Pure Love Displayed in “Lanval” Essay Example

Pure Love Displayed in â€Å"Lanval† Paper Pure Love Displayed in â€Å"Lanval† The Lais of Marie De France’s â€Å"Lanval† is a piece that portrays the core ideals of Middle Age fiction while breaking away from the mold. Much like most Lais in Lais of Marie de France, â€Å"Lanval† displays an example of love and the obstacles over come to obtain such love. The love shared between Lanval and his mistress, Queen Semiramis is the core aspect that sets â€Å"Lanval† piece apart from other fiction pieces of the Middle Age genre. Lanval and Semiramis share pure love that causes them to see each others outside beauty and their beauty within, while staying pure at heart by not concentrating on the physical aspects of love. Of all the Lais of Marie De France, the story of Lanval displays a love that is not only taken seriously, but pure at heart. Due to the constant mention of beauty, and its relation to the love shared between Lanval and his mistress, Queen Semiramis, this love may appear superficial. Yet, beauty is mentioned in a manner that expresses how Lanval and his mistress view each other as beautiful because of their love, rather than loving someone because they are beautiful. Through this, the tie between love and beauty is seen in an entirely different light. Beauty, the cause of love in so many pieces from this genre, is now seen as the effect. At the lovers first meet Lanval sits with his mistress surrounded not only by her beauty, but the beauty of the things that surround her. We will write a custom essay sample on Pure Love Displayed in â€Å"Lanval† specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pure Love Displayed in â€Å"Lanval† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pure Love Displayed in â€Å"Lanval† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Despite the elaborate description of the â€Å"beautiful bed,† with â€Å"bedclothes† far more expensive than a castle and Semiramis’s beauty that â€Å"surpass[es]† even the most beautiful of flowers, Lanval seems to be oblivious (85-100). It is not untill she explains how she â€Å"Loves [him] more than anything† that he looks at her and realizes â€Å"that she is beautiful† (116-117). The love between them is pure because Lanval thinks that she is beautiful because of their love rather than the material things surrounding her. This true-love that Lanval and Semiramis share begins unveiling the Queen’s beauty, while granting Lanval beauty and wealth that he did not posses before. Lanval transforms from â€Å"a strange man† to with little friends and little to offer into a man full of â€Å"rich gifts† for strangers and friends alike as his mistress continues to shower him with good fortune (36, 209). Because the love between Lanval and Queen Semiramis grants the Queen recognition of her inner beauty while granting Lanval eauty through good fortune, their love symbolizes the idea that pure love betters us. The purity of the love shared between Lanval and Semiramis is also displayed through constant symbolism of white that coincides with the mention of the mistress. Even at their first meeting, although â€Å"her whole side is uncovered,† this image is portrayed as elegant rather than seductive due to the â€Å"white ermine† that she is draped with (102). Not only is Queen S emiramis draped in white, it also explains that she is â€Å"whiter than the hawthorn flower† herself (102-105). Although she has many superficial objects, including all the riches in the world, as well as more beauty than anyone has seen, the confession of her love is humble. Semiramis addresses Lanval as â€Å"sweet love,† and continues on to explain how she loves him â€Å"more than anything† (116). In her purity, she is oblivious of her own worth as she so humbly offers herself to Lanval. The purity of Semiramis’ being remains constant throughout â€Å"Lanval† as she reappears ridding a â€Å"white palfrey† while wearing a â€Å"white linen shift† (150,160). Although it is Lanval who betrays Semiramis, she humbly states before the King Arthur â€Å"I do not want him to suffer† (618). The constant symbolism of purity relating white to Semiramis’ being further supports the importance of the pure love shared between Lanval and Semiramis. In contradiction of purity it is mentioned that Semiramis â€Å"granted [Lanval] her love and her body† (133). Yet, the way Queen Semiramis offers herself to Lanval is not in a way that displays her body as an object as in most pieces in Lais of Marie de France. This offering of Semiramis’ body is more of an expression of the love and devotion she has for him. Lanval is informed by his Queen Semiramis that not only must their affair be secrete, but she will not be there to â€Å"satisify all [his] desires† (168). Regardless he is â€Å"very happy† just to have her love (171). Rather than an in depth description of how Semiramis offers her body, there are brief moments that display vulnerability. Just before leaving his new found love, â€Å"[Lanval] kissed his lady often and held her close†, displaying a form of innocent affection that is not often shown in fictional pieces of Marie de France’s time (187). Innocence is a form of purity, that is also portrayed as Lanval is before King Arthur, the sight of Semiramis causes â€Å"the blood to [rise] to his face† (595). The repetition of purity throughout the piece continually brings the theme back to the idea of pure love. The purity experienced between Lanval and Queen Semiramis strengthens their love while bettering each other. As they obtain knowledge of each others’ beauty and nobility they become strong enough to face the outside world and all its impurities, such that King Arthur’s Queen. With the absence of love derived from solely physical desire, as well as the purity of Semiramis’ being; Lanval and his mistress are an epitome of pure love in a genre that seldom displayed such emotions between adults. ? Work cited Marie de France. Lanval. Trans. Robert Hanning and Joan Ferrante. The Lais of Marie de Frane, Grand Rapids, MI: Bake 2 Books, 1995.

Verbal Irony - Definition and Examples

Verbal Irony s Verbal irony is a  trope (or figure of speech) in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express. Verbal irony can occur at the level of the individual word or sentence (Nice hair, Bozo), or it may pervade an entire text, as in Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal. Jan Swearingen reminds us that Aristotle equated verbal irony  with understatement and verbal dissemblingthat is with saying or expressing a veiled or guarded version of what one means (Rhetoric and Irony, 1991). The expression verbal irony was first used in  English criticism in 1833 by Bishop Connop Thirlwall in an article on the Greek playwright Sophocles. Examples In [the 1994 movie]  Reality Bites, Winona Ryder, applying for a newspaper job, is stumped when asked to define irony. It’s a good question. Ryder replies, Well, I can’t really define irony . . . but I know it when I see it. Really?Irony requires an opposing meaning between what’s said and what’s intended. Sounds simple, but it’s not. A paradox, something that seems contradictory but may be true, is not an irony. The Times stylebook, which, believe me, can be harsh, offers useful advice:The loose use of irony and ironically, to mean an incongruous turn of events, is trite. Not every coincidence, curiosity, oddity, and paradox is an irony, even loosely. And where irony does exist, sophisticated writing counts on the reader to recognize it.(Bob Harris, Isn’t It Ironic? Probably Not. The New York Times, June 30, 2008) Verbal Irony as Criticism What separates ironic comments from merely critical comments is that the intended criticism is often not obvious and not meant to be obvious to all participants (part of the face-saving factor). Let us compare the following examples which all share the same situational context: the addressee has once again left the door open. To get the hearer to close the door, a speaker may make any one of the following remarks: (1) Shut the goddamn door!(2) Shut the door!(3) Please shut the door!(4) Would you please shut the door?(5) You always leave the door open.(6) The door seems to be open.(7) I am so glad you remembered to shut the door.(8) I think people who shut doors when its cold outside are really considerate.(9) I love sitting in a draft. Examples (1) through (4) are direct requests varying by the amount of politeness used. Examples (5) through (9) are indirect requests, and, except for (5), which functions as a complaint, are all ironic. Even though the request for action in (5) is indirect, the criticism is obvious, whereas in examples (6) through (9) the criticism is hidden to different degrees. We see here that irony is more than the mere opposition of a surface and an underlying reading. The speaker of (8) in all actuality probably believes that people who shut doors when its cold outside are really considerate. Thus, there is no discernible opposition of a surface and an underlying reading. Nevertheless, examples like (8) should also be covered by any definition of irony.(Katharina Barbe, Irony in Context. John Benjamins, 1995) Swifts Verbal Irony The simplest form of high relief verbal irony is the antiphrastic praise for blame, for example, the Congratulations! we offer to the smart Alec who has let the side down. . . . [Jonathan] Swifts Directions to Servants, his satire of the faults and follies of servants, takes the form of advising them to do what they too frequently already do and reproducing their lame excuses as valid reasons: In Winter Time light the Dining-Room Fire but two Minutes before Dinner is served up, that your Master may see, how saving you are of his Coals.(Douglas Colin Muecke, Irony and the Ironic. Taylor Francis, 1982) Socratic Irony The everyday irony that, today, we identify in simple cases of verbal irony has its origin in [the] Socratic technique of eironeia. We use a word but expect others to recognise that there is more to what we are saying than the uses of everyday language. (Claire Colebrook, Irony. Routledge, 2004)I value the privilege of sitting beside you very highly, for I have no doubt that you will fill me with an ample draught of the finest wisdom. (Socrates addressing Agathon in Platos Symposium, c. 385-380 BC) Verbal irony forms the basis for what we mean when we say irony. In ancient Greek comedy, there was a character called an eiron who seemed subservient, ignorant, weak, and he played off a pompous, arrogant, clueless figure called the alazon. Northrop Frye describes the alazon as the character who doesnt know that he doesnt know, and thats just about perfect. What happens, as you can tell, is that the eiron spends most of his time verbally ridiculing, humiliating, undercutting, and generall y getting the best of the alazon, who doesnt get it. But we do; irony works because the audience understands something that eludes one or more of the characters.   (Thomas C. Foster, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. HarperCollins, 2003) Audens Unknown CitizenOur researchers into Public Opinion are contentThat he held the proper opinions for the time of year;When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went.He was married and added five children to the population,Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation.And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.(W. H. Auden, The Unknown Citizen. Another Time, 1940)The Lighter Side of Verbal IronyCommander William T. Riker: Charming woman!Lt. Commander Data: [voice-over] The tone of Commander Rikers voice makes me suspect that he is not serious about finding Ambassador TPel charming. My experience suggests that in fact, he may mean the exact opposite of what he says. Irony is a form of expression I have not yet been able to master.​​(Datas Day, Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1991) Also Known As: rhetorical irony, linguistic irony

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 Known also as the Simpson-Mazzoli Act for its legislative sponsors, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 was passed by Congress as an attempt to control illegal immigration into the United States. The legislation passed the U.S. Senate on a 63-24 vote and the House 238-173 in October 1986. President Reagan signed it into law shortly after on Nov. 6. The federal law had provisions that restricted the hiring of illegal immigrants in the workplace and also allowed illegal immigrants already in the country to stay here legally and avoid deportation. Among them: Requiring employers to stipulate that their employees had legal immigration status.Making it illegal for an employer to knowingly hire an illegal immigrant.Creating a guest worker plan for certain seasonal agricultural workers.Increasing enforcement personnel on the U.S. borders.Legalizing the illegal immigrants who entered the country before Jan. 1, 1982 and had been U.S. residents continuously since then, in exchange for back taxes, fines and admission of entering the country illegally. Rep. Romano Mazzoli, D-Ken., and Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., sponsored the bill in Congress and steered its passage. â€Å"Future generations of Americans will be thankful for our efforts to humanely regain control of our borders and thereby preserve the value of one of the most sacred possessions of our people: American citizenship,† Reagan said upon signing the bill into law. Why Was the 1986 Reform Act a Failure? The president couldnt have been much more mistaken. People on all sides of the immigration argument agree that the 1986 Reform Act was a failure: it didnt keep illegal workers out of the workplace, it didn’t deal with at least 2 million undocumented immigrants who ignored the law or were ineligible to come forward, and most of all, it didnt stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the country. On the contrary, most conservative analysts, among them members of the Tea Party, say that the 1986 law is an example of how amnesty provisions for illegal immigrants encourage more of them to come. Even Simpson and Mazzoli have said, years later, that the law didnt do what they hoped it would. Within 20 years, the number of illegal immigrants living in the United States had at least doubled. Instead of curbing abuses in the workplace, the law actually enabled them. Researchers found that some employers engaged in discriminatory profiling and stopped hiring people who looked like immigrants – Hispanics, Latinos, Asians – to avoid any potential penalties under the law. Other companies enlisted subcontractors as a way to insulate themselves from hiring illegal immigrant workers. The companies then could blame the middlemen for abuses and violations. One of the failings in the bill was not getting wider participation. The law didnt deal with all the illegal immigrants already in the country and didnt reach out more effectively to those who were eligible. Because the law had the Jan. 1982 cutoff date, tens of thousands of undocumented residents were not covered. Thousands of others who might have participated were unaware of the law. In the end, only about 3 million illegal immigrants participated and became legal residents. The failings of the 1986 law were often cited by critics of comprehensive immigration reform during the 2012 election campaign and the congressional negotiations in 2013. Opponents of the reform plan charge that it contains another amnesty provision by granting illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and is sure to encourage more illegal immigrants to come here, just as its predecessor did a quarter-century ago.

Abortion From Perspectives of Functionalist Research Paper

Abortion From Perspectives of Functionalist - Research Paper Example The paper has identified that from perspectives of   Functionalist we must engage abortion from a macro perspective in terms of how it affects the whole of society and its relationship between societal parts. Abortion, in general, is legal, but when viewing it from the macro perspective, it becomes alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the abortion rate for non-Hispanic Blacks in New York is 59.8%. Clearly, this statement makes the aforementioned billboard claim correct. From a functionalist perspective, little else is seen. This vision of the functionalist has sparked a growing concern that has not only swept the nation but has found its way into legislation to the thwart the taxpayer funding of abortions nationwide. The functionalist has a natural call for accountability. The perception is that abortions outside of cases of rape, incest and of concerns for health are an act of personal irresponsibility fueled by the passive acceptance of low moral standards. Acc ountability is imposed through removing the means financial absolution when it comes to acquiring abortions. It is felt that social systems work to maintain a social equilibrium. With more than half of the Black babies in New York being aborted, that equilibrium is lost with the given community. The lost equilibrium is viewed as the loss of social norms that must be returned to the previous state through social control mechanisms; in this case, legislation. The functionalist also views the individual from a perspective that enables how the individual is influenced by larger, more reaching social forces. The pro-life campaign that resulted in this billboard is a prime example of how the functionalist utilizes a social tool to influence the individual. While it is not a matter of whether the functionalist in this case is right or wrong, it demonstrates an example of the functionalist at work on a macro scale. However, the functionalist is not the only perspective in viewing abortions in New York’s Black communities. Conflict From the conflict perspective, the billboard was a result of the fact that the New York inner-city Black community has insufficient resources in which to cope with the reproductive health of women. The result is an abortion rate that now â€Å"outpaces life.† When compared to other ethnic groups, Blacks undergo disproportionately more abortions. Because the Black community lacks the resources of the richer communities, the abortion rates are higher. Abortions are thus performed for economic reasons as the Black community falls further behind the economic elite of America. The unemployment rate for Blacks aged 16 to 19 is 41.6%. From a conflict perspective, it goes to reason abortion rates will be higher in those who lack the means of financial provision.

Communications Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Communications Technology - Essay Example No way was I going to pedal over some of those hills though: o Lucky for me the bus drivers were happy to put my bike on a carrier on the front of the bus and drive me to a destination where I could pedal around exploring. Beautiful country...too bad about the tourism dollars going out of the country - but that's another blogg in itself. In 2004 I spent three weeks in Palau for the 9th Pacific Arts Festival - that was awesome! So many cultures, so little time. I plan on traveling the Eastern Coastline of Australia in 2007 - the web pics are breathtaking, and I want to learn to scuba dive. I am also interested in robotics, and have built myself a little bot I've named Nox (yes I'm a Gater [Stargate fan]). I enjoy building things and I enjoy watching Nox learn things - like how to find his way through a maze (I made one out of cardboard) and how to find his way through my apartment (lots of trial and error and the occasional broken glass). At the moment I am building a little sister for Nox, her name is Major Carter (yep, Stargate again!). But trying to build around my studies can be difficult, as all I seem to do is study (_*) I became interested in communications technology at high school. I firmly believe it is necessary for humans to have effective communications: interpersonally, nationally and globally. I think it important also that each person be able to critically analyze and reflect on information that is communicated to us and that each person have access to information, so that we can make informed decisions, and so that institutions, corporations and individuals can be accountable for their actions. It helps that the CT industry is growing rapidly, as that means I more likely to obtain gainful employment - in a job I enjoy! Also, the dynamic nature of the internet will allow me to be innovative and expressive in a variety of ways that suit my character - color, FUN, interaction, connections with like minded individuals and businesses etc. At this point, web programming is a definite interest. I will be able to design sites for others, as well as develop my own about topics which are important to me. Due to current time constraints ; ) I can begin a soapbox from my blogg, for dissemination on an important CT topic: ethics!!! Ethics brings to mind for many people, including students, including myself - the word boringit conjures up images of dry, drab and complicated documents bound in dusty covers, sectioned away in the far corners of libraries. It is unfortunate that we, and I emphasize the collective "we", do not take more of an interest in our rights as citizens of this globe. For that is what ethics is - guidelines for maintaining our freedoms as a human being, our dignity, our privacy, and our accountability to the global community we are a part of. With a medium such as the internet ethics becomes further complicated and even more important - at least I think so. The internet is an unmediated communication environment. This very blogg that you read now has been created by a person whom you do not know, are likely never to meet, and who is going to say a great (and they will be great : ) many things about people, and government, and business - and maybe even you. How do you feel about that I know that for myself I have several netiquette concerns (etiquette for the www). As I write this blogg I feel a pressing need to abscond to the loo (sorry

Firstmover Advantage Essay Example for Free

Firstmover Advantage Essay What, exactly, are first-mover advantages? Under what conditions do they arise, and by what specific mechanisms? Do first-movers make aboveaverage profits? And when is it in a firm’s interest to pursue first-mover opportunities, as opposed to allowing rivals to make the pioneering investments? In this paper we examine these and other related questions. We categorize the mechanisms that confer advantages and disadvantages on first-mover firms, and critically assess the relevant theoretical and empirical literature. The recent burgeoning of theoretical work in industrial economics provides a rich set of models that help make our understanding of first-mover advantages more precise. There is also a growing body of empirical literature on order-of-entry effects. Our aim is to begin to provide a more detailed mapping of mechanisms and outcomes, to serve as a guide for future research. We define first-mover advantages in terms of the ability of pioneering firms to earn positive economic profits (i. e. , profits in excess of the cost of capital). First-mover advantages arise endogenously within a multi-stage process, as illustrated in Figure 1. In the first stage, some asymmetry is generated, enabling one particular firm to gain a head start over rivals. This first-mover opportunity may occur because the firm posesses some unique resources or foresight, or simply because of luck. Once this asymmetry is generated there are a variety of mechanisms that may enable the firm to exploit its position; these mechanisms enhance the magnitude or durability (or both) of first-mover profits. Our discussion is organized as follows. We first consider theoretical models and empirical evidence on three general categories in which first-mover advantage can be attained: leadership in product and process technology, preemption of assets, and development of buyer switching costs. We then examine potential disadvantages of first-mover firms (or conversely, relative advantages enjoyed by late-mover rivals). These include free-rider problems and a tendency toward inertia or sluggish response by established incumbents. The next section addresses a series of basic conceptual issues. These include the endogenous nature of first-mover opportunities, and various definitional and measurement questions. We conclude with an assessment of opportunities for additional research, and a summary of managerial implications. 1 MECHANISMS LEADING TO FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGES First-mover advantages arise from three primary sources: (1) technological leadership, (2) preemption of assets, and (3) buyer switching costs. Within each category there are a number of specific mechanisms. 1 In this section we survey the existing theoretical and empirical literature on these three general categories of first-mover advantages. The theoretical models surveyed in this section assume the existence of some initial asymmetry among competitors that can be exploited by the first-mover firm. This intial asymmetry is critical; without it first-mover. advantages do not arise. Later in the paper we consider ways in which this asymmetry may come about. Technological Leadership First-movers can gain advantage through sustainable leadership in technology. Two basic mechanisms are considered in the literature: (1) advantages derived from the â€Å"learning† or â€Å"experience† curve, where costs fall with Cumulative output, and (2) success in patent or RD races, where advances in product or process technology are a function of RD expenditures. Learning curve In the standard learning-curve model, unit production costs fall with cumulative output. This generates a sustainable cost advantage for the early entrant if learning can be kept proprietary and the firm can maintain leadership in market share. This argument was popularized by the Boston Consulting Group during the 1970s and has had a considerable influence on the strategic management field. In a seminal theoretical paper, Spence (1981) demonstrated that when learning can be kept proprietary, the learning curve can generate substantial barriers to entry. Fewer than a handful of firms may be able to compete profitably. 2 However, despite high seller concentration there are incentives for vigorous competition. Firms that do enter may initially sell below cost Rumelt (1987) refers to these as â€Å"isolating mechanisms,† since they protect â€Å"entrepreneurial rents† from imitative competition. 2 1n a related setting where learning depends on accumulated investment rather than output, Gilbert and Harris (1981) show that a first-mover will preempt in the construction of new plants over multiple generations. 1 2 in an effort to accumulate greater experience, and thereby gain a long-term cost advantage. Such vigorous competition sharply reduces profits. Empirical evidence supporting such learning-based preemption is given by Ghemawat (1984) in the case of DuPont’s development of an innovative process for titanium dioxide, and by Porter (1981) who discusses Proctor and Gamble’s sustained advantage in disposable diapers in the US. Similarly, Shaw and Shaw (1984) argue that late entrants into European synthetic fiber markets failed to gain significant market shares or low cost positions, and many ultimately exited. Learning-based advantages are also evident in the case of Lincoln Electric Company (Fast, 1975); the firm’s early market entry with superior patented products, coupled with a distinctive managerial system promoting continued cost reduction in an evolutionary technological environment, has enabled the company to sustain remarkably high profitability. Inter-firm diffusion of technology, which diminishes first-mover advantages derived from the learning curve, is emphasized in theoretical papers by Ghemawat and Spence (1985) and Lieberman (1987c). It is now generally recognized that diffusion occurs rapidly in most industries, and learning-based advantages are less widespread than was commonly believed in the 1970s. Mechanisms for diffusion include workforce mobility, research publication, informal technical communication, â€Å"reverse engineering,† plant tours, etc. For a sample of firms in ten industries, Mansfield (1985) found that process technology leaks more slowly than product technology, but competitors typically gain access to detailed information on both products and processes within a year of development. Lieberman (1982, 1987b) shows that diffusion of process technology enabled late entry into a sample of forty chemical product industries, despite strong learning curve effects at the industry level. R~Dand patents When technological advantage is largely a function of RD expenditures, pioneers can gain advantage if technology can be patented or maintained as trade secrets. This has been formalized in the theoretical economics literature in the form of RD or patent races where advantages are often enjoyed by the first-mover firm. Gilbert and Newberry (1982) were the first to develop a model of preemptive patenting, in which a firm with an early head-start in research exploits its lead to deter rivals from entering the patent race. Subsequent papers by Reinganum (1983), Fudenberg, et 3 al. (1983) and others showed that that preemption by the leader depends on assumptions regarding the stochastic nature of the RD process and whether it is possible for followers to â€Å"leapfrog† ahead of the incumbent. One general defect of this patent race literature is that all returns are assumed to go exclusively to the winner of the race. As an empirical matter, such patent races seem to be important in only a few industries, such as pharmaceuticals. In most industries, patents confer only weak protection, are easy to â€Å"invent around,† or have transitory value given the pace of technological change. For a sample of 48 patented product innovations in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and electrical products, Mansfield et al. (1981) found that on average, imitators could duplicate patented innovations for about 65% of the innovators cost; imitation was fairly rapid, with 60% of the patented innovations imitated within four years. Imitation appeared relatively more costly in the pharmaceutical industry, where immitators must go through the same regulatory approval procedures as the innovating firm. Levin et al. (1984) found wide inter-industry variation in the cost and time required for imitation. They also found inter-industry differences in appropriability mechanisms, with lead-time and learning curve advantages relatively important in many industries, and patents important in few. In a study using the PIMS data base, Robinson (1988) found that pioneer firms benefit from patents or trade secrets to a significantly greater extent than followers (29% vs. 13%). However, he also found that patents accounted for only a small proportion of the perceived quality advantages enjoyed by pioneers. Several case studies have examined the role of patents in sustaining firstmover advantages. Bresnahan (1985) discusses Xerox’s use of patents as an entry barrier. In addition to key patents on the basic Xerography process, Xerox patented a thicket of alternative technologies which defended the firm from entry until challengers used anti-trust actions to force compulsory licensing. Bright (1949) argues that GE’s long-term dominance of the electric lamp industry was initially derived from control of the basic Edison patent, and later maintained through the accumulation of hundreds of minor patents on the lamp and associated equipment. RD and innovation need not be limited to physical hardware; firms also make improvements in managerial systems and may invent new organizational forms. Organizational innovation is often slow to diffuse, and hence may convey more durable first-mover advantage than product or process innovation (Teece, 1980). Chandler (1977) describes managerial innovations that enabled producers to exploit newly-available scale economies in 4 manufacturing and distribution in the late 19th century. Many of these firms—e. g. , American Tobacco, Campbell Soup, Quaker Oats, Proctor and  Gamble—still retain dominant positions in their industries. Preemption of Scarce Assets The first-mover firm may be able to gain advantage by preempting rivals in the acquisition of scarce assets. Here, the first-mover gains advantage by controffing assets that already exist, rather than those created by the firm through development of new technology. Such assets may be physical resources or other process inputs. Alternatively, the assets may relate to positioning in â€Å"space,† including geographic space, product space, shelf space, etc. Preemption of input factors II the first-mover firm has superior information, it may be able to purchase assets at market prices below those that will prevail later in the evolution of the market. Such assets include natural resource deposits and prime retailing or manufacturing locations. Here, the returns garnered by the first-mover are pure economic rents. 3 A first-mover with superior information can (in principle) collect all such rents earned on non-mobile assets such as resource deposits and real estate. 4 The firm may also be able to appropriate some of the rents that accrue to potentially mobile assets such as employees, suppliers and distributors. The firm can collect such rents if these factors are bound to the firm by switching costs, so that their mobility is restricted. One empirical study of first-mover advantages in controlling natural resources is Main (1955). Main argues that the concentration of high-grade nickel deposits in a single geographic area made it possible for the first company in the area to secure rights to virtually the entire supply, and thus dominate world production for decades. The basic argument is sta-ndard economic analysis, and can be traced back to Ricardo’s analysis of rents captured by landowners (first-movers) in the market for wheat in 19th century England. 4 Note that with complete markets, a first-mover with superior information need not actually own or control such assets to capture economic rents. Hirshleifer (1971) argues that if futures markets exist, the firm can simply assume forward market positions that exploit its superior information. 3 5 Preemption of locations in geographic and product characteristics space First-movers may also be able to deter entry through strategies of spatial preemption. In many markets there is â€Å"room† for only a limited number of profitable firms; the first-mover can often select the most attractive niches and may be able to take strategic actions that limit the amount of space available for subsequent entrants. Preemptable â€Å"space† can be interpreted broadly to include not only geographic space, but also shelf space and â€Å"product characteristics space† (i. e. , niches for product differentiation). The theory of spatial preemption is developed in papers by Prescott and Vissher (1977), Schmalensee (1978), Rao and Ruttenberg (1979) and Eaton and Lipsey (1979, 1981). The basic argument is that the first-mover can establish positions in geographic or product space such that latecomers find it unprofitable to occupy the interstices. If the market is growing, new niches are filled by incumbents before new entry becomes profitable. 5 Entry is repelled through the threat of price warfare, which is more intense when firms are positioned more closely. Incumbent commitment is provided through sunk investment costs. 6 The empirical evidence suggests that successful preemption through geographic space packing is rare. In their study of the cement industry, Johnson and Parkman (1983) found no evidence of successful geographic preemption even though structural characteristics of the industry suggest that such strategies would be likely. In a study of local newspaper markets, Glazer (1985) found no difference in survival rates between first- and second-mover firms. One explanation for these findings is that all firms in cement and newspaper markets have similar technologies and entry opportunities, so preemptive competition for preferred sites drives profits to zero. In other words, there were no initial asymmetries in timing or information to be exploited. One counter-example illustrating effective geographic preemption is a case study of the Wal-Mart discount retailing firm (Ghemawat, 1986b). Wal-Mart targeted small southern towns located in contiguous areas that competitors initially found unprofitable to serve. By coupling spatial preemption at the retail level with an. extremely efficient distribution network, the firm has been able to defend its position and earn sustained high profits. Schmalensee (1978) developed his model of product space preemption in lncumbents fill these niches in order to sustain monopoly profits at nearby locations; these profits may be dissipated if new entry occurs. 6 judd (1985) argues that sunk costs are not sufficient; exit costs are required as well. 5 6 the context of a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission against the three major US breakfast cereal companies. The FTC alleged that these firms had sustained their high profit rates through a strategy of tacit collusion in preempting supermarket shelf space and product differentiation niches. Although the lawsuit was dismissed, the cereal firms have continued to sustain exceptionally high profit rates. 7 Robinson and Fornell (1985) found that new consumer product pioneers initially held product quality superiority over imitators, and eventually developed advantages in the form of a broader product line. Thus, there is some evidence that pioneers try to reinforce their early lead by filling product differentiation niches. Preemptive investment in plant and equipment Another way in which an established first-mover can deter entry is through pre-emptive investment in plant and equipment. Here, the enlarged capacity of the incumbent serves as a commitment to maintain greater output following entry, with price cuts threatened to make entrants unprofitable. In these models, the incumbent may successfully deter new entry, as in Spence (1977), Dixit (1980), Gilbert and Harris (1981) and Eaton and Ware (1987). Alternatively, pre-emptive investment by the pioneer may simply deter the growth of smaller entrants, as in Spence (1979) and Fudenberg and Tirole (1983). These investment tactics do not seem to be particularly important in practice. Gilbert (1986) argues that most industries lack the cost structure required for preemptive investment to prove effective. Lieberman (1987a) shows that preemptive investment by incumbents was seldom successful in deterring entry into chemical product industries. One exception was magnesium, where Dow Chemical maintained a near monopoly position for several decades, based largely on investments (threatened or actual) in plant capacity (Lieberman, 1983). The role of scale economies is intentionally de-emphasized in the abovementioned models of preemptive investment. 8 When scale economies are large, first-mover advantages are typically enhanced, with the limiting case being that of natural monopoly. However, outside of public utilities, scale 7 8 0f course, these profits may be derived from sources other than spatial preemption. have also ignored the possibility that network externalities may enhance the po- sition of the first-mover firm. These externalities arise if there are incentives for interconnection or compatibility among users. (See, for example, Farrell and Saloner (1986) and Katz and Shapiro (1986). ) 7 economies approaching the natural monopoly level are seldom observed in US manufacturing industries. 9 In a theoretical treatment, Schmalensee (1981) shows that in most realistic industry settings, scale economies provide only minor entry barriers and hence potential for enhanced profits. Switching Costs and Buyer Choice Under Uncertainty Switching costs First-mover advantages may also arise from buyer switching costs. With switching costs, late entrants must invest extra resources to attract customers away from the first-mover firm. Several types of switching costs can arise. First, switching costs can stem from initial transactions costs or investments that the buyer makes in adapting to the seller’s product. These include the time and resources spent in qualifying a new supplier, the cost of ancillary products such as software for a new computer, and the time, disruption, and financial burdens of training employees. A second category of switching costs arises due to supplier-specific learning by the buyer. Over time, the buyer adapts to characteristics of the product and its supplier and thus finds it costly to change over to another brand (Wernerfelt, 1988). For example, nurses become accustomed to the intravenous solution delivery systems of a given supplier and are reluctant to switch (Porter, 1980). A third type of switching cost is contractual switching cost that may be intentionally created by the seller. Airline frequent flyer programs fit in this category (Klemperer, 1986). Theoretical models of market equilibrium with buyer switching costs include Klemperer (1986) and Wernerfelt (1986, 1988). Switching costs typically enhance the value of market share obtained early in the evolution of a new market. Thus, they provide a rationale for pursuit of market share. However, first-movers with large market shares do not necessarily earn high profits; early competition for share can dissipate profits. And under some conditions the inertia of an incumbent with a large customer base can make this firm vulnerable to late entrants, who prove to be relatively more profitable (Klemperer, 1986). For example, see Weiss (1976). This finding applies to manufacturing operations only; greater scale economies may arise in distribution and advertising. Also, many retailing markets are geographically fragmented, leading to the possibility of spatial preemption of the sort described earlier. Such preemption requires the presence of some scale economies in the form of fixed costs. 9 8 Buyer choice under uncertainty A related theoretical literature (e. g. , Schmalensee, 1982) deals with the imperfect information of buyers regarding product quality. In such a context, buyers may rationally stick with the first brand they encounter that performs the job satisfactorily. Brand loyalty of this sort may be particularly strong for low-cost â€Å"convenience goods† where the benefits of finding a superior brand are seldom great enough to justify the additional search costs that must be incurred (Porter, 1976). In such an environment, early-mover firms may be able to establish a reputation for quality that can be transferred to additional products through umbrella branding and other tactics (Wernerfelt, 1987). Similar arguments derived from the psychology literature suggest that the first product introduced receives disproportionate attention in the consumer’s mind. Late entrants must have a truly superior product, or else advertise more frequently (or more creatively) than the incumbent in order to be noticed by the consumer. In a laboratory study using consumer products, Carpenter and Nakamoto (1986) found that order-of-entry influences the formation of consumer preferences. If the pioneer is able to achieve significant consumer trial, it can define the attributes that are perceived as important within a product category. Pioneers such as Coca-Cola and Kleenex have become prototypical, occupying a unique position in the consumer’s mind. Pioneers’ large market shares tend to persist because perceptions and preferences, once formed, are difficult to alter. More traditional marketing studies confirm the existence of such perceptual effects. In a study of two types of prescription pharmaceuticals—oral diuretics and antianginals—Bond and Lean (1977) found that physicians ignored â€Å"me-too† products, even if offered at lower prices and with substantial marketing support. ’ ° Montgomery (1975) found that a product’s newness was one of the two key variables necessary to gain acceptance onto supermarket shelves. These imperfect information effects should be greater for individual consumers than corporate buyers, since the latter’s larger purchase volume justifies greater investment in information acquisition activities)-~ Using the 0ne explanation of these findings is that physicians are price insensitive because they do not actually pay the prescription costs. However, the Carpenter and Nakamoto (1986) experiments found that more typical consumers are also unwilling to switch to objectively similar â€Å"me-too† brands, even at substantially lower prices. 11 Moreover, switching costs in industrial markets often dissipate over time as the buy~r becomes more knowledgeable about competing products (Cady, 1985). 10 9 PIMS data base, Robinson (1988) and Robinson and Fornell (1985) found that pioneers had larger market shares than followers in both consumer and industrial markets, but the effect was much greater for consumer goods: order of entry explained 18% of the variance in market share in consumer goods markets, but only 8% in industrial markets. For a sample of 129 consumer packaged goods, Urban et al. (1986) found a strong inverse relation between order-of-entry and market share. Brand positions remain remarkably durable in many consumer markets. Ries and Trout (1986) noted that of twenty-five leading brands in 1923, twenty were still in first place some sixty years later. Davidson (1976) found that two-thirds of the pioneers in eighteen United Kingdom grocery product categories developed since 1945 retained their market leadership through the mid- 1970s. FIRST-MOVER DISADVANTAGES The above-mentioned mechanisms that benefit the first-mover may be counterbalanced by various disadvantages. These first-mover disadvantages are, in effect, advantages enjoyed by late mover firms. Late movers may benefit from: (1) the ability to â€Å"free ride† on first-mover investments, (2) resolution of technological and market uncertainty, (3) technological discontinuities that provide â€Å"gateways† for new entry, and (4) various types of â€Å"incumbent inertia† that make it difficult for the incumbent to adapt to environmental change. These phenomena can reduce, or even completely negate, the net advantage of the incumbent derived from the mechanisms considered previously. Free-Rider Effects Late movers may be able to â€Å"free ride† on a pioneering firm’s investments in a number of areas including RD, buyer education, and infrastructure development. As mentioned previously, imitation costs are lower than innovation costs in most industries. However, innovators enjoy an initial period of monopoly that is not available to imitator firms. Nevertheless, the ability of follower firms to free ride reduces the magnitude and durability of the pioneer’s profits, and hence its incentive to make early investments. The theoretical literature has focused largely on the implications of freerider effects in the form of information spillovers in RD (Spence, 1984; Baldwin Childs, 1969), and learning-based productivity improvement 10 (Ghemawat and Spence, 1985; Lieberman, 1987c). As mentioned previously, empirical studies document a high rate of inter-firm diffusion of technology in most industries. Guasch and Weiss (1980) assess free-rider effects operating in the labor market. They give a theoretical argument that late-mover firms may be able to exploit employee screening performed by early entrants, and thus acquire skilled labor at lower cost. This is on top of the fact that early entrants may invest in employee training, with benefits enjoyed by later entrants who may be able to hire away the trained personnel. Teece (1986a, 1986b) argues that the magnitude of free-rider effects depends in part on the ownership of assets that are complementary or specialized† with the underlying innovation. For example, EMI developed the first CT scanner but lost in the marketplace because the firm lacked a technology infrastructure and marketing base in the medical field; Pilkington, by comparison, was able to profit handsomely from its pioneering float glass process because of the firm’s ability to draw upon relevant assets and experience in the glass industry. In other instances late-mover firms have proven successful largely because they were able to exploit existing assets in areas such as marketing, distribution, and customer reputation—e. g. , IBM in personal computers and Matsushita in VCRs (Schnaars, 1986). Resolution of Technological or Market Uncertainty Late movers can gain an edge through resolution of market or technological uncertainty. 12 Wernerfelt and Karnani (1987) consider the effects of uncertainty on the desirability of early versus late market entry. They argue that early entry is more attractive when firms can influence the way that uncertainty is resolved. Firm size may also matter—they suggest that large firms may be better equipped to wait for resolution of uncertainty, or to hedge by maintaining a more flexible portfolio of investments. In many new product markets, uncertainty is resolved over time through the emergence of a â€Å"dominant design. † The Model T Ford and the DC-3 are examples of such designs in the automotive and aircraft industries. After emergence of such a design, competition often shifts to price, thereby con12 A related point is that a late-mover may be able to take advantage of the firstmover’s mistakes. For example, when Toyota was first planning to enter the US market it interviewed owners of Volkswagons, the leading small car at that time. Information on what owners liked and disliked about the VW was incorporated in the design process for the new Toyota. 11 veyin. g greater advantage on firms possessing skills in low-cost manufacturing (Teece, 1986b). Shifts in Technology or Customer Needs. Schumpeter (1961) conceived of technological progress as a process of â€Å"creative destruction† in which existing products are superceded by the innovations of new firms. New entrants exploit technological discontinuities to displace existing incumbents. Empirical studies which consider these technological discontinuities or â€Å"gateways† for new entry include Yip (1982), and Bevan (1974). Foster (1986) gives practical advice on how such discontinuities can be exploited by entrants, who might be defined as â€Å"first-movers† into the next technological phase. Sch. erer (1980, p.438) provides a list of innovative entrants who revolutionized existing industries with new products and processes. He also cites numerous examples of dominant incumbents that proved slow innovators but aggressive followers (p. 431). Since the replacement technology often appears while the old technology is still growing, it may be difficult for an incumbent to percieve the threat and take adequate preventative steps. Cooper and Schendel (1976) provide several examples, such as the failure of steam locomotive manufacturers to respond to the invention of diesel. Foster (1986) cites American Viscose’s failure to recognize the potential of polyester as a replacement for rayon, and Transitron’s inattention to silicon as a substitute for germanium in semiconductor fabrication. This perceptual failure problem is closely related to that of â€Å"incumbent inertia† considered below. Customer needs are also dynamic, creating opportunities for later entrants unless the first mover is alert and able to respond. Docutel, as the pioneer, had virtually 100% of the automatic teller machine market up to late 1974. Over the next four years, its market share declined to less than 10% under the onslaught of Honeywell, IBM and Burroughs, all of whom offered total system solutions to customers’ emerging needs for electronic funds transfer (Abell, 1978). Incumbent Inertia Vulnerability of the first-mover is often enhanced by problems of â€Å"incumbent inertia. † Such inertia can have several root causes: (1) the firm may be locked-in to a specific set of fixed assets, (2) the firm may be reluctant to cannibalize its existing product lines, or (3) the firm may become organi-12 zationally inflexible. These factors inhibit the ability of the firm to respond to environmental change or competitive threats. Incumbent inertia is often a rational, profit-maximizing response, even though it may lead to organizational decline. For example, Tang (1988) presents a model that rationalizes the decisions of most U. S. steel producers to continue investing in open hearth furnace technology during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s even though it had become clear that basic oxygen furnaces were superior. A firm with heavy sunk costs in fixed plant or marketing channels that ultimately prove sub-optimal may find it rational to â€Å"harvest† these investments rather than attempt to transform itself radically. 13 MacMillan (1983) suggests that in the rapidly-changing environment of health care, old health care systems may currently be harvesting from their initial investments in locations and personnel. The appropriate choice between adaptation and harvesting depends on how costly it is to convert the firm’s existing assets to alternative uses. And as we consider below, there have been numerous instances where organizational inertia has led firms to continue investing in their existing asset base well beyond the point where such investments could be economically justified. Much of the literature on cannibalization-avoidance refers to the case of RD. Arrow (1962) was the first to lay out the theoretical argument that an incumbent monopolist is less likely to innovate than a new entrant, since innovation destroys rents on the firm’s existing products. More recent theoretical work along these lines include Reinganum (1983) and Ghemawat (1986a). Bresnahan (1985) argues that Xerox exhibited such behavior following the expiration ofits patent-enforced monopoly—Xerox lagged in certain types of innovations and was sluggish to cut prices, given the firm’s large fleet of rental machines in the field. Brock (1975) and Ghemawat (1986a) make similar arguments regarding the innovative responses of IBM in computers and ATT in PBX’s. However, Connor (1988) shows that under a broad range of conditions, the incumbent’s optimal strategy is to develop an improved product but delay market introduction until challenged by the appearance of a rival product. From an organizational theory perspective, Hannan and Freeman (1984) outline factors that limit adaptive response by incumbents.

Essay --

The WW1 Conscription is one of the significant PR events that occurred in Australia in the 20th century. The Government in essence intended to adopt a conscription policy so as to enhance its fighting capacity. Nevertheless it could not impose this policy unless it received the support of the Nation and therefore it had to persuade its citizen to support it by voting in the referendum. It however faced a very strong opposition with both parties adopting various public relation strategies to influence the public perception towards conscription. The Government lost in both referendums implying that its PR campaigns were not as effective as those of the opposition. The opposition therefore can still rely on the PR strategy it had applied during WW1 conscription to block any attempts by the Government to reintroduce conscription. However, the new campaign should utilize modern media and PR strategies so as to persuade effectively the current sophisticated audience (Sheehan 2007). Conscription can simply be defined as mandatory military recruitment of people of a certain age group. A brief analysis of the public relation campaign adopted prior and during the WWW 1 will help clarify why conscription is considered to be a public relation event. Grunig and Hunt (1984) cited in Sheehan (2007) argues that the One-Way Communication model that adopted publicity and public information strategy, and the Two-Way Communication model, special emphasis being on Two-Way Asymmetric strategy, were the main model. Each one of these model had a main aim; the main aim of publicity was to spread propaganda; the aim of public information was information dissemination; and lastly the aim of two-way asymmetric strategy was to scientifically persuade the pub... ...owards ensuring the public supported this policy. This it did considering it faced a very strong opposition with the anti-conscription equally engaging in rigorous PR campaign aimed at blocking the government efforts toward introducing mandatory military recruitment. Some of the PR strategies and tactics engaged in by both parties included spreading propagandistic message, scientifically persuading the target audience by applying two-way asymmetric model, and occasionally engaging in information dissemination. The fact that the Government failed in both the referendum implies that the opposition strategy was effective. It should therefore adapt almost a similar approach to block any new effort by the Government to reintroduce conscription. However it should incorporate modern strategies and/or tactics so as to fully reach the now very sophisticated audience.

Plant Responses

PLANT RESPONSES TROPISM is a biological phenomenon, indicating growth or turning movement of a biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an environmental stimulus. In tropisms, this response is dependent on the direction of the species. The word tropism comes from the Greek trope (â€Å"to turn† or â€Å"to change†). Tropisms are usually named for the stimulus involved and may be either positive (towards the stimulus) or negative (away from the stimulus). Phototropism is the growth response of a plant in response to light direction.Different parts of a plant exhibit different reactions to light. Stems exhibit positive phototropism while most roots exhibit negative phototropism. Geotropism is the growth response of a plant in response to gravity. Roots exhibit positive geotropism while stems and leaves exhibit negative geotropism. Hydrotropism is the growth response of a plant to water. Roots exhibit positive hydrotropism. Thigmotropism is the growth response of a plant to physical contact (touch). Plants that cling to physical structures such as walls exhibit positive thigmotropism.Chemotropism is the growth response of a plant to a particular chemical. Roots grow toward useful minerals in the soil but away from acids. PLANT HORMONES Auxins are a class of plant hormones (or plant growth substances) with some morphogen-like characteristics. Auxins have a cardinal role in coordination of many growth and behavioral processes in the plant's life cycle and are essential for plant body development. functions -Stimulates cell elongation -Stimulates cell division in the cambium and, in combination with cytokinins in tissue culture -Stimulates differentiation of phloem and xylem Stimulates root initiation on stem cuttings and lateral root development in tissue culture -Mediates the tropistic response of bending in response to gravity and light -The auxin supply from the apical bud suppresses growth of lateral buds -Delays leaf senescence -Can in hibit or promote (via ethylene stimulation) leaf and fruit abscission -Can induce fruit setting and growth in some plants -Involved in assimilate movement toward auxin possibly by an effect on phloem transport -Delays fruit ripening -Promotes flowering in Bromeliads Stimulates growth of flower parts -Promotes (via ethylene production) femaleness in dioecious flowers -Stimulates the production of ethylene at high concentrations GIBBERILLIN Unlike the classification of auxins which are classified on the basis of function, gibberellins are classified on the basis of structure as well as function. All gibberellins are derived from the ent-gibberellane skeleton. The structure of this skeleton derivative along with the structure of a few of the active gibberellins are shown above.The gibberellins are named GA1†¦. GAn in order of discovery. Gibberellic acid, which was the first gibberellin to be structurally characterised , is GA3. Function – Stimulate stem elongation by stimul ating cell division and elongation. -Stimulates bolting/flowering in response to long days. -Breaks seed dormancy in some plants which require stratification or light to induce germination. -Stimulates enzyme production (a-amylase) in germinating cereal grains for mobilization of seed reserves. -Induces maleness in dioecious flowers (sex expression). Can cause parthenocarpic (seedless) fruit development. -Can delay senescence in leaves and citrus fruits. Abscisic acid is a single compound unlike the auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins. It was called â€Å"abscisin II† originally because it was thought to play a major role in abscission of fruits. At about the same time another group was calling it â€Å"dormin† because they thought it had a major role in bud dormancy. The name abscisic acid (ABA) was coined by a compromise between the two groups.Though ABA generally is thought to play mostly inhibitory roles, it has many promoting functions as well(Arteca, 1996; Mause th, 1991; Raven, 1992; Salisbury and Ross, 1992). Function -Stimulates the closure of stomata (water stress brings about an increase in ABA synthesis). -Inhibits shoot growth but will not have as much affect on roots or may even promote growth of roots. -Induces seeds to synthesize storage proteins. -Inhibits the affect of gibberellins on stimulating de novo synthesis of a-amylase. -Has some effect on induction and maintanance of dormancy. Induces gene transcription especially for proteinase inhibitors in response to wounding which may explain an apparent role in pathogen defense. Cytokinins are compounds with a structure resembling adenine which promote cell division and have other similar functions to kinetin. Kinetin was the first cytokinin discovered and so named because of the compounds ability to promote cytokinesis (cell division). Though it is a natural compound, It is not made in plants, and is therefore usually considered a â€Å"synthetic† cytokinin (meaning that t he hormone is synthesized somewhere other than in a plant).The most common form of naturally occurring cytokinin in plants today is called zeatin which was isolated from corn (Zea mays). Function -Stimulates cell division. -Stimulates morphogenesis (shoot initiation/bud formation) in tissue culture. -Stimulates the growth of lateral buds-release of apical dominance. -Stimulates leaf expansion resulting from cell enlargement. -May enhance stomatal opening in some species. -Promotes the conversion of etioplasts into chloroplasts via stimulation of chlorophyll synthesis. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHORT DAY PLANTSShort-day and long-day plants exhibit a response to photoperiodism, or the changes in light and dark in a twenty-four-hour cycle. Short-day plants form flowers when the days become shorter than a critical length, while long-day plants form flowers when the days become longer than a critical length. Short-day plants bloom in late summer or autumn in middle latitudes. Examples of short- day plants are chrysanthemums, goldenrods, poinsettias, soybeans, and ragweed. Long-day plants bloom in spring and early summer. Some examples of long-day plants are clover, irises, and hollyhocks.Florists and commercial plant growers can adjust the amount of light a plant receives to force it to bloom out of season. A short day plant is a plant that flowers only when it is exposed to light for a short period of time, like in early spring or fall, approximately 12 hours. Chrysanthemums and strawberries are short day plants. A long day plant flowers only when it is exposed to light for a long period of time, like in the summer. Lettuces, spinach, and other different types of wheat are long day palnts. Short- need a lot of night long- need a lot of day.

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull Essay

After reading on Jonathan Livingstone seagull, write down reflective value and believe about the meaning and purpose of life. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is about a very independent bird, who dared to question what was being taught and told to him by the elders. He didn’t just want to spend his days searching for food and hanging out doing what was expected of him. He was different, and dared to dream. He spent his days learning to fly faster and better than any other gull in the flock. He learned from all of his searching and trying that he could do anything, if he wanted it badly enough and just went for it, even to the point of becoming an outcast. At one point in time, in so learning and perfecting his craft, he crash landed and died, going onto a higher lever of his awareness, to learn more lessons from his guide, Fletcher. He continues through the story, becoming more and more proficient in his endeavours and in turn becomes a teacher/guide to others, becoming a kind and loving soul along the way. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a bird who wants nothing more than to fly. Raised in a group of gulls that saw flying as only a means to an end, Jonathan challenged their way of life by believing that flying could be about more than transportation or getting food†¦ it could be about joy and happiness and freedom. When told he was irresponsible for trying exceed his expectations Jonathan replied: â€Å"Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads — and now we have a reason to live — to learn, to discover, to be free! † An outcast from his flock, Jonathan took his exile with a grain of salt, finding joy in his love for flight and his constant desperate desire to grow and to learn. He pushes himself to the breaking point and is never satisfied enough with his knowledge and never tires of the quest to obtain more. Bach gives us a character that stands alone with his ideas and beliefs and is rewarded for his patience and courage. The second half of the book shows Jonathan learning so much that he transcends his earthly form into a higher plane of being. Here, Jonathan is met with other gulls who like him, strive for excellence and do not see flying as a means to an end, but simply love to fly for the sake of loving it. This part begins to reflect a bit of the Buddhist mindset about heaven and a universal knowledge which can seem a bit confusing at first. Jonathan finally returns to his flock on Earth to try for better or worse to show that there is more to life than what they are striving for. This is a fable about the importance of making the most of our lives, even if our goals run contrary to the norms of our flock, tribe or neighbourhood. Through the metaphor of flight,Jonathan’s story shows us that, if we follow our dreams, we too can soar. Amazing inspiring story of seagulls. It tells us nothing is impossible in this world. You just have to have the desire to achieve it.

The Best Blog Photography Tips (+128 Free Images)

The Best Blog Photography Tips (+128 Free Images) You never really know a person until you see things from his point of viewclimb into his skin and walk around in it,† says Atticus in one of my favorite books, To Kill A Mockingbird. Whether youre a solo blogger or a content marketer in a large enterprise, we are all seeking to do just that. We want  to see life from our audience’s perspective so we can meet them in that moment with a message that will resonate.  This is an immense challenge we face when were writing everything all the time. However, these blog photography tips can help bring life to your content in a very powerful and beautiful way. Not everyone feels comfortable  behind the camera. In fact, a common struggle today is finding imagery that’s quality†¦ and unique†¦ and free. That’s a lot to ask for, but it exists.  So I’d love to walk you through the in’s and out’s of finding beautiful imagery that will resonate with your blog readers. The Best Blog Photography Tips (+128 Free Images) You never really know a person until you see things from his point of viewclimb into his skin and walk around in it,† says Atticus in one of my favorite books, To Kill A Mockingbird. Whether youre a solo blogger or a content marketer in a large enterprise, we are all seeking to do just that. We want  to see life from our audience’s perspective so we can meet them in that moment with a message that will resonate.  This is an immense challenge we face when were writing everything all the time. However, these blog photography tips can help bring life to your content in a very powerful and beautiful way. Not everyone feels comfortable  behind the camera. In fact, a common struggle today is finding imagery that’s quality†¦ and unique†¦ and free. That’s a lot to ask for, but it exists.  So I’d love to walk you through the in’s and out’s of finding beautiful imagery that will resonate with your blog readers.

African American Of The United States Essay -- African American, America

Some schools don’t accept black children and white child often bullied black children, so black children can’t get a equal treatment in school. In Unite States, some jobs not allow the black and only white, so black don’t have enough opportunities to work, and black often unemployment. Black often live a messy place, because white don’t want to rent the house to black ect. Review of American history, the United States since 1870, by the 15th amendment ( black won the right to vote ), up to now the black enter the presidential race for the first time and got elected and re-elected. ( democratic candidate black Obama became the first black President of the United States ), So American Negro suffrage cyclone have lit the African-American people unprecedented political enthusiasm. As we all know, the United States is an immigrant country, once was regarded as is the world 's ethnic melting pot. In nearly 30 years since the U.S. immigration policy unceasing change, the immigrant population has increased dramatically. The whites accounted for 72% of the U.S. population, blacks (13%), Hispanics (11%), Asia and the Pacific African people accounted for 4%. Changes in population structure, it is bound to the political, economic, and social and cultural impact, the impact in the new century, especially the new immigrants and the United States is traditionally the differences such as language, culture and the complexion that analysts have thinking: the United States will continue to be national melting pot? Or will become a "mosaic"? Although for this issue... ... middle of paper ... ... the university of Denver. In January 1989, has just turned 34, rice served as special assistant to President George w. bush 's national security affairs, started a career. As Russia expert in the bush administration, the rice was the top black women in the United States government. The presidential election in 2000, Condoleezza rice, as the republican candidate for President George w. bush 's chief foreign policy adviser, to advise the bush. Bush was elected President appointed rice President for national security affairs assistant. She has always been the President 's right-hand man. In January 2005, served as secretary of state, she is following the Clinton administration 's Madeleine Albright second female secretary of state in American history. The focus now is black senator Obama 's glorious struggle. In 1996, was elected Illinois senator, Obama and three-term.

Graduate School Admission's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Graduate School Admission's - Essay Example rsity Kampala, Uganda, where I made an attempt and succeeded in getting Bachelors in Business Administration/Accounting (2002-2005), I have been accumulating my experience in accounting. This was a long and a fruitful period of my life. During those times I developed my analytical and problem solving skills. Thus, I clearly realize how to make right decisions. I would like to talk a little bit about my professional experience. I am currently employed by Nile Cargo Carrier Inc Newton, MA (2006-2011) as an accounting assistant. I have been performing various actions and completing different tasks, such as management of accounts payable and receivable for the company, administration online banking functions on behalf of the company, keep records of company’s expenses, prepared annual company accounts and reports etc. Therefore, I develop my skills with the help of Internet and computer technologies, which is of crucial importance nowadays. Moreover, while keeping records of company’s expenses, I have been developing my attention to details, thus contributing to my self-organization. In the result of my accounting and technical skills development, I designed and implemented a database for the company’s new Payment Management System. This database system is a perfect means for a record keeping improvement. During this period (2009-2011) I have been also employed by Bridgewell Lynnfield, MA as a direct support professional. My function was to take care of people with mental and physical disabilities helping them in accessing resources and recreational facilities in the community. Every day I am pleased to perform a function worthy of respect, I think. I am not boasting. I just want to make an appeal for you, Dear Members of Committee, and my future classmates that performing humane functions and helping people remains the most important task for every citizen. Still, this personal and professional experience is only a top of an iceberg. During 2005-2006 I worked