Lyndon Baines Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th President of the United States (1963–69), was born in a farmhouse on the Pedernales River near Johnson City, Texas[i]. Johnson grew up amidst poverty. On both sides of his family he had a political heritage mingled with a Baptist background of preachers and teachers. He graduated (1930) from Southwest Texas State Teachers College (now Southwest Texas State Univ.), in San Marcos. He taught in a Houston high school before becoming (1932) secretary to a Texas Congressman. In 1934 he married Claudia Alta Taylor and they had two daughters, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines. A staunch New Dealer, Johnson gained the friendship of the influential Sam Rayburn, at whose behest President Franklin D. Roosevelt made him (1935) director in Texas of the National Youth Administration. In 1937, Johnson won election to a vacant congressional seat, and he was consistently re-elected through 1946. Despite Roosevelt's support, however, he was defeated in a special election to the Senate in 1941. He served (1941–42) in the navy. In 1948, Johnson was elected U.S. Senator from Texas after winning the Democratic primary by a mere 87 votes. A strong advocate of military preparedness, he persuaded the Armed Services Committee to set up (1950) the Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee. Rising rapidly in the Senate hierarchy, Johnson became (1951) Democratic whip and then (1953) floor leader. As majority leader after the 1954 elections he wielded great power, exhibiting unusual skill in marshalling support for President Eisenhower’s programs. He suffered a serious heart attack in 1955 but recovered to continue his senatorial command. Johnson lost the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination to John F. Kennedy, but accepted Kennedy's offer of the vice-presidential position. Elected with Kennedy, he energetically supported the President's programs, serving as an American emissary to nations throughout the world and as chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council and of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunities. After Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963, Johnson was sworn in as president and announced that he would strive to carry through Kennedy's programs. Congress responded to Johnson's skilful prodding by enacting an $11 billion tax cut (Jan., 1964) and a sweeping Civil Rights Act (July, 1964). With Johnson's insistent backing, Congress finally adopted a far-reaching civil-rights bill, a voting-rights bill, a Medicare program for the aged, and measures to improve education and conservation. Elected (Nov., 1964) for a full term in a landslide over Senator Barry Goldwater, he pushed hard for his domestic program. The 89th Congress (1965–66) produced more major legislative action than any since the New Deal. During the Johnson Presidency, Medicare and Medicaid were established to provide medical insurance for those over 65 and those too poor to pay. During the Johnson Administration, the first environmental legislation was passed. A bill providing free medical care (Medicare) to the aged under Social Security was enacted, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided new safeguards for African-American voters, and more money went to antipoverty programs. The departments of Transportation and of Housing and Urban Development were added to the Cabinet. Johnson's domestic achievements were soon obscured by foreign affairs. Johnson's actions (Feb., 1965) of bombing on North Vietnam aroused widespread opposition in Congress and among the public and developed vigorous antiwar movement. As the cost of the war shot up, Congress scuttled many of Johnson's domestic programs. After Senators Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy began campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination, Johnson announced (Mar., 1968) that he would not run for reelection. When Johnson retired from office (Jan., 1969), he left the nation bitterly divided by the war. He retired to Texas, where he died [ii]. In 1964 the American people seemed to give overwhelming endorsement to his achievements. His reelection was followed by the notable series of legislative victories establishing the Great Society–the most visionary domestic program in American history. Conventional wisdom suggests that President Lyndon Baines Johnson pushed each Congress to the limit to obtain a maximum number of controversial legislative victories. Consequently, slim margins were often expected and indeed planned for. A key Johnson legislative aide, Henry Hall Wilson, made this point explicitly, â€Å"When we have a fat Congress as we did in the Eighty-ninth, then we can hike up our demands to fit the situation. When votes are not razor thin in either case, then we are not doing a good job[iii]. Johnson used just about everything in his extensive repertory to get Congress moving and excelled. According to Hugh Sidey, â€Å"During 1965, Johnson would zero in on a congress- man or a senator and get what he wanted, a good deal. He would lie, beg, cheat, steal a little, threaten, intimidate. But he never lost sight of that ultimate goal, his idea of the Great Society[iv]. Substantial preparation was required to identify that the linchpin of the whole system was â€Å"the treatment,† Johnson's personal techniques of political persuasion and political skill[v]. â€Å"A Great Society† for the American people and their fellow men elsewhere was the vision of Lyndon B. Johnson. In his first years of office he obtained passage of one of the most extensive legislative programs in the Nation's history. During World War II he served briefly in the Navy as a lieutenant commander, winning a Silver Star in the South Pacific. After six terms in the House, Johnson was elected to the Senate in 1948. In 1953, he became the youngest Minority Leader in Senate history, and the following year, when the Democrats won control, Majority Leader. With rare skill he obtained passage of a number of key Eisenhower measures. Johnson's Great Society program was designed to fight poverty in the United States. It consisted of a series of legislation, which included the Job Corps, to provide vocational training for disadvantaged youth; Volunteers in Service of America (VISTA) – a domestic Peace Corps; Head Start, to instruct disadvantaged preschoolers, among other programs. The other part of the Great Society program was the passage of civil rights legislation proposed by the Kennedy Administration. In the 1960 campaign, Johnson, as John F. Kennedy's running mate, was elected Vice President. First he obtained enactment of the measures President Kennedy had been urging at the time of his death–a new civil rights bill and a tax cut. Next he urged the Nation â€Å"to build a great society, a place where the meaning of man's life matches the marvels of man's labor.† In 1964, Johnson won the Presidency with 61 percent of the vote and had the widest popular margin in American history–more than 15,000,000 votes. The Great Society program became Johnson's agenda for Congress in January 1965, an aid to education, attack on disease, Medicare, urban renewal, beautification, conservation, development of depressed regions, a wide-scale fight against poverty, control and prevention of crime and delinquency, removal of obstacles to the right to vote. Lyndon Johnson faced the toughest transition after Kennedy's death[vi]. Johnson had to confront the grief and despair many people felt over the loss of a beloved leader and their antagonism toward someone who, however much he identified with JFK, seemed like a usurper, an unelected, untested replacement for the man the country now more than ever saw as more suitable for the job. Johnson understood the essential need for continuity, for reassuring people at home and abroad that the new President would be faithful to the previous administration. The death of a President was trauma enough, but Kennedy's assassination made his passing a national crisis in self-confidence, a time of doubt about the durability of the country's democratic system and its tradition of non-violent political change. Despite his private fears, Johnson was an inspiration to the country. His public appearances, his use of language, his management of the press promoted feelings of continuity and unity[vii]. The hallmark of his Great Society social reform program, the War on Poverty strove to achieve what LBJ's mentor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, could not, an end to the nation's most distressing social ills and recognition that racism still divided the nation into distinct economic and social groups. For American Jews, LBJ's reformulation of New Deal liberalism into a group-based, race-sensitive political philosophy challenged long-held assumptions about the role of the state and pressed the community's organized leadership into the forefront of national public policy debate. Millions of Democratic voters registered their disapproval of LBJ by abandoning their long-time political home and bolting to the Republican Party[viii]. Johnson's cynical idealism and the unmanageable mysteries of the times converged into the early-American, frontier-style presidency that finally forced us to begin to redefine our nationhood. Lyndon Johnson was rude, intelligent, shrewd, charming, compassionate, vindictive, maudlin, selfish, passionate, volcanic and cold, vicious and generous. He played every part, he left out no emotion; in him one saw one's self and all the others. He was not an idealist, but he served ideals when it suited and pleased him. He was not a reactionary, but he fanned reaction when it helped him advance himself. He was tireless and diligent, but he was also narrowly political, and he was suspicious of new ideas. He berated intellectuals because he envied them. He was as personally responsible for American history since 1950 as any other man of his time. Throughout his career he was consolidating his private wealth by a calculating use of public power, and there is an affinity between this squalid side of his success and the corruptive commercialism in the national ethos[ix]. President Johnson's Presidency will be remembered for the â€Å"Great Society† programs for which he wanted to be remembered, and for the Vietnam War, which eventually forced his resignation. [i] On both sides of his family he had a political heritage mingled with a Baptist background of preachers and teachers [ii] Encyclopedia Article Title: Johnson, Lyndon Baines. Encyclopedia Title: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Publisher: Columbia University Press. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2004. [iii]   Doris Kearns, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream ( New York: New American Library, 1976. [iv] Merle Miller, Lyndon New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1980. [v] Bernard J. Firestone.1988.Lyndon Baines Johnson and the Uses of Power. Editor, Robert C. Vogt Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: New York;Page Number: 7. [vi] At the height of his power as Senate leader, Johnson sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1960. When he lost to John F. Kennedy, he surprised even some of his closest associates by accepting second place on the ticket. [vii] Robert Dallek .2004.Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President. Publisher: Oxford University Press. Place of Publication: New York; Page Number: 227. [viii] ) Marc Dollinger .2001.The Other War: American Jews, Lyndon Johnson, and the Great Society. Contributors: – author. Journal Title: American Jewish History. Volume: 89. Issue: 4. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 437+ [ix] Ronnie Dugger .1982.The Politician: The Life and Times of Lyndon Johnson the Drive for Power, from the Frontier to Master of the Senate. Publisher: W. W. Norton. Place of Publication: New York; Page Number: 13.   

Diversion Essay for Possession of Alcohol

How a Criminal Recacord Affects Ones Future A criminal record at any age could severely affect one’s life and future. For example one can lose their job and any opportunities that may present themselves. A criminal offense depending on how serious the charge is they may lose their right to vote for good. If the offender is a minor any opportunities for future education and scholarships are virtually out the window. I understand that what I did could determine the quality of the rest of my life. It could affect my family that I could possibly start in the future; it could destroy my reputation and the trust of my parents.Teenagers can easily fall in with the wrong crowd which is usually why they will start behaving irrationally. The peer pressure and influence of ones self-esteem issues can get one involved with things that one would not usually consider doing ever. As a senior in high school one may think that he or she can party, drink under the age of 21, and other substance s because it is their last year before college and they can smell the freedom. What they are not aware of, like me, that no matter what time in their academic career he or she can get into serious trouble.Getting caught as a minor while applying for college, scholarships, grants, athletic commitments, or military service. Can jeopardize the bright future that they have just a few short months away. At any time a college, job, or scholarship can be revoked. I was stupid and sophomoric to think that I was immune to any of the consequences involved with illegal activities at my age. Also everything I had going for me was put in danger. If there was anything I could say to advise one of my peers that believed he or she could party and drink alcohol under the age would be that it’s not worth it.And that he or she should would be remise if they did not just wait till they were 21. Even if they made it to college, heading down this path becomes increasingly risky because they are no w a legal adult and subject to more serious punishment. A criminal record should best be avoided at any cost, even if it means that you sacrifice all the supposedly â€Å"good times† that other possible offenders believe that they are having. It just not worth the risk. Your whole life is ahead of you; why not wait until you are of legal age.

Improvement of communication Essay

Communication is an important ingredient in everyday relationships. As interactions are inevitable, much of what is going on with our relationships – in terms of work, home life, community dealings, friendships, and even ordinary and regular contact with strangers – all these depend on how effective we are in conveying thoughts, feelings, and intentions. And by the way, because communication includes at least two parties, its effectivity depends on how well or uninterrupted the exchange of ideas will flow. Everyone involved is important to the success of communication – the receiving end (the one party) and the one conveying ideas (the other party). Since not a single party should become dominant in any interactions, what particular characteristic ought to distinguish every an effective communicator? As always pointed out by experts in communication skills, the most critical part of an interaction is active listening. It comprises more than giving the other party your affirmative nod. It is even more than being physically present. Active listening includes the engagement of the whole cognitive faculty of the person. This means that if one is to possess this very important skill, he/she must exert effort to attend to the person who transmits his/her thoughts and engage all attention to process the ideas being passed on by paraphrasing, â€Å"reflecting feeling and reflecting meaning† (Citation Becoming a Better Senior Corps Supervisor: A Resource Guide for Senior Corps Project Directors, 1996). â€Å"Active listening includes listening with the body, eyes, ears and instincts, and temporarily suspending judgment. † This is essentially what active listening does. When speaking about improving one’s skills in communication, one characteristic must come right away to one’s mind: active listening. I have employed someone to help me in ordinary house work inside our home. I really do not need someone to attend to these things in my house since I myself can do the work myself. My intention is to be of some help to this person financially. He is so poor in communication skills. He even has difficulty expressing in words what he has in mind at the moment. He could not describe properly daily occurrences, and deficient in active listening. As a result of this lack on his part, all of us in the house oftentimes get drained emotionally for constantly exerting effort just to make sure he understands how to do ordinary work properly – from frying eggs for breakfast to taking initiative on those things which we assume he already know. I realized that lacking the fundamental skill necessary in communication can even get a person in danger of being fired from work. Communication is an art because like the work of art, it requires necessary skills to accomplish a work in which one has invested all his attention to secure a work well done. Reference 1. Becoming a Better Senior Corps Supervisor: A Resource Guide for Senior Corps Project Directors, by the National Crime Prevention Council and published by the Corporation for National and Community Service (1996), was developed by the National Crime Prevention Council’s National Service Training and Technical Assistance Project and is based upon work funded by the Corporation for National Service under Cooperative Agreement No. CA95-30. Accessed July 17, 2007< file:///D:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alan/My%20Documents/communication%20skils. htm>.

Reducing the Risk of Ventilator-acquired Pneumonia Research Paper

Reducing the Risk of Ventilator-acquired Pneumonia - Research Paper Example This paper stresses that  ventilated patients have different factors that increase the chances of acquiring the disease. One of the main factors is aspiration of infected oral and gastric secretion. The main method used in the study involves the measure of the current degree of bed head evaluation in the trial that was in the ICU. There was measure of the degree of bed elevation measured on a random selection of patients with the use of a protractor and a plumb line.  According to the study findings there are different factors that were considered in the research. The exclusion criteria include the previous intubation within the last 30 days, severe obese patient who were not in a position to tolerate head elevation to 45 degrees, recent abdominal surgery with vacuum dressing that needed change in the position of the patients to renew the dressing or gain a seal. The variables that were recorded in the study included pressure that was to track the use of inotropic therapy. This e nsures that patients that were nursed at 45 degrees did not need additional support. The other variables that were recorded at the end of the research included the sex of the patients, the diagnosis of the patients whether surgical or medical, the white cell count, the temperature of the patients, ventilation, antibiotics, sedation score and Chronic Health Evaluation. The results of the study were taken after 72 hours after the study endpoint was reached. The research took a total period of 3.5 months.

Rhetorical criticism using Ernest bormann's Fantasy theme approach and Essay - 1

Rhetorical criticism using Ernest bormann's Fantasy theme approach and Neo-Aristotelian approach on Barack Obama's first Inaugural Address - Essay Example However, many Americans questioned his ability to lead with enough background and skills to address these concerns. This thesis examines the president 2009 inaugural address. The analysis of this speech shows how the president rhetorically managed to alleviate the concern of the USA’s people. And, in what manner he was rhetorically able to convince Americans that he is the right person to led the nation to the right direction through this difficult times. First, present and explains the chosen theories within classical rhetoric and the genre of the address. He then uses the selected theories to analyze the Obama’s inaugural address. The writer then makes assessment and discussion of the thesis statement from this analysis. The thesis has Ernest Bormanns Fantasy theme approach and Neo-Aristotelian approach to determine the type of speech, the usage and appeal form used. By utilizing this approach, it was possible to deduce whether Obama’s inaugural speech was rhetoric. The Obama’s rhetoric inaugural address has its own genre. Themes such as reconciliation, renewal, and national unity are an example of what is crucial in the American political discourse of inaugural addresses. In most of the cases, the writer quotes examples from the past to unify the nation and show the people of the America how goal can be achieved, and issues dwelt with. Inaugural addresses always contain three key themes; ability to rediscover the united state of America, emphasis on what it mean to be an American citizen and to show people that it is time for a new beginning. Inaugural address is supposed to be non-partisan and unifying. They should make people feel that if they come together they can achieve more (Fafner, 1998). Most of the Americans have a major concern about domestic and international issue. With the election of a new president, people want to feel that the needed reforms are steered for the

Report on TESLA case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Report on TESLA case study - Essay Example top managers, Tesla has been able to achieve success while at the same time adopting effective strategies such as the latest increment of more patents to more than 250. In addition, the partnership that the company has formed with companies such as Daimler makes Tesla to have a strong capital base. Tesla value chain analysis covers aspect such as inbound logistics, operations, and outbound logistics among others. Despite being a company with a strong support from the customers, Tesla was at one time involved in PR issue that involved poor batteries that lacked the information from the company on how to use them. Major business level strategies that are covered by the paper include use of extensive technology and innovation, formation of value-creating partnership, and production of cars that have different facilities as needed by the customers. Similarly, Tesla adopts corporate strategies such as expanding its market share, existing products into new markets such as Hong Kong, China and Australia among others, and production diversification among others. The major models that are covered to analyse Tesla operations include SAF and STAIR Models. Additionally, the paper provides some recommendation to the company such as penetrating emerging markets, establishing research and development centres in the developing countries, and continuing with product development among others. The purpose of using this analysis is to evaluate the risks and opportunities in the external environment that can have impact on the performance of Tesla. These include social, political, economic, environmental and technological factors. Tesla sells their cars in more than 17 countries in Asia, North America and West Europe. Protection laws are put in place for companies manufacturing cars to strictly meet the environmental laws on emission, thus the Tesla have to come up with the methods of dealing with the political pattern that can influence their business operations (Bernardez, 2005).

Tesla electrical car Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Tesla electrical car - Essay Example This essay will focus on the marketing method for a special product of the famous automobile company named Tesla Motors Inc (Marchionne, 2009). Product Identification The company of Tesla primarily engages in the production and sales of hybrid or electric cars. The researcher would introduce the brief marketing strategy of the Model S electric car for the company. This car is basically an electric car with seven seats manufactured by the company. The car is characterized with a rigid body structure. The weight proportion distributed in the car is 50-50. It is claimed that this car has a low centre of gravity. The company claims that the features of the car qualify it to be an efficient sports car. However, the external appearance of the car looks like a top class Sedan (Teslamotors, 2013). Figure 1: Model S (Source: Teslamotors, 2013) It is claimed by the company that the acceleration of the car is instantaneous owing to the inbuilt power train technology used for manufacturing the c ar. The form of energy used in the car is gasoline. The car also has a multilink suspension system that provides complete comfort to the users. The smooth power steering of the car is found to react automatically to any changes in the driving conditions (Teslamotors, 2013). Target Market The above context clearly shows that the Model S of Tesla is an efficient car that is well equipped with a lot of advanced technical features. However, while formulating its product marketing (Model S), the company needs to strategically focus on the target customers. All the marketing activities would be then formulated on the basis of the needs and preferences of the consumers. Market Opportunities After the emergence of globalization in 1990, the developing economies in the world have significantly grown up by enjoying the benefits of industrial revolution in the developed economies. The company through its marketing strategies should grasp the growing market demand in the emerging economies of t he world. It is found that the countries like, Russia, India, China and Brazil, are enjoying the fruits of economic development in the form of rise in their per capita income levels. The rise in per person income has increased the level of luxurious demand that is created by the individuals in these economies. The Tesla company must try to grasp the growing market demand of individuals in these economies (Mom, 2004). Today, the consumers are highly conscious about the protection and preservation of environment. This is the reason due to which the electric vehicles are now on high demand in the market. Model S of Tesla comprises of all the good features that a modern electric car should possess. Thus, the growing market demand of the electric cars provides an excellent opportunity for the company to sell its desired product in the market. Rather, the degree of urbanization in countries across the globe is improving and has significantly increased the demand for cars in the market. Th e gross revenue generated by the entire automobile industry has increased in the last few years. So, the rising living standards of the individuals, growing consciousness about environmental protection and the booming aggregate demand in the automobile industry are the primary market opportunities for Tesla’

The best counsellor is a friend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The best counsellor is a friend - Essay Example Counseling is considered as teamwork between the client and the counselor which helps the client develop and make positive changes in his approach to life. However, counseling is only considered effective if it brought out an expansion of worldview to both client and counselor. Nowadays, counseling is considered an important profession. Counseling is undertaken by professionals like social workers, psychologists, and even teachers. The knowledge and expertise of these professionals help so much in attaining the ultimate goal of counseling. Their educational background and experiences become important cornerstones which help them develop the proper approach in counseling as well as fully analyse the client's needs. However, this paper argues that still, the best counselor is a friend because a friend has all the important characteristics and attributes that a counselor must have in order to be efficient. A counselor and a client must have a good relationship as rapport has a huge role to play in attaining positive results (Lambert 1992). Friendship binds individuals, cultivate trust and confidence, and welcome the outbursts of strong emotions which usually come with counseling. Thus, the presence of friendly relation between clients and counselor can result to more favorable results in counseling. C. Raymond Beran (n.d.) painted a portrait of a true friend in this famous composition: What is a friend I will tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meanness and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyalty. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all - and underneath - he sees, knows and loves you. A friend What is a friend Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself. Beran's composition highlights and emphasizes the role of a friend in an individual's life. A friend, as described above is an individual to whom someone can freely open up without any pretense. A friend is someone whom a person can trust and have confidence in. A friend is someone who is always there and will willingly understand what his friend is going through. Another important aspect highlighted by Beran is the friend's knowledge about his friend. A friend, according to Beran "sees, knows, and loves you" and "understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you." Thus, a friend is someone who has an adequate knowledge and genuinely understands his friend. It is also significant to mention how a friend feels when he is with his

Mid Term Exam, Ethics 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mid Term Exam, Ethics 1 - Essay Example This is the main feature of the ethical theories of Immanuel Kant. The most famous ethical theory of Kant is Categorical Imperative. This theory calls for evaluation of one’s action according to certain rules and guidelines or maxims. The main elements of the theory include universality which calls for acting in a manner which will not hurt or displease the acting person if the same act is made a universal law. Any action, under Kant’s ethical theory, should be judged not on the basis of consequences it brings but on the basis of the nature of the action. For example, Kant would not allow a person to lie even if this action results in collective good of the society because lying is not an ethical behavior itself. This is the main feature of Kant’s ethical theory. Focus on principles and guidelines are also important part of Kant’s ethical theory. An action is principally good or bad and consequences or other elements have nothing to do with the rightness and wrongness of any action. The principle on which the action is carried out is the main focus of evaluation in Kant’s ethical theory. Kant’s ethical theory differs from other important ethical theories because it focuses on actions and treats an action as an end in itself. The act is important for Kant and not its consequences. This is the main difference between the ethical approach of Kant and other ethical theories. The ethical theories of Kant can be applied to modern policing practices. There are many ways in which modern police can improve its practices based on Kant’s ethical theories. Kant stressed on treating actions as an end in itself and not just as means. Police can also apply this theory to its practice by following due process. Sometimes police can be tempted to break the law and focus on the consequences of their actions. This is how modern policing practices can learn from Kant’s ethical theories. Police should also act in a way according to the guidelines which if

My Immortal Soul Essay Example for Free

My Immortal Soul Essay Plato has roused many readers with the work of a great philosopher by the name of Socrates. Through Plato, Socrates lived on generations after his time. A topic of Socrates that many will continue to discuss is the idea of â€Å"an immortal soul†. Although there are various works and dialogues about this topic it is found to be best explained in The Phaedo. It is fair to say that the mind may wonder when one dies what exactly happens to the beloved soul, the giver of life often thought of as the very essence of life does it live on beyond the body, or does it die with it? Does the soul have knowledge of the past if it really does live on? In Plato’s The Phaedo, Plato recounts Socrates final days before he is put to death. Socrates has been imprisoned and sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens and not following the rights of Athenian religion.[1] Socrates death brings him and his fellow philosophers Cebes, Simmions, Phaedo, and Plato into a perplex dialogue about this notion of an afterlife and what does one have to look forward to after death. Death is defined as the separation of the body from the soul. In The Phaedo death has two notions a common one which is the basic idea that the soul dies and the physical, idea that the soul separates from the body after death. â€Å"The soul is most like that which is divine, immortal intelligible, uniform, indissoluble, and ever self-consistent and invariable, whereas body is most like that which human, mortal is, multiform, unintelligible, dissoluble, and never self-consistent.† (Phaedo)[2] According to Socrates, knowledge is not something one came to understand but it was actually imprinted on the soul. Knowledge to Socrates was an unchanging eternal truth, something that could not be acquired through experience and time. Socrates friends believe that after death the soul disperses into the air like a breath. On the contrary Socrates believes that the soul is in fact immortal and if one wants to become free of pain they way to do so is to exempt themselves from the physical pleasures of the world. In this dialogue Socrates and the philosophers explore several arguments for this idea of an immortal soul. These arguments were to illustrate and verify that death is not the dying of body and soul collectively, but when the body dies the soul continues to live on. Socrates offers readers four main arguments: The Cyclical Argument, which is the idea that forms are fixed and external. The soul is the sole purpose of life in this argument, and therefore cannot die and it is also to be seen as virtually never-ending. Next is The Theory of Recollection, which insists that at birth everyone has knowledge that the soul experienced in another life. Meaning that the soul would have had to be existent before birth to bear this said knowledge. The Form of Life Argument confers that the soul bears a resemblance to that which is imperceptible and godly because it is abstract. The body bears a resemblance to the perceptible and the corporeal because it is objective. The Affinity Argument maybe the simplest of all. It reiterates Socrates thoughts of the body and soul, in saying that when the body dies and decomposes our soul will continue to exist in another world.[3] Since the soul is immortal it has been recycled many times, and has also experienced everything there is to experience, for Socrates and Plato this idea of recollection is much deeper than remembering something once forgotten. Socrates views knowledge as something that cannot be learned but the soul recalls it as it is being recycled. Grasping the understanding that things come to be beings by being composed of something pre-existing and when ceased these parts will continue to exist. Focusing on The Theory of Recollection, this is the claim that knowledge is innate, and cannot be learned. â€Å"What you said about the soul. They think that after it has left the body it no longer exists anywhere, but that it is destroyed and dissolved on the day the man dies.†(Cebes)[4] Socrates’ point for this argument is that our soul with holds this knowledge and we are born with it. Although we do not remember things before we are born it is said that certain experiences can nevertheless re awaken certain aspects of that memory. For example in The Meno, Socrates raises a mathematical problem to Menos slave boy, who does not have any prior training in mathematics. The boy thinks he knows the answer but Socrates makes him see that his initial hypothesis of the answer is wrong. By purely asking questions, Socrates gets the slave boy to state the right answer. Socrates insists that he has not told the boy the answer, but through questioning the slave boy, Socrates aided him to recollect the slave boy’s own knowledge of mathematics.[5] Furthermore Socrates also makes another example of recollection by stating if one were to come in contact with a picture or an item of a beloved then it would be simple to recall said person to the mind. This is the idea of how recollection works. If we examine this example and change certain aspects of it, it does not become very clear either. If a picture of a beloved one was shown to a stranger it is safe to say that the stranger would not be able to recall any thoughts, memories or details of the person in the photograph because they do not have any prior knowledge of said person. In order for the stranger to do so they would have had to been in acquaintance with that person in the photograph at one time or another. This act of resemblance is easier for someone who already knows the person. Plato also uses an example of a vehicle stating that before a vehicle is mobile there were parts that were made to turn it into a vehicle such as the engine, steering wheel, and etcetera. He continues to make the point that even after the vehicle breaks down that these pieces will still remain to create the next vehicle. According to Plato ordinary objects participate in this recollection of platonic forms themselves; these things remind of us platonic forms because the soul once encountered it. He persists that the soul must have ex isted because of this. All of which are ways to reiterate that this idea that knowledge is imprinted on the soul may have validity to it. In essence there was time where only the soul existed and it soon found a home in a body of another, making it now a mortal being(birth). Reincarnation is not only a rebirth of the soul but the neutralization of the knowledge one attained before birth as well. Then there is a period where our a priori knowledge seems to disappear only to reappear when it is recalled. It is claimed that we lose our knowledge at birth; then by the use of our senses in connection with particular objects we recover the knowledge we had before. However, this relationship between the perception of sensible objects and our capacity of finding knowledge can produce a series of confusions concerning whether it is possible to recall all prior knowledge. The problem in this argument and certain aspects of this notion of an immortal soul is that even if it were proven that we were made up something before birth, and something will remain after death, it is not for certain that it is the soul. Through scientific study it is understood that the body is also made of atoms it is also known that atoms existed before the body and will continue long after the body. The atoms that make up the body will in fact be recycled as well just as Socrates has the concept that the soul lives on. Plato and Socrates were correct on the idea that certain parts were in pre-existence does come to make one existent and will exist after death. Although even with this idea one cannot be certain that the soul is one of the parts of the body that is solely immortal. There is not adequate information given by Plato or Socrates to make this argument suffice. We must raise an inquiry of why is that in order to think of perfection we must have already had to have seen it? Aside from philosophical views, in everyday life we encounter imperfections and it is safe to say that the mind is capable of wondering what something of beauty, perfection, or a perfect circle appears to be. The mind is also able to think about these ideas even if the soul has never encountered it. If these arguments prove anything it proves that The Theory of Recollection and The Cyclical Argument both attest that the soul existed before but the arguments do not prove that the soul will continue to exist after this life. Works Cited 1. Cahn, M Steven. Classics of Western Philosophy. Hackett Publishing Company, Inc 2006 2. Morgan, K, 2000, Myth and Philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Plato, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3. Partenie, Catalin, Platos Myths, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . (April 11th2010) [1] Cahn- Plato’s, The Phaedo [2] Quote from the philosopher Phaedo [3] Socrates theories discussed by Plato [4] Phaedo 70a [5] Plato’s The Meno

Developing Self-Assessment Skills in Nursing

Developing Self-Assessment Skills in Nursing Self-assessment is the way in which individuals reflect on past experiences and events in order to facilitate learning, and to develop and maintain skills and knowledge, in order to evaluate whether individual competencies are compliant with relevant codes of conduct by profession. Models within the literature on the process of self-assessment also use the term ‘reflection’ to describe such activity, whereby self-assessment / reflection method is seen to involve ‘returning to an experience, describing it and attending to thoughts and feelings.’ (Platzer, Blake Snelling, 1997;193) For nursing and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) in particular, self-assessment is a medium in which theory can be assessed during practice, and to tap into the personal knowledge resource of HCP’s ‘embedded in the practices and know how of expert clinicians. (Brenner, 1984;4) The cognitive processes involved within self-assessment activity are described within the literature as complex, involving high order cognitive capacities; making influences, generalizations; memory, analogies; emotional evaluation and problem solving (Moore, 1998). Analysing ones performance is thus described in terms of a professional development tool, whereby gaps in knowledge as well as areas of expertise may be identified, and form the focus of further training, and/or activities at work in line with Department of Health initiatives for continuing professional development. Self-assessment within clinical practice for nurses thus needs to be taught and coached, and may occur in a number of ways. Models of reflection and self-assessment documented describe the need for use of written records of practice within self-assessment, such as through reflective diaries (Platzer, Blake Snelling, 1997) which can be used as the basis for discussion during group-working projects and in one-to-one coaching sessions between mentors and student nurses for example. The use of reflection through self-assessment has been suggested as particularly relevant to nurses due to the nature of their work – the need to respond to individual requirements and needs of patients, and to avoid rigid routines of caring acts that can lead to performing duties on ‘autopilot’ (Cox, 1994) Self-assessment is thus suggested to prevent complacency or caring through pattern / ritual from occurring, by reflecting on ones practices to allow nurses to provide individualized patient care. Self-assessment practices may be taken by nurses during a number of reflection opportunties; critical incident techniques (Clamp, 1980; Flannagan, 1954) reviews of case studies and personal experiences or practice reviews (Wilshaw Bohannan, 2003) The reflection process thus enables learning for nurses through initiating discussion and thought in regards to comparing actions taken against suggested best practice. Self-assessment is becoming increasingly incorporated learning programmes for nurses, as well as receiving focus throughout careers in order to enable continuing professional development. Self-assessment of ones own competencies are thus predominantly portrayed in a positive light and emphasis given to associated advantages. One of the major benefits of incorporating self-assessment into both education and professional development, is the way in which theory and learning can be translated into more applied methods, and by increasing the relevance of taught theory, help students and new nurses to apply what they have learnt in the classroom into their patient care through evaluating learning in the context of their own experiences. Reflection and self-assessment throughout a career can also allow nurses to develop this initial knowledge base by incorporating future experiences to widen personal knowledge resource to continue to grow professionally. Benefits of the use of self-assessments can also be seen in the way in which they can allow more accurate evaluation of the training programmes used to educate nurses. Research indicates that the commonly used questionnaire technique to investigate students perceptions and evaluations of training can be influenced by a range of external factors that often make such ratings highly unreliable; like / dislike of the tutor, and the aesthetics of the learning environment are two such factors (Hicks Henessey, 2001), and are thus likely to contribute little to analyzing the true efficacy of the training undergone. Considerations should however be taken when using self-assessment for a number of reasons. Firstly the depth of evaluation and use of reflections will depend on the level of importance that an individual will place on their own knowledge and assessment abilities. It has been reported that many HCPs place little value on their own personal knowledge favoring only research based knowledge – thus underutilizing their own resource (Platzer, Blake Snelling, 1997) and so may subsequently place little value or effort into the process of self-assessment meaning learning outcome will be limited. The reliability of the cognitions underlying self-assessment techniques can also put into question the usefulness of the results for learning – memory for recounting events can be affected by anxiety (Newell, 1992), whilst others may feel under scrutiny and look to justify or rationalise actions (Wilshaw Bohannan, 2003) rather than reflect and learn from outcomes. This highlights the w ay in which self-assessment is only truly useable in environments that are not operating within a blame culture where personal evaluation would otherwise be inhibited. Lastly it is also reported that the coaching experience and ability of mentors to teach self-assessment techniques exerts a strong influence on the outcome in ability to complete self-assessment tasks for their students, and therefore the ability of coaches will have a positive or negative impact for students (Arvidsson,2005) The Nursing and Midwifery Council(NMC) openly supports the use of a self-assessment system as a means for nurses to identify ‘shortfalls’ in their skills, by rating their own performance. Self-assessment should be thus used to identify gaps in nurse’s abilities and so highlight key training needs, acting in what the NMC call an ‘early warning system’ capacity against poor standards (Duffin, 2004). Although not compulsory, self-assessment is seen as a way for nurses to contemplate critical areas within their clinical environment (information for clients on treatment, nurse/client relationships professional accountability: Duffin, 2004) that staff shortages and time pressures may otherwise push to the sideline, with the assessment of these factors proposed to help nurses to work within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and protect staff against misconduct charges, by providing a practical route of translating codes of contact guidelines into action s and evaluating the effectiveness of these actions. The use of self-assessment procedures with nurses is already covered in some detail within learning and training courses for those new to the profession of nursing. In early training, mentors are used to facilitate the start of a journey of growth from knowledge (Price, 2005), through the ability to reflect on ones own actions, and feelings towards those experiences individually or in group work during nursing education (Platzer, Blake Snelling 1997) Self-assessment as a tool for learning is also actively encouraged within the continuing professional development initiatives set by the Department of Health which now stipulates the need for post-basic education for all HCP’s, and from the NMC’s own code of conduct which places great importance on the identification of skill-shortfalls through self-assessment alongside other identification means, in order to ensure patients are receiving the best care possible, from skilled and well trained nursing professionals. REFERENCES Arvidsson, B (2005) ‘Factors influencing nurse supervisor competence: a critical incident analysis study’ Journal of Nursing Management Vol. 13, 3 Clamp, C (1980) ‘Learning through critical incidents’ Nursing Times 1755-1758 Crawford, M (1998) ‘Development through self-assessment: strategies used during clinical nursing placements’ Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 27, 1 Duffin, C (2004) NMC system to give early warning of skills shortfall’ Nursing Standard Vol. 19, 5 p7 Flannagan, (1954) cited in Wilshaw, G Bohannon, N (2003) ‘Reflective practice and team teaching in mental health care.’ Nursing Standard Vol. 17, 50 p33-37 Hek, G ‘Developing self evaluation skills: a pragmatic research-based approach for complex areas of nursing’ Nurse Researcher Vol.11, 2 p73-82 Hicks, C Hennessy, D (2001) ‘An alternative technique for evaluating the effectiveness of continuing professional development courses for healthcare professionals: a pilot study with practice nurses’ Journal of Nursing Management Vol. 9 p39-49 Moore, P (1998) ‘Development of professional practice research training fellowships: occasional papers’ Health Professions Wales Morrison, J (2005) ‘ABC of learning and teaching in medicine’ British Medical Journal 326 (7385) p385-387 Newell (1992) cited in Platzer, H. Blake, D Snelling, J (1997) ‘A review of research into the use of groups and discussion to promote reflective practice in nursing’ Research in compulsory Education Vol. 2, 2 Platzer, H. Blake, D Snelling, J (1997) ‘A review of research into the use of groups and discussion to promote reflective practice in nursing’ Research in compulsory Education Vol. 2, 2 Price, B (2005) ‘Self-assessment and reflection in nurse education’ Nursing Standard Vol. 19, 29 p33-37 Wilshaw, G Bohannon, N (2003) ‘Reflective practice and team teaching in mental health care.’ Nursing Standard Vol. 17, 50 p33-37

Study of Nikon Corporation

Study of Nikon Corporation The Nikon has gone global and divides the globe to six regions of its operation which are the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and Africa. The products have also been grouped in to imaging products (Digital/film cameras, lenses and accessories), precision equipment (IC/LCD steppers and scanners), sport optics (Binoculars, telescopes and laser rangefinders), instrument products (Microscopes and measuring instruments), and ophthalmic lenses (Single vision and progressive addition lenses) (Nikon, 2010). It has a capital of  ¥ 65,475 million as of March 31 2010, where the consolidated net sales were  ¥ 785,498 million as of March 31 2010 while unconsolidated net sales as of March 31 2010 were  ¥ 572,972 million (Nikon, 2010). The numbers of employees in the corporation are approximately 26,125 as of March 31 2010 where the number is not inclusive of employees in subsidiary and associated companies. The company also has five main plants that include the Ohi plant, Yokohama Plant, Sagamihara Plant, Kumagaya Plant, and Mito Plant (Reynolds, p.23). The company has developed products of quality throughout the years where the core technology center, the research and development center and the production technology center are responsible for quality and innovation. Its imaging products (72.5%) contribute to a huge proportion of the sales followed by precision equipment (19.1%), instruments (5.7%) and others (2.7%) respectively (Nikon, 2010). The Nikon philosophy is Trustworthiness and Creativity that presents the unchanging principles that the company are dedicated to. The aspirations include Meeting needs and exceeding expectations where the company does not just stop at meeting the customer needs but also providing the customer with new products of value that exceed expectations; aiming at sustained growth through continuous development of all products; maximizing on the understanding and knowledge on light to produce products that transform and lead the markets currently and in future; and maintaining high integrity so as to contribute to the prosperity of the society (Nikon, 2010). The commitments of Nikon are being firstly being pro active i.e. Be broad-minded and well-informed in order to act quickly and resolutely Second seeking new knowledge i.e. Pioneer new potential through self-study and insatiable curiosity thirdly is effective communication i.e. Harmonize diverse skills by thinking out of the box and communicating effectively with others and last but not least displaying integrity i.e. Work with diligence and sincerity as a responsible individual (Nikon, 2010). The goal is Transforming imagination into creativity (Nikon, 2010). This paper critically examines the Nikon Corporation its history products, markets, goals and philosophy. It continues to scrutinize the company by performing a Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats Analysis which is crucial in matching the companys resources and capacity to the competition it faces in its operating environment; and a 4 P Product Services Pricing Promotion and Placement Mix analysis. It elaborates the position the corporation stands in the market and current and future opportunities that the company has in terms of growth and sustainability. Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats Analysis Nikon has been well placed in the markets in the markets and this gives the company a competitive advantage (Armstrong, p.34). This involves an environmental scan where the internal and external analysis is carried out. The Strengths The patent rights of the brand are high Nikon boasts of a global established brand that sells globally and is demanded by so many customers. The Nikon products are renowned throughout the world and thus give the company a strong basis to establish itself over it competitors and any new entrant in to the markets (Tarcy Et al p.47). This is seen as strength in that the brands are preferred by customers thus more sales are made and hence more revenues to the company. When the patent right is high the company has a lot of goodwill with the company and thus becomes the favorite and hence controls a larger share in the market. High technology in the production of products; Nikon has a reliable brand that is based on high level technological supremacy and resource and development. This has been established by the company since its inception where the products developed suit the market and become leaders in the market because of their level of technology (Nikon, 2010). The company has continued to phase out the products that are out of technology and introduced competitive products in the market that make life convenient and more comfortable. The company has invested a lot in resource and development and alliance, and industrial knowledge so as to keep on producing basic technological products that control the market. The Nikons starring technology is developed in the optics, image processing, materials, precision measurement and manufacturing, software and system technologies. The technology has continued to be unique and superior which offers better performance and functionality. Such technology include Super-Resolution in Non-Linear Optical Lithography, High-Precision Thin films, Ultra-Precision Molds, Image Processing Algorithms, Lead-Free Electronics Technology, Nano Particle Coating, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), Vibration-Reduction (VR) and Predictive Focus Tracking System (Nikon, 2010). Quality has also been a strong point for Nikon in that the products produced have always been regarded for their high quality in the market. This makes Nikon products have a competitive advantage over its competitors. The diversification of the products that the company has is also a very strong strategy to remain in business (Tarcy Et al. p.52). This is the case because the company does not rely on a single product to get its revenues thus diversify the risks in the markets. The company has diversified to produce products like microscopes, measurement instruments, binoculars, cameras, and steppers that it has continued to dominate the market and contribute to the companys revenue. Nikon continues to boast of a very wide distribution network. The global dominance in the five regions which are the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and Africa gives it a competitive advantage over those with ineffective distribution mechanisms (Nikon, 2010). Even in each region there is specialty in the products that are more preferred by the customers hence more sales. There is also presence of subsidiaries and affiliate companies that make the products available to the customers easily and in time. The effective distribution network enables the company to study the dynamics of the market in time and respond quickly before the markets are dominated by other competitors. The global presence is strength due to balancing of the currencies where the company can absorb shock from depreciation of currencies in areas that they are operating in (Tarcy Et al. p.71). The global presence can also be important in that when products are not moving in one region they can be transferred to other regions that require the products and thus promote business. Nikon has global and regional presence that enables the company to study the dynamics of each region and apply the best strategy. It is also possible to shift the products to other markets when they are bought at a slower rate in other regions thus save on production. Nikon has also invested a huge amount of finances in its business; the capital of  ¥ 65,475 million invested by the company is a way to lock out investors that cannot raise such an amount hence helps it in dominating the markets. The Nikon D1H camera is known for its solid build where the handling and the ergonomics is very efficient with a strong and fast autofocus. It is also weatherproof and is very fast since it as the 5 fps. It also produces large images that are approximately 40 jpeg fine (Nikon, 2010). Weakness Nikon has a poor marketing strategy where promotion of products has been low and the products have not been known to many consumers. The marketing systems have been reluctant and not aggressive enough to make the products known in all regions. The production of the Nikon scan scanner software that was faulty was a major weakness to detest its products in the market. The Nikon Scan has remained redundant in the number of images it determines in that it only determines 99 images and stops working (Nikon, 2010). For images above 100 the scanner must be restarted to continue its function. This is a very crucial part in that the customer can judge the products quality through one product and lead to rejection of the rest. The scanner software did not also have proper calibration procedures even after the purchase of an IT-8 Target. The Nikon NiMh camera batteries are not user friendly also they are heavy and big while they are sold expensively at shops (Nikon, 2010). They are also bad since they need recharge or be replaced once the camera is put in use for a shorter time than other cameras. There is a global phobia where people detest products from Japan and China and see then as counterfeits or of low quality. Products from these countries may have low sales due to such phenomenon and the company must be able to fight this negative attitude of the products it produces. Opportunities The digital world has numerous chances that have not been exploited the customers are yet to be fulfilled (Bà ¶hm, p.23). Customers still yearn for better digital products as they are produced. Any company that deals in technology has opportunities to control the market share through unique products or products that are user friendly and technologically advanced. In cameras manufacturing better products gives the company a chance to remain competitive. In view of the fact that Nikon has invested heavily in resource and development then it stands a chance to better opportunities. Trade is being liberalized in many regions and thus there are possibilities of governments loosening regulations of operations. This will be instrumental in allowing further development of the company to such countries where it is not yet penetrated (Ferrell, Hartline, p.35). Nikon has the capability to expand its production processes to other countries where there is distribution is done from exports. This will be easier and cheaper to reduce costs of production since the products are will be produced locally hence extra costs are eliminated (Bà ¶hm, p.48). Nikon may prefer mergers with companies like Sony so as to be much effective and build an empire that will control a large market share. a vertical merger will be more effective where the companies do not loose their identity but merge as a necessity to better their business objectives. Threats Nikon faces stiff competition from other globally renowned companies such as Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Fujifilm, Canon, Kodak, Casio, and Pentax that all deal with the similar products. Such companies pose a threat of controlling the market share that Nikon holds. There is also the threat that the customers may shift their taste and prefer other companys products due to better marketing techniques applied by the other companies. New regulations may appear in different regions that may affect the companys operations in view of the fact that they may be unfavorable or strict. These regulations may include trade regulations that may be a barrier to efficient trade. In the Middle East peace has not been brokered by the warring parties and this political stand off will be a threat to business in the region. 4P strategy The Product Services, Pricing, Promotion, and Placement (Distribution) analysis of Nikon Corporation will be effective in establishing the companys position in the market and the opportunities that may be available for sustainable growth (Ferrell, Hartline, p.39). This gives a customer oriented approach that ensures that the business ventures into the market in a way that it will meet all the customers demands and expectations. The 4P marketing strategy is also known as the SIVA strategy which is translated as the Solution (product), Information (Promotion), Value (Price), and Access (Place) (Ferrell, Hartline, p.39). Product Nikon deals with a range of products that are aimed at maximizing customer satisfaction. The products include imaging products such as the Digital/film cameras, lenses and accessories; precision equipment such as IC/LCD steppers and scanners; sport optics such as the Binoculars, telescopes and laser rangefinders; instrument products such as the Microscopes and measuring instruments; and ophthalmic lenses such as the Single vision and progressive addition lenses. The imaging products are specifically the digital SLR Cameras, Digital compact cameras, speed-lights, software, film scanners, film SLR cameras, and Nikkor lenses. The microscopes include the biological, digital, industrial, stereoscopic and multi-purpose zoom. The precision equipment includes the IC stepper and scanner and the LCD stepper and scanners in different series (Nikon, 2010). The packaging is attractive with different colors and the Nikon brand name on them with each product packed with a user manual so as to enable the user steps of operation. The packaging is also ensured to shock proof to protect the products from any falling or mishandling. A return form is also placed in the packaging that bears the name and address of the company. The company logo is also encrypted in all products. It bears the words handle with care that cautions any person handling them that they are delicate and prone to damage. The customers are also assured of a warranty for every product they buy that is from authorized distributors. Pricing Each product has a specific price and the prices vary in every region and according to the specifications. The price for Digital SLR Cameras is $7,999.95; NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 is $469.95, AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III is $499.95; AF DC-NIKKOR 105mm f/2D is $1,199.95, and COOLPIX S640 is $219.95 (Nikon, 2010). The LS-9000 Nikon scanner is sold at $2799.99; while SB-400 Speed-light unit is sold at $149.99; SB-600 Speed-light unit is sold at $249.99; and SB-900 Speed-light unit is sold at $349.99 (Nikon, 2010). Compared to the competitors prices Nikons prices are averagely similar in the markets thus leaving the customer to choose the best product that suits them. Promotion This includes the Advertising, Professional Selling, Sales Promotion, and Publicity of the products by the company (Ferrell, Hartline, p.57). Nikon Corporation in June 2003 dissolved the Nikon sales promotion Co. ltd in view of the fact that it was not affecting its mandates to the corporation. Its mandate was shifted to Nikon Corporation business units that would effectively carryout the marketing and advertising. Nikon has also implemented the CSR strategy that includes several promotional strategies which include the education and awareness, surveying and monitoring, preventions of violations, and a consultative reporting system. The education strategy seeks to educate the employees in the corporation to create a favorable workplace environment through this promotion strategy the employees are able to promote the company to the public. The company also conducts awareness surveys that help gauge the products place in the market this helps promotion in laying the right procedure to advertise the products that have low sales. Nikon also promotes the products through print and advertising. It also holds photo exhibitions like the Photokina that helps in showcasing all the recent products by the company. Photo shootouts are also organized where customers are able to try out the new products and know their operations, availability and prices. Billboards are also used to advertise the products so as to reach the customer more efficiently. Taxi branding where taxis are branded with the company logo and products to promote the products is done globally. Nikon has also been involved in supporting sports such as formula one and advertised during the events (Nikon, 2010). Placement (distribution) Nikon is present globally with all its products being traded world over. The market has been segmented into regions that enable ease of distribution of the products to the customers. There are six regions which are the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and Africa (Nikon, 2010). In each region there are authorized distributors of the products where they are then further sub-divided into sub divisions that help penetrate the market effective and reach the customers in time. Conclusion The general life cycle of the products from Nikon starts from the receiving of raw materials, then to the material, component and product manufacture, then to transport, where it is then used by the customer after which it is then recycled or disposed. Nikon has developed a competitive advantage over other companies and has definitely benefited from the effective marketing strategy it has. Work Cited: Armstrong, Michael. Management Processes and Functions, London: CIPD, 1996 Bà ¶hm, Anja. The SWOT Analysis. Boston: GRIN Verlag, 2009 Tarcy, Brian,. Bradford, Robert and Duncan, Peter. Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide For Busy People Who Want Results Fast!. New York: Chandler House Press, 2000 Ferrell, Olive C. Hartline, Michael D. Marketing Strategy. Ed.4, New York: Cengage Learning, 2008 Nikon. Nikon Corp, 2010. http://www.nikon.com/ November 27, 2010 Nikon. Product Assessment, Nikon Corp, 2010. http://www.nikon.com/ November 27, 2010 Reynolds, Clyde. Nikon F Book. New York: Focal Press, 1977

The poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple Essay -- English Lit

The poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple. Examine this comment in the light of his choices of subject, diction, and structure. You should refer to at least two poems in your responses. The deceptive simplicity of the poet can be helped to be understood through P A M Dirac, who suggests that poetry tries to tell people in a way that is understood by no one, something everybody already knew. If you can comprehend this, it is easier to see how the poetry of Heaney can be called deceptively simple, the surface which appears to be the reminiscing of his youth, is misleading, in actuality it is hinting at something far more complex and explaining lessons of life that he learnt, that the reader may never grasps. One of the common themes which appear to run through the poems studied is that of childhood experience. They each explore the authors’ memories in a different way, showing how his past has made him into the person he is now. All his memories are significant beyond their surface meaning. For example the poems are all set in nature with the exception of ‘Mid-Term Break’ and beyond the details of his formative years as a farmer’s son, are issues which are of much more importance, such as death. Certain words also allude to at other things beside that which the poem simple is, such as the metaphor â€Å"as snug as a gun†. This is a reference to the IRA in Ireland. Other words and phrases such as â€Å"Helicon† and â€Å"our palms as sticky as Bluebeards† are also allusion to the immediate world. They for instance show his educated background in Classical Mythology. As background information, Seamus Heaney was what we may call the odd-one-out, he lacked the physical skill and the ability to become a farmer ... ...important as memory is activated through vivid taste and intense smells. It is through the senses that the reader is stimulated. Descriptions of the senses in ‘Digging’ include â€Å"a lean rasping sound† for hearing, â€Å"cool hardness† for touch, â€Å"the cold smell of potato mould† and in ‘Blackberry Picking’ the sight of â€Å"a glossy purple clot†. In reality it is through our senses that the past comes to life. To capture this within a poem, with writing, takes a skilled poet and a practiced technique. The language of the poem, every single word is important; it may appear simple but if you were to write a poem without any thought there would in truth be no real meaning to the poem. It is through the expertise of Seamus Heaney that the nature of his poems comes to light and we understand that which we already knew and the meaning of a deceptively simple becomes clear. The poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple Essay -- English Lit The poetry of Seamus Heaney is deceptively simple. Examine this comment in the light of his choices of subject, diction, and structure. You should refer to at least two poems in your responses. The deceptive simplicity of the poet can be helped to be understood through P A M Dirac, who suggests that poetry tries to tell people in a way that is understood by no one, something everybody already knew. If you can comprehend this, it is easier to see how the poetry of Heaney can be called deceptively simple, the surface which appears to be the reminiscing of his youth, is misleading, in actuality it is hinting at something far more complex and explaining lessons of life that he learnt, that the reader may never grasps. One of the common themes which appear to run through the poems studied is that of childhood experience. They each explore the authors’ memories in a different way, showing how his past has made him into the person he is now. All his memories are significant beyond their surface meaning. For example the poems are all set in nature with the exception of ‘Mid-Term Break’ and beyond the details of his formative years as a farmer’s son, are issues which are of much more importance, such as death. Certain words also allude to at other things beside that which the poem simple is, such as the metaphor â€Å"as snug as a gun†. This is a reference to the IRA in Ireland. Other words and phrases such as â€Å"Helicon† and â€Å"our palms as sticky as Bluebeards† are also allusion to the immediate world. They for instance show his educated background in Classical Mythology. As background information, Seamus Heaney was what we may call the odd-one-out, he lacked the physical skill and the ability to become a farmer ... ...important as memory is activated through vivid taste and intense smells. It is through the senses that the reader is stimulated. Descriptions of the senses in ‘Digging’ include â€Å"a lean rasping sound† for hearing, â€Å"cool hardness† for touch, â€Å"the cold smell of potato mould† and in ‘Blackberry Picking’ the sight of â€Å"a glossy purple clot†. In reality it is through our senses that the past comes to life. To capture this within a poem, with writing, takes a skilled poet and a practiced technique. The language of the poem, every single word is important; it may appear simple but if you were to write a poem without any thought there would in truth be no real meaning to the poem. It is through the expertise of Seamus Heaney that the nature of his poems comes to light and we understand that which we already knew and the meaning of a deceptively simple becomes clear.

Post-Modern Victorian: A. S. Byatts Possession Essay examples -- essay

Post-Modern Victorian: A. S. Byatt's Possession If I had read A. S. Byatt's novel Possession without having had British Literature, a lot of the novel's meaning, analogies, and literary mystery would have been lost to me. The entire book seems one big reference back to something we've learned or read this May term. The first few lines of chapter one are poetry attributed to Randolph Henry Ash, which Byatt wrote herself. Already in those few lines I hear echoes of class, lines written in flowery Pre-Raphaelite tradition. "The serpent at its root, the fruit of gold /†¦At the old world's rim, /In the Hesperidean grove, the fruit /Glowed golden on eternal boughs, and there /The dragon Ladon crisped his jewelled (sic) crest†¦." Because of class, I was able to pick up on this poetry tradition right away. This story within a story is strengthened by Byatt's ability to write Victorians accurately. Until I read some of the reviews, I thought Byatt's Victorian characters were actual historical literary figures, when actu ally they are fictitious, and their journals, letters, and poetry are written by Byatt. The action of the book takes place in two periods. The two main characters, Roland and Maud, are literary scholars living in the 1980's. Their love story is shared and played out by the diaries, poetry, and correspondence of two poets and lovers from the 1860's-Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. Although the book is modern fiction, much of it is a Victorian novel as well. Possession is characteristic of Byatt's love for intertextuality and imbedded texts. Possession is also an example of several literary genres, all written into one book. At various times it gives evidence of poetry, mythology, a romance novel, a detective story, a fairy tale, journals and diaries, and scholarly writings. There are several themes in Possession that tie this book to earlier texts that we have read. Individual versus group identity, feminism, sexuality and the link between present and past are themes that Byatt deals with in her novel. Interestingly, Byatt expresses many of these themes using symbolic color imagery, a technique that makes her writing reminiscent of Pre-Raphaelite style. According to Byatt, the "struggle of the individual to discover and then live out her... ...hanged, and romance from one time to another is not so different as we thought. The characters mix the old and the new; Maud wears a brooch once belonging to Christabel, and another Ash scholar, Mortimer Cropper, carries Ash's pocket watch. In the end of the novel, the last love letter written by Christabel enables Maud to finally enjoy the value of love in the present, and give her trust to Roland. The cyclical time frame of the novel provides an interesting contrast to the normal, stifling, linear time frame of typical literature and everyday life. The way Byatt expresses many of these themes through her symbolic use of color is significant. Byatt paints with words, making her reminiscent of the Pre-Raphaelites. She gives color descriptions for her characters, painting the women such as LaMotte and Christabel in gold and green description, while persons whose characters are flat and never well-developed, such as Paola the secretary, are described in colorless terms. Paola has "long, colourless hair bound in a rubber band" huge mothlike glasses, and "dusty grey pads" for fingertips. Her lack of color sets her off from the beginning as a very flat character.

Problem realization Essay

One problem I have had in the recent past has been concerned with making the decision on where to pursue my higher education. Getting an understanding of the problem involved not just realizing that I wanted to attend college, but also understanding how my grades and experiences may aid me in (or barring me from) attending certain of the better colleges. On one level, the problem could be identified inside myself, as I was happy to have reached my senior year of high school and was not particularly eager to embark on another four years of studies. However, as I did not want to enter the working world with only a high school diploma, the problem became an inner struggle whose outcome depended on an analysis of the pros and cons of going to college (Dombroski, 2000). The problem involved the realization that my future depended on the choice I would make concerning college. Information gathering became a significant part of what aided my understanding of the problem. On one level, information gathering was a simple as keeping my eyes and ears open, as teachers and parents were intent on letting me realize how crucial the decision to go to college was. Other forms of information gathering involved viewing brochures, visiting campuses and browsing the websites of universities that offered studies in the disciplines I was interested in. It also involved the understanding of how my monetary status would also affect my ability to attend colleges, even if I could easily get into them. Another important aspect of the information gathering, therefore, involved research into scholarship opportunities, student loans, and a gauging of the types of jobs into which I could conceivably enter upon achieving a degree in my various preferred areas. Upon reading and reviewing all the areas mentioned above, the solution became clear. College was a necessity, and with careful planning it was a viable choice (Dombroski, 2000). As the previous aspects of my critical thinking about college occurred in the summer before my senior year in high school, I found that there were still a few things I could do to alleviate some of the burdens of getting into college. I was able to implement a more structured study plan, as I realized that improved grades would not only help me get more acceptances into my preferred colleges, but they would also give me a better chance of getting scholarships. Another aspect of the solution involved taking classes that would count as some of the prerequisites of the college classes I hoped to take. I was also able to enroll myself in a few more extra curricular activities, in order to appear more attractive to admissions committees at the universities that interested me. Being in college now has given me the opportunity to evaluate how effective my senior-year plan was. Upon considering it, I reflect that the plan was a rather effective one. I was able to get into a good college that offers the area of study in which I am interested. Because I planned in advance to take classes that would count as prerequisites to my intended major courses, I was also able to enroll in classes that were sufficiently advanced in order to allow me to graduate on time. While I was not able to garner full scholarships from the college to support my studies, my grades did help me to get some financial assistance that has reduced the amount of money I have had to borrow for school. Therefore, while that aspect of the plan did not work one hundred percent, the decision to improve my grades is no doubt still one that granted me monetary returns. Finally, my decision to enroll in a variety of extra-curricular activities also appears, in retrospect, to have been a good decision. As I was careful not to over-enroll in these activities, my involvement in them was sufficiently impressive without betraying any evidence of over-commitment. Therefore, I believe that decision was also one that has enabled me to be on this path to success. Furthermore, my involvement in such activities, along with my determination to do well academically in my final year of high school, taught me some valuable time management skills that have been very useful during my time in college (Dodd & Sundheim, 2005). Creativity is most widely utilized in balancing my work, activities and social life with the large course-work load I have each semester. Even though I possess very good organizational skills, I do consider myself as having tolerance for messiness and disorder to some degree. The type of messiness to which I refer is allowing some amount of non-uniformity in my time table. Therefore, while a great deal of my day is scheduled and planned out (such as classes, work time, and some study time) a lot of my day is still left uncommitted. Therefore, I make decisions on what to do at those times on the spur of the moment rather than ahead of time. On a few occasions this has left me with the dilemma of having to choose between sleep and studying for a test. The fact that I have chosen to forego sleep demonstrates my willingness to take risks in the area of sleep deprivation and not with my grades (Dodd & Sundheim, 2005). Mental blocks are mainly an issue for me where it comes to difficult analytical (such as mathematical) task and classes. I have not had very much luck in performing well in such classes—however, taking some such classes has been necessary in the pursuit of my degree. In order to avoid these mental blocks I try to research methods of visualizing the abstract, analytical ideas that are put forth in such tasks. I use the internet and other resources to find where people have succeeded in making such abstracts concrete. This allows me to relax a bit more when such topics are broached. My method of brainstorming happens to occur in close relation to my attempts to be receptive to my senses. When faced with the problem named above of balancing studying/homework with social life, not only to I pay attention to my desires to go out and socialize, but also to the nagging sense of having a pile of work that needs attention. Therefore, I pay attention not only to my sense of adventure and desire for enjoyment, but also my common sense that tells me how much work I can conceivably handle in the amount of time I have allotted (Dodd & Sundheim, 2005). References Dodd, P. & D. Sundheim. The 25 best time management tools and techniques. Peak Performance Press. Dombroski, T. W. (2000). Creative problem solving: the door to individual success and change. Lincoln: iUniverse.

Adolescence and Clothes Essay

Good afternoon, today I will try to express my opinion about this statement „You can tell a great deal about people from the clothes they wearâ€Å". And I will speak about which age group of people care most about their looks, how important is fashion for me and what is advantages and disadvantages of wearing a school unifrom. I agree with this statement , because you can get to know a lot of about people from they clothes. For example if man wear formal clothes I can make and overall opinion about him. He is formal, intelligent elegant and taking care of himself. If I would saw someone at work with dirty and tear clothes of course I would think about him not so good. I think teenager are the group of people who care most about their looks.Teenagers believe their looks are the key to a good relationship and it will help become popular at the scholl. But When they’re older, they’ll realize it doesn’t work like that. Fashion helps to express themselves and also provides teenagers a sense of identity by signaling which â€Å"grouping† they belong to (â€Å"emo† â€Å"punk,† â€Å"goth,† etc.) And in my opinion Celebrities perhaps are the greatest influences on teenagers in the modern world, and they can have a huge impact on a teen’s ideas about fashion and its importance. Fashion isn’t important to me at all. I don’t care about having the newest, the most trendy, or the best label for anything. To me, being trendy is not expressing yourself, it is merely following the crowd and trying to fit in. I just prefer to be myself.And I wear what I like. I study at gymnasium so we wear school unifrom. I think school uniform have advantages and disadvantages. Here are some advantages : 1. People automatically respect you – Whenever we’d go on fieldtrips, people comment on how professional and nice we looked 2. Everyone looks exactly the same – You don’t have to worry about not wearing the right thing. And some disadvantages : 1.It’s annoying wearing the same thing as everyone else 2. You wear it everyday, all day it‘s just become boring . And lack of Variety To sum up everyone should wear clothes which they like and feel good with.These clothes will show the real you. Because other people can tell a great deal about you from the clothes you wear.

Dad By Elaine Feinstein

The poem that I'll be analyzing in this commentary is called ‘Dad' by Elaine Feinstein. This poem is an emotional and lyrical poem in which the author is reflecting and recalling upon the memories of her deceased father. The main tones that are portrayed in this poem are sorrow, lovingness and mournfulness, and one way in which this is portrayed is through the methodology in which the poem is read, which is in a slow rhythmic speech and enjambment since it is a free verse poem. The author’s intentions behind this poem are clear. She is simply portraying her loving feelings for her father and the grief that she undergoes through his decease.She shows her intentions through the loving lines and sentimental memories, for example in lines 1-3 â€Å"Those black fat raisins you like to press into my palm from your soft heavy hands† the author recalls such simple yet meaningful memories with great detail which shows that she valued the memories dearly. Signs of grief are shown from when the she moans about her father, such as in lines 12-14 when she says, â€Å"Beached: cold, white-faced, shivering. What happened, old bull, my loyal hoarse-voiced warrior? †; In these lines, Elaine uses diction to prove a stronger point .As well as that, Elaine uses lots of imagery throughout this poem, such as in that last quote and in lines 4-6 â€Å"I see you staggering back up the path with sacks of potatoes from some local farm, fresh eggs, flowers. †; This quote however also shows how dearly she loved her father. Imagery is an effective poetic device for this poem since it generates/creates an emotional connection for the audience/reader making her message clearer. As well as imagery, the author uses many different poetic devices, for example in lines 13-14 when she says â€Å"Beached: cold, white-faced, shivering.What happened, old bull, my loyal hoarse-voiced warrior? † she is using a metaphor and comparing her father to a bull, which is a courageous and strong animal. With this metaphor, Elaine is portraying how dearly she loved her father and how he was a â€Å"bull† in her eyes. As well as that in lines 5-6 when Elaine says â€Å"Farm, fresh eggs, flowers† the author uses alliteration to evokes emotion and the pleasing tone of alliteration then catches the reader’s attention before telling the audience about her father’s death â€Å"Every day I grieve† at the end of line 6.

Compare and Contrast a Doll House and a Streetcar Named Desire

Compare and contrast A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Write a brief essay (of approximately 1000 words) to comment on the two female protagonists’ (Nora Helmer and Blanche Duboi’s) relationship with men. A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams are two well-known plays that give rise to discussions over male-female relationships in old society. The female protagonists in the plays are women who are dependent on males.However, the female protagonist in A Doll House is able to transcend her status by try to be dependent on herself at the end of the play, whereas the one in A Streetcar Named Desire still continues to depend on men. In this essay, I am going to discuss the relationships with men of the two female protagonists, Nora Helmer and Blanche Dubois. In A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, Nora Helmer is the female protagonist of the play. She is a housewife in the Helmer’s family . She has undergone a transformation throughout the play that she reacts differently to her husband.Nora’s relationship with her husband, Torvald, is important in the development of the plot. In the first scene, Nora appears to be happy and have an affectionate family. Although she tries to defy her husband in some unimportant ways, for example, she lies to her husband about eating macaroons, she still maintains a good relationship with her husband. However, minor incident actually foreshadows the confrontation between her husband and her later when the play continues. As the plot develops, Nora is actually not as simple as other wives that she does not totally obey her husband.The contradiction between Nora’s independent nature and the tyrannical authority of Torvald arouses a climax in the play when Torvald discovered a lie of Nora. The lie shows a big contrast of their relationship before and after the disclosure. Before Torvald discovers the truth behind the decept ion, the relationship between his wife and him seems to be perfect and loving. At the beginning of the play, Nora does not seem to notice her life being manipulated by her husband; she does everything according to her husband’s taste and preference.Meanwhile, she manages to save her husband from poor health condition by breaking the law to borrow debt from Krogstad and repaying it with pocket money from her husband. It is apparent that Nora is very smart and clever to handle difficulties not only for herself but also her husband. But instead of being a capable woman, she chooses to live up to the expectation of her husband, seeming to be isolated from the outside world but to live in the world that her husband and father has set up for her. When it comes to other relationships with men, Nora respects her husband.She refuses to accept Dr Rank’s admiration of her, and she also defends and supports her husband in front of Krogstad. Besides, She practices the dance for him so as to defense her husband’s pride in front of people and not to embarrass him. These are the evidence proving that Nora is like a doll being controlled. She follows what men in her life, her father and Torvald, expect her to do, and this is the way she does to maintain good relationship with them. However, the relationship goes upside down after Torvald’s unveiling of the secret that Nora has been hiding from Torvald whom she borrows money from.At the end of the play, the climatic confrontation between Nora and Torvald shows that Nora realizes the need to live for herself rather than men. She wants to put the marriage to a halt just because she does not want to rely on men anymore by pretending to be someone she is not in order to please her husband. As she determines to be independent, she left her husband and family at the end of the play to show that she will never be related to anyone but herself. This action represents the idea of feminism and arouses the awar eness of woman’s rights. Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire, on the other hand, is contrasted with Nora Helmer.When the play begins, she is portrayed to be educated and well-mannered woman. Blanche does not agree with the beastly lifestyle of her sister’s husband, Stanley. She thinks that he is so common and ape-like. This shows that they cannot get along well with each other during Blanche’s staying at their home. When the play develops, Stanley quickly seeks out that Blanche is actually a fallen woman. She lost her husband and her family fortune. She has sexual affairs with some men and addition to alcohol. Therefore, she needs much male admiration to maintain her remaining self-esteem.Besides, she wants to marry a man as a shelter so that she can escape poverty as well as her bad reputation in society. Mitch, therefore, is a chance for Blanche because he likes her very much. However, before they decide to be together, Stanley tells Mitch about Blanche ’s indiscrete sexual behavior in the past. This destroys Blanche’s pursuit of Mitch. After this incident, Blanche even makes up a story about going on vacation with a billionaire. It is obvious to see that Blanche always rely on men in her life, looking for admiration and a shelter for her from the tough reality.So, she always pretends to be someone men like in order to please them rather than being a true self. She even acts in front of men in the way that she does not really feel like that. Unlike Nora, Blanche is pathetic when it comes to relationship with men. While Nora undergoes a transformation from a controlled doll to a strong woman who determines to restart her life again for the better, Blanche continues to rely on men heavily. In the last scene, Blanche is still so willing to be led away by a kind male doctor to asylum just because the doctor is a gentleman.This tells us Blanche’s desperate and total dependence on men. When we compare Nora Helmer and Blanche Dubois, we can see that they are two females of the opposites. Although both of them shows a confrontation between men and themselves, and both of them seem to be manipulated by men, Nora demonstrates a more positive way to challenge with men’s dominance while Blanche shows a pathetic way which can be said a lack of feminism. The comparison of these two female characters stirs up a debate of women’s rights. It also brings us to a higher level of discussion on the tension of the gender roles in society.

Application for a Business University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Application for a Business University - Essay Example Waking up in the morning and realizing that I have done great things is what I always want to achieve. My family owns the biggest ceramics manufacturer in ABCDEFG. At our company, we ensure that our products are satisfactory to our customers. As the company is still expanding, I am aware that XXX MBA would help and guide me to be a better businessperson and take my family business to the next level, especially in the fast-growing market. XXX offers small-personalized classes which allow more interactions among the students. Teamwork is very crucial in the business world, and effective teamwork requires effective and consistent commitment and communication efforts. Hence, XXX program will greatly improve my leadership skills as I would be required to demonstrate strategic thinking, excellent collaborative skills, and self-awareness. These are the important characteristic of a successful businessperson or entrepreneur. In my undergraduate studies, I was required to take YYY, which was a blend of academic study with community service and it played an important role in developing my leadership skills. I learned a lot from this experience, as it required the development of effective communication skills among team members. I also realized that teamwork is the key to success for any project. In addition, I also learned how to apply business concepts that I had learned from my previous business classes to a real-world business situation. This experience is helpful when doing my current MBA program at ZZZ. In my marketing class at ZZZ, I gained a lot of experience working in a team. There were five members of our team and we collaborated with each other to utilize our strengths while converting weaknesses into strengths. Each person played a complementary role to other members of our team. We all worked and contributed effectively due to our great team leadership skills.

Toxic Hazard and Risk of Lead for Consumers Essay

Toxic Hazard and Risk of Lead for Consumers - Essay Example Lead is a highly toxic substance which when ingested may lead to irreparable neurological damage in children (ATSDR, 1999), kidney diseases, cardiovascular problems and reproductive complications. In 2007 Lead was ranked as the second most toxic substance after Arsenic (ATSDR, 2007). The toxicology of Lead is a result of its chemical similarity with Calcium thus the human body confuses Lead for Calcium and incorporates it into the bone marrow, kidney and the brain. Inasmuch as Lead affects adults, its effects on children can be fatal. A minimum of 10g/ml blood Lead impairs mental and physical development in children. A maximum of 80g/ml blood Lead leads to convulsions, comma and death. Lead poisoning can be detected through a number of symptoms. In children, the symptoms include abdominal pain, anaemia, vomiting, weight loss, short concentration span, hyperactivity, petulance and a slow speech development. In adults, the symptoms may include abdominal pain, memory loss, pale skin, weight loss, vomiting, petulance and anaemia. Lead poisoning can come from a number of exposure routes. All students, faculty staff and all visitors in IUB are exposed to these routes. First, the exposure route involving Lead Based Paint (LBP) is a major source. The paints used IUB buildings may chip off due to wear and tear, moisture friction or deliberate removal during renovation. The chips contain lead and mix with the dust which can be inhaled. The chips in the soil may leech and end up in water bodies. This route is not an acute exposure route. It is only acute to children who are fond of mouthing non food objects and substances. The preventive action to avert this exposure is to use Non- Lead paints which are of the same quality and glaze just like LBP. Industrial/ occupational Lead exposure is another possible route in that workers in a factory or laboratory that handles Lead are exposed to lead. Examples of such workers in IUB are those in pottery (Use Lead glaze), automotive repair (inhale exhaust fumes with Lead), industrial machinery and equipment, (inhale exhaust fumes with Lead) and chemistry students/laboratory technicians (analyze LBP or even handle elemental lead). Students of ceramics who use Lead glaze may inhale the Lead fumes involved in the Lead glaze. Those individuals threatened by this kind of exposure need to be careful and keen to wear protective gear such as masks to prevent the inhalation of the Lead fumes. This exposure is an acute threat because of the form and amount of Lead inhaled. The amount inhaled can be specifically high because the Lead is in gaseous form. Dishware is another exposure route. The plates and cups made of melamine or glass with a lead glaze, used by the students and faculty at the cafeteria or any other eating place, are a real threat. This is so because acidic food (such as tomato sauce, coffee, juice etc) kept in these containers may exacerbate lead leeching which can lead to lead poisoning. Though this is not an acute threat based on the amount of lead that can possibly leech, it is important that any dishware with a lead glaze is avoided. Most