Monday, September 30, 2019

Biological Criminal Behavior

Tariff, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic In 1 991, has a very long psychiatric history. After years and years of his family trying to et him committed and just going from one hospital to another the story was not getting any better. One week before the murder he was arrested for a violent behavior at one of the hospitals. With Just a slap on the hand, he was released Into the community to go on to kill Kathy Vaughan just the next week. David Tariff has been evaluated and committed more then a dozen times in his life time.Over the years he has been put on many of drugs to treat schizophrenic and bipolar such as lithium, Departed, Hallo, Carousel and Zappers and along with that, shock treatments have been given. After months of being in state hospitals and psychiatric reports, it has been determined that David Tariff is unfit to stand trial. After being found fit to stand trial in one county in Queens, New York another county in Manhattan says he Is not fit to stand trial.Tariff I s now back at Rulers Island, where his attorney says he is not taking his medication all the time and has been suicidal in the last couple of months. The psychopath is unable to feel sorry for others in unfortunate situations or put himself in another's place, whether or not they have been harmed by him. â€Å"They are all very egocentric individuals with no empathy for there, and they are Incapable of feeling remorse or guilt† (The Psychopath:Rebecca Horton, April 1999).The study of the psychopath reveals a person who is not capable 1 OFF the difference between right and wrong but think it does not apply to them. The psychopath is incapable of normal emotions such as love and they generally do things without first considering the consequences. So, the question is, Does biology play a key role in explaining the offender's criminality? Is there a real answer to this question? In this paper we are going to look at behaviors that constitute psychopath.We will also discuss the sp ecific behaviors demonstrated by David Tariff that align with behaviors of a psychopathic individual. We will also discuss the genetic or physiological evidence that supports the notion that biology played a key role in explaining the offender's crimes. Is David Tariff a psychopath or Just another person trying to get away murder? The answer is up to the reader I guess but so far Mr.. Tariff is where he wants to be and going to court in the near future.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

A Study On Dialogue And Learning Education Essay

Dialogue has been recognized as the most noteworthy illustration of Western literature by Plato since 428/427 BC – 348/347 BC ; . In Grecian and Indian literature, peculiarly the ancient art of rhetoric, it is historically beginnings as narrative, philosophical or educational device. The duologue has been used to learn a scope of topics, including doctrine, logic, rhetoric, and mathematics. Dialogue ( the Greek DIA for through and logos for word ) can be defined to include legion communicative Acts of the Apostless includes conversation, talk, communicating, interchange, discourse, statement, chat, chitchat, colloquy, every bit good as treatment, argument, exchange of positions, tete-a-tete, audience, conference, meeting, interview, inquiry and reply session, and dialogues ( New Oxford Thesaurus of English 2000 ) . Dialogic acquisition can happen in any educational state of affairs and contains an of import potency for societal transmutation.[ 2 ]Assorted parts to Dialogic acquisition has been developed on many positions and subjects such as, P. Freire, 1970 on the theory of Dialogic action, G. Wells, 1999 looking for the Dialogic enquiry attack, J. Habermas, 1984 with the theory of communicative action, M. Bakhtin, 1981, the impression of Dialogic imaginativeness, and Soler, 2004, the dialogical ego. Among those, there are many more modern-day writers on Dialogic constructs, J. Mezirow, 1990, 1991, 2000 transformative larning theory, M. Fielding 2001, pupils as extremist agents of alteration, T. Koschmann, 1999 emphasizes the possible advantages of following dialogicality as the footing of instruction, Anne C. Hargrave, 2000 shows that kids in Dialogic-learning in vocabulary. Specifically, the construct of Dialogic acquisition ( Flecha, 2000 )[ 3 ]evolved from the probe and observation of how people learn both outside and interior of schools, when moving and larning freely is allowed.The theoryThe construct of Dialogic acquisition is non new. In the book Mind and Society, 1962, Vygotsky argued that kids larn how to utilize be aftering map of their linguistic communication efficaciously and their psychological field alterations basically. He argued that a kid begins to get the hang his milieus with the aid of address prior to get the hanging his ain behaviour. He claimed that the creative activity of these alone homo signifiers of behaviour which finally produced the rational productive work with the usage of tools. This was described in his observations of kids in an experimental state of affairs showed that kids non merely move in trying to accomplish a end but besides speak. This address arose spontaneously and continued about without break throughout the experiment. He claimed that it seems that both natural and necessary for kids to talk while they act. Respectively, Vygotsky drew the same sort of differentiation between the ‘spontaneous ‘ construct of mundane acquisition and the ‘scientific ‘ construct of the schoolroom.[ 4 ]Vygotsky, 1962 argues that the origin of a self-generated construct can normally be traced to a face-to-face meeting with a concrete state of affairs, while a scientific construct involves from the first a ‘mediated ‘ attitude towards it object. Paulo Reglus Neves Freire ( 1921-1997 ) , 1970 theory of Dialogic action 1921 -1997 was a Brazilian pedagogue and influential theoretician of critical teaching method.[ 5 ]He was an educationalist known for developing popular instruction ; he puts duologue as a type of teaching method.[ 6 ]Freire argued that duologue as a agency of democratising instruction ( Freire 1972, 1999 ) . Dialogue communicating allowed pupils and instructors to larn from one another in an environment characterized by regard and equality. He advocates himself to back up suppressed people with their public presentation or application of accomplishments that is informed and linked to their values, by executing and using their accomplishments in order to do teaching method for a more thickening apprehension and doing positive alterations to them. He states that human nature is Dialogic, and he believes that communicating has a prima function in people ‘s life. Dialogue is a claim in favour of the democrati c pick of pedagogues and scholars. The end of the Dialogic action is ever to uncover the truth interacting with others and the universe. He claimed that we are continually in duologue with others and it is in that procedure that we create and recreate ourselves. Besides, in order to advance free and critical acquisition, he insists that we should make the conditions for duologue that encourages the epistemic wonder of the scholar. The Russian philosopher, literary critic, semiotician and bookman who worked on literary theory, moralss, and the doctrine of linguistic communication, Mikhail M. Bakhtin, 1981, distinguishes the impression of Dialogic imaginativeness. He has theorized duologue in stressing the power of discourse to increase apprehension of multiple positions and make countless possibilities.[ 7 ]Bakhtin argued that duologue creates a new apprehension of a state of affairs that demands alteration as relationships and connexions exist among all living existences.[ 8 ]His construct of dialogism states a relation between linguistic communication, interaction, and societal transmutation. Holquist, 1990 described Bakhtin ‘s Hagiographas on dialogicality are profound and stand for a substantial displacement from predominating positions on the nature of linguistic communication and cognition[ 9 ]. Bakhtin established that there is a demand of making significances in a Dialogic manner with other people .[ 10 ]He believed that person does non be outside duologue. The construct of duologue itself establishes the being of the â€Å" other † individual. It is through duologue that the â€Å" other † can non be silenced or excluded. Bakhtin claimed that significances are created in the procedures of contemplation between people. He describes, we use the same significances subsequently in conversations with others, where those significances get better and even change as we obtain new significances. Therefore, when we talk, we learn something. In this sense, every clip that we talk about something that we have read about, seen or felt ; we are really reflecting the duologues we have had with others, demoing the significances that we have created in the old duologues with others. That said, duologue can non be separated from the positions of others: larning derives from here with the single address and the corporate 1 is profoundly related to one ‘s life. Bakhtin asser ts that negotiations is a concatenation of duologues, he points that every duologue consequences from a old one and, at the same clip, every new duologue are traveling to be presented in future 1s. Fitz Simons, G. ( 1994 )[ 11 ]the â€Å" learning communities † , an educational undertaking which seeks societal and cultural transmutation of educational centres and their milieus through Dialogic acquisition, stressing classless duologue among all community members, including learning staff, pupils, households, entities, and voluntaries. Fitz Simons points out: â€Å" The demand to set up an ambiance of common regard and a feeling of community in which grownup scholars are encouraged to be independent scholars and to portion their expertness † ( p. 24-25, 1994 )Dialogic LearningFletcher, 2000 looks at the construct of Dialogic larning evolved from the probe and observation of how people learn both outside and interior of schools, when larning and moving freely is allowed. She describes unfastened duologue which derived from the position of Freire, 1997 engagement of all members of the community the acquisition communities as research shows that larning procedure take topographic point in different infinites of the scholars ‘ life regardless of the scholars ‘ age, and including the instruction staff, depend more on the coordination among all the interactions and activities. The acknowledgment and regard of different types of cognition raise the consciousness that each individual has something to portion, something different and every bit of import. Therefore, the wider the diverseness of voices engaged in unfastened duologue, the better the cognition that can be dialogically constructed. Fletcha puts as†¦ â€Å" [ Dialogic larning ] lead to the transmutation of instruction centres into larning communities where all the people and groups involved enter into relationships with each other. In this manner, the environment is transformed, making new cognitive development and greater societal and educational equality. † ( p. 24 ) Edward and Mercer, 1987 emphasize that the ‘dialogue ‘ construct is ‘ground regulations of conversation ‘ because it operates as inexplicit sets of regulations for acting in peculiar sorts of state of affairs which participants normally take for granted[ 12 ]. ( Edward and Mercer, 1987 ) In 2007, Mercer and Littleton ‘s argues that ‘talk ‘ is non merely the mediating means for back uping single development, but instead that ways of thought are embedded in ways of utilizing linguistic communication. This ‘talk ‘ is more emphatic on as a valuable, societal manner of thought, non merely larning. They argue that scholars engage and interact with others may hold a profound and digesting impact on their accomplishment and rational development.[ 13 ]They further argue that ‘learning ‘ and ‘development ‘ are two footings that related and have both been used in a great trade. Learning is frequently in the company of ‘teaching ‘ . These two words are required to name upon the sorts of cognitive and rational alterations in kids ‘s acquisition. He asserts that ‘learning ‘ is usually associated with the gaining of cognition and the acquisition of some fact or accomplishment. It invokes thoughts of some kind of growing, the outgrowth of a new entity and the reaching of a new province of personal businesss. A subscriber to Mercer and Littleton, Chris Watkins, 2003 ( A bookman in instruction and acquisition ) has distinguished three influential constructs of acquisition: Learning is being taught, larning is the single sense devising, acquisition is constructing cognition with others.[ 14 ] Harry Daniel 2001 claims that schoolroom talk or duologue mediates non merely learning and larning but besides the wider civilization.[ 15 ]He claims that worlds are seen as animals who have a alone capacity for communicating and whose lives are usually led within groups, communities and societies based on shared ways of utilizing linguistic communication, ways of thought, societal patterns and tools for acquiring things done. Daniels emphasizes that such talk, must non be regarded as simple ‘interaction ‘ , but narrowly regarded and bounded by the immediateness of the larning undertaking in manus. Similarly, the Dialogic enquiry attack by Gordon Wells, 1999[ 16 ], Wells argues that schoolroom duologue has been proposed as a method of presenting critical instruction ( Wells 1999, Alro & A ; Skovsmose 2002 ) â€Å" Dialogic enquiry † is an educational attack that acknowledges the dialectic relationship between the person and the society, and an attitude for geting cognition through communicative interactions. Wells points out that the sensitivity for â€Å" Dialogic enquiry † depends on the features of the acquisition environments, and that is why it is of import to reorganise them into contexts for collaborative action and interaction. Wells defines â€Å" enquiry † non as a method but as a sensitivity for oppugning, seeking to understand state of affairss join forcesing with others with the aim of happening replies. Wells farther argues that Dialogic enquiry non merely enriches persons ‘ cognition but besides transforms it, guaranting the endurance o f different civilizations and their capacity to transform themselves harmonizing to the demands of every societal minute. Wells claims that Dialogic enquiry non merely enriches persons ‘ cognition but besides transforms it, guaranting the endurance of different civilizations and their capacity to transform themselves harmonizing to the demands of every societal minute. Education is seen as a Dialogic procedure, with pupils and instructors working together within scenes that reflect the values and societal patterns of schools as cultural establishments. Alro & A ; Skovsmose, 2002 relate duologue to the larning procedure by property three indispensable belongingss to the impression of duologue ; doing an enquiry, running a hazard and keeping equality.[ 17 ]These indispensable belongingss must be characteristic of the scene of interaction in order for a â€Å" acquisition † duologue to happen. Making an enquiry means learner researching what he does non yet cognize and sharing the desire to derive new experiences. For an enquiry to be Dialogic it must be unfastened to participants conveying their ain positions rooted in their backgrounds into the enquiry. Learners must besides be willing to suspend their ain positions in order to see the positions of others and in jointing these positions new and more insightful positions might come into positi on. For that ground, Dialogic is running a hazard in the ambiguity and uncertainness of the duologue procedure. Learners to a duologue propose other people ‘s positions, nevertheless voyaging in a landscape of probe means that there are no pre-established replies to energetic inquiries. Therefore â€Å" duologue includes risk-taking both in an epistemic and an emotional sense † . In other words scholars to a duologue will be challenged on their cognition every bit good as their emotions. In order for participants to stay in the Dialogic procedure it must be ensured that the uncertainness ne'er appears excessively uncomfortable. They claim that duologue could so keep equality by proposing that scholars are engaged at a degree of para. Parity in this sense does non equal sameness but instead equity. Learners may come in the duologue in different capacities and being equal therefore comes to depend on the ability of scholars to encompass and accept diverseness ( Alro & A ; Skovsmose, 2002 ) . After old ages of research conducted in several states ; India, USA, France, Italy and England with a squad of research workers, Robin Alexander 2004[ 18 ]has put talk as the outstanding component for effectual thought and learning demand for kids. He has distinguished talk for a typical pedagogical attack called ‘Dialogic learning ‘ . He argues that linguistic communication and idea are closely related, and the extent and mode of kids ‘s cognitive development depend to a considerable grade on the signifiers and contexts of linguistic communication which they have encountered and used. This new attack demands both pupil battle and instructor intercession by which students actively prosecute and instructors constructively intervene is through talk.Dialogue and Higher degree of EducationFor higher educational degree, Diana Laurillard, 2002 puts a Dialogic acquisition model as ‘Conversational Framework ‘ . This model supports assorted media signifiers such as narrative, synergistic, adaptative, communicative and productive. The thought of a colloquial model, is used to specify the acquisition procedure for higher instruction and so to construe the extent to which new engineering can back up and heighten high degree conceptual acquisition. She describes that larning must be dianoetic and the instructor should be tie ining learning and larning procedure with the universe. Laurillard asserts that larning engineerings must accomplish their full potency for transforming larning experience. Laurillard argues that the faculty members ; Universities, Institutions, colleges, schools etc. Should get down with an apprehension of how pupils learn, and they should plan and utilize the Conversational Framework and the acquisition engineerings from this point of view to familiarise a better acquisition scheme for university instruction. Laurillard ‘s thought is barely new as she quoted Paul Ramsden ‘s statement that instruction is a kind of conversation. Respectively, Kolb ‘s ‘learning rhythm ‘ ( Kolb, 1984 ) states that larning occurs through an iterative rhythm of experience followed by feedback, so reflected on to be used as revised action[ 19 ]. Gordon Pask, 1976 formalized the thought of larning as a conversation in conversation theory. This theory lays out the separation of ‘description ‘ and ‘model-building behaviours, and the definition of understanding as ‘determined by two degrees of understanding ‘ ( Ibid. 22 )[ 20 ]. This describes the feature of the learning – acquisition procedure is iterative ‘conversation ‘ . Besides schoolroom instruction, dialogue instruction is described as an attack to adult instruction by pedagogue, Jane Vella in the 1980 ‘s. This attack to education draws on assorted grownup larning theories, including those of Paulo Freire, Kurt Lewin, Malcolm Knowles and Benjamin Bloom ( Global Learning Partners, 2006b ; Vella, 2004 ) . It is a synthesis of these abstract theories into rules and patterns that can be applied in a concrete manner to larning design and facilitation. Dialogue instruction is a signifier of Constructivism and can be a agency for Transformative acquisition, ( Vella, 2004 ) . Dialogue instruction shifts the focal point of instruction from what the instructor says to what the scholar does, from learner passiveness to scholars as active participants in the duologue that leads to larning ( Global Learning Partners, 2006c ) . A duologue attack to education positions scholars as topics in their ain acquisition and awards cardinal rules such as common reg ard and unfastened communicating ( Vella, 2002 ) . Learners are invited to actively prosecute with the content being learned instead than being dependent on the pedagogue for larning. Ideas are presented to scholars as unfastened inquiries to be reflected on and integrated into the scholar ‘s ain context ( Vella, 2004 ) . The purpose is that this will ensue in more meaningful acquisition.DecisionSignificantly duologue and larning are two footings that ca n't stand by its ain without the other ‘s presence. It is now that the duty of this survey to analyze duologue and acquisition to a farther class of current new media nomadic engineering. How does kids doing usage of nomadic devices in the universe of nomadic engineering in this transmutation age of environment? How does larning so develop from these engineerings? Why does a kid today communicate so much with engineering? That said my hypothesis that the new media nomadic engineering has potential in easing the procedure of kids ‘s acquisition development. Do these engineerings provide acquisition tools which are able to supply important cognition development? Besides, Vygotsky and Vygotskian theory claimed that the acquisition tools are some sort of kids ‘s higher psychological maps of doing his or her interactions to their societal and moral development. As we all knew, these duologues are being created, learned and used by our kids enormously without our consciousness twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours in their universe of communications in synergistic nomadic engineerings. These duologues and larning are integrated with their hand-held appliances, computing machines and package, larning stuffs, playing the games in the practical universe. With the being of other characteristics ; design, sound and picture, picture taking, colourss, founts, information, and programming linguistic communication voyaging them throughout the lessons and plans. Our kids or scholars and members jointl y produce Dialogic cognition and take part in the definition of actions that lead to societal and educational alteration. Therefore, this research sees duologue and larning associates to the impression of Bakhtin dialogicality as duologue represents this senses where it mediates the new media that our kids to listen and watch. These duologues can take legion other signifiers such as: lupus erythematosus structured, more informal and more participatory than interviews or treatment groups, e.g. By promoting participants to put the docket for treatment and for the research worker to take an active function in the treatment instead than merely the function as a hearer. This attack will allow participants to the duologue a sense of equality and the freedom to convey into the duologue whichever subject they deem relevant. Inviting research participants in the reading procedure at the same time embrace a Dialogic epistemology acknowledging the value of negociating, reflecting and construing with the end of common apprehension and relationship edifice. Therefore, in this survey we need to contract our apprehension of duologue and turn to the inquiry of the part of duologue in the synergistic Mobile engineerings in the kids ‘s psychological acquisition development. In the acquisition communities, it is basica lly the engagement of all members of the community because, as research shows, larning procedures, irrespective of the scholars ‘ age, and including the instruction staff, depend more on the coordination among all the interactions and activities that take topographic point in different infinites of the scholars ‘ life, like school, place, and workplace, so merely on interactions and activities developed in infinites of formal acquisition, such as schoolrooms. Along these lines, the â€Å" learning communities † undertaking aims at multiplying larning contexts and interactions with the aim of all participants making higher degrees of development ( Vygotsky, 1978 )[ 21 ].

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 8

Ella I realize I have more issues than I thought. As soon as we turn onto the Back Road, a passion combusts inside me. It only flames hotter when we pull up to The Hitch, an old abandoned restaurant stationed at the end of the road. It's the perfect set up for street racing, with a long straight road tucked between the lofty trees on the mountains. The sky is black, the moon bright, but there are clouds rolling in. I cringe, thinking of the night on the bridge. We'd been racing before I'd gone there. Micha gets a text message right as we brink the end of the road. He pulls the car to the side, maneuvering carefully across the pot holes. He pushes the parking brake in and checks his phone, shutting it off, and looking torn up. â€Å"What's wrong?† I ask. â€Å"You look upset?† â€Å"Nothing's wrong. Everything's great.† He's lying, but how can I press him to tell the truth when I'm a liar too? â€Å"So this is your surprise?† I will my voice to sound disappointed, but it comes out pleased. Micha gives me a sidelong glance. â€Å"Don't smile, pretty girl. It'll ruin your whole I'm-neutral-and-don't-give-a-shit act.† I opt to remain impartial. â€Å"Who are you planning to race tonight?† â€Å"You mean who are we racing?† He smiles alluringly through the dark cab of the car. â€Å"Well, I thought I'd leave that up to you.† In front of the trees is a line of cars with their headlights on and their owners standing near the front. They're a rough crowd, mostly guys except for Shelia, a big girl with arms thicker than my legs. She's the only girl I've ever truly feared. â€Å"Well, there's Mikey.† I rub my forehead with the back of my hand. â€Å"Does he still got that piece of crap 6 cylinder in his Camaro?† â€Å"Yeah, he does.† Micha leans back in the seat, examining me amusedly through the dark. â€Å"You think that's who I should go for?† â€Å"It's the obvious choice.† I don't like where my thoughts are heading, but I can't shut off my basic instinct. I've always been a hanging-out-with-the-guys kind of girl and therefor there is an abundance of knowledge about cars stashed away in my head. Lila is the first girl I've been friends with. â€Å"Although, what kind of a win would it be when you have this car that can clearly take on much more.† â€Å"You think I should take on someone in my own league?† â€Å"If you want the win to mean anything, then yeah.† We look at each other, like magnets begging to get closer. Yet flip one the wrong direction and they will push apart. â€Å"So which one is it, pretty girl?† He drapes an arm over the headrest behind me and his fingers brush my shoulder. â€Å"The underdog or the big dog.† There's a dare in the air, teasing the real me to come out tonight. I want to give in, just for a few hours, and let my inner ropes untie. I want to allow myself to breathe again, but I fear the loss of control – I fear I'll have to feel everything, including my guilt. â€Å"Micha, I think we should go back.† I put my seatbelt back on. â€Å"This isn't my thing anymore.† He presses his lips together firmly. â€Å"Please can we have a night? Just you and I. I really need this right now.† I pick up on his strange vibe and the sorrow in his eyes. â€Å"Okay, what's wrong? You've seemed a little out of it. Was it bad news on that text you got?† He traces the figure eight tattoo on his forearm. â€Å"Do you remember when I got this?† I absentmindedly touch my lower back. â€Å"How could I forget, since I have the same one on my back?† â€Å"Do you remember why we got them?† â€Å"I can't remember anything about that night.† â€Å"Exactly, yet you'll remember it forever. No matter what happens, which is completely ironic.† He lets his finger linger on the tattoo that represents eternity. â€Å"There's something bugging you.† I tug the bottom of my shirt down to cover up my tattoo. â€Å"Do you want to talk about it?† He shakes his head, still focused on the tattoo. â€Å"Nah, I'm good.† To distract him from his thoughts, I point my finger at a smokin' hot 1970 Pontiac GTO, blue with white racing stripes. â€Å"What about Benny? Does he still have the 455?† Micha's eyes are pools of black liquid. â€Å"You think we should take on the big dog?† â€Å"I think you should take on the big dog,† I clarify. â€Å"I'll just watch you kick his ass.† His expression darkens. â€Å"No way. I'm not racing unless you're in the car with me. It's tradition.† A starvation inside me emerges. â€Å"Alright, I'll ride with you, just as long as you do one thing for me?† â€Å"Say it and it's yours,† he says without blinking. My hunger urges me closer to him. I prop my elbows on the console, and my arms are trembling. He doesn't move, frozen like a statue as I put my lips next to his ear. â€Å"Make sure you win,† I breathe and my body arches into him on its own accord, before I sit back in the seat. His face is indecipherable, his breathing fierce, his gaze relentless. â€Å"Okay, then. Let's go win us a race.† We climb out of the car and hike across the dirt road toward the row of cars and their owners. I shield my eyes from the headlights and wrap an arm around myself, knowing these guys are going to give me crap for how I'm dressed. Micha swings his arm around me protectively. â€Å"Relax. I got you baby.† â€Å"Well, what do we have here?† Mikey, the owner of the Camaro, strides up to us. He's got black hair, a kink in his nose, and his thick neck is enclosed with a barb-wire tattoo. â€Å"Is the infamous duo back again to get their asses kicked?† I roll my eyes. â€Å"You beat us once and that was by default due to a flat tire.† His face pinches as he takes in my shirt, tank top, and curled hair. â€Å"What the fuck happened to you?† Chandra, his girlfriend, sputters a laugh. Her dress is so tight that her curves bulge out of it and her stilettoes make her almost the same height as me. â€Å"Holy shit, she like turned into a little princess or something.† Micha squeezes my shoulder, trying to keep me calm. â€Å"So who's up first? Or has no one decided yet.† Mikey eyes Micha's Chevelle and there's a nervous look in his eyes. â€Å"You think you can just walk in here and play the game after sitting out for nearly a year?† I mouth to Micha, a year? Micha shrugs. â€Å"What? You were gone. Why the hell would I want to race?† â€Å"Again, you need to move on without†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trail off. Mikey will use what I say against Micha, so I have to watch my mouth. â€Å"We want to race Benny.† Mikey's laughter echoes the night. â€Å"You and what army?† I point at Micha's Chevelle parked near the road. â€Å"That army right there.† Mikey shakes his head and shoos us away. â€Å"That thing don't stand a chance against the GTO. Now run along and come back when you got something bigger.† He's testing my control. A lot. â€Å"As opposed to yours?† I retort, getting into Mikey's face. â€Å"Because that thing's all looks and no go.† Micha directs me back by the shoulders and a trace of amusement laces his voice. â€Å"Easy there, tiger. Let's try not to get our asses kicked tonight, okay?† Benny hops off the hood of his car, flicks his cigarette to the ground, and leaves his buddies to join us. â€Å"What's up? Did I hear someone wanted to race me?† Benny's the kind of guy that everyone respects because they're afraid of him. When he was a freshman he got into a fight at school with a senior twice his size and beat him up pretty badly. No one knows what the fight was over or what happened, but it was enough that everyone became cautious of Benny. Mikey points a finger sharply at me. â€Å"Princess right here wants to challenge you to a race in that thing.† Benny's eyes wander to the Chevelle as he cocks his shaven head and crosses his muscular arms. â€Å"Micha, isn't that your car?† Micha pats my back and winks at me. â€Å"Yeah, apparently she's my spokesperson.† Benny deliberates this and then turns to Mikey, who's glaring at me. â€Å"I don't see what the big deal is. I have no problem with Micha racing. In fact, it might be kinda nice to have a challenge for a change.† Benny slaps Mikey on the back kind of hard and then pounds fists with Micha. â€Å"Thanks man,† Micha says with a respective nod. â€Å"Are you and I going to line up first then?† Benny bobs his head up and down, nodding as he stares at the road pensively. â€Å"Yeah man, I think that'd work.† They chat a little bit more about the rules and what not, while Mikey continues to scowl at me like an angry dog. Once they're done talking, Micha and I walk back to the car, while everyone else scatters toward the starting line located right in front of The Hitch. â€Å"So what's your plan?† I ask. â€Å"Because beating him won't be easy.† â€Å"You're my plan.† He opens the passenger door for me. â€Å"With you in the car, there's no way I won't win, otherwise you'll never let me live it down.† Tucking my head into the car, I drop into the seat and then look up at him. â€Å"I won't make your car go any faster.† He grins, slamming the door. â€Å"Sure you will.† He slides across the front of the hood and climbs into the driver's seat. â€Å"You're such a show off,† I remark. He starts up the engine and it thunders to life. â€Å"That's like the pot calling the kettle black.† I slump back in the seat and fold my arms. â€Å"I may have been a lot of things, but I was never a show off.† He hooks a finger under my chin and angles my head toward him. â€Å"Taylor Crepner's graduation party two years ago. You were standing on the roof with a snowboard strapped to your feet, telling everyone you could make the jump. I think that's pretty close to showing off.† I make an innocent face. â€Å"But I did make the jump, didn't I?† â€Å"Yeah, but not without breaking your arm,† he says. â€Å"And that's beside the point.† â€Å"You're right,† I admit, touching the small scar on my arm where the bone broke through the skin. â€Å"I was showing off and you had to drive my dumb ass to the hospital, then sit in the waiting room while I had surgery to put my arm back together.† His finger traces a line down my neck and to my chest bone. â€Å"I was there because I wanted to be.† â€Å"You missed a performance because of me.† â€Å"I don't care – never have.† My gaze involuntarily flicks to his lips. Suddenly, I want to kiss him, like I did that night on the bridge. It makes me uncomfortable because the feeling owns me. I lean away, putting space between us. Sensing my transfer of attitude, he revs up the engine and spins the tires, fishtailing the car to the startup line. He shoots me a smug look, cocking an eyebrow. â€Å"Now that's showing off.† Shaking my head, I restrain a grin. Benny lines up the front of his GTO with Micha's Chevelle and his girlfriend struts up between the two cars. She's wearing jeans and a short t-shirt that shows her stomach. She flips her dark hair off her shoulder and then raises her hands above her head. People line up along the road, watching, and placing bets on the winner. I spot Ethan and Lila toward the front, chatting about something, and Lila is doing her flirty hair flip thing. â€Å"When did they get here?† Micha ignores me, eyeing Benny through his rolled down window. â€Å"To the baseline and back?† Benny's arm is resting casually on top of the steering wheel. â€Å"Yeah, man. First one back wins.† They look away from each other. Benny waves at his girlfriend and she nods her head. â€Å"On your mark. Get set. Go!† Her hands shoot down and screeches cut the air. A trail of dust engulfs us as we race off. The trees on the side of the road are a blur, and the sky is one big streak of stars. I keep silent as Micha shifts the car over and over again, but something inside me awakens from a very deep sleep. Benny pulls ahead and makes a sharp swerve right in front of us. His red tail lights are blinding in the night and his exhaust is puffing out thin clouds of smoke. Micha speeds up, inching the front end toward the rear of the GTO. As we approach the end, Benny pulls farther ahead, but it's not over yet. Micha has a thing for flipping the car around, without decreasing the acceleration. It's scary as hell, but it works every time. Besides with the longer body of Benny's GTO it doesn't have quite the turning power. We reach the end and I should probably be nervous. The road cuts off into a steep, rocky hill and the space to turn around is narrow, but I've never gotten scared, not even now. I guess I can't change what's in my blood. The GTO begins to slant sideways as Benny turns it. Micha veers to the side to get around him and shoots for the open gap between the car and the trees. I grab the handle above my head, the brakes squeal, and I brace my feet up on the dashboard. It's like being on a merry-go-round on crack. Everything spins – the trees, the sky, Micha. For a second, I shut my eyes and it feels like I'm flying. It takes me back to the night on the bridge. She said she could fly. The car straightens out and Micha floors the gas pedal. Like I predicted, Benny is having a harder time lining back up. By the time we're speeding up the road again, he's a small distance behind us. Micha punches the gas and shifts the car into a higher gear. The long front end of the GTO materializes through my window and Micha floors it, shooting me a look that lets me know I can tell him to slow down if I want. I don't. People flee to the side, panicking at our dangerous speed as we rip through the finish line. It isn't clear who the winner is or who's going to be able to get their car to stop in time, before crushing into The Hitch. Brakes shriek and dust swamps the windows. My body is thrown forward with the car's abrupt halt and I smack my head on the dashboard. Micha works to regain control of the wheel and straightens the car as it skids to a stop. Everything settles and the dust slowly clears. Micha and I stare out the windshield, breathing loudly, our eyes as wide as golf balls. The front bumper of the Chevelle is a sliver away from a very large tree. â€Å"Holy shit,† Micha whispers and looks at me, his eyes bulging. â€Å"Are you okay?† I lower my hand from the dashboard, my chest heaving with my breaths. Rubbing the bump on my head, I turn in my seat toward Micha. There is an eerie calm inside me and one of my worst fears becomes a reality. I'm an adrenaline junkie. Plain and simple, but I think it's how I've been all along. I just never admitted. I'm no longer in control. As I incline toward Micha, my heart flutters to life in my chest. My eyes shut and my lips brush his, gently tasting him. It feeds my hunger vaguely and I edge back, letting my eyes open. Micha is looking at me, his eyes pools of blue like the deep spots of the ocean hidden from the world. His hand comes up behind my head and he entices my lips back to his. Something snaps inside me, like a rubber band. With one swift movement, and the aid of my own willingness, Micha lifts me over the console and I straddle his lap, looping my arms around his neck. His hands burrow into my thighs and slip under my skirt onto my bare skin. My breath falters at the intimacy of his touch. No one has ever touched me like this before, without me running away. Usually, being this close to someone sends me into a room packed with self-doubt, panic, distrust, and unfamiliarity. My legs tense and Micha leans back. â€Å"Stay here, baby,† he whispers, like he can read my thoughts. â€Å"Trust me, okay? Don't run.† He waits for me to nod and then crashes his lips into mine, keeping his hands under my skirt. I arch my body into him, pressing my chest against his, and my nipples tingle. His tongue sensually plays with mine, tracing every spot on my mouth and my lips. My body starts to fill with a secret longing. Micha moves his mouth away from mine and my legs tremble in objection. He sucks a path of kisses down my jawline, moving to my neck and residing on my chest right above where my breast curves out of the top of my shirt. It sends a shock through my body and my legs uncontrollably tighten around him, my knees pressing into his sides. He lets out a slow, deep groan and his hand slides higher into my skirt as he guides me closer. I can feel him pressing in between my legs and it scares the shit out of me, but not enough to make me stop. It's like all the sexual tension I ran away from has sprung free all at once. My fingers sneak under the bottom of his shirt and trace along the outline of his lean muscles. I don't know where to stop or how to put the line back up. My mind is racing and I clutch onto his shoulders needing my control back. Someone bangs on the window. â€Å"Are you two having fun in there?† I jump back and my cheeks start to heat at the sight of Ethan and Lila staring at us through the window. In his black tee and jeans, Ethan blends in with the night, but his dark, insinuating smile glows. Lila's eyes are magnified and her jaw is hanging open. Micha does nothing to help the situation. A lazy grin spreads across his face as he watches me through hooded eyes, looking very pleased with himself. The adrenaline washes out of me and leaves a numb feeling in its place. I climb off his lap and straighten my skirt and hair before getting out of the car. I calmly walk around the back of the car and join Ethan and Lila. â€Å"So who won the race?† I ask, smoothing the last of the wrinkles out of my skirt. Ethan smirks at me. â€Å"Is that what you're really thinking about at the moment?† I stare at him blankly. â€Å"What else would I be thinking about?† Micha climbs out of the car, stretching his long legs. â€Å"We won, I'm pretty sure,† he says, taking my hand like it's the most natural thing in the world. â€Å"Although, I'm betting there's an argument going on about it.† Ethan nods agreeably and takes a sip of his soda. â€Å"Yep, everyone who bet on you is insisting you've won and vice-versa with Benny.† Micha interlaces our fingers. â€Å"So the same old, same old.† â€Å"You know how these things go.† Ethan pats Micha's shoulder sympathetically. â€Å"They're never going to come to a decision.† My hand is sweating in Micha's. He just cracked me open and my mind is racing with a billion thoughts. I can't do this with him. I can't crush him. I need to repaint the lines somehow. â€Å"We should just leave,† Micha says to me. â€Å"Let's not even give them the benefit of our argument.† â€Å"You want to drive out of here all suave?† I ask. â€Å"And make a grand exit?† Micha smiles and squeezes my hand. â€Å"A grand statement.† â€Å"Which would be?† â€Å"That we don't give a shit.† I let out a shaky breath and nod. â€Å"That sounds good to me.† â€Å"You want to meet up at the house?† he asks Ethan. â€Å"I'm sure we're going to have to do some tuning up on The Beast after what I just did.† Lila scrunches her nose and pops her gum. â€Å"The beast? Do I even want to know what that is?† Micha taps the car door with his free hand. â€Å"Yep, that's what I named it. Kind of like how you call your car your baby.† Lila laughs. â€Å"Oh, I get it. Although, I like my name better.† Micha traces his thumb along the palm of my hand. â€Å"Are you ready to go? Or do you want to go pick a fight with someone first.† I flash a panicked glance at Lila, who knits her eyebrows. â€Å"Maybe Lila and I should ride together. I haven't spent any time with her today.† â€Å"You've spent time with me every day for the last eight months,† she replies. â€Å"I think we're good for a few hours.† â€Å"I'll take care of her.† Ethan chucks the empty bottle of soda across the parking lot and it lands in the back of his truck. â€Å"Really, really good care of her.† Lila lets her blonde hair fall into her face to hide her blush. I've never seen her blush like that. What exactly have the two of them been up to tonight? Micha shakes his head at Ethan. â€Å"Be good.† Ethan rolls his eyes and then walks off with Lila toward his truck. Micha and I get into his car and I prepare myself to make a speech. Micha squeezes his eyes shut and holds his hand up. â€Å"Don't even say it. Just let it go for the night. Please. I need to just feel this.† The pain in his voice causes me to fasten my jaw shut. Opening his eyes, he starts up the car and we drive down the road. Micha waves to Benny as we pass and everyone's eyes follow us. Then the darkness takes over as we pull out onto the main road and the headlights light up the night like a tunnel that leads to the unknown.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Cancer and biopsies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cancer and biopsies - Essay Example Basically, cancer has been a major killer disease on the entire planet and therefore, it is interesting to study and provide information in this area so as to enable various individuals and professional gain. This will also assist in coming up with a collective responsibility in fighting the disease all over the world. It is therefore, necessary to provide the scientific and medical information regarding its causes, how it is spread, prevention and the future vision concerning its approach. Background information on cancer Cancer is a category of diseases that is characterized by out of growth of the body cells. In this case, cancer is classified according to the type of cell it originated from or the one that was priory affected. Cancer damages the body particularly when the damaged body cells continuously divide uncontrollably to form lumps of tissue known as tumors (Phelan, 2009). These structures grow and hinder the functioning of various body systems such as digestive, nervous, circulatory systems by releasing hormones. Cancer that affects human body is grouped into five classes that is, carcinomas, sarcomas, lymphomas, leukemia and adenomas. Development of cancer Mostly cancer is the ultimate result of body cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. This is different from normal cells in the body that follow an orderly path of growth, division and finally, death. The cells that emerge to cancer are those that come from a programmed cell thus when this process breaks down then it lead to cancer (Colditz and Hunter, 2000). Unlike regular cells; cancer cells do not encounter programmatic death but instead grow continuously out of control. This abnormal growth of cells results to a massive number of abnormal body cells. On the other hand, cells can undergo unusual enlargement in case there are damages or mutations caused to DNA. This can lead to the damaging of the genes involved in the cell division. The cell division process is enhanced by four key type s of gene: the ontogenesis that tells cells when to divide, the tumor suppressor genes that controls the cell when not to divide, suicide genes that manages or handles the apoptosis. Therefore, cancer results when a cell’s gene mutations hinders the cell from correcting DNA damage and unable to commit suicide (Phelan, 2009). Similarly, cancer is as a result of mutations that slow down tumor suppressor for gene function that causes the uncontrolled cell growth in the body. Cancer can also be caused by substances that contain carcinogens, carcinogens are substances that directly damage the DNA thus promoting or aiding cancer. Examples of carcinogens include: tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, and radiation such as gamma rays and x-rays, the sun and chemical compounds from the car exhaust fumes. When our bodies are exposed to these substances, free radicals are formed that obtain electrons from other molecules in the body. This free radicals damage cells and interfere with the normal f unctioning of the body cells. Consequently, genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members can also lead to cancer. There is high chance of an individual with certain natural genetic mutations or a fault on a particular gene that makes one have a high probability of developing cancer later in life (Tam, 2011). Moreover, there is an upsurge of possible mutations of the genes that causes cancer varies proportionally with age. This implies that as one grows old there are high chances that he or she can contact cancer. Conversely, several cancers have also been linked to

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Scientific Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Scientific Management - Essay Example When scientific management was still relevant, employees were offered the fiscal rewards only. This is because workers valued economic rewards during that time. However, most organizations increase their productivity by controlling all factors in the work places as well as maintaining the social health and development of the workers in today’s organizations (Lunenburg & Ornstein 2008, p. 5).Furthermore, this management approach is not applicable today because its principles are authoritarian. This is because they assumed that only managers were accountable for decision-making because organizations did not trust the employees’ competence in decision-making in the past. According to Taylor, the increase in the organizations’ productivity relied on the divisions between the workers and experts or managers. Additionally, he also believed that managers should always direct the workers. This method negatively influences the workers’ motivation and satisfaction i n the work places. The modern organizations increase their productivity by involving all the organization’s participants including the employees in the decision making process. This motivates the workers because it makes them feel worthy in the organization. Additionally, it makes them feel respected by the organizations. Such respected workers usually work to their highest potential because they become loyal to the organization. Moreover, the piece rate payment systems used in the scientific management is not effective today because organizations center.... This motivates the workers because it makes them feel worthy in the organization. Additionally, it makes them feel respected by the organizations. Such respected workers usually work to their highest potential because they become loyal to the organization. Moreover, the piece rate payment systems used in the scientific management is not effective today because organizations center on superiority rather than capacity to increase the customers’ satisfaction and the organizations’ competency. The piece rate payment makes it hard for organizations to cheer workers to focus on quality. This is because workers believed that focusing on the quality of work would make them get low rewards because it was time wasting. This is because they valued quantity and not quality (Sandra 2000, p. 3). Additionally, scientific management is not effective today because many organizations can easily access technology and information. The current market is very competitive, making it difficult to apply the scientific management principles. The modern organizations process very high inputs and employees are very connected with organizations. However, employees often worked in isolation with the business in the scientific management system. Workers do not currently depend on the managers for information because all the necessary facts are obtainable on the Internet. This enables businesses to operate on an international scale. This is because businesses can deliver goods to consumers within a short time unlike before. Additionally, manufacturing processes are advanced technologically. This makes it easier and faster for corporations to react to factors that may influence performance. Managers are acknowledging that they can

Computer Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Software - Essay Example The ultimate objective is to get ordinary persons to be able to use the computer for their requirements. The nature of software divides it into three portions - operating systems, languages and applications. The first of these is the operating system which sets down the laws for exchange of information between men and the machine. This is taken by users as being part of the machine and is generally seen by individuals when they first switch on their computers. In many cases, for individuals using a computer at home, this is Windows. Till the system becomes functional and the loading of Windows stops, the user will not be able to start using the machine. Anything that is typed by the operator before Windows is ready for taking instructions will only result in the computer just clogging up and stopping operations. At the same time, Windows is not the only possible operation for a computer, as it may also have "UNIX, Apple Mach, Ban, VMS, RS, OS2, Irix, AIX or HP-UX" among others. (Comp uter Software) However, the operating systems lead to files being written in particular languages, and thus it is difficult for information to be exchanged between computers which have different operating systems. This is very important today in view of the high usage of Internet and sending of mail across the world. That is made simpler as the language for sending information is generally Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Files in these languages are accepted by all operating systems so that communication is not interrupted. In the same machine also it is possible to have more than one language like having both Windows and Linux, though Windows does not recognize the existence of Linux as it is viewed as a competitor. The next question is of languages used for writing instructions for the operation of the computer. This is the language used by programmers so that the computer itself can translate their instructions to machine language for the operation of the computer. It is important to know that the operations of the computer are carried out in machine language and that is in the simple method of off or on. Off is viewed as zero, and on is viewed as 1. Thus 2 are written in machine language as 10, and three is written as 11, and four as 100. Similarly, there are also codes for the alphabets, and for every character, there are 16 bits or 32 bits being used now. This also results in large sizes for files in computers. One page of typed matter has a size of over 20,000 units of bits. This makes it essential that computers have large storage capacities, presently over 80 gigabytes or 80 trillion bytes. Coming back to the point that we were discussing, some common languages are "C, C++, FORTRAN, COBO L, Pascal, Perl and Java". (Computer Software) Presently, the language popular among programmers is Java, as the instructions in that language can be the shortest. However, the ultimate language for passing on all instructions to the computers is machine language, and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The future of medical care in the united states Essay

The future of medical care in the united states - Essay Example In this paper, the history of the healthcare law will be recalled, the changes brought to its benefactors, and the worthy Americans to receive such assistance. Also, a comparison will be made between ACA and the health reform offered by the Congressional Republicans and how suitable the democratic-socialist approach to the current health care act. An efficient health care system has long been a need of the people, as they become more aware of diseases which can harm their livelihood and health. The face of the medical care in the 1920’s is far too different from what most communities have today. Doctor’s knowledge about certain diseases was limited and therefore, charging their clients with a low cost (â€Å"How did the Health†). Most patients were treated at home with liniments and other traditional medicine. Blumberg & Davidson argue that the medical care in that era was â€Å"basically medieval,† until technology has changed the course of health care practice. Through technology, the doctors were able to acquire much information about illnesses and medications were made available for its treatment. This is good news for health clients and at the same time an additional burden in their budget management; higher efficiency means higher cost. The beginning of the twentieth century marked the blossoming of health care industry. The continuous expansion of medical, nursing and other health practitioner’s schools and the number of hospital beds served as the proof of this growth. However, the Great Depression of the 1930’s stopped this medical improvement. As a solution, Baylor Hospital in Dallas formulated a system where financial aid was available, which eventually became the Blue Cross, where the goal was to assist people in paying their hospital bills. This went hand in hand with the Blue Shield, where the interest and payment for the Doctors were safeguarded. Having known to the insurers that majority of the people back then

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Education in appalachia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education in appalachia - Research Paper Example Appalachia’s economic traditions were formed by coal: the ordinary laborer is employed to an occupation s/he believed would be for a lifetime and is prepared and educated on the job (Fisher, 1993). Unfortunately, these occupations do no longer exist. Hence, the Appalachian people are being mandated to acquire their education prior to entering the workforce. People are being obliged to complete some form of education if they plan to get a job in the future (Powell, 2008). But economic progress is also being hampered by the dominant condition of education in the rural communities of Appalachia. Course Outcomes Outcome One: Demographic and Socioeconomic Status As the disparity in rates of poverty between the country and Appalachia was closing over the recent decades, the Appalachian people were coping with other parts of the country in relation to numbers of high school graduates (Ziliak, 2007). According to Ziliak (2007, 1), completion rates in high school grew by 50% between 19 79 and 1999 (see Appendix A) in Appalachian Kentucky, and current studies show that these developments resulted in the remarkable progress in per capita individual income of Kentucky over the recent decades. ... aduates in Appalachian Pennsylvania may somewhat explain the lower rate of poverty in Appalachia, the more depressed numbers of college graduates there perhaps somewhat clarifies the reason Appalachia’s average level of income is lower relative to the country (Powell, 2008). Even though the figures mentioned here is entirely exploratory, it indicates that continuous disparities in levels of educational achievement imply continuous disparities in levels of income (Ziliak, 2007), and hence rates of poverty. Outcome Two: Factors Influencing Education in Appalachia Earlier studies have demonstrated that the effects of the community in the condition of education in Appalachia are usually more subtle than the influences of the family. This appears to be the case for educational achievement in Appalachia: parents’ educational attainment and family poverty affected behaviors of achievement later on, as the community ceased to do so (Powell, 2008). Still, even though different i n terms of degree of influence on educational attainment in Appalachia, the family and community remain to be the two strongest systems impacting Appalachian education. Education is in fact greatly valued in Appalachia; however, local allegiance and family are usually prioritized. If the family requires help from its young adult, education could be hastily stopped for the sake of family obligations (Edwards, Asbury & Cox, 2006). If a specific job or profession may only be performed away from the immediate community, the family could thwart its realization. Outcome Three: The Interaction between the Family, Community, and Education Attainment of educational goals necessitates significant amount of social support, determination, and resources, and these should be given on a continuous and reliable way

Monday, September 23, 2019

Target Marketing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Target Marketing - Term Paper Example Target marketing is not all about breaking a market into various small segments and attracting the attention of the marketers confining their focus on a few key sections of the market. The implication of target marketing suggests that various considerations should be taken into account with the purpose of identifying the customer groups who are to be targeted. It is worth mentioning that ‘Marketing’ is termed as the art of creating wants among people who gradually turns out as the potential customers of the product and/or services rendered. According to Smith (1956), segmentation of markets is focusing on customers with similar interest to that of the marketer, so that it becomes easier for the organization to develop beneficial communication and thus satisfy the customer need effectively. Target Marketing Approach Customers’ demand varies from one group to the other. Thus, the identification of these demands emerges to be quite challenging for the marketers imple menting the target marketing approach. After identifying customer demands, marketers develop the product and various marketing strategies to satisfy the demand of the particular customer group(s) targeted. Thus, target marketing helps the company to identify their most potential customers. With this concern, marketers tend to emphasise on various aspects of market and human psychology which define the satisfaction and demand of targeted customers. Furthermore, with the assistance of target marketing, strategies are developed to offer the products and/or services according to the customers’ demand which in turn boosts customer satisfaction. Therefore, target marketing assists the organisation to attain additional customer satisfaction rewarding higher loyalty and competitive advantages, although it initially deals with a concentrated group of customers (Smith, 1956). The motto of target marketing is to identify most viable segments focussing on which the organization can attra ct maximum number of customers and retain the valuable customers by satisfying their demands. It is in this context that target marketing can assist organisations in gaining sustainable growth (Bragg, 2005). The main reason for focusing on certain specific customer groups who have been targeted is to develop a marketing mix strategic alliance that can satisfy the customer needs in the best possible way. Marketing mix is so prepared that it supports the strategies of target marketing. Target marketing approach can be highly beneficial if marketing mix is prepared with great attention which also helps in enhancing the competency of the organisation to a large extent. Thus, supreme customer value is ought to be achieved with the benefits provided by the marketing mix which further can prove to be very crucial for target marketing approach (Bragg, 2005). It is worth mentioning that customers’ interests are given the maximum preference while preparing target marketing strategies. Marketers pay keen attention in selecting the target market. The process is initiated when marketing experts analyse different characteristics such as demographic and psychographic qualities possessed by the potential customers. Demographic analysis consists of age, geographic location, gender, earning capacity, education level and relationship status that can influence the demand of the customers. Similarly, psychographic analysis includes offering price of the products; convenience provided by the product, how safe the product can prove to be, availability of the product i.e. how far the customers need to travel to make the product available and so on which defined the satisfaction level of the customers (Restrepo, 2008). Target

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Signal Cable Company Essay Example for Free

Signal Cable Company Essay Case 1: Signal cable company 1. Why has the stock price fallen despite the fact that the net income has increased? Ans: The stock price for Signal Cable company could have fallen for a variety of reasons. Stock price is influenced by the performance of the company, investor expectations as well as general market/economic conditions. In the case of Signal, it is clear that the stock price fell despite an increase in the net income. This could be possibly because the company might have made incorrect investment decisions by investing in two manufacturing plants as well tying up more money in inventory. Shareholders may not be happy with this decision and consequently the demand for the stock may have decreased causing a drop in price. In addition, the dividends offered by the firm has increased in 2004 from 0.187$ per share to 0.214$ per share. Once again, this could be indicative to the market of the company being uncertain of what to do with their resources and not having enough attractive investments to pursue. 2. How liquid would you say that this company is? Calculate the absolute liquidity of the firm. How does it compare with the previous year’s liquidity position? Ans: Short term solvency or the liquidity of a firm can be measured using the liquidity ratios. This is a measure of short term liquidity helping assess the sufficiency of current assets to meet current liabilities. The ratios include: i) Current Ratio: 2003= 2.50 2013= 2.06. The current ratio of the firm has decreased between the last 2 years. This is mainly driven by a huge increase in the inventory held by Signal Cable Company as well as an increase in the accounts receivables. This could be because creditors are not paying on or delays on the banking side. ii) Quick Ratio: 2004= 0.608

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Individual Critical Reflection On Learning Outcomes Marketing Essay

Individual Critical Reflection On Learning Outcomes Marketing Essay Tag Games is formed in 2006 as an independent game development studio and publisher by 3 game manufacturer veterans eager to bring new experiences to mobile gaming primarily, and then to further platforms. The 1st heading Dead Water was launched on J2ME mobile phones in Sept 2006 to extensive very important praise. Since then the studio has developed a desirable status for modernization and excellence, structure strategic partnerships with several main games developers and development studios all around the world. Having achieved success in the beginning period 2007 Tag raised seed deal from successive Scottish technology industrialist Bill Dobbie and they funded in middle of 2007 to enlarge manufacture ability and to allow a more hostile move toward the licensing and publication activity. Tag Games was featured as no.23 in the 02/ Real business 50 in 2007 to watch in Mobile listing, a greeting acknowledgment of the excellence of the studios games and potential of the business strategy. Marketing Plan for Back on the saddle game. Most of the mobile games developers develop the games basing on the news events. Marketing plan illustrates the market segments and strategies, which we are employing to get customers and create good revenue stream. We always develop the games with real life twist, which always give advantage over our competitors by giving customers a new outlet to enjoy mobile games. We will fund development of our own game by providing consulting services to create similar games for corporations who are looking to create mobile games for promotional purposes. The consulting project will come from advertising sponsorship relationships that we will establish with companies who are interested in embedding their brand and offers inside our other games and would also like something more custom that they can offer as their own game. In first few years of the business, we expect consulting to constitute a large portion of our revenue stream. Vision Our Vision is to provide people with a fun over the course of their normal day. We create games that are easy to play. We develop games basing on the real life situations and on life styles of different country people. This unique feature always helps us in winning the customers. We also help the customers in understanding the various cultures. Our software development team is experienced to create timely games quickly. Our marketing challenge is to attract visibility quickly and we intend to accomplish this by leveraging a multi-pronged approach that involves social media, email marketing and search engine optimization strategies to gain market share. As we gain traction in the marketplace, word of mouth will lift our game downloads significantly Goals Boost sales by 100% by the end of year 1. To be a mile stone in traditional game development within two years. To set up reliability among the clients. Our goal is to establish a reputation for games that poke fun at what many would consider humorous actions by well-known people. Our aim is to create the most innovative and fun casual games in the whole wide world! Target Customers Ideal customers is between the ages of 15 and 25 who enjoys playing video games and has a mobile phone that allows applications to be downloaded, such as the moderate to high end mobile phones. Customers usually have play station or TV-based video game unit at home. Some of the even have a portable gaming unit such as the DS/DSI and other portable gadgets. Most of the customers have access to a home computer, pc or Mac. Most of the customers are teenagers living at home, others are college students or who have joined the workforce in the last 6 years. They have a wide range of disposable income. Market Definition and Segmentation We target two segments: Mobile game users. Organizations that want to reach them. In the above segments, customers enjoy creative experiences and computer and mobile phone savvy. Free mobile games: Some features of free versions are disabled and advertising is displayed in some strategic locations within the game so that users are not bothered or distracted by the ads. For example, a shoes company pays for a sponsorship and we might embed their name as a tappable billboard that appears as if it is part of the game itself. We offer trail versions of our games for free so that users can get a taste of the full game without committing any money up front. Paid mobiles games: Paid mobile games contain a broader set of features. The price was fixed to create very low price resistance for customers. Games are accessible via instant download on their mobile platforms. Paid games are monetized via clickable ad sponsorships embedded within the games. Organizations that want to reach youth: There are customers who purchases custom mobile game development services. Their intent is to promote their brand and products to the demographic that overlaps with mobile game users. Target Market Segment Strategy: Strategies focus on developing an initial set of libraries containing game attributes that can be combined to create new games. After launching the game, we will stay in regular contact with our customers via numerous online methods, including social media and email marketing. After creating these libraries and games, we will be able to market fast-turnaround consulting services to organizations who would like their own promotional games. Target Mobile Game Users: Our mobile games have a timely connection to current news events. Due to which we release new games basing on previous and present news. For example, we created a cow boy character in back to the saddle game. And we create the new versions considering the latest political scandals, celebrity comments. The mobile game users enjoy interacting with games that give them a sense of power and excitement, allowing them in some way to live vicariously through the game. Most of our games are help in increasing the users concentration levels. Needs and Requirements: Mobile games users always get tired quickly and are constantly looking for new games to play. We target the news media so they discuss games related to the stories they are covering. Our target stories are taken from all around the World. Generally teens get money from their parents to purchase games, which can be from low paying jobs or allowances. Teens also have limited financial capacity yet choose to spend part of their disposable income on game as one of their sources of entertainment. Most of the mobile users have limited financial capacity. Customers always talk to each other about which games they enjoy, including strategies for playing and winning. They also participate in online forums and discussion group to gather tips and other information to help them play or to find new challenges. Most of the customers enjoy being listed as the high score when there is a public setting available for players. We intend to offer this public setting by allowing the customer to upload their score to our web site for each game. The highest scores will be posted, giving the player worldwide bragging rights. As a result, the word of mouth potential for timely games is explosive. We emphasize more on focusing on creativity along with spectacular service and speed of development for our consulting clients. It is important for us to get to market quickly in order to capitalize on the news event that is associated with game. The longer the delay between game conception and game release, the less the penetration of that game. Distribution Channels: Approaching senior marketing executives is typically done through a variety of means. Our finances and resources are limited, so we need to manage them effectively. We focus on two aspects: Advertising Networking The advertising will primarily be online via search engine ads so we see the results within days instead of not knowing whether a print ad has effect. We have identified 4 trade shows and 3 conferences that these executives typically attend over the course of a year. Part of our marketing plan is to attend these events to network with these potential buyers. We also will submit response to calls for papers to be speakers at some of the events when possible. Blackberry applications are controlled by Blackberry through Blackberry App world. Their users tend to be older and more focused on business uses for their mobile devices. Because of this, we will not focus our initial efforts on Blackberry. However, we do have the expertise to build Blackberry applications and will create custom games for this device for consulting clients who would like them. iphone games are distributed through the Appstore which is currently controlled by Apple. One of the obstacles we have to overcome is the speed with which apple approves applications for downloading, which will be important for us since our games have a time sensitive nature to them as they will be popular as long as a new story is in circulation. Googles Android offers an open source model so they will likely surpass the iphone in the number of applications available soon. This also eliminates the need for review and allows us to post new applications quickly. As more applications come out for this device, it will gain market share. We want to be positioned so that we provide excellent games for the community. Competitive Forces: There are many mobile game developers. Most games are developed by one person who does not have the marketing savvy to integrate advertising sponsorships into their games as we have outlined in this marketing plan. Our unique twists on the type of the games is also an advantage because we will not have to spend as much time and energy thinking of the game themes. The news of the day will provide that folders so our efforts can be concentrated on developing that real-life story into a game. There are many software developers targeting organizations to build custom games. Some are developing games overseas at lower cost. Even some larger domestic companies outsource portions of their game development. In order to keep up with pricing pressures, we have established ties with one overseas organization to help us with game development as we release new games and create the component libraries. Communications: We leverage word of mouth and social media for the vast majority of our marketing using platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Orkut. These platforms are widely used by the customers in our demographic market. We will make announcements via regular tweets and updates to our fan page on Facebook. We also use email marketing list which is comprised of people who have expressed interest in knowing when we release new games. We have segmented our email list so that we can send appropriate emails to media and different ones to actual gamers, our customers. We also develop an online ad campaign with landing pages containing lead generation forms that visitors can fill out to get whitepapers on using mobile gaming to attract customers. We also network at major trade shows and conferences, including obtaining engagements where we can discuss case studies to expose our concepts and strategies to the right level of buyer. Each game will contain a link to our web site where users can find out about more games and subscribe to our email list and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. To help promote games via word of mouth, each game has the option to notify a friend. So, a user can send a text message to a friend instantly to share their excitement or recommendation about the game. Budget: Marketing expenses are mostly for staff required to do the marketing activities listed. The vast majority of the software tools needed to implement the activities, such as analytics and landing page creation, are available for free. The exceptions to this are for specific tools like email marketing and forums. We do not expect an increase in marketing staff requirements during year 1 because one person can actually do a lot of these activities. Once they have put marketing plan processes into place, the marketing activities upkeep becomes easier and can handle by junior staff. Below is breakdown of marketing expenses by month for year 1. Keys to Success: Many companies leveraged the power of mobile games to reach their market, however we will show case studies which is the primary key to success. This can be tracked using metrics such as the number of times a gamer clicked on an ad embed into a game, the number of times a custom game was downloaded or an increase in sales of the product being promoted. Success can also be tracked by industry buzz. For example, fast food chain burger king created a Facebook application that allowed users to earn points for unfriending one of their friends. This application would show the image of the friend burning. Upon burning 10 friends, the user would be entitled to a free burger. This application spread very quickly and quite a few Facebook users enjoyed participating. This campaign did two things: generated traffic into restaurants and generated a tremendous amount of media buzz. It cost significantly less than a paid advertising campaign involving television time purchases. Our posting to social media sites will include a trackable link so we know how many people click on each post. Using online tools like link redirectors. We can also see how many readers repost or forward such links. We will also include trackable links within our email marketing messages. People who want more information about the game will be directed to landing pages, which are web pages that contain more information about the game, which includes details about the game and the links to download the game. These landing pages will be optimized for search engines so that when internet user search on various keywords, our pages will rank highly in their search results. The usage of online analytics tools helps to enable to see how many people click on various links in our media campaigns to go to the landing pages and how many clicks to download each game. On the other hand, online clicks cannot track users who use their mobile phones to download the apps directly, which may comprise the bulk of our downloads. For those, tracking of downloads is provided by the platform such as Appstore. We estimate that one of every ten people who visit the landing page or see a tweet or Facebook post will download a game. The average sale price estimated based on paid downloads as well as sales of advertising sponsorships and custom game development. Sales Forecast: Sales forecast is a difficult area of management. We have three sources for sales: Custom games development: This will be consulting projects to develop promotional games. Game downloads: This includes free and paid downloads. The free downloads are monetized from embedded advertising sponsorships. Embedded advertising sponsorships: ads embedded in both free and paid games. Sales Monitoring: Sales must be constantly monitored to ensure that targets are being reached and revenue is being generated. The best way to do this is by comparing sales against pre-determined targets which we have. The revenue generated from sale should also be tracked against the companys budget. Â  Sale achieved should be reported on a regular basis so monitoring can take place. It is sometimes not always obvious when a deal has been closed, so a reporting template to record sales may be helpful in this process. This template can also capture prospects that are being worked on so there is overall view of the sales pipeline. In monitoring Process, it is good to understand why a sale has been successful, and why a sale was not made. This can help us readjust our approach or learn about competitors so that the sale can be won the next time. Progress Monitoring: We created a variety of key metrics that will measure on a regular basis, to make sure we are on the track. These require many adjustments and fine tuning as we progress. INDIVIDUAL CRITICAL REFLECTION ON LEARNING OUTCOMES The Tag Games Company sets forth a clear mission statement that is outlined with three major principals in mind that outline the companys values and motivates its employees. Their mission statement is divided into two parts: Product mission Economic mission Social mission Further defines the companys outlook on how they should impact the world. By using clear energizing goals and communicative goals, the mission statement of Tag Games provides a motivating ideal that its employees can strive for. The Tag Games Company has a mission statement that motivates its employees to want to produce a good product. The Tag Games mission statement is divided into three subsections that make it simpler to see what the overall goal is. The subsections are product, economic and social missions. Each area addresses energizing goals as well as communicative goals to provide a clear and motivating mission statement. Energizing goals state the intent of the company and what goals the organization would like to achieve. Under the product mission, it is stated that their goal is to make, distribute and sell the finest thought provoking games. This is the primary mission of Tag Games because they are in the business of selling games. It is also the first subsection in their mission statement, they are saying that this is who we are and this is what we do. Tag Games is a games company, so the first line makes sense because it simply states what the primary goal of the company is to make games. Along with this line, there are more lines about serving the society and using the morals. These statements add a sort of validity to the business of making Games. These statements add a sort of validity to the business of creating games. Employees reading this might feel like they are doing the world a service by working for Tag Games. These sorts of statements are designed to make the employees feel like they are making a better product, better for the people who play the game and better for the rest of the world too. A portion of people that work for Tag Games as well as a portion of their customers base will place great importance on the companys outlook on the style and creativity of the games. The goals in the first paragraph are clear organizational goals and will make some of the employees that work there feels good about working there. The next portion of their mission statement goes into their economic mission. The economic mission states that part of their mission is to expand opportunities for development and growth for their employees. This is a sort of communicative goal. By making expansion a part of their economic mission for the purpose of providing opportunity, it becomes in the interest of all employees to work hard for expansion. By adding this section into their mission statement, Tag Games is communicating to every employee that it is their duty to help expand the business to create even more opportunity for current and future employees. Every employ gains from the economic mission includes increasing revenue for investors and making profit. Most companies will include profit making for investors and increasing revenue because stating this in the mission statement can attract investors. The final area that is included in their mission statement is the social mission that Tag Games has outlined for its organization. They state that because business plays a vital role in society that they should initiate ways to improve conditions locally, nationally and internationally. This paragraph basically outlines how to be a good citizen or neighbor within the community. A certain portion of the employee population will feel inspired by this portion of the mission statement and get increased job satisfaction from working at Tag Games. Working in the community and coexisting with neighbors is good for the company as well as being good for the employees. When the whole picture is put together, the values that Tag Games is trying to push in their mission statement is clear. Respect for nature, helping one another and being good neighbors to each other sums up the Tag Games mission statement. Their mission statement is very idyllic, but it is a good idea that many people would take to heart. The mission statement of Tag Games sets the tone for all employees and creates a positive impression of their company. The employees of Tag Games are probably very motivated to work for a company that has so much social conscientiousness and basic love for fellow man. It is definitely a feel good kind of mission statement. I always felt that marketing play a major role in promoting a product. However I never had a clear picture of importance of growth of the company and values. Tag Games, successful employment relations has seen the company become a leader within the gaming and development industry. Marketing and employment relations are equally important aspects to the successful operation of all businesses, through correct marketing businesses can expect to grow and expand, both in size and profitability. Tag games have employed a range of strategies to accomplish its aims and become a more competitive player within the aviation industry. With the development of new game, individual strategies will need to be used to help the business succeed. Role of marketing in the growth of the company The role of marketing is to connect the business with its target market. Marketing is the major link between the business and its customers. As the market changes and becomes more competitive, the business needs to know and understand its target market so it can provide better service to its customers. Successful marketing will identify customers needs, and then, plan price, promote and distribute the products and service that will satisfy these needs. This way the business goals of increased profit and greater share of the market can be achieved. But continually researching customers and monitoring the business environment, marketing provides the information the business needs in order to change direction on adjust its tactics by providing new product or changing existing products. The objectives and strategies of the marketing plan are used to determine the plans of the other functions such as operations, employment relations, and accounting and finance. Management has recognized t he role of marketing in business success and so continually researches its market and modifies its marketing strategies to meet customer needs and wants. Setting Marketing Objectives The next step in the marketing planning process is setting the marketing objectives. The objectives establishes in the business plan will be the guide for the marketing objectives. Tag Games main objective is to make a profit, both in the current and long terms. The overall goal is to provide a satisfactory return to investors and to generate enough profit in reserve to fund growth and the development of the new games. Tag Games main objective is to sell its games at affordable prices that will ensure enough demand to sustain its profit objectives. However there are other objectives, Such as increase sales, increase customer service, decrease operating costs, increase market share. Planning Planning is essential for successful marketing. In order to carry out the marketing program, a business needs a plan that will help it to achieve its objectives. For each business marketing plan is going to be different depending on the size and nature of the business. The marketing plan involves 5 stages these includes: Marketing mix As the gaming industry has become more competitive, the competitors have focused on product planning. Tag Games designs products to be attractive and hold customers from a particular market segment and to do so profitably. This means using its detailed understanding of the needs and requirements of its different market segments. Such understanding is acquired through market research. In gaming industry customer always get bored after completing the levels in the game. They always want something new which is not present in the market. To achieve this Tag Games always comes with creative ideas to develop new games. Price is an important element in any marketing plan. Strategies for promotion the new game. Image of Tag Games in the society. Advertising Sales promotion Strategies of Marketing A business can use a number of different strategies to reach the same objective, and a combination of different strategies can be used. Whichever strategies are used they must meet a number of basic points. Meet the objectives of the business and marketing plans Satisfy the needs of the target markets Work together in achieving marketing objectives. Tag Games uses market segmentation to better meet the needs of all its customers, to compete more effectively, and to attain financial goals more readily. Tag Games is launching new game called Back on the saddle which is targeting on youth and teenagers. Positioning is the image that Tag Games projects in relation to its competitors. Tag Games brings attention to its games by using a variety of positioning strategies. Situational Analysis The situational analysis looks at the market n terms of size and growth, needs of the target market and trends in buyer behavior. The performance of the products or service in terms of sales, profit margins and stage in the product lifecycle are examined. Major competitors are identified and analyzed in terms of marketing and stage in the product lifecycle is examined. Major competitors are identified and analyzed in terms of marketing strategies. A major part of such as market share, loyal customers, level of customer satisfaction and product quality. Marketing Plan Implementation Process of implementing Tag Games marketing plan into action. The marketing department of TagGames continually monitors, controls and adjusts its marketing activities using the following tools; Comparing actual and planned results using a number of tools. Revising market strategies and taking corrective action where appropriate. Developing a financial forecast of revenue using models, past sales data, executive judgment and surveys of customer trends. It then estimates costs such as market research cost, promotion costs. Tag Games marketing plan and strategies are effective because of the following: Focus on market research. Identify and satisfy customer needs. Encourage new product development. Comprehensive marketing plan and strategies. Apart from these, working on various projects has given me varied experience on the basis of which I have decided that marketing is where I would like to base my future. A career in marketing would give me an opportunity to work across boundaries of industry definitions with a number of industries ranging from consumer goods to innovative communication and high tech markets. The project helped me gain exposure, insight, knowledge and hands-on experience with time environment. The Project also helped me in understanding consumer buying behavior entails marketing, relationships, and consumer behavior. Consumer behavior comprises all the consumer decisions and activities connected with the choosing, buying, using and disposing of goods and services. I learned that marketers must pay very close attention to consumer behavior that occurs before the purchase and after the particular product has been used. Studying consumer habits is one of the steps in marketing search and analysis. In add ition to other basic principles of consumer buying habits, marketers also need to study the decision and actions of real people. If companies does not have the correct or necessary information about the competitors and market, bad business decisions occur, leading to companies not making marketing decisions without knowing specific details about their customers. I have understood and learned the planning and implementing marketing promotions to capture the market, within given budget constraints. And various methods of approaching companies marketing head for contracts or business deals. The bottom line of my experience is, every business is to attract customers continuously. It takes more than a good product or service; it takes serious planning and committed people working the plan.

Friday, September 20, 2019

History, Language and Post-colonial Issues in Brian Friel’s Translations :: Essays Papers

History, Language and Post-colonial Issues in Brian Friel’s Translations Owen: Back to first principles. What are we trying to do? Yolland: Good question. Owen: We are trying to denominate and at the same time describe . . . † Dun na nGall or Donegal? Muineachain or Monaghan? Same place, same difference? As Owen says about his own name: â€Å"Owen - Roland - what the hell. It’s only a name.† ( Translations ) For the student of post-colonial literature, what transpires in Friel’s play as the British army proceed to map this particular corner of the empire is that like language itself, it is not so much the naming and the changing of names but what that signifies and what those names signify in a particular context, coming from a particular mouth. A simple post-colonial reading could view such events as a violation of geographic space: â€Å"Imperialism after all is an act of geographical violence through which virtually every space in the world is explored, charted, and finally brought under control.† (Said, 10), and an appropriation and subversion of identity. What makes Friel’s play so rich is the way his dialogue plays with the subtle antinomies and nuances of the situation. Can one identify a coherent imperial project, a desire to exterminate subversive Gaelic or is it the inevitable pragmatic impulse of commerce and laissez-faire economics? The practicalities of day-to-day existence are clear in Maire’s desire to learn English so she can work in America. Owen exemplifies engagement with the colonial centre in contrast to his brother, Manus. However, when the play has taken it’s tragic turn it is Owen who suffers ignominy at the command of Lancey who orders him, â€Å"Do your job - translate.† (Act 3) The translations acquire the bitter taste of complicity, betrayal and shame in Owen’s mouth. Owen also serves, potentially, as ‘mimic-man’ in his role as servant of the empire - one who, â€Å" . . .simultaneously reinforces colonial authority and disturbs it.†(Sharpe) His final exit, to find Doalty - be it to help him or hinder him - as a Yeatsian ‘man of action’, potentiates this aspect of the theoretical type. His blend of pragmatism and willingness to engage mark him as, in Saidian terms, a potentially liberating force. Manus in this binarism represents Said’s first stage of Nationalism. Jose Rabasa, in ‘Allegories of Atlas’, discusses the significance of the map in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Functioning as a mirror of the world it offers a conception of ‘a reality’, â€Å" .

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Noughts and Crosses Essay -- essays research papers

Noughts and Crosses ‘Noughts and Crosses† by Malorie Blackman is a novel which follows the lives and experiences of two characters, Callum and Sephy. Throughout the book Blackman deals with a number of issues including relationships, alcohol abuse, power abuse, depression and violence. However, the key issues of the book are racism and prejudice. These issues of racism and prejudice are conveyed through the narrative techniques of characterization, point of view, language, structure and setting. The author uses language as a tool to show the characters’ status in society as black or white. Various language techniques are used to display the classes of society. The words â€Å"blanker† (used by blacks to describe whites) and â€Å"dagger† (used by whites to describe blacks) are used repeatedly throughout the novel. This use of language reflects the intolerant attitudes towards one another in Blackman’s radical world. There is a significant amount of symbolism used in these words. â€Å"Blanker† is used to describe a blank, worthless, brainless white person. And â€Å"dagger† is used to depict a weapon that is capable of scratching and severing, reducing and disconnecting a person, or even bringing them to an end completely. â€Å" I bet it was one of her blanker friends, they’re blank by name and blank by nature†. Through the difference of educated, formal language used by Crosses and the sometimes tasteless, simple lang uage of the noughts, the reader can see the grades in which noughts and Crosses are separately classed. Through this technique I believe Blackman is trying to show the extent to which racism can affect people. It can lessen, degrade and have heavy social affects on a person proving where they belong and what they will never be. The language is also used to emphasize the feelings and emotions of Callum and Sephy. The use of descriptive writing is employed by Blackman to give the reader insight into the effects and emotions of racism. â€Å"I was talking like my mouth was full of stones – and sharp jagged ones at that.† The book is full of descriptive writing and figurative language with use of similes and metaphors to explore the feelings of Callum and Sephy. The way in which Blackman uses these language techniques influences the reader to especially pity the white race and the way they are treated in the book. Blackman has created her own world to resemble our own op... ...fective in presenting both sides of their story accenting the differences in life standards, opportunities and rights. However Callum’s despair still affects Sephy, even when you are the wealthy daughter of a respected politician, Sephy will never be happy until she can be with Callum in an equal society. I think the authors values and attitudes are clearly shown through Sephy’s unhappiness. Blackman believes love and family to be more important than business, material goods, money and skin colour. Noughts and Crosses is an in depth story which explores the issues of racism and prejudice and the effects they can have on society. Blackman has created a world of her own in complete contrast to the society we live in. By doing this she has impacted her readers, challenged our contexts and allowed the reader insight into the effects of racism and the suffering it can cause. Blackman has effectively used a range of narrative techniques to bring her world to life giving the white reader a taste of the discrimination blacks have suffered for centuries, provoking feelings of empathy and understanding. By turning the world upside down, Blackman makes her readers see things more clearly.