Problems on Staff Training and Development Essay

Understanding the phenomenon of employee training and development requires understanding of all the changes that take place as a result of learning. As the generator of new knowledge, employee training and development is placed within a broader strategic context of human resources management, i.e. global organizational management, as a planned staff education and development, both individual and group, with the goal to benefit both the organization and employees. To preserve its obtained positions and increase competitive advantage, the organization needs to be able to create new knowledge, and not only to rely solely on utilization of the existing. Thus, the continuous employee training and development has a significant role in the development of individual and organizational performance. The strategic procedure of employee training and development needs to encourage creativity, ensure inventiveness and shape the entire organizational knowledge that provides the organization with uniqueness and differentiates it from the others. Evidence collected from this research, especially from those joint venture hotels supported the rationales that underpinned Western human resource development (HRD) models that effective T&D activities in hotels required to have systematic and strategically integrated T&D structures, which was particularly true when considering hotels’ long term development. Furthermore, some â€Å"emotion†-involved elements identified in the Chinese state-owned hotels seemed to have provided valuable ingredients to be added into the existing Western HRD models, which could help to increase their robustness in a cross-culture context and also to improve their effectiveness in the hotel industry. It was found that positive learning attitudes and energetic learning leaders had the power to turn passive training activities into active â€Å"learning from heart†. It is, therefore, proposed that to build up an effective training and development architecture in the Chinese hotel industry, both systematic training and development structure (as widely addressed in Western human resource development literature) and consistent emotional inputs (e.g. devoted learning managers; turning trust-based personal relationships into learning drives, etc.) are necessary. More empirical studies are needed to further test these ideas. In general, employees who feel undervalued or unwanted are likely to leave. This is an especially important issue in China, where employees are possibly among the least satisfied in the world. While the number of dissatisfied employees is significantly greater in the Chinese state-owned enterprises, employee dissatisfaction in MNCs is a big issue as well. Of all the factors which lead to dissatisfaction among Chinese employees, of course, compensation and benefits packages always play an overarching role. In the Work China survey, Watson Wyatt asked respondents who said they might leave in the next several years to list the top three reasons for their planned departure. The results were consistent with popular perceptions: better pay was the number one reason employees wanted to leave their company, followed by better career opportunities, and training and development. Sources: 1. Ã…  uÃ… ¡njar, Ã…  , G, Zimanji, V, MenadÃ… ¾ment ljudskih resursa, Ekonomski fakultet, Subotica, 2006 2. Wang, Yu, Leeds Metropolitan University, September 2005 3. Gross, Ames & Lepage, Shawna Lepage, Employee Retention: Building an Effective Strategy to Retain Your Chinese Employees, April 2001, Corporate Relocation News 4. Leininger, Jim, The Key to Retention: Committed Employees, China Business Review, Jan/Feb2004, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p16-39

Judaism and Final Project Essay

What religion would you like to consider for your final project? Describe the place of worship you will visit. I I plan on studying Judaism for my final project. I might visit a synagogue if I find one nearby/ I What do you already know about this topic? * Judaism’s sacred documents are called Haftra ; Torah. * I know some of their major holidays like Passover and Hanukkah for example, and I also know the significance of the Sabbath or Saturday services. * I know the Ten Commandments Judaism religion goes by. * They believe that every person was created in the image of God. * Judaism is a monotheistic faith meaning they believe in only one god. I What resource will you use to find a place of worship for this religion? I I will use the internet along with a local newspaper. I What are some sources you could use to gain more knowledge about this religion? I Different online sites and library resources. I What type of materials do you expect to review for this project? I Articles and Interviews. I How will you gain access to the materials you need? I The internet, the public library, the temple I visit, and a religious bookstore so I can purchase a copy of Torah. I What difficulties do you anticipate in conducting an interview with someone of this faith? I I don’t anticipate any major difficulties coming up but I do recognize the fact that it may be awkward feeling to discuss faith with a person that I don’t share the same faith with. I Create a list of 10 questions you would like to ask during the interview

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Final Exam - Essay Example Tyrants consolidate powers that they use in ruling the masses to accept what they impose. One of the characters that prove that Pericles was not a tyrant is his approach of doing things. For instance, he was able to use the majority of the people in the assembly to pass resolutions that restricted Areopagus when his main political challenger was away in Sparta. The resolutions were not meant to benefit him but were for the good of the citizens. He managed to pass legislation that gave people powers and created institutions where citizens would have the rights of voting and to contest for political positions (History World 12). Therefore, he managed to overcome tyrant’s characters by widening the democratic space for citizens. Secondly, Pericles was a changed leader once he took over leadership. He was willing to give back to the people hence attracted more citizens who came to his support. This is also evidenced when King of Sparta, Archidamus, asked Thucydides whether he was a better fighter than Pericles. He answered that Pericles was better because he can convince the audience that he has won in cases where he is defeated. He was also above reproach by citizens since he was clean from corruption (History World 15). The character he displays does not portray one who is a tyrant, but an individual who consults with others in doing things. In other instances, Thucydides had admired the leadership style of Pericles where he acknowledges that Athen was in the name of democracy with first citizens governing it. Through this comment, he acknowledges the charismatic leadership style which Pericles showed where he was able to convince and manipulate. Similarly, there is no accusation labeled against Pericles, but instead his opponent focuses on his integrity (History World 16). Lastly, Pericles was not carried away by people; instead, he provided guidance to the people. He acted as a public charismatic figure and as an advocate on the advisors proposals.

How the World might change in the next 25 years Assignment

How the World might change in the next 25 years - Assignment Example Deforestation is increasing the global warming problem and is diminishing the capacity of earth to generate oxygen through its plants. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and predict how advances in the management of natural resources are going to change the reality of humanity by the year 2037. The two social problems correlated to natural resources that are going to be emphasized in this discussion are food and air. The changes that are going to occur will come from exploitation of existing technologies and the creation of new innovations. There are a lot of people suffering from hunger today. Approximately 13% of the world’s population suffers from hunger which represents about 925 million people (http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm). A lot of experts believe that the world’s current agricultural capacity has the ability to feed everyone on the planet, but hunger is still occurring. One of the problems with the spread of hunger is that certain regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa do not have the arable land and the basic infrastructure such as water and electricity to create food. In the future this constraint will be eliminated as new technologies will enable the planet to turn salt water into drinkable water. About 20 % of the world land is covered by the five major oceans (http://www.gdrc.org/oceans/world-oceans.htm). The second innovation that will revolutionized agriculture worldwide is the creation on synthetic terrain. This new form of land can be transported anywhere and by used to regenerate the soil in places that lack arable land such as Haiti. A second major problem that is going to be resolved is the elimination of deforestation. This will occur prior to 2037 due to the fact that the paper wood milling industry will seize to exist. The world will not longer accept humanity cutting down trees to create books, magazines, or any form of wood pulp paper. Luckily this transition

Comparison of Ellis Island and Angels Island Essay

Comparison of Ellis Island and Angels Island - Essay Example Similarly, for an immigrant, it becomes difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, new customs and a new habitat altogether. Although both the parties mutually adjust and co-exist in the future, the initial phase would always be remembered.History of Ellis Island and Angel Island needs to be understood bearing this in mind. Both these points were recognized as entry points to America. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay just off New Jersey coast, within the shadow of a statue of Liberty. Today approximately 40% of America’s population can trace their origins back to Ellis Island and that is because the island has a history of processing twelve million immigration applications. Ellis Island got its name after its owners Samuel Ellis and was also known as Oyster Island earlier. Federal Government after procuring the island from Samuel Ellis primarily for the defense purpose. The immigration was processed at Castle Garden in New York which was later shifted to Ellis Island . The initial influx was of northern and western Europeans and much later southern and eastern Europeans also made their way to America through Ellis Island. Europe was mainly becoming stifling in terms of religion and socio-economic constraints. To escape from these conditions people migrated to a new land altogether. The quarantine ships examined the passengers while they were still in the waters and identified and separated people who were having contagious disease, disorders and were the potential threat to society. The passengers were then preceded to the island where rest of the formalities was carried out. Although it acquired a reputation of â€Å"island of tears† the usual proceedings did not take more than a few short hours to start a new life in America.

Importance of Inspirational Leaders, Well-Organised Human Resource Research Paper

Importance of Inspirational Leaders, Well-Organised Human Resource Serves in a Company - Research Paper Example Corporate culture is the ultimate power to greatness and only companies with a strong and cohesive culture succeed, such as Apple, Google, Hewlett - Packard (HP) among others. According to Alice Branch (2003), Corporate culture can be sliced and diced and be understood: the easier it is for culture to be signed, the healthier the culture and consequently, the stronger the company’s business performance. A good example of this principle is McDonald’s. Corporate culture involves the main aims of an organization, the strategies that will be employed in meeting those aims and the way the stakeholders should behave while striving to achieve those aims. It takes the effort of the top management to maintain its culture; this is by interacting a lot and communicating effectively, especially to employees of what is expected of them (Auxillium West, 2008). Corporate behavior is affected by effective leadership. The culture can be either weak or strong. Weak is where the employees fail to identify with the values of the organization hence need to be pushed to carry out tasks from the organization’s point of view. While the converse is true for strong cultures as people tend to think as a group on the direction to be taken during decision making. Various methods have been employed in grouping cultural change. The David Francis innovation model insists that an appropriate culture must be adopted, developed and maintained over time. Th e culture of an organization must not only be supportive but also demanding. He further emphasized that for a culture to be right, the workforce must be given selective empowerment, high enrolment in the innovation and creativity process and deliberate encouragement for involvement in innovation.

Operational Sales Management - The nature of the sales environment Essay

Operational Sales Management - The nature of the sales environment - Essay Example Support for international selling is based on the significance of exportation for economic growth and survival (Cool and Goddard, 2006). The United Kingdom is not self-sustaining in the sense that much of its food and raw materials are imported from abroad. In turn, the United Kingdom must encourage the business community to export more in order to achieve balanced trade and earn foreign currency to pay for imported commodities. Conversely, many business executives in the United Kingdom have remained adamant and apprehensive to sell overseas despite government’s exhortations. The mystique surrounding international selling has often been blamed for such apprehension (Jobber and Lancaster, 2009). Therefore, this paper aims to dispel some of the mystery surrounding international selling by examining various aspects of international selling. 2.0 Aspects of International Selling Selling overseas is not only relevant to national economic growth but also benefits individual companies . The decision to sell overseas is made by individual companies intending to reap the benefits of international trade. First, product differentiation in terms of design and quality allows companies to enter international markets (McCall and Stone, 2013). ... By selling overseas, local companies become less susceptible to impacts of economic recession in local markets and also counter market fluctuations. For instance, players in the tourism industry can promote London Towers as an attraction site for tourists from international markets. In essence, international selling enables firms to take advantage of disposable income held by expanding middle-class populations in emerging markets, such as China and India (Cateora, Graham and Ghauri, 2006). Third, technically obsolete products in developed countries may still be technically appropriate in developing countries. For instance, analogue cameras and desktop computers have been replaced by advanced digital cameras and portable computers respectively. However, analogue cameras and desktop computers are still appropriate in developing countries. Technology firm still having stock of these products can dispose them to global markets, where demand is still high (Jobber and Lancaster, 2009). The benefits of international selling are dependent on various aspects that are discussed in the proceeding sections. 2.1 Economic Factors Higher interest rates, inflation, unsettled financial markets, consumer debt levels and other economic factors adversely affect consumer demand for products and services. Economic factors may also force business entities to change the product mix they sell (McCall and Stone, 2013). Certain commodities are volatile and subject to regular fluctuations emanating from shifting domestic and international demands, competition, labour costs, government regulations, market speculation and other factors. Significant and rapid fluctuations in commodity prices may have

FDT 1 week 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FDT 1 week 11 - Essay Example Closely related to political is the Mexican public concern about the extradition. Mexico does not always extradite its citizens to countries where they might face the death punishment given that execution is specifically prohibited under article 22 of the counties Constitution, and it is likely that if extradited, Guzmà ¡n would easily face it as the agreement between the countries are not clear and since the capital sentence power in the US is reserved exclusively for the states. Diplomatically, the Mexican relationship with United States highly depends on the decision Peà ±a Nieto will make. The Mexican diplomatic connection with users can further worsen as USA has in the past accused the country of lack of corporation (Shearer, 1971). Whether Guzmà ¡n is extradited or not there is always social concern that drug business and cartel may continue with their trade. This proves a challenge to the potential users. Legally, extradition also has consequences as it exposes the Mexican government incapability to try the drug lords. On the other hand, the legal procedures are also complex as laws of various countries contradict in

The Google Story Book Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Google Story Book Report - Essay Example With fascinating characters like Larry Page and Sergey Brin and CEO Eric Schmidt, one is bound to turn the pages of this book and fast. My personal favourite among these characters presented by the authors is Larry Page for his sense of wit more than anything else. Also, he has shown immense perspective where thinking out of the box and having tremendous foresight is concerned. With his characteristic quiet sense of humour he is a man who makes things happen. Unassuming as he comes across, he has been hailed as a hero by many. As an example, this hero celebrated the first check earned for Google by having breakfast with his partner at Burger King! (Vise et al, 2006) This might also be due to the fact that he is the precursor of the social movement created by Google which brings people and information within close proximity of each other. The Google story, has a vast story board set across a plethora of settings and shaped with tons of research. This is apparent in the details presented in the book. Also, there is a strong personal and human touch to the story and the way it has been told, a style that is a welcome departure from the typical academic format followed by most writers of such subjects. This makes the book all the more hard hitting. In this regard, I will seek to examine various elements that are most relevant in today's dynamic environment and pace of life. The first of these elements is management style. Google, as a company and a global brand, has a flexible management style where every employee is an individual resource. Also, this company is adaptive in its style and its management is one that focuses on an investigative approach to each problem. Further, its management style is one that demonstrates a vast representation of the countries it operates in, where work culture is concerned. (Vise et al, 2006) Google has set new standards in unique management styles by showing how each company needs to tap into the personal goals of its employees to create and maintain a distinctive style that will contribute to the same and help integrate the organization's goals with those of the individuals working within. In this regard, Google's management style is one that is forward looking and based in results and employee satisfaction. It has a strong nexus with the humanitarian approach to all problems, which makes it all the more enjoyable to work here and be a part of the Google team. Also, the fact that it is very informal and effortless in its approach to everyday operations, makes it all the more easier to relate with Google at a personal level. Globalization is another element that contributes to the basic image of Google. As a company that has a specific set of services and virtual products as far as global outreach is concerned, Google has ushered in an era of vast information and knowledge management. Therefore, globalization has been Google's middle name and this has been thoroughly examined in the book by Vise and Malseed. Google has helped shape the global cultural industry with its services like Orkut, which

Nike vs Adidas Essay Example for Free

Nike vs Adidas Essay Nikes business strategy In order to get a grasp of Nike and how its changing the world today with its innovative products, we must first take a glance at the history of the company and how it all began. Bill Bowerman was a nationally respected track and field coach at the University of Oregon and the founding father of Nike. Bill was always seeking to find ways in order to give his athletes a competitive advantage experiencing with track surfaces, energy drinks but most importantly- innovative running shoes. Nikes business strategy is committed to providing athletes around the world with innovative products and committed to serving athletes, rewarding shareholders and being an industry leader in the shoe market in particular. A golden handshake between Bil Bowerman and Phil knight began the era of Nike over 5 decades and what it is today. Nike has adopted a differentiation focus by implementing what Nike call a consumer focused category strategy. Nikes business strategy is committed to providing the most innovative products around the world to athletes and consumers across the globe. Nike carries an arsenal of products that allow the company to continue growth through increased market place capacity and penetration with decisions that involve outsourcing manufacturing to low-cost areas in the world, investing in research and development of innovative products and aggressive marketing strategies that are beyond conventional. Their consumer focused strategy enhances gives them great leveraging ability to deliver great product and elevated consumer experiences which will help grow the NIKE Brand. http://www.nikebiz.com/crreport/content/pdf/documents/en-US/full-report.pdf http://www.nikeresponsibility.com/ http://www.nike.com/nikeihm/about/business.shtml http://nikeinc.com/news/nike-inc-introduces-2015-global-growth-strategy http://www.slideshare.net/joshuasteinberger/adidas-nike-case-study http://nikeinc.com/pages/history-heritage http://prezi.com/kg1omedww1k7/global-strategy-presentation-nike/

Importance Of Internet Communication Virtual Way Of Life Media Essay

Importance Of Internet Communication Virtual Way Of Life Media Essay The essay states the importance of internet, communication, virtual way of life and peculiarities of the modern world. The Internet opens large opportunities for work, leisure, communication, and sharing diverse information. Internet has changed the world and society consistently because the creation of internet and its growing popularity contributed to the consistent change in the life of people. They have opened the new, virtual world and a new effective means of communication- internet which have started to replace the traditional means of communication, to the extent that online communication has started to replace the live, real, physical communication between people. As well, essay shows to the audience the advantages and disadvantages of such way of life, the opportunities and interest in everything new. Today, staying online for the majority of people, who have computers at home, means more than staying offline. In actuality, people are relying too much on internet and on th e virtual way of life. Such a change has occurred under the impact of internet and innovation it brought into the life of people and their social relationships. The essay also states, that Internet era has changed the perception of having rest or relaxation for many people, as the unknown world of virtual reality seems to have something special. People tend to use internet as the means to escape from reality, from problems they have in the real life. Running from reality has become one of the most simplest ways to avoid problems, to postpone them, to try to forget and to involve in something that brings joy and happiness. The essay context is aimed to show the trends of the society, of the business and of the future. The essay also described that people prefer share their problems with strangers in their blog, as this way they are unknown in the internet and this fact helps people to communicate, inventing new ways of solving problems, communication and also fun. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦blo gs help people to talk to someone, without revelation of their personality. In such a way, people can make a sort of confession and receive feedback from users that relieves them and encourages people to carry on writing about issues which important for them in their blogs. The essay shows the counter arguments of people who have different opinion from the majority. People can live without technology, having other interests, probably more interesting than the online world. For instance, many people have little ideas of advanced information technologies and they are quite happy in their non-technological world. Some people do not admit the existence of the virtual world, considering it as a game, or something not serious and that will pass soon. They do not take it seriously and do not take into consideration all the advantages it brings, that is why there are claims that staying in the virtual world means just killing of time. For instance, Guillermo Gomez-Pena in The Virtual Barrio @ the Other Frontier refers to the example of Mexicans, who live next to the US, with its advanced information technologies, and local people are still simple and maintain traditional social relationships instead of virtual ones [Mexicans] are simple people. They are happy w ith the little they gotà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They are not ambitious and complex like us. They dont need all this technology to communicate. Sometimes I just feel like going down there and living among them. (p. 555). Counter argument can exist, but they should not hide the reality and the important technologies along with the technological progress that has its advantages. Nevertheless, technologies keep progressing and affect more and more people. Technology has definitely changed humanity, as nowadays people devote a lot of time to the online way of life, exploring it, reading, watching, listening and communicating. Some people can balance and live in harmony with the technologies, but some people become addicted to the technologies, to the computer especially. Some people do not have the limit, as described in the essay. Some people create their own virtual world of online friends, of the websites to visit, of the places to spend time, of the games to play, of the videos to download. People no more want to share their thoughts, their dreams or ideas with their friends offline; instead they choose the options to write about all that in their blogs and micro blogs and social networking sites. There is the reasoning of a counter argument and there should be found a balance to be able to depict everything useful from the online world and to live happily in the offline world. The essay ethically responds to the reasoning of a counter argument and shows the both sides of the issue. Communication offline has become something challenging especially for youngsters these day, as it is much easier to respond or to give ideas when a person is at home and he does not fear to see the reaction of another person who will read his message. The more people get involved in the virtual world, the more challenging it is to get out of there. The essay about violence addresses counter argument and arguments reasoning. It includes the description of the problem, the different views on it, the possible solutions and different opinions of the experts. When analyzing the problem of violence and its impact on individuals, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that violence is a fundamental part of the life of people. In regard, it is possible to refer to history, when cruel and violent acts were considered to be a norm. The essay also includes the major claim considering the fact how violence is widely- spread and how many people suffer from it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦cases of domestic violence were a norm in the past, because the violence in relation to children, for example, was considered to be essential to raise them up as good people. Others would argue that this kind of violence is still practiced. I would totally agree, but what is beginning shown by me side is that it used to be a norm that people did not see it anything more than a tool used to bring up good disciplined kids. Whereas, nowadays, it is considered a crime, at least in our society, and so, people have distanced from it to an extent. Reflective essay claims concentrate on the facts that some believe that by using violence they can solve all their problems and gain the respect of their social environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they are unconscious of the negative effect of the violence on their own personality because the violence has a destructive impact on the behavior and psychology of individuals. Some would argue this, Many people like to use Mohandes Ghandi as an example of non-violent protest winning the day. But the only reason Ghandis tactics worked is because he was using them against a civilized adversary, the British Empire. Had he tried to use them against someone else, like Nazi Germany, he would have ended up with a bullet to the back of the head or in one of the cremation ovens after being worked to death in a concentration camp. There are also counter arguments present in the essay to highlight the opinions from different people with different points of views.Violence does solve things. It has ended brutal dictatorships, saved citizens from the predation of criminals, prevented injustices on a small and large scale, and prevented wars. Perhaps the old saying needs to be modified. Instead, it should be Violence never solves anything if it is used at the wrong time in the wrong place. Violence in and of itself solves nothing. It is the proper use of violence under the right circumstances that solves problems (Farm). Essay context is aimed to show the importance of the issue, the key problems and claims. There are a lot of factors that provoke the violence and that increase the risk of the violent and aggressive behavior from the peoples side. At the same time, people are vulnerable to a consistent impact of their environment and different situations in their life which make them choosing the violent model of behavior as the only effective way of behavior. The essay also described the solutions to the problem for the audience. People often have an alternative to the violent model of behavior but they do not always use them because they need much more efforts and they are not as widely-spread as violent methods, which have always accompanied the mankind in the course of its development and evolution.

Alcoholism and Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers

Alcoholism and Angela’s Ashes Alcoholism is one of the most common disorders in the world today. It is a disease, a sickness that harms the body and the mind in the most violent ways possible. The body is racked by a need to suffice its desire, and this leads addicts to do anything to get the alcohol into their systems. In Angela’s Ashes, alcoholism is a major theme, and becomes the destroyer of the families and loved ones that are involved. In Angela’s Ashes, the father Malachy is inflicted with the disease of alcoholism, and his need for the drink leads him to use his paycheck to buy alcohol instead of using it for the basic needs of his family. Countless times, Malachy’s alcoholism harms or gets in the way of his family. Not only this, but Malachy is blind to what his behavior is doing to his family. Because he does not use his money on food for his family, they are forced to beg and accept help from friends and strangers—and yet he is too proud to admit this. Repeated instances such as when he asked the RIAA person for enough money just for one pint—when the money was supposed to be for a cab to get he and his son back to the station without having to walk. Or even when his first child was born and he was too drunk for the hospital staff to interpret what he was saying he wanted to name his son. There are too many of the same repeated episodes—he gets a job, brings home money at fir st, then just stops altogether and uses it at the pub, he gets fired from his job, and his family is worse off now, they are forced to move or live off the kindness of others. It’s the same cycle over and over again. Lives are lost along the way—the innocents, the children. And still Malachy depends on the drink. He is a constant disappointment—and spirals the family deeper and deeper into poverty over the years, mainly because of his addiction. Alcoholism is a terrible disease that can happen to anyone, and the person might not even notice it until the addiction is at its worst. In Angela’s Ashes, Malachy’s alcoholism ruins his family’s chance for a happy life, and he doesn’t even seem to care, as long as he has his alcohol everything seems fine.

Homer’s Iliad †Searching for Meaning in Tragedy Essay -- Iliad essays

Homer’s Iliad – Searching for Meaning in Tragedy The past does not inevitably exist in the present. The creative processes of remembering and telling stories allow our histories to remain with us. Memory and story negate the possibility of existing independently of the past by connecting humans across time to the actions and value systems of their predecessors. Humans are forced to live amidst and confront a complex and multi-dimensional reality in which their every action affects people and events outside of their immediate context. By burdening humans with the consequences of their histories, story and memory comprise a foundation of moral responsibility. Since memory and story are subjective, our past, a seemingly immutable reality, is subject to their creative hands. These hands define as malleable entities the past, the future, and that which exists or has its basis outside of the present. The â€Å"real† is only immutable in a present entirely disconnected from all other time. Yet while the profound power of memory and story does deny an objective, singular reality, it simultaneously allows humans the capacity to transform the world to their liking. Even death, the most immutable of realities, can be manipulated through the creative processes of remembering and storytelling. Death, then, is the point from which we will begin to understand Homer’s exploration of memory and story. Death is a great wave whose shadow falls upon the lives of all beings below Olympus. Amidst this shadow and its immediacy in war, humans must struggle to combat and metaphysically transcend their transitory natures. If they fail to forge a sense of meaning for themselves and their people in what often seems an inexorably barren world, they are lef... ...e of our own iniquity or cowardice, drives us to courageous and moral action in the present. Thus, story and memory remove humans from the horrible brevity of mortal life by bringing existence into a realm outside of time. Humans die, but through story their fellow humans can make them immortal. Even amidst life’s tragedies, stories allow us to transform what seems an unbearable reality into something deeply beautiful. And yet their power is not merely retrospective since stories impose moral responsibility on our every action. Forgetting, therefore, is among the worst evils; not only because of the â€Å"moral perversity† it permits, but also because of the meaning it denies. NOTES 1 Homer, Iliad, trans. Richmond Lattimore (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1951). 2 Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (New York: Harper Perennial, 1984). Homer’s Iliad – Searching for Meaning in Tragedy Essay -- Iliad essays Homer’s Iliad – Searching for Meaning in Tragedy The past does not inevitably exist in the present. The creative processes of remembering and telling stories allow our histories to remain with us. Memory and story negate the possibility of existing independently of the past by connecting humans across time to the actions and value systems of their predecessors. Humans are forced to live amidst and confront a complex and multi-dimensional reality in which their every action affects people and events outside of their immediate context. By burdening humans with the consequences of their histories, story and memory comprise a foundation of moral responsibility. Since memory and story are subjective, our past, a seemingly immutable reality, is subject to their creative hands. These hands define as malleable entities the past, the future, and that which exists or has its basis outside of the present. The â€Å"real† is only immutable in a present entirely disconnected from all other time. Yet while the profound power of memory and story does deny an objective, singular reality, it simultaneously allows humans the capacity to transform the world to their liking. Even death, the most immutable of realities, can be manipulated through the creative processes of remembering and storytelling. Death, then, is the point from which we will begin to understand Homer’s exploration of memory and story. Death is a great wave whose shadow falls upon the lives of all beings below Olympus. Amidst this shadow and its immediacy in war, humans must struggle to combat and metaphysically transcend their transitory natures. If they fail to forge a sense of meaning for themselves and their people in what often seems an inexorably barren world, they are lef... ...e of our own iniquity or cowardice, drives us to courageous and moral action in the present. Thus, story and memory remove humans from the horrible brevity of mortal life by bringing existence into a realm outside of time. Humans die, but through story their fellow humans can make them immortal. Even amidst life’s tragedies, stories allow us to transform what seems an unbearable reality into something deeply beautiful. And yet their power is not merely retrospective since stories impose moral responsibility on our every action. Forgetting, therefore, is among the worst evils; not only because of the â€Å"moral perversity† it permits, but also because of the meaning it denies. NOTES 1 Homer, Iliad, trans. Richmond Lattimore (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1951). 2 Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (New York: Harper Perennial, 1984).

Essay --

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Review of the effects of Chinese Herbal medicine in NSCLC treatment By: Jay Shah December 11, 2013 Pharmacology 5600 Herbal medicine, like any alternative forms of medicine and therapy has its share of critics, but like most herbal medicine, it has been developed and practiced for millennia. The first known record of Chinese herbal medicine was found in the â€Å"Wushier Bingfang† (prescriptions for fifty-two ailments) silk manuscript from the Han Dynasty around 206 BCE (Zhang et al, 2012). It contains two hundred and fifty herbal cures to issues such as hemorrhoids, arthritis, inflammation, seizures, warts and many others (Zhang et al, 2012). Historical records of Chinese herbs include over a hundred thousand medicinal recipes to thousands of issues, mostly consisting of plant extracts (Chen et al, 1999). The understanding behind Chinese herbs is an elemental approach that looks as humans as a component of nature and hence can be cured of ailments through natural elements (Chen et al, 1999). Image 1 depicts various Chinese herbs including, ginseng, Astragalus, lilyturf and others. With the development of allopathic medicine from the western world, herbal medicine from around the world has been castigated out of the mind for the majority of the world due to its lack of proper scientific evidence. Recently however, herbal medicine, especially Chinese and Indian has seen somewhat of a resurgence on the global scale in terms of credibility thanks to new research and data from around the world. The National Institute of Health recognizes Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a viable source of alternative treatment for various ailments and says that over a million people as of 2004 regu... ..., Zhang L, et al. (2011) Effect s of chemotherapy combined with Chinese herbal medicine Kangliu Zengxiao decoction on tumor markers of patient s with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized, controlled trial. J Chin Integr Med 9: 525–530. 11. Li G, Shu-Ping B, Ling Z, Xiao-Hong W (2009). Astragalus polysaccharide injection integrated with vinorelbine and cisplatin for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: effects on quality of life and survival. Journal of Medical Oncology s12032-011-0068-9. 12. Liu QY, Yao YM, Zhang SW, et al. Astragalus polysaccharides regulate T cell-mediated immunity via CD11c (high) CD45RB (low) DCs in vitro. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011; 136(3):457–64. 13. Clement-Kruzel S, Hwang SA, Kruzel MC, et al. Immune modulation of macrophage pro-inflammatory response by goldenseal and Astragalus extracts. J Med Food. 2008; 11(3):493–8.

Arce Dairy Marketing Plan Essay

A. Product Performance The company still has an edge compared to the other ice cream industries, because they have maintained their quality since then, together with variety of flavours. It’s not too late if they will expand more their business and will make more effort to increase their market share. Background Arce Dairy is very proud of their high quality ice cream product. They strictly follow their tradition of using ONLY fresh CARABAO MILK and other fresh ingredients in making their ice cream. Its ice cream was well-known for its creaminess, authentic flavours, and unique gold can packaging—qualities that remained throughout the years. Arce Dairy Ice Cream is made from fresh carabao’s milk that has a richer and flavourful since they are exposed to the tropical condition which helps them produce better milk. It is an advantage for the Arce’s since they own a 21 hectare dairy farm in Novaliches which is also the only large and the only private commercial breeder of milking carabaos in the Philippines. Aside from their milk quality, they also have their fresh ingredients such as fruits, nuts, chocolates and cheese that are being stored on large chillers. Long-term objectives Arce Dairy tend to branch out their product not just on large scale stores like, malls, supermarkets and etc., but also on small retail stores. Because it is more accessible and convenient that you can just easily buy the goods that you want in just a walking distant store. Arce Dairy Ice Cream aims to provide the best all-natural ice cream products to consumers both here and abroad, provide good and natural quality products for the health conscious ones thereby improving the quality of life. Showing patriotism to its fellow Filipinos in patronizing Filipino-made products by manufacturing and marketing consistently high quality ice cream, thus, giving consumers added value for their money. Lastly, to ensure in surpassing the global quality standard of becoming the source of pride for the Philippine Dairy Industry. Problems/Opportunities Problems How will Arce Dairy Ice Cream compete in the ice cream industry and regain success using its new brand name? Low market share, wherein, Arce Dairy Ice Cream belongs to the remaining 20% of the ice cream market. Poor promotional and distribution strategies. They should compete with the other ice cream industry, and will not stick on their captured market, they should expand their market. They should try branching out especially on small retail stores. They should put much effort on their promotional and advertising activities so people will notice the product. Opportunities People’s acceptance to its new brand name. New Ice cream flavours offered. They could introduce new product line using their fresh milk. Health and wellness campaigns encouraging people to go for the healthier choice. Social media network serving as effective vehicle in product promotion. Marketing Objectives Increase sales Brand Awareness/Exposure. Brand Image establishment. Marketing Programs Arce Dairy must conduct surveys and increase it sales through the help of retail partners. Its sales must be compared to the sales projections to monitor the progress of their sales. The company must attain its projected sales or beyond it. Positioning Statement Target Market â€Å"Yuppies† or young urban professionals. – Health-conscious, self-indulgent young urban professionals or â€Å"yuppies† who have the money to lavishly spend on anything they want, and also who are fickle in choosing their brand choices, depending on what is trending or getting good reviews. 20-26 years old, class A-B, male and female, living  and working in/around NCR. Product strategy Arce Dairy started from three generations. They produce different variety of flavours like Mango, Chocolate, Blueberry Cheesecake, Buko Lechias, Avocado, Quezo Real, Vanilla, Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, Cheese, Ube, Almonds and Chips and many more. Arce Dairy actually has their own farm where they get most of their fresh ingredients especially the â€Å"CARABAO MILK† which they use as base for their ice cream. Pricing strategy Arce Dairy Ice Cream Container SizePrice range 425 mlPhp 70.00 (classic) Php 80.00 (supreme) Php 108.00 (sugar-free)750 mlPhp 120.00 (classic) Php 205.00 (supreme)1.5 LPhp 228.00 (classic) Php 408.00 (supreme, sugar-free) Advertising strategy Launch print ads that will capture the target market’s attention. Execute an effective guerrilla ad that stays faithful to Arce Dairy’s new image. Release a TVC to be aired during primetime. Document the active guerrilla campaign and post it as a viral video. Use imagery that implies. National Trigger the curiosity of the target market and make them try the product. Promote Arce Dairy’s new â€Å"sexy† image.  Cover up Arce Dairy’s â€Å"local/low class† image to people. Expose people to the brand. Cooperative Trade Promotion strategy Since Arce Dairy has no promotional straregies except on relying through word  of mouth strategy, the Unfortunately, Arce Dairy has almost NO promotion. They’ve produced no TV ad, very few and unmemorable print ads. No promotional efforts are done, and they rely on word of mouth to get cutomers. Field sales strategy Distribution strategy Product support Training Requirements Marketing research 4/5 of the people who are familiar with the brand â€Å"Arce Dairy† have claimed that it’s their favourite ice cream in the Philippines. Even though they have flavour favourites, they try the different flavours every now and then. Though they love Arce Dairy, they consume other brands more often because Arce Dairy is not available on many local stores. But whenever there is Arce Dairy available, it’s their first choice. What they love about Arce Dairy is the consistency of the ice cream, the smooth creamy texture, and the mild sweetness of the flavours. Most of them found out about Arce Dairy first from personal references like friends, and relatives. Once they tasted Arce, it was immediately their â€Å"new† favourite ice cream. According to them, the price doesn’t bother them, since the taste is worth the price they pay. They also mentioned that they wish Arce was available to more stores. 5/5 were NOT aware that Arce Dairy uses CARABAO MILK in their ice cream. 2/5 of the people who aren’t familiar with Arce Dairy said that their favourite brand of ice cream is Selecta (particularly Magnum) To the yuppies, quality of ice cream and product feedback is vital. If it hits home, they might actually stick to it. All they need is a good push to try the product. Financial summary Strengths More expensive than other brands.  Maintained a clean reputation for making quality ice cream, proven by several awards given to Arce Dairy. Arce Dairy ice cream is scientifically proven much healthier compared to leading ice cream brands. Has variety of unique ice cream flavours not available in other brands. Weaknesses Has very limited advertising/promotion materials, leading to unpopularity amongst the masses. Product is poorly distributed, making it available to very limited stores and locations. Not top of the mind when asked about an ice cream product. Has a â€Å"local† image, therefore viewed as â€Å"cheap†. Performance History Arcefoods Corporation has been honored the Hall of Fame Award as â€Å"Outstanding Ice Cream Manufacturer† by the Consumers Union of the Philippines while ArceDairy Ice Cream has been awarded the 1999 Dangal Ng Bayan â€Å"Outstanding Ice Cream Product† and the New Millennium Excellence Award â€Å"Most Outstanding Ice Cream Brand† by the Parangal ng Bayan Awards Foundation. The ArceDairy type of ice cream, the â€Å"all-natural† ice cream, has captured the hearts of Manilanians through the decades of its uniqueness and its old fashioned manufacturing process. Tenacious requests from prominent clients, captive loyal followers and food connoisseurs, demand for its return.

A Research Study On The Basic Positive And Negative Effects Of Gaming Essay

Abstract The purpose of this study emphasizes on both, the positive and the negative impacts of playing video games on the teenagers. Over the last 30 years video games have made an impact on the way teenagers spend their leisure time. This research hypothesizes that social interaction, psychological, in particular aggressive behavior, health and academic performance is greatly affected by the extensive use of video gaming. The research proposal is further supported by the literature review of various articles including an article by Brandon T, which states that video games influence the beliefs and self esteem of children. In another article by Steven J Krish, it was proven that a positive relationship prevails between video gaming and self aggression, among the age groups of 11-17. In order to prove our hypothesis, both the primary and secondary research was conducted. The primary research was followed by questionnaires that were distributed among the targeted group and also an interview was conducted with a gaming technical. Our secondary research consisted of various articles. The information narrowed down brought very sensitive issues into the limelight. It was observed that almost 72 % of the teenagers suffered from acute aggression, bad grades and health issues, thus proving our hypothesis correct. However only strategic games were given a positive response as they sharpen the minds of the players but on the whole the negative effects overshadow the positive side of playing video games. Video Games and Teenagers: A Research Study On The Basic Positive And Negative Effects Of Gaming A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. It has been one of the most preferred leisure activities by the teenagers . The history of video games goes as far back as 1940s, when in 1947 Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. and Estle Ray Mann filed a US patent request for an invention they described as cathode ray tube amusement device. This patent which the United States Patent office issued on December 14, 1948, details a machine in which a person uses knobs and buttons to manipulate a cathode ray tube beam to simulate firing at â€Å"air-borne† targets. Video gaming would not reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s and 80s, when arcade video games, gaming consoles and home computer games were introduced to general public. Since then video gaming has become a popular form of entertainment and a part of modern culture in the developed world. There are currently considered to be eight generations of video game consoles. The most common consoles used by the teenagers nowadays include Xbox, game boy, play station and Nintendo Game Cube. There are numerous genres of video games that have been available to the consumers for the past 30 years. One of the oldest genres of video game is the classic shooter. Shooters are games that require the player to blow away enemies or objects in order to survive and continue game play. Another of the first video game genres, especially from the computer platforms, was the adventure game. Another preferred genre is the strategy or the tactic games. These games attempt to capture a sense of realism for the game player to experience. However, these titles are often turn-based as opposed to real-time and they give the player a greater sense of specific control over a situation. Video games are a unique form of entertainment which encourages players to become a part of the game’s script. Our research will focus on the following issues: What appeals teenagers to play video games? What do teenagers experience while playing video games? How does playing video games effect teenagers positively? How does playing video games effect teenagers negatively? Should parents show concern regarding their children playing video games? Douglas A. Paul J. Lynch et al (2004) Gentile, in their article â€Å" The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behavior and school performance† have discussed the effects of video games on teenagers. Their research stated that in 2000 the revenue generated by the gaming industry was $20 billion. Teenagers contributed the most in the consumption of the gaming consoles. Also 54 independent tests on relation between video game violence and aggression were conducted ; five consistent results of playing games with violent content were retrieved through this research i.e. playing violent games increases aggressive behaviors, aggressive cognitions, aggressive emotions , physiological arousal and decreases pro-social behavior. In the article â€Å" Perceived influence of negative and positive video game† , Shu .F .Lin (September 2010) stated the perceived effects between self and others in terms of both negative and positive video game. According to the researcher, the games were promoted through the mode of entertainment media in an array of content like sports, fighting, stimulation and role-playing etc. The positive impacts include increased socializing , controlling and cognitive skills, while negative effects were depression , anxiety and psychological disorders among teenagers. Steven J. Kirsh (1992) in his article â€Å"The effect of violent video games† found a positive association between video game play and self and teacher reported aggression in the age group of 11-17 years. In their study Anderson and Dill (2008) demonstrated a relationship between violent video games and lab aggression in college students .It has been found that children and adolescents play video games on average between 1.2 to 7.5 hours per week. It has also been suggested that psychological and biological factors are also correlates of aggression. Moreover the Anderson and Bushman’s (2002) General Aggression Model (GAM) has been successfully developed to further stress upon the effects . GAM can be used to explain the birth of aggression in the adolescents and the difference in vulnerability to the influence of violent games for every individual. In the article â€Å"The impact of video games on children† , Rick Missimer has put forth positive aspects of playing video games. He proposed that most of the video games are creative and fun intended. It is a medium that serves to get rid of stress by diverting their attention towards fun and entertainment. It reinforces the confidence level of children when they start mastering the games. It provokes innovative thinking and strategic thinking skills. Some games also aid children in their educational curriculum and help them get more familiar to technology. Kimberly Young ( 2004), Peter Laurie (1981) [1967], Jennifer Seter Wagner (2008) researchers conducted a research and discussed about the concepts of digital games and its application in forms and shapes. Being keen towards their research they illustrated about the history, symptoms, addiction, side effects ( physical, social ) benefits, and prevention against digital game playing. They further discussed about the addictive theories and how it impacts young brains. The study showed that addiction could be of many kinds and gaming is a negatively charged one, the symptoms of addiction are that youngsters feel depressed, restlessness and lack of self control between themselves, which is further supported by the side effects that they become victims of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, weight gain and migraines, social problems which occur are Withdrawal, Lose touch with reality and misuse of money in form of extra hours of playing. The benefits were that the teenagers enhanced superior ‘ visuospatial’ abilities, ‘Wiihabilitation’ and ‘Exergaming’. They concluded their research with prevention against video gaming that were unimaginable like few treatment centers specializing in against game addiction and training for enhancement of social skills. Another researcher (Roni Caryn Rabin, 2011 ), a reporter of New York Times has discussed in her article Video games and the Depressed teenagers , one of the major concerns regarding video game playing i.e. depression in teenagers. He has talked about the study which was conducted on a large group of teenagers. The results were published in the Journal of Pediatrics. The study found that children who spent most of the time playing video games were very impulsive and were hesitant while socializing. Their school grades were also affected and most importantly they had worse relationship with their parents. This study was supported with another research conducted on Chinese teenagers. The results of this research were published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. It indicated that teenagers who used internet excessively ended up being depressed. Most of them used internet for playing video games. But Dr. Gentile , an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University negated this study . The reasoning he provided was that teenagers who were socially isolated and impulsive are more likely to indulge themselves in activities such as video games. Once they become gamers , their school grades are likely to be affected and their relationship with their parents deteriorated. Dr. Gentile said that when teenagers start playing excessively , they are more likely to become depressed and isolated. One other author (Donna St. George, 2008) a reporter at Washington Post discussed about the behaviors of kids after playing mature games. The writer gave the reference of three researches held in USA and Japan. The results were almost same in both the countries, and this showed that video gaming and violence in teenagers was not the problem of USA only. Though, people used to believe that aggression due to violent video games was only the problem of an American teenager but now it was thought of as a general phenomenon that occurred across cultures. In USA, the researches focused on large groups of teenagers 364 and it was concluded that there was an increasing likelihood that a child would indulge into a fight or get physically aggressive after sometime of playing a game with violent content, as compared to other children. As compared to USA, the researchers were more curious in Japan. So, they conducted their research on more than 12 hundred people, and they focused on children as well as on adolescents. The results were quite same as were in USA. The researcher also talked to the parents of teenage gamers. Some parents did not allow their children to play mature games but despite that their children played and were found to be aggressive. On the other hand some parents were not uncomfortable with their children playing mature rated games but they didn’t find their children aggressive or hostile. The researcher suggests that it is important for parents to pay attention to the nature of games their children play and keep a check on the behavior of their kids after playing such games. A reporter at a magazine (Rebecca Scarlett, 2010) discusses very important beliefs of people, that games only portray a picture of violence and physical disorders. However just like two sides of every story it’s true that a large number of games do depict violence and useless themes, but a large number of games are now focusing on more constructive niche like physics games or math games or puzzles that provoke strategic thinking. Interestingly enough these niches are becoming rapidly popular among teens. These games help the kids and teenagers learn the complex and rather boring equations and formulas in a fun way which also develops logic skills as well as visual-spatial manipulation skills. Recently many parents have wished that they could get their children off the games to spend more time reading. Successfully the gaming industry has provided children with such Role-playing games. These games involve long quests with plots that are as Intricate as any novel, and these plots are revealed mostly through dialogue. Such that it becomes impossible to play the game successfully without a good deal of reading The author further explains that studies have shown even better results that kids who play more video games have better hand-eye coordination and they react on time. The speed of most video games demands quick decision-making in response to what appears on the screen, and many kids become so lightning fast while playing them. Even though video games have been demonized, there are many games out there that, when played in moderation, can actually have beneficial effects. (Mark.D.Griffiths,1998), another researcher discussed that video game playing is a leisure activity for most of the adolescents. He said that the literature provided by Loftus and Loftus (1983) and Griffiths (1991,1993) clearly indicated that teenagers took videogames as a source of entertainment. Furthermore, he also stated that boys play more videogames on average as compared to girls. He has also put forth the common argument regarding videogames i.e. it is potentially addictive. He has discussed the study regarding the computer games addiction by Shotton (1989), where he stated that most of the adolescents were addicted by computer games for than five years. He also pointed out a positive aspect that these people were intelligent and motivated, but they were often misunderstood. Our research methodology was designed to get the most accurate answers. Research Design Our primary research included survey method. Questionnaires were given to the respondents. Participants We have targeted teenagers (13-19 years) and their parents. Our sample size was 25. Our secondary research included articles from the web. Measures Questionnaires were designed such that they were divided into two sections; the first section has demographic questions and the second section is based upon the statements regarding our variables. Procedure Participants were of two kind, both teenagers and their parents. They were asked to answer the questions in the two different types of questionnaires. One was designed to collect the responses of the teenagers and the second one was designed to collect responses from the parents. Later on these responses were further analyzed to conduct our research. Like other related forms of media, video games have been a subject of controversy and our study focuses on the impact (positive and negative) of video games on teenagers. Discussion One of the major goals of our research was to know the factors that motivates teenagers to play games. According to our research, the greatest chunk i.e. 72% of respondents said that either they played videogames to avoid boredom or took it as a mode of entertainment. Few individuals also said that videogames help them to stay active. Whereas, a small percentage of the sample either played games to release frustration or as a hobby. The data is quantified visually through the following pie chart: Another important question is that despite having numerous substitutes available to videogames like physical sports etc, why do teenagers choose videogames as a source of leisure activity. Most of the teenagers said that it took their mind off their problems and the feeling of mastering the game is addictive. Furthermore, in this era of competition teenagers are in a constant pressure from their peers, so they have two options; either they face it or they don’t . They choose not to face it and just to take their mind off such problems; they take video games as a source of distraction. When the teenagers were asked about the hours they spend on gaming and for how long have they been playing, most of them play for approximately 3 hours on a stretch and have been playing for more than 2 years. Most of the parents too gave the same answer that their children play for so many hours (3 hours) without taking any break. Even our interviewee Mr. Waseem Yousaf said that children become too addicted after they start coming to gaming zone. The numbers of hours they play keep on increasing gradually and they start visiting on frequent basis. When asked about the genres of games that were preferred, most of the respondents replied in favour of action, strategy and sports. Even our interviewee said that the most popular games in gaming zone are action, sports and strategy. Another important aspect of video gaming is the effect of the violence depicted in video games. 72% played violent video games and 64% of our respondents (teenagers) feel that such games greatly influence their mood. More importantly 72% teenagers find themselves quite aggressive. Now let’s have a look at the health issues associated with video game play. Most of the parents said that their children have become negligent of their heath due to video games; they become so engrossed in it that they do not take care of their health and their children face health problems. Most of the teenagers also said that they have health issues because of playing video games. 24% of the respondents experienced backache, headache and eye strain, 36% had headache or backache out of which 24% had headache once in a month. 16% did not have any heath issues. The ones who did not have any health issues had an active life style and played physical sports regularly. The following pie chart depicts the above mentioned statistics graphically. When asked about the influence of videogames on schooling and grades, it was found that the parents and teenagers negated each other’s answers. Most of the children said that their grades were not affected by video game play but the parents said the opposite. It was also found through our study that many children became very defensive when they were asked about their gaming habits. It was deducted that 72% of teenagers lie about their gaming habits/hours to their parents. This shows that the teenagers are very supportive of video games unlike parents; they want to play as much as they want but parents have a genuine concern regarding it. They do not want their children to become addicts of games and neglect important things like studies. Our research shows that teenagers have equal preferences for outdoor sports as well as videogames; but still according to our research teenagers are more inclined towards video games as compared to the outdoor sports. However, with the introduction of Consoles like Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect ® the level of physical activity has increased. This is because these add-ons ensure that there is handsome amount of physical movement while playing games. Our interviewee said that places like gaming zones have a very healthy environment and teenagers prefer coming here and use gaming consoles that require physical exercise as well. Another thing worth discussing is the money teenagers spend on video gaming. Our interviewee said that on average a teenager spends an amount of Rs.500 for 3-4 hours which includes gaming rent as well as money spent on snacks. This has been a matter of concern for parents because teenagers have started demanding an increase in their pocket money more often now. Most of the parents have been unsuccessful in reducing the amount of time that their children spend on video games and many parents said that their children start to play significantly more than what they have been playing if they are asked to reduce the number of hours they play. This shows that children retaliate if they are asked to change their gaming habits. Hence, we can say that parents should not impose restrictions on the amount of time they spend in front of video games, instead they should try to logically convince them. Lastly, we would shed some light on the positive effects of video gaming. As discussed earlier most of the teenagers prefer playing strategic video games. About 52% respondents (teenagers ) said that due to such games they feel they can make decisions efficiently. Similarly, 64% believe that these games have sharpened their minds. Even our interviewee says that players who usually prefer playing strategic games are seen to be sharper and they grasp and master games quickly as compared to other players. Teamwork, working in collaboration, and cooperation is also another important positive outcome of videogames. Most teenagers play games which involve one or multiple players. When we asked our interviewee about the attitude of gamers, he said that players show team spirit and they play in collaboration. He also discussed that gaming zone and such venues provide a very healthy environment for teenagers; mostly teenagers from good family backgrounds come here. and it also provides an easy way of socializing with others. Conclusion & Recommendations The information narrowed down brought very sensitive issues into the limelight . It was observed that almost 72 % of the teenagers suffered from acute aggression , bad grades n health issues, thus proving our hypothesis correct. However only strategic games were given a positive response as they sharpen the minds of the players but on the whole the negative effects overshadow the positive side of playing video games. Parents should monitor video game play the same way you need to monitor television and other media. Be a loving, attentive parent who disciplines their child well. An aggressive child is more a product of dysfunctional parenting than anything else, including violent games and TV. According to Los Angeles-based psychotherapist Robert Butterworth, PhD, dysfunctional parenting, children with little guilt, and accessibility to firearms with little parental supervision can create violent children. â€Å"Most children who commit violent crime show an early combination of personality and family factors that include having trouble getting along with playmates in preschool,† Butterworth says. â€Å"By second or third grade they’re doing poorly in school, and have few friends. By the age of 10 they’re picking fights and getting labeled by their peers as social outcasts.† What’s more â€Å"they typically come from families where parents are poor at disciplining because they are indifferent, neglectful, too coercive or they use harsh physical punishment with little love.† Although playing video games can be a learning experience, give your kid a variety of entertaining things to learn from, so your kid will not be addicted to just one thing. Be sure to make him read books, play sports, interact with other kids, and watch good TV. Everything should be taken in moderation. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children not spend more than one to two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games (handheld, console, or computer), and computers (for non-academic use). This means seven to fourteen hours per week total. Limit the amount of time they could play and also used the video game ratings to limit the content of the games have children who do better in school and also get into fewer fights. Monitor the effect of video games on your child. Observe their behavior. If it appears that they’re becoming more aggressive with his siblings or friends during the period that they’re playing violent games, stop them from playing the games. If they become interested in history after playing historical games, then the game is beneficial to them. References Perceived influence of negative and positive video game by Shu Fang Lin Journal of Media and Communication Studies Vol. 2(10), pp. 208-214, December 2010 ISSN 2141 – 2545  ©2010 Academic Journals The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behavior and school performance by Douglas A. Paul J. Lynch et al (2004) Gentile Journal of Adolescence 27 (2004) 5–22 The effect of violent video games on adolescents by Steven J. Krish Aggression and Violent Behavior 8 (2003) 377 – 389 The impact of video games on children by Rick Missimer from the website www.healthguidance.org Video Games: Effect on childhood Development by Brandon T. McDaniel 146 E. 800 N. Provo, Utah 84606 http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/video-games-and-the-depressed-teenager/# http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR20081102023 92_2.htm Can Video Games Actually Have Positive Effects? By Rebecca Scarlett, Effects of violent games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition. Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Impact of entertainment violence on children. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, & American Medical Association (2000). URL http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm Hostility, Type A behavior , and stress hormones at rest and after playing violent video games in teenagers. Lynch, P. J. (1999). Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 113. The physiological and psychological effects of video games. Paschke, M. B., Green, E., & Gentile, D. A. (2001). Poster Presented at the 36th Annual Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, St. Paul, MN, April 2001. What Do Teens See in Video Games?† By Barbara Geller, MD Published in Journal Watch Psychiatry March 25, 2004 Haninger K and Thompson KM. Content and ratings of teen-rated video games. JAMA 2004 Feb 18; 291:856-65. â€Å"Video Games and Depressed Teenager† By Roni Caryn Rabin The New York Times, January 18, 2011. Appendix Interview Questions 1. What types of games do you have in your game zone ? 2. Which age group mostly and regularly come to play games ? 3. What is your view about kid’s attitude towards games ? 4. Do teenagers become addicted to games , if they start coming regularly ? 5. Do teenagers spend a lot of money on games ? 6. What is the attitude of parents towards gaming? 7. Which class (elite, middle, or poor) mostly come to play games in gaming zone ? 8. What is the affect of gaming zone’s environment on kids (especially on teenagers) ? 9. Do you consider that places such as gaming zone is a good source for socializing? 10. What is your opinion regarding teenagers indulgence in video games these days? Interview What types of games do you have in your game zone ? We have many types of games in our gaming zone but the most preferred are strategy, action and sports. Which age group mostly and regularly come to play games ? We have a lot of customers who visit us on frequent basis. People as young as 8 years and as old as 40 years come and play games here. But it is the teenagers who mostly visit the gaming zone regularly. What is your view about kid’s attitude towards games ? Different kids have different attitudes towards games. (Pause) Mostly children who play action games become more aggressive while playing and become impatient and hostile on losing. But children who prefer playing strategic games are quite quick in grasping the techniques of playing other games. Do teenagers become addicted to games , if they start coming regularly ? Yes, teenagers become quite addicted if they start coming on regular basis. The number of hours they stay in gaming zone keeps on increasing gradually. And most of the teenagers come straight from their schools and stay with their friends for too long playing games. Do teenagers spend a lot of money on games ? Yes, they do. On average, a teenager spend Rs.400 for 3-4 hours in gaming zone. We usually charge Rs.90 per hour for a game but kids prefer snacks along with the games so they end up spending a considerable amount of money on this activity. What is the attitude of parents towards gaming? Usually parents accompany young kids who are aged between 8 to 13. They seem to enjoy games along with their kids but they do not visit us on frequent basis. Parents of adults and teenagers do not visit gaming zone. They are maybe negligent of the gaming habits of their children because these teenagers spend a lot of money as well as time in our gaming zone and are never accompanied by their parents. Which class (elite, middle, or poor) mostly come to play games in gaming zone ? Mostly it is the elite and middle class who visit gaming zone. What is the affect of gaming zone’s environment on kids (especially on teenagers) ? The environment of gaming zone is very good. Teenagers from good family backgrounds come here and enjoy playing games. I think it creates a good impact on teenagers. Do you consider that places such as gaming zone is a good source for socializing? Yes, of course it is. It provides a healthy environment where people from different age groups come and spend quality time together playing video games. Most games involve multiple players and in such games the teenagers are seen to play as one team. They show team spirit as well as play in collaboration. What is your opinion regarding teenagers indulgence in video games these days? I believe that video games is a good source of entertainment. I know most of the teenagers prefer it over other leisure activities but at the same time I would say anything done excessively is not good. Teenagers need to have a balance in their lives regarding fun and studies. As far as they are able to maintain that balance I would support video game play. QUESTIONNAIRE 1 This is a research study on video games by BBA/BSc.I students of Lahore School Of Economics. Do not feel obligated to answer all questions if you are uncomfortable to do so. Thank you for your participation. Demographic information 1. Name ( optional ) _____________________ 2. Gender: 3. Age: 4. Occupation: Please choose the desired option Q5. How many child/children do you have? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) More than 3 Q6. Your child is aged between: a) 8 – 10 b) 11 – 15 c) 16 – 20 Q7. Are you a single parent? a) Yes b) No Q8. What is your occupational status? a) paid employment fulltime b) paid employment part-time c) supported employment d) self employed Q9. Does your child show signs of video game addiction? a) Yes b) No Q10. On an average weekend, your child plays video games for: a) 0 – 1 hour. b) 2 hours. c) 3 hours. d) 4 hours. e) 5 or more hours. Q11. How many times have you unsuccessfully tried to reduce the amount of time that your child spends on video games? a) Never b) One time c) Two times d) Three times e) Four or more times Q12. If you fail to set a limit to video game time, your child would play: a) About the same amount as he / she does now b) Somewhat more than he / she does now c) Significantly more than he / she does now d) Far more than he / she does now Q11. Does your child have access to video game in his / her room? a) Yes b)No Q12. Does your child have interests outside the world of video games? a) Never or rarely b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q13. Does your child seems to have few friends outside the gaming world? a) Not at all b) Maybe c) Most certainly Q14. Does your child lies about the time he/she spends on video games? a) Yes b) No Q15. Does your child prefer playing video games over going out with friends? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Frequently d) Always Q16. Have your child’s grades been suffering from excessive video gaming? a) Not at all b) Somewhat true c) Definitely true Q17. Is your child permitted to play video games before the completion of homework? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Frequently d) Always Q18. Is your child an active member in the formal school activities or clubs? a) No, none at all b) Yes, one activity or club c) Yes, two activities or clubs d) Yes, three or more activities or clubs Q19. Does your child neglects his/ her health because of excessive video gaming? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q20. Is your child employed as a part time worker? a) No, he / she is too young to work , or I prefer that he / she does not work b) No, he she is too involved in other activities (not including video games) c) No, I would like him / her to work but he / she refuses to do so d) Yes, but he / she has difficulty holding onto jobs e) Yes, and he / she successfully holds onto jobs Q21. Does your child becomes irritable or anxious if he/ she cannot access his/her favorite video game? a) Never b) Rarely c) Often d) Always Q22.Does your child becomes angry or defensive if asked about his/her gaming habits? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q23. As a parent, do you decide what kind of video games does your child plays? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q24. Will your child have difficulty giving up all of his/her video games for a week? a) No, not at all. This would be very easy for my child b) My child wouldn’t like it, but he / she could do it without too many complaints c) My child would have great difficulty giving up video games for one week d) It would be entirely impossible for my child to give up video games for one week Q25. Does your child plays video games at the first available opportunity? a) Never b) Rarely c) Sometimes d) Always Q26. Does your child gets headaches, red eyes, sore fingers or wrist pains from playing video games? a) Never or very rarely b) Sometimes c) Often Thank you for your co-operation! QUESTIONNAIRE 2 This is a research study on video games by BBA/BSc.I students of Lahore School Of Economics. Do not feel obligated to answer all questions if you are uncomfortable to do so. Thank you for your participation. Demographic information 5. Name ( optional ) _____________________ 6. Gender: 7. Age: 8. Education Level: 9. Institution: Please choose the desired option 10. How often do you play video games? Daily Once a week Twice or thrice a week Once a month 11. What gaming technology do you have in your house? PS-2/3 X- box Gameboy Laptop/Pc Others 12. How long have you been playing video games? 6 months year 2 years more than 2 years 13. How did you started playing video games; who or what motivated you? Self interest Friends Advertisements ( magazines, TV) Others 14. What is the longest you have ever played without taking any break? 3 hours 4 hours 5 hours More than 5 hours 15. What genres of game do you play? Action Sports Puzzle Strategy Others 16. How many players participate with you? One Two Multiple players e.g. online gaming Myself only 17. Do you play violent video games ( usually rated 18 + )? Yes No 18. Do you think that the result of the game has a direct effect on your mood after playing? Yes No 19. Would you consider yourself an aggressive person? If yes then rate yourself on a scale of 1-5? 1 20. What would be your major reason to play video game? Keep yourself active at home To avoid boredom Hobby Entertain or spend time with your friends Frustration Other 21. What is it you like best about video game? The feeling that I am in the control of the situation It takes my mind off my problems The feeling of mastering the game Other 22. Do video games improve your ability to make decisions quickly? Yes No 23. Do you feel video games have sharpened your mind? Yes No 24. Do you have any health problems after playing video games? Yes; backache, headache, eye strain etc Sometimes I get a headache or backache I get headache once in a month No, I don’t have any health issues 25. Have you had problems at school that are related to gaming? Yes; I am tired all the time and never get my homework done I had turned in late assignments because I was playing games instead of doing homework No; I have never let games interfere with my schoolwork 26. Do you play any sports? Only video sports I split my time between sports and video games I play only one sport I play more than one sport 27. Are your parents comfortable with your gaming? Yes No 28. Have you ever tried to quit playing video games? Yes; but I always start playing again No; I play as much as I want and it isn’t a problem for me No; I don’t play enough for it to be a problem Thank you for your cooperation! Graphical Data

President Andrew Jackson Essay

Andrew Jackson, our seventh President of the United States, is in rather an ok President. Considered as the â€Å"People’s President† he was very straight forward and honest to â€Å"his people†. He takes his job seriously and possibly the most liberal president in history. His presidency however was neither bad nor good, but shared a fair amount of each. First off, the good qualities he had was the fact he had bold commitment to enforce laws and fight back against secession threats from South. Two high tariffs were passed during 1828 and 1833 which increased taxes on imported foreign goods. The south was outraged by the high taxation so under the Nullification act that allows states to nullify laws they don’t like. Soon after the second tariff was issued, they formed a convention to build up an army with the idea of secession. Jackson was so enraged that he was willing to use all the power he has to stop it. Fortunately he was able to make a deal with the Vice President John C. Calhoun, who was in favor of the south, to lower the tax prices. The south backed off from secession and things settled down. Secondly, the bad if not malicious duties Jackson did during his presidency was the force removal of Native Americans from Georgia to the west and the ending the National Bank system. The state of Georgia was against the Supreme Court who was against the removal of the Natives. Even though the Supreme Court won, Georgia as well as Jackson ignored it and forced the Natives out of Georgia to the present state of Oklahoma. Many died before they even got there. As to the National Bank issue, Jackson believed that it was a monopoly towards the upper class people and as a result refuse to recharter it. Jackson used one of his vetoes, and the Bank’s congressional supporters did not have enough votes to override him. The Bank ceased to exist when its charter expired in 1836, but even before that Jackson had weakened it considerably by withdrawing millions of dollars of federal funds. This later resulted in contributing to the Panic of 1837.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay

   Tragedy followed them: of their four children, only one lived very long. Then in 1822, aged just thirty, Mary’s husband drowned when on a cruise with her husband, his ship having capsized due to a summer storm. Mary’s life was effectively over: even though she lived for another thirty years, her flame never again burned as brightly as it had done in the company of her husband. She pursued to live as a professional writer until her death in 1851. Mary was constantly tormented in life by death and depression, which may have led her to write ‘Frankenstein’. Frankenstein is a book about man’s thirst for knowledge, about the way he is not satisfied unless he knows all the wonders of the world. In many cases, this can lead to the destruction of a man’s soul, as it did to Victor Frankenstein. His quest to learn the secrets of heaven and earth ended in disaster. The monster was the embodiment of evil, bringing death and destruction wherever it laid foot. It brought death to Frankenstein’s family, in a pure quest for revenge. Symbolic of most evil, the monster was manmade. In many ways Mary Shelley’s life can be compared to that of Victor Frankenstein’s. Mary must have felt that wherever she went, evil followed, as those closest to her were snatched away. She portrayed this in Frankenstein as Victor’s family was destroyed by the monster, symbolic of the evil she felt followed her. Mary’s marriage is also represented in Frankenstein. Mary’s marriage to Percy Shelley was the happiest time of her life before he was killed. In the same way, Victor’s marriage to Elizabeth was the only joy he had felt in a long time, when just as suddenly she was murdered by the monster, again symbolising the evil that Mary felt killed her husband. Mary also describes very vividly the pain that Victor felt, leading us to believe that she must have felt the same pain and agony. She reveals this in many situations such as the quotes, ‘the overflowing misery I now felt, and the excess of agitation that I endured rendered me incapable of any exertion’ and, ‘a fiend had snatched from me every chance of future happiness; no creature had ever been so miserable as I was’. The ending of the story was that the death of Victor Frankenstein led the monster to believe that his work was done, and so the monster burned himself to death. The creation had ironically led to the death of the creator. Mary believed that in the event of a man’s demise, the evil inside him dies as well. Frankenstein contains a sad ending, with the destruction of a whole family due to a man’s insatiable quest for knowledge. Mary’s life also consisted of a sad ending, in which she was never as happy as she was when with her husband. She died a lonely death, without her loved ones surrounding her, the same fate shared by Victor Frankenstein. The monster in Frankenstein can be compared to the beast in Lord of the Flies. There are both similarities and differences. In both novels, the idea of a monster/beast represents the pure manifestation of evil. Mutually they lead to the destruction and death of those around them. They are equally spawned from the mind and hands of humans. They both originally spring from the minds of humans. To explain, in Lord of the Flies is the imagination of the boys representing evil, and in Frankenstein it is Victor’s wild imagination and thirst for intellect that leads to the creation of the monster. However, this can also be viewed as a particular dissimilarity. In Frankenstein, the monster is bodily real and physically inflicts harm on Victor’s family. However in Lord of the Flies the beast is just as deadly and evil, but is inside the children’s minds. William Golding was born in Cornwall in 1911. His family was progressive and it was the first source of influence for Golding’s talent. He studied physics and English literature at Marlboro and Oxford University of England. From the first years of his life, he faced the atrocities of war. Fuelled with stories his parents related to him about the first war, he took part in the second great war by joining the British Navy at 1940. After the war, William became a teacher at a boys school in Salisbury. Here, he started to act as a writer. He observed many children in their natural environment, and must have witnessed the negative side of a child’s nature countless number of times. This led him to write Lord Of The Flies which was his first published book. William Golding lived through the two biggest wars in history. During his time in the Navy, he had a constant reminder of the evil and brutality in the hearts of men. He saw countless lives lost around him, some belonging to his friends. It had been revealed to him that the pure evil inside a man can start world wars. This, along with his teaching experiences, was his incentive to write Lord Of The Flies. After surviving the war, he saw during his teaching that children were not bereft of evil either. Combining these two topics he wrote Lord Of The Flies, the conflict between humanity’s innate barbarism and the civilizing influence of reason. In the book, he portrays Jack as the embodiment of evil. It is Jack’s thirst for power that causes the breakdown of civilisation. In this way, Jack can be compared to Hitler. Jack did not want to stop murdering until the whole of Ralph’s group were killed. In the same way, Hitler did not want to stop until the world was rid of Jews. Jack’s tribe wore face paint whereas Hitler and the Nazis wore the sign of the Swastika on their arms. Jack is aided in his quest of destruction by Roger, who can be compared to the Nazis. Roger also represents pure evil and wrongness, moreso even than Jack. He derived sadistic pleasure from torturing pigs and the other boys on the island. Similarly, the Nazis tortured the Jews from which they obtained a sick sense of fulfilment. Roger is one of Jack’s most loyal helpers, and gladly carries out his orders, in the same manner the Nazis obeyed Hitler. The ending of the novel can be interpreted in two different ways. The first would be to interpret that William Golding does actually have a positive outlook on life and believes that the end of life will be a happy one. This can be portrayed as the naval officer who has come to end the evil and escape the boys from the clutches of death, and thus the arrival of authority seems like a happy and ironic ending. However if one digs deeper it is just a continuation from one war to another. Once all the boys get on the Navy cruiser, they’ll most likely just be subjected to more battle and fighting, this time on a worldwide level, due to the war taking place in the outside world. To conclude, the common theme in both novels was the evil in man. Both authors had their own experiences that led them to believe that evil resides amongst all of us. They both took their experiences and portrayed them in novels filled with symbolism. Mary Shelley believed that evil is constantly around us, and that no-one can escape. She believed that man has an evil inside of him so powerful that it can lead to the destruction of his own soul. William Golding’s understanding was that every man is born with evil inside him. He didn’t believe in man’s innocence after the second world war. He found that even children are not innocent, saying, ‘No one is innocent until the society and the way of his life make him to pretend that he’s innocent. But sometimes, when a man is facing a difficult situation then he will probably show his other nature, the dark and guilty nature. ‘ Shyam Kanabar Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Quotation Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Quotation Analysis - Assignment Example Therefore, competitive professionals that include artists and athletes are needed to endure pressure and pain to attain professional excellence. It expresses the belief that for one to develop solid large muscles they need to train and constantly suffer sore muscles. This idiom has also been used in the field of education to encourage the poorly performing students to press on and work harder despite the challenges they face. It is through hard work that they will be assured of better results (Wimmer, 96). Therefore, the phrase â€Å"No pain, No gain† means that God rewards those who work hard. In life nothing comes the easy way instead one has to work for it. If anyone desires to be successful and enjoy a brighter future, he must be ready to endure the challenges and problems that come along the way. For example, in education if a student desires to have good results and better grades he or she must be ready to sacrifice so many things, put in more time and work extra

A Business Proposal for J. R Creative, a Web Design firm Dissertation

A Business Proposal for J. R Creative, a Web Design firm - Dissertation Example Give our experience in commercial web development and business-to-business sales; we are quite sure that we will offer a unique and quality service to small business operators compared to our competitors in the market. With most firms, including the small services wanting to have an online presence, the demand for web design and development has gone up and there are no signs of that demand going down soon. Having a fully functional and professional website is nowadays a competitive advantage on the business owners. Even more interesting and enterprising, is an ecommerce website through which the business can advertise and sell its merchandise. Notably, very few companies in Newcastle have taken advantage of this business niche, as there are no dominating participants in this huge market. One of the possible reasons for this untapped market might be due to the expensive project costs. The highest profit margins in website designs are in servicing large and medium sized corporations. B y developing a system to cut costs will allow J.R Creative to design and develop websites as larger companies at very low costs to our clients. This plan is aimed at looking at the market analysis and J.R Creative’s financial plan. ... is will entail professional catch web designs that display the products and services offered by the firm, their missions and objectives and their contact details. J. R Creative will market its services to the small entities as a step by step process, first starting out with a small, simple websites, then gradually up scaling and adding more features to the site. Later on the website can become a fully-fledged ecommerce trading platform. Despite the fact that we want to bring on board many clients who simply need an online presence and probably nothing more, our main focus or area of interest will be on clients who are keen on implementing a large percentage of their company onto the internet. Traditionally, these types of clients will need the following services: Database driven websites Ecommerce trading platform e.g. a shopping cart Dynamic website content and features Aggressive online market Social bookmarks like Facebook, Twitter and many more Target Market Segment J.R Creative will focus on attracting small businesses. The market segment of web design is made up of small firms, large firms and individuals who may want to have personal websites to blog and update their information. Since J.R Creative is a small start-up, it may not be able to provide services that large firms and corporations need. Large firms usually need large database driven websites which need to be maintained every day, a service we may not be able to provide. There is simply low amount of services available for this market which has such a huge demand. Businesses have been picking up in Newcastle, which is attributable to favourable economic conditions in the United Kingdom and the European Union. In addition to the vibrant supply and demand ratio, it is technically easier to less costly to