Health Care Policy Essay Example for Free

Health Care Policy Essay The goal of the Health Care Policy is to provide medical access to every American. A policy that that can ensure a citizen to purchase medical insurance according to their level of income, the government will standardized and regulate insurance companies’ premium rates. This policy can be very beneficial for Americans that live below the poverty line and people that have preexisting conditions and insurance companies will not be allowed to deny them. But who else would be benefiting from the policy? The democratic party strongly believe that the Affordable Care Act is aimed to provide health care for every American, and help the United States reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion in the next two decades alone. They believe that the policy will help prevent insurance abuse, provide tax cuts for small business to help of set the cost of employee coverage, and bring additional security, stability for many more generations to come. But just like any other law or policy that has to pass or be enacted, it will face much scrutiny from the opposing party. The Republican Party believes that limiting government power is essential, and they fear that the Health Care policy is just the start of how they plan to take control of one’s individual rights. Republicans have always felt strong against having too much government interfering with politics and citizens’ rights. They believe that the success of one person is solely based ones hard work and dedication, if you worked hard for what you have earned that you should be allowed to reap the rewards that that you have gained. Many Americans do not want any more taxation, and if this bill passes into law a mandate tax will be imposed. This tax will affect those who make more than 250k a year and have to pay more of the government spending. If we all have the right to pursue happiness, liberty and the right to property, then why someone should be penalized for being successful, If we were all giving the same opportunity. Why should someone with lack of motivation, bad work ethics and full of bad habits that choose to live an unhealthy life feel comfortable in allowing every other American get a penalty, in order to pay for their medical expenses? By allowing the government to take control of your health care choices, we are allowing them to have more control of the justice system. Then what is the purpose of the Constitution? The constitution was founded on the idea of minimal government. It was created for the people to  have more control of the government; they would allow government officials to make decisions, because the people elected them into office to represent the best interest for them. â€Å"Dont interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.† Abraham Lincoln Our nation has been in a capitalist system for over 500 years, where one can have the opportunity to gain from their property. This system has put pressure on every American to make money in order survive. This system has evolved over the decades in order to maintain the same course that the nation has grown into. It has giving each individual to freely trade and profit from the production of goods, and at the same time the government has ensured proper regulations and laws are being followed to prevent one from monopolizing. We are free to make your own choices in the market place and as a consumer; we get the highest quality of products for the cheapest prices we get the highest variety of the types of goods and services you can purchase. Capitalism has given the highest standards of living this earth has ever seen and no other system has ever been able to do this. The system may seem unequal and unjust, but it has allowed everyone to play in the even field. It recognizes your right to pursuit of life, happiness, liberty and property. In a socialist government, we are not giving the right to much, how would someone be at peace, living with concept of the government choosing your benefits, it would be an unhealthy dependence. There are some good benefits for socializing health care, it will bring a much more stable insurance rate, so no matter from what social class you are coming from, and medical access would be granted to you. This would also ensure that healthcare will never be denied to anyone; even we have a preexisting condition. Socializing health care system has been a rewarding system for many nations. But the cost of having it comes with a price. â€Å"A 2010 survey found that 59 percent of respondents waited more than four weeks for an appointment with a specialist, more than double the U.S. figure.† National Post The nations once proud health system is fundamentally fractured and failing — especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, aboriginal peoples and those with mental illness. Canadian Medical Association Coming from a low income family, I can honestly relate to the difficulties of being insured by a private health care insurance and maintaining the premiums rate for a large  family. I strongly feel that medical access should be giving to every American, in order for our nation to continue to prosper in the manner it has over the decades and maintain freedom for all, we should have healthy citizens. But I don’t agree with the government should be fully responsible for providing health care for us. The policy that is being enacted is one way, but the responsibility also lies on us and we should be able to provide for ourselves and not depend in social programs. Citations: Finding Quotations Was Never This Easy! Find the Famous Quotes You Need, ThinkExist.com Quotations. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 July 2012. . Everything an American Wants to Know about Canadian Health care. National Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 July 2012. . // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=,o=0;o e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return studymoose.com},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf(http)==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

Tesco Marketing Strategies and Activities

Tesco Marketing Strategies and Activities Abstract The study focuses the marketing strategies adopt by the TESCO and its comparison with other manufacturing, business and non-profit organizations. It also looks into linkages between the operations at these organizations and their marketing strategy. It shows that in current ever-changing and challenging market companies with different background have to adopt different marketing strategy to get the advantage over competitors. These companies and organizations have to link their operations with that marketing strategy so that they could meet with the maximum customer satisfaction. TESCO has a competitive advantage over its rivals in retail market as its adopting diverse strategies in operation as well as in marketing. TESCO is utilizing modern technology effectively. 1 Introduction Marketing is a way to introduce your product to your targeted customers in any market. Todays business world demands every business to adopt a workable marketing strategy so that they could achieve competitive advantages over their rivals and could generate higher sales and profits successfully. There are different ways adopted by all the companies to maximize their reach in markets. This marketing strategy should be aggressive and effective. In this assignment we are going to study the approaches adopted by the TESCO which is one of leading retailer in United Kingdom. We will also study the difference of approaches adopted by TESCO comparing to the other manufacturing companies, service and non-profit organizations. The assignment will answer following four questions parted into three tasks, which are given below:- Task 1 (A) Understand and critically appraise the importance of marketing within the development of business plans and strategies at Tesco plc. Task 1 (B) In the report you must also evaluate and analyse the processes of market development in the dynamic retail business environment in which the company (TESCO) operates. Task 2 Critically evaluate, appraise and analyse the place of information systems and new technologies in developing business and marketing strategies and planning at Tesco plc. Task 3 Evaluate and analyse the linkages between marketing and operations in manufacturing, service and not-for-profit organisations to compare how these organisations undertake marketing. The focus of this study will be to understand the concept of marketing in general with focusing on the strategy and activities adopted by the TESCO. It will also help us in understanding the differences of marketing strategies adopted by different kinds of business and organizations like manufacturing, services and non-profits. 1.1 Background Founder of TESCO Jack Cohen, has started this business when he started to sell groceries in East London in 1919. The first days profit was 1 Pound. The business could lead him to sell his first product in his own brand name of Tesco in 1924. This name has come from the two first letters of TE Stockwell, and Co from surname of Jack. In those early days, Jack Cohen had a partner in firm of tea as a supplier, TE Stockwell. In 1929, Cohen could open his first store in Burnt Oak, Edgware in north of London. Tesco has become plc in 1932. A specified land has been bought in north of London at Angel Road, Edmonton for building a new headquarters and warehouse in 1934. (www.tescocorporate.com) Annual sales on Tesco touched landmark of one billion Pound in the year 1979. It exceeded to two billion Pound in the year of 1982. Same year for first time Tesco put some computerize checkouts in its stores. In the year 1985, Tesco became the first grocery retailer which started emphasizing on nutritional value of its brand products through an initiative named as Healthy Eating. In 1991 it became the biggest independent petrol retail seller in Britain. Next year it launched more new products and services which included Tesco Organic range, computers for schools and Every little Helps. Tesco has expanded its market on year, 1988 and 1999. Tesco improved customer service through lunching Customer Champions policy in stores; it became leader in organic retailer for the UK market. Tesco went to South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan. But later Tesco exited the Taiwanese market and it shifted to Czech Republic in 2005. Adopting the diversification strategy, a store under name of Tesco Homeplus was launched in 2005. In 2009 club cards re-lunched in the UK with a big investment of 150. Figure 1 shows Tesco around the world Website Tesco.com is the worlds most active online supermarket and in year 2009 the group had sales of more than  £577 million, with increase of 29% on year 2008. Tesco online widely operates with over 270 stores around the UK, covering 96% of the online retail market. Estimated more than one million households nationwide using the online service, the company has a strong platform to further develop this revenue stream. Anon (2004) 1.2 What is marketing? Marketing is the systematic approach of selling goods, adopted by any business and not for-profit organization with a specific message. It always attempts to raise the organization ability to generate profits, whether these are financial (profits and donations) or electoral. Tescos strategy is very clear, with the growth as target from four areas the core UK business of grocery, non-foods, international retailing services and expansion other services such as financial, the dotcom and telecommunication. 2 Task 1 (A) Understand and critically appraise the importance of marketing within the development of business plans and strategies at Tesco plc. 2.1 TESCOs Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy involves analyzing the market, and determining which product to offer and the exact what range of the customers to be suited, considerations relating to fashion, seasons ,sizing, as well as the appropriateness. Tesco decide that there will be a specific core European range of environmentally friendly products which are exported throughout the Europe, while there would be another range for local customers. However before any decisions are made about marketing strategy, a detailed market research is undertaken to test the concept of the new range, the pricing, attitudes towards Tesco, the new Alliance with partners, purchasing habits of the customers. TESCO adopts campaigns for marketing the business, such a campaign would consisting of TV and radio advertising at regular intervals. Advertisements in news papers and magazines. The alliance partner making press releases and sharing about their ventures on their national and regional media benefits Tesco. Company benefits in creating thousands of new jobs. The introduction of an environmentally friendly of products. Billboard campaigns. Internet advertisement. Direct marketing to known customers (Club cards) Tesco has a successful history since years of its start. Today, Tesco Plc is a successful retailer in the United Kingdom. Tesco has put some series of practical marketing strategies. According to Ansoff matrix strategy, Tesco could develop its markets and products in the UK market, and ultimately with diversification strategy has got in front of other rivals. Ansoff, I. (1989), by applying these different strategies, Tesco successfully got its competitive advantages over it other rivals. In the UK, the groceries market has been among the major businesses. Now Tesco is also securing the large market shares in this ever-changing global retailer market. Figure 2 shows that the strategies might be applied by Tesco regarding to Ansoff matrix and vertical integration has been successful. 2.2 Task 1 (B) In the report you must also evaluate and analyse the processes of market development in the dynamic retail business environment in which the company (TESCO) operates. TESCO has a very successful business history on its record, today it is most successful retailer in the United Kingdom. The position of Tesco among other rivals in UK shows that company successfully applied its designed marketing strategies. As a growing retailer, TESCO could easily take over from its other rivals and could be on a distinctive advantage over the top hundred profitable businesses in UK. Tesco has applied some series of experiential marketing ways. Market incursion, Product improvement, Market progress and Diversification are the strategies through Tesco have put influence and it is remaining on top in the market. By applying effective strategies, Tesco has successfully got its competitive advantage among other retailers. 2.2.1 Market Penetration strategy In order to achieve success, Tesco has a three way strategy. First, Tesco always takes customers from other competitors like ASDA, Sainsburys, Morison and Somerfield, etc. Second, by providing the quality product and higher level of services, Tesco could attract and keep more customers, where these Tescos customers feel that Tesco is the best service provider. This situation makes the distinction among Tesco and other competitors. Third, attracting to more non-users of products and services to some business, by using of advertising and promotion or other marketing strategies, these would be capable policies (Ansoff, 1989, Lynch, 2003). According to Lynch, Marketing Penetration strategy is very important for Tesco because retaining existing customers is cheaper than attracting new one. (Lynch, 2003). For example, Tescos international expansion strategy has responded to meet the maximum needs of customers. it is sensitive to local expectations in other countries, by entering into joint ventures with local partners, such as Samsung Group in South Korea (Samsung-Tesco Home plus), and Charoen Pokphand in Thailand (Tesco Lotus), appointing a very high proportion of local personnel to management positions. (Tesco Preliminary Results 2006) Tesco is accessing to the lowest cost materials for supply and efficient production to influence the retail market. By recognition of low cost supplier, it is a privilege for Tesco to offer goods and services to its customers benefitting at cheaper prices in the town. Tesco Having good experience of dealing with larger size and diversity of the customers and customers satisfaction that is necessary for Tesco as a retailer to retain it in the market. TESCO successfully has created its Brand loyalty. Tesco operates as Internet system provider (ISP), its now in mobile phone and home phone business, and Volp businesses. Tesco in joint venture with O2 could build up diversification in telecommunication and it could increase it businesses in voice over internet with Freshtel Australia. It developing a success slogan of The right message To the right audience At the right time 2.2.2 Marketing and Sales Loyalty programs for example Tesco Clubcard are available through information technology advances that discourage the customers from switching over to their rivals. Tesco also has introduced a Greener Living Scheme to give consumers guidance on environmental issues, like how to reduce food waste and food carbon marks when one is preparing meals. 2.2.3 Services Tesco has been adopting a dual policy of cost leadership and diversification, which led to importance placed over the customer service.   Drawing upon this dual strategy is exhibited through the development of self-service kiosks, financial services, focused direct marketing and promotions. The relative analysis of the value created by the big four supermarket chains, i.e., Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons has been provided. (Keynote (2010), 3 Task 2 Critically evaluate, appraise and analyse the place of information systems and new technologies in developing business and marketing strategies and planning at Tesco plc. 3.1 Place of Information system and Technologies Information system is modern day business tool which helps businesses to communicate internally and externally with effectiveness. It also includes the use of current advanced technologies. Any business which gets starts these days required to adopt proper and effective information systems that connects not only the all internal parts of business but connects business with its markets. The use of new technologies gives a company advantage over its rivals. The main question always remains for managers how they effectively utilize existing information systems and technologies. According to its website, Tesco maintains business relationships with approximately 2,000 own-brand primary suppliers from less than a hundred countries. (www.tescocorporate.com)The current achievement of Tesco could be supportive of their claim that Tesco logistics management strategy always helps to gain its competitive advantage. Tesco respects to the UK Governments statutory Supplier Code of Practice, and it holds strict execution on moral trading and commercial policies, and other conducts of ethical trading like training to all commercial staff. Superior effectiveness of the computer-controlled logistics schemes is seen in Tesco (Fernie and McKinnon 2003). its e-tailing is a key marketing and sales activity, placing grocery order over the website that operate in highly automated central warehouses and automated logistics is more competent as to judge against with other groceries in the market. Tesco looking for strengthen its relationship with suppliers and to increase market share based on the characteristics of services (e.g., intangibility, heterogeneity, simultaneity, and perish ability). (Thompson and Strickland 2003) Various Marketing and Communication Means Adopted by TESCO to build this relationship more effective and profit based. These means included following methods of communication:- Mail Television Radio/Digital Radio Website   Email Telephone On floors at stores TESCO effectively get benefits from modern technology from security purposes like alarm systems, mechanical doors, self scanning machines for customers (which saves their time from being into large lines for payments) towards other advanced like CCTV. There is swift transporting system within stores to supply from warehouse at store. In a swiftly shifting business environment with high pressure from its competitors Tesco have adopted new expansion strategies and diversified the present order to sustain its market position as leader in retailing market. In light of the above analysis, it can easily be concluded that Tesco is holding its leadership position successfully within the highly unstable retail market, where all companies are required to follow both cost leadership and diversification strategies. Tesco successfully has been able to realize both with the help of a lean and agile supply chain management, effective marketing strategy along with the better use of information technology and new developed systems. 4 Task 3 Evaluate and analyse the linkages between marketing and operations in manufacturing, service and not-for-profit organisations to compare how these organisations undertake marketing. 4.1 linkages between marketing and operations In organizations and businesses, when a new manager starts its business plan or operational plan for the first time he wonders about: What is the real aim? What am I going to achieve? What is my marketing strategy? He can answer all these questions according to the nature of company or organization. He focuses the aims and targets through a working plan and supports that plan with an effective workable marking strategy that makes the organization or company very prominent in the market.The main objective of marketing is to bring development in the business or services and to get the attention of beneficiaries or consumers. Various businesses and organizations adopt different marketing techniques according to their needs. For example if we see a tight linkage between marketing and manufacturing it tells that a manufacturing company always looks for the value-added opportunities. It ensures with the aim of the right manufacturing capabilities are existing to meet up the requirements of customers. It also focuses that near- and long-term demands has been put in to the formation of manufacturing plans, inventory strategies and material handlings. Essentially manufacturing strategy should be aligned with marketing strategy. It should be developed in manner that improves the viable capability of the organization. In addition simple inter-functional co-ordination, manufacturing and marketing strategy decisions must be united and linked to the company strategy. In their empirical study of new firms, conclude that the synergy between marketing and manufacturing strategy decisions is more closely related to business success than either marketing or manufacturing decisions alone. In businesses or non-profit organizations share holder progress is not the main purpose, return on investment is less of an adding resource in business planning, however a vital necessity. Here return on investment is not primary motive of the business. Instead the main motive of enterprise may be some other purpose. Thus, the main difference between marketing products or services is that there is much more personal contact required when marketing a service as compared with marketing products. Marketing services may require meeting the customer in a face-to-face basis, or it may mean contacting prospective customers over the telephone. For all those firms which always emphasize product qualities those are not taking serious about the significant correlations with the marketing strategy. While firms which emphasized cutback in costs, they always focus on improving the sales. Firms which put greater emphasis on the product design effort those emphasize three marketing strategy factors: a change in the product line improves sales effort, and helps in new market development. This relationship seems rational, as the focus on product design and its development will lead to opportunity in new markets or for new customers. All those activities which affect the flow of goods and services from producers or service deliverer to the users or consumers are part of marketing. While in advanced industrial economies like UK, marketing strategies play a main role in formatting corporate policy. Once concerned with rising sales through marketing and other promotional techniques, corporate or organization marketing departments these days focus on product development, credit policies, distribution, customer support, and internal communications. Different organizations or business adopt different methods for marketing and connect the marketing and operations to maximise their output. The aim is same to get maximum attention from customers or beneficiaries. 5 Conclusion There are more than six billion humans who are living in this global market which is always inviting business and organizations to sell their product, services or make them benefited from some social and developmental work. It is estimated that there are 900 million PCs worldwide. 44% of UK adults use SMS text messaging on a daily basis, compared with 36% who use the Internet. 63% of Americans are not willing to lend their phone and there are 1.3 billion Internet users, 1.5 billion TV households, 3.3 billion mobile subscribers, Average time to report a lost wallet 26 hours and average time to report a lost mobile, 68 minutes. That shows the competition and challenges for companies to adopt workable marketing strategy for companies and organizations. Tesco is quite able to recognize technological changes and infrastructure particularly on its e-tailing business. Aside from Tescos use of internet as major technological infrastructure, changes are to be anticipated or the management should be able to deal with the rapid changes in technologies. Tesco is required to improve technological infrastructures through innovations to increase efficiency as well as quality of the products and services. All in all, Tescos senior executives who think about how to establish and sustain competitive advantage using logistics strategy should consider how to tailor their own logistics. To do so, they will need a sound understanding of the fundamental principles of good logistics as well as exploring new logistics capabilities. A strategic model to enable Tesco to obtain its objectives and to sustain competitive advantages in the markets. In USA Tesco cannot enter to this market and compete with the strongest retailer such as Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has completely covered all the United State markets and there are not any chances for other rivals to enter to the market.

Man is a Social Animal Essay

Man is a Social Animal Essay Man is a social animal, said Aristotle years ago, human races proved and realized the importance of his statement by the passage of time. Individuals live in groups and can not separate themselves from being part of a group. Individuals have their own importance, their behaviours and performance can not be ignored as these influence the behaviours and production of groups they belong to. Groups exist every where, and we are a part of it whether we realize this or not. This does not mean that individuals do not give better results when performing alone, they do, but man is dependent on others to fulfil different kinds of need. Working in groups is beneficial for an individual as he gets more exposure and leaning takes place in many ways, and he also learns to survive in group which is the basic necessity for an individual. In order explain individuals behaviour in a group it is important to understand different types of groups, their norms and values and possible causes of the conflicts. There have been researches and experiments conducted by several scientists in order to explain unique behavioural pattern of each individual in working environment. Individual and Group: Groups are of vital importance in all fields of life whether its work situation, personal or social life, these are either formal or informal. Some people may prefer to work alone as they perform better and some might want to be a part of a group in various situations. I want to put myself as an example here, when this assignment was given I was worried to work individually on it and the reason behind this was that firstly I feel more comfortable to discuss ideas with people and second, as I write simple and straight I feel better working as a group where I can use other persons words to flourish and talk about my ideas more clearly. Critical Analysis with Examples: Formal groups are formed by organisations to achieve certain goals or tasks (Bowditch and Buono, 1994). In these groups goals, tasks, roles and norms are defined by the management (Brooks, 2009). Working in a formal group is of great benefit for an individual as this develops different skills and abilities in a person. One gets a chance to see how others behave and respond to different situations and learn to work in a group effectively. I worked as a teacher for 2 years in Pakistan and learnt many things working in a group of teachers. I feel working in a group influenced my attitude and behaviour as individual, I gained more confidence of doing tasks or projects I have never done before. It also helped in developing decision power and managing multi tasks in given array of time. Working in a competitive environment changed my attitude when I started getting positive feedback from management and parents. Children respond me very well as I worked hard on each child, tried to develop skills and work on their weaknesses. There I got chance to study behaviours of children and parents as well. I tried to bring positive changes in children showing them my own example, as I was a role model for them, so in this way got a chance to study and observe own behaviours and attitudes in detail.. People join informal groups to satisfy their social, psychological and personal needs. These groups fulfil the individuals needs of social interaction that lack working in formal groups. These groups not only exist out side work place but also at work places and people of same thinking and values become a part or make themselves a part of a particular group. When I joined University of Salford in January as an international postgraduate student, I was a part of a formal group that was defined by university comprising almost thirty five students. Later students split into informal groups in order to satisfy their social needs depending on culture, language, race, age and gender. According to Maslows Hierarchy of need theory, individual try to satisfy his basic needs which differ in importance. He identifies eight innate needs ranging from physiological and safety needs to self-actualization needs (Mullins, 2005). This theory answers one of the questions why informal groups are formed also why individuals are attracted towards each other to become part informal groups. According to Hunsaker and Cook (1986) informal groups have strong influence on an individual than formal. Individuals are open to join a group of homogeneous thoughts; this gives psychological satisfaction and helps them to perform better in formal groups. All groups have some norms as a proof of their existence or value. Norms are guidelines set by organisations or groups and are considered as code of conduct for its members. According to Kreitner, Kinicki Buelens (1999) norms are unwritten and are seldom discussed. It is an attitude, mind-set and feeling shared by people, which bounds them to follow these as to continue with their membership with the group. I would like to state an example here from the school where I was teaching, it was a norm for children to come to school in proper uniform and those who deviate from this norm were considered to be violating the rule. There were some discipline rules as well which all children had to follow as part of their training and personality development, like they were not allowed to talk loud or shout in the class, had to leave the room in queue if going some where together, ask for permission before they enter in class, raise hand before they speak in class. Such norms are advantageous for students in order to discipline and organise them. According to a research group norms have strong influences on new members and they adopt the same behaviour as a result of group pressure. It gives example of a boy who indulges in violent activities after joining a gang involved in such brutal activities (Yablonsky, cited in McKenna, 2000). Roles are behavioural aspects which are expected from a person or group in a particular position. According to a research, attitude change is driven by roles (Bowditch and Buono, 1994), and the performance of an individual is enhanced if the role he is into suits his personality (Belbin, cited in Davies and Kanaki, 2006). An individual performs many roles in a group, like a teacher plays many roles in order to satisfy management and own personal need or others social needs. For children she is a teacher and a mother, who cares for them gives them sense of protection and security, trims them to face realities of life; also achieves set targets utilizing her own potentials to satisfy management; fulfils colleagues social, psychological needs. She plays more roles in her personal life like, of a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend with various expectations from her which are not communicated formally but understood. Boulden (1983) says this tradition of very high level of expectations in work situation was set in sixties, which has brought decline to the businesses as it is very difficult for a person to match that level of expectation. When individuals share same targets, thinking and work closely together with commitment to achieve certain tasks, shows a good level of cohesiveness in a group. Cohesiveness of small groups increases when they are less diverse and more interactive, where as larger groups are less cohesive when they are more diverse and have competition (Capon, 2004).Cohesive groups share same attitudes, likings, performance and better in dealing with deviants than less cohesive groups (Bowditch and Buono, 1994). Mullins (2005) states a cohesiveness in groups is beneficial for organisations, it also leaves the members with rewarding experiences. The best example of cohesiveness can be of military, where changes in level of coordination can change the situation in battle field. It is therefore necessary for them to co-ordinate well for achieving better results. I remember the time in school when we were preparing for annual function and a few programmes were included in schedule. Teachers had to prepare children for stage performances and there was an art exhibition on the same day. Annual sports day was following this event, due to which schedule was too tight for teachers as well as for children, who had to manage themselves for so many activities though at lower level and under teachers supervision. Such situations require high level of cohesiveness to achieve targets, which is not easy as outsiders are involved in observations who also critically evaluate the organisations performance. Such situations in work experience give its members to learn from observations like other individuals or groups behaviours, and dealing techniques with groups and individuals. Good cohesiveness in a group influences an individuals behaviour, also gives high level of job satisfaction. The member follows the norms of the group which have either positive or negative impact on his attitude and behaviour both. If the group norms are good and polish his creativities and skills, that helps developing his personality, but if the norms are negative like, to produce less than ability lefts negative impact on his behaviour. According to Hawthornes experiment of fourteen men working in a wiring room formed their own informal group and the norm which everyone strongly followed was to produce less then their ability. That is how norms can be disadvantageous, if they are negative in nature (Mullins, 2005). High level of cohesiveness is not necessarily always favourable as it stops creativity, thinking, decision power and problem solving skills in a group which results in Groupthink. According to a research previously it was thought that high cohesiveness is necessary for high performance, but it was Janis, who gave a concept that high group cohesiveness leads to group think an ultimate disaster fiasco for groups decision making ability (Eaton, 2001). I want to quote Vietnam War here which was a consequence of high cohesiveness that lead to group think and America attacked Vietnam without considering the after effects they had face. Bowditch and Buono (1994) quote Janiss work saying groupthink leads to overoptimism and high risk taking by group members; there is rationalisation of groups decisions so other members are not allowed to question the decisions made. Leadership is a necessity which cannot be avoided in order to manage activities, conflicts and decision making. According to Mullins (2005 p.282) Leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people. It is the leadership which moulds the behaviour of ordinary group members to competitive group, which enhances the competency level of members of that group. Great man theory explains well the qualities of good leaders, according to which the leaders influence the behaviour of people by force of their personality (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). The best example of leadership I think is Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of my country, Pakistan. It was because of his strong leadership qualities that he united the Muslims of sub-continent on one plate form, as a nation. Different style of leadership have different affects on individuals personality, like, Autocratic leadership style suppresses the abilities of the group members. On the other hand if the leader tries to involve the member in making decisions, he wins their confidence, able to take better decisions, this also have very positive effects on the attitudes of members. I want to share my own experience of working with SLM Connexions, a call centre located in Manchester, UK. The company started business with a good deal of investment, and recruitment of talented staff. The autocratic style of leadership was adopted by the directors who use to tell the staff what they want them to do or sell. Sometimes suggestions were welcomed but no one was allowed to question their decisions, and as a result the company bear much loss in last few months for making many wrong decisions. Whenever individuals interact with each other, there is always a possibility of conflict between them depending on multidimensional thinking, perception and behaviour. Conflict my arise due to several reasons ranging from improperly defined roles to ambiguity in norms. Whatever reason of conflict is, it affects its member both positively and negatively. Role conflict mainly arises due to unethical behaviour of a member (Johns and Saks, 2005). Conflicts may also arise from cultural, demographic and value differences (Vodosek, 2007). I want to quote an example from my own experience in school where teachers were provided with pick and drop facility. These group of teachers were from different level, like some were from pre-school and some from primary and their finishing time was different from each other. Pre-school teachers finished an hour before the primary level teacher and had enough time to wind-up before going home, but primary teachers use to finish at 2oclock. Conflict arouse when pre-school teachers demanded van to leave school as they get free early without considering the teachers who finish at 2oclock. This conflict leads to many other conflicts in school regarding duty timings and some others. Then our academic co-ordinator decided to have consensus and time was fixed for the school van to leave after school. Conflict brings success to an organisation and groups in many ways. Conflicts are a sign of healthy mental approach; bring new ideas, innovations which individuals should learn to take positively as it is beneficial for them as well. On other hand conflict has adverse affects on personality behaviour of an individual that can result in stress and frustration. Conclusion: The subject discussed above reflects the positive and negative aspects of group behaviours on individual. Individuals and groups work parallel to each other in every sphere of life and study of an individuals behaviour in a group is as important as organizations. An individual interacts with other people in perspectives of behaviours and attitudes throughout life and learn to polish, enhance and develops his personality, through learning from different experiences. Management should take the responsibility to resolve the conflicts related to roles, status leadership, norms, and develops good cohesiveness so that individuals can get maximum benefit from it. Generally problems are taken as hurdles but these are there to teach us. We should take them as opportunity which gives a new horizon to perception of an individual.

Personal Response to Marge Piercys A Work of Artifice :: Work of Artifice Essays

Personal Response to Marge Piercy's A Work of Artifice My initial response to "A Work of Artifice" by Marge Piercy, was one of profound sadness. In defining myself as the actual reader of this poem, my background becomes significant in my emotional response. "It is this reader who comes to the text shaped by cultural and personal norms and prejudices." (Bressler, p. 72) I come from a family of poets and published writers and have been reading and composing poetry since the age of 4. My first poem was published in the local newspaper, in which I won first prize, at age 5. I have experienced all kinds of texts, as well as many different forms of art. Being exposed to art and literature at such a young age has given me a wide variety of experiences and a huge cultural repertoire. I have even been to Pablo Picasso's home studio in France a number of years ago. What strikes the familiar chord in me through this poem, however, lies not in my cultural repertoire nor my literary background, but my own recent personal background. Having spent many years in an abusive relationship, I can identify with this poem on a very sensitive level. "It is your nature/ to be small and cozy,/ domestic and weak" (12-14). Throughout history, women have been subjected to prejudice and discrimination as the "weaker" sex, oft times becoming subservient to their husbands, bosses, etc. Men have been dominant for years, and in such, have squeezed the role of woman into the domestic realm, that which they believed to be "woman's work." Experiencing this first hand, although I did work two jobs to support a non-working husband and three children, I have felt a sense of weakness and being oppressed or kept down, kept small, which is the essence of this poem. The idea here represents the cultural norm (although this has changed in our culture today) of keeping women from speaking their mind by relegating them to purely domestic chores of little importance. I found no key gaps within this poem on a personal level, although I can define some that would occur should a reader not be familiar with the concept of bonsai trees. My father has grown bonsai trees for many many years, thus the concept of pruning back and stunting the growth of such trees has been in my cultural and personal repertoire since childhood.

It’s Time to Take the Christ Out of Christmas :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

It’s Time to Take the Christ Out of Christmas Christmas in America is an exuberant display of human ingenuity, capitalist productivity, and the enjoyment of life. Yet all of these are castigated as "materialistic"; the real meaning of the holiday, we are told, is assorted Nativity tales and altruist injunctions (e.g., love thy neighbor) that no one takes seriously. In fact, Christmas as we celebrate it today is a 19th-century American invention. The freedom and prosperity of post Civil War America created the happiest nation in history. The result was the desire to celebrate, to revel in the goods and pleasures of life on earth. Christmas (which was not a federal holiday until 1870) became the leading American outlet for this feeling. Historically, people have always celebrated the winter solstice as the time when the days begin to lengthen, indicating the earth's return to life. Ancient Romans feasted and reveled during the festival of Saturnalia. Early Christians condemned these Roman celebrations--they were waiting for the end of the world and had only scorn for earthly pleasures. By the fourth century the pagans were worshipping the god of the sun on December 25, and the Christians came to a decision: if you can't stop 'em, join 'em. They claimed (contrary to known fact) that the date was Jesus' birthday, and usurped the solstice holiday for their Church. Even after the Christians stole Christmas, they were ambivalent about it. The holiday was inherently a pro-life festival of earthly renewal, but the Christians preached renunciation, sacrifice, and concern for the next world, not this one. As Cotton Mather, an 18th-century clergyman, put it: "Can you in your consciences think that our Holy Savior is honored by mirth? . . . Shall it be said that at the birth of our Savior . . . we take time . . . to do actions that have much more of hell than of heaven in them?" Then came the major developments of 19th-century capitalism: industrialization, urbanization, the triumph of science--all of it leading to easy transportation, efficient mail delivery, the widespread publishing of books and magazines, new inventions making life comfortable and exciting, and the rise of entrepreneurs who understood that the way to make a profit was to produce something good and sell it to a mass market. For the first time, the giving of gifts became a major feature of Christmas. Early Christians denounced gift-giving as a Roman practice, and Puritans called it diabolical.

Snake Venom

Venom Venom Types Methods of Production Methods of Delivery Offense or Defense? Lethal injection or False alarm? Mysteries Warnings To most people venom and snakes go hand in hand. It is commonly believed that all snakes are venomous, but this is an erroneous belief. Of the 2. 700 known species of snake only 300 are venomous. So what is venom, how did snakes get it and why do they have it? These are questions that have interested herpetologists and other scientists alike. Venom itself is a poison secreted by animals for either defensive or offensive purposes.Venom originated from digestive enzymes that were originally located in the stomach. Throughout the millions of years it has progressed quite a lot and in some animals has become quite different from it's origin. The type of venom depends on the type of animal. In spiders venom is kept rather simple. It is pretty much just digestive enzymes. Spiders use their venom to turn their hard shelled insect meals into nice and nutritious goo. So in a sense one can think of this type of venom as a form of starting the digestive process before you even start to eat the meal.In insects venom is used predominantly as a defensive weapon. Wasps, bees and ants use formic acid in their stings to cause a painful burning sensation that will either kill or injure their enemy enough to make them think twice about attacking them again. Amphibians all use their venom for defense. In amphibians the venom is secreted through glands in the skin to make the animals unpalatable. So as we can see venom is a predominantly defensive adaptation. An adaptation that has found it's way into every class of vertebrates except one. The birds; the only class to forego any venom.In mammals we have platypi with venomous claws, then there are the fish which comprise too many venomous species to count and finally we have the reptiles. All venomous reptiles are squamates and of them snakes make up the bulk. There are only two species of venomous squa mates that are not snakes, the lizards of the genus: Heloderma. These lizards use their venom for defense as well and can deliver powerful and painful bites. In snakes venom has found a new use, for offense. Since snake prey generally has the advantage of speed (not to say that snakes can't be speedy. A black mamba traveling at 17 mph is nothing to sneeze at. snakes had to find a new way to take down their prey without running the risk of losing them or getting too hurt in the process. Enter venom, a fast and effective mode of subdueing prey items with minimal risk to the snake. Venom types Snake venom can be divided into two broad (yet fuzzy) categories. That of hemotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Hemotoxic venom effects the blood and organs, causing a breakdown or inflammation in the body. Hemotoxic bites are the most painful as breathing hurts and tissues start to die. Neurotoxic venom, as the name suggests, effect the nervous system, leading to everything from siezures to death.Neur otoxic bites are the most deadly. Although we have these two wonderful different categories, no snake fits completely in each. Many snakes incorporate both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom in their bites so when telling them apart one goes by which type is more predominant. For instance Ophiophagous hannah (King Cobra) has predominantly neurotoxic venom while Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake) has predominantly hemotoxic venom. Methods of production While getting bitten by a snake might strike fear in people, the fangs are not where the venom comes from, they are mearly methods of transfer.The place where the venom is made is in special glands located on the head of the animal. The venom glands differentiate into false and true venom glands. False venom glands (a misleading name no doubt) are made up either from mucus producing supralabial glands that run on either side of the head extending as a continuous strip from near the snout to below and well behind the eye. These then lead to several ducts that lead to the bases of many maxillary teeth. Alethinophidians are known to have this type of arrangement. Most colubrids have a different arrangement.Rather than use those modified salivary glands they use a larger gland known as the Duvernoy's gland. This gland is situated right under the skin, above and near the angle of the jaw. These glands open from a duct at the base of one or more posterior usually enlarged fangs that may or may not be grooved. These glands do not have a lumen (central storage chamber) so the snakes must give off a continous stream of venom into their prey which means that they must continue to hold on to the animal to ensure envenomation. True venom glands are made uf thick connective tissue.They contain a lumen, a separate compressor muscle and a duct connecting them to a single fang on each side of the jaw. These glands dominate all elapids and viperids (along with some atractaspidids) Methods of Delivery Their are four main types of teeth in snakes with which venom is transferred from gland to prey. While these forms seem to indicate a continual progression towards more complexity, they are misleading as it doesn't take into account the morphological variation in snake dentitions making for a paraphyletic occurence (that is they all thought up different ways to accomplish the same goal).Aglyphous snakes Aglyphous (grooveless) snakes lack any groove in their teeth for venom to run down. Instead the venom drips down the teeth from any available opening essentially saturating the maxillae. In order for envenomation to occur the snake must chew on it's prey which is time consuming. Aglyphous snakes include blind snakes and some colubrids. Opisthoglyphous snakes Opisthoglyphous (rear grooved) snakes have elongate fangs located on the top of the back of their mouths. These fangs have a groove running on the lateral side of the fang which helps direct venom into the prey.Since the fangs are located post eriorly the snake must make a point of taking a big bite into it's prey in order to assure envenomation. Colubrids make up the bulk of this group. Proteroglyphs Proteroglyphs (front groove) snakes are pretty much all elapids with an occasional actractaspidid like Homoroselaps (Harlequin snakes). In proteroglyphs the groove has run so deep that both sides of the groove overlap eachother forming a channel for the venom to flow. A lumen is located at the base of the tooth where venom eagerly awaits ejection while a discharge orifice lay on one side near the tip.An adductor (jaw closing) muscle is attached to the glands so that when the snake bites down the glands get squeezed and a stream of venom flows into the prey. These snakes are â€Å"fixed fanged. † That is to say they are unable to fold up their fangs when not in use so the fangs must be kept short enough so as not to puncture the lower jaw. Interestingly enough fixed fanged elapids are known to hold onto their prey afte r biting. This would seem to present a potential hazard for the snake, but the predominantly neurotoxic venom works so fast that the prey doesn't have enough time to struggle, thus ensuring the snake it's meal.Some cobra types such as the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) and many species of Afro-Asian cobras (Naja sp. ) have the ability to spit their venom at predators. Their fang tips have beveled, circular (sometimes pear shaped) apertures on the anterior surface just above the tip where the venom is ejected. African spitters go one stepped further. They have spiral grooves in their fangs that (like the riflings of a gun barrel) force a spin on the venom allowing for greater accuracy. This is only used in defense and is amazing effective as these snakes are adepth marksmen.By expending venom in these little droplets, the snake is guaranteed the maximum use of it's (normally offensive) venom when battling a predator. How often can these snakes spit before running out. Well one bla ck necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) emptied it's venom glands by spitting fifty seven times in only twenty minutes. Truly a force to be reckoned with. Solenoglyphous snakes Solenoglyphous (pipe grooved) snakes make up the viperidae and show some of the most specialized teeth for the job.Viperid fangs have the groove so deep now that the outside of the teeth completely cover it forming a pipe for venom to enter. The two fangs are attached to a short highly movable maxillary bone. This bone allows the snakes to fold their fangs up in their mouths. This ability to fold up the fangs allows for greater fang length. How much greater? Well compare a 3. 83-m Ophiophagous hannah's 11mm fangs to a 1. 8-m Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper) with fangs measuring 29mm. Impressive no? Viperids have predominantly hemotoxic venom and as such, their bites take longer to take effect.Since the effect is longer, the snake can't risk holding onto the struggling prey for it would surely get hurt, but w ith their potent venom, quick strikes and hyperextendable fangs, these snakes are able to get in and out extremely fast. Not only can the fangs hyperextend (up to 1800) but with the separately jointed maxillae the fangs can move individually as well. So a viper can decide whether or not to move one fang or two. Inject one side or two. The amount of venom control in vipers is astounding as well as their venom reservoirs. The bulk of Bitis gabonica's head is it's venom glands. Shocking!Offense or Defense As stated before, snakes predominantly use their venom to capture prey, but when push comes to shove, venom can mean the difference between life and death. Snake defense is rather limited when one thinks about it. They can't outrun their predators, a lack of limbs means that gaining the leverage for tail whipping is rather impossible (pointless anyway seeing as how most snakes have rather small tails). Some snakes can secrete nasty substances that make them unwanted to be around. Othe rs feign their own deaths, but in general the best area of defense for snakes lies in their jaws.For a venomous snake, biting a predator means wasting precious venom; a commodity that doesn't come without it's price. Venom costs energy to make and takes a while to refill when empty. A snake would much rather save that venom for something worth it like food, so it takes quite a bit of pressing to get a venomous snake to actually bite. In fact it is for these reasons that venomous snakes have adopted so many warning strategies. From warning colors, to hoods, to rattles, venomous snakes do everything in their power to avoid biting the enemy. In contrast a boid or other constrictor will readily bite in defense.While they lack venom, recurved teeth can be just as bad and since constrictors don't have to worry about wasting venom they can feel free to bite all they want. Lethal injection or False alarm? Along with warning well in advance, another common thing found in venomous snakes (esp ecially viperids) is giving what is known as a â€Å"dry bite. † Dry bites occur when a snake like a rattler is cornered and forced to bite in defense. While the snake might be in last resort mode, it still has one more trick up it's sleeve. Venomous snakes (true venomous snakes) have the ability to choose whether or not they want to inject venom into something.So if a rattlesnake bites a dog, it has the choice of either envenomating or bluffing the animal. In nature bluffs work much of the time and are the safest way for an animal to avoid a fight. By giving off a dry bite, venomous snakes need not waste their venom supplies. In fact over half of all rattlesnake bites are dry ones. A very comforting thought. Mysteries of Venomous Snakes One of the strangest things about elapids and viperids is that they seem to have evolved venom that is too potent for their own good. For instance, a Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) injects it's prey (a mouse) with 300 times more venom than is necessary.Or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) which injects enough venom in one bite to kill two hundred thousand mice. Why the excess? No one knows for sure. Perhaps the mechanisms that produced the venom never had any buffers for how powerful it got. Since the evolution of new traits involves the constantly ascending path (new traits are only kept if beneficial to the organism) the fact that ever potent venom would always guarantee the quick death of the prey means that it would always be selected for and will be until something comes to counter it.While this is a nice theory and all, there is an underlying problem with it. Venomous snakes (of at least the elapid and viperid families) are able to meter out how much venom they intend to inject into their prey. So that Crotalus viridis is quite aware of the amount it is pumping into that mouse. Plus since venom replenishment is not the fastest thing (averaging between 4 days and three weeks) injecting so much ve nom seems wasteful. Another theory proposed was that it the venom helps to begin the digestion process. Surely this seems reasonable especially considered how venom effects tissue along with it's origins.Yet that too does not give a perfect explanation for Brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) which inject three to eight times more venom than necessary, end up with half of that venom lodged in the skin. So for now, the reasons behind the excess venom delivery by venomous snakes are still unknown. Warnings about venom While no person should actively go out and try to capture a venomous snake (without good reason) in the even that one finds said snake, the best precautions are to examine the encounter. If you're far enough away to leave then feel free to do so, you need not worry about the snake following you.If you're practically stepping on the snake things could be worse. At that point though one usually finds that one has been bitten. If bitten make sure to ID the snake. Remember as much as possible about it. For an idea of the type of venom that might have been injected in you consider the area that you are at and how the snake looked. Vipers, due to their large venom glands, have heart shaped heads. Elapids have nice thin heads. Colubrids are harder to tell apart from elapids, but a venomous elapid will give warning or have some type of forewarning available.Colubrid bites normally don't kill and are more a pain than anything else. Viper bites can be deadly and normally are very painful. Elapid bites are extremely lethal and antivenin treatment is a must if bitten. Although all this seems scary, it's best to remember that no venomous snake will attack without severe provocation. Look for the warning signs and watch where you step and you should be fine. Also remember many bites given are dry, so just because you were bitten doesn't mean you were envenomated. A good rule of thumb when dealing with a scared or cornered snake is that the last thing it's going to want to do is bite.Venom Venom Types Methods of Production Methods of Delivery Offense or Defense? Lethal injection or False alarm? Mysteries Warnings To most people venom and snakes go hand in hand. It is commonly believed that all snakes are venomous, but this is an erroneous belief. Of the 2. 700 known species of snake only 300 are venomous. So what is venom, how did snakes get it and why do they have it? These are questions that have interested herpetologists and other scientists alike. Venom itself is a poison secreted by animals for either defensive or offensive purposes.Venom originated from digestive enzymes that were originally located in the stomach. Throughout the millions of years it has progressed quite a lot and in some animals has become quite different from it's origin. The type of venom depends on the type of animal. In spiders venom is kept rather simple. It is pretty much just digestive enzymes. Spiders use their venom to turn their hard shelled insect meals i nto nice and nutritious goo. So in a sense one can think of this type of venom as a form of starting the digestive process before you even start to eat the meal.In insects venom is used predominantly as a defensive weapon. Wasps, bees and ants use formic acid in their stings to cause a painful burning sensation that will either kill or injure their enemy enough to make them think twice about attacking them again. Amphibians all use their venom for defense. In amphibians the venom is secreted through glands in the skin to make the animals unpalatable. So as we can see venom is a predominantly defensive adaptation. An adaptation that has found it's way into every class of vertebrates except one. The birds; the only class to forego any venom.In mammals we have platypi with venomous claws, then there are the fish which comprise too many venomous species to count and finally we have the reptiles. All venomous reptiles are squamates and of them snakes make up the bulk. There are only two species of venomous squamates that are not snakes, the lizards of the genus: Heloderma. These lizards use their venom for defense as well and can deliver powerful and painful bites. In snakes venom has found a new use, for offense. Since snake prey generally has the advantage of speed (not to say that snakes can't be speedy. A black mamba traveling at 17 mph is nothing to sneeze at. snakes had to find a new way to take down their prey without running the risk of losing them or getting too hurt in the process. Enter venom, a fast and effective mode of subdueing prey items with minimal risk to the snake. Venom types Snake venom can be divided into two broad (yet fuzzy) categories. That of hemotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Hemotoxic venom effects the blood and organs, causing a breakdown or inflammation in the body. Hemotoxic bites are the most painful as breathing hurts and tissues start to die. Neurotoxic venom, as the name suggests, effect the nervous system, leading to everything fro m siezures to death.Neurotoxic bites are the most deadly. Although we have these two wonderful different categories, no snake fits completely in each. Many snakes incorporate both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom in their bites so when telling them apart one goes by which type is more predominant. For instance Ophiophagous hannah (King Cobra) has predominantly neurotoxic venom while Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern diamondback rattlesnake) has predominantly hemotoxic venom. Methods of production While getting bitten by a snake might strike fear in people, the fangs are not where the venom comes from, they are mearly methods of transfer.The place where the venom is made is in special glands located on the head of the animal. The venom glands differentiate into false and true venom glands. False venom glands (a misleading name no doubt) are made up either from mucus producing supralabial glands that run on either side of the head extending as a continuous strip from near the snout to below and well behind the eye. These then lead to several ducts that lead to the bases of many maxillary teeth. Alethinophidians are known to have this type of arrangement. Most colubrids have a different arrangement.Rather than use those modified salivary glands they use a larger gland known as the Duvernoy's gland. This gland is situated right under the skin, above and near the angle of the jaw. These glands open from a duct at the base of one or more posterior usually enlarged fangs that may or may not be grooved. These glands do not have a lumen (central storage chamber) so the snakes must give off a continous stream of venom into their prey which means that they must continue to hold on to the animal to ensure envenomation. True venom glands are made uf thick connective tissue.They contain a lumen, a separate compressor muscle and a duct connecting them to a single fang on each side of the jaw. These glands dominate all elapids and viperids (along with some atractaspidids) Methods of Delivery Their are four main types of teeth in snakes with which venom is transferred from gland to prey. While these forms seem to indicate a continual progression towards more complexity, they are misleading as it doesn't take into account the morphological variation in snake dentitions making for a paraphyletic occurence (that is they all thought up different ways to accomplish the same goal).Aglyphous snakes Aglyphous (grooveless) snakes lack any groove in their teeth for venom to run down. Instead the venom drips down the teeth from any available opening essentially saturating the maxillae. In order for envenomation to occur the snake must chew on it's prey which is time consuming. Aglyphous snakes include blind snakes and some colubrids. Opisthoglyphous snakes Opisthoglyphous (rear grooved) snakes have elongate fangs located on the top of the back of their mouths. These fangs have a groove running on the lateral side of the fang which helps direct venom into the prey.Since th e fangs are located posteriorly the snake must make a point of taking a big bite into it's prey in order to assure envenomation. Colubrids make up the bulk of this group. Proteroglyphs Proteroglyphs (front groove) snakes are pretty much all elapids with an occasional actractaspidid like Homoroselaps (Harlequin snakes). In proteroglyphs the groove has run so deep that both sides of the groove overlap eachother forming a channel for the venom to flow. A lumen is located at the base of the tooth where venom eagerly awaits ejection while a discharge orifice lay on one side near the tip.An adductor (jaw closing) muscle is attached to the glands so that when the snake bites down the glands get squeezed and a stream of venom flows into the prey. These snakes are â€Å"fixed fanged. † That is to say they are unable to fold up their fangs when not in use so the fangs must be kept short enough so as not to puncture the lower jaw. Interestingly enough fixed fanged elapids are known to h old onto their prey after biting. This would seem to present a potential hazard for the snake, but the predominantly neurotoxic venom works so fast that the prey doesn't have enough time to struggle, thus ensuring the snake it's meal.Some cobra types such as the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) and many species of Afro-Asian cobras (Naja sp. ) have the ability to spit their venom at predators. Their fang tips have beveled, circular (sometimes pear shaped) apertures on the anterior surface just above the tip where the venom is ejected. African spitters go one stepped further. They have spiral grooves in their fangs that (like the riflings of a gun barrel) force a spin on the venom allowing for greater accuracy. This is only used in defense and is amazing effective as these snakes are adepth marksmen.By expending venom in these little droplets, the snake is guaranteed the maximum use of it's (normally offensive) venom when battling a predator. How often can these snakes spit before r unning out. Well one black necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) emptied it's venom glands by spitting fifty seven times in only twenty minutes. Truly a force to be reckoned with. Solenoglyphous snakes Solenoglyphous (pipe grooved) snakes make up the viperidae and show some of the most specialized teeth for the job.Viperid fangs have the groove so deep now that the outside of the teeth completely cover it forming a pipe for venom to enter. The two fangs are attached to a short highly movable maxillary bone. This bone allows the snakes to fold their fangs up in their mouths. This ability to fold up the fangs allows for greater fang length. How much greater? Well compare a 3. 83-m Ophiophagous hannah's 11mm fangs to a 1. 8-m Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper) with fangs measuring 29mm. Impressive no? Viperids have predominantly hemotoxic venom and as such, their bites take longer to take effect.Since the effect is longer, the snake can't risk holding onto the struggling prey for it woul d surely get hurt, but with their potent venom, quick strikes and hyperextendable fangs, these snakes are able to get in and out extremely fast. Not only can the fangs hyperextend (up to 1800) but with the separately jointed maxillae the fangs can move individually as well. So a viper can decide whether or not to move one fang or two. Inject one side or two. The amount of venom control in vipers is astounding as well as their venom reservoirs. The bulk of Bitis gabonica's head is it's venom glands. Shocking!Offense or Defense As stated before, snakes predominantly use their venom to capture prey, but when push comes to shove, venom can mean the difference between life and death. Snake defense is rather limited when one thinks about it. They can't outrun their predators, a lack of limbs means that gaining the leverage for tail whipping is rather impossible (pointless anyway seeing as how most snakes have rather small tails). Some snakes can secrete nasty substances that make them unw anted to be around. Others feign their own deaths, but in general the best area of defense for snakes lies in their jaws.For a venomous snake, biting a predator means wasting precious venom; a commodity that doesn't come without it's price. Venom costs energy to make and takes a while to refill when empty. A snake would much rather save that venom for something worth it like food, so it takes quite a bit of pressing to get a venomous snake to actually bite. In fact it is for these reasons that venomous snakes have adopted so many warning strategies. From warning colors, to hoods, to rattles, venomous snakes do everything in their power to avoid biting the enemy. In contrast a boid or other constrictor will readily bite in defense.While they lack venom, recurved teeth can be just as bad and since constrictors don't have to worry about wasting venom they can feel free to bite all they want. Lethal injection or False alarm? Along with warning well in advance, another common thing found in venomous snakes (especially viperids) is giving what is known as a â€Å"dry bite. † Dry bites occur when a snake like a rattler is cornered and forced to bite in defense. While the snake might be in last resort mode, it still has one more trick up it's sleeve. Venomous snakes (true venomous snakes) have the ability to choose whether or not they want to inject venom into something.So if a rattlesnake bites a dog, it has the choice of either envenomating or bluffing the animal. In nature bluffs work much of the time and are the safest way for an animal to avoid a fight. By giving off a dry bite, venomous snakes need not waste their venom supplies. In fact over half of all rattlesnake bites are dry ones. A very comforting thought. Mysteries of Venomous Snakes One of the strangest things about elapids and viperids is that they seem to have evolved venom that is too potent for their own good. For instance, a Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) injects it's prey (a mouse) w ith 300 times more venom than is necessary.Or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) which injects enough venom in one bite to kill two hundred thousand mice. Why the excess? No one knows for sure. Perhaps the mechanisms that produced the venom never had any buffers for how powerful it got. Since the evolution of new traits involves the constantly ascending path (new traits are only kept if beneficial to the organism) the fact that ever potent venom would always guarantee the quick death of the prey means that it would always be selected for and will be until something comes to counter it.While this is a nice theory and all, there is an underlying problem with it. Venomous snakes (of at least the elapid and viperid families) are able to meter out how much venom they intend to inject into their prey. So that Crotalus viridis is quite aware of the amount it is pumping into that mouse. Plus since venom replenishment is not the fastest thing (averaging between 4 days and three wee ks) injecting so much venom seems wasteful. Another theory proposed was that it the venom helps to begin the digestion process. Surely this seems reasonable especially considered how venom effects tissue along with it's origins.Yet that too does not give a perfect explanation for Brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) which inject three to eight times more venom than necessary, end up with half of that venom lodged in the skin. So for now, the reasons behind the excess venom delivery by venomous snakes are still unknown. Warnings about venom While no person should actively go out and try to capture a venomous snake (without good reason) in the even that one finds said snake, the best precautions are to examine the encounter. If you're far enough away to leave then feel free to do so, you need not worry about the snake following you.If you're practically stepping on the snake things could be worse. At that point though one usually finds that one has been bitten. If bitten make sure to ID the snake. Remember as much as possible about it. For an idea of the type of venom that might have been injected in you consider the area that you are at and how the snake looked. Vipers, due to their large venom glands, have heart shaped heads. Elapids have nice thin heads. Colubrids are harder to tell apart from elapids, but a venomous elapid will give warning or have some type of forewarning available.Colubrid bites normally don't kill and are more a pain than anything else. Viper bites can be deadly and normally are very painful. Elapid bites are extremely lethal and antivenin treatment is a must if bitten. Although all this seems scary, it's best to remember that no venomous snake will attack without severe provocation. Look for the warning signs and watch where you step and you should be fine. Also remember many bites given are dry, so just because you were bitten doesn't mean you were envenomated. A good rule of thumb when dealing with a scared or cornered snake is that t he last thing it's going to want to do is bite.

Debt Hinders Development of Poor Countries Essay

The economy of the country is also undermined since all the sectors of the economy including health sector, education sector, agricultural sector, tourism sector and other sectors are compromised for the country to repay back the debts. 2. Its leads to low capital stock This is experienced due to regular payments of debts by the developing countries. Low level of investments, low outputs from the industries and farms, low savings are also experienced due to repayments of loans. A country fails to save any money for use in profitable projects; little or no capital is accumulated for development purposes. A country fails to attract F. D. Is i. e. foreign direct investments which could bring about development processes. These investors curtail their investments in these poor countries and transfer them to safer countries hence causing capital flights. 3. Debt leads to inflation. This is the general rise in price of goods and services in a country. The money borrowed may exceed the supply of goods and services hence causing inflation. If a debt is not managed properly then it will affect the whole country and its production systems. These leads to loss in stability in real value of money and other monetary items. It discourages investments of savings and shortages of goods if the consumer begins hoarding out of concern that prices will increase in future. 4. Weak currencies. When a nation has a bigger debt the economy grows slowly or totally stagnates. These poor nations are asked by their trading partners to devalue their currencies to make their goods cheaper for them to buy. Devaluation of a countries currency affects the production sectors since the prices have fallen hence making it less worth to produce because the currencies of the country’s exports are weak. This leads to continuous repayment of loans since the poor country cannot access the international markets with their weak currency hence cannot get the hard currencies. 5 . Debt hinders trade. Most of the highly indebted poor countries are endowed with raw materials and other resources. Due to this presence of natural resources they have benefited from the international trade partners. So due to loan binge of the excessive debt on the poorer countries the trading partners and trading blocs shy away since they do not want to be associated with a highly indebted country. This leads to slow economic growth and development of the country since they have to trade with countries with the same features and therefore and they cannot get a lot of finances. Most of these products from developing counties are exported to developed countries. So when these poor nations are faced with high level of protectionism in the international markets they experience a sharp reduction of exports leading to unfavorable balance of payment. The developed or trading countries bring up /erect protectionist laws inform of tariffs quotas, or standard of goods hence locking out most of the primary exports from the poor countries from accessing international markets. 6 . Debts and environment. Environmental issues, poverty and debts are very much related. This is because the more the developing countries stay. Developing countries stay in debts, the more they will feel that they need to exploit the earth or natural resources for the hard cash they bring in. the poor countries also have to cut back on its social, health, endowment, conservation, employment and other important programs, cutting back on all these issues means the country will not realize development process. These are main pillars of any development process to advance. The countries development will stagnate since all the sectors necessary to steer forward have been cut back.