The development of an export market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The development of an export market - Assignment Example The emphasis on the sports benefits of the drinks, as an improvement to water and as an aid to intense sports activities that is able to provide adequate hydration and nutrition even to the most demanding and most gifted athletes. It is worth noting that as a product range, the Lucozade brand benefits from insights and inputs from hard core research undertaken on behalf of the brand by universities, sports coaches, practitioners, and nutritionists, under the so-called Lucozade Sports Science Academy. Moreover, the brand is well-known for its marketing tag line, which is about replacing the lost energy from intense physical activities making use of Lucozade. That said, officially the classification is that of Lucozade being a soft drink brand (Answers Corporation 2013; GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies 2013). In the United States, which is the chosen export market, key competitors in the segment of sports hydration drinks where Lucozade is bound to compete includes Gatorade and Power ade, with the former being the heavyweight brand with the greatest mind share and market share not only in the United States but in many parts of the world, and with the latter being the key competitor brand offered by Coca Cola (Carpenter 2000; Howard 2008; Competitor Group 2013). It is worth noting that those three brands mentioned above remain dominant in the world when it comes to sports drinks, with Lucozade in particular being the most dominant brand in the United Kingdom in terms of both value sales and sales by volume. Annual sales for Lucozade is estimated at 260 million British pounds. Its presence in other markets, on the other hand, is hampered by strong competition from Gatorade and Powerade, even as the overall market for sports drinks is forecasted to reach US 55 billion dollars by 2018, indicating a large opportunity for Lucozade to get a substantial piece of that pie from exporting activities. The US being a large and lucrative market for sports drinks, this export development plant for that export market has potentially great value for the brand and for GlaxoSmithKline. Other statistics meanwhile bolster the case for exports as a lucrative activity given that there is a relatively low penetration level for sports drinks in general, at just 50 percent, even as the segment grew by 64 percent for the five-year period from 2007 all the way to 2012. By product category, all three categories, hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic drinks experienced sustained growth in volumes and dollar value over that given period, with prospects for growth also promising moving forward to 2018 and beyond (Companies and Markets 2013). In the US, moreover, Gatorade and Powerade together account for virtually the entire market for sports drinks with Gatorade owning 69 percent of the market, and Powerade owning 30 percent of the market. Both companies spend heavily on advertising and marketing activities centered on getting star athletes to endorse the brands and produc ts. The trend towards a sustained growth in the sports drink sector is confirmed in the long term, in contrast to the general decline in soda consumption in the United States over the past several decades (Daily Mail Reporter 2013). Other estimates put the market share of Gatorade at an even larger percentage, 75 percent, with Powerade taking 20 percent and the rest of the players in the sports drink market taking up the remaining 5 percent, reflecting the overall dominance of

Le Corbusier, Cubism and Social Connections to Picasso and Gertrude Research Paper

Le Corbusier, Cubism and Social Connections to Picasso and Gertrude Stein - Research Paper Example Like all complex works of art, his life too is seemingly contradicting and open to multiple interpretations. If Picasso shocked the world of painting by departing from the practice of imitating nature, Le Corbusier took the revolution a step ahead with his ideal notions about the advent of machine age and his stark depiction of the precision and sharpness which the machine age represented. It comes as no surprise that these two icons of the artistic world met and were influenced by each other’s ideas. On the contrary, the interactions between Le Corbusier and the American writer, Gertrude Stein were not all too pleasant thanks to their differences of opinion. However, despite their personal differences, it remains undisputable that these interactions influenced Le Corbusier in more ways than one. The first encounter of Corbusier with Picasso probably happened in the early 1920s before he bought Picasso’s The Bottle of Rum in a sale held in Paris. His view of this work a s an arrangement of planes supported by verticals was probably the first architectural interpretation of the work. During later phases of his life as an architect, Corbusier also translated and extended the depiction of volumes in Picasso’s cubist works into buildings displaying his respect for Picasso. However, much before Corbusier bought The Bottle of Rum, he had written to Picasso on numerous occasions. Apparently, Picasso too had shown some interest towards the maverick architect thanks to his occasional ventures into the architectural domain. Following Picasso’s success in using the void to represent a solid, Corbusier added the spatial element to modern architecture using elements such as a half-transparent, curved wall. This was the time when the cultural preferences of artists underwent a drastic change thanks to the widespread impact of the First World War. Picasso, along with his fellow supporters of Cubism like Braque, abandoned the art form to return to th e more traditional practices of neoclassicism. Futurism, which was used as a medium to adulate the machinery, violence and the war, was rejected by the strongest of its supporters. Corbusier, on the other hand was spending the wartime away from Paris in the seclusion of the La-Chaux-de-Fonds Art school. While teaching in this school, he also worked on employing the modernist techniques in architecture. During this period, he also completed designing the ‘Domino’ House project. The open floor plan comprising of slender, reinforced concrete columns and the interconnecting stairways would be a permanent feature of all his future works (Moos 2009). Having considered himself as primarily being a painter before being an architect, Le Corbusier understood the relationship between architecture, painting and sculpture. Since he believed that architecture should be used to signify the increasing industrialization and resolve social problems, he experimented on new ways of unifyin g painting and sculpture with architecture. However, in doing so, he did not compromise on the autonomous statuses of each of these forms (Cohen 2005). Now, being a painter himself, he was heavily influenced by Cubism which rejected the age old practices of imitating nature and was being used by painters such as Picasso and Braque for portraying multiple perspectives in their paintings and adding a realistic spirit to the paintings. Having begun among a group of painters, Cubism had also spread to different mediums such as literature and sculpture. Gertrude Stein, the celebrated American author had incorporated Cubist techniques in several of her works such as ‘

α-glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of Coffee

ÃŽ ±-glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of Coffee Abstract The activity-based fractionation of coffee solutions by a series of chromatography techniques led to the isolation of an active compound I which exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase. The structure of compound I was established as norharman (9H-pyrido[3.4-b]indole) on the basis of HR-FAB-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 1H-1H COSY spectra. Compound I potently inhibited ÃŽ ±-glucosidase in a concentration dependent manner but it did not exhibit any significant activity against other glycosidases. A Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that its inhibition mode of enzyme was uncompetitive with a Ki value of 0.13 mM. Keywords: ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor, ÃŽ ²-carboline, norharman, coffee, uncompetitive inhibitor Introduction Coffee is the most commonly consumed beverages in the world and the health benefits of coffee consumption have been extensively studied [10]: coffee has strong antioxidant properties in vivo [16, 18] and also reduces the risk of Parkinson’s [11] and Alzheimer’s diseases [4]. Recent studies have demonstrated that habitual coffee consumption is related to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes [17, 19], but it remains unclear what mechanisms and what coffee constituents are responsible for the observed association. Animal and in vitro studies have suggested several plausible mechanisms for a beneficial effect of coffee on glucose metabolism: increase in insulin sensitivity [14], inhibition of glucose 6-phosphatase [2], an increase of glucagon-like peptide I concentration [15], and decreases the rate of intestinal absorption of glucose [12]. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase is essential for carbohydrate digestion because carbohydrates must be degraded enzymatically in the intestine before they can be absorbed. The inhibition of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase slows down the process of dietary carbohydrates digestion and avoids postprandial hyperglycemia that plays a central role in the development of chronic diabetes associated complication [8]. Thus, ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitors have exhibited high promise as therapeutic agents for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as type II non insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, and hyperglycemia [3]. This work was intended to evaluate ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory effect of coffee previously reported as hypoglycemic and characterize the active principle isolated from coffee. Materials and Methods General p-Nitrophenyl (PNP)-ÃŽ ±-D-glucopyranoside, PNP-ÃŽ ±-D-mannopyranoside, PNP-ÃŽ ²-D-glucopyranoside and PNP-ÃŽ ²-D-galactopyranoside were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Yeast ÃŽ ±-glucosidase, almond ÃŽ ²-glucosidase, E. coli ÃŽ ²-galactosidase, jack beans ÃŽ ±-mannosidase, rat intestinal acetone powders, and norharman were also obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Unless stated otherwise, all further chemicals were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. All the reagents were of analytical grade. The UV spectrum was recorded on a Shimadzu model UV-160 spectrophotometer. High- resolution FAB mass spectra were obtained with a JEOL model JMS-AX505 HA spectrometer. 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra were obtained on a Brucker AV 500 spectrometer operating at 500 and 125 MHz, respectively. (CD3)2CO was used as the solvent. Enzyme inhibition assay The intestinal ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory activity was determined as described previously with a slight modification [5]. The rat intestinal acetone powder was suspended in 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 15 min. The resultant supernatant was used as the source of the small intestinal ÃŽ ±-glucosidases. For the assay of inhibitory activities of maltase and sucrase, the reaction mixture consisted of crude enzyme solution, 20 mM maltose or 200 mM sucrose, 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and a given amount of inhibitor (50% dimethyl sulfoxide solution) in a total volume of 0.5 ml. After the reaction mixture was incubated for 15 min at 37 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, reaction was stopped by heating the mixture at 100 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 5 min. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity was estimated by measuring the liberated glucose amount using the glucose oxidase method. Prior to measuring the glucose amount, the interfering agent, phenolic compounds were r emoved from reaction mixture by passing through a basic alumina column (1 x 3 cm). Acarbose was used as the positive control. The enzymatic activities of the various glycosidases were determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring the release of p-nitrophenol from the appropriate p-nitrophenol glycoside substrate [13]. The assay solutions and the potential inhibitors were added to a 96-well plate as follows: 20 L of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 20 L inhibitor, 10 L enzyme (1 U/mL), 10 L of 25 mM substrate and 40 L of methanol. Following incubation at 37  °C for 15 min, the assay solution was stopped by adding 300 L of 1 N NH4OH solution. The glycosidase activity was determined by measuring the amount of 4-nitrophenol released from p-nitrophenol glycoside substrate was determined with a microplate reader model 550 (Bio-Rad, CA, USA) at 405 nm. All of the analyses were performed in triplicate. The concentration of the inhibitor required for inhibiting 50 % of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity (IC50) was calculated by adjusting the experimental data (% inhibition versus the concentration of the inhibitor) to non-linear regression curves. The mechanism of enzyme inhibition was assessed by analyzing the double- reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plot. Isolation of inhibitory compound from coffee Filtered brewed coffee was prepared in a household coffee maker: 75 g of ground roast coffee of Columbian Supremo (Arabica variety) and 500 ml water to give a brewed coffee. Commercial instant coffee (Tasters’ choice, Nestle) was made by dissolving 75 g instant coffee in 300 ml of hot water. Filtered brewed coffee and instant coffee solutions were separately centrifuged at 12,000 rpm and room temperature for 15 min, and used for isolation of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor. The supernatant was adjusted to pH 9 with 1 N NaOH and extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate layer was then extracted with 0.1 N HCl solution. This acidic solution was again adjusted to pH 10 with aqueous ammonia and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer containing basic components was subsequently evaporated in vacuo. Forty batches of the above ethyl acetate extracts (total 3 kg each of ground coffee and instant coffee) were concentrated and subjected to silica gel column chromatography with an isocratic solvent system of chloroform-acetone (70:30). Fractions containing the active compound (F3-F6) were combined, evaporated, and subjected to a Sephadex LH-20 column (3 x 35cm) with MeOH as an eluent. Fraction number 10-12, which showed a high inhibition and a similar TLC profile (silica gel 60 F254, Merck, chloroform:acetone = 1:1, rf 0.2) were combined and further purified. The final purification of the active compound was achieved through semi-preparative HPLC separation on a reversed phase C18 column (ÃŽ ¼Bondapak, Waters, Milford, MA, USA) eluting with 75 % MeOH and detected through absorption at 254 nm. The retention time was 14.5 min. After removing the HPLC solvent in rotary evaporator, the active compound was obtained as a white powder by crystallization from cold acetone. Results and Discussion Both instant coffee and ground brewed coffee solutions inhibit ÃŽ ±-glucosidase enzyme activity. Instant coffee showed a slightly higher degree of inhibition than brewed coffee (Data not shown). The activity-based fractionation of coffee solutions by a series of chromatography techniques led to the isolation of an active compound I (2.24 ÃŽ ¼g/ g of roasted ground coffee; 3.85 ÃŽ ¼g/ g of instant coffee) which exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase. The isolated compound I was shown to be chromatographically pure by TLC and HPLC with various solvent systems and deduced to be a nitrogen-containing compound based on a positive reaction to Dragendorff’s reagent. The UV spectrum of the compound in methanol exhibited absorption maxima at 230, 285 and 348 nm. The molecular formula of compound I was determined to be C11H8N2 (M+ m/z 168.0736; calcd. 168.0688) by high resolution mass analysis. 1H NMR spectrum of compound I showed 7 aromatic proton signals (ÃŽ ´7.2-8.9 ppm) and one free proton signal (ÃŽ ´10.63 ppm). 13C NMR spectrum showed 11 carbon signals around 110-145 ppm (Table 1). Taken together, the structure of compound I was deduced as ÃŽ ²-carboline, norharman (9H-pyrido[3.4-b]indole, Fig. 1) with 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 1H-1H COSY spectra and confirmed by comparison of physical data with those of the authentic specimen. Compound I potently inhibited ÃŽ ±-glucosidase in a concentration dependent manner, but it did not display any significant inhibitory effects against ÃŽ ²-glucosidase, ÃŽ ±-mannosidase, and ÃŽ ²-galactosidase when tested at a concentration of 10 mM (Table 2). The inhibitory profile demonstrated that the activity of compound I was greater against maltase compared with sucrase (IC50 values: 0.27 mM for maltase and 0.41 mM for sucrase). Although the inhibitory potency was weaker than that of therapeutic drug acarbose (IC50 value: 0.18 mM for maltase and 0.02 mM for sucrase), observed data clearly indicated the potential of compound I as an ÃŽ ±- glucosidase inhibitor. The pre-incubation of compound I with the enzyme increased the inhibition of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity, implying that this compound reacted with the enzyme slowly. The ÃŽ ±-glucosidase activity was fully restored when the enzyme was incubated with an amount of compound I which could inhibit enzyme activity up to 90 % follo wed by eliminating the compound I with a PD 10 desalting column (Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, U.S.A). This result demonstrated that compound I was a reversible inhibitor. A double-reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plotting under various amounts of compound I showed linear lines intercepting on 1/V axis in parallel. The kinetic data suggested that the compound I was an uncompetitive inhibitor, with a Ki value of 0.013 mM (Fig. 2). As a result, compound I, a reversible uncompetitive inhibitor of ÃŽ ±-glucosidase, was isolated from coffee and identified as an active principle. When compound I was given in combination with a carbohydrate-rich diet orally, the postprandial plasma glucose levels were significantly dropped in non-diabetic rats (unpublished data). Compound I, a tricyclic indole ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman is distributed widely in biological systems and exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological and neurological effects: antidepressant and antianxiety effects in rats [7], inhibitory activities of monoamine oxidase and nitric oxide synthase [9], as well as an increase of insulin secretion two- to threefold from isolated human islets of Langerhans [6]. However, ÃŽ ±- glucosidase inhibitory activity of norharman has not previously reported. Coffee has been noted as the primary exogenous source of norharman. A high variability in ÃŽ ²-carboline content of coffee samples was observed between coffee species (arabica, robusta) and also depended on roast degree and instant coffee production process. An average of 3 cups of coffee per person per day could account for an ingestion of up to 72 ÃŽ ¼g of norharman [1], although this will depend on the coffee strength. Coffee contains numerous substances. However, little is known regarding the effects of individual constituents on glucose metabolism. The cohort study has supported that the most prominent coffee compound caffeine is irrelevant to risk of type 2 diabetes [20]. Chlorogenic acid, the most abundant polyphenol in coffee, has been shown to reduce glucose concentrations in rats, caused by increasing insulin sensitivity as well as reducing hepatic glucose output through inhibition of glucose 6-phosphatase [12]. Without excluding any other possible mechanism, this report observes ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitory activity as a possible mechanism of hypoglycemic effect of coffee and assigns ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman as one of active principles in coffee. Coffee appears to contain active principles other than norharman as evidenced by several active peaks in chromatography systems. It may be possible that various active constituents in coffee act synergistically against ÃŽ ±-glucosidase acti vity. Characterization of other active principles is under progress. Figure legends Fig. 1. Structure of compound I (ÃŽ ²-carboline alkaloid norharman). Fig. 2. A Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis of rat intestine ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibition by compound I. 4-Nitrophenol-ÃŽ ±-D-glucopyranoside was used as a substrate. The concentration of compound I was 0 mM () or 0.25mM (). The values are expressed as means of triplicate reactions. Table 1. 1H and 13C NMR data for compound I in (CD3)2CO (ÃŽ ´ in ppm and J in Hz) position ÃŽ ´C ÃŽ ´H multiplicity, J 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NH 10 11 12 13 134.8 139.5 115.1 122.3 120.1 128.9 112.4 122.1 112.6 137.2 141.6 8.90 8.33 8.0 8.28 7.21 7.53 7.60 10.63 (1H, br, s) ( 1H, d) J=5.5 (1H, d) J=5.5 (1H, d) J=8.0 (1H, ddd) J=8.0, 7.0, 1.0 (1H, ddd) J=7.5, 7.5, 1.0 (1H, dd) J=8.2, 1.0 (1H, br. s) Table 2. Inhibitory effects of compound I against various glycosidases Enzyme IC 50 ( ÃŽ ¼M) ÃŽ ±-glucosidase (yeast) 180  ± 3.2 Maltase (rat intestine) 270  ± 4.5 Sucrose (rat intestine) 410  ± 11.3 ÃŽ ²-glucosidase (almond) >1.0 x 104 ÃŽ ±-mannosidase (jack bean) >1.0 x 104 ÃŽ ²-galactosidase (E. coli) >1.0 x 104 Values are expressed as the means of triplicate reactions  ± standard deviation.

Reading: An Essential Part of Life Essay -- Informative, Personal Exp

Reading is a pleasurable activity yet an essential part of life, as it is important for survival in the modern world. As Rohal Dahl quoted ‘ Books ... if you are going to be anything, they are vital in life’ (www.stlwritersguild.org 13/11/10). Children should be encouraged to read from a very young age, as the ability to read allows them to access information, develop into fluent speakers and allows them to be creative writers. A study carried out by Eckhoff (1983) on second graders demonstrates this as he examined writing of two different groups: one who read a highly simplified textbook whilst the other read a text containing many literature forms, results showed children who were exposed to various literary forms, seemed better able in using different literary forms in their writing compared to those who were presented with simplified texts (www.vtaide.com 4/11/10). Reading has played an important role in my life, especially through the early stages of my intellectual development. One of the first books presented to me were the hardback picture word books. These books had names of everyday objects together with its picture allowing me to recognise the items around the house. Rhymes such as: Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jack and Jill together with many others were also a part of this reading journey. My mum particularly liked reciting them to me, whilst I began to be engrossed in the lovely pictures of my nursery rhymes book. I also enjoyed the musical atmosphere they used to create, which as time went by allowed me to easily grasp the words, allowing me to recite the rhymes for myself. As Carl Sagan quoted ‘One of the greatest gifts adults can give to their offspring and to their society is to read to children’... ...y goes on Stephy and Callum begin to grow closer together and fall in love however the racial segregation between both of the races stands as a major problem together with the birth of their child Rose. As the story goes on Rose grew up and soon began to find out about her heritage which leads her in to more danger. Malorie Blackman is quite a creative writer, as she began to twist racial history. In this series she made the black more superior whilst making the whites inferior. In conclusion I begin to notice a drastic change in my reading pattern, as during my early years I began to read various fiction books however this pattern has changed and I now begin to engage in books which reflect the realities of life and the present world, in which we live in. I look forward into expanding this reading journey and enhancing my current knowledge through reading.

Aquatred Case

Goodyear should maintain their three current distribution outlets of small independent dealers, manufacturer-owned outlets, and franchised dealers while expanding distribution to target more specific types of consumers and geographic regions for their Aquatred launch. The current distribution channels for Goodyear projects have been successful; therefore, there is no reason to change something that works. Especially with its high price and high quality, the Aquatred would not be successful in distribution through service stations, warehouse club, or mass merchandisers due to their low cost focus.Goodyear should analyze specific types of consumers who would be most likely to purchase the Aquatred tire and push sales heavily towards this market segment. As discovered in the market tests, consumers who purchased Aquatred tires were more likely to have researched information about the tire prior to purchase, drove an imported car, and specifically sought out the Aquatred tire for purchas e upon entry into a distribution center. Goodyear should use the knowledge to promote information on the Aquatred to consumers matching the above characteristics.For example, Goodyear should heavily promote and advertise the Aquatred tire due to the fact that the target consumer is research oriented before purchasing. Goodyear could also have a specific concentration on outdoorsy consumers. Consumers that frequently off-road and participate in other rural terrain areas would need a better quality tire with more safety for hazardous weather conditions. In addition to focusing on specific consumers, Goodyear should also target particular geographic regions that Aquatred would benefit most.Areas with large rain quantities would be more likely to purchase the Aquatred tire. Goodyear should look into meteorological patterns to determine such areas of focus. When car owners were surveyed about most important tire attribute, wet traction was the second most important which indicates that t he interest already exists among consumers for a product to better serve this need. Also, Goodyear could tie in the human psychological need for safety by putting emphasis on Aquatred’s safety benefits in wet conditions.Consumers especially those with families will be more likely to overlook the higher cost in order to have a product more likely to ensure their safety and protection. In order to combat the issue of price, Goodyear could instill a loyalty program among its Aquatred users. Therefore, once consumers have initially purchased the product, there would be an even greater incentive to continue using Aquatred. Also, Goodyear would pocket the expense of the discount so dealers are satisfied with greater revenues thus a greater incentive to sell the Aquatred tire.Such a program would ease the tension on price among dealers and consumers. In addition to the loyalty program, Goodyear may need to develop a â€Å"promotion price† that would look like a deal to consum ers but still ensure Goodyear receive their targeted price. The price is critical due to the fact that 75% of all Goodyear tires are sold on promotion and the company should be wary not to drive away large numbers of consumers due to price sensitivity.

English Language Article Comparison Essay

In this piece of work I will be comparing two articles from newspapers. Both the articles are about the same story and were printed on the same day (Tuesday October 13th 1998), however they are from two different newspapers. One of them is from The Sun and the other from The Telegraph, the main difference between these two papers is that The Sun is a tabloid and The Telegraph is a broadsheet. Throughout this piece of work I will try to examine the difference in their attitudes towards writing news due to this variation in category of newspaper. The article concerns dogs that were at a police dog training unit, the instructor allegedly forced a handler to kick and hang the dogs, one of the dogs involved died. The first and most distinctive thing you realise about these two stories is the difference in headlines. Firstly in The Telegraph the height of the letters involved is only approximately 1cm where as in The Sun it is 2. 6cm. This clearly shows that The Sun wants to make a larger impact and draw your attention to that particular story. Other points about the headlines that back this up are the style of writing. In The Telegraph the headline has been written in serif, this means that the editor has decided to use a font which includes small decorative lines at the ends of letters, however The Sun’s headline is in sans serif and so doesn’t have these lines. This makes the letters much more sharp, and ‘right-angled’ this gives a hard feel to the words and helps attract readers. Another way the editor has used the headline to attract the reader in The Sun is by using block capitals, this instantly makes the letters bigger, stand out and coupled with the words being in bold black and sans serif gives a real shock effect. A similarity between these two headlines though is that they both use quotes, this makes it sound and feel more real to a reader because it says exactly what actual people said and after having read the subheadline, probably what they said in court. However, I personally feel that the main difference is the actual words that have been used. The Sun’s headline is much more emotive, it uses words such as ‘cruel’, ‘kick’ and death. These words will instantly capture people and conjure up images that will stir their imagination and make them want to read on. Not only this but the headline also reads ‘kick his own dog to death’, this makes it seem even worse because it wasn’t a dog belonging to the police but his own family pet. It makes the whole thing seem even more cruel and will once again make people more interested in the story, especially for people who have pet dogs. However, The Telegraph is much more informative and factual, it makes a statement about what happened without going into detail about the emotions of it. It says; ‘Police ‘told to kick and punch dogs†, although it does uses words such as ‘kick’ and ‘punch’ it uses them in a way to inform what the police had been told to do and doesn’t go into detail about what the trainer was like. I also feel an interesting thing to also look at is the use of ‘made’ and ‘told’ in these two headlines. When The Sun says ‘†¦made cop kick his own god to death’ it uses ‘made’ to incriminate the trainers, it makes it sound like the policemen didn’t have a choice and that the whole incident was the trainers fault. Whereas The Telegraph uses ‘told’, this is much more informative and is simply saying what happened, there is no emotional influence in the way The Telegraph have written this headline. The subheadlines are also quite interesting, firstly their placing, The Telegraph has decided to place the subheadline before the main headline and in The Sun it has been placed after the headline. This may have been done for a number of reasons. In The Telegraph the subheadline reads; ‘German Shepard died after punishment, court told’ this subheadline has probably been used to give the reader a bit more information about the story before they read on like the type of dog involved and the fact that the dog died. In The Sun they have decided to put the information that the dog died in their headline and the fact it was a German Shepard isn’t mentioned in The Sun at all. On to The Sun’s subheadline and it simply reads ‘Jury told of punishment’ this has been put after the headline to inform the reader of where the quote of the headline came from. As well as this in The Sun not only does it have a subheadline after the headline, it also has other subheadlines throughout the story to introduce new parts of the article and to split it into three parts; the extra subheadlines are ‘Warned’ and ‘Shaking’. These words are actually used in the section of the article they introduce so that the reader will want to continue. You notice these words and they stand out because they are very expressive and they give you information about what is going to happen in the article even if you don’t read on. I also feel that The Sun has used these particular words to good use, if you didn’t have time to read the whole article and only read the headline and these subheadlines you would leave with a very strong feeling of hatred towards the trainers. Not only with words like ‘made’ which I have already explained, but when it is followed by a subheadline of ‘warned’ it makes you feel as though the police were threatened by the trainers and were warned by them to do nothing wrong. I personally feel that The Telegraph has a more hard-hitting headline for a particular reason. The Sun has made it’s main headline strike out of the page and really make you read on, this means they have put a simple subheadline so as not to overshadow the headline. Whereas The Telegraph has done it the other way around, their headline is not so hard-hitting so the editor has decided to include an emotive subheadline to aid the reader in being interested in the story and to red on. After having seen the headlines and been attracted to the story you begin to read the main text. Straight away in the hook paragraph you can see differences in the papers’ attitudes. Firstly, and most obviously the fact that in The Sun the first paragraph has been written in bold, and simply written normally in The Telegraph. Once again it seems that The Sun has been much more emotive in its approach. Words such as ‘forced’ and ‘kicked it’ are used, not only this but the word ‘DIED’ is written in block capitals, this is to emphasise the word and everything it means and the horror of what happened to the dogs. Words used in The Telegraph are very interesting. The first line explains that the dogs were ‘chastised’, it is interesting they should use this word because although it is hard hitting it probably doesn’t have the same effect on you as ‘kicking’ (which is in The Sun). However The Telegraph does say that dogs were ‘hung helplessly from a wall by their leads’ this is then followed by ‘a court was told yesterday’ it is as though The Telegraph wants to remain on the fence by simply stating what was said but at the same time drumming up emotion in the reader and making them read on, all in all The Sun is more opinionated and The Telegraph is trying as best it can to stay factual. A similarity between the two stories is the use of quotation. Both articles have many quotes from the police officers and trainers in question and almost all of the quotes were said in court. This could well be because on the day these two articles were published the case was still in court and they had little else to go on than this. Also the writer of the article in The Sun has done something slightly unusual in that he has decided to put some paragraphs into italics. This is almost certainly to draw the readers attention to that part of the story and make them read and think about it a different way. There are three paragraphs throughout the article that are in italics and out of these two of them focus on the cruelty to the animals, they go into detail about the way in which this happened and how the dogs reacted to it. The third paragraph describes how two of the handlers left in protest to what was going on before the dog died. Both these points are quite significant to the overall story and you can see why the writer may well have wanted the reader to be more aware of these facts that perhaps other points. Another point that I have found very interesting is sentence type used in both articles. It is normal for newspapers to use a lot of declarative sentences, these help the reporter to get across to the reader all the important information quickly and easily. An example from The Sun would be; ‘PC James English told the court his dog Tazz had been hanged for growling’ and The Telegraph; ‘Trainers at the police dog unit, based at Sandon, Chelmsford, Essex’. However, differences occur between the newspapers when you look at the use of complex sentences, these are more rarely used in papers as they are longer and are not so dramatic. However, as you would except it is The Telegraph that has used a couple but The Sun has used a lot fewer. As I have already described, The Telegraph is a more up-market paper and is aimed towards a sector of society who appreciate this sort of writing whereas The Sun is not. In fact a complex sentence has been used in The Telegraph to say the same as my last quotation of a declarative sentence from The Sun; †PC James English said his dog, Tazz was twice subjected to the hanging method after he had growled during training’.

Our New Constitustion essays

Our New Constitustion essays Our new constitution is now established, and has a appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing an be said to be certain, except death and taxes. Benjamin Franklin I like this quote because I believe it is talking about the power of not taking things forgranted. Just because we as American citizens have been blessed for so many years with a government system that works, we still have to be careful and cautious. The constitution will only last as long as we as a nation decide that we want it to. It is not permanent. Our founding fathers realized this truth when they wrote it, and we as a people realize that today. Franklin also touches on the fact that nothing in life is certain. With it being close to September 11th I am reminded of how uncertain we were last year at this time. We werent certain that terrorists were going to threaten our nation, and even today we are not certain on whether or not our enemy is even alive. These uncertainties tend to challenge the way our government, and our constitution works- whether we realize it or not. Nothing in life is certain. We arent certain about what our day will bring when we awake in the morning. We arent certain if the Stock Market is going to go up, go down, or fall like it did in the early 1920s. The principle of uncertainty... Its life. And, thus it is with our constitution, even that is not certain; even that is not permanent. Franklin said it years ago... and today, it still holds true. ...

Eminemaphobia essays

Eminemaphobia essays In The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary, censorship is stopping the transmission or publication of matter considered objectionable. Nearly every artist promotes violence, sex, or other objectionable tactics that may make a listener uncomfortable. If all the other music artists are not censored, why is Eminem being targeted to have his music taken off the air? Censoring Eminem is not the answer and takes away his First Amendment right. Doesnt turning off the radio do the same thing? Eminem walked away from the forty-third annual Grammy Awards with three golden statues in hand. His latest album The Marshall Mathers LP has gone beyond multi-platinum; he is arguably the most compelling figure in music today. His violent songs of killing his wife and raping women have caused people to label him a homophobic and misogynist by his critics. Yet to censor Eminem would be ridiculous. It shouldnt be the governments job to censor what we watch or listen to; thats up to the individual or the parents. Dont blame Eminem; its not his fault people listen to him. Eminems lyrics are very explicit and are not intended for kids. If you look at his album it does contain a parental advisory sticker on it. The law is supposed to require that you have to be eighteen to purchase it. However, many children are going to have access to Eminems music every where they go. Parents and other authorities are very capable of preventing children from getting Eminems music. Why should he have to change his music or even his lifestyle for their sake? He can not be responsible for every kid out there and to put this responsibility on his back is impossible. If you dont like it, turn it off. Many people feel that Eminems lyrics will cause teens to become more violent. But how can a song cause a person to act out violently? If a person's morals have ...

How to Choose a Title for Your Essay by BestEssay.Education

How to Choose a Title for Your Essay Making The Right Choice Have you ever walked past a book in the bookstore, then immediately back-tracked to check it out because the title caught your eye? Maybe you’ve made a last minute decision to buy a magazine based one of the titles splashed across the cover. Writers and editors of a variety of publications use clever and compelling titles to hook the reader who will then, ideally, make a purchase. Obviously you are not selling your essay, but the title is still a part of a piece of writing that is going to be graded. Why not put a bit of an effort into the title as well? Are you wondering how to choose a title for your essay? Well, we have a few tricks up our sleeves that we’re going to share to help everybody learn how to title an essay. If you are writing an essay on a serious subject or a light-hearted topic, we have some great ideas for you. Leave the Title for Last Don’t try to write your title first. You will spend the rest of your time attempting to tailor your writing to the title. This will only result in frustration. Your best course of action is to write the essay first, and then to allow the essay to influence the title. However, this does not mean that you should not consider the title at all while you are working. If you get ideas, by all means jot them down. The more potential titles you have on your list once you are done writing, the better off you will be. Finding Good Titles for Essays There are many options for selecting a title for an essay. One thing you can do is examine the writing you have done to determine if there is a particular phrase that appears in your essay. This might be a possible candidate for inclusion in a title. You can also look for an opportunity to use a play on words to create a title that is catchy, and that makes the reader stop and think for a moment. Some writers select titles that are send-ups of other well-known titles. These are great options for coming up with a creative title for an essay that is on a lighter subject. Selecting a Title for a Serious Essay When you choose a title for an essay that is written about a solemn topic, you do want your title to be compelling. What you want to avoid is being unintentionally cutesy or irreverent. One option that works quite well is to take a compelling fact and incorporate this into the title of your essay. Here is an example. â€Å"200 Deaths a Year: Violence in the Inner City†. Another option is to put an action item in your title. It could look something like this. â€Å"Solving the Problem of Inner City Violence†. A third option is to utilize an emotional appeal like this: â€Å"The Heartbreaking Reality of Inner City Violence†.

Scaling Study Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Scaling Study - Statistics Project Example This research aims to investigate the consumer attitude towards mobile advertising and intends to uncover important points. The questionnaire was designed based on the existing literature about attitudes toward advertising and consumer behavior models. A field survey was conducted which used the questionnaire to collect data regarding the attitude, intention and behavior of the respondents toward mobile advertising. The sample comprised of 10 individuals and they were selected since most of them were young and heavy users of SMS. All participants were provided complete information regarding the purpose of the survey. The questionnaire composed of two types of questions; Rating scale and multiple choices. The findings of this research have revealed several interesting points. The study did not aim to focus on the demographic information such as gender, age or educational level rather it tried to build an overall consensus of the population. Mobile users viewed entertainment as the most important attribute affecting consumer attitude towards mobile advertising. The average sample score for the entertainment was 3.9 which implies that consumer deem entertainment as an important factor. Informativeness was considered as an average factor with an average score of 3 for the sample. Many individuals consider that mobile advertising provides the information that they require for their decision making. The most interesting finding revealed was that mobile advertising was considered to be very irritating by the sample. However, we cannot infer any conclusion for the population since the sample size was very limited but yet it was conspicuous that mobile advertising was viewed as irritating an d annoying by the respondents. In addition to that, it was also found that mobile advertising was not a very credible medium. This can be subjective as each of the respondents may have different experiences with the mobile. Finally, the attitude toward mobile was not

Critical Analysis of Puerto Picans as an Ethnic Group Research Paper

Critical Analysis of Puerto Picans as an Ethnic Group - Research Paper Example In 1511 after decades of abuse the Tainos rebelled against the Spaniards that colonized them. The revolt was a massacre as the European soldiers had superior weapons and better combat training. Thousands of Tainos died in this revolt. In the aftermath of the revolt the European settlers had a shortage of free labor. They decided to keep their oppressive ways by importing slaves from Africa. After centuries of Spain having total control over the affairs of Puerto Rico in 1818 the Spanish King gave transfer of land ownership to the settlers in the island. In 1868 the Puerto Rican people revolt against the Spanish government in a claim for independence. The historical event was called â€Å"El Grito de Lares†. Over 400 Puerto Ricans fought in this conflict led by Ramon Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis. The attempt to take over the government was unsuccessful. One of the biggest abuses in the history of Puerto Rico was the existence of slavery. On September 22, 1873 the S panish courts abolished slavery in Puerto Rico. At the time there were nearly 30,000 slaves in Puerto Rico which composed 5% of the population (Int. #3, 2011). Puerto Rico was a colony of Spain for four centuries. In 1898 the American-Spaniard war occurred between the United States and Spain. The United States won the war and one of the prices of victory was gaining full control over Puerto Rico. The United States awarded U.S. ... Since both languages are used in Puerto Rico the locals sometimes referred to their mixed language as Spanglish. Puerto Rico is a very family oriented culture. Unmarried children often live with their parents until their 30’s. Most adults marry in their mid 20’s. The male is supposed to be the provider and head of the family, but in the 21st century it is customary for both partners in a relationship to work. When they get married women continue to use their surname. The normal greeting used in Puerto Rico by males is to shake hands, while females kiss themselves in the cheek. Puerto Ricans are very friendly people. When tourists come to the island people feel it is their obligation to serve and help the tourists in any way they can. Hand gestures and facial expression are often used during conversations. Puerto Ricans have a high tone of voice and proximity when talking to others is customary. In Puerto Rico visiting friends and particularly family members is considere d a social obligation. Most weekends sons and daughters visit their parents. When a person visits your home the host must offer their guests drinks and food. The use of alcoholic beverages is customary in most family and friend gatherings as well as special events. The most consumed beer in Puerto Rico is a locally produced brand called Medalla. During Christmas season children receive gifts on two occasions. On Christmas day when Santa Claus brings them gifts and on the 6th of January which is the date the Three Wiseman brought gifts to baby Jesus when he was a newborn. There are many holidays that are celebrated in Puerto Rico. During a holiday the government does not work and many businesses depending on the holiday also close down. A list of the holidays celebrated in Puerto

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

BUS - Essay Example d direct communication between different ranks within the restaurant hierarchy, the staff was aware of restaurant’s vision, and everyone saw all the achievements and failures of colleagues. Nevertheless, the main weakness of this construct in the reality was that the personality of manager did not fit this role. In my case, these meetings turned to suffering. Every day, we were bored listening how the most experienced waiters discussed their achievements with manager, while the others we blamed for their mistakes. In addition, the vision of restaurant melted in the details our manager noticed. Thus, it is crucial to maintain fragile balance within the quality management not to destroy its effectiveness. This situation showed that quality management is not only about boring daily meetings. On the contrary, it is about the way the leader understands his mission in providing the highest quality services to customers. If he is incapable to comprehend it, quality management does not work

Marketing module Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing module - Literature review Example Several companies around the globe have used the basic concepts of marketing in enhancing their success over the years. For instance, the manufacturing and the hospitality industry have benefited from using the marketing concepts in analyzing the performance in the market. I believe that In future, the definition of marketing is expected to change due to the introduction of the interpersonal role of the executive in marketing. Hence, future marketing will entail supplying commodities that exceed clients’ expectations in an enticing manner. Persons intending to be marketers will have to face the challenges that businesses face in the market. Expectations to learn from the module Marketing concepts I learned that organizations plan for marketing purposely to lead the market. This means that the process of planning has to be continuous for an organization in the marketplace. As such, business managers market to maximize the proceeds of an organization. Modern businesses focus on a description of ethics for promoting a product in the market (Kotler 2003). Organization marketing should ensure that they plan their marketing based on the requirements stipulated by the legal authorities. Indeed, planning is critical in devising effective marketing stratagems. Methods of marketing I equally learned that marketing takes several forms in the contemporary society. As such, the businesses usually focus on the target customer with the aim of attaining profits in operations. I also noticed that organizations usually consult widely prior to undertaking the initiative. In modern marketing sales promotions, stratagems are preferred since they result to huge benefits for the organizations.

Organizational improvement plan part 3 Research Paper

Organizational improvement plan part 3 - Research Paper Example This paper will look into the institution’s measures to reduce the fall rates by integrating quality improvement strategies in performance measures, applying information technology, and involving benchmark and milestones. Methodologies for Integrating Quality Improvement in Performance Measurement Quality improvement strategies achieve their full potential when they are part of the performance measurement. This plan tries to avoid duplicating ideas in the methods of integration to prevent â€Å"unnecessary confusion on providers and confusion among consumers† (Board on Healthcare Services, 2006, p. 83) present in other medical institutions’ plans. In doing so, the plan will focus on the most important elements identified to decrease patient fall rates and achieve the hospital’s ideal rate. Three quality improvement strategies, audit and feedback, patient education, and provider education, can be beneficial when used in performance measurements such as proc ess measures and outcome measures. Process measures are useful to â€Å"quantify the delivery of recommended procedures or service† (Institute of Medicine et al., 2003, p. ... For instance, provider education is a priority when the center wants to transfer efficiency to patient education as part of the process measures. An advantage of having a framework is that it lessens duplicating quality of the aims; however, it has less to do with the actual performance of methodology. Public reporting is another method to improve the plan’s decrease of patient fall rate. This method â€Å"sought to inform consumer choice and stimulate provider improvement† (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008, p. 10). The method requires full participation of the consumers to have adequate data to assess the provider. However, the reports proved to have â€Å"very little impact on the behavior of practitioners or organizations† (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008, p. 11) when the practitioners are unaware of how the initiative goes and there is little or no financial incentive attached to it, which in turn, would make the method useless and a waste of effor t. Using information systems or data gathering is the initial process of quality improvement (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008). Through it, providers would have an overview on which aspect they have to improve. This is beneficial because it improves the institution as a whole, using technology. However, technology is rapidly advancing and keeping with the latest developments would mean a large sum of investment (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008). Financial budgeting would be a problem, if not shouldered by a bigger organization or the government. These methodologies are interconnected and all include information dissemination and organized practice. Taking into consideration this institution organizational

The history and perceptions of the secession crisis Research Paper

The history and perceptions of the secession crisis - Research Paper Example The conflict between Northern and Southern politicians was brought about by the massive western territories acquired by the United States in 1848 through the peace agreement with Mexico (Bartkus 1999).Southerners petitioned for the freedom to bring slavery into the newly acquired territories if the circumstances allowed lucrative ventures; Northerners demanded slavery clearly and completely abolished (Reynolds 1970). As stated by Huston (2000), the dispute had been raised by David Wilmot in 1846, yet it only reached an agreement in 1850 when the different sections of the Compromise of 1850 were ratified in Congress. Following the congressional resolution is the electoral affirmation that this agreement was definitely amenable (Crofts 1989). The congressional elections in the 1850 spurred Democratic wins of the compromise procedures in the North, which were eventually clearly reconfirmed in the 1852 presidential election (Wakelyn 1996). The reaction of the South to the Compromise was dissimilar. States in the upper South, namely, Delaware, Missouri, Maryland, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, willingly agreed to the actions taken by Congress; however, states in the lower South, namely, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina initiated a large-scale controversy about secession (Barnwell 1982). In 1850, particularly in the gubernatorial and congressional elections as well as in state conventions, the Southern states that agreed to the Compromise of 1850 largely succeed ... rther, according to Huston (2000), for a number of historians, the major concern, and hence the core of their interest, was the secession debate, not the debate over union, and the common assumption has been that the cotton-dependent Southerners refuted secession as a remedy to the suspected Northern incursions on the constitutional rights of the South. Few recognize the attempt of Southern unionists to mitigate the secession conflict in 1850 (Wakelyn 1996). The Southern States Rights, those supporting either provisional or immediate secession, have gained most of the attention. The victors of the elections in the state of the Deep South, the Constitutional Unionists or the unionists, have been given very little emphasis (Wakelyn 1996). It is not occasionally claimed, specifically by scholars of the nineteenth century, that the winners did not only enjoy the rewards, they also gained much of the historians’ interest (Barnwell 1982), and history is thus presented from the stand point of the victors. Basically, fury over the compromise stemmed mostly from Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. South Carolina, in particular, was willing to secede but demanded for the secession of the other states as well (Coppieters & Sakwa 2003). Governor Whitemarsh Seabrook had been given advise that other states harbor low judgments of the emotional security and intentions of South Carolina policymakers that if the state decided to act prematurely, other states would refuse to follow (Wakelyn 1996). George W. Towns, the governor of Georgia, requested to the state legislature in September 1850 the permission for a special election to commission representatives to a state conference to give opinion on the Compromise procedures (Huston 2000). John A. Quitman, the expansionist

Organizational improvement plan part 3 Research Paper

Organizational improvement plan part 3 - Research Paper Example This paper will look into the institution’s measures to reduce the fall rates by integrating quality improvement strategies in performance measures, applying information technology, and involving benchmark and milestones. Methodologies for Integrating Quality Improvement in Performance Measurement Quality improvement strategies achieve their full potential when they are part of the performance measurement. This plan tries to avoid duplicating ideas in the methods of integration to prevent â€Å"unnecessary confusion on providers and confusion among consumers† (Board on Healthcare Services, 2006, p. 83) present in other medical institutions’ plans. In doing so, the plan will focus on the most important elements identified to decrease patient fall rates and achieve the hospital’s ideal rate. Three quality improvement strategies, audit and feedback, patient education, and provider education, can be beneficial when used in performance measurements such as proc ess measures and outcome measures. Process measures are useful to â€Å"quantify the delivery of recommended procedures or service† (Institute of Medicine et al., 2003, p. ... For instance, provider education is a priority when the center wants to transfer efficiency to patient education as part of the process measures. An advantage of having a framework is that it lessens duplicating quality of the aims; however, it has less to do with the actual performance of methodology. Public reporting is another method to improve the plan’s decrease of patient fall rate. This method â€Å"sought to inform consumer choice and stimulate provider improvement† (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008, p. 10). The method requires full participation of the consumers to have adequate data to assess the provider. However, the reports proved to have â€Å"very little impact on the behavior of practitioners or organizations† (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008, p. 11) when the practitioners are unaware of how the initiative goes and there is little or no financial incentive attached to it, which in turn, would make the method useless and a waste of effor t. Using information systems or data gathering is the initial process of quality improvement (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008). Through it, providers would have an overview on which aspect they have to improve. This is beneficial because it improves the institution as a whole, using technology. However, technology is rapidly advancing and keeping with the latest developments would mean a large sum of investment (Smith, Mossailos, & Papanicolas, 2008). Financial budgeting would be a problem, if not shouldered by a bigger organization or the government. These methodologies are interconnected and all include information dissemination and organized practice. Taking into consideration this institution organizational

Hemingway in Nature Essay Example for Free

Hemingway in Nature Essay The great respect Ernest Hemingway has for nature is manifested as an important character in his works. Although Hemingway cut down his prose to the minimum necessary to convey the action of his characters, he carefully advanced the theme of nature. Hemingway describes trees, leaves and needles, water, rain and bodies of water, rocks, wind and breezes and animals as part of the theme of nature. In so deliberately including the nature theme in his work, Hemingway elevates it as more than a part of the setting of the action to a point that nature plays a role or a character in the action. Hemingway expresses important concepts and ideas in his writing in a deliberate manner. Within the structure of his sentences and paragraphs, he shapes the concept he is emphasizing by repeating it and using description to highlight it: He lay on the brown, pine-needled floor of the forest, his chin on his folded arms, and high overhead the wind blew in the tops of the pine trees. (Hemingway 1)  Here, the concept of a pine tree is emphasized through its placement both at the beginning and the end of a single, short sentence and the fruit of the tree, the needles, are emphasized to a greater degree by description as the brown, pine-needled floor. Hemingway makes clear that pine tree is thought of both as a living evergreen tree, i.e., green in color, as well as a tree that sheds its needles to create a brown blanket of cover on the floor of the forest. Also, the pine trees are not simple and unmoving objects. The pine trees have acted to cover the floor with needles, and they sway, having been blown by the wind. The character then is not alone in a woods, but rather he is among the pine trees who are moving and acting in the scene as the character does. Hemingway takes the emphasizing to a whole another literal level as he characterizes the interaction between the rain drops and rain and the tree and branches: â€Å"The trees were dripping in the rain. It was cold and the drops hung to the branches.† (Hemingway 1) Repetition is an obvious means by which Hemingway adds impact to the role that nature plays in his work: He was sorry for the birds, especially the small delicate dark terns that were always flying and looking and almost never finding, and he thought, the birds have a harder life than we do except for the robber birds and the heavy strong ones. (Hemingway 29) Hemingway does not simply state the characters idea that he feels sorry for a bird. Instead in this excerpt, Hemingway repeats birds, the type of birds, and the action of the birds over and over: birds, terns, flying, birds, robber birds and heavy strong ones. In this way, Hemingway adds focus to what the character is saying, he feels sorrow toward a particular type of bird, a vulnerable or delicate one, one with a harder life. Even beyond this, Hemingway implies that certain other birds are not worthy of sorrow; the robber birds who are heavy and strong are worthy of contempt. Through the repetition of the word bird or the bird-like descriptions, Hemingway expands his characters feelings and provides greater depth to what is stated. In this way, what is stated is given greater meaning, and the character also is given greater depth. Hemingway could state things in single manner, and in that one manner only. However, his writing style is to repeat an important theme. In this way, there is a certain point to be proven and he makes it clear by underscoring it by repetition. In the excerpt below, Hemingway addresses a snowstorm: In a snowstorm it always seemed, for a time, as if there were no enemies. In a snowstorm the wind would blow a gale; but it blew a white cleanness and the air was full of a driving whiteness and all things were changed and when the wind stopped there would be the stillness. This was a big storm and he might as well enjoy it. It was ruining everything, but you might as well enjoy it. (Hemingway 71) Here, the snowstorm, and other words such as â€Å"blow†, â€Å"blew†, â€Å"gale†, â€Å"cleanness†, â€Å"whiteness†, â€Å"stillness†, and again, â€Å"storm† all are variations on the meaning of what a snowstorm is and what it represents. It leaves a mental picture almost palpable, with the feel, the look and the sound of this aspect of nature. In addition to sentence placement, rich description and repetition, Hemingway personifies nature by giving to it human characteristics. In the following except, the rain is given a personality:  It turned cold that night and the next day it was raining. Coming home from Ospedale Maggiore it rained very hard and I was wet when I came in. Up in my room, the rain was coming down heavily outside on the balcony, and wind blew it against the glass doors. (Hemingway 142) In the three sentences above, Hemingway restates three times that it is raining and then finally emphasizes that the rain is blowing against the glass doors. The rain is shown to be insistent. The rain is not satisfied only to make the character wet while he is outside in the rain, but also the rain tries to barge into the characters room by blowing against the doors. In this way, Hemingway is not content to describe that it is raining, or even that it is raining hard. Instead, he uses imagery of a person prying against a door like a robber to convey that the rain has a purpose or a goal to achieve. Hemingway takes something as simple as the movement of a weed and beautifully plays it up to be something so much more: Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved and swung in the light sea as though the ocean were making love with something under a yellow blanket. (Hemingway 72) Personifying nature is giving it qualities of humans or portraying an aspect of nature to be doing an action that humans tend to do, Hemingway includes this aspect of writing in many of his works. In the above passage, Hemingway manifests the weeds â€Å"making love† in a certain movement. Nature is beautiful and was one of Hemingway’s great loves, yet he was not to sugar coat things. When something was mediocre, he brought it into the light: It stormed all that day. The wind drove down the rain and everywhere there was standing water and mud. The plaster of the broken houses was gray and wet. (Hemingway 174) Just as humans have both good and bad qualities, Hemingway illustrates that nature can mimic just the same. It would be a very great fate to find a paragraph of Hemingway’s that has nothing to do with nature. He carefully articulates each sentence and it has vast meaning. There may be question as to why he includes some; â€Å"‘Fish, he said, ‘I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.’† (Hemingway 54). A man is speaking to a fish, he is well aware that the fish will not respond, but it’s the meaning of taking the time to include him telling the fish that he will have to kill him, assumedly for food. Hemingway addresses nature so as to emphasize its importance to his works. Nature is not simply a part of the setting of scenes by Hemingway in his works. Various depictions of nature are written in a manner that create a tension between nature and the characters. The fact that Hemingway is so careful to emphasize nature in his writing style cannot be viewed as accidental or sentimental. Hemingways work as a whole is remarkable for the reason that it is so precise and cut down to a bare minimum: A.J. Verdelle, what do you think {Hemingways] most positive legacy for American writing has been? A.J. Verdelle: Well, actually, I think that Hemingway changed American writing. I think that he lived in a time at the edge of the florid 19th century, long writing. And he made it spare. He made it new. He made it vigorous. He made it fresh. And I appreciate him a great deal for that. (Verdelle Web.) For his writing which is otherwise spare, Hemingway devotes much energy to making the appearances of nature in his work memorable and active.  Some may wonder why Hemingway chooses to write in such a spare manner, yet not one bit bland: Its really up to you how much you want to read into the pine needles. Regardless of whether they have any larger meaning, Hemingways use of the same image at the beginning and end of the book – not just pine needles, but Robert Jordan lying on them – gives the novel nice  bookends, and a nifty little sense of  circularity†¦ Reading a little more into it, its likely that the pine needles on the ground are meant to be the singular image for the land of Spain itself, for Spanish earth, which Robert Jordan loves. (Siminoff Web) Mr. Siminoff proves an excellent point about the pine needles, however, there are pine needles in France, Michigan, and Austria all places that Hemingway was familiar with and set other stories. So, isn’t the larger point about pine needles that Hemingway connects the action of his characters to nature? The immediacy or vividness of nature in Hemingways work comes from the precise and planned way in which Hemingway writes, giving great meaning in a condensed form to that which he places in a scene: Physical nature is nowhere rendered with greater vividness than in his work†¦The meadows, forests, lakes, and trout streams of America, and the arid, sculpturesque mountains of Spain, appear with astonishing immediacy, an immediacy not dependent upon  descriptive flourishes. (Bloom Web). Bloom studied many great American authors, thus making his knowledge of literature is pronounced. Hemingway wrote solely about the things that he knew, nature depriving itself from all the places he ever went or travelled. The accounts of criticism on the unique writing style of Hemingway are vast and numerous. One common thread between them all is that Hemingway put himself into each piece of literature that he wrote, each reflecting his life in a way: It seems fair to say that Hemingway never really understood himself. His well-publicized front of bravado and he-man feats masked a nature that was somehow empty. What comes through in the huge volume of letters edited by Carlos Baker is the portrait of a man utterly deluded about the extent and sources of his pain, a malicious bully whose exploits served to fill up a life in which something love, empathy, genuine  interest in others was missing. (Atlas Web). While harshly critical of Hemingway, there is a point to be made. They say it is best to write about the things you know, Hemingway did just this. Atlas believed his writing became mainstream and lost its freshness. He argued that Hemingway was missing something from his writing. However, this is only one account. Ernest Hemingway was a man among men. He was the true embodiment of a â€Å"jack of all trades.† All the nature, hunting, fishing, and war tales that he wrote were a part of him. These things were his life and all that he knew. Nature is evidentially manifested in Hemingway’s works through sentences placement, the repetition of a single element in nature, rich description, and by being given human characteristics parts of nature. Upon reading Hemingway novel or short story, immediately bound to a vivid perspective of nature the reader is and that is a true gift. Works Cited: Atlas, James. â€Å"Papa Lives† The Atlantic.com Atlantic Monthly Group. 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Mar. 2011 Bloom, Harold. Blooms How to Write about Ernest Hemingway. New York: Infobase, 2009. Print. Bloom, Harold, ed. Bloom on Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway, Blooms Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54SID=5iPin= BMSSEH01SingleRecord=True (accessed February 3, 2011). Hemingway, Ernest. Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1929. Print. Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1952. Print. Hemingway, Ernest. Up in Michigan. The Short Stories. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1953. 81-87. Print  Reflections on Hemingway. Pbs.org. Joe Stoppard. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/ernest-hemingway/reflections-on-ernest-hemingway/629/. Siminoff, David. From Whom the Bell Tolls. Shmoop. Web. 31 Mar. 2011.  http://www.shmoop.com/for-whom-the-bell-tolls/.

The Hobbit | Summary and Analysis

The Hobbit | Summary and Analysis The Hobbit is an exciting fantasy about a hobbit that goes on the most fantastic adventure of his life. Bilbo (hobbit) goes to Middle Earth to seek the long lost treasure. Along the way, Bilbo encounters new friends, strange wild beasts, unlimited amount of danger, and temptation. The plot of this magnificent fantasy fits the quest pattern from the beginning, all the way to the end. The characters contained within the words of this novel fir the archetypal characters in every way. IN addition, the settings of this particular adventure have something magical and enchanted about them. These are the elements required to having the perfect quest, and The Hobbit contains all these elements. Therefore, The Hobbit is a very good example of a monomyth. The plot of this book contains three distinct phases: departure, initiation, and return. The departure phase often contains the call to adventure, the refusal, a supernatural aid, and crossing the first threshold. The call to adventure in this novel occurs when one day, Gandalf appears and asks Bilbo to go on an adventure with him in the following manner: Im looking for someone to share in an adventure that Im arranging [p.6]. There is also a refusal of the call, We are plain quiet folk, and have no use for adventures [p.6]. The supernatural aid is Gandalf, the wise old wizard, and when the dwarves and Bilbo encounter the trolls, [p.34-41] Gandalf comes and helps them and saves them all, and the first threshold is crossed. Bilbo and the dwarves can now move on. After the departure, Bilbo and the dwarves undertake an initiation, and are captured many times and almost killed if it were not for Bilbo. In the road of trials, Bilbo and the dwarves face many dangers and Bilbo has to save h is friends many times after they are captured, and through this, he gains a great deal of wisdom and is raised to a higher status when he saves them from the wood-elves prison [p.166-175]. Ultimately, when it is time to go back, Bilbo is hesitant to return because he has made so many new friends and is quite fond of them, but soon, he leaves with the elves, Beorn, and Gandalf with two trunks full of gold and silver as the boon and continues to lead a simple life. He is now the master of two worlds, and he can go back anytime he wants without any fear. Thus, the plot of The Hobbit fits the monomyth. The characters in The Hobbit fit the archetypal characters of the monomyth pattern. For example, there is a hero (Bilbo); the wise, old man (Gandalf); and the evil villains (the goblins, the Wargs, the wood-elves, the trolls, Gollum, Smaug, and Bolg). In a typical quest, readers expect to find evil characters that must be outwitted or defeated by the hero. In this case, it is the goblins, the Wargs etc. Bilbo is expected to defeat, who will not stop at anything to get their hands on the treasure, even if it means killing millions. Bilbo defeats Gollum in the riddle contest and when Gollum decided to kill Bilbo, Bilbo uses the magic ring to become invisible and follows Gollum out of the caves [p.70-84]. Next, the goblins capture the adventurers and after the escape of Bilbo and his friends, the goblins join armies with the Wargs and are ready to cremate them when the Eagles come and save the dwarves, the wizard and Bilbo [p.99-100]. The trolls that catch the dwarves in sacks, are read y to roast them and ear them when Gandalf appears uses his brain and saves them all [p.37-42]. When the travellers are captured by the goblins, Gandalf disappears from his spot and later appears in the tunnel, kills the Great Goblin, and helps the dwarves and Bilbo escape [p.57-63]. Smaug, the dragon and the guardian of the treasure, is killed by Bard before the war with the help of a thrush [p.231-232]. However, Bolg (son of the Great Goblin) is defeated by Beorn, the man who can turn into a bear [p.266-267]. The one villain who dies without being killed is the Master of the Town. He runs away with the treasure that is to be used to repair the town damaged by Smaug, and is later found dead with the treasure. Consequently, the characters in The Hobbit reflect the conventional characters what would be found within any monomyth. The setting for The Hobbit is the Hill, Hobbiton, Rivendell, Misty Mountains, The Island of Gollum, Mirkwood, the prison of the Wood-Elves, The Lonely Mountain, Long Lake, and Esgaroth. The novel begins on the Hill, near Hobbiton and quickly moves to a magical place called Rivendell where the dwarves and Bilbo stay for a while to get fresh supplies. Soon, they leave Rivendell and enter the dangerous Misty Mountains where they are captured by the goblins [p.57-63]. After they have all escaped into the tunnels, Bilbo falls on the way, finds Gollum on his Island, and scarcely escapes from him and the goblin army [p.65-84]. Next, the dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf go to the house of Beorn, who lives near the forest of Mirkwood [p.108-111]. Later, they enter the forest of Mirkwood [p.128-132], and have many more adventures. Then they see the light coming from the bushes and go off path (as they were told not to do) and are captured by giant spiders. After being released, they realise that Tho rin, their leader, has been captured by the wood-elves and to save him, they go after him and are prisoners of the wood-elves [p.156-158]. To escape, they have to journey through Long Lake in barrels [p.170-180] and everything is done by Bilbo because he was not caught since he was invisible. Esgaroth is the last town before the Lonely Mountains and their second last stop as well [182-187]. The last stop for the dwarves is their destination, The Lonely Mountain, for which they have come all the way. The are much wiser than when they started out, and they are very delighted to be at their destination, but they have one last barrier, the dragon, to conquer before they can claim the riches. The setting insists that the reader use their imagination, illuminating images of what unmarked worlds might be like when man has dominated his most despised rival. Therefore, the setting of The Hobbit is suitably impressive in degree and fits the form of an ambitious and heroic quest across the uni verse. The Hobbit is a very good example of a monomyth because the elements required to having the perfect quest are contained within The Hobbit. The plot of this glorious fantasy fits the quest pattern from the start, all the way to the conclusion. The characters enclosed with the words of this novel fit the model characters in every way. Additionally, the settings of this particular journey have something miraculous and charming about them. Along the way, Bilbo encountered new friends, wild beasts, heaps of danger, and temptation and gained wisdom from his experiences. Bilbo started out to seek the long lost treasure, and found out what the real treasures were: friendship, honesty, and trust. The Hobbit is a thrilling fantasy about a hobbit that goes on the most dangerous voyage of his life. About the ways in which The Hobbit demonstrates the features of the fantasy genre. The Hobbit is a fantasy novel about a peaceful hobbit that accompanies a wizard and several dwarves on a journey to steal the great treasures of the dragon Smaug and I believe it demonstrates or uses the features of the fantasy genre. The features of any genre are like a skeleton for the story of that particular genre. Different genres have different features such as different settings, characters, plot, themes and values. Features are like a list of criteria that is used to assess whether the novel fits into a genre. The Hobbit is unable to demonstrate the entire features of the fantasy genre but it is still clear that The Hobbit used the features of the fantasy genre as a skeleton. The first thing to consider when determining whether The Hobbit demonstrates the features of the fantasy genre is the setting. The setting is the where the story takes place. Most fantasy stories take place an enclosed world that is often exotic and mystical (Glasson, 1955, p.55). The setting in The Hobbit follows this idea and the world that it takes place is enclosed and exotic. With rows of strange and devious mountains and thick woods where elves and giant spiders live The Hobbit world is definitely exotic; with the abundance of several other creatures and dragons the world of The Hobbit is also quite mystical and magical. The setting of any genre is the fundamental building block for a stories development. For example, it is quite hard to create an interesting science fiction story that is set in the backyard of a young boy. The Hobbit proves that it uses the writing structure of the fantasy genre by being set in a magical land full of exotic creatures and landforms which are th e elements of a typical fantasy story.     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Setting isnt the only aspect to be considered when writing a fantasy story; there are also characters to be put into consideration. In the fantasy genre there are usually the protagonist and the antagonist that are in conflict with each other. In The Hobbit the protagonist is a simple hobbit, known as Bilbo Baggins, who becomes a thief on a plan to steal treasures. There is no antagonist in The Hobbit. Smaug is not the antagonist because an antagonist is a principal character that opposes the protagonist (www.thefreedictionary.com). Throughout the book Smaug does not oppose Bilbo Baggins until he is provoked. He is more of an obstacle than a villain opposing Bilbo and his party of dwarves. On the other hand, The Hobbit demonstrates the features of the fantasy genre through the development of Bilbo. Protagonists in fantasy stories are well-known for their development or change. For example, in the book called Eragon the main character transforms from a deer hunting farm boy into a fierce and powerful dragon rider. In the beginning of the book Bilbo defines himself and the hobbits as Plain quiet folk and have no use for adventure (The Hobbit, p.4). Throughout the book Bilbo changes into an extroverted and adventure-seeking hobbit through his experiences. Bilbo had changed from a simple hobbit into a fantasy protagonist with that could fulfil the task at hand. Most stories have a diverse range of characters and within these characters are the protagonist and antagonist. Different genres have different personalities or criteria for their main characters. The main character in a fantasy story is usually changing, confident and adventurous. The evidence clearly reveals that The Hobbit demonstrates the features of the fantasy through the knowledge or skills that the hero gains through his quest. Plot and structure is a key feature to the features of the fantasy genre. The plot and structure in the fantasy is quite unique in contrast to the features of other genres. There is calm, upheaval, calm; then stability is restored (Glasson, 1955, p. 55) shows the dynamic structure of a fantasy quest. The Hobbit starts off in a peaceful and calm atmosphere until Bilbo joins Gandalf and the fourteen dwarves in an adventure. During his journey the calm atmosphere is disrupted and upheaved. When the journey ends Bilbo goes back to his normal life, despite his grown love for adventure. Stability is restored at the end of The Hobbit because the arrogant dragon was killed and Bilbos returning to his peaceful life after a crazy adventure. The plot in a fantasy story usually centres on the heros quest or journey. The quest is usually a search for a powerful or ancient object that will restore the stability or calm that was disrupted by evil. The Hobbit conforms to this by focusing on Bilbos journey but the object (treasure) doesnt restore the calm but instead creates conflict. In The Hobbit Thorin and his cousin nearly declare war but are forced to join in an attempt to stop the Goblin army. With this evidence it is obvious that the quest was not aimed to destroy evil and it even started conflict. The quest in The Hobbit strays from the criteria of a typical fantasy story. Every protagonist in any genre encounters obstacles throughout story but the reasons for these obstacles change depending on the genre. A dramatic story would use obstacles as a method to exemplify the feeling of the character or his/her flaws while a fantasy story would use obstacles as a test for to prove the character is worthy or expedient. For example, Bilbo encounters three trolls and tries to pickpocket an object from one of the trolls but he is discovered and captured in his attempt. This obstacle couldve been made to show that Bilbo is not yet a master of stealing and how he still needs to improve before his convergence with Smaug. Most of the elements in The Hobbit successfully combine to create a suitable plot and structure for a fantasy novel. The Hobbit doesnt completely demonstrate the features of a fantasy story mainly due to the themes and values in the story. In a fantasy quest Tradition values are fought for (Glasson, 1955, p. 55). Throughout The Hobbit values are not fought for. For example, Bilbo believed in a simple and harmonious life that is adventure free but as he doesnt fight for what he believes in and ends up accepting Gandalfs request. Even when delving deeper into the story values are not fought for and some are even broken.     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   There are different opinions on the features of the fantasy genre and how a book fits into a particular genre and it makes it hard to find out whether a book really uses the features as an outline. By using the typical opinion of the criteria or features of a fantasy quest it is quite clear that The Hobbit follows these outlines. The Hobbit is able to include: an enclosed and exotic setting, mystical creatures, characters that learn from their mistakes and flaws, a plot that focuses on a quest for an object and obstacles that test and teach the hero during his quest. Even though The Hobbit doesnt use the themes and values of a typical fantasy quest but it still utilizes the features of the fantasy genre

Fallen angels :: essays research papers

In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him, but as the death and destruction increases, he realizes that in war there are no parts.In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him, but as the death and destruction increases, he realizes that in war there are no parts.In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him, but as the death and destruction increases, he realizes that in war there are no parts.In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him, but as the death and destruction increases, he realizes that in war there are no parts.In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him, but as the death and destruction increases, he realizes that in war there are no parts.In the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, we read about the hardships and troubles of the main character, Richard Perry, during the Vietnam war. Richie’s understanding of his part in the

Greek Architecture And Orders :: essays research papers

Greek Architecture and Orders Greek Architecture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greek architecture has been noted as some of the world's finest buildings known to man kind. Such as the Parthenon, and the temples they built to their Gods, have been studied over for many years. The way these structures were built is fascinating. The Three Greek Orders of Architecture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greek architecture is broken down into three orders. These orders were determined by the way that the top or capital of each column was sculpted. The first order was called the Doric Order. This was the most simple of the three. It was only meant for sturdiness, not for beauty. The second order was called the Ionic order. They had capitals sculpted like spiraling scrolls. They too were not that beautiful, but very sturdy. The third was the Corinthian Order. Ta the top of each capital of this order were carved Acanthus leaves. They were very beautiful, but not quite as sturdy as the other two. The columns were sometimes replaced with load-bearing statues called Caryatids. Greek Homes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greek houses were probably the most common of all buildings. They were built out of mud, and bricks. They all had a few rooms for dining, cooking, bathing, and sleeping. To conclude about Greek homes, most Greek citizens spent their time away from home, so little architectural specialties were put into the households. Ancient Greek Temples   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greeks spent alot of hard work, time and effort into the temples they built for their gods. This was where the three orders were put into effect. The Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders were popular forms all over Greece. Greek temples were made of stone, some were made of Marble. The Greeks constructed many acropolises, one famous one was the Partheneon.

William Pickton Anthropology

After reading the article in assignment one, complete the following questions. 1. Analyse the behaviour of William Pickton using the three different social science perspectives. Choose one theory from psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Using each perspective, write a one page analysis of the behaviour of William Pickton. Write a perspective for each social theory (three pages in total). 2. Write a hypothesis to research a serial murderer using the following social science theories: Psychoanalysis, Functionalism, and Feminism.For example, a Marxist could look at the economic inequalities as a means of promoting a feeling of helplessness. This helpless feeling could promote feelings of anger against anyone who possesses any means of production, and has control of his/her life. Lashing out against a community that is capable of supporting itself is a means of gaining power. Miller's job is in the service industry and does not involve the direct production of goods. Not controlling the means of production forces him to sell his skill. 3. INDEPTH: PICKTON The missing women of VancouverCBC News Online | Updated Aug. 10, 2006 4. After investigators spent 18 months excavating his Port Coquitlam farm, Robert William Pickton faced 15 murder charges in Vancouver's missing women case in 2002. In May 2005, Crown attorneys added 12 more first-degree murder charges against Pickton, bringing the grim total to 27. One of those charges was eventually dropped in March 2006, after a judge ruled Pickton could not be tried for killing an unidentified victim. In July 2003, B. C. provincial court judge David Stone ruled there was enough evidence to take Pickton to trial.This came after an extensive six-month-long preliminary hearing. But in June 2004, lawyers working on the case said Pickton's trial won't start until spring 2005 at the earliest. In December 2004, Pickton's defence team asked for another delay to give them time to examine DNA evidence. The trial date was further delayed when prosecutors added the 12 additional charges in May 2005. Pickton's trial didn't start until late January 2006. The voir dire phase of the trial, in which lawyers argue over what evidence will be admissible, is expected to last several months on its own.Reporters are not allowed to disclose material presented during voir dire because it may be ruled inadmissible. However, Crown prosecutors and Pickton's lawyers agreed they can start putting evidence to a jury in January 2007. Jury selection is scheduled for December 2006. It's expected 3,500 people will be called for jury duty, up substantially from an average of about 500 in other murder cases. And to lessen the burden on the jurors, a B. C. judge ruled that Pickton's trial will be divided into two parts. He will first be tried on six counts of murder.Justice James Williams said prosecutors can still seek a separate trial for the remaining 20 victims. He said severing the counts maximizes the chances that the case will proceed properly without a mistrial. And, he added, the evidence in these six cases – the alleged murders of Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Wolfe, Georgina Papin and Marnie Frey ? was â€Å"materially different† than the others. The case against Robert Pickton Rebecca Guno, a drug addict and prostitute, vanished from Vancouver's downtown eastside in June 1983.Her name was the first of 61 that would eventually be placed on the list of women to disappear mysteriously from the drug-infested area over the two decades that followed. It wasn't until 19 years later, early in 2002, that charges were laid in any of the cases. The charges came not long after police focused their efforts on a farm in Port Coquitlam, outside Vancouver. Dozens of officers scoured the farm in search of evidence. Within months, the owner of that farm, 53-year-old Robert William Pickton, would face seven murder charges.In July 2002, police made a plea for the public's help in l ocating nine more missing women, and said that if they cannot be found, their names will be added to the list of 54 other women who are missing. In September 2002, Pickton was charged with four more murders. One month later, four additional charges were added, bringing the total to 15. On January 9, 2003, days before Pickton's pretrial hearings began, traces of another missing woman were found on the pig farm. Police told the woman's mother that they did not want to lay any more charges until the pretrial started, fearing it would delay the case.Pickton's preliminary hearing, which began January 13, 2003, was winding down on July 20 when police expanded their investigation to include a roadside marsh in Mission, B. C. RCMP said the new search, to involve 52 anthropologists and two soil sifters, was prompted by findings made by searchers at the Port Coquitlam farm. A publication ban was placed on the pre-trial hearing to ensure information was not broadcast to potential jurors before the case is brought to trial. Nonetheless, evidence from the preliminary hearing was reported in newspapers, broadcasts and Web sites in the U.S – something Pickton's lawyer was afraid of. â€Å"Our concern all along is that we cannot control that,† said Peter Ritchie. â€Å"And so we're going to have to follow that to see what has been published. † The Pickton case is now the largest serial killer investigation in Canadian history (Clifford Olson pleaded guilty in 1982 to killing 11 children in B. C. ). Families of the missing women have accused Vancouver police of mishandling the investigation from the beginning by ignoring evidence that a serial killer was at work.The RCMP became involved in 2001. The families also say police neglected the cases because many of the women were prostitutes and drug addicts. It wasn't until August of 2001 that Vancouver police began hinting that a serial killer could be responsible for the disappearance of the missing women. At the time 31 women had vanished, but four had been accounted for and two of those were confirmed dead. Dr. Elliott Leyton, an anthropology professor at Memorial University in St.John's, Newfoundland, who wrote a book on serial killers called Hunting Humans, says that police are rightly reluctant to identify serial murders because public panic often follows. â€Å"Responsible people have to be careful about making wild pronouncements about possible serial killers,† Leyton says. â€Å"And when we are not sure if it is true, then it is inappropriate to throw people into a state of panic. Prostitution is a very dangerous profession and many of the people in it are wanderers and not well-connected to any conventional system of government controls or social services.So they can drift away from the system without being noticed for a very long time, even when nothing may have actually happened to them. † 5. Leyton argues that it may be irresponsible to assume that a serial kil ler may be at work in Vancouver. The RCMP task force has repeatedly said that it cannot speak about the ongoing investigation and only concedes that a serial killer may be involved. But Leyton admits that when you have a number of people missing from a particular social type you have to ask questions.The first indication that there was a significant number of prostitutes missing as far back as 1978 came to public attention in July of 1999, when the Vancouver Police and the Province's Attorney General published a poster offering a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people involved in the disappearances. Even the popular U. S. TV program America's Most Wanted aired a segment on the missing prostitutes, but few leads surfaced. In the spring of 1999, two Vancouver detectives teamed up with two RCMP detectives to review the file pertaining to the 31 missing women.In August of that year police began investigating an account by a woman, not a prostitute, who said that a man snatched her from the stairwell of a hotel in Vancouver's downtown eastside. The woman jumped from her captor's moving vehicle to escape. 6. Accusations that police haven't done enough reached a fever pitch when former detective and geographic profiler Kim Rossmo claimed he told police that a serial killer was at work in the Vancouver area and was ignored. Rossmo said that disappearances from the neighborhood were normal, but that the number of incidents was abnormally high between 1995 and 1998.Rossmo, who sued the Vancouver department for wrongful dismissal when they failed to renew his contract, claimed that a single predator was responsible for killing prostitutes in downtown Vancouver. The Vancouver department dismissed his claims as sour grapes. Leyton says that the difficulty in assembling a case is that these kinds of killers typically prey on strangers, so it becomes much more difficult for police to make the connections required to co nfirm the presence of a serial killer. 7. Article reprinted with permission from the CBC.