Photography Essays (991 words) - Optics, Single-lens Reflex Camera

Photography Photography Photography is a technique of producing permanent images on sensitized surfaces by means of the photochemical action of light or other forms of radiant energy. In today's society, photography plays important roles as an information medium, as a tool in science and technology, and as an art form, and it is also a popular hobby. It is essential at every level of business and industry, being used in advertising, documentation, photojournalism, and many other ways. Scientific research, ranging from the study of outer space to the study of the world of subatomic particles, relies heavily on photography as a tool. In the 19th century, photography was the domain of a few professionals because it required large cameras and glass photographic plates. During the first decades of the 20th century, however, with the introduction of roll film and the box camera, it came within the reach of the public as a whole. Today the industry offers amateur and professional photographers a large variety of cameras and accessories. See also Motion Picture. The Camera and Its Accessories Modern cameras operate on the basic principle of the camera obscura (see Historical Development, below). Light passing through a tiny hole, or aperture, into an otherwise lightproof box casts an image on the surface opposite the aperture. The addition of a lens sharpens the image, and film makes possible a fixed, reproducible image. The camera is the mechanism by which film can be exposed in a controlled manner. Although they differ in structural details, modern cameras consist of four basic components: body, shutter, diaphragm, and lens. Located in the body is a lightproof chamber in which film is held and exposed. Also in the body, located opposite the film and behind the lens, are the diaphragm and shutter. The lens, which is affixed to the front of the body, is actually a grouping of optical glass lenses. Housed in a metal ring or cylinder, it allows the photographer to focus an image on the film. The lens may be fixed in place or set in a movable mount. Objects located at various distances from the camera can be brought into sharp focus by adjusting the distance between the lens and the film. The diaphragm, a circular aperture behind the lens, operates in conjunction with the shutter to admit light into the lighttight chamber. This opening may be fixed, as in many amateur cameras, or it may be adjustable. Adjustable diaphragms are composed of overlapping strips of metal or plastic that, when spread apart, form an opening of the same diameter as the lens; when meshed together, they form a small opening behind the center of the lens. The aperture openings correspond to numerical settings, called f-stops, on the camera or the lens. The shutter, a spring-activated mechanical device, keeps light from entering the camera except during the interval of exposure. Most modern cameras have focal-plane or leaf shutters. Some older amateur cameras use a drop-blade shutter, consisting of a hinged piece that, when released, pulls across the diaphragm opening and exposes the film for about 1/30th of a second. In the leaf shutter, at the moment of exposure, a cluster of meshed blades springs apart to uncover the full lens aperture and then springs shut. The focal-plane shutter consists of a black shade with a variable-size slit across its width. When released, the shade moves quickly across the film, exposing it progressively as the slit moves. Most modern cameras also have some sort of viewing system or viewfinder to enable the photographer to see, through the lens of the camera, the scene being photographed. Single-lens reflex cameras all incorporate this design feature, and almost all general-use cameras have some form of focusing system as well as a film-advance mechanism. Camera Designs Cameras come in a variety of configurations and sizes. The first cameras, "pinhole" cameras, had no lens. The flow of light was controlled simply by blocking the pinhole. The first camera in general use, the box camera, consists of a wooden or plastic box with a simple lens and a drop-blade shutter at one end and a holder for roll film at the other. The box camera is equipped with a simple viewfinder that shows the extent of the picture area. Some models have, in addition, one or two diaphragm apertures and a simple focusing device. The view camera, used primarily by professionals, is the camera closest in design to early cameras that is still in widespread use. Despite the unique capability of the view camera, however, other camera types, because of their greater versatility, are more commonly used by both amateurs and professionals. Chief among

Sociology Norms essays

Sociology Norms essays In every aspect of society, there are social norms. Without norms, there would become chaos because we need norms that define behaviors as proper and others as improper. Whether it be dressing a certain way at your job or treating a fellow employee a special way. College allows you to actually take a practice step in the real world and you are taught many norms through out the way. Many you must just learn on your own and others you have to explore on your own. That is something that makes college so important in todays society. The biggest and most important norm that is pushed by a college is teamwork. College classes force people to interact and most teachers set up group work which allows students to work together. It is definetly in the norm to be able to work well with others and help out other students. Without this teamwork aspect many things wouldnt be able to be accomplished in life. Even from athletics to a huge science experiment, working with a group of individuals is very important to succeed in our society. Another important norm is to have respect for ones peers and his/her instructor(s). Throughout college you realize that the more respect you have for others, the more respect others have for you and in general, it makes campus life more enjoyable. When I came to the introduction of the school the dean talked about how respect was a very important part of the community. Without that lecture, I would have learned that it was a huge part of this school just in the way teachers have the utmost respect for students and for the most part students have huge respect for others and the school in general. Formally, some students are lectured on respect when they cant see it themselves that respect is a very important aspect of college and life in general. A mechanism for social control when it comes to respect is the fact that a teacher can not allow a student into their classroom ...

Audit of Syphilis Screening in Pregnancy

Audit of Syphilis Screening in Pregnancy Tables Table 1: Syphilis confirmatory test results for forty nine   pregnant woman 18 Table 2: Syphilis s creening results of eleven new-borns of   positive syphilis mother 24 Table 3: Positive s yphilis confirmat ory test results for sixteen   pregnant woman 30 Figures Figure 1: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening   for mothers 28 Figure 2: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening   for new-borns 28 Tables Table 1: Syphilis confirmatory test results for forty nine pregnant woman 18 Table 2: Syphilis s creening results of eleven new-borns of positive syphilis mothers 24 Table 3 : Positive s yphilis confirmat ory test results for sixteen pregnant woman 30 Figure s Figure 1: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening for mothers Figure 2: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening for new-borns ABSTRACT Objective: A re-audit of syphilis screening in pregnancy was carried out to ensure that the improvements in laboratory and clinical aspects of management for the antenatal of pregnant women with positive syphilis screening and their new-born babies fully met were in accordance with the UK National Guidelines on the Management of Syphilis (Kingston et al., 2008) and the Guidelines for the Management of Syphilis in Pregnancy and the Neonatal Period (Stringer et al., 2013). Methods: Patients’ data were collected via query of the three databases: Clinisys Labcentre , Telepath and EuroKing . The n the data were analysed using Microsoft Access 2013. Results: Samples from F orty nine 49 pregnant woman with positive syphilis results serology were referred to a reference laboratory laboratory were sent to MRI for syphilis serological confirmatory testing. Sixteen pregnant woman with of these women were confirmed to have had had positive syphilis were identified . Ten pregnant woman were re-tested screened at least twice during their pregnancy and six pregnant woman were only screened tested once during pregnancy. Over-testing of for treponemal IgM were seen in nineteen patients [h1] with non-reactive RPR titre. Only eleven babies born to mothers with syphilis were followed-up with serial serological test s for syphilis. Only four new-borns were fully screened. Some of the new-borns were not tested with treponemal IgM due to sample insufficiency. Conclusion: There were some improvements seen since the first audit which includes the changes of the confirmatory testing schedule in MRI, lower screening false positive rate, and increased follow-up of the new-borns. There were also things to improve in the management of syphilis in pregnancy and the new-borns of positive syphilis mothers. Treponemal IgM test should be performed only when the RPR test were reactive to prevent over-testing of patients. The test algorithm for screening of syphilis in new-borns should give priority to RPR test and treponemal IgM to prevent under- testing [h2] . In-house confirmatory testing should be considered to allow reduction of test turnaround time’s thereby aiding patient management. Improvements [h3] should be made in the management of syphilis in pregnancy and the new-borns of positive syphilis mothers. Treponemal IgM test should be performed only when the RPR test were reactive to preven t over-testing of patients. The test algorithm for screening of syphilis in new-borns should give priority to RPR test and treponemal IgM to prevent under- testing [h4] . 1.0   INTRODUCTION 1.1   Syphilis Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum (T.pallidum) subspecies pallidum . The disease is transmitted from human to human, and humans are its only known natural host (Woods 2005). Epidemiologically, in the UK, cases of syphilis have increased in England since 1997 led by a series of outbreaks reported from Manchester, London and Brighton (Health Protection Agency 2009). Since 1999, diagnoses of infectious syphilis have been made in heterosexuals where the outbreaks are linked to sex work, students and young people. But, there was a changing pattern of infection between 1999 and 2008, when seventy three percent of new diagnoses of infectious syphilis were reported in men who have sex with men (Health Protection Agency 2009). The transmission is primarily by sexual activity (Zeltser & Kurban 2004) (vaginal and anal intercourse) and by direct contact with active primary or secondary lesions (Lafond & Lukehart 2006) for example through oral sex and kissing at or near an infectious lesion (Kent & Romanelli 2008). T.pallidum may invade the host through normal mucosal membranes and also through minor abrasions in the skin (Zeltser & Kurban 2004) such as from sexual trauma, causing an inflammation, ulcer and then spreading through the blood stream to other parts of the body (Goh 2005) .

Epidemiological studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Epidemiological studies - Essay Example An epidemiological study is the study of a population in order to determine and examine the relationship or correlation between certain segments of the population and their increased risk to disease due to expose to certain environmental exposure. This involves determining what factors related to diseases and the factors that might protect humans against the disease (Gallin, John and Frederick 15) Epidemiological studies are usually divided in two categories which are; Descriptive epidemiology which looks into a population by age group ,who gets affected by a disease, the rate and time at which the disease occurs and how often it occurs and the place where it occurs. Another one is analytical epidemiology which looks into finding out the causes of disease within a population by using cohort studies, case control studies and experimental studies giving attention to ideology. Bottom line, epidemiology largely relies on figures for finding out and quantifying the association between dis ease and the risk factors in order to establish if there is a common attendance of occurrence of certain diseases within a given geographical scope. Clinical trials on the other hand are the research studies that are carried out in order to confirm or denounce if a drug is fit for human consumption using designated or pre-defined rules.

Hedging risk exposure and arbitrage Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hedging risk exposure and arbitrage - Term Paper Example Some of the methods include hedging or diversification of risks (Madura, 2014). The investors should choose the best option cautiously not only to eliminate the risk but also to maximize revenue. This document evaluates put option as a hedging strategy in a simulation scenario. Hedging is concurrent acquisition and sale of two equivalent securities having different maturity period with the expectation of gaining from the consequent movements the price of those securities (Bouzoubaa & Osseiran, 2010, p. 78). The investors hold stocks with the expectation that at one point they will be able to sell the stock at a higher price to cover the transaction cost and other cost of holding the stock such as inflation cost (Bingham & Kiesel, 2004). The stocks are sold at a premium, but the sales may have to be delayed. The unit value of stock after price appreciation is equivalent to the marginal cost of holding that security. Anticipation of price increase in the stock value will result to an increase in the current price of the stock (Madura, 2014, p. 342). By hedging the stock investors commit to taking a minimum value of the stock and avoid making loss in case, the value of the underlying security goes below the future value of the contract. However, the hedger risk losing profit in case the value of the stocks exceeds the future contract value. It is imperative to note that the individual’s decision to hedge security does not affect the market condition because the investor transfers the risk to a willing speculator who buys a security. Also, when an investor purchases a security with anticipation that their prices will raise in the future that result in the transfer of risk from the seller to the buyer of the stocks (Madura, 2014, p. 242). However, investors accept risk premium in order to hedge their securities. The implication of risk premium is the fact that the investor has to sell

News Updates on “Tree man” Essay Example for Free

News Updates on â€Å"Tree man† Essay On January 19, Shurmer (2010), a writer for the Comment News website wrote an article updating the site readers on the ongoing struggles of Richard Pennicuik, better known as â€Å"Tree man. † Since early December of the previous year, Tree man had been living in a gum tree near his house in Hume Road, in the City of Gosnells, as a form of protest and to save the tree from the city council plans to clear the street of any and all mature trees that may cause harm by dropping large limbs. As of the writing of the article, he had been in the tree for 43 days and was experiencing physical difficulties on top of his legal issues as there was a severe heatwave and the high temperatures were causing him discomfort. Entitled â€Å"‘Tree man’ loses hope,† the article chronicled Tree man’s fading optimism caused by heat-induced headaches; the council fining him $5000, as it deemed the platforms that served as his makeshift treehouse were illegal, and forcing him to remove these structures; and the abandonment of an adjacent gum tree by a rotating team who had occupied it for the same cause. A couple of months later on March 13th, a Staff Writer (2010) for Perthnow a local subsidiary of The Sunday Times, wrote a relatively more recent update piece on the Tree man. Asking â€Å"Tree man Richard Pennicuik for mayor? † the report comes on the heels of a stand-off the previous day wherein he still refused to come down from the tree even after policemen and tree-cutting machinery had arrived. Apparently, despite the previous report on his morale and health problems, he had stayed on the tree for another 53 days. The title of the article comes from a comment Tree man had made, saying he had intentions of running for city mayor as the current council he was battling was â€Å"laughable and unworkable. † An analytical comparison of these two Tree man news article updates will be discussed. The first, most noticeable, difference between the two news articles is their marked difference in length, with the first article much longer than the second. Although quantity does not necessarily denote substance, it can be observed that the Comment News article contains relatively more actual facts about the situation than the PerthNow article. In addition, on a related note, it can also be noticed that the former article has more content related to the actual subject, as denoted by the article title, than the latter. As an example to support both of these observations, although Comment News does not include a quote wherein Tree man explicitly stated that he was â€Å"losing hope,† it does mention why this would be the case by including a quote where he said he â€Å"didn’t cope well† with the heatwave headaches and how the $5000 fine would â€Å"ruin his family. † The PerthNow article, on the other hand, only justifies the title mentioning Tree man’s mayoral aspirations with the quote: The current regime is laughable and unworkable and I want to get in there, if I have enough supporters, to run the council the way it should be run. The rest of the article, however, does not mention the issue again and only contains a brief summary of the previous day’s stand-off and another quote from Tree man where he reasserts his stance. The Comment News article does seem to slightly force the â€Å"losing hope† theme though, by briefly mentioning that the street was desolate due to the abandonment of the adjacent gum tree, although Tree man is not mentioned as having an opinion on this. However, this observation still contributes to the discussion of the main subject. Coherence to a specific topic is somewhat of a requirement for any formal article, especially one that is professionally written. The briefness and lack of coherence in the case of the latter article can, however, can be attributed to the writer expecting the reades to already know the details as the situation was already months-long, and there was a climactic update the day before. Both articles do, however, paint Tree man as both a dedicated activist from his acts of defiance, and also a novelty character as the tones of his quotes in the first article are slightly rattled and dramatic and in the second, noticeably vague.He was also described as remaining â€Å"defiantly aloft† despite legal and physical danger, and his lawyer’s protests. References hurmer, J. (2010, January 19). ‘Tree man’ loses hope. Comment News. Retrieved from http://southern. inmycommunity. com. au/news-and-views/local-news/Tree-man-loses-hope/7546357/ Staff Writer. (2010, March 13) Tree man Richard Pennicuik for mayor? PerthNow. com. The Sunday Times. Retrieved from http://www. perthnow. com. au/news/tree-man-richard-pennicuik-for-mayor/story-e6frg12c-1225840398316

A Complete Cleopatra Essays -- Cleopatra Different Perspectives Essays

A Complete Cleopatra In the tragic play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare comments, â€Å"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet† (2.1.85-86). A word can have many meanings depending on a person’s perspective. Cleopatra is a â€Å"rose† that has been depicted under many names. Throughout history numerous authors have sought to depict her character and their differing opinions have made her name one which resounds in very different ways. The Roman historian Plutarch created Cleopatra the political manipulator; John Dryden illustrated Cleopatra the ultimate sexual woman; George Bernard Shaw offered Cleopatra the uneducated impetuous young child-queen; and, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of Cleopatra the martyr of love. The character of Cleopatra presented by Shakespeare is a complex combination of each of these traits and is thus the most memorable and meaningful depiction. The Cleopatra that emerges from Plutarch’s writing is a manipulative and scheming political woman who dominates both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. In his Roman Lives, Plutarch offers a biased historical account of Mark Anthony with frequent references to Cleopatra. According to M.S. Mason, Plutarch does not fulfill his role as an objective historian and deliberately vilifies the character of Cleopatra (Mason). It is almost a completely negative portrayal of the Egyptian queen. She is referred to as a â€Å"charmer† (Waterfield 343) with â€Å"devastating effects on Caesar† (514). Her â€Å"eloquence [and] argumentative cunning† (382) are described as a means of drugging and bewitching her men (392). Plutarch describes one situation when Cleopatra is afraid of Octavia’s political power and she goes about weeping and starving herself to manipulate... ...the Egyptian queen, it can be found in the character that emerges in Antony and Cleopatra. Bibliography: Bernard Shaw, George. Three Plays for Puritans. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 2000. Greenblatt, Stephen, ed. The Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1997. Helvarg, David. â€Å"Cleopatra: What Kind of a Woman Was She, Anyway?† American Theatre 14:4 (Apr. 1997): 5-8. Jones, Chris. â€Å"Still Seductive After All These Years.† American Theatre 14.4 (Apr. 1997): 4. Mason, M.S. â€Å"The Allure of Cleopatra.† Christian Science Monitor 93.297 (25 Jan. 2002): 13. Noyes, George R., ed. Selected Dramas of John Dryden. Chicago: Scott, Foresman & Company, 1910. Percival, Florence. Chaucer’s Legendary Good Women. New York: Cambridge UP, 1998. Waterfield, Robin, trans. Plutarch: Roman Lives. New York: Oxford UP, 1999.

Morality by Kant and Mill Essay

In all the functioning of an autonomous society there must be a moral system that must be incorporated in order to establish on what is right and wrong. Almost everything in any given community is based on some given code of morals; government policies, laws, traditions and even relationships. Without these system, the society would end up crumbling since every day operations are usually based and do depend on shared ethics. There is always a moral law that is valid for all the rational beings and all the men in the virtue of their own rationality (Immanuel et al, 2005). What is wrong and what is right is a question that has led to numerous debates for theologians and philosophers. Both Mill and Kant have offered some noble visions of morality as they have centered their thoughts on rational and respectable rules and principles that do focus on their rest of the works. It is therefore imperative to get into details on their rules on morality, how they are different and other principles they have come up with in their work. Kant has used his proof basing it on the presence of science metaphysics in his moral philosophy. He asserts that if a law is in any case to have the moral force then it ought to carry the absolute necessity (Andrea, 1998). Science metaphysics is usually a set of the required truths that are needed in order for morality to exist. It is usually the fulfillment of a persons’ duty to the needed truths that does make any act have the moral worth irrespective of it impact. The will does make us opt to do some specific actions. According to Kant, the will is usually the only thing that can be referred as bad or good since with any bad will, all the other aspects in a person can be equally used for all the immoral reasons. Kant asserts that the Categorical Imperative is that we do owe our obedience through duty. This is the main basis of morality since if one does attempt to the will then the immoral principle becomes universal therefore creating contradiction. For example in case one wants to have an abortion, then applying the Categorical Imperative it means that if everybody did commit an abortion, then the human race would obviously cease to basically exist which is usually impossible and contradictory. However, in some instances the categorical imperative is invalid and has got potentials to be abused. Kant’s moral philosophy does ignore the human desires (Andrea, 1998). It does require that the human beings be in a position to follow the duty independent of their desires otherwise no one can be moral. Mills philosophy on the other hand, has provided a road map philosophy. His rule of moral philosophy is more complete than Kant’s. The Mills basis of ethics and the utilitarianism theory is essentially the greatest happiness principle which does state that ultimate end of any human action is actually greatest happiness for most people (John, 2004). Mill does explain that happiness is usually desirable since every person who believes happiness is attainable do desire their own happiness. According to the utilitarianism theory, happiness is usually gotten from the absence of any pain and the presence of quantity and quality pleasure. One of the divergences between the two philosophers is in their belief of the reason of morality. Kant believes that the reason is usually duty as any action that is done through any duty to the Categorical Imperative is usually moral. Though Kant’s theory is good in assigning the wrong immoral actions, it has failed to differentiate on the more and the less acts therefore it does not require the affirmative actions for the morality. On the other hand, Mill’s theory has a gradation system of morality that usually shows the actions to be less or more depending on the happiness it usually generates. Under Mill’s theory one can never be moral unless there is the increase of bliss to the human beings thus uses the Hypothetical Imperative, whereas Kant’s moral philosophy one can be moral and selfish. Mill’s theory is more basic because Kant’s theory also does lack specificity. Though most laws can be gotten from Categorical Imperative, it is not effectual for handling some peculiar cases. Mill does propose for systems of laws to be derived from the happiness principle and then morality will depend on following the laws. Mill’s philosophy can be changed over time according to circumstances unlike Kant’s (Andrea, 1998). Mill uses the Hypothetical Imperatives which unlike Categorical Imperatives are conditional and commands that does apply in case one need to attain a certain outcome (Sandra, 2006). Both philosophers have their logic and reasoning capability on morality. The patent issue is that in any given society, there must be laws and codes of morality to govern them. References Mill, John. (2004) Utilitarianism. USA: Kessinger publishing. Melbos, Andrea. (1998). Kant and Mill on Morality. Retrieved 10, May, 2010< http://qirien. icecavern. net/punkus/school/kantmill. htm Kant, Immanuel. , Paton, Herbert. (2005). The moral law: groundwork of the metaphysics of morals. Canada: Routledge.

Guidelines for a Reflective Paper

In reality, it Is a lifestyle of Its own – something some people view as Hellenizing and patriotic while some view as terrifying and unacceptable. Some people are incredibly proud of a family member having served or have given his/her life to service; while some feel remorseful for having lost a loved one in war. However you look at it, military service is like a pendulum. It goes back and forth; left and right; liked or disliked; loved and hated; patriotic or horrific.To get to the point, every member of a military family is affected by the demands of the military; husband, wife, children, and even extended families such as grandparents, uncles and aunts. Additionally, every aspect of life Is also affected by the military -? marriage, schooling, religious practices, cultural, moral, social, and economic. Perhaps, the children represent a great percentage of the affected population. They are the silent majority – since they can't protest and need to get along with the f low of the rigid military life.My Life Before Who really knows what life Is Like for the children In the military? How do they cope with the separations due to deployments, changes In schools, leaving their friends Enid, starting a new social circle someplace In the world, divorce, culture shocks, language barriers, and career choices? No one would know better but a child who grew up wrapped around the military tight grip. I was one of these children. We are referred to as military brats; a moniker I am not really crazy about. But the military was my life for _ years. I learned to love it and hate it.I learned to appreciate it and loathe It. Learned to live It. And I found out that kids on the other side of the world (non-military) have Just as much If not more reasons to love and hate their life. I am not going to draw comparisons and contrasts between the two sectors but I would like to focus on how the military life has affected me as a person that I am now. How did it influence my philosophy in life? What did I experience out there that helped me mold my character? How did the military drive my energy and resources (in spite of Its straining demands) so I could look at the positives and build on them?

J.C. Penney slashing prices on all merchandise essayEssay Writing Service

J.C. Penney slashing prices on all merchandise essayEssay Writing Service J.C. Penney slashing prices on all merchandise essay J.C. Penney slashing prices on all merchandise essayJC Penny is one of the largest retailers in the US but at the moment the company is facing the tight competition from the part of such behemoths of the industry as Target, Wal-Mart and others. In such a situation, the effective marketing strategy, accurate and adequate positioning of the company in the market and successful pricing policies are essential for the overall marketing success of JC Penny in the contemporary highly competitive environment. At the moment, the company has shifted to the traditional daily low pricing strategy that the company traditionally used in the past. This decision is apparently successful since it allows the company to clearly position itself as a low cost retailer, where customers can always find products at low price without any coupons or special discounts that will also contribute to the formation of the positive brand image to enhance the competitive position of the company in the global business environment.Background of the company and industryJC Penny is one of the largest retailers in the US. The company operated successfully focusing on the low cost segment of the market. However, rivals of the company grew stronger, especially Wal-Mart, which had started to challenge the position of the company in the market. In response to the growing pressure of competitors, JC Penny attempted to change its pricing policy offering customers coupons that allowed them to obtain discounts and buy products from JC Penny’s stores at lower price. In such a way, the company attempted to breed the customer loyalty since coupons triggered the customer loyalty as customers were willing to save money and used coupons to buy products from JC Penny. In this regard, the company faced the problem of the steady deterioration of its marketing performance.However, the deterioration of the marketing performance of JC Penny was also the result of the downturn in the retail industry caused by the economic recession in the US in 2008. The economic recession has had the negative impact on the US economy, buying power of customers and their behavior. Customers preferred saving to spending. As a result, the competition between JC Penny and its major rivals has grown stronger. At the moment, the company is looking for options to enhance its competitive position as the retail industry starts to recover.Current pricing strategy of JC Penny  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EconomyShift from coupons to traditional low cost daily price is the key strategy used by the company to enhance its marketing position because the economic situation is unfavorable and the company has to attract customers (Mattioli, 2012). JC Penny has decided to offer low prices instead of coupons to reach this goal.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CompetitionAt the same time, the focus on low pricing strategy is determined by the policy of its rivals, which also use low pricing strategy to take the competitive advantage (DInnocenzio, 2012). H ence, the return of JC Penny to its traditional pricing strategy is effective today.Changing consumer behaviorToday, customers are looking for low price products because often they cannot afford buying expensive products. As a result, customers buy products from retailers offering the lower price. Hence, the quality often becomes secondary to the price of products and retailers that are capable to decrease the price more turn out to be in an advantageous position attracting customers.JC Penny’s segmentation, positioning, and branding  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   JC Penny’s segmentationThe company focuses on the low-cost segment of the retail market. In such a way, the company attempts to attract mass customers, who are looking for low price products. The current economic situation forces customers to buy products at possibly lower price.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   JC Penny’s positioningThe company positions its products as available, low price products that aim at mass customers. Such positioning of the company contributes to the enhancement of its marketing position due to the higher opportunities to attract more customers. On the other hand, this strategy shifts the company to the highly competitive business environment and segment of the market (Reingold, 2012). In this regard, the company needs to back up the low pricing strategy with the focus on the quality control to ensure that its products are of a good quality that will attract more customers and increase the customer satisfaction.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   JC Penny’s brandingThe company’s branding strategy needs consistent enhancement since the company needs a stable and solid brand. Its policies should be predictable and attractive for consumers. For instance, the company should not shift from daily discounts to coupons and back. Instead, the company should conduct clear and comprehensible policy. In fact, the brand of JC Penny should evoke strong associations with low price and discounts customer s can count on, while attending company’s stores.Forecast of the future pricing strategy and marketing performance of the company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Future pricing policy of JC PennyThe company is likely to stick to its traditional everyday low pricing strategy which allows the company to conduct flexible pricing policies decreasing the price of some products to accelerate their sales, when customers cannot afford buying those products at higher price, and increasing prices of products, customers are looking for and which have the high demand.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   JC Penny’s marketing performance in the futureThe company can enhance its marketing performance in the future but the company needs to conduct the aggressive promotional campaign to enhance its brand image and evoke strong associations between low pricing strategy of the company and the customers’ high satisfaction.At the same time, expanding business internationally will enhance the competitive position of JC Penny, even though the company will have to confront the tight competition from the part of new rivals, such as Carrefour, Tesco and others. In such a way, the company can expand its business and enhance its competitive position through entering new markets, where JC Penny can take a leading position. For instance, the company may focus on markets of emerging economies, where the company can count on the stable growth and where the competition is not as tight as in the US or the EU, for example.ConclusionThus, JC Penny has good marketing prospects as it maintains its position as a low cost retailer operating not only in the US but also internationally. In this regard, the company should stick to its daily low pricing strategy but, at the same time, the company needs to enhance its brand image in the public eye. The enhancement of the brand of the company will contribute to the development of the customer loyalty and, thus, enhance the competitive position of JC Penny in the market.

Religious Architectures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religious Architectures - Essay Example The Masjid e Nabwi also known as the Prophet’s Mosque is the second holiest place of worship for Muslims. It is the largest mosque of the world which is also the resting place for Prophet Muhammad and two Caliphs of Islam namely Abu Bakr and Umar. The original mosque was built by the Prophet himself in 622 CE. The mosque was built in a rectangular shape; the walls were made using palm trunks and mud and the ceiling was made using palm fronds. The mosque had a raised platform where the holy book of Islam, the Quran was recited. This place was not only a place of worship but also a court, religious school and a community center where politics and other fundamental issues were discussed. Today this mosque is 100 times larger than the original mosque. The place where Prophet Muhammad used to preach was beside palm tree wood which was replaced by a ‘minbar’ in 628. This was done so the Prophet could be higher than the crowd and it would be easier to lead the prayer or address the crowds. The mosque now has two floors where prayers are offered. The roof is also used during peak times to accommodate the worshippers. The green dome is called ‘Ar-Rawdah’ and is situated above Muhammad’s grave. It is also called the ‘Dome of the Prophet’. The mosque has a total of 27 domes. There are holes in the base of each dome; this is done so the interior is kept illuminated. The mosque has 10 minarets. Minarets and dome are important distinctive architectural elements of a mosque. Minarets are useful because they give a visual focal point and they are also used as a vantage point for ‘adhaan’, the call for prayer. Minarets also provide a natural ventilation system. As the dome gets heated by the sun the air is drawn in from the windows and up and out the minarets. There is a ‘mihrab’ in every mosque to mark the direction of the ‘qibla’ (where the worshippers face towards while offering praye rs). The Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence and the first great basilica there. It was built in the place of the 9th century worship place of Santa Maria delleVigne. In 1221, after the site was assigned to the Dominican Order, a new church was built which was designed by Fra Ristoro da Campi and Fra SistoFiorentino. The church has the basic architectural elements of a church; the basilica, the stained glass windows and the Latin cross. The interior of the church is built based on the basilica plan as a Latin cross. It is separated into a nave and a short transept. The nave which is 100 meters in length is designed this way to give an impression of graveness. Stained glass windows are a common part of a church. They represent religious scenes or figures as well provide sufficient natural light in the church. Some people also associate this entering of light with Christ. The ones in Santa Maria church date back to the 14th and 15th century. The chapels of the church include F ilippoStrozzi, Gondi Chapel, Cappella Strozzi di Mantova, Della Pura, Rucellai Chapel, Bardi Chapel, Sacristy and the Spanish Chapel. Chapels are small rooms situated within a church. The Sistine Chapel is of great importance for the Christians as it is the home of the Pope in Vatican City. Known for its architectural designs and decoration done by the Renaissance artists such as Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo and Pinturicchio the chapel has been a place for functionary papal happenings and religious endeavors. It is also the venue where the new Pope is chosen. The Sistine Chapel is also famed for Papal Conclaves. When a conclave takes place, a chimney is fitted in the chapel’s roof for signaling with smoke. When white smoke is seen rising from the chimney, it is a sign that a new pope has been selected. The smoke results

Beat Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Beat Generation - Essay Example When the play begins, the black man, Clay, is alone in a subway rail car. The stage directions imply that the beautiful white girl, Lula, has set her sights on him for reasons that should become clearer as the play progresses. She stares at him, and when he catches her eye, "begins very premeditatedly to smile" (4). He returns the smile "for a moment, without a trace of self-consciousness" (4). A little later he appears to regret this "instinctive" if "undesirable" (4) response and only becomes more confident when the train moves on and he hopes to be left to savor the pleasant memory of this "brief encounter" (4) by himself. Lula, however, seeks him out and takes a seat beside him, greeting him with a "Hello" (5). After accusing him of staring at her, of taking mental "potshots" of her "ass and legs" (7) she reveals in her first significant statement that she had boarded the train with the express intention of tracking him down: "I even got into this train, going some other way than mine. Walked down the aisle. . .searching you out" (7). This makes clear the fact that Lula had deliberately set her sights on Clay that day, for premeditated reasons of her own. In a sense, she seems to have made up her mind to hunt him down. Clay is pleasantly aroused by the attention of this beautiful woman although he cannot make her out. She appears to know quite a bit about him. Nevertheless she disavows all previous knowledge of him as individual, and very confidently declares that she knows his type "like the palm of my hand" (17). She appears to believe in giving fair warning, as the following words of another very significant statement will show: LULA. ... (She feints a seriousness to cover an actual somber tone.) I lie a lot. (Smiling) It helps me control the world. (9) This seems to be a very prescient bit of self-knowledge on her part. Control of her surroundings, including the people around her, seems to be an important consideration with her. Right from the moment she first trained the telescope of her sight on Clay, she has tried quite hard to control this stranger who in her words, "could be a handsome man" (12). When Lula ridicules Clay's westernized manner of dress, it is plain to the audience if not to Clay that she is an unabashed black-basher. In fact, she is almost openly abusive when she snaps at him for wearing a " three-button suit": "What right do you have to be wearing a three-button suit and striped tie Your grandfather was a slave, he didn't go to Harvard" (18). However, Clay does not reply in kind to this, he is content to merely set the record straight about his grandfather-"My grandfather was a night watchman" (18). He self-deprecatingly tells her that, in college, "I thought I was Baudelaire" (19). She gives a biting retort: "I bet you never thought you were a black nigger" (19). Clay "is stunned"(19) at this, but quite sportingly, "he quickly tries to appreciate the humor" (19) while Lula "almost shrieks" : "A black Baudelaire" (19). Lula's only intention all along was to manipulate and humiliate Clay within the confines of the subway car and, if possible, outside it, too. She first seduces his attention, and then, perhaps feeling that he was not sufficiently under her control, tries to excite him sexually. When he refuses to