Economic and Social Problems in the Tampa City

Competitive Advantage Essays

Competitive Advantage Essays Competitive Advantage Essay Competitive Advantage Essay Identify Your Competitive Advantage Introduction The Cheesecake Factory became a dream in the 1940s for Evelyn and Oscar Overton. Always known as an excellent cook, Evelyn created her Original Cheesecake recipe that everyone loved. By the late 1940s, she opened a small cheesecake shop in Detroit(TCF Co. LLC. ). In 1972, with their children grown, Evelyn and Oscar, now in their early 50s, decided to move their cheesecake business to Los Angeles. With the last of their savings, they opened a 700 square foot store, The Cheesecake Factory (TCF Co. LLC. ). SWOT Analysis, Situation analysis in which internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization, and external opportunities and threats faced by it are closely examined to chart a strategy (WebFinance, Inc. ). In this document I will be explaining the strengths and weaknesses of, The Cheesecake Factory using a SWOT. This will be done by data that was researched from an existing document and my own thoughts. Also I will advise a way to utilize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. There are several strengths and weaknesses that will be ouch on in this document. The strengths that is present to me; Extensive menu and bakery product offering (Group 7) Leveraging IT increasing operating efficiency (Group 7) Strong name, popularity mainly on North American Market (Group 7) Good advertisement methods (Group 7) The weaknesses that is present to me; Lack of international expansion compared to the other global brands (Group 7) Relatively small scale of operations (Group 7) The menu that The Cheesecake Factory, has to offer has over 200 menu selections for customers to choose from. To have so much to offer to the customer is great. Not only do they have a variety of items to offer they have signature cheesecakes and specialty desserts to offer as well. We will gladly honor requests to modify your order to suit specific health or dietary needs (TCF Co. LLC. ). The restaurant also notices the needs for customers with health problems and for the customers that are eating healthy. Adding value to each type of customer shows that they care about their customers. The use of the internet to sell products that you have to offer increases sales and dds a whole new aspect to the business. By offering an online menu to the customer the restaurant is hitting each aspect of the customer. For those that want one of the legendary cheesecakes that the restaurant has to offer they can get one online. This allows the customers that do not have the transportation to get to the restaurant can bring the restaurant to them. The use of information technology for advertisement is great for a business. It also allows for the customer to learn more about the restaurant and its roots. Also it allows the customer to keep up with the changes of he restaurant and allow them to learn about what the restaurant is doing behind the scenes with their involvement in the community and charities. Again this shows the customer that they care. Finding that Los Angeles loved their cheesecakes as much as Detroit, their reputation and sales grew, creating a need for a larger bakery. 1975 marked the beginning of the most creative and productive period of their business endeavors (TCF Co. LLC. ). The hard work and focus of the Overtons paved the way for the future of the restaurant. In 1978, their son David founded The Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California (TCF Co. LLC. ). In the present The Cheesecake Factory have over 160 locations. Their name became popular and known for the cheesecakes. Evelyn created over 20 varieties of her delicious cheesecakes and other fantastic desserts, which were sold to hundreds of wholesale accounts (TCF Co. LLC. ). From experienc e the cheesecakes are great and the food at the restaurant is awesome. My first time eating at the restaurant was a great experience which prompted me to tell my friends and family about it. The service as great and the staff was pleasant. The environment was calm and very relaxing which to me made a great setting for a nice dinner. I taste the freshness in the food that was prepared. With the use of the internet and customers like me the restaurant name became known. The products and services that the restaurant offers to its customers is what made the restaurant so popular across the, United States. Adding value to their customers the way they do is what keeps the restaurant going and remain loyal to their customers. Although, The Cheesecake Factory has several trengths it also has its weaknesses. One weakness that is present is the lack of international expansion compare to its competitors. The Cheesecake Factory is well known throughout North America. There are no restaurants abroad which leave for a small scale of operations. By branching into the new environments will allow the restaurant to gain new customers and possibly new items on the menu as well. Also this will allow the restaurant to create another level to their current operations to which will help manage the change, implementation, and transition to the new nvironment. The business is continuing to build in North America and has plans to build restaurants abroad. We currently have two licensing agreements in place for the Middle East and Latin America. The Middle East agreement provides for the development of 22 restaurants in five countries United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opportunity to expand the agreement to include other markets in the Middle East and North Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Turkey (TCF Co. LLC. ). I believe that this is a great move or The Cheesecake Factory to make. I also believe that with their popularity in North America that they will be a success abroad. By keeping their strengths, values, and implement them abroad will help them with their success. Conclusion The Cheesecake Factory has a great foundation. It started with a dream and came to reality. The strengths that the business gained over the years, the value that it has for the customers and the community weighs heavy in the success of the business and its future. By using its strength and minimizing its weaknesses, the restaurant/ usiness can be even more successful in the future. References Group 7 Chad Baker, Alena Olvecka, Edward Pasqualini,Barbora Volenticova, Lindsay Winkler, (2010), Marketing Plan: The Cheesecake Factory. Retrieved from http:// lindsaykwinkler. weebly. com/uploads/9/5/O/6/9506544/ marketing_plan_for_the_cheesecake_factory. pdf TCF Co. LLC. , (2002-2013), TheCheesecakeFactory. Retrieved from thecheesecakefactory. com/aboutus/ourstory/ourstory WebFinance, Inc. , (2013), businessdictionary. Retrieved from businessdictionary. com/definition/SWOT-analysis. html

Human resource development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human resource development - Assignment Example Human resource development (HRD) serves the requirement of an organization to provide employees with latest knowledge. Present business environment needs HRD not merely to assist the business strategies but to form the business strategies. Present business environment needs HRD not merely to assist the business strategies but to form the business strategies. HRD plays a strategic part by assuring the proficiency of employees to fulfil the company’s performance needs. The formation of strategies is vital in the corporate performance for almost every successful organisation (Torraco & Swanson, 1995). The report will describe the major components of implementing HRD in a medium-sized service company named ABC Ltd. as well as the conditions that facilitate the implementation of HRD. Components of HRD In the HRD system of ABC Ltd. there will be three major components which are training, education and development. Pareek and Rao (2006) had reformed the components of integrated HRD o f an organization. He described ‘HRD as a process’, rather than set of methods and practices (Pareek & Rao, 2006). In the HRD system of ABC Ltd. there will be three major components which are training, education and development. Pareek and Rao (2006) had reformed the components of integrated HRD of an organization. He described ‘HRD as a process’, rather than set of methods and practices (Pareek & Rao, 2006). Based on his point of view the strategically integrated HRD system will include: Performance appraisal Feedback and performance education Training and development Career planning Worker welfare and working condition Compensation and rewards Organizational and system development Human Resource Information (Jain, 1996) All these instruments are used to instigate, facilitate and encourage the HRD procedure in an incessant approach. The compensation, worker welfare and good working conditions are fundamental components of HRD to ensure a friendly atmospher e in an organization for implementation of strategic HRD. Performance appraisal, training and development, career planning and feedback are motivator components of strategic HRD which help to make the strategic HRD to become successful. The fundamental components of HRD might not assist in the success of HRD but absence of these components can adversely impact on the development plan (Kandula, 2004). Training Cycle (Systematic Approach) Training is a logical improvement of the knowledge, proficiency and approach which is needed by an individual to carry out effectively a given task. The purpose of training is to improve the capabilities of the individual and to fulfil present and future manpower requirements of the company. The systematic approach to training is a kind of tactic for managing training programs. It is an organized reasonable approach to make people understand what is needed from them in a task or profession. The systematic approach of training guarantees that employee s are ready for their jobs by possessing requisite knowledge, talents and approaches (Dhawan, n.d.). For conducting training in ABC Ltd. there are several phases which are described below: Source: (UNODC, 2011). Step 1: Organization’s Objectives: Firstly, the objectives of the organization and needs and the methods by which the organization’s objectives will be fulfilled is recognized by a variety of jobs which the organization provides. Step 2: Investigating Training Needs: The training requirement of ABC Ltd. will be identified after establishing the organizational objectives. If the training needs are not identified then the training will be unable to achieve its desired objectives. For identification of the training needs the following things could be done: Examine the knowledge, talent, and performance which are needed for the job in the organization

Critical analysis of SECI Model of knowledge creation Essay

Critical analysis of SECI Model of knowledge creation - Essay Example Along with that, different types of strategies practiced by the team members to manage knowledge both within and outside the organization departments. Knowledge creation and sharing is essential for success in any organizational growth and development. Many organizations are now managing knowledge in innovative ways to increase productivity (Nonaka, 1990). As proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi, the SECI model is an exclusively influential model in the management of knowledge in communities and organization, just like its inventors constantly claim of its collective legitimacy. On the other hand, some contemporary literatures defy their judgment. This paper aims to critically analyse the effectiveness of the SECI Model of knowledge creation while continuing the discussion and exploring the limits of its applicability. Ikujiro Nonaka has been a great contributor to the SECI model of knowledge creation. He explained the various concepts of knowledge, both explicit and tacit. He focused on the way many western firms relied on the explicit knowledge concept. He partnered with Takeuchi and together they developed a SECI model that would go on to be an important aspect of knowledge creation. Initially, Nonaka (1994) proposed a two dimensional theory referring to creating knowledge. The establishment of social interaction became the first or epistemological dimension between tacit and explicit knowledge. In this case, individuals convert the original knowledge into various types, hence coming up with new knowledge. Conclusively, the author identified four different types of converting knowledge (Figure 1). These take account of Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization, which describes tacit to tacit; tacit to explicit; explicit to explicit, and explicit to tacit knowledge convers ion respectively. However, the

The African American Term. Or Discrimination Essay

The African American Term. Or Discrimination - Essay Example His demand that he should be considered an African-American because he is an African and an American citizen sounds genuine at first glace. But Swarn reveals the issues related to such a proposition from the perspective of those who oppose it. The fact that Colin Powell, the son of Jamaican parents, and Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan father and an African mother, have reached the pinnacles of US politics explains how the African immigrants have become an integral part of the black community. However, it remains to be seen whether the essentialist African-Americans would identify with them in all spheres. Mr. Alan Keyes, Obama’s Republican challenger for the Senate seat in Illinois had questioned Obama’s claim to be an African-American, stating that he lacks the consciousness that was formed by a heritage of slavery that the ancestors of African-Americans had gone through. Though Obama and Powell prefer to call themselves African-American, many of the children of Afri can Immigrants just prefer the term African, or Jamaican-African or Nigerian-African, depending on the places of their origin. Some others prefer the more generic term ‘black’ for their identity. Bobby Austin, who opposes the African immigrants being integrated to the category of African-Americans, explains that some people feared that â€Å"black immigrants and their children would snatch up the hard-won opportunities made possible by the civil rights movement†. Several surveys support this view, indicating that the children of black immigrants are making use of educational and employment opportunities in a greater number than African-Americans. Dr.Austin affirms that the suffering of the African-Americans that have lasted many decades is not at alleviated with the help of the civil rights movement, because the black immigrants pose a threat and hindrance to their social and cultural development. Mr. Obama’s view is that the African

Prevalence Of Haemonchus Contortus Biology Essay

Prevalence Of Haemonchus Contortus Biology Essay Some house holds in cities depend on livestock keeping as a source of livelihood. Most urban farmers have resorted to keeping animals which require less space for example small ruminants since land in urban areas is a scarce resource. Uganda has a total of 5.2 million goats according to a report by the Uganda bureau of statistics. In mukono district, 2.9% of the agricultural households rear sheep and the total number of sheep reared is 4,530. Out of 100 households,44.22 of them rear 1 sheep, 47.99 rear 2-4 sheep, 5.78 rear 5-9 sheep, 1.55 rear 10-19 sheep, 0.42 rear 20-49 sheep and 0.04 rear 50-99 sheep.(UBOS report). 19.5% of the agricultural households rear goats and the total number of goats reared are 59,598. out of every 100 households,30.58 rear 1 goat, 57.85 rear 2-4 goats, 9.83 rear 5-9 goats, 1.38 rear10-19 goats, 0.28 rear 20-49 goats and 0.08 rear 50-99 goats .(UBOS report). Goats and sheep have numerous helminthes parasites, many of which are shared by both species. The most important include nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms), and trematodes (flukes). 1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT In Mukono abattoir the prevalence of Haemonchus contortus  (barber pole worm) in the goats and sheep slaughtered is not known yet these parasites affect the quality of meat. These parasites cause diseases and lead to emaciation of the animals thus affecting the quality of the meat. The parasites also cause economic loss to the farmers since an animal in poor health condition will fetch a small amount of money. 1.2 JUSTIFICATION Because Haemonchus contortus  (barber pole worms) cause diseases in goats and sheep, in order to effectively control these diseases it is of utmost importance to have a record on the prevalence of the parasite. Surveys in abattoirs are an excellent means of knowing the causes of prevalent ruminant diseases in an area. (Adoun., 2012) 1.3 OBJECTIVES 1.3.1 OVERALL OBJECTIVE To establish the prevalence Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worms) in goats and sheep slaughtered in the abattoir and how it can be controlled. 1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To know the prevalence of barber pole worms in goats To know the prevalence of barber pole worms in sheep 1.4 HYPOTHESIS The prevalence of Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worms) in goats and sheep in mukono abattoir is not high. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worms) in goats and sheep Gastrointestinal nematodes, commonly known as worms, present the greatest danger to the goat and industry .Haemonchus contortus, commonly referred to as the barber pole worm, is a clinical problem for goats sheep. (Maria Lenira Leite., 2006) It gets its name due to the barber pole appearance consisting of the white ovaries that twist around the red blood filled gut.( Jim Miller  .,2000) Haemonchus contortus  is cylindrically shaped, tapered at both ends, and has a complete digestive system. This voracious bloodsucking parasite causes anaemia and bottle jaw and has a tremendous capacity to reproduce through egg-laying. (Lynn Pezzanite et al.,) The larvae and the adults cause small haemorrhages at sites of the abomasal mucosa where they feed. The ingesta may be reddish brown and fluid. Worms may either be attached to the mucosa or free in the lumen. (Love and Hutchinson.,2003) Anemia, low packed cell volume (PCV), diarrhea, dehydration, peripheral, and internal fluid accumulation are common signs of barber pole worm infestation. Infested goats and sheep have lower growth rates, reduced reproductive performance, and are susceptible to diseases that eventually lead to death.  Haemonchus contortus  may consequently account for a great reduction of profits in small ruminant operation. (Maria Lenira Leite., 2006) 2.2 Distribution the occurrence and prevalence of barber pole worms is determined by the climatic conditions of the area. The development of eggs and larvae is limited to areas and seasons where pastures are moist during the warm months of the year. However, the larvae can survive on pasture for some time, particularly during cool conditions, and can affect sheep outside the favorable periods for development. (Dr Brown Besier., 2011) 2.3 Factors that contribute to barber pole worm infestation in goats Environment with high temperatures, humidity, and rainfall Genetic make-up of goats makes them highly susceptible Resistance to anthelmintics as a result of excessive usage 2.4 Life cycle The worms occur in the abomasum or fourth stomach of sheep and goats. They are up to 3 cm long. The life cycle is typical of roundworms of sheep. Adult worms lay about 5000 eggs which pass out in the faeces of the host. Barbers pole worms are the highest egg producers of all sheep worms. The eggs hatch within a few days, and microscopic larvae emerge. They migrate on to the pasture, where they may be ingested with the herbage grazed by sheep. In the sheeps gut, larvae develop to adult worms in about three weeks. (Dr Brown Besier., 2011) If the worm enters the survival stage of arrested development, it could survive for months. Arrested development involves the larvae remaining in the abomasums of the animal without maturing until months afterwards. This allows the worm to survive the winter months when the egg and larvae do not thrive well on the ground. The survivability of the free-living stage of H. contortus is short; in fact, most infective larvae vanish from the pasture within 4-6 weeks in a wet tropical environment (Waller, 2004). 2.5 Signs of the barber pole worm infestation in goats and sheep Diarrhea Dehydration Unthrift appearance, rough hair coat, depression, low energy, and lethargy. Significantly reduced growth and reproductive performance Fluid accumulation in sub-mandibular tissues (bottle jaw), abdomen, thoracic cavity, and gut wall Blood loss, white mucous membranes, and anemia. (Maria Lenira Leite., 2006) 2.6 Effects of barber pole infestation in goats and sheep Haemonchus  suck blood from the lining of the stomach, causing anaemia. Animals with heavy infections of  Haemonchus  lack stamina, have pale gums and conjunctiva, and may also have bottle-jaw or constipation. Sheep and goats with lighter burdens have a gradual onset of weight loss and loss of colour in the gums and conjunctiva If present in large numbers,  Haemochus  can kill goats and sheep. In these animals large, red masses of worms are clearly visible in the stomach. The stomach contents are often brown because of bleeding from the stomach lining and the lining has pin-point blood spots on it. The blood of the goats and sheep is watery due to anaemia. In animals with lighter infections worms are present in the stomach, but the lining of the stomach looks normal. 2.7 Risk factors for Haemonchosis in goats and sheep The likelihood of haemonchosis outbreaks is extremely difficult to predict, and varies from one year to the next. (Dr Brown Besier., 2011) The risk factors include; 2.7.1 History of occurrence The best guide to the likelihood of an outbreak is the previous history of haemonchosis on the individual farm or in the district, and how this varies with seasonal conditions. 2.7.2 Weather and season Barbers pole worm larvae need warm conditions and moisture on the ground to develop. The risk of haemonchosis outbreaks is increased in tropical weathers. 2.7.3 Pastures Barbers pole worm can survive where pasture remains green over summer. Typical situations include perennial pastures and areas of moisture along creeks and around troughs and seepage points. Irrigated pastures pose an especially high risk. 2.7.4 Type of animal Sheep and goats with a low or impaired immunity to worms have a greater risk of haemonchosis. This includes lambs and kids for two to three months after lambing. (Dr Brown Besier., 2011) 2.8 Management practices that can be used to control barber pole populations in goats and sheep Avoid grazing goats and sheep on less than 3 inches of pasture canopy. Larvae are unable to climb higher than this on the grass and thus will not be ingested. Increase use of browse in grazing systems. Parasite larvae cannot climb up onto browse so goats dont ingest them. Rotate species on pastures. For example graze cattle or horses behind goats and sheep. Because parasites are species specific, when a cow or horse ingests a goat parasite it simply dies without causing damage. Do not feed on the ground. Elevated feeders help to eliminate fecal contamination and thus parasite transmission. Make sure that water and mineral sources are not contaminated with feces. Allow pastures to rest for at least one year before allowing animals back on them. Larvae will have a hard time surviving that long without a host and therefore the pasture will be relatively worm-free. Utilize annual forages in your pasture systems and till the ground between crops. The act of plowing tends to kill or disrupt the larvae and eggs, reducing transmission. Additionally, annual forages tend to do best when grazed at higher levels (4 to 6 inches of canopy). (Jackie Nix., 2006) Control programmes for Haemonchus contortus in goats and sheep Prevention, rather than cure, is the philosophy used in developing control programs against gastrointestinal nematodes. It must be assumed that worms cannot be eradicated but may be limited to the extent that they will not cause serious economic loss to the producer. A combination of treatment and management are necessary to achieve control. Several approaches to the use of anthelmintics are considered. (Thomas M. Craig., 1999) Strategic The strategic approach is the use of an anthelmintic at a time when most of the total worm population is within the host and not on the pasture. This approach can be used when the animals are moved from a contaminated pasture to a nearly parasite free pasture. Tactical When weather conditions have been favorable for the transmission of, eliminating worms from the gastrointestinal tract before they have the opportunity to reproduce and further contaminate the environment is a tactical approach. The timing of tactical deworming may be based on recent rain or it may be based on increasing fecal egg counts. Individual Treatment of wormy individuals may prove to be a worthwhile endeavor especially where resistance to anthelmintics is widespread. Individuals in a flock will have a higher egg excretion count than the average. This over-distribution of the parasite population can be lessened by the selective treatment of wormy individuals or by the removal of these individuals from the flock. Salvage Salvage (treatment to save lives, not control parasites) is why anthelmintics are frequently used in small ruminants. This is treatment in the face of disease; the animals are frequently anemic, have bottle jaw or diarrhea due to the effects of worms. Whatever the case, animals may be in desperate straits and even if they have the genetic ability to resist worms, they will be overwhelmed. Although anthelmintics may remove thousands of worms from each of the treated animals, the pastures from which they came have billions of larvae awaiting ingestion. Under these circumstances, treatments at 2 to 3 week intervals may have to be practiced until weather conditions are no longer favorable for transmission. Pasture Rotation Pasture rotation may decrease parasite numbers in deferred grazing systems where a pasture is rested for at least 6 months during the cool or 3 months during the warm part of the year. (Thomas M. Craig., 1999) Small ruminant production in Uganda There are about 400 million goats in the world, with Africa accounting for 67%. In East Africa, Kenya has a goat population of 6.4 million, Tanzania 4.3 million and Uganda 3.9 million. One method of increasing the number of goats and sheep is to select for twinning traits within a population. The twinning rate of East African goats is 30% and triplets occur at the frequency of 2%. Goats have a unique feeding characteristic of browsing which accounts for 60% while the grazing preference is only 40%. Goats and sheep make an important contribution to the subsistence subsector of the economy of Uganda and, indeed, of many countries in Africa. Over one million goats and sheep are slaughtered and consumed annually for meat. The skins contribute substantially to foreign exchange earnings as well as permitting import substitution for use in the local tannery and leather craft industry of Uganda. Locally the skins are used extensively in traditional techno culture. They are used notably in the making of mats, covering handles of tools (knives, dancing costumes, ropes, drums and shields) and covering ornamental articles. Footwear, strings and specific musical instruments are also made from skins. Exotic goats of the Toggenburg and Anglo-Nubian breeds were imported to Uganda for cross-breeding with local goats with a view to enhancing milk yield and meat production in the offspring. In the early 1960s exotic wool sheep were introduced into Uganda and were bred on Government farms with the objective of assessing their ability to survive, reproduce and produce wool and meat in Ugandas climatic, technical and management environment. Exotic sheep, goats and their crosses with indigenous stock are more susceptible to helminth infection than the local breeds. Therefore every care should be taken to institute an effective regime of preventive measures comprising adequate rotational systems of grazing coupled with strategic prophylactic cover and all reinforced by regular chemotherapeutic preventive treatments. (Nsubuga) Breeds of goats In Uganda there are three distinct breeds of goat reared for meat production. The commonest type is the smallest of the three and can be described as the Small East African (SEA). Its mature live weight is 20-25 kg. It occurs extensively in northern and eastern short savannah ecological areas and the drier areas of Buganda in the northern parts of Luwero and Mukono districts (Buruli, Bulemezi and Bugerere). The second type is described as the Mubende goat. This is a large animal of 30-35 kg live weight. It is renowned for its popular skin on the international market. The skin is called Kampala skin in trade circles. This breed is concentrated in the Mubende District. The third type falls in between the first two in live weight, 25-30 kg. Its typical ecological niche is in Kabale, Kisoro and Rukungiri in Kigezi District. It is referred to as the Kigezi goat. (Nsubuga) CHAPTER THREE 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 3.1 Study area Mukono abattoir is located in Kyetume Mukono district. 3.2 Study Population and Sampling Technique: The study populations will be sheep and goats of different ages and body conditions brought from different parts of the country to the abattoir for the purpose of meat production. Simple random sampling method will be used to select the study units. (Sintayehu and Mekonnen., 2012 3.3 Study Type and Sample Size Determination: A cross sectional study will be used to determine the prevalence of Haemonchus contortus infestation in sheep and goats slaughtered at Mukono abattoir in 2012. To calculate the total sample size, the following parameters will be used: 95% level of confidence (CL), 5% desired level of precision and with the assumption of 50% expected prevalence of barber pole worms, the sample size will be determined using the formula given in Thrusfield. n =1.96 Pexp (1-Pexp) d2 n = required sample size Pexp = expected prevalence, d = desired absolute precision Therefore, based on the above formula the total number of sheep and goats will be calculated. (Sintayehu and Mekonnen., 2012) 3.4 Study Methodology 3.4.1 Study animals The study will be carried out on 400 sheep and adult goats of four breeds from various regions of mukono district. (Gorski et al., 2004) 3.4.2 Post Mortem Examination: The abomasum of slaughtered animals which will be selected to be sampled will be inspected for the presence of barber pole worms. (Sintayehu and Mekonnen., 2012) 3.5 Data Analysis: Percentages to measure prevalence and Chi-Square (x2) test will be employed to measure association between the parasitism and species of the animals, age, origin and body condition. The worms will be estimated as mean number of worms with respective standard deviation of mean and range (Maximum- Minimum worm) in each species. The data will be analyzed using statistical packages MINTAB software Version 16 and SPSS for windows. In all analyses, Confidence level will be held at 95 % and P

Description and Perception Essay -- essays research papers

A gesture of truth or deceit   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the following paper I will be describing the small moment in time when the presidential candidate finishes his elaborate speech and waves his hand to the crowd at his campaign’s convention. I will be trying to insinuate a feeling of truth and prosperity in the candidate’s gestures and appearance. The second impression will introduce a mood of dictatorship and deceitfulness about the candidate from his same gestures and appearance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a feeling or truthfulness and prosperity in the presidential candidate’s gestures and appearance as he waves to the mass of people at the convention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pressure is building in the several hundred freedom loving Americans as their beloved party leader rallies the masses with his carefully prepared speech. His final words are a sweet sounding melody of authenticity and prosperity. The crowd erupts as the candidate waves firmly to them; the fingers on his hand outstretched supplement the confidence in his cause that he so boldly spoke of. His hand is waving to the whole crowd, seemingly covering everyone with an aura of certainty. The proud patriotic image of the waving American flag behind him compliments the rhythm of his gestures. He now raises his second hand in a feeling of complete and utter sureness that he is on the right path and that the voters in the upcoming months can rest assured that this is an infallible man. He is like the conductor of a dynamic symphony with instruments of cheering, smiling, and chanting. The waving filled me with the same confidence that many of this nation’s former lea ders had in leading our country to prosperity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I looked past the outstretched arms and onto the face of the political demigod and gazed upon his face. Never had I seen a more enduring smile in a presidential candidate, a steady and large smile, but at the same time not an overbearing smile that ensued a sense of counterfeit like in many past candidates. The same lips that produced such an unwavering smile could not possibly produce misleading lies. The huge round eyes with their eyelids very distinctly separated amongst all the bright lights was unequivocally the most definitive beacon of truth in his appearance. There was no twitching in his pupils, just a gaze as steady a... ...ed up to fool the public would have been futile with out the stare of his wide opened eyes upon the masses. His perfectly combed hair complements his flurry of movements and pours his sense of successful power upon everyone. The wrinkles on his face hidden by the layer of makeup used to make him more visually appealing to be the future president of this country. Every part of his physical appearance from his flaming eyes to his subtle lips and of his gesture of command from his waving hands exploits my naive nature into a trance of unquestionable concordance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The impression I was striving for in the first two descriptive paragraphs was for the reader to feel that the candidate’s character had truthfulness and prosperity. The second impression imposed on the reader was that the presidential candidate had dictatorship qualities and a deceitful nature. I wrote about the end of the candidate’s speech at the political convention because politics exists only because of the way people perceive things. There are many ways to perceive important political figures, but if everyone had the same perception on these people, then there would be no need for politics.

Mo Yan’s the Garlic Ballads: Saga of Suffering and Solitude Essay

They are, instead, people with their own shortcomings and prejudices, and by understanding that, Mo Yan shows the true power of an artist–rather than stoop for the easy message, he dives into the actuality of his characters to make them empathic and flawed, and allow us to root for them and cringe when we realize that they simply don’t have the wisdom to always act correctly. When it comes to the plight of the farmer and the destitute, Mo Yan has experience in spades. The Garlic Ballads tells the tale of a group of Chinese peasants whose lives are dependent upon selling their garlic crop; when harvests exceed governmental estimates, officials curb the amount of garlic that can be brought to market, setting off a violent chain of events. Against this backdrop, Mo weaves presents three stories: that of two lovers, which dominates the novel, as well as a familial conflict and the relationship between two friends. Howard Goldblatt’s translation is so good as to make the reader mistake this for an English novel; the prose is nearly flawless. Set in rural China, The Garlic Ballads explores the misfortune of ordinary Chinese farmers during the post revolutionary period. The very title which focuses on the word ‘Ballads’ reveals that it is a love story in particular spiced by magic realism. The harrowing experiences make the stuff of the novel. The small dramas of the Gao and Yang families, set against a slightly larger but nonetheless miniscule backdrop of rural corruption gets steadily deeper as it progresses, illuminating the paradoxes of modern China and the unchanging demands of love, family, and duty. There are also other heterogeneous elements – an arranged marriage, a botched directive from central agricultural planners, a drunk driver with government connections. All are woven into a coherent whole through the poetic vision of Mo Yan who easily peddles in realism. This novel which focuses on the aftermath of an uprising a tragic story which depicts both a very specific time and place and sheds light onto basic human truths. The people of Paradise County have been encouraged, if not ordered, to grow garlic, and so garlic has infused itself into every aspect of the people’s lives–their breath reeks of it, their celebrations tainted with it. But the governing officials of Paradise County are out to grab up every copper they can, and so out come the taxes for traveling the roads to the co-op warehouses, the penalties, the closures, and one day the garlic farmers have had enough and act out against the officials making their lives so full of hardship. The government retaliates, and Mo focuses on some of the victims. First, there is Gao Yang, who suffers enough with a blind daughter and a new son soon to be born, but he is beaten and brought to jail. One who escapes at first is Gao Ma, a former soldier who longs to marry Jinjun, whose family have agreed to marry her to someone else, but Gao Ma and Jinjun do not take the alternate marriage lightly, and trouble ensues from there. Jinjun’s mother, Fourth Aunt of the Fang family, is also sought after in the police hunt since she won’t stay quiet about her husband being run over by a government official, and the lives of these peasants intertwine through the courses of love and justice. The Fang family is cruel to both Jinjun and Gao Ma as they try to reject the lovers’ vow to be married, and Gao Yang suffers humiliation and torment from his cellmates. Fourthly we have the character of the Aunt who appears to be tyrannical at home, but in jail she becomes a different creature altogether. At times, she is bawdy and scatological, at other times heart-breaking and lyrical. Thus through the characters, Mo Yan gives us the entirety of the human spectrum in his novel. The main story in The Garlic Ballads details the tragic love story of Gao Ma and Fang Jinju. This story is told in parallel with the life of Gao Yang and some other stories. All are inter-related. The background is a Chinese village in the mid 1980s. The details make it frightfully real. The central focus in the book is however on an invasion and trashing by an angry mob of the local governmental offices. We do not see this event occur until the end of the book, yet it colors every moment in the lives of the Fang and Gao families of Paradise County. It is understandable that the Beijing government would suppress a novel that shows most of its local officials to be bloated satraps and its policement to be little better than thugs, applying cattle prods to their prisoners and beating them mercilessly. Equally villainous, however, are the Fang family, who force their daughter to marry an old man in a three-in-one arranged marriage that guarantees that their crippled eldest son also gets a bride. In a grisly scene, the marriage deal finally goes through after both the daughter and her fiance commit suicide: Their bodies are dug up, their remains are mixed together, and they are re-interred in a single coffin. The full picture of alternating hopelessness and rebellion emerges slowly and tragically, and the disparate elements weave together into an elegant and moving whole. The Swedish Academy which selects Mo as the recipient of the Nobel Prize praised his ‘hallucinatory realism’ saying that along with his other writings, Sorghum, The Big Breasts and Wide Hips, The Garlic Ballads ‘merges folk tales, history and the contemporary’. Mo in his writings mingled fantasy and reality, historical and social perspectives and thus created a world reminiscent in its complexity of those in the writings of William Faulkner and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Although Mo is the writer of eleven novels and a hundred of short stories, The Garlic Ballads seems to be his masterpiece. Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan – a pseudonym for Guan Moye; the pen name means â€Å"don’t speak† – grew up in Gaomi in Shandong province in north-eastern China. The cultural revolution forced him to leave school at 12, and he went to work in the fields, completing his education in the army. He writes about the peasantry, about life in the countryside, about people struggling to survive, struggling for their dignity, sometimes winning but most of the time losing . Arundhati Roy’s A God of small Things is graphic and captivating, but seen from that perspective, The Garlic Ballads is ten imes more so. The novel depicts simple people living in hard times, in very helpless circumstances. Basically there was no way out, and people could only console themselves that their lives were `fated’. â€Å"I think writers write for their consciences, they write for their own true audiences, for their souls,† Mo said in an interview with  China Daily. â€Å"No person writes to win awards. † Today the best reward in literature comes to him. In fact he is the first Chinese writer to win this reward in Literature. The Garlic Ballads seems to have gained prominence no less than Marquez’s 100 years of Solitude.

Free Essays on Gilgamesh Vs. Ovid

Epic of Gilgamesh and Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Comparing the great floods In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero of the flood is not the protagonist, but a god who had once been mortal. Utnapishtim sees all, knows all, and carries the secrets of life Gilgamesh wishes to seek out. Once Gilgamesh does reach Utnapishtim, he’s surprised to find that he’s very human in nature. In fact, he had been deified for surviving the flood sent by Enlil. The gods warned Utnapishtim of the waters that were to come at the hand of Enlil, and for a week he built with all his resources a boat that could withstand the torrents. This is one major difference with Ovid: some people had forewarning from Ea and they had time to build an ark. In Ovid’s version, the gods conceived a plan that all men were wicked and deserved to perish at their hands. Zeus sought to conquer their wicked indignations, and many of the gods wondered who would bring them sacrifices, however they all agreed that it was wrong of men to be so tainted with evil. In the Epic, Enlil act ed on his own accord, without further approval of the other gods. This is a second major difference between the two. Enlil also meant for no man to survive, and for no race to be conceivably be born again on earth, but by Ea’s salvation and foreboding, Utnapishtim and his family were spared by her divine graces. Zeus, on the other hand, had in mind that by â€Å"miraculous origin† a new race of men shall spawn, and Deucalion and Pyrrha were spared, the first man and woman of the new race of man because they were pious in their ways. The new race of men spawned in Ovid’s version came not from Deucalion and Pyrrha coming together, but throwing stones over their shoulders, a symbolic meaning that man came from the earth. The gods were sympathetic to the couple who were very much afraid, yet honored the gods in the temple. In the Epic, man came directly from the survivors from the flood, a... Free Essays on Gilgamesh Vs. Ovid Free Essays on Gilgamesh Vs. Ovid Epic of Gilgamesh and Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Comparing the great floods In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero of the flood is not the protagonist, but a god who had once been mortal. Utnapishtim sees all, knows all, and carries the secrets of life Gilgamesh wishes to seek out. Once Gilgamesh does reach Utnapishtim, he’s surprised to find that he’s very human in nature. In fact, he had been deified for surviving the flood sent by Enlil. The gods warned Utnapishtim of the waters that were to come at the hand of Enlil, and for a week he built with all his resources a boat that could withstand the torrents. This is one major difference with Ovid: some people had forewarning from Ea and they had time to build an ark. In Ovid’s version, the gods conceived a plan that all men were wicked and deserved to perish at their hands. Zeus sought to conquer their wicked indignations, and many of the gods wondered who would bring them sacrifices, however they all agreed that it was wrong of men to be so tainted with evil. In the Epic, Enlil act ed on his own accord, without further approval of the other gods. This is a second major difference between the two. Enlil also meant for no man to survive, and for no race to be conceivably be born again on earth, but by Ea’s salvation and foreboding, Utnapishtim and his family were spared by her divine graces. Zeus, on the other hand, had in mind that by â€Å"miraculous origin† a new race of men shall spawn, and Deucalion and Pyrrha were spared, the first man and woman of the new race of man because they were pious in their ways. The new race of men spawned in Ovid’s version came not from Deucalion and Pyrrha coming together, but throwing stones over their shoulders, a symbolic meaning that man came from the earth. The gods were sympathetic to the couple who were very much afraid, yet honored the gods in the temple. In the Epic, man came directly from the survivors from the flood, a...

Danny Masterson Loved on Television, Hated in Real Life Professor Ramos Blog

Danny Masterson Loved on Television, Hated in Real Life Growing up, I was obsessed with â€Å"That 70’s Show.† I was so obsessed that I remember wanting to leave school early everyday, so I could get home and watch it. My favorite character in the show was Steven Hyde, I thought everything he said on the show was hysterical. â€Å"Hyde† played the role as a funny, sarcastic teenager and seemed like a fun and loving guy in real life. He was the farthest thing from a fun, loving guy. Daniel Peter Masterson or â€Å"Danny† Masterson, is an American actor, Scientologist and Disc Jockey (a person who introduces and plays recorded popular music). Masterson landed his first role in the movie Beethoven’s Second, but we all know him as Steven Hyde on the television comedy, â€Å"That 70’s Show.† Danny also has a long history in the Church of Scientology, but most recently Masterson played a major role in the netflix show: ‘The Ranch’, playing Colt Bennett’s (Ashton Kutcherâ€℠¢s) brother Rooster Bennett. Danny was fired from the Netflix series after being accused of raping five women in the early 2000’s.   In December of last year, one of Mastersons alleged victims confronted Netflix’s executive producer, Andy Yeatman. Masterson denied any association with the woman and told her that Netflix wouldn’t believe her rape claims. The next day, Masterson was fired from Netflix. Masterson then hired lawyer Thomas Mesereau, the same lawyer Bill Cosby hired for a retrial of sexual assault charges in Pennsylvania. The news of the alleged incidents surfaced publicly in March 2017, when the Los Angeles Police Department started looking into reports of women claiming they were sexually assaulted by Masterson in the early 2000’s. Soon after he was fired, another one of his victims, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, told The Daily Beast that she believes â€Å"Netflix ought to be ashamed of their actions, We get it, You don’t believe us† and â€Å"You knew you had to fire him, but you did a bunch of reshoots so you can finish our rapist’s storyline up and give him a respectable send off† (Bixler). United Talent Agency (UTA), announced they will also no longer be working with Danny Masterson, the management company made the decision not to represent the star because of the accusations brought against him. Danny has also since been replaced on his latest hit show â€Å"The Ranch.† After being fired from â€Å"The Ranch,† Masterson released a statement saying â€Å"I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision†¦ I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this Country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all.† Just because Danny has not been officially charged with a crime, there is a sufficient amount of evidence against him. Five women accusing the same person of the same horrible actions does not seem like just a coincidence and should be a very important factor to consider when determining his guiltiness. All of the women involved with accusing Masterson are Scientologists or former Scientologists. The women had reported the incidents to the Church of Scientology which intervened with the women filing police reports. The Church of Scientology wanted to cover up what Danny had done to these women so they submitted over 50 affidavits denying the women’s allegations. Danny has denied all accusations as well, but the Los Angeles Police Department has conducted an on-going investigation on the actor. The events and intriguing evidence against Masterson and the allegations brought against him provide a solid foundation that he should be found guilty. Danny has claimed that the woman who are accusing him of rape, are only making these accusations for â€Å"personal gain† on the AE television series, ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’. The accusers have reportedly been involved in Scientology and they claim that the Church of Scientology pressured them to not contact authorities regarding Masterson sooner. One of the alleged victims, Bobbette Riales, said that the incidents involving Masterson occured in the middle of their six year relationship and many other times and she claims that at the time of these horrible events she was too afraid to say anything. In Scientology, reporting another Scientologist to law enforcement is considered a â€Å"suppressive act†. The church is known for attacking accusers and demanding that the members of the church take action against accusers. I think this had played a huge role in the girls waiting so long to finally speak up about what Danny had done to them . Some of the Scientology churches Masterson has been involved with have been investigated for human trafficking. All of these victims have had encounters with actress Leah Remini who is involved with the Scientology Celebrity Centre although Leah had nothing to do with the allegations. Remini used to be involved with Scientology and is now an Anti-Scientology Activist. Masterson’s first victim had apparently been drugged at an April 2003 party at Masterson’s house, another victim said Masterson got very violent with her after she had told him no multiple times, she then says she had also been drugged by Masterson. Another victim says â€Å"I said no like 50 times.† Masterson laughed over these allegations. Masterson is facing life in prison if found guilty of these charges, a person can be charged under penal code 667.61 for multiple rape charges and that means life behind bars. I hope Masterson comes to find that this is not a laughing matter and realizes what he has done to these women. Masterson’s accusers were â€Å"handled† by the Church of Scientology a fter trying to come forward about their stories. Remini has interviewed some of the women accusing Masterson on her show but was asked not to air it because of the on-going investigation against him.    You can argue both sides on this matter but with the countless claims and accusations along with the evidence against Masterson, I believe he will be found guilty of all charges he is facing and end up spending his life in prison, which he deserves. Although the Los Angeles DA is reportedly not ready to charge Masterson, there is adequate evidence against him. Masterson has not been charged with any of these crimes yet but once he goes to trial He will more than likely be found guilty. The Church of Scientology has kept these victims quiet for too long, Masterson would have been in prison already if it weren’t for the Church of Scientology trying to save his skin and cover up the horrific things he has done to these women. The truth will come out when Danny goes to trial and I believe he will finally pay for what he has done. Amy Zimmerman, â€Å"Danny Masterson’s Rape Accuesers slam Netflix over ‘The Ranch’ Return†, June 15 2018, Retreived from https://www.thedailybeast.com/danny-mastersons-rape-accusers-slam-netflix-over-the-ranch-return-you-rub-salt-in-our-wounds Stephanie Scholz, â€Å"Scientologists Taking Stand Against Discrimination†, article, Retreieved from https://www.standleague.org/bigotry-and-hate/stop-hate-dont-discriminate.html# Ryan Schwartz, TV Line, June 15 2018, Retreived from https://tvline.com/2018/06/15/danny-masterson-fired-the-ranch-rooster-bennett-leaving-explained-part-5/ Llana Kaplan, â€Å"Independent†, January 5 2018, Article, Retreived from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/danny-masterson-rape-allegations-dropped-management-uta-a8144006.html%3famp â€Å"The Underground Bunker†, Retreived from https://tonyortega.org/2018/02/14/prosecutors-prepare-charges-carrying-life-sentence-for-danny-masterson/ Yashar Ali, â€Å"Despite Overwhelming Evidnece Against Actor Danny Masterson, Case has been Stalled†, News Article November 2 2017, Retreived from https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_59fa8410e4b01b474048242a Danny Masterson Adresses Rape Charges, News article, Retreived from, https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danny-masterson/credits/146133/

Virtues a successful ruler has according to Machiavelli Essay

Virtues a successful ruler has according to Machiavelli - Essay Example The World Wars clearly illustrate the lengths that have been taken in a attempt to acquire power and fame. However, other social setting have been able to peaceful elect their leaders successful without any strife. A question is then raised on the different scenarios that lead to peace or war among the people. Philosophers went a step further to study the reasons behind the behavior of people leading them to act in a certain way and the mindset involved. Some of them focused on the politics of the people and especially their leaders who determined the political environment of their citizens. Machiavelli was one such individual who drew some conclusions on qualities that led to a successful ruler. We shall discuss his theories at a critical angle and justify his conclusions. Machiavelli was born at a time when the political situation of his time was filled with devious acts of tyranny and dictatorship. The leaders of his time including the Pope took over power by means of force and tr eachery without the slightest hint of apology to the people involved. The citizens took second place in their fight for supremacy and their welfare, including the prosperity of their countries was a dismissal subject. These events lead Machiavelli to look back at past leadership regimes and the impact of their rule on society. He gives an example of Cesare Borgia and states, ‘‘Cesare Borgia was accounted cruel; nevertheless, this cruelty of his reformed Romagna, brought it unity, and restored order and obedience†¦.’’1. It is clear from the quote that the philosopher was only trying to be reasonable in his approach to the situation at hand. He justified the means to the ultimate end as was core understanding of politics. As a politician himself, Machiavelli decided to resign from public office and write guidelines on successful qualities of leaders as he saw fit at the time. He begins by outlining that a ruler must possess the qualities of virtu and For tuna. By way of virtu, one is able to control the status of his leadership and assert himself among his people. This was not the traditional virtuous way of leading, but an unconventional stand in which one uses any means possible to establish their rule. Such means are at times violent and harmful to the people but they sometimes arrived at the desired results as was initially intended. Andrew in his book writes, ‘As such, when he talks about â€Å"virtue,† he tends to mean, not moral goodness or Christian piety, but skill required to keep control of one’s kingdom.’2 He goes ahead to explain that the functionality of the two factors go hand in hand with each other thus one has to be able to prepare for future outcomes by influencing their result. This involves adapting to the changes that may occur in the course of pursuit of power for the sake of being relevant. Those who are resistant to change could find themselves in ruin if caution is not taken. Such as the seasons of time change, so do our circumstances in life and we should be prepared to manage the results of those changes in society. In times of peace, one should build for themselves vessels of protection incase a turmoil develops. We cannot always rely on our luck to be in power but take an active role in ensuring our prolonged stay. The other notion of Machiavelli insists that leaders should separate their innate morality from their actions in

Are students benefitted or harmed by general education Essay

Are students benefitted or harmed by general education - Essay Example offer students with the needed credentials for their chosen careers, the learning institution still has other roles to play that are important in this globalization era. General education, first, helps the student to become a better person, parent, citizen, spouse, or employee than they would have been otherwise. This is because general education gives students extra information that would not have been included in their specific career courses. Thus, it makes student’s whole-rounded people. The country needs lawyers, scientists, business people, medical professionals, law enforcement professionals and educators and other professionals who have developed critical thinking skills and are conversant with some of the vital aspects of human thinking. The shift toward limited knowledge at the expense of general education does not consider professional critical thinking. Therefore, general education provides such professionals with critical thinking skills in a variety of fields (Go essl). Secondly, it is important for citizens in a democracy to participate and vote based on good judgment and not centered on the whims of the politicians who try to implement irrational and non-rational persuasions to control the voters. A strong basis in the humanities, arts and sciences as provided by the general education course can help address such issues (Goessl). Even though the student will not remember much in some coming years about a psychology, philosophy, or physics class, provided as general education, the critical thinking skills that they gain in these divergent fields will serve them well and stay with them throughout their life. These same gained skills can also help the student from being held at ransom by the elusive manipulation that some advertisers use. Therefore, it can be said that some of the courses students learn in general education, which on the outside may appear to be mundane and boring, underneath the surface are actually helpful in developing their