Gatsby Closing Lines Free Essays

â€Å"‘Can’t rehash the past? ’ [Gatsby] cried suspiciously. ‘Why obviously you can! ’â€Å" In to such an extent as two lines the novel was brought into the world with one of its principle topics †the immense fixation on the past and the inability to acknowledge that it is, as opposed to what Gatsby says, difficult to reproduce. As the novel closes, Nick reflects, â€Å"So we beat on, pontoons against the current, borne back endlessly into the past. We will compose a custom paper test on Gatsby Closing Lines or on the other hand any comparable point just for you Request Now † In certain occasions, â€Å"beating against the current† is viewed as a positive quality; an idealistic life-power that propels every one of us to fight our destiny with sheer will. Be that as it may, Nick appears to take note of that this fight is lost well before it is battled, that submission to the inevitable is a superior method to live. Taking everything into account, the centrality and significance of our past at last characterizes our fantasies of things to come, yet we are inalienably attached to the past and can't change our fantasies to the real world. Gatsby’s lethal blemish was his significant refusal at tolerating the past and without a doubt, his significant refusal at tolerating what his identity is. As it so happens Gatsby obtained a serious disdain for neediness †in the wake of going to St. Olaf’s College for about fourteen days he dropped out on the grounds that he was unable to manage the janitorial work that he was paying his educational cost with. Following his beginning to look all starry eyed at Daisy, his inspiration to get affluent expanded, and after Daisy’s union with Tom his inspiration just duplicated from that point. So started his devotion to winning Daisy back, the start of beating against the current he ought to have essentially let convey him. Gatsby totally ignores the way that regardless of the past they had together, Daisy has carried on with a totally unexpected life in comparison to when they initially met. He is stuck in this critical past where him and Daisy never separated, a non-existing reality in which she loved constantly him. He ascribes this dream to the green light toward the finish of Daisy’s dock, with his manor over the lake it had consistently been simply out of handle, just something to respect and dream of from a remote place. Toward the finish of Chapter 7, Gatsby keeps watch outside of Daisy’s home to ensure Tom doesn't hurt her. Much to his dismay, the two are inside accommodating their disparities over supper. Gatsby has made it over the lake to Daisy’s yard, to the green light, however unbeknownst to him his fantasy has disseminated for eternity. The early daytime following Gatsby’s nursery worker expresses that he intends to discharge the pool because of the way that mid year has finished. Not having utilized the pool the entire summer, Gatsby requests that he hold up a day as he despite everything needs to utilize it. As Nick comes back to Gatsby’s chateau later, he finds him coasting dead in his pool. Gatsby’s miserable handle on the expectation that he can make Daisy love him the manner in which she used to matches his needing to utilize the pool despite the fact that mid year has just passed. Eventually, his demise is an aftereffect of his broad refusal to acknowledge what he can't control †the progression of time. Scratch states, â€Å"He jabbered about the past and I assembled that he needed to recoup something†¦ that had gone into adoring Daisy. His life had been befuddled and disarranged from that point forward, however on the off chance that he could once come back to a specific beginning place and go once again everything gradually, he could discover what that thing was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Following his loss of Daisy, it is as though Gatsby has lost a grip on what his identity is too. The new character he made, this â€Å"Jay Gatsby† tycoon, was totally made for the sole explanation of prevailing upon Daisy. Without Daisy now, what reason for existing was there to Jay Gatsby’s life? Rather than proceeding onward like one should, he got subject to remembering a piece of his life where he believed he had reason, he got reliant on this green light. Nick’s shutting line passes on the human state of nonsensically battling against our difficulty, trusting and accepting we can control our predetermination even as encounters reveal to us we ought not. Step by step instructions to refer to Gatsby Closing Lines, Papers

Video Game Ethical Issues Free Essays

Kuan-Yu Lin Brenda Varda HMN-101-01 10/28/2012 Ethical Issue Essay: Final Draft Video games have consistently been a significant piece of media outlets since its appearance in 1970’s. They have been played worldwide and impact numerous individuals. While the kids are as of now playing the games, the quantity of ladies gamers, just as the age level of gamers as a rule is expanding. We will compose a custom paper test on Computer game Ethical Issues or on the other hand any comparable theme just for you Request Now As innovation progresses, computer games with greater decent variety and genuine experience are gradually crawling into parts of our life and picking up its energy in the general public. Because of its speedy turn of events, numerous moral issues related with computer games have been drawn out into the open. Consequently, we ought to see how computer games are morally impacting individuals inside its domain. The four significant moral issues which will be talked about are issues of brutality, instruction, generalizing and enslavement. Computer games are getting a charge out of quickly developing prevalence, turning into a significant part of youthful people’s public activities and relaxation exercises. As a matter of first importance, a significant concern which has been talked about ceaselessly with respect to video games is viciousness. Brutality in computer games is considered as the visual introduction of characters battling, weapon shooting, physical injury or demise to characters. As of late, increasingly more computer games including savage conduct are assuming control over the game determination on the racks. Contrasting with games made in the 70’s, 80’s, ongoing games include harder, increasingly forceful champions and more games are made explicitly for grown-ups. Research reliably proclaims that most top-selling computer games include brutality. So as to forestall the potential mischief to youngsters, youth and society of this negative impact, loads of research has concentrated on the result of brutal computer games. Computer game research demonstrates that playing fierce computer games expands animosity, antagonistic vibe, and forceful contemplations. (Anderson, Buckley, Gentile, 2007; Anderson Bushman, 2001; Anderson, Carnagey, Flanagan, Benjamin, Eubanks Valentine, 2004;Anderson Dill, 2000). In their exploration, they infer that connecting with games which have content identified with viciousness may perhaps build a person’s forceful considerations, emotions, and conduct, in actuality. Some different investigations concentrating on undergrad playing computer games likewise bring up that understudies playing savage games are additionally captivating in progressively forceful conduct. It has been asserted by numerous pundits of the media business that the episode at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999 was brought about by the impact of vicious computer games. It was appeared on BBC news that the two understudies shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, had played and appreciate savage computer games. â€Å"Relatives of individuals murdered in the Columbine slaughter are looking for harms from PC game creators, asserting their items realized the killings. † Although computer games can help players assuaging pressure, they can likewise influence gamers in a destructive manner. It is both the players’ and the game makers’ duty to know about the negative impacts of video gaming. Games with destructive substance may be driving negative impacts; they despite everything have values considered being useful in certain perspective. Games are famous in the network of youth and have numerous characteristics that make them great educating instruments. Through the instructive point of view, the two grown-ups and youngsters learn numerous things by playing computer games. Games with positive substance show constructive outcomes. For instance, playing a moving computer game can assist youngsters with getting thinner (Konami’s Dance Revolution, 2007; O’Hannon, 2007; Epstein, Beecher, Graf Roemmich, 2007). As referenced previously, videogames could be a phenomenal instrument for learning. Specifically, players are learning in a functioning route with training and criticism. Since they are fun, youngsters are exceptionally energetic with video gaming, when individuals are propelled, they normally perform better, in this manner lead in to a superior outcome. Additionally, games for the most part have clear goals with versatile trouble levels. Games with expanding trouble across levels permit player to apply past learning. In conclusion, games permit youngsters to apply to what they realize in various issues and settings. Some accept that computer games help improve fundamental ability, for example, rationale and critical thinking. They likewise can improve dexterity and administration aptitudes, which can be helpful for military preparing purposes. Having understood the proficiency and the blissful nature of learning involvement with gaming, instructors can exploit the positive learning qualities of games by utilizing the very much structured programming so as to show kids all the more successfully. While the issues related with viciousness in computer games have caused colossal worry among youngsters, sex, and racial generalizations in computer games are additionally causing issues which require more consideration. There is a lopsided extent among male and female game players and designers. As per an ongoing report the normal gamer age was in the mid to late 20’s with 60% men playing and 40% ladies. †2 The entire gaming industry is overpowered by the male populace. The vast majority of the games available are focused to just male players. Dietz’s, perhaps the soonest study to look at cliché depictions in computer games, broke down the portrayal of ladies in an example of 33 most mainstream Nintendo and Seg a Genesis computer games. The examination ordered the female characters in those games into four potential generalizations dependent on their appearances and practices. Females as sex articles or prizes, females as casualties, females in ladylike jobs, and females as legends or activity characters. Of course, Dietz (1998) found that 41% of the games were without female characters. Just 15% (5 out of 33) depicted ladies as saints or activity characters, while 21% (7 out of 33) depicted ladies as casualties or as purported ‘damsel in distress’. Simultaneously, in 28% of these games, ladies were depicted as sex objects dependent on physical appearance or explicitly arranged activities. Following the conversation of female character as marker of sexuality, a large portion of the female characters in computer games have dress that uncovered more skin than the male characters. The examination additionally discovered that the female characters showing up in gaming in all likel ihood wear low profile dress. About portion of the female characters have uncovered arms and legs with large busted figure. * fundamentally, these female characters in computer games were depicted in a cliché manner by which they were overstated by hot clothing. That prompts the prohibition of female players in computer game industry. Despite the fact that the quantity of game intended for female gamers is expanding gradually, it is essential for the two customers and game producers to make the computer games all the more captivating for both genders either by changing the substance of the game or by growing the selection of games. They ought to be planned such that they are alluring for both male and female players. At long last, the last moral issue I need to discuss is the fixation of connecting with computer games. A few people invested enormous measure of energy playing computer games and made them lose significant time taking part in exercises which are increasingly useful for them. Be that as it may, computer games could be considered as one of social exercises since companions, kin, and different family members can play with it. Catalog (not yet in legitimate MLA position, I will chip away at in for the last paper) http://evvy09. hubpages. com/center point/Video-Games-Have-Changed-the-World http://www. ethicapublishing. com/moral/3CH12. pdf https://www. msu. edu/~pengwei/Mou%26Peng_gender%20and%20racial%20stereotype. pdf http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/greetings/science/nature/1295920. stm Step by step instructions to refer to Video Game Ethical Issues, Essay models

Give the girl what she wants

Give the girl what she wants Ruth said: Seriously, update! A more pictures, less blocks of text. Go! The girl wants pictures, lets give her pictures: Ruth Miller 07, the newly-elected Undergraduate Association Vice President, gracefully has her cake and eats it too. And the rest of Conner 2 (plus some guests) looks on: Happy birthday, Ruth. =D So, where have I been? Well, I finally made it home and then spent a lot of time catching up on lost sleep. Its really kind of pathetic, actually. I havent even unpacked anything yet. Yeah, I know. I never said I wasnt a slacker. Anyway, my last few days at MIT were a blur- I had 3 exams and lots of stuff to pack in a few short days. Speaking of packing, April and I made a pretty big mess while we were in the process of putting things away. We get a limited amount of storage space in Burton-Conner and only had access to the storage room during certain hours, which made packing even more complicated. Our room was like a maze for a few days. Responses to comments: Several people have wondered about taking AP and college credits to MIT. Is it a good idea, is it a bad idea, will I fall behind if I dont take the credit, will I feel out of my league if I do, etc. All this is completely a matter of personal preference. Plenty of people dont test out of anything. They spend freshman year taking a whole bunch of GIRs. Some people test out of introductory classes (common ones are 18.01, 8.01, and 7.01x). They get stuck with a lot of the same GIRs freshman year but they usually have the option to take a course or two in their major during the spring term- which is cool for them but by no means necessary. Of course, there are some people who test out of everything and try to double major in 3 years or something, but those people are crazy anyway. I was encouraged by some upper classmen to take whatever credit I could and run with it, so I did. So far Im very happy with that decision, but it remains to be seen if Ill still be happy about it next year. Im not sure if skipping 8.01 is going to make my life difficult when I start taking classes in Course 2. But for 18.03 I dont think youll have a problem. The hardest calculus you need to know for that class is integration by parts. Sure, itll be your first MIT math class but you have to start somewhere. And trust me, you will have no problems finding fellow pset partygoers. Everyones taking the same classes, and youre bound to find pset partners without even leaving your floor. The bottom line is that its up to you- if youd like some extra time in your schedule to explore major options and did pretty well in high school calc or physics, you may want to get the credit for it. If youre not comfortable testing out of the material, theres nothing wrong with starting from square 1 in your first semester. The one recommendation I have is this: upperclassmen can be great resources. Youll have plenty of time on campus before you actually have to register for classes. Talk to your orientation leader, the people in your temp dorm, whoever. Youll usually be able to find someone who has been in a similar situation or is able to offer relevant advice or at the very least just guide you throug h making your own decisions. Plus, dont forget you can always add, drop, and change subjects- I did it the second day of classes first semester. Youll have plenty of time to think about it, discuss it, and explore- so dont lose sleep over it now. Anonymous said: Ive never really learned physics since it pretty much sucks at my high school. So whats your experience been with freshman physics? Does TEAL have any lecturing professors or is it like an independent study with classmates? Are there any traditional freshman physics classes? To which Evan I responded: Freshman physics begins with 8.01. Its as traditional as a physics course can get, from what I gather, and employs the TEAL system. Now, to help all of us out with our adjustments, there are some variations on this course: 8.011, which is a similar course design without TEAL, 8.012, which is read as 8.01 for physics fanatics, and 8.01L, which slows the course down to extend into the IAP time. This way, MIT does its best to cater to the previous experience that all incoming freshmen have. If youd like to do some more exploration of the courses and what they entail, http://student.mit.edu/catalog/m8a.html should act as a great starting point. Thanks Evan. Youre completely right. Just a few comments/clarifications. First of all, the TEAL format incorporates both lecture and independent study. Each section has about 80 students who sit in small groups. The professor lectures to the whole class and occasionally asks the students to do problems as a group or work on experiements. On certain days, there is no lecture and students simply work on practice problems in their groups. As Evan said, 8.011 is traditional physics, but Im not sure exactly how one would be able to enroll in 8.011. They generally like all freshmen to take TEAL, so I dont think its offered fall semester. Although it is worthwhile to look into some of the learning communities (like ESG, for example)- sometimes they have different class structures, like smaller classes. Im not all that familiar with these things, but you should look into them if youre not sure that the standard classes will be right for you. So, what are my plans for summer? Ive been spending my days at my awesome summer job- as a lifeguard at Runaway Rapids Waterpark. I get paid to get a great tan. I dont get paid much, but its still a really fun job. Of course, one of the hazards of said job is sunburn. Last summer I burned the backs of my legs so badly that I couldnt walk for 3 days. Were talking sunburn of the I-wonder-how-I-managed-to-NOT-get-skin-cancer variety. Well, this year I learned my lesson, but still got a little red in places. Onlytheyre weird places. So now were going to take the interactive nature of the blog to a whole new level. Its like one of those psychoanalysis inkblot questions. What do you see in this sunburn pattern on my leg? Because I cant for the life of me figure it out.

Serial Killer Serial Killers - 1858 Words

A serial killer is defined as someone who has murdered two or more victims and the incidents occurred at separate events at different times (Morton). Serial killers can be motivated by a variety of things like anger and the power and thrill they feel by gaining control. The common misconception is that people become violent because they are mentally unstable, but not all mentally unstable people are serial killers. So the important question is what causes the distinction. One common theory is that they are molded by their childhood experiences and their environment. This theory is accepted by many because the profiles of serial killers are always the same. Another theory is that serial killers are formed by abnormalities to the brain, like trauma and irregular hormone levels. Gene dysfunction is also another recognized theory and is backed up by countless experiments. But the real cause for someone to become a serial killer is a combination of all of these theories. Brain abnormalit ies and genetics coupled with childhood environment and experiences both play a big role in the molding of a serial killer. Although serial killers are often described as crazy, they are not â€Å"psychotic.† Being â€Å"psychotic† implies that they have lost touch with reality and experience types of hallucinations like hearing voices. Serial killers do not have this condition. They have a psychopathic personality which is defined as, â€Å"amoral and antisocial behavior, lack of ability to love or establishShow MoreRelatedSerial Killer : Serial Killers939 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is a serial killer? Serial killers are very sick and distraught compared to others. As indicated by the Vancouver Sun, a serial killer is characterized as somebody who is responsible for more than three killings over a period that than traverses over one month.In 2005 the fbi changed it to at least two killings with no reference to intention or time span. Generally, serial killers murd er for some kind of mental benefit. Serial Killers can come in all shapes and sizes: don t be tricked byRead MoreSerial Killers And The Serial Killer1101 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The serial killer ‘is an entirely different criminal,’ †The term serial killer is misleading on the ground that each murder is intended to be the last.† We see them as a figure of â€Å"the dark side of human potential,† but they believe they’re â€Å"on a heroic quest for the biggest score possible† They believe they are â€Å"the archetypal figure of impurity, the representative of a world which needs cleansing.† However, society knows that serial killers are not heroes, and they’re not cleansing the worldRead MoreSerial Killer And Serial Killers Essay1171 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica has some of the most infamous serial killers who marked history, serial killers who once didn’t even think to harm any human being. Many people grow up differently from others, some people grow up in a safe environment surrounded with caring people and others grow up in a completely different environment being missed treated by others, therefore are serial killers made or born? A serial killer is defined as â€Å"a person who commits more than three murders over a period that spans more thanRead MoreSerial Killer And Serial Killers1644 Words   |  7 PagesSerial Killer A serial killer is someone who has killed three or more people on separate occasions with enough time between, allowing them to calm down or reflect on what they did. There are separate categories for serial killers. The types of serial killers are organized killers, unorganized killers, and medical killers (Crime museum, 2015, para. 1, 2, 3). Beverley Allitt was considered to be under the medical killer category. Allitt killed a total of 4 children in less than a year span (McCrystalRead MoreSerial Killers And The Serial Killer2026 Words   |  9 Pagesneurological differences and biological disparities contribute to them becoming a serial killer, such as whether a person is a male or female. Also, people who suffer from neurological disabilities such as psychopathy are at more of a risk. People who live in the United States of America (USA) are statistically more likely to become a serial killer. There are many factors that can drive a person to become a serial killer and not ev eryone turns into one.. It takes a specific type of person to commitRead MoreSerial Killers : A Serial Killer1820 Words   |  8 Pagesunderstand a serial killers background to get an understanding of how childhood trauma could lead to their need to kill. Although there are no exact factors that would absolutely cause a child to grow up into a serial killer, research found by Laurence Miller in â€Å"Serial killers: II. Development, Dynamics, and Forensics,† suggest that there are several common factors found in multiple serial killers’ childhoods. For example, some of the leading childhood characteristics found among serial killers includeRead MoreSerial Killer : Serial Killers909 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to an FBI study, â€Å"there have been approximately 400 serial killers in the United States in the past century, with anywhere from 2,526 to 3,860 victims (Hickey). No one really understands serial killers. It is actually quite difficult to comprehend how t he mind of a serial killer works. Some believe that a serial killer feels strongly attracted by a specific physical characteristic in the victim. It could be his or her appearance: facial features, clothes, or even personality. On the otherRead MoreSerial Killers And The Serial Killer1080 Words   |  5 Pageshelp? This was the technique one of the most infamous serial killer Ted Bundy used to approach his victims and ultimately murder them. B. Background and Audience Relevance: Today, I will be speaking to you about serial killers. C. Speaker Credibility: I decided to do my topic on serial killers because, criminology is something I’m genuinely interested in and would like to learn more about it myself. D. Thesis: By learning about serial killers, hopefully in the future they can be captured fasterRead MoreSerial Killers : A Serial Killer Essay1003 Words   |  5 PagesCrimes and criminals define not only places, but certain time periods. Serial killers are usually the ones that individuals tend to remember the most. An individual is considered a serial killer when they murder three or more individuals during a period of time with a cooling off period between each crime (Frailing Harper, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to discuss one of the most controversial and yet famous serial killer, Theodore Robert Bundy. Something interesting that attracts the attentionRead MoreSerial Killers : The Serial Killer Essay2076 Words   |  9 PagesThis serial killer was chosen because this serial killing pair is the most infamous English serial killers duo in the 1990s. Fred and Rosemary West were not convicted of all the murders they participated in; however, they were sentenced to life im prisonment. Also, this case is interesting because Rosemary West, to this day, does not claim to know anything about the murders even though she has victims that survived her attacks and have spoken against her in court. These serial killers have been covered

The Formula for Boyles Law

Boyles law is a special case of the ideal gas law. This law applies only to ideal gases held at a constant temperature, allowing only the volume and pressure to change. Boyles Law Formula Boyles law is expressed as:PiVi PfVfwherePi initial pressureVi initial volumePf final pressureVf final volume Because the temperature and the amount of gas dont change, these terms dont appear in the equation. What Boyles law means is that the volume of a mass of gas is inversely proportional to its pressure. This linear relationship between pressure and volume means doubling the volume of a given mass of gas decreases its pressure by half. It is important to remember the units for initial and final conditions are the same. Do not start with pounds and cubic inches for initial pressure and volume units and expect to find pascals and liters without converting the units first. There are two other common ways to express the formula for Boyles law. According to this law, at a constant temperature, the product of pressure and volume is a constant: PV c or P ∠ 1/V Boyles Law Example Problem A 1 L volume of a gas is at a pressure of 20 atm. A valve allows the gas to flow into a 12 L container, connecting the two containers. What is the final pressure of this gas? A good place to start this problem is to write out the formula for Boyles law and identify which variables you know and which remain to be found. The formula is: P1V1 P2V2 You know: Initial pressure P1 20 atmInitial volume V1 1 Lfinal volume V2 1 L 12 L 13 Lfinal pressure P2 variable to find P1V1 P2V2 Dividing both sides of the equation by V2 gives you: P1V1 / V2 P2 Filling in the numbers: (20 atm)(1 L)/(13 L) final pressure final pressure 1.54 atm (not the correct number of significant figures, just so you know) If youre still confused, you may wish to review another worked Boyles Law problem. Interesting Boyles Law Facts Boyles law was the first physical law written as an equation that described the dependence of two variables. Before this, one variable was all you got.Boyles law is also known as the Boyle-Mariotte law or Mariottes law. Anglo-Irish Boyle published his law in 1662, but French physicist Edme Mariotte came up with the same relation independently in 1679.Although Boyles law describes the behavior of an ideal gas, it can be applied to real gases at a normal temperature and low (ordinary) pressure. As temperature and pressure increase, gases start to deviate from any variation of the ideal gas law. Boyles Law and Other Gas Laws Boyles law is not the only special case of the ideal gas law. Two other common laws are  Charles law  (constant pressure) and Gay-Lussacs  law  (constant volume).

How Man Is Changing the Environment and Biomes Free Essays

How is man changing environment or biomes? Man is drastically changing the environment with all the needs he has. Humans cut down entire forests in the course of a month. Then we build buildings in its place making it impossible for anything to grow there. We will write a custom essay sample on How Man Is Changing the Environment and Biomes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Those trees were a crucial part to the ecosystem and environment, which are now changed forever. We also drive cars, which emit exhaust, which in turn hurts our ozone layer and heats up the Earth. Once the ozone layer is damaged the ice caps melt a little and now the entire environment is changed, all thanks to man. Not to mention that biomes are changed as well due to global warming; the ice caps melt a little and the world gets hotter, thus the biomes near the sea are changed because the water level rises and the weather there is hotter. Another way man is changing biomes and the environment around the world is by building cities. Humans build new buildings every day and those buildings take up space, space that was once a tree, a bit of grassland, or maybe a little pond. The cities we build are all around the world and some of the places where those cities are used to be entire ecosystems. For example the Thames and the area surrounding it in London, England; they were once their own environment and we built over the land surrounding the river and dumped a bunch of garbage into the Thames. The same goes for Denver; it lies on a mountain, the area it lies on used to have creeks and trees, but now it just has buildings and roads. Another part of the environment changed forever due to us humans. How to cite How Man Is Changing the Environment and Biomes, Essay examples

Confidential Information in Form Records-Free Samples for Students

Questions: 1.What was the Problem? 2.How and Why It Occurred? 3.What are the Possible Solutions? 4.What was the Problem? 5.Who were affected and How? 6.How was the attack carried out? 7.What could have been done to prevent the Attack? Answers: Introduction Today at every workplace computers are used to perform various business activities such as storing confidential information in form records, sharing information from one place to other and to communicate with clients and customers at remote locations. The usage of computer systems and internet provides various benefits to its users but on another side, various security issues or security breaches are also encountered by its users. Now in this report we will discuss a news on computer security breach and a case of hack on web. Discussion This segment of report belongs to discussion about a computer security breach that has happened in 2015. There are several cases available on internet on this topic but we have selected one of them and that is Computer Security Breach in VTech Chinese Company. VTech is a Chinese Company which build and develops electronic learning toys. 1.VTech Company faced a data breach and due to this private information of 4.8 million parents and 200,000 children was leaked. The 4.8 million was an estimation and this number varies to 6.7 million. According to statement of VTech Company it was a massive breach because in this computer breach personal details of so many children was leaked and further this detail was used by hackers for hiding their identities. According to a information source, it is found that hackers leaked this information to Motherhood magazine. But in this whole incident credit card information was saved to breach and it was claimed by VTech. The lots of information that was breached by hackers included name of parents, emails, passwords, secret question/answers of parents, hints of passwords, login and registration information of parents. Besides this, Parent addresses of VTech, their account details, child names and images of children and child registration URL and account details were also leaked. The com panys customers were from different countries such as UK, Spain, France and Germany. It was eventually a massive case of computer security breach that was difficult to control quickly (WiseGEEK, 2017). 2.According to investigation of VTech Company, it was found that this computer security breach was occurred due to SQL injection on companys database and this activity helped hackers to leak details of parents and children from database. It is also believed by security experts that outdated platforms are used for vulnerable hacking of database such as ASP.NET 2.0, WCF, SOAP and FLASH. Hackers implemented this security breach to collect personal information of children and their parents, so that this information can be further used by them for hiding their identities and also they wanted to sell this information to Motherhood magazine. The most vulnerable result of this attack was that confidential information of millions of customers of VTech Company lost which cannot be recovered easily (HackRead, 2017). 3.The investigator of VTech Companys security breach case was able to identify devices that are used by kids and also websites that were used frequently. Besides this, some possible solution for this computer security breach are listed as below: It was attack of SQL Injection on ASP.NET platform, so to get this type of attack use an account with restricted permissions in database and try to avoid disclosing information of database error (Healthcare IT News, 2017). To get prevention from above type of attack, it is necessary to protect database by using advanced security features. If database will be secured then it is difficult for hackers to access it (ucsc.edu, 2017). The use of cryptography is a best way to protect data into database and over network. To achieve this, encryption technique is required to use. By this technique whole information will be encrypted into unreadable form and then will be stored into database. It is difficult for hackers to understand data in this form. The database scanning is must by using antivirus or by database scanners such as NeXpose, Oscanner, Kaspersky and McAfee etc. By using these tools, it will be easier to find bugs from database if found any and appropriate solution can be found (Greene, 2017). In case of huge amount of data, it will be better to take backup of data periodically from database and remove that data from online database. Backup data can be stored securely on another database that is out of reach of hackers. In this way, huge amount of data can be saved in form of modules (com, 2017). By implementing these possible solutions, it is possible that company like VTech can save its database from security breaches. It is matter of performance of company and its responsibility towards personal information of its customers and clients. If company will not be careful about this, then it will badly effect its reputation. After discussing about a popular news about computer security breach, now here we will emphasize on a popular case of hacking. In list of most popular hacking cases, the case of eBay is listed. eBay is a well-known ecommerce company. It is commonly used by people for online shopping. This company faced problem of hacking. eBay was suffered with biggest hack in 2014 (Forbes.com, 2017). 4.It is revealed by eBay that hackers had tried to steal personal records of 233 million users. In these personal records, hackers stole usernames, passwords, phone numbers and physical addresses. Hackers successfully hacked eBays confidential information such as login credentials that are required to gain access to sensitive data. After this hacking incident, the main concerning thing for Ebay was that, stolen personal information of its users could leave them to vulnerable identity theft. In this hacking of personal information records, financial information is not stolen by hackers (Msdn.microsoft.com, 2017). 5.The customers of eBay whose personal information was stored into database of company were highly affected with this hacking attack (Hacked: Hacking Finance, 2017). The loss of personal information is not too small to bear. The customers of eBay were affected in a way that hackers could misuse their personal information and can leaked it to other companies. For every company that is providing online shopping services to people, it is essential to secure data of its customers into their databases. If company cannot achieve this successfully then it will put impact over its performance in market (Databreachtoday.in, 2017). 6.This hacking attack is carried out by hackers by stealing login credentials of eBay from its database and then by using these credentials sensitive information from database was stolen. eBay did not clear yet that who was behind this attack. According to SEA it was hacktivist operation but it was not carried out to hack financial accounts of people (Wired.com, 2017). 7.After seeing bad impacts of hacking incident, eBay encouraged its users to change its passwords and also reassured them that their financial information was not stolen. eBay also improved its storage system for storing important information and data was stored in encrypted form into database and it is one of the best ways to protect users information from hacking and phishing attacks. Besides this, some other prevention methods that could have been done by eBay to prevent hacking attacks are listed as below (SearchSecurity, 2017): Use of Database Scanning Tools Periodic Backup of Database Use of Antivirus (Dark Reading, 2017) Use of Database Scanning Tools A company that has number of customers and their information is stored into companys database, it is important for company to keep tracking of database periodically by using database scanning tools such as Oscanner, Kaspersky and McAfee. These tools will help to scan whole database once and if any error or bug will found then that can be fixed immediately. In case of eBay, if it could have been used this tool then from a small activity of hackers with database could alert security professionals. So it will be better to use this option (MakeUseOf, 2017). Periodic Backup of Database Another option that could have been used by eBay is proper backup of database at regular basis. While using online databases, it is common that hackers try to access database in unauthorized ways and leaked data it to others. In this case, if backup of data will be available then heavy loss of data can be controlled. A periodic backup should be taken into another systems database, so that if main database gets damage then alternative database can be used. Use of Antivirus Antivirus can also be used for security purpose. Anti-virus is used for scanning the virus from system and database and then after identifying virus, the fixing of that is also possible with the help of this. eBay Company could have been installed anti-virus into system and could fix small bugs that were used by hackers as weak points. These are some potential solutions that can be used by eBay Company to manage its problems of database security and privacy. It is also responsibility of security professionals of company to be careful about security issues and must find appropriate solutions for that. Various security patches are also available to resolve problems of databases security. Conclusion After this whole discussion we can say that if issues of computer security breaches are increasing day by day then on other side, various solutions are also available. But it is commonly seen that most of the security issues occurs due to improper usage of security tools and by ignoring small errors and bugs of systems that can be formed bigger in future. In case of both VTech and eBay, common problems of leaking of personal information of customers are found and also both companies are not able to identify properly that what is the actual reason for that. Therefore, it is necessary for security experts to be aware about these kind of issues and about their solid reasons. If reasons of computer security breaches will be cleared, only then appropriate solutions can be found. References Databreachtoday.in. (2017). Latest breaking news articles on data security breach. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.databreachtoday.in/news Dark Reading. (2017). Attacks Breaches News, Analysis, Discussion, Community - Dark Reading. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches.asp Forbes.com. (2017). The Top 5 Most Brutal Cyber Attacks Of 2014 So Far. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2014/07/28/the-top-5-most-brutal-cyber-attacks-of-2014-so-far/#6d6a9929134d Greene, T. (2017). Biggest data breaches of 2015. Network World. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.networkworld.com/article/3011103/security/biggest-data-breaches-of-2015.html HackRead. (2017). Top 15 Cyber Attacks and Security Breaches in 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.hackread.com/top-15-cyber-attacks-security-breaches-in-2015/ Healthcare IT News. (2017). 7 largest data breaches of 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/7-largest-data-breaches-2015 Huffingtonpost.com. (2017). Security Breach. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/security-breach/ Hacked: Hacking Finance. (2017). 10 Most Notorious Hackers of All Time | Hacked: Hacking Finance. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://hacked.com/hackers/ Its.ucsc.edu. (2017). Security Breach Examples and Practices to Avoid Them. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://its.ucsc.edu/security/breaches.html Msdn.microsoft.com. (2017). How To: Protect From SQL Injection in ASP.NET. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff648339.aspx MakeUseOf. (2017). 5 Of The Worlds Most Famous Hackers What Happened To Them. Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-of-the-worlds-most-famous-hackers-what-happened-to-them/ SearchSecurity. (2017). What is data breach? - Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/data-breach Wired.com. (2017). The Most Controversial Hacking Cases of the Past Decade. (2017). Retrieved 6 April 2017, from https://www.wired.com/2015/10/cfaa-computer-fraud-abuse-act-most-controversial-computer-hacking-cases/ WiseGEEK. (2017). What Is a Computer Security Breach? (with pictures). Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-computer-security-breach.htm

Brack Strikes As A Very Immoral Man From The Very Beginning, Due To Th

Brack strikes as a very immoral man from the very beginning, due to the aplenty advances he made towards Hedda. He had always subtlety hinted that he thought that Hedda might like "a new responsibility" and most importantly, that he will "fight for the end, for the "triangle" to be "fortified and defended by mutual consent." To flirt with an unwed lady is one thing. But to be thoroughly suggestive of certain immoral acts to a legally wed lady would seem to be a moral crime. A crime, which would deem Brack as an immoral judge, which is juxtaposition in the phrase itself. The depraved misdeed was too much to expect from a judge, much less to say the way that he had insinuated himself into the household of a married couple. Brack's manipulative nature can perhaps be considered the most powerful tool that he has, to be able to control people at his beck and call. The way he withholds his information, only to disseminate it at an ?appropriate' time, when it will hit the victim the hardest, shows how well he can play the psychological game. He was apparently so good at calculating his steps that he was able to have Hedda exclaim with pain that she is "in your powers, Mr Brack. From now on, I'm at your mercy." He played his last hand of the pack very well, henceforth gaining control over Hedda almost at once, after we have seen her authoritative throughout the plot. The unexpected twist of events, definitely illustrates an element of surprise for the reader. Nothing much can be mentioned or commented about Brack, except that he seems to be a guru at the game at which both he and Hedda seemed to be indulged in. His callous ways together with his tricky language have caused the one all mighty Hedda to fall prey to him, exposing the extent of his scheming nature to the reader. It certainly allows the reader to realize his true nature and to confirm the suspicions of Brack's ulterior motives. The presence of Brack alone is enough to allow Tesman appear trivial and ridiculous. His language as compared to Tesman seemed to have many underlying meanings, while Tesman's, for an academic, seems rather superficial. Tesman, being a worrywart, starts to fret like a young lady when informed that his appointment might not come. He "clasps his hands together" and "flings his arms about" asking his "dearest Hedda, how can you (she) take it all so calmly." Brack on the other hand, being the surely and confident self tries to comfort him by telling him that he will "most probably get it" but "only after a bit of competition". Brack's calm composure and surely words certainly outweigh Tesman's unnecessary gestures and fretful language. The vulnerability of Tesman and Hedda's marriage has also clearly been brought out by the intrusion of Brack. The fact that Hedda would "clasp her hand at the back of her neck, lean back in the chair and look at him" indicates how comfortable she feels with Brack. The stichomythia in their speeches also brings out the level of intimacy the both of them share as seen by the quote " Brack: A trusted and sympathetic friend... Hedda: ...who can converse on all manners of lively topics... Brack:... and who's not in the least academic" It shows how well they complement each other, finishing each other's thoughts as though they were in a relationship themselves. As Hedda could easily pour out her woes to a man other than her husband gives an indication of how sterile her marriage with Tesman was. So unfruitful that they had absolutely no proper communications between husband and wife that Hedda was glad to have a friend who could converse with her.

Giacomo Balla essays

Giacomo Balla essays Giacomo Balla's painting Abstract Speed - The Car Has Passed was originally the right hand side of a triptych work done in 1913. The center was a piece called Line of Force + Noise, and the left hand side was Line of force + Landscape. He uses an analogous color scheme of green and blue to represent the earth and the sky. The pink is supposed to represent exhaust fumes from the passing vehicle. Supposedly, the car is passing at a speed of thirty five miles per hour, which at the time was an incredible fast pace. The work uses a geometric perspective, evident by the road fading into the distance. However, Balla also seems to use an ambiguous perspective because of how the viewer can sense movement in the painting. Actual lines are placed abstractly giving the picture definition, shape, and also adding to the movement of the work. The Car Has Passed is a two dimensional work done with oil paints on a canvas ground and has a symmetrical balance. This piece is on display at the T ate Gallery in London. Giacomo Balla was born on July 18, 1871, in Turin, Italy, son of a chemist and an amateur photographer. He is considered a futurist painter, sculptor, and designer. In 1891, he studied for two months at the Academia Albertina di Bella Arte and the Liceo Artistico in Turin. He also studied at the University of Turin until 1892 After 1895, Balla spent most of his life in Rome working as an illustrator, caricaturist, and portrait painter. Most of his earlier pieces were portraits, landscapes, and caricatures that were influenced by Italian Divisionists. On a trip to Paris in 1900 to visit the Exposition Universelle, Balla became very interested in aspects of modern industrial life. He stayed in Paris for seven months being an assistant to illustrator Serafino Macchiati. Balla was introduced to futurism at this time. Futurism was an expansion of cubism concepts that explored metamorphosis and simultaneity of vision. He...

Strategic Diagnosis Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Diagnosis Project - Research Paper Example Moreover the search engine also acts as an encyclopedia which helps the users to gain potential information of a variety of subjects. The Google website also acts as a revenue and market generator for companies which advertise their products and services via the online sphere. Google which had a very humble beginning now operates based on several branches spread along several quarters of the globe. The company thus has a huge portfolio of skilled and efficient human resources operating from the several offices to help the concern achieve its end objectives. Google operating fully on the internet sphere happens to gain a large market worldwide for the best quality of services rendered which fulfills the parameter of customer satisfaction. (Google-b, n.d.). Strategic activities initiated focus on tapping niche market bases by producing different products like scholar, earth and map applications. Research and development team of Google is working to produce these types of products and s ervices which helps in gaining an innovated customer profile. Google’s innovativeness gains hold through the large scale maintenance of potential information which is gained through the operation based on its highly innovative software which helps in gaining faster access to large volumes of data from different sources. (McLoughlin & Aaker, 2010, p.145-146). As part of its strategic initiatives Google focuses on gaining a target market composed of normal viewers and other potential product and service advertisers. This community of commercial people helps the firm in gaining potential revenues through the large scale advertising activities conducted over the online sphere. Further the company has also devised another service branch to cater fully to the needs of the advertisers and other commercial people. The AdSense software devised by Google helps the advertising community to sponsor related links on the web portal. Through such links the web visitors can gain instant acce ss to the profiles of the different companies having advertised their products and services. (Cahill, 2006, p.57). Vision, Mission & Values Google is one of the business firms that has revolutionized three business world as well as the life of the individuals across the globe. Google is now an integral part of every person who uses the internet. Google is perhaps the most popular search engine across the globe with millions of active users in the world. Mission A mission statement is a short statement typically comprised of a single sentence that tries to highlight the general purpose of the organization. The mission statement also reflects the business strategies of a firm with regards to its suppliers, customers as well as the employees of the organization. Mission statements are therefore very important as they not only act as a framework of inspiration and aspiration but also help in generating a formidable brand image and suitable positioning of the firm in the minds of the cus tomers. Mission statements should also be quantifiable and largely measurable so as to provide clear guidance and instructions towards all the major stakeholders as well as customers (Kaplan, Norton & Barrows, 2008, p.3-4). The mission statement of Google is stated below: â€Å"

Foster Parenting and Foster Care in Louisiana Research Paper

Foster Parenting and Foster Care in Louisiana - Research Paper Example Foster parents need to develop for the child a ‘family-like environment’ (Department of Children and Family Services, Foster Parenting 2012), ensuring that the vital needs of the child, in terms of food, clothing, health and education, are fully covered. Foster parents also need to support the personal development and growth of the child (Department of Children and Family Services, Foster Parenting 2012). It should be noted that foster parents do not have parental rights, at least not at the same level as the birth parents; for this reason, foster parents need to cooperate with the local authorities and the birth parents for identifying the needs of the child in terms of daily care. The above rules are common in foster parenting schemes developed across USA. In Louisiana, authorities have focused on the support of foster parents so that the care provided to the children, in the context of foster parenting, to be as appropriate as possible. In 2003, the number of children in foster care in Louisiana has been estimated to 4,541 (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). Among those children, 53 are male, while the average age of children in foster care is 10 years (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). As of September of 2003, the average period that a foster child stays in a foster family has been estimated to 29 months, which can be characterized as rather long (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). In 2004, the number of certified foster homes in Louisiana was estimated to 2,822 (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). In order for a family to provide foster care, it has to ask for a foster care certification. The requirements of this certification are the following ones: a) provision of information to foster family in regard to the needs and the demands of the program, b) the submission of a relevant application, c) fingerprints are provided by all members of the foster family, meaning those members who are

Isobel Dixon And Mervyn Morris

Isobel Dixon And Mervyn Morris Little Boy Crying by Mervyn Morris and Plenty by Isobel Dixon both explore the vivid childhood memories and experiences of the poets. In Little Boy Crying, a father deals with the troubles of raising a and disciplining a child; whereas in Plenty, Dixon describes her youth when she and her sisters could not afford the things they so greedily stole behind their mothers back; finally comparing it to her prosperous present. I will explore how the poets use imagery and language, voice and tone, and structure and form to create effects and convey their experiences. Little Boy Crying is based on a fathers true story revealing the how he once treated his son. It depicts the themes of sadness, remorse, and love. Morris describes his battle with fighting the regret he feels for slapping his son because he loves him so much, longs to lift you, curb your sadness. This is perhaps to depict the contrast between the two emotions and the danger of what happens when they collide. At first, the reader empathizes with the boy, however, as the poem progresses and the fathers situation is understood, the reader begins to empathize for him as well. Plenty, is based on Dixons chaotic youth with her sisters. It explores the themes of chaos, restriction, and realization. Dixon writes about her memories of the past, often referring to her mothers anger over the chaos she and her sisters create by ignoring the mothers restrictions, her lipsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ anchored downà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ not knowing then it was a clasp to keep us all from chaos. This shows that as you get older, you realize the importance of order and begin appreciating your parents hard labor. Mervyn Morris use of powerful language helps the reader relate to the situation described. The title, Little Boy Crying, already provokes a sad image of what is forthcoming in the poem, creating an instantaneous dramatic effect on the reader. In the first stanza, Morris expresses the changes which his son undertook since the slap, mouth contorting, laughter metamorphosed, and frame so recently relaxed now tight. The word metamorphosed, exemplifies the rapidity of the change of the boys facial expression, creating a more powerful image of the emotions the boy is feeling. These changes quickly introduce the reader to the circumstances. Powerful imagery of water is seen in the phrase swimming tears, splashing your bare feet, where sibilance and personification of the tears have been used to invoke a more dramatic sense of the boys misery. The phrase quick slap stuck, creates a more sped up and violent interpretation of the happenings; and the use of onomatopoeia in slap, creates a more graphic scene. Overall in the first stanza of Little Boy Crying, many sad and angry words are used to create a depressed mood: Howls, frameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ tight, frustration, swimming tears, and guilt or sorrow. Such powerful phrases are used to invoke a more immediate effect of grief and a relation to the situation by the reader. The reader becomes more compassionate and understanding of the characters. In the second stanza the father imagines himself in the sons position, alluding to the fairytale Jack and the Bean stalk, evoking powerful imagery of hatred as well, The ogre, grim giant, colossal cruel, Chopped clean the tree [the fathers] scrambling down. The use of alliteration of g in grim giant and c in colossal cruel, places emphasis on the phrases to describe the pure hatred the father thinks the boy must feel against him, signifying that he knows he is being mean and understands his decisions were harsh. The reference to a well-known fairytale increases the readers ability to relate to the situation and creates a more vivid scenario. In the third stanza, the line You cannot understand, not yet demonstrates that the child does not acknowledge the fact that his father is teaching him a lesson. The father seems very guilt struck and at fault that he had to take such measures to teach a lesson, The hurt your easy tears can scald him with. The boy does not realize the pain his display of sadness causes his father, who obviously takes no pleasure in making his son cry. The father seems to regret his actions however stays firm to teach the lesson, Longs to lift you, curb your sadness. The alliteration of l emphasizes the longing however the father stays strong to ensure his son is raised with the correct values. The last stanza implies the little boy has been playing in the rain, you must not make a plaything of the rain. This line has several meanings such as the immorality of trying to get sympathy by crying. On another level, it could be the father instructing himself to take his lessons more seriously and his need stay firm to show discipline. Isobel Dixon also uses powerful imagery and language to convey her messages. The title itself contrasts with nearly the entirety of the poem as poverty has placed them far away from Plenty. Isobel Dixon creates an intense mood using vivid description early on in the poem. In the first stanza the reader is introduced to Dixons memory of an enamel tub, age-stained and pocked upon its griffin claws, never full. Such an image conveys the impression that that the family cannot afford proper equipment such as a bathtub and is unable to fill it with water as it is too costly and in short supply. Water is recognized as a representation of their deprivation from basic necessities in the ongoing expanse of drought where dams leaked dry and windmills stalled. The alliteration of d in the phrase drought where dams leaked dry, enhances the effectiveness of the image created by making them more prominent in the description. The stalled windmills are subsequently compared with the mothers smile, Like mommys smile. This infers that her smile has stalled. Dixon uses metaphors to describe her mothers frown, a clasp to keep us all from chaos. The metaphor is used to create a more vivid image of the mothers efforts to keep the family together. Additionally, the onomatopoeia of the word clasp creates a more powerful picture. Many cases of sibilance are found in the phrase she saw it always, snapping locks and straps, the spilling: sums and worries, shopping listsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The ongoing repetition of the consonant s creates an almost explosive ringing. The poet uses contradictory phrases to exaggerate their meaning in the oxymoron, each month was weeks too long. A month is always an exact number of weeks long; however Dixon implies that they never had enough money to cover an entire months worth of spending. In the penultimate stanza, when describing the present, Dixon uses enjambment in the line waters plentiful, to excess, almost, here./ This creates a slower progression in the poem and exemplifies how she is disregarding all her previous worries about taking another precious of water. Little Boy Crying, is written from the voice of the father; however it changes perspective several times. In the first stanza, the father is observing the reaction of his son. In the second stanza, the father attempts to view the situation from his sons point of view. In the third stanza a third-person view responds to the happenings, explaining the fathers feelings. In contrast, Plenty, is written entirely from Dixons point of view. She writes in a voice which seems apologetic because of all the disorder she now recognizes she caused, not knowing then, and we thought her mean. Later, she compares it to the present, where bubbles lap my chin. Even though she is grateful for the present luxury in her life, she misses her childhood, miss my scattered sisters. In Little Boy Crying, Morris uses long sentences with small amounts of punctuation to create tension and make the reader keep reading. The first stanza is composed of seven lines, however only one sentence. The stanza length is a little beyond average, and the last stanza ends abruptly as it consists only of one line. Ending a poem with one line creates force and stress to the line, making the reader consider it more. The use of enjambment establishes a greater emphasis on the word previous to it, such as howls, frustration, and tears. This is done to put pressure on specific words, empowering their meaning and adding importance to their effect. They become more noticeable than the rest of the words In Plenty, Dixon uses normal length sentences and stanzas, which contradicts the chaos depicted in the poem. She does not use very much enjambment, creating an ongoing flow of reading. Her use of punctuation varies greatly as in the fourth stanza; three full-stops are used. On the other hand, in the fifth and sixth stanzas, altogether only one full-stop is used. This creates tension when its needed and adds a story-like effect. Little Boy Crying, by Mervyn Morris and Plenty, by Isobel Dixon both delve into the moving childhood experiences they have. In Little Boy Crying, a father resists the urge to apologize to his son for disciplining him; whereas in Plenty, Dixon describes her chaotic youth with her sisters; finally comparing it to her present. Little Boy Crying explores the themes of sadness, discipline, and regret. Plenty, explores the themes of chaos, restriction, and realization. Both poems have their underlying messages such as in plenty, where patience helps us all deal with many of lifes everyday problems. In Little Boy Crying, one learns the difficulty of punishing a child even though it is for the greater good of them.

Hong Kong Airlines Marketing Plan for India Essay

1. Introduction The purpose of this project is to develop an international marketing plan for Hong Kong Airlines to expand to the India market. The first part of the project will cover the current marketing mix and strategies of Hong Kong Airlines, as well as the SWOT analysis. The second part will analyze the India market and explore the feasibility for Hong Kong Airlines to enter this market as a low-cost carrier, or commonly known as a budget airline. It will be followed by some foreseeable challenges, with the relevant remedial measures. 2. Current Marketing Mix This section will illustrate the current marketing mix of Hong Kong Airlines. Product/Service Hong Kong Airlines is a full service carrier which provides both scheduled regional flights and cargo services within the Asia-pacific Region. Price The airfare for Hong Kong Airlines is relatively lower than that of its competitors such as Cathay Pacific and Dragonair. Place Hong Kong Airlines is a Hong Kong-based airline with its main hub and corporate head office at the Hong Kong International Airport. It uses the bauhinia flower, the emblem of Hong Kong, as its logo. People Hong Kong Airlines emphasizes that their staff are young and energetic. It is expected that the size of employees will reach 2,600 in the near future. Physical Evidence As of February 2013, Hong Kong Airlines’ fleet consists of 25 aircrafts with an average age of 3.9 years. This is relatively new when comparing with other airlines. Processes Hong Kong Airlines adopts both direct and indirect process – direct online sales via its corporate website and indirect sales via travel agencies. Promotion Currently Hong Kong Airlines promotes mainly via advertising, incentives, customer relationship management and public relations. Advertising Hong Kong Airlines does both hard and soft selling through digital platforms, including its corporate website, Facebook, Weibo and Mobile Apps. Positioning as a young and enthusiastic airline, Hong Kong Airlines has invested a considerable amount on online channels in order to reach its potential customers. Besides, Hong Kong Airlines has utilized television commercials, printed advertisements and advertorials in magazines. Incentives Hong Kong Airlines collaborates with local travel agencies, such as China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited. The travel agencies bundle air tickets with hotel accommodation and offer seasonal packages with appealing discounts. Customer Relationship Management Hong Kong Airlines has a customer loyalty programme – the Fortune Wing Club. The membership benefits include air award redemption, priority check-in and extra baggage allowance to its frequent flyers. Public Relations Hong Kong Airlines highly involves in charity projects and sponsorship events. For example, it has launched the fund raising programme, Fly & Care, which aims to subsidy athletes for preparing the 2016 Brazil Paralympic Games. It has also received various service awards such as the Capital Weekly Service Awards in 2012. 3. Current Marketing Strategy The majority of Hong Kong Airlines’ passengers are middle-aged males, with annual income below RMB150,000. They are generally value-conscious customers who are looking for reasonable service level with a relatively low airfare. Figure 3.1 summarizes some features of Hong Kong Airlines’ passengers. Geographic Segment| 84% from Asia-pacific region, with Hong Kong constituting 36%.| Demographic Segment| Gender * Male > 70% * Female < 30%Age * Below 30: 28% * 31 – 50: 60%Annual Income Level (in RMB) * Below 60k: 12% * >60k-100K: 23.3% * >100k – 150k: 31.5% * >150k – 200k : 9.4% * >200k – 400k: 8.9% * >400k: 14.9%| Travel Purpose| * Business travel: 71% * Vacation/others: 29%| Figure 3.1Segmentation of Hong Kong Airlines’ Passenger Competitors of Hong Kong Airlines High price Low price Low service quality High service quality Figure 3.2 Perceptual Map of Competitors The vertical and horizontal axes of Figure 3.2 represent price and service level respectively. Hong Kong Airlines is located at the bottom right corner because it provides reasonable service level with competitive price. Dragonair and Tiger Airways both operate on similar routings as Hong Kong Airlines. With Dragonair positioning as a premium brand while Tiger Airways being a low-cost carrier, they are selected for a more detailed competitor analysis. Dragonair Dragonair is an international airline based in Hong Kong, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the flagship carrier of Hong Kong – Cathay Pacific. It aims to offer customers enjoyable and comfortable flying experience via its full scope of services and quality cabin products. Its customers’ demographic profile is very close to that of Hong Kong Airlines: 85% of the passengers live in Asia-pacific and 30% of them live in Hong Kong; 66% are males and their average age is 41-year-old; and the average personal monthly income is around USD5,000. They are service-sensitive and less price-conscious. More than half of the passengers are frequent travelers who fly for more than 6 times annually. Tiger Airways Tiger Airways is a low-cost carrier based in Singapore. Low-cost carrier refers to airline that provides limited scope of service with low airfares. The airfare is meant for the transport service only and customers have to pay extra for baggage allowance, food and beverages etc, if required. For example, Tiger Airways offers a buy-on-board program, Tiger Bites, for customers to purchase food and beverage. Tiger Airways operates between Singapore and some regional destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia, China and India. Their passengers are price-conscious and less service-sensitive. 4. SWOT Analysis Strengths Hong Kong Airlines can enjoy strong financial support from their parent company, Hainan Airline, which is the largest privately owned air transport company in China. Operating in a relatively small scale, Hong Kong Airlines can be flexible and responsive to the market changes. Its young fleet includes both short / medium haul aircrafts (A320) and long haul aircrafts (A330-200 & A330-300), which can support routings between Hong Kong and Asia-pacific ports. Figure 4.1A330-200’s Coverage (from Hong Kong) Figure 4.2A330-300’s Coverage (from Hong Kong) Weaknesses Hong Kong Airlines has a weak financial management. The Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited has stopped providing services to Hong Kong Airlines due to its inability to settling the bills. This forces Hong Kong Airlines to turn to another aircraft maintenance service provider – China Aircraft Services Ltd. Hong Kong Airlines is also weak in operational management. The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department has frozen the fleet expansion plans of Hong Kong Airlines since August 2012 due to safety concerns, and advised it to consolidate the existing operations with current fleet size. With a relatively small scale of operations, Hong Kong Airlines has a rather weak bargaining power with its suppliers of aircrafts, fuel, and aircraft maintenance services. Opportunities The tourism industry in Asia-pacific region is expected to expand due to the fast economic growth, and the implementation of the intra-regional policies in tourism development. Currently the intra-regional traffic constitutes around 78% of Asian tourism, with budget airlines account for 24.9% of Asia’s total passenger traffic. The Hong Kong Tourism Board will invest around HKD30 million in opening up new visitor sources in five new markets – India, the Middle East, Russia, Vietnam and the Netherlands. These developments in tourism will definitely increase the demand for air travel. Threats There are keen competitions in the aviation industry, involving both the market leaders and low-cost carriers. One of the major operation costs for an airline is the fuel cost, which has a great impact on an airline’s profitability. If the crude oil prices return to the peak of USD70-odd or higher, some small-scale airlines, like Hong Kong Airlines, may be unable to survive. 5. Expansion to India This section comprises an analysis of the India market, a marketing plan for Hong Kong Airlines to expand to India and some foreseeable challenges. Market Analysis To expand the business of Hong Kong Airlines, entering the India market as a low-cost carrier would be a considerable option based on the factors below: Increase in Indian outbound travel The number of Indian outbound travel has been increased from 5.4 million in 2003 to 12.5 million in 2010. The World Tourism Organization predicts that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. Figure 5.1Outbound Traveler Numbers of India Depreciation of Indian rupee The Indian rupee has been depreciating and cheap air tickets are becoming more preferable for the value-conscious Indian tourists. Increase in the popularity of low-cost carriers The demand for cheap air tickets has made low-cost carriers more popular in India. In 2012, 37% of the Indian leisure travelers travel overseas via budget airlines. No low-cost carriers available between Hong Kong and India Despite the wide coverage amongst the Asia-pacific areas by existing low-cost carriers, currently there are no direct flights between Hong Kong and India operated by any low-cost carriers. Change in Indian aviation policy In September 2012, the Indian government has eased the restriction by allowing foreign direct investment up to 49% in private Indian airlines. 2013-2014 Work Plan of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) To open up new visitor sources for Hong Kong, the HKTB has been actively developing new markets, including India. The proposed marketing budget for India in 2013-2014 will be HKD13.4 million. The above factors have illustrated a growing market for low-cost carriers in India, which is not yet fully accommodated by existing airlines. Together with the open-up policy of Indian government and the marketing plan of HKTB, it is a favorable opportunity for Hong Kong Airlines to expand its operation into India as a low-cost carrier. [Remarks: There are rumors that Hong Kong Airlines’ sister airline, Hong Kong Express, will relaunch itself as a low-cost carrier in the near future. However, no relevant official announcement has been made by either the Hainan Group or Hong Kong Express. Regardless, this project aims to propose Hong Kong Airlines to enter India as low-cost carrier; any future development plans of other subsidiaries of the Hainan Group should be investigated separately.] International Market Plan Objectives This plan serves to relaunch Hong Kong Airlines as a low-cost carrier in India. It aims to raise public awareness of the company’s new positioning in the India market, with the ultimate goal to increase revenue. Target Audience This plan will target the potential customers in Mumbai and Delhi, which are the two cities containing the most outbound travel population in India – 33% and 26% respectively. Entry Strategy The ideal entry strategy will be cooperating with a local airline or company in the form of joint venture. It will reduce the risk of investment, and also serve to comply with the local government’s policy on foreign direct investment. However, Hong Kong Airlines needs to be very careful in choosing the right local partner as most of the local airlines are suffering from severe financial problems. Therefore, it would be preferable to resemble the capital partnership between Air Asia and the Tata Group in India. Market Strategy In view of the strong cultural differences between India and Hong Kong, Hong Kong Airlines will adopt a localized market strategy and compete as a market nicher amongst the existing competitors. Marketing Mix The table below summarizes the marketing mix which Hong Kong Airlines will adopt to enter the India market. Price| * Low| Product /Service| * Limited | Place| * Local back office * Online channels| People| * Local employees| Promotion| Direct Advertising * Digital marketing: website, Facebook * Interactive marketing * Outdoor promotions * Membership programmeIndirect Advertising * Cooperation with other organizations / companies: Hong Kong Tourism Board, India’s Ministry of Tourism & travel agents * Product placement in films| Figure 5.2Summary of Marketing Mix for Hong Kong Airlines’ expansion to the India Market Price As a low-cost carrier, the airfare will be much lower than its rivals. Product The scope of service will be limited – the airfare will only include the transport service. Customers will be required to pay extra for the others, such as baggage handling, in-flight catering and entertainment. Place Hong Kong Airlines will set up local office in India, mainly for back-end operation but not customer-facing. Instead, it will utilize the online channels to approach the customers because there is a continuous increase in the number of internet users in India – from 5.5 million in 2000 to 100 million in 2010. People In terms of people, the company will recruit local employees to address the cultural differences between Hong Kong and India. Promotion The promotions can be classified as Direct Advertising and Indirect Advertising; the former refers to advertisements that reach the public directly, while the latter includes cooperation with other organizations and companies. For direct advertising, Hong Kong Airlines will utilize the digital marketing channels by setting up website and Facebook page specifically for India; besides having a fast growing amount of internet users, India also has the world’s third largest Facebook community. Interactive marketing activities, such as games and contests, can be introduced through these channels. The company will conduct outdoor promotions, like billboards, to respond to the cultural characteristics of Indians – collectivism and the preference of public space. Hong Kong Airlines will expand its membership programme, Bauhinia Miles, to India to retain customers and build a customer database for future promotions. Customers will be offered purchase discount upon accumulating certain amount of credits, through participating in the promotion events, such as referral. It is different from other customer loyalty programmes, which customers can redeem complimentary flights or lifestyle awards with flying miles. Since Hong Kong Airlines will operate as a low-cost carrier offering low airfare, it would be difficult for the company to offer excessive complimentary awards to customers. As for indirect advertising, Hong Kong Airlines can cooperate with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the India’s Ministry of Tourism to promote Hong Kong Tourism to the Indians, and vice versa. This tie in with the current strategy of HKTB to explore new visitor sources in new markets, including India. The company will also cooperate with local travel agents to provide low-cost travel packages because 60% of Indians used to purchase air tickets through travel agents. Also, the depreciation of rupee induces demand for cheap travel packages. Since Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry, is one of the largest film product centres worldwide, Hong Kong Airlines will cooperate with the local film production companies for product placement. Potential Challenges The cultural differences between India and Hong Kong may obstruct the understanding and effective communication with the potential customers. Recruitment of local employees and learning from the local partner(s) will help ease the cultural impact. Another challenge will be the high burden on operating cost due to the high taxation on luxury in India. Travel is still being regarded as a luxury in India and the tax on jet fuel is 70% more than that in other countries. So Hong Kong Airlines needs to ensure a high passenger load factor on each flight and to strictly control other costs in order to leverage the overall operating costs. 6. Conclusion Hong Kong Airlines is currently a full service carrier in Hong Kong targeting value-conscious customers. In order to expand its business, entering the India market would be a favorable option for the company because of the various opportunities of the India market – the increase in India outbound travel, depreciation of Indian rupee, no existing direct competitors, change in Indian aviation policy, and upcoming work plan of Hong Kong Tourism Board. In view of the market situation, the marketing plan of Hong Kong Airlines will relaunch the company as a low-cost carrier in India, targeting the two cities with most outbound travel population, in the form of joint venture. It aims to raise public awareness of the company’s new positioning in the India market, with the ultimate goal to increase revenue. The marketing mix will be – offering low airfare; providing limited scope of services; setting up local back office and utilizing online channels; as well as recruiting local employees. A wide range of direct and indirect advertising will be adopted, which includes online marketing, outdoor promotion, membership programmes, cooperation with other organizations and companies, and product placement in films. As if other business expansion plans, Hong Kong Airlines will face some challenges when entering the India market. The most crucial one is the cultural difference between Hong Kong and India, which can be eased by recruiting local employees and learning from the local partner. Another one would be the high tax burden induced by the Indian government, which would be remedied by leveraging the overall operating cost. 7. References 1. Hong Kong Airlines official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com 2. Fortune Wings Club official website http://ffp.hnair.com/FFPCluben/ 3. Hong Kong Airlines’ Fly & Care programme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx99gmWh8hI 4. Hong Kong Airlines advertising media introduction, NINGBO airline media & Co. Ltd, 2011 http://wenku.baidu.com/view/38e6dd2f453610661ed9f4c3.html 5. Dragonair official website http://www.dragonair.com/da/en_INTL/homepage 6. Introduction of Dragonair, SUMMIT MEDIA 7. Tiger Airways, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Airways 8. Hong Kong Airlines, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Airlines 9. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 10. Launching low cost carriers in emerging Asia: Is now the time?, Travel Daily Asia, 2012 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/asia/launching-low-cost-carriers-in-emerging-asia-is-now-the-time 11. Indian Outbound Travel, India International Travel Mart http://www.iitmindia.com/uploads/iitmindia/India%20Outbound%20Travel%20-%20A%20Report.pdf 12. Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Work Plan for 2013-2014 http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/panels/edev/papers/edev0225cb1-565-3-e.pdf 13. The development of the low cost airline industry in Asia http://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/low-cost-airline-industry-in-asia.php#ixzz2Qddj87mW 14. Rupee falls most in 4 months on global dollar strength, Reuters, The times of India, May 10, 2013 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Rupee-falls-most-in-4-months-on-global-dollar-strength/articleshow/19989344.cms 15. Outbound tourism market from India grows: Four emerging trends, Malini Goyal, ET Bureau, The Economic Times, Apr 14, 2013 http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-14/news/38529310_1_direct-flights-indians-thai-airways 16. India – Outbound, LiveBean http://www.livebeanhospitality.com/pdf/unravel-the-indian-roap-trick.pdf 17. India internet usage stats and telecommunications market report, internet world stats http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/in.htm 18. Understanding Growth Markets: China & India, Nielsen http://www.tnhindia.in/statistics_kit/statistics.pdf 19. Hong Kong Airlines’ Bauhinia Miles Programme http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/buddyclub/about 20. Foreign airlines see beyond clouds in India http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/38d491ee-7be5-11e2-99f0-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2Seqza9VO ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Hong Kong Airlines official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/aboutus/ourfleet [ 2 ]. Fortune Wings Club official website http://ffp.hnair.com/FFPCluben/ [ 3 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ Fly & Care programme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx99gmWh8hI [ 4 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/aboutus/awards [ 5 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ advertising media introduction, NINGBO airline media&CO.LTD, 2011 http://wenku.baidu.com/view/38e6dd2f453610661ed9f4c3.html [ 6 ]. Dragonair official website http://www.dragonair.com/da/en_INTL/homepage [ 7 ]. Dragonair introduction, SUMMIT MEDIA [ 8 ]. Tiger Airways, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Airways [ 9 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Airlines [ 10 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 [ 11 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 [ 12 ]. Launching low cost carriers in emerging Asia: Is now the time? , Travel Daily Asia, 2012 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/asia/launching-low-cost-carriers-in-emerging-asia-is-now-the-time [ 13 ]. Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Work Pl an for 2013-2014 [ 14 ]. The development of the low cost airline industry in Asia http://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/low-cost-airline-industry-in-asia.php#ixzz2Qddj87mW [ 15 ]. Rupee falls most in 4 months on global dollar strength,

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Around 12% of all pregnancies occur to women who continue to smoke throughout their pregnancy. Two thirds of those involved in maternal smoking during pregnancy are Caucasian. More than 500,000 infants each year are exposed to cigarette smoke in utero. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been heavily linked to many infant and toddler health issues. Health issues are also apparent in women who do not smoke during pregnancy, but are regularly exposed to smoke during their pregnancy.   This applies most to those who live with a smoker, or those who work in smoking environments. It is a known fact that maternal smoking during pregnancy produces more premature births and babies with lower birth weights. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has also been associated with babies who have colic. It has been found that tobacco smoke raises levels of motilin in the blood and intestines when maternal smoking during pregnancy is apparant. These raised levels causes contractions of the stomach and intestines to increase. The increased levels of motilin can cause colic in infants, which can cause the infants pain and discomfort for months. Studies show that infants who had colic at 3 months of age had more sleep difficulties and temper tantrums at 3 years of age in comparison with those children without colic. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy leads to more rebellious and aggressive infants and toddlers, helping to link smoking during pregnancy to behavior in infants and toddlers. Mothers who smoked during pregnancy also reported more negative behavior from their infants and toddlers than mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy can have behavioral affects on the infant well into adulthood. Question Does maternal smoking during pregnancy affect the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continue to have an affect into toddler hood? Hypothesis It is suspected that maternal smoking during pregnancy does indeed have an affect on the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continues to have an affect into toddler hood. Conducting a study on the behavior of infants born to mothers who smoked during their pregnancy, and continuing the study through their toddler years can provide adequate research for this question. This study would need to monitor the child in his or her normal environment as well as in typical social environments. The child’s behavior would then be compared to the behavior of children of the same age and developmental stage that were born to mothers who did not smoke during the pregnancy. By collecting all of the data and analyzing it, there may be a pattern of behavior differences between the children who were born to smoking mothers and those who were born to non-smoking mothers. Problems It may be difficult to pinpoint aggressive or negative behavior from children on the sole fact that their mother smoked during their pregnancy. It will be difficult to factor in behavioral and discipline techniques used by guardians of these children. It may be difficult to get mothers to admit they smoked during their pregnancy, as they may be embarrassed of their lack of attention to the health issues that may have been affected. It may be impossible to set a standard and determine what is normal rebellious behavior for an infant and toddler and what is abnormal behavior. Sources Hitti, Miranda. â€Å"Tobacco Smoke May Increase Colic†. 4 October, 2004. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/94/103060.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Infant Deaths Tied to Premature Births†. New York Times. 1 March, 1995. http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/users/statlabs/papers/sample.pdf.   Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Prenatal Smoking Data Book: Smoking and Reproductive Outcomes†.   www.cdc.com. Acquired on 22 June 2005. Schonfeld, Amy Rothman PhD.   â€Å"Dreading the ‘Terrible Twos'? Don't Smoke, Mothers Warned†.   13 April, 2000. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/23/1728_56585.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. ; ; Maternal smoking during pregnancy The Research Question would be â€Å"Are babies born from mothers who smoke during the pregnancy have greater chances of developing low-birth weight, compared to those born from mothers who do not smoke?†A study was conducted on pregnant women that belonged to a Maternity Hospital in Haguenau, France, in 1974.   248 pregnant women that smoked at least five cigarettes a day were defined as ‘cases’, and 196 pregnant women who did not smoke were defined as ‘controls’.Tests conducted on the placenta demonstrated higher incidences of defective trophoblasts in smokers compared to non-smokers.   The signs of intrauterine hypoxia, low birth-weight and low placental weight, were also higher in smokers compared to non-smokers.   However, the study was not able to establish a relationship between low birth-weight and low placental weight or intrauterine hypoxia (Shipra, A. Et al, 1977).Another study conducted demonstrated that mothers who smoked during one pregnancy had produced infants with lower birth-weight, compared to those infants born during pregnancy when they did not smoke.   This was irrespective of the birth order and other factors that affect the growth of the unborn baby in the utreus.   The reduction in the birth weight was directly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked.Mothers, who smoked less, produced infants on an average 90 grams less than normal, whereas those who smoked heavily developed babies on an average 533 grams below normal.   Smoking brought about the development of several lesions in the placental due to under-perfusion (which was usually periodic).   Besides, pregnancy during smoking was on an average 1.5 days shorter than without smoking (Naeye, R.L., 1978).A study was also able to demonstrate that women who quit smoking during pregnancy are able to reduce the several risks associated with pregnancy such as low birth-weight, preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, etc, and period of brea stfeeding also improved (Giglia, R.C. Et al, 2006).A study conducted in Johannesburg and Sweto, in 1990, demonstrated that women who smoked (6.1%) and used snuff (7.5%) during the pregnancy, produced babies who weight an average 2982 grams compared to babies of non-smokers who weighted 3148 grams, on an average.   However, environmental pollutants (such as passive smoking) did not significantly adversely affect the birth weight (Steyn, K., Et al, 2006).Another study conducted in Pelotas, Brazil, in 193, demonstrated that smoking in mothers produced babies on an average 142 grams below that of the non-smokers average.   The study also demonstrated that the risk of fetal retardation was higher with the extent of smoking.   However, the study did not find any relationship between preterm delivery and smoking (Horbta, H.L. Et al, 1997).Hence, it is obvious that birth-weight of the baby is directly affected to the extent of smoked (number of cigarettes) by the mother during pregnan cy.   Further studies need to be conducted on the exact manner in which smoking causes a reduction in the birth-weight of the child.References:Giglia, R.C., Binns, C.W., & Alfonso, H.S. (2006). Which women stop smoking during pregnancy and the effect on breastfeeding duration. BMC Public Health, 2696Z), 195.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16869976?dopt=AbstractPlusHorta, B.L., Victora, C.G., Menezes, A.M., Halpern, R., & Barros, F.C. (1997). Low birthweight, preterm births and intrauterine growth retardation in relation to maternal smoking. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 11(2), 140-151. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9131707?dopt=abstractplusNaeye, R. L. (1978). Effects of maternal cigarette smoking on the fetus and placenta. Br J Obstet Gynaecol, 85(10), 732-737.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/708656?dopt=abstractplusSpira, A., Philippe, E., Spira, N., Dreyfus, J., & Schwartz, D. (1977). Smoking during pregnancy and placental pathology. Biomedicine, 27(7Z), 266-270.http s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/588667?dopt=AbstractSteyn, K., de Wet, T., Saloojee, Y., Nel, H., & Yach D. (2006). The influence of maternal cigarette smoking, snuff use and passive smoking on pregnancy outcomes: the Birth to Ten Study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 20(2), 90-99.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16466427&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_DocSum

Paying for Private School in Tough Times

We all know that private school is expensive, and its not uncommon for parents to sometimes have trouble paying private school tuition. Dr. Wendy Weiner, Principal of Conservatory Prep Senior High in Davie, Florida answers some of the questions parents have and explains their options. 1. The major breadwinner in the family has been laid off. The family has one child in tenth grade at private school. They cannot afford to pay the next four months of tuition. What do you suggest they do? This is a phenomenon we are seeing more and more. Individuals with high paying jobs being laid off. First, go through your finances and determine your budget and what you can realistically afford for the next four months. Even if it is $200 per month, rather than $1,500. The economic situation, although may seem bleak, can turn around quickly and you may be wanting to place your child back at the school. Speak with the administration regarding your financial situation. Be up front and honest. Is there a service you can provide to the school for the next four months? Schools dont want to lose their students midway through the year, especially good students. 2. If parents have savings for college, should they use these funds to pay for private school tuition? I am asked this question regularly. What is most important is if your child is thriving in a particular school during the teen years, both academically and socially, dont move. I cant emphasize this enough. The high school years are very difficult and to find an environment where your child excels is very important. I have seen students placed in a large high school, feel very lost and not involved in activities and earn poor grades. The parents dont want to move him to a private school, because the money is being saved for college. However, if the child continues to earn low grades and does not develop extra-curricula interests, paying for college wont be a problem. Granting acceptance will be. The reality is that there are more scholarships available for colleges than for private high schools. Even with the turbulent economy, there are many options including scholarships and very low-interest loans for college. 3. Arent parents obliged by contract to pay tuition and other expenses? Yes. Parents sign a contract that they agree to pay tuition for the year. The schools count on this money to meet their expenses. The school is put in a very bad predicament when teachers are hired, leases are signed for buildings, etc. and then students do not fulfill their contracts. If you are not sure if you will be able to fulfill your contract, speak with the school about your concerns. Sometimes schools may put in provisions in the contract for special circumstances. 4. Cant parents go back to the school and renegotiate their financial aid package for the current year? Definitely. Schools are businesses and need students to survive. Often you can re-negotiate a new payment plan or financial aid package. The institution would rather receive some money to cover basic costs than ​to  receive nothing. However, there are some students who drain the system with their needs. Be realistic with your expectations and your childs needs. 5. What advice can you offer parents who are looking at private school for the coming year? With all of the negative, there is a positive side. Private schools have been forced to up their game. Faculty who were not of the highest standards have been let go and programs which are of low quality have been cut from the budget. Schools know that parents have choices and are competing for each child. The schools have had to re-evaluate their own programs, curriculum and expectations. Those schools which are not able to offer a high standard of education will be closing, while those which are strong will flourish. Parents will find a higher quality of school at a fair price than they have known in the past. With budget cuts in the public schools, academic standards and expectations have been lowered, therefore making it difficult to obtain a publicly funded quality education.    Updated by Stacy Jagodowski