategy is to give value for money with its cheap mobiles with compare to its competitors. ? The company’s distribution marketing is impressive. ? The company has already made its presence in abroad. ? The company has currently 23 domestic offic es, 40000 retailers and around 450 service stations across India. ? The company is going to increase its business with some tie up with international telecom companies as well wants to increase its market share to become second largest company in the country. Suggestions ? The company needs to increase its no of service centers in the country. ? Need to provide good after sales service to customers ? Need to be more informative regarding the product features. Need to maintain the current growth rate. ? Need to promote the brand to create brand awareness among the people ? Need to more innovative with new players coming to the market. Conclusion Till very recently, Micromax was seen as a second grade brand with hardly any brand value. But with the recent reports listing the figures in the company’s favor as well as the huge branding done by the company itself along with the interesting product portfolio has taken the brand to a respect position. And the position is still is ve ry promising for the future. For a company which still has not been listed on any exchange, a turnover of about 1500 Cr. can be termed as huge. Certainly the company has the potential to be a threat to the foreign giant as it has been successful in studying the Indian mindset better. But still there is log way to go for the company due heavy change in demand and due to the innovation of new technologies day by day. References Books and journals ? Marketing research project â€Å"Content analysis Brand recall of Ad’s in IPL-3 by Group-J (09-11)†. ? Marketing fundamentals by Kottler. ? Nielsen Info. From the official website of The Nielsen Company. ? Economic Times ? Business Economics ? Business world (9th Dec 2010) Web sites like ? www. micromaxinfo. com ? www. google. com ? www. yahooanswers. com ? www. draftfcbulkacomstrat. com ? http://en. wikipedia. org ? www. 2dix. com

Makayla Holden English 10R Essay

Makayla Holden English 10R Essay Makayla Holden English 10R Essay Makayla Holden English 10R 10/3/14 Final form â€Å"Inside the building, the sun lights up segments of the rotting wooden floor through the many holes in the roof. As I look for her, I register things: the soggy floorboards. The smell of almonds, like her. An old claw-footed bathtub in a corner. So many holes everywhere that this place is simultaneously inside and outside.† (Page 280) John Green uses imagery, diction, and sentence structure in this passage to describe each piece of the room, which creates a desolate mood. The way John green uses imagery makes you feel like you are right there in the building with the characters. John Green also uses it to really show u the desolate mood; the building seems empty and abandoned. It seems like no one has been there in years, if there even was someone there at one point. When green says â€Å"So many holes everywhere that this place is simultaneou sly inside and outside.† You can really picture the gaping holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling and how all of the rain and snow must get in everywhere. Green uses the soggy, rotting floorboards to show you that the rain must have gotten in through the holes. This imagery really brings out the desolate mood. In addition to this, Green also uses diction throughout this passage. There are many situations where he could have excluded the describing words, but with those adjectives there it really makes you feel like you are there. Instead of using rotting wooden floor, green could have said the holes in the floor. In this passage Green uses holes a lot to convey how open and eroded this building is. Also, Green talks about how this building is almost outside and inside at the same time and that helps you really picture this building breaking down with each gust of wind,

Mise en scene in Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) Essay

Mise en scene in Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) - Essay Example this girl Juno finds a way to get out of this sticky situation not by resorting to abortion but by instead going through with the pregnancy and finding good adoptive parents and securing a better future for her child. The film is, first of all, divided into the 4 seasons starting with autumn and so on. Somehow, this division of the film by season assisted in the transition of the whole story from Juno realizing her problem up to the time she gives birth and after. The movie starts with a long shot of Juno looking at a living room lounging chair, with a gallon of orange juice on her right hand, a closer shot of the same scene and then Juno’s face in close-up showing the actress’ face as reminiscent, sad and worried all at the same time. Juno narrates the cause of her mood then a flashback is shown and the viewers begin to understand the importance of the chair to the story – it was where Juno had sex with her boyfriend and the reason she got pregnant. The scenes are set in the local village where Juno resides, her home, her school, the local store, etc. Some scenes are shown of the house where the adoptive parents of Juno’s baby lived which left a good impression on Juno and her plans to give her baby to a good couple who love each other and who are capable of raising an equally good family. Narratives by the lead actress are used all throughout the film to shorten parts of the story which would otherwise draw attention from the main character to the other sub-plots. Although the main topic of the film is sex and teenage pregnancy, the presentation of the shots was tastefully done and only suggestive scenes were shown especially in the part when Juno and her boyfriend did the act. Scenes significant to the pregnancy like the ultrasound and the actual delivery of the child were also included which rendered more credence to the film since it seemed like the actress really got pregnant and gave birth. The costumes were also r ealistic with the lead

Anything Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Anything - Essay Example As Hands notes, life has become difficult for millions of families. The median gross full-time weekly earnings have fallen, in inflation-adjusted terms, by 9% since 2008. Living standards for many households have been flat, at best, for much longer. During that same period, the value-added tax, which hits low-income workers hardest, has been raised to 20% (21). It is imperative to come up with means and ways to lift the incomes of those who are poorest paid. If the minimum wages are increased, this should correspond to changes in the tax code. If this were not put in consideration one-third of every pound in wage increase would be taken by the Treasury. What politicians who proclaim an increase in the minimum wage are less keen to share is that only 68% of every extra pound in increased wages actually reaches the pockets of low-wage earners. The rest is taken by the Treasury through a 20% income tax that applies to every pound of earnings above  £10,000 per year equivalent to aroun d 39 working weeks at 40 hours per week on the minimum wage and a 12% national insurance deduction on earnings above  £8,000. For the many who will also see their in-work benefits reduced, the effective marginal tax rate is more than 32% (Hands 21). This is why the claim of raising the minimum wage is a traditional method that is used by politicians. If the wages are increased the government gets credit but, on the other hand the tax revenues increased and worsen the situation. This shows that a better way to help the low-income earners is by a complete tax reform. The national insurance paid is nothing more other than tax by another name. While there has been considerable progress in raising the threshold for income tax, politicians are conspicuously quiet about doing the same for national insurance. The result is that someone working 40 hours at the minimum wage

School Discipline Essay Example for Free

School Discipline Essay Recently, in elementary and lower secondary schools, much effort has been made in Japan to accomplish the aims of moral education, by requiring separate scheduled hours for moral education. The purposes of moral education are shown in the following summary of general principles established in the Course of Study issued by the Ministry of Education. Moral education aims to develop a Japanese citizen who will never lose the consistent spirit of respect for his fellow man; who will realize this spirit at home, at school and in other actural life situations in the society of which he is a member; who strives for the creation of a culture rich in individuality and for the development of a democratic nation and society; and who is able to make a voluntary contribution to the peaceful international society. In order to attain this aim, the following contents is sought in moral instruction in elementary schools. 1) Contents mainly related to the fundamental patterns of behavior in daily life: to maintain safety and secure good health; to develop self-reliance; to observe good manners; to keep oneself neat; to improve the environment; to use things and money effectively; to recognize the value of time. 2) Contents mainly related to moral sentiment and moral judgement: to respect others personality; to control oneself and act according to ones beliefs; to act freely according to ones own judgement or wishes and on ones own responsibility; to be honest and sincere; to love justice and be courageous; to over come difficulties in order to accomplish right aims; to reflect on oneself, listen to the advice of others, and to act with deeper consideration; to act moderately, without selfishness; to behave always with alertness, courtesy and alacrity; to take good care of animals and plants; to have a pure mind. 3) Contents mainly concerned with the development of personality and a creative attitude toward life: to recognize ones own special ability, and try to strengthen it; to strive for the achievement of worthy purposes, and to set for oneself a high goal; to act rationally; to tr3r to improve life with original ideas; always to maintain a studious attitude, and try to pursue truth; to apply positively new ideas. 4) Contents mainly related to the concept that good manners and practical will are indispensable for the member of a nation or a society: to be kind to everybody and to care for the weak or unfortunate; to respect those who devote themselves to the service of others and to appreciate their work; to trust each other and to be friendly; to be fair and impartial to everybody; to be generous; to observe rules and promises; to differentiate between rights and duties; to appreciate labor; to protect public property and public morality; to love ones family; to love ones school; to love the nation with a pride as a Japanese; to understand correctly the people of all the world and cooperate in a friendly manner with them. The contents of moral education for lower secondary schools are almost the same as those for the elementary schools. However, in considering the stages of pupils development, the following objectives are added: To build an attitude of constructive criticism; to develop mutual under-standing and respect between the sexes; to promote open and pure friendship between the sexes; to promote love of truth; to lead pupils to consider what true happiness is and to seek it; to help pupils to enrich their own sentiments; to aid in understanding the inherited culture and to contribute to cultural improvement; to teach pupils to hold humanity in mind always; to train pupils to challenge evil with courage; and not have a narrow fellow-mindedness, but to act with consciousness of being a member of the large community. In upper secondary schools, ethics-civics created as a new subject in the social studies, is intended to develop students who know the human relations in the present society, understands humanity and pursues the ideal in the life of the world. Moral education is to be conducted from the broad point of view through all the activities of the school. Consequently, moral instruction is provided by combining properly various teaching methods, such as discussion, stories to1d by teachers, reading Of b00ks, audio-visual aids, dramatizing and non-classroom activities. In 1963, in order to aid in effectuating the new program of moral instruction, the Ministry of Education published Teachers Manual for Moral instruction and distributed it through the country to guide classroom teachers at each level in the preparation of their moral education hour. CHAPTER IMPROVEMENT OF CONTENT OF- EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTOF ABILITY (2) Moral Education in Other Countries In most foreign countries, religion makes a valuable contribution to the moral spirit. In those countries studied, moral education is generally given to pupils through religious instruction in assigned religion classes. In several countries including the U. S. A. and France, religious instruction in public schools is prohibited. Whether the religious instruction in public school is conducted or not, moral and ethical education is given in many cases as a part of other subject, usually civics. In communist countries including the U. S. S. R., it is regarded as a purpose of education to build a citizen who can contribute to the maintenance of a socialist state. For this purpose, moral and ethical trainings given through all educational activities in the schools. Table 30 shows the extent of ofFerings in religious education in ele-mentary and secondary schools in the U. S. A. , the U. K. , and an extensivegroup of European countries. In 13 of the 17 countries listed in Table 30, religion is offered as a separate subject in almost all grades in public elementary and secondary schools. In 11 of the 17 countries, civics is taught in elementary school or secondary school or both. In France, civics at primary level is included in the subject known as education civique et morale. In the U. S. A. civics is usually taught in the 8th grade and upper grades of secondary schools. There is no instruction in separate moral education classes. It is taught through all subjects. Also, in the U. S. S. R. , moral education is not treated separately, but moral training of pupils is given through the whole curriculum. It is a characteristic feature of school education in the U. S. S. R. to provide child labor training at all levels. This labor training aims to give pupils moral training. Moreover, Rules for Pupils, which pupils elementary and secondary schools must obey, are specified by the Department of Education of the R. S. F. S. R. In Rules for Pupils, objectives of moral education are prescribed along with the school principles which pupils must observe. Civics teaching in each country aims to elevate moral sentiments, and to give pupils knowledge and understanding of government, economics and social problems necessary for citizenship. Moral education and civics in the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, France and Belgium are as follows: Federal Republic of Germany Basic principles of civic education in schools and universities were decided by the Conference of Lander Ministers of Education of 15 June 1950as follows: Civic education should awaken in pupils both a moral response and a determination to act as a responsible member of society. Italy The primary school syllabus published by the Ministry of Education in 1955 states that civics teaching is designed to give the child a general moral, religious and social training. It also emphasizes that religious instruction must enable the child to acquire basic habits of morality, civic and social behavior and hygiene at home, at school and in society; and to give the child a sense of personal responsibility and membership of a group. Regarding civic education courses in upper classes it is stated: love of ones country must be a natural extension of love of ones family, and the awareness of national values should be related to the ideal of international understanding. France. The syllabus in primary education published by the Ministry of Education in 1923 states that moral education must enable the child to grow up as a man with a balanced development of sentiment, intelligence, and conscience. It is also stated that moral instruction is to be designed not only to give the child moral spirit, but also to lead him to realize this spirit in daily life. In primary schools in France, the subject known as education civique et morale is taught as outlined below: 1st grade: Listening to stories (Fontaines fables, Hans Christian Andersons tales, etc. ) and to biographies of great men told by teachers. 2nd and 3rd grades: To accustom the child to acquire good habits through reading of book-lets followed by discussion, and discussion on school events. At third grade the same themes as those of second grade are dealt with more intensively 4th and 5th grades: To listen to narratives or discuss deeds of the individuta1 and social morality concerned with moderation, sincerity, simplicity, kindness, courage, and generosity. To give the child an understanding of the value of labor, a spirit of cooperation with others, observance of promises, understanding of other persons and appreciation of duties to ones family and ones nation. At fifth grade, the same themes as those of forth grade are dealt with more intensively. 6th8th grades: To provide the child consciousness and respect for man, character formation, main duties in life of the individual, at home and in society, and inculcate patriotism, justice and mutual assistance, respect for labor, organization of government and its activities, elementary knowledge of contracts and labor laws in daily life, elementary knowledge of the legislative, administrative and judicial systems, citizens rights and duties and international understanding. Belgium In the middle school of Belgium (3rd and 4th secondary years, age 14 to15), citizenship and patriotism are taught under the following themes: l) Citizens rights: advantages of the democratic and parliamentary system. The chief freedoms guaranteed by the Belgian Constitution. 2) The citizens duties: the ballot; obedience to the Law, military service; paying taxes; giving evidence in court. 3) Patriotism: the countrys prestige and its heritage; the dangers of misguided patriotism. 4) International understanding and a sense of the brotherhood of man. Aids for Civics Teaching in European Countries In a number of countries, separate textbooks are used. Audio-visual aids such as slides, films, radio broadcasts, television, etc. are also used. Table 30. Comparative Table Showing Extent of Offering Of Separate Classes in Religion and Civics Table 31. Teaching Aids for Civics Education in European Countries.

Miss Julie and Its Preface: The Foundation of a Critical Conflict Essay

  Ã‚     From its first publication and performance, August Strindberg's play "Miss Julie" has been the source of critical controversy and debate. Written in the span of little more than one month in the summer of 1888, the play was banned or censored throughout Europe in the late Nineteenth Century. Because it dealt with situations and attitudes deemed morally or socially offensive (the daughter of an aristocrat seduces her father's valet, and he, in turn, coerces her to commit suicide) the initial negative reaction to the play was rooted in generalized, fanatical, self righteous outrage and did not seek to deal with or engage the text in any specific manner. Instead, "Miss Julie" was a convenient target, symptomatic of all that was corrupting and dangerous in an increasingly progressive world. By the early Twentieth Century, however, more focused moral and artistic critiques were leveled at Strindberg's self proclaimed naturalistic tragedy, a discussion that continues to thrive even today. Though some of the moral and social issues may have lost their radical edge in later decades, there is still an ongoing, lively, and deeply divided debate.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is not to suggest that these modern critical concerns have forged superior or even different links with the past or to this piece of literature. On the contrary, I would submit that Strindberg himself, as a literary critic of his own work, established (consciously or unconsciously) the fundamental guidelines and ground rules for the interpretive controversies that have followed.   By creating a dynamic tension between his theoretical, essentially pragmatic intentions in his "Preface to Miss Julie" and his creative achievements in " Miss Julie" itself, Strindberg's e... ...wledge our inquiry provides centers around the critical orientation of each voice sounded in the debate.    Works Cited Henderson Archibald. European Dramatists. Cincinnati: Stewart and Kidd Co., 1913. Heller, Otto. Prophets of Dissent. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press, 1918. Sprinchorn, Evert. Strindberg as Dramatist. New Haven: Yale UP, 1982. Strindberg, August. "Preface to Miss Julie". Michael Meyer trans., 1888. Rpt. in Strindberg Plays: One. Michael Meyer trans. Reading, UK: Cox and Wyman Ltd., 1993. ---. "Miss Julie". Michael Meyer trans., 1888. Rpt. in Strindberg Plays: One. Michael Meyer trans. Reading, UK: Cox and Wyman Ltd., 1993. Tornqvist, Egil and Jacobs, Barry. Strindberg's Miss Julie: A Play and Its Transpositions. Norwich: Norvik, 1988. Williams, Raymond. Drama: From Ibsen to Brecht. New York: Oxford UP, 1968.

Chapter 18 Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking. â€Å"You're both mental.† â€Å"Ridiculous!† said Hermione faintly. â€Å"Peter Pettigrew's dead!† said Harry. â€Å"He killed him twelve years ago!† He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively. â€Å"I meant to,† he growled, his yellow teeth bared, â€Å"but little Peter got the better of me†¦not this time, though!† And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg. â€Å"Sirius, NO!† Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, â€Å"WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain –â€Å" â€Å"We can explain afterwards!† snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. â€Å"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!† Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. â€Å"Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!† Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands. â€Å"All right, then,† Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. â€Å"Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're nutters, both of you,† said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. â€Å"I've had enough of this. I'm off.† He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. â€Å"You're going to hear me out, Ron,† he said quietly. â€Å"Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen.† â€Å"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!† Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin. â€Å"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die,† he said. â€Å"A whole street full of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They didn't see what they thought they saw!† said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands. â€Å"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter,† said Lupin, nodding. â€Å"I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies†¦Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry.† Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds. Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all — but why was Lupin playing along with him? Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. â€Å"But Professor Lupin†¦Scabbers can't be Pettigrew†¦it just can't be true, you know it can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why can't it be true?† Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows. â€Å"Because†¦ because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things†¦and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list.† Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh. â€Å"Right again, Hermione!† he said. â€Å"But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.† â€Å"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus,† said Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. â€Å"I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer.† â€Å"All right†¦but you'll need to help me, Sirius,† said Lupin, â€Å"I only know how it began†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing. â€Å"No one there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"This place is haunted!† said Ron. â€Å"It's not,' said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. â€Å"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted†¦The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.† He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, â€Å"That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf, None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitter†¦and if I hadn't been so foolhardy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, â€Å"Shh!† She was watching Lupin very intently. â€Å"I as a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform†¦I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again. â€Å"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. â€Å"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school†¦.† Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. â€Å"I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house† — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — â€Å"the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.† Harry couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking. â€Å"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor†¦Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it†¦.† â€Å"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black†¦Peter Pettigrew†¦and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.† â€Å"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her†¦I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth†¦.† â€Å"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.† â€Å"My dad too?† said Harry, astounded. â€Å"Yes, indeed,† said Lupin. â€Å"It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will.† â€Å"But how did that help you?† said Hermione, sounding puzzled. â€Å"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals,† said Lupin. â€Å"A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed†¦Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.† â€Å"Hurry up, Remus,† snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. â€Å"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there†¦well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did†¦ And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.† â€Å"What sort of animal –?† Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. â€Å"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?† â€Å"A thought that still haunts me,† said Lupin heavily. â€Å"And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.† â€Å"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course†¦he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. â€Å"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me†¦and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it†¦so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along.† â€Å"Snape?† said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. â€Å"What's Snape got to do with it?† â€Å"He's here, Sirius,† said Lupin heavily. â€Å"He's teaching here as well.† He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons†¦you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me –â€Å" Black made a derisive noise. â€Å"It served him right,† he sneered. â€Å"Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to†¦hoping he could get us expelled†¦.† â€Å"Severus was very interested in where I went every month.† Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field†¦anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life†¦Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was†¦.† â€Å"So that's why Snape doesn't like you,† said Harry slowly, â€Å"because he thought you were in on the joke?† â€Å"That's right,† sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.

Alcohol and substance abuse Essay

Introduction There are many challenges facing the world today raging from political conflicts (wars), natural disasters, famine, diseases, economic and social problems among others. Every continent on this earth and for that matter every country have encountered one or more of such problems. However some countries have been able to eradicate or minimize the occurrence and effect of some these problems such as famine, economic issues, political conflicts etc. Usually, developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are the most vulnerable to all these problems. Apart from natural disasters which its occurrence can hit any country, developed countries encounter minimal problems of famine , political or economic problems but are often challenged with especially social problems including substance abuse mainly alcohol usage. What is Substance Abuse Substance abuse have been one of mankind oldest weakness as we have as human beings, in one way or the other either consciously or unconsciously have abuse some sort of substances at a particular point in time of our life. In ancient Greece, were a group of people called â€Å"lotus eaters† where they used lotus fruits and flowers as form of food which put them in some form of hallucinogenic state. Substance abuse is the use of illegal drugs or the excessive use of legal substance so as to produce physical, psychological or social harm. The World Health Organization refers to substance abuse as harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs. Substance abuse which is commonly referred to as drug abuse is therefore the use of illegal or in appropriate use of a legal substance that alter the normal functioning of the brain or nervous system and are harmful to the general health of the user. (Levin et al 2000, WHO 2010) Substance Abuse in the Context of Alcohol Alcohol is a form of liquid known as ethanol and used as an ingredient or a constituent of intoxicating beverages such as beer, spirits, wine and other drinks. Alcohol is the most prevalent psychoactive substance used by many people. It is often used as a form of depressant which as a result slow the effective performance or operation of the central nervous system. Substance abuse drugs are categorized as stimulants (caffeine, nicotine), depressant (alcohol, valium), hallucinogens (ecstasy, LSD), cannabis (hashish, marijuana) and steroids (Macionis 2005, WHO 2010). Why people use alcohol There are number of reasons why people use alcohol. Curiosity among other reasons such as for recreational, spiritual, psychological, social conformity etc. are often the explanation given. Some of these reasons are not obvious and most people use different forms of excuses like, I have had a stressful day or week, I have friends coming around, I have to get in the mood to socialize etc. Recreational and Spiritual People see alcohol consumption as a form of leisure. Example, some people may drinking a glass of wine or beer before, after or with a meal to increase their appetite, make the food taste better or make them more relaxed. Many cultures around the world use alcohol in their spiritual practices and believes. In Ghana and other African countries, often alcohol is used as a form of offering in pouring libation to the gods. Psychological and Social Conformity Due to the psychoactive effect of alcohol, it is seen as a way of alleviating stress, mental and emotional problems. Some people use alcohol due to a particular society, group, affiliation etc. that they belong to in other to fit in. During social events, alcohol are usually served and many people believe by consuming alcohol will instill a sense of confidence when in the company of others. Example is among college students and young adolescent where due to peer pressure find themselves drinking alcohol. People living in isolation with poor network support and decrease mobility may often turn to alcohol especially among senior citizens. Alcohol and other substance abuse as a problem In most societies, people have different opinions and mixed feelings about alcohol and other forms of substance abuse. Some people may consider its use as beneficial while others may disagree. However, the problems created by alcohol and other substance abuse are staggering than the benefits derived. The most commonly problems we often witness are public drunkenness, disorderly behavior, traffic and industrial accidents, broken families, crime, poor social functioning and worsening of existing conditions such as poverty, mental and physical illness. (Kornblum and Julian 1974). Key findings indicated that more people suffer from alcohol use disorders compare to drug use and both types are common in men than in women. In every year 35 out of 100,000 people are killed by alcohol where as in 2012 3. 3 million deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption globally. 5. 4% of world’s annual disease burden is caused by alcohol and illicit drug use, whereas tobacco accounted for 3. 7%. Globally 46% of all men and 73% of women abstain from alcohol. This means 54% of men and 27% of women of the total global population have at some point in their life consumed alcohol before. Therefore 81% of the total worldwide population have consumed alcohol at some point in time. 6. 2 liters of pure alcohol were consumed per person aged 15 years or older in 2010 worldwide. Developed countries have the highest consumption rate with Europe having the highest level of alcohol consumption while the lowest is found in the South East Asia region (WHO 2014). Effect of Alcohol Alcohol consumption has several negative effect on the user which as a result affect the society, country and the globe. The annual death rate related to alcohol consumption is about 3. 3 million globally. The individual also becomes very vulnerable of contracting other diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, anemia, heart attack etc. Alcohol and other substance users are more exposed to social related harm like rape, accidents, injury or even death. Governments in various countries spend huge sums of money to treat and rehabilitate substance abuser, such individuals sometimes lose earnings, become unemployable or lose their family. The money, time and health care facilities used to rehabilitate these individuals put lot of economic strain on the government budget and even the economical contributions of such individual is even severe if the person is a professional example a medical doctor, teacher, IT technician etc. Such monies could be used to do other social economic developments to improve the overall wellbeing of the society and the globe. The Finnish government spend about 1. 3 billion euros annually for managing alcohol related problems according to the National Institute for Health and Welfare (Yle News 2013, WHO 2014). Conclusion Alcohol and other substance abuse is not an individualistic problem but a worldwide issue where all governments must work together to combat, reduce, if not eradicate the total consumption of it. Good policies on better health care systems, improved economic policies and strong but encouraged social living programs should be implemented. Efficient advocacy programs, effective regulatory strategies and the involvement of community base action programs to care, support and prevent the sale and consumption of alcohol and other substance abuse materials should be implemented and encourage. Reference Dowd Thomas E, Rugle L. Substance Abuse, A Practitioner’s Guide to Comparative Treatments. New York: Springer Publishing Company 2006. Julian J, Kornblum W. Social Problems. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishing 1974. Levin et al. Social Problems. California: Roxbury publishing company 2000. Macionis John J. Social Problems. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishing 2005. Alcohol: Definition. World Health Organization (Accessed 13. 09. 2014) http://www. who. int/substance_abuse/activities/msbatlaschone. pdf? ua=1 Alcohol and Health: Factors and Effects. World Health Organization (Accessed 13. 09. 2014) http://www. who. int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/msb_gsr_2014_1. pdf? ua=1 Alcohol: Cost. National Institute for Health and Welfare THL. (Accessed 14. 09. 2014) http://yle. fi/uutiset/huge_costs_caused_by_alcohol_ause/6639487.

Scarlet Letter- Pearl Pyrnne essays

Scarlet Letter- Pearl Pyrnne essays Pearl Prynne, Is She Older Then She Seems Or Just An Elfish Child? See ye not, this is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a millionfold the power of retributation for my sin? (Hawthorne pg. 109) Critics have suggested that Pearl did not always act the way other children might have been known to and I agree with this. Using details from the book, and other resources, the following paragraphs will look further into Pearls social behavior, different moods, and personal relationships with other characters. In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl had no childhood friends. She was born an outcast and even at an early age, seemed to know that she didnt fit in. One example of her maturity in society was If the children gathered about her, as they sometimes did, Pearl would grow positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching up stones to fling at them. (Hawthorne pg. 90) This action not only showed her defending herself but also protecting her mother. Hester was the town gossip and the outcast as well as Pearl. Since birth, Pearl had sensed she was not supposed to fit in. When children talked to her, she would never talk back, but when she was picked on she wouldnt think twice to hold her ground. Not only was she wise in this way but very independent and strong. You can tell that Pearl was not always well behaved but quite clever. When she was young, she had quite an imagination. After putting her fingers in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer good Mr. Wilsons question, the child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison door. (Hawthorne pg. 108) She was only around three years old here and if you think of your average three year old, Pearl would be quite different by comparison. She might have thought of the Governor as a threat because it was said that sh...

Purify Alcohol or Denatured Ethanol Using Distillation

Purify Alcohol or Denatured Ethanol Using Distillation Denatured alcohol is toxic to drink and may be unsuitable for some lab experiments or other purposes. If you need pure ethanol (CH3CH2OH), you can purify denatured, contaminated or impure alcohol using distillation.   Alcohol Distillation Materials Balance100-mL volumetric flask or graduated cylinderDistillation apparatus250-mL beaker (or another container to receive the distilled alcohol)Hotplate or another flameless heat source (to avoid igniting the ethanol)Boiling chips200-mL impure ethanol (e.g., 70% denatured alcohol) You can also  make  a distillation apparatus if you dont already have one or arent sure what one looks like. Alcohol Distillation Procedure Put on appropriate safety gear, including goggles, gloves and protective clothing.Weigh the volumetric flask or graduated cylinder and record the value. This will help you determine your yield if you care to calculate it.Add 100.00 mL of alcohol to the volumetric flask. Weigh the flask plus alcohol and record the value. Now, if you subtract the mass of the flask from this value, you will know the mass of your alcohol. The density of your alcohol is the mass per volume, which is the mass of the alcohol (the number you just obtained) divided by the volume (100.00 mL). You now know the density of the alcohol in g/mL.Pour the ethanol into the distillation vessel and add the remaining alcohol.Add a boiling chip or two to the flask.Assemble the distillation apparatus. The 250-mL beaker is your receiving vessel.Turn on the hotplate and heat the ethanol to a gentle boil. If you have a thermometer in the distillation apparatus, youll see the temperature climb and then stabilize when it reache s the temperature of the ethanol-water vapor. Once you reach it, do not allow the temperature to exceed the stable value. If the temperature starts to climb again, it means the ethanol is gone from the distillation vessel. At this point, you could add more of the impure alcohol, if it didnt all fit in the container at the start. Continue distillation until you have collected at least 100 mL in the receiving beaker.Allow the distillate (liquid you collected) to cool to room temperature.Transfer 100.00 mL of this liquid into the volumetric flask, weigh the flask plus alcohol, subtract the weight of the flask (from earlier), and record the mass of the alcohol. Divide the mass of the alcohol by 100 to get the density of your distillate in g/mL. You can compare this value against a table of values to estimate the purity of your alcohol. The density of pure ethanol around room temperature is 0.789 g/mL.If you want, you can run this liquid through another distillation to increase its purity. Keep in mind, some alcohol is lost during every distillation, so youll have a lower yield with the second distillation and even less final product if you do a third distillation. If you double or triple distill your alcohol, you can determine its density and estimate its purity using the same method outlined for the first disti llation. Notes About Alcohol Ethanol is sold in the pharmacy sections of stores as a disinfectant. It may be called ethyl alcohol, ethanol or ethyl rubbing alcohol. Another common type of alcohol used for rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol. These alcohols have different properties (notably, isopropyl alcohol is toxic), so if it matters which one you need, be sure the desired alcohol is listed on the label. Hand sanitizer gels also often use ethanol and/or isopropanol. The label should list which type of alcohol is used under the active ingredients. Notes About Purity Distilling denatured alcohol will remove enough impurities for may lab applications. Further purification steps could include passing the alcohol over activated carbon. This would be especially helpful if the point of the distillation is to obtain drinkable ethanol. Be very careful distilling ethanol to drink using denatured alcohol as a source. If the denaturing agent was simply an additive intended to make the alcohol bitter, this purification might be fine, but if toxic substances were added to the alcohol, a lesser degree of contamination may remain in the distilled product. This is especially likely if the contaminant had a boiling point close to that of the ethanol. You can reduce contamination by discarding the first bit of ethanol that is collected and the last portion. It also helps to tightly control the temperature of the distillation. Just be aware: distilled alcohol is not suddenly pure! Even commercially produced ethanol still contains traces of other chemicals.

Moving Average Calculations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Moving Average Calculations - Essay Example B., â€Å"Technical Analysis from A to Z†). Simple Moving Average is one of the most important methods utilized for the calculation of moving average. It is denoted by SMA. It is calculated by measuring the average concluding price of a stock along with large number of time periods. It is one of the simple types of moving averages. It mainly includes two different parameters such as ‘period’ and ‘cost’. Moreover, in most of the times, the total number of periods is calculated along with closing value of the stocks. The formula used for the calculation of simple moving average is , where n denotes the number of time periods and Pn is the cost or price required to calculate SMA. The prime benefit of SMA is that it is quite an easy method and is used by most of the traders all over the world (Achelis, S. B., â€Å"Technical Analysis from A to Z†). Exponential Moving Average is the other important practice utilized for calculation of moving average. It is also denoted as EMA. It is almost similar to SMA except the average is calculated with the help of the most recent price. It is the only reason that many scientific analysts prefer using EMA rather than SMA for examination. The formula utilized for the calculation of EMA is: EMA (current) = ((Price (current) – EMA (prev)) x Multiplier) + EMA (prev). The value of EMA changes with alterations in the number of periods which is denoted by ‘multiplier’. Moreover, the method of EMA is also beneficial as it offers the most exact value. Apart from these, it only requires the previous days average value rather than the data of entire phase. Thus, it is more advantageous than SMA (Achelis, S. B. â€Å"Technical Analysis from A to Z†). A Weighted Moving Average is also the other vital practice utilized for the calculation. It is also a quite well known method. It is denoted as WMA. A weighted moving average provides more importance

The Iraq War 2003 in Western media and public opinion Essay

The Iraq War 2003 in Western media and public opinion - Essay Example Although opinion polls indicated a shift in the British public opinion about the war, the public opinion did not actually change during the entire period. Though the polls conducted by different agencies in the UK indicated an increase in the level of support for the war, it did not reflect the true opinion of the public. The public opinion only appeared to change because of the shortfalls in the polling process. In any opinion poll, there are priority issues that can alter the respondents’ answer depending on the way they are presented. If such priority issues are overshadowed by time or other events, the pollsters can ignore them in subsequent polls. For instance, in the British case, the pollsters left out the key issues because of time and other events that had occurred. Thus, if it were possible to incorporate the key events in the polls disregarding other events that had occurred, the polls could have otherwise suggested a different result. Apart from ignoring the real i ssues that initially determined people’s attitude, opinion polls possibly misidentified the respondents’ support for related issues as the support of the war. For instance, a respondent could have identified with one side of the conflict for personal reasons without necessarily supporting the war. In such situation, the polls deceptively indicated the support of the war. As a result, the outcome became unreliable. According to Baines and Worcester (2005), the public opinion changed during the war because of three major reasons.