Customer Lifetime Value in Movie Business Essay

Unlike other industries, the marketing scenario in media and entertainment industry such as movie or music business are more unpredictable and unstable. In terms of movie industry, which differs from typical product category, nevertheless, provides a variety of interesting multiple-genres products serving different audience herds for entertainment. The diffusion is quite rapid and the product life shell is extremely short, even though reversioning or rerunning might take place. Correspondingly, the customer lifetime value is relatively low and difficult to estimate. The brand loyalty doesn’t make too much sense in this area whatever giant movie studios or indie films, the audience goes for a movie based on their personal preference or word-of –mouth communications (both online and offline). Thus a lot of customer churn happen in movie industry and â€Å"nobody knows anything† theory occupies, which leads to a unstable and insignificant retention rate. As a result, we cannot utilize the formulation II regarding retention rates in book to estimate CLV here. Instead, if we use the first formulation, a series of hypothetical figures are required. Based on database from NATO(National Association of Theater Owners), the average customer goes for movie 5 times a year. A movie fan maybe watch film every week. The average ticket price per year is around $7.5. However, the variable cost for ticketing and acquisition cost per cost are unknown. However, the concept of CLV still of great significance to movie industry that 1) It comes up with the concept of customer segmentation. We should treat different customers differently. For instance, to implement rewarding incentives or promotion to retain those diehard moviegoers that value much to the business. It is also an effective method to gathering audiences’ information and data. 2) Multiple marketing strategies are required to promote a single product( one movie) and maximize the profitable value. Besides, the entertainment industry should try to embrace the â€Å"free† model in the digital time, for instance, to create spin-off products related to the movies as another revenue stream.

A Civil Action/ Irac Style Format

A Civil Action FACTS: This movie, A Civil Action, is about a lawsuit that began with the death of twelve people, and eight of those twelve people were children. This all takes place in the little city of Woburn Wells, Massachusetts. This is a small city that has two companies that are located really close to the cities river. One company is called W. R. Grace Company and the other is Beatrice Foods. Jan Schlitnmann is the main attorney for the plaintiff’s side along with his partners; Conway, Gordon, and Crowley. The attorney for W. R. Grace was William Cheeseman, and the attorney for Beatrice foods was Jerome Fatcher. Anne Anderson initially told one of Jan’s partners her story and put many calls into their office. However, she never a response from them! So Anne put a call into Jan Schlitchmann while he was on a radio show. Jan and his partners discussed the case and Jan agreed to go and meet with Anne and the family member’s of the children who died from Leukemia. So he went to the city of Woburn Wells. Jan saw the companies W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods and thought it would be a goldmine for the law office to take on the case. Anderson told Jan that she and the other families were not looking for money in this lawsuit. The families only wanted an apology from the companies and for someone to clean up the area and make sure it would not ever happen again. The drinking water that the town had been drinking was the problem. The water had somehow been contaminated with trichloroethylene and silicon (used to water proof leather). Jan was going to prove in court that W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods knowingly contaminated the river that was located in Woburn Wells and by contaminating the river it caused twelve people to die from leukemia. ISSUES: Did the drinking water that was contaminated with Trichloroethylene and silicon, by W. R. Grace Company and Beatrice Foods, cause the leukemia deaths and other health problems in Woburn, Massachusetts? LAW: Negligence:   is a  legal  concept in the  common law  legal systems mostly applied in tort cases to achieve monetary compensation (damages) for physical and mental injuries Wrongful Death: is a claim in common law jurisdictions against a person who can be held liable for a death DISCUSSION: Big corporations generally only see things with dollar signs. The goal of any corporation is to make the maximum profit that they can while providing a good or service to the community. W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods show this statement to be true throughout this whole movie. They are continuously trying to make this â€Å"issue† go away by throwing money at the family members, trying to make the suit go away and not fix the real problem. W. R. Grace Company decided that the best place to dump the T. C. E. was in the river behind the plant. This had major effects on everyone that was in close proximity to the river. It got into the drinking water, which was said to have caused 12 deaths, the reason of some miscarriages, and seizures among other health conditions, from what the claims are that is. The company tried to cover up this kind of thing as much as possible by buying people off. They think that if they give people money for their losses than everything will be alright. For huge corporations dealing with billions of dollars these payoffs are only a drop in the bucket for them. Even a million dollars to any family is an incredible amount of money and often the money becomes more important than the real issues behind the problem and can't be passed up by a family struggling to get by. The benefits of paying these people for their trouble are much cheaper than doing things the right way in the beginning and protecting their safety. Well, the families of Woburn Wells wanted no part of the money. They just wanted the problem fixed and an apology from the ones who caused this tragedy. Jan Schlichtmann initially didn't want to take the case because he doesn't think that there will be any money in it for him and his firm. Even though he goes and sees how much pain this company has caused to the people in Woburn Wells, he still doesn't care because of the money. Not until he realizes how big the companies are does he take the case. The firm took the case and went to work. The first hearing ruled that Beatrice Foods wasn’t to be held accountable, just W. R. Grace Company, There were many scientific and complex tests that had to be run in order to prove that the water was contaminated by W. R. Grace. This was all at the cost of Schlichtmann’s firm. As the case goes on he isn't able to achieve what he ultimately wanted to do because the Grace Company has so much money that they will almost always win. Schlichtmann’s firm goes into debt trying to win this case but ultimately has to settle because they can't go on. Schlichtmann ended up settling with W. R. Grace for 8 million dollars. After all debts are paid (all of the equipment that was rented, the Dr. ’s that ran the tests, the scientist’s, etc. and the fee for Schlichtmann’s firm, the families were awarded $357,000 per family! This made the families very upset. Not because of the amount of the money, but because when Anne Anderson initially spoke with Schlichtmann, she had told him that the families weren’t interested in the money. All the families ultimately wanted was were apologies, someone to take the blame for the cause of their loved ones deaths, and for the contaminated water and area to be cleaned up so this type of thing were to never happen again. After that final meeting with the families, Jan Schlichtmann and his partners all ended up all going their separate ways. Schlichtmann had a â€Å"come to† one day. He ended up questioning one of the workers of W. R. Grace once again, who told him the whole story regarding the disposal of the chemical waste. He told Schlichtmann how and where they got rid of everything, which was in the river behind the plant. This was negligent on the companies’ part. Schlichtmann didn’t have the money for the appeal process, so he sent everything he had to another lawyer. This case went on for years. In the end, the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) filed a lawsuit against W. R. Grace and the companies agreed to share 69. 4 million for cleanup of the area. CONCLUSION: Did the drinking water that was contaminated with Trichloroethylene and silicon, by W. R. Grace Company and Beatrice Foods, cause the leukemia deaths and other health issues in Woburn, Massachusetts? Yes An employee of W. R. Grace was confronted by Jan after the trial was over with, who came clean about the whole cover up. He was told to â€Å"get rid† of the barrels that were filled with the toxins, which he did along with several others. They dumped the hundreds of barrels into the river which was one of the main sources of water in the city. There was an autopsy on one of the children’s bodies. The Dr. onfirmed that the child died from leukemia which was caused by Trichloroethylene. After many scientific tests and many years in the courtroom, both W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods were found guilty for the contamination of the river in Woburn Wells, which was linked to the drinking water and the cause of the leukemia deaths. This toxin, T. C. E. , was found to be in the drinking water of the city, and was digested by the children on a regular basis. The wrongful deaths of the 12 individuals in the city lay in the hands of both W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods. It was their duty of care to dispose of the chemicals in an appropriate manner.

Spirit Bound Chapter Nine

ROBERT DORU WAS EASY TO SPOT. It wasn't because he looked like Victor. It wasn't even because of any dramatic running-toward-each-other reunion type thing between him and his brother. Rather, it was Lissa's mind that tipped me off. I saw Robert through her eyes, the golden aura of a spirit user lighting up his corner of the restaurant like a star. It caught her by surprise, and she stumbled briefly. Spirit users were too rare a sight for her to be fully used to them. Seeing auras was something she could tune in or out, and just before â€Å"turning his off,† she noted that even though his had the brilliant gold she saw in Adrian, there was also a feel of instability to it. Sparks of other colors flashed there too, but they trembled and flickered. She wondered if it was a mark of spirit's insanity setting in. His eyes lit up as Victor approached the table, but the two didn't hug or touch. Victor simply sat down beside his brother. The rest of us stood there awkwardly for a moment. The whole situation was too weird. But it was the reason we'd come, and after several more seconds, my friends and I joined the brothers at the table. â€Å"Victor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  breathed Robert, eyes wide. Robert might have had some of the Dashkov facial features, but his eyes were brown, not green. His hands toyed with a napkin. â€Å"I can't believe it†¦. I've wanted to see you for so long†¦.† Victor's voice was gentle, as it had been on the phone, as if he were talking to a child. â€Å"I know, Robert. I missed you too.† â€Å"Are you staying? Can you come back and stay with me?† Part of me wanted to snap that that was a ridiculous idea, but the desperation in Robert's voice sparked a tiny bit of pity in me. I remained silent, simply watching the drama before me unfold. â€Å"I'd hide you. It'd be great. Just the two of us.† Victor hesitated. He wasn't stupid. Despite my vague claims on the plane, he knew the odds of me letting him go were nonexistent. â€Å"I don't know,† he said quietly. â€Å"I don't know.† The waiter's arrival jolted us out of our haze, and we all ordered drinks. Adrian ordered a gin and tonic and wasn't even carded. I wasn't sure if it was because he looked twenty-one or was convincing enough with spirit. Regardless, I wasn't thrilled about it. Alcohol muted spirit. We were in a precarious situation, and I would have liked him at full strength. Of course, considering he'd been drinking earlier, it probably didn't matter now. After the waiter left, Robert seemed to notice the rest of us. His eyes passed over Eddie quickly, sharpened at Lissa and Adrian, and lingered on me for a long time. I stiffened, not liking the scrutiny. He finally turned back to his brother. â€Å"Who have you brought, Victor?† Robert still had that oblivious, scattered air to him but it was lit with suspicion now. Fear and paranoia. â€Å"Who are these children? Two spirit users and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His gaze fell on me again. He was reading my aura. â€Å"One of the shadow-kissed?† For a moment, I was astonished at his use of the term. Then I remembered what Mark, Oksana's husband, had told me. Robert had once been bonded to a dhampir–and that dhampir had died, drastically speeding up the deterioration of Robert's mind. â€Å"They're friends,† said Victor smoothly. â€Å"Friends who'd like to talk to you and ask you some questions.† Robert frowned. â€Å"You're lying. I can tell. And they don't consider you a friend. They're tense. They keep their distance from you.† Victor didn't deny the friend claim. â€Å"Nonetheless, they need your help, and I promised it to them. It was the price for me being allowed to visit you.† â€Å"You shouldn't have made promises for me.† Robert's napkin was now in shreds. I kind of wanted to give him mine. â€Å"But didn't you want to see me?† asked Victor winningly. His tone was warm, his smile almost genuine. Robert looked troubled. Confused. I was again reminded of a child and was starting to have my doubts that this guy had ever transformed a Strigoi. He was spared an answer yet again when our drinks arrived. None of us had even picked up our menus, much to the waiter's obvious annoyance. He left, and I opened mine without really seeing it. Victor then introduced us to Robert, as formally as he might at any diplomatic function. Prison hadn't dulled his sense of royal etiquette. Victor gave first names only. Robert turned back to me, that frown still on his face, and glanced between Lissa and me. Adrian had said that whenever we were together, our auras showed that we were linked. â€Å"A bond†¦ I've almost forgotten what it was like†¦ but Alden. I've never forgotten Alden†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes grew dreamy and almost vacant. He was reliving a memory. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, surprised to hear the sympathy in my words. This was hardly the harsh interrogation I'd envisioned. â€Å"I can only imagine what it must have been like†¦ losing him†¦.† The dreamy eyes grew sharp and hard. â€Å"No. You cannot. It's like nothing you can imagine. Nothing. Right now†¦ right now†¦ you have the world. A universe of senses beyond those of others, an understanding of another person that no one can have. To lose that†¦ to have that ripped away†¦ it would make you wish for death.† Wow. Robert was pretty good at killing conversation, and we all kind of sat there hoping the waiter would return this time. When he did, we all made halfhearted attempts at ordering food–except Robert–most of us deciding on the spot. The restaurant served Asian cuisine, and I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu: an egg roll sampler. With food ordered, Victor continued taking the firm hand with Robert that I seemed incapable of managing. â€Å"Will you help them? Will you answer their questions?† I had a feeling that Victor was pushing Robert on this not so much as a way to pay back us rescuing him, but rather because Victor's scheming nature was dying to know everyone's secrets and motivations. Robert sighed. Whenever he looked at Victor, there was such a strong expression of devotion and even idol worship. Robert probably couldn't refuse his brother anything. He was the perfect type to play into Victor's plans, and I realized I should possibly be grateful that Robert had grown unstable. If he'd been in full control of his powers, Victor would never have bothered with Lissa last time. He would have already had his own private spirit wielder to use however he wanted. â€Å"What do you want to know?† asked Robert blearily. He addressed me, apparently recognizing my leadership. I glanced at my friends for moral support and received none. Neither Lissa nor Adrian approved of this mission in the first place, and Eddie still didn't know its purpose. I swallowed, steeling myself, and directed my full attention to Robert. â€Å"We heard you freed a Strigoi once. That you were able to convert him–or her–back to their original state.† Surprise flashed on Victor's usually composed face. He certainly hadn't expected this. â€Å"Where did you hear this?† demanded Robert. â€Å"From a couple I met in Russia. Their names are Mark and Oksana.† â€Å"Mark and Oksana†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, Robert's gaze slipped away for a moment. I had a feeling this happened a lot, that he didn't spend much time in reality. â€Å"I didn't know they were still together.† â€Å"They are. They're doing really great.† I needed him back in the present. â€Å"Is it true? Did you do what they said? Is it possible?† Robert's responses were always preceded by a pause. â€Å"Her.† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"It was a woman. I freed her.† I gasped in spite of myself, hardly daring to process his words. â€Å"You're lying.† It was Adrian who spoke, his tone harsh. Robert glanced at him with an expression amused and scornful. â€Å"And who are you to say that? How can you tell? You've bruised and abused your powers so much, it's a wonder you can even touch the magic anymore. And all these things you do to yourself†¦ it doesn't truly help, does it? Spirit's punishment still affects you†¦ soon you won't be able to tell reality from dream†¦.† The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. â€Å"I don't need any physical signs to see that you're lying. I know you are because what you're describing is impossible. There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone, they're gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever .† â€Å"That which is dead doesn't always stay dead†¦.† Robert's words weren't directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. I shivered. â€Å"How? How did you do it?† â€Å"With a stake. She was killed with a stake, and in doing so, was brought back to life.† â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"That is a lie. I've killed plenty of Strigoi with stakes, and believe me, they stay dead.† â€Å"Not just any stake.† Robert's fingers danced along the edge of his glass. â€Å"A special stake.† â€Å"A stake charmed with spirit,† said Lissa suddenly. He lifted his eyes to her and smiled. It was a creepy smile. â€Å"Yes. You are a clever, clever girl. A clever, gentle girl. Gentle and kind. I can see it in your aura.† I stared off at the table, my mind in overdrive. A stake charmed with spirit. Silver stakes were charmed with the four main Moroi elements: earth, air, water, and fire. It was that infusion of life that destroyed the undead force within a Strigoi. With our recent discovery of how to charm objects with spirit, infusing a stake had never even occurred to us. Spirit healed. Spirit had brought me back from the dead. In joining with the other elements within a stake, was it truly possible that the twisted darkness that gripped Strigoi could be obliterated, thus restoring that person to their rightful state? I was grateful for the food's arrival because my brain was still moving sluggishly. The egg rolls provided a welcome opportunity to think. â€Å"Is it really that easy?† I asked at last. Robert scoffed. â€Å"It's not easy at all.† â€Å"But you just said†¦ you just said we need a spirit-charmed stake. And then I kill a Strigoi with it.† Or well, not kill. The technicalities were irrelevant. His smile returned. â€Å"Not you. You can't do it.† â€Å"Then who†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped, the rest of my words dying on my lips. â€Å"No. No.† â€Å"The shadow-kissed don't have the gift of life. Only the spirit-blessed,† he explained. â€Å"The question is: Who's capable of doing it? Gentle Girl or Drunken Sod?† His eyes flicked between Lissa and Adrian. â€Å"My wager would be on Gentle Girl.† Those words were what snapped me out of my stunned state. In fact, they were what shattered this whole thing, this far-fetched dream of saving Dimitri. â€Å"No,† I repeated. â€Å"Even if it was possible–and I'm not sure if I believe you–she can't do it. I won't let her.† And in a turn of events almost as astonishing as Robert's revelation, Lissa spun toward me, anger flooding our bond. â€Å"And since when can you tell me what I can or can't do?† â€Å"Since I don't recall you ever taking guardian training and learning to stake a Strigoi,† I returned evenly, trying to keep my voice calm. â€Å"You only punched Reed, and that was hard enough.† When Avery Lazar had tried to take over Lissa's mind, she'd sent her shadow-kissed brother to do some dirty work. With my help, Lissa had punched him and kept him away. It had been beautifully executed, but she'd hated it. â€Å"I did it, didn't I?† she exclaimed. â€Å"Liss, throwing a punch is nothing like staking a Strigoi. And that's not even counting the fact that you have to get near one in the first place. You think you could get in range before one bit you or snapped your neck? No.† â€Å"I'll learn.† The determination in her voice and mind was admirable, but it took guardians decades to learn what we did–and plenty still got killed. Adrian and Eddie looked uncomfortable in the midst of our bickering, but Victor and Robert seemed both intrigued and amused. I didn't like that. We weren't here for their entertainment. I tried to deflect the dangerous topic by turning back to Robert. â€Å"If a spirit user brought back a Strigoi, then that person would become shadow-kissed.† I didn't point out the obvious conclusion to Lissa. Part of what had driven Avery crazy (aside from normal spirit usage) had been bonding with more than one person. Doing so created a very unstable situation that rapidly led all people involved into darkness and insanity. Robert's eyes grew dreamy as he stared beyond me. â€Å"Bonds form when someone dies–when their soul has actually left and moved onto the world of the dead. Bringing it back is what makes them shadow-kissed. Death's mark is upon them.† His gaze suddenly snapped onto me. â€Å"Just as it is on you.† I refused to avoid his eyes, despite the chill his words sent through me. â€Å"Strigoi are dead. Saving one would mean its soul was brought back from the world of the dead too.† â€Å"No,† he argued. â€Å"Their souls do not move on. Their souls linger†¦ neither in this world nor the next. It's wrong and unnatural. It's what makes them what they are. Killing or saving a Strigoi sends the soul back to a normal state. There is no bond.† â€Å"Then there's no danger,† Lissa said to me. â€Å"Aside from a Strigoi killing you,† I pointed out. â€Å"Rose–â€Å" â€Å"We'll finish this conversation later.† I gave her a hard look. We held each other's gazes a moment, and then she turned to Robert. There was still an obstinacy in the bond I didn't like. â€Å"How do you charm the stake?† she asked him. â€Å"I'm still learning.† I again started to chastise her and then thought better of it. Maybe Robert was wrong. Maybe all it actually took to convert a Strigoi was a spirit-infused stake. He only thought a spirit user had to do it because he had done it. Allegedly. Besides, I'd much rather Lissa preoccupy herself with charming than fighting. If the charm part sounded too hard, she might have to give up altogether. Robert glanced at me and then Eddie. â€Å"One of you must have a stake on you. I'll show you.† â€Å"You can't take a stake out in public,† exclaimed Adrian, in what was a remarkably wise observation. â€Å"It might be weird for humans, but it's still obvious that it's a weapon.† â€Å"He's right,† Eddie said. â€Å"We could go back to the room after dinner,† said Victor. He had that perfectly pleasant and bland look on his face. I studied him, hoping my expression showed my distrust. Even with her zeal, I could sense the hesitation in Lissa too. She wasn't keen on following any suggestion of Victor's. We'd seen in the past how desperately far Victor would go in attempting to fulfill his plans. He'd convinced his own daughter to turn Strigoi and help him escape jail. For all we knew, he was planning the same for– â€Å"That's it,† I gasped, feeling my eyes go wide as I stared at him. â€Å"That's what?† Victor asked. â€Å"That's why you had Natalie turn. You thought†¦ you knew about this. What Robert had done. You were going to use her Strigoi strength and then have him turn her back.† Victor's already pale face went paler, and he seemed to age before our eyes. His smug look disappeared, and he looked away. â€Å"Natalie is dead and long gone,† he said stiffly. â€Å"There's no point in discussing her.† Some of us made an attempt to eat after that, but my egg roll seemed tasteless now. Lissa and I were thinking the same thing. Among all of Victor's sins, I'd always considered him convincing his own daughter to turn Strigoi to be the most awful. It was what had really sealed the deal for me about him being a monster. Suddenly, I was forced to reevaluate things–forced to reevaluate him. If he'd known he could bring her back, it made what he had done terrible–but not as terrible. He was still evil in my mind, no question. But if he had believed he could bring Natalie back, then that meant he believed in Robert's power. There was still no way I was letting Lissa near a Strigoi, but this incredible tale had become slightly more credible. I couldn't let it go without further investigation. â€Å"We can go up to the room after this,† I said at last. â€Å"But not for long.† My words were to Victor and Robert. Robert seemed to have faded into his own world again, but Victor nodded. I gave Eddie a quick glance and got a curt nod of a different sort from him. He understood the risk in taking the brothers to a private place. Eddie was telling me he would be extravigilant–not that he wasn't already. By the time we finished dinner, Eddie and I were both rigid and tense. He walked near Robert, and I stayed by Victor. We kept Lissa and Adrian between the brothers. Yet, even keeping close, it was hard as we cut through the crowded casino. People stopped in our path, walked around us, through us†¦ it was chaos. Twice, our group got split by oblivious tourists. We weren't too far from the elevators, but I was getting uneasy about the possibility of Victor or Robert running off through the mob of people â€Å"We need to get out of this crowd,† I shouted over to Eddie. He gave me another of his quick nods and took an abrupt left that caught me by surprise. I steered Victor in that same direction, and Lissa and Adrian sidestepped to keep up with us. I was puzzled until I saw that we were approaching a hall with an EMERGENCY EXIT sign on it. Away from the busy casino, the noise level dimmed. â€Å"Figure there are probably stairs here,† Eddie explained. â€Å"Crafty guardian.† I flashed him a smile. Another turn showed us a janitorial closet on our right and ahead of us: a door with a symbol for stairs. The door appeared to lead both outside and to upper floors. â€Å"Brilliant,† I said. â€Å"You're, like, on the tenth floor,† pointed out Adrian. It was the first time he'd spoken in a while. â€Å"Nothing like a little exercise to–damn.† I came to an abrupt halt in front of the door. It had a small warning sign saying that an alarm would go off if the door was opened. â€Å"Figures.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Eddie, like he was personally responsible. â€Å"Not your fault,† I said, turning. â€Å"Back we go.† We'd have to take our chances in the crowd. Maybe the roundabout detour had tired Victor and Robert out enough to make escape unappealing. Neither of them was that young anymore, and Victor was still in bad shape. Lissa was too tense to think much about being led around, but Adrian gave me a look that clearly said he thought this traipsing was a waste of his time. Of course, he thought this whole Robert thing was a waste of time. I was honestly surprised he was coming with us at all back to the room. I would have expected him to stay in the casino with his cigarettes and another drink. Eddie, leading our group, took a few steps back toward the casino down the hallway. And then it hit me. â€Å"Stop!† I screamed. He responded instantly, coming to a halt in the narrow space. A bit of confusion followed. Victor stumbled into Eddie in surprise, and then Lissa stumbled into Victor. Instinct made Eddie reach for his stake, but mine was already out. I'd grabbed it as soon as the nausea had swept me. There were Strigoi between us and the casino.

Assignment 4.3 Answering Questions P153& P 160 Essay

Assignment 4.3 Answering Questions P153& P 160 - Essay Example en if athletes are the point of interest in the Olympic Games, yet there are ways through which the rights of the athletes can be protected without necessarily supporting actions of countries whose actions are an affront to the goals of the Olympics. There are several efforts that the author concerts, as a way of providing his viewpoints with evidence. He quotes authorities in social sciences and political studies such as Anita DeFrantz and Tim Wendel to validate his claims and propositions, respectively. He also adduces historical and diplomatic realities to validate his viewpoints. For example, he mentions: China’s invasion of Tibet in 1950s; China attenuating democratic space and suppressing liberty presently; and China being Sudan’s supplier of arms and chief buyer of Sudan’s oil. One of the views (Reader’s view of the situation) stresses that boycotting Olympics is not the solution to the problems that undermine the goals and essence of the games. The view divulges that instead, boycotts frustrate the interests of the athletes themselves. The antithesis of this view is that even though boycotts may undermine the interests of athletes, yet, the failure to address a host country’s injustices is a threat to the promise of peace. The writer sufficiently acknowledges these opposing views by: discussing their essence and viability; issuing examples to underscore these views (for instance Russia and China’s political stance towards human rights are repeatedly referred to); and suggesting and qualifying the panacea to the problem. The conclusion emphasizes the ineffectiveness of boycotts in tackling injustices, the injurious pitfalls of holding Olympic Games in repressive host countries, and a possible nostrum to the problem as being workable. This nostrum (proposition) is establishing permanent Olympic sites in countries that uphold the values that these Olympic Games promote. Traditional arguments would make the essay different by arguing that

Contemporary issues in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary issues in business - Essay Example Being headquartered in United Kingdom, it serves the customers in the market of United Kingdom efficiently. As a result of which, the brand image and profitability of the financial organization of Lloyd's bank enhanced with a significant extent thereby amplifying its popularity. Along with this, due to the presence of varied types of products such as insurance schemes, deposit schemes and many others, its range of customers and brand value enhanced thereby amplifying its popularity and reputation in the market of United Kingdom among many other rival players. And so, the demand and total revenue of the financial organization of Lloyd's bank enhanced by ?19,673 million resulting in reduction of the threat of new entrants. Apart from this, due to the presence of value-added services, it expanded in more than 30 countries, from Argentina to United States of America, comprising of approximately 16 million employees. This acted as the prime cause that helped the organization of Lloyd's ba nk to amplify its profitability by ?2,803 million and market size by 6% in the market of United Kingdom among others (Lloyds Bank, 2013). Therefore, in-spite of tough competition and stiff economic downturn, the organization of Lloyd's bank maintained its sustainability in the market of United Kingdom among many other rival players. This essay is mainly divided into five parts highlighting the importance and background of Lloyd’s bank in the market of United Kingdom. Along with this, it also discusses the impacts of contemporary issues over the image and popularity of the organization of Lloyd's bank. Moreover, it also discusses the negative effects of the contemporary issue of unethical use of labor or staffs within the financial organization of Lloyd are thereby enhancing the rate of switchover costs. 2. Discussion 2.0 Drivers of Change (PESTLE) In order to analyze the external environment, competitors and market opportunities of Lloyd’s bank, the most popular analyt ical tool named PESTLE is used. 2.1 Political- As, the political scenario within the regions of United Kingdom, Europe and America is extremely stable, so it proved quite beneficial for the organization of Lloyd’s bank among others rival players. As a result of which, the profitability and brand value of the organization of Lloyd’s bank enhanced thereby amplifying its range of customers. It is extremely essential for any organization to retain its portfolio in the market, in-spite of numerous existing contenders ( Xu, 2005, pp. 478-536). 2.2 Economic- Global inflation acted as a curse for the organization of Lloyd’s bank thereby reducing its effectiveness to a significant extent. This is mainly because; inflation enhanced the level of unemployment and poverty thereby reducing the preference for depositing huge-amount of revenues within the financial institutions. Along with this, the consumer price index (CPI) also reduced by 3.5% that proved extremely worse for the country of United Kingdom. As a result of which, the living standard and life style of the citizens of United Kingdo

Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Review - Article Example However, today it is asserted by researchers that orbitofrontal cortex plays a role in value-based decisions only. Here, it can be clearly observed that researchers have not provided any logical reason for them not to agree that orbitofrontal cortex can also contribute as the brain makes decisions based on prior experiences or habits. Researchers have simply stated that if the value is cached or pre-computed like experiences or habits, then orbitofrontal cortex is not needed to participate in the decision making process. But, how this change in the functioning or responsibility of the brain area took place has not been discussed in this study (Science Daily). In this study, researchers have shown a unique side of learning behavior, which refers to a persons learning through unexpected outcomes. Generally it is believed that a person learns through his experiences; however, in the article researchers have highlighted another form of true learning, but they have not provided evidence to prove that a person can learn through unexpected outcomes (Science Daily). Furthermore, a conflict in statements of researchers can be observed as initially they have agreed that orbitofrontal cortex has nothing to do with the decisions based on experiences or habits. But, on another occasion this article quotes statement of postdoctoral researcher Joshua Jones, who said that "Our research showed that damage to the orbitofrontal cortex may decrease a persons ability to use prior experience to make good decisions on the fly". Here, it can be observed that researchers have contradictory statements in the same article, which are undoubtedly confusing and difficult to understand (Science Daily). Serious side-effects of drug addiction particularly use of cocaine have been highlighted in the article to indicate that drugs coerce the brain system and hijack

German Car Makers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

German Car Makers - Essay Example Main focus is to sell the cheap cars as basic rides since the major car market in the emerging market comprises of middle class society. But this low cost cars are not getting popular only in emerging world but even in premium market they are getting enough market. This has been the cause of worry for the big car maker like Toyota. Now even Toyota trying to come up with budget car to get hold of emerging market. Apart from budget car market premium car market is moving towards sensible motoring. German car makers have positioned themselves in the wrong sides of both these budget and premium car markets. This is the external environment in which Daimler Chrysler operates. Key factors and trends in this environment can be identified by using Porter’s five forces model. Here, world car market is divided into cheap and cheerful market and premium market depending on the nature of the demand of the customers. So buyers bargaining power is the key. Chrysler’s sales are not rising because today buyers have different options, each of which is equally good. Although there has been rapid improvement in terms of design and production lines, Chrysler still doesn’t have enough competitive product line as compared to its rivals. Customers have more bargaining power because they have better options from other car makers. Competition among the car makers are intense in nature as every company is coming up with new inventions, new strategies to establish those inventions. Chrysler has to come up with new better product lines in terms of technology, features and design to stay ahead of the competition. Suppliers have more bargaining power because there is more number of substitutes as all the big players are coming up with their new inventions to grab the emerging market. Suppliers are more powerful when the company is not financially sound.  This is exactly the situation in case of Chrysler as it is struggling both in terms of financial condition and product lines. Company has failed to come up with new product lines, keeping the pace with market trend.  

Life Science Reflections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Life Science Reflections - Essay Example It is different when we understand the science of life. Through it, we see the relationship of life within and without them and all needing each other to support and sustain life. By studying life science, I understood that all lives are interrelated. This relationship is not limited to lives other species but also to the internal mechanism within the body of each living organism. Within it, there is a universe of functions that make an organism breathe, move, fly, walk and any other function associated with life. Life science also makes me appreciate nature more. By understanding how the birds fly and how the fish able to stay underwater makes me wonder about the life mechanism that makes them do these things. I also understand that the forest is not just a bunch of trees but a collection of life that needs each other to live and thrive. I also learn that they are better off on their own as nature have its own way of taking care of its own. I also realized that we humans are in fact the biggest threat to lives other than ourselves. Corollary to this, I fully understood what ecosystem is really all about. I realized that it is not just the interrelationship of lives in nature that needs each other survive. It is a principle of creating the ideal environment that sustains life and activity. It tells us human beings not to disrupt them because each creature, each life is important for the entire cycle of life to exist. This principle can even be applied to our lives of not disrupting the ecosystem that makes us thrive. Through the understanding of life science, I also learn how to become more respectful of life and how take care of life more. I saw their strength and their weakness as well. They can be fragile when abused but can quite be resilient when left on their own. I also learned that nature has its own way of healing itself. I also learned that

Philippine History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philippine History - Essay Example On December 10, 1898, the final version of the Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris (hence the namesake). The treaty formally ceded territories, particularly the Philippines from Spain to the United States for $20 million (Zaide, 1984). As any colony would react, the short-term consequence of the acquisition of the Philippines by America can be considered rough. Barely three months after the acquisition of the Philippines, the conflict between the United States and the Philippines began on February 04, 1899 which quickly escalated into a full war with the Battle of Manila in 1899 (Philippine History.org, 2012). Shortly, Philippines declared war against the United States on July 04, 1902 which was known as the Philippine War of Independence with former Katipunan fighters extending their fight against the Americans from their former colonizers, the Spaniards (Lee, 2012). World War II broke out and following the war, the United States relinquished control of the Philippine territory by signing the Treaty of General Relations albeit with conditions which are the signing of the Bell Trade Act which in effect still enforces some sort of control on the Philippine territory. The US established a military in Subic, Philippines and prohibited the country from manufacturing any product that might be of competition against US products. The United States also forced the Philippines to have unlimited access to its natural resources and to have an equal stature with the local with the signing of the Parity Rights Agreement. The American occupation of the Philippines can be said to have changed its cultural perspective.  

SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) - Essay Example During the time of this movie Jews were being relocated to ghettos and concentration camps during this period. Ghettos were fenced in areas, normally in the rundown section of the Jewish part of town. These ghettos were crowded, dirty due to no running water, and had no food except what was smuggled or rationed. All Jewish property, except for a bag or two was confiscated in the name of the German Third Reich. Businesses, houses, properties, bicycles, radios, money, jewelry, and all other assets had to be turned over, or face the penalty of death. Corruption was normal when dealing with confiscated Jewish property. This was the setting for Schindler and his Jews. The movie begins with a family celebrating Shabbat by lighting candles in color. Then fades to black and white showing Schindler (Liam Neeson) setting in a room with other SS and their dates. Schindler, being a German civilian, came to Crackow, Poland in order to become a war profiteer. As a card carrying NAZI, Schindler was allowed to open a business sponsored by the German Army. The only problem was Schindler did not know how to run a business. Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsly) comes to his rescue by taking over business tasks after helping finance Schindler’s business through connections in the ghetto. The Jews did not want to turn their gold and possessions over to the SS and never receive anything back. By giving Schindler gold, the Jews gained a place to work and a promise of better rations. Schindler opened a mess kit factory for the Wehrmacht. Itzhak Stern tried to forge as many papers for fellow Jews to be essential to the German war machine. Jews deemed essential were spared from deportation to Auschwitz. Schindler and his employees felt that maybe the factory would help survive until the Russians made it to Krakow. This might have been the case, but Amon goeth (Ralph Fiennes) arrived to build the Plaszow Concentration Camp.

Game Theory Essay Example for Free

Game Theory Essay Game theory happens to be a branch of applied mathematics which is used in social science. Its main objective is to capture behaviors but in this case mathematically in strategic situations where the success of an individual in choice making is largely dependent on the choices that are made by other people. This is the base or the main theme that underlies in the game theory. This is the same theme that is supposed to be articulated in this article. The author ignores the fact that game theory come in different types and only expresses one type of game theory specifically zero sum and non zero sum game theory. He concentrates only on this type of game theory leaves the reader with little or no information concerning the other types of game theory. (Miller, 2003) However, in the article, the author only concentrates on only one aspect of game theory and goes ahead and offers solutions or recommendations to that one aspect that he deals with. Game theory has gone ahead and included other aspects in the line of business other than the competition. This competition was only of one individual based on the expense of the other person which was commonly referred to as zero sum games. These happen to be the only issue that is covered here by the author of this article. I can therefore say that this article fails to present all the aspects which are involved or which matters as far as game theory is concerned. I can therefore say that there is more to game theory and that the recommendations proposed may not be that effective even if implemented. Some of the recommendations may therefore be said to deviate from the core subject that is under discussion. (Barnett, 1995) However this does not mean that the article is null and void. The author in the article gives a very good example of the basic concept and the meaning of game theory. By use of the example of the two people in the article, the author paints out a clear picture of the principle of game theory and what is involved. It is clear to understand even to a person who does not have an idea of what game theory is. Further, the author gives recommendations or rather rules of what to do so that one may emerge successfully in any business that he or she may be conducting. (Barnett, 1995) The author may be said to fully address the issue to the game theory on the context that he is viewing form; that of competition. In addition, unlike in the other cases where the recommendations that are set are usually impractical, here the author sets the recommendations that are practical in real life and which if they are implemented effectively will help the two organizations succeed in their sole objective of increasing their sales or rather profits. (Miller, 2003) The author also familiarized the reader with all the factors that maybe of essence incase one is involved in the business and experiencing these types of problems. He covers a larger area other than only the game theory gives recommendations which if they are implemented, they result to implementation of the recommendations of game theory. In conclusion, even though the author fails to deal with the other types of game theories, he has completely discussed this type of game theory giving all the recommendations required which would even be applicable to the other game theories if they are implemented as directed. ? References Barnett, F. (1995). Making Game Theory Work in Practice. Wall Street Journal , A14. Miller, J. (2003). Game Theory at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers.

Meaning of Life and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Happiness Essay I do not think that there is a single person in the world who can say that knows what happiness actually is and, more importantly, that knows how to achieve it. We sometimes get the glimpse of pure happiness but those moments are so rare and so intense that we only recognise them too late. Each of us understands this feeling in a different way†¦I, for instance, see it as the one that can make you feel that there is no worry in life and nothing and nobody can hurt you anymore. For me, it is when you feel like you can do anything and forget about the past, the future, just enjoying the mere present. In my case, it is one of two feelings that can make you cry with all your heart†¦because it is too much for you to express in plain words or pointless gestures. â€Å"Tears are words that the heart can’t express† a wise man once said and could have never said it better, as happiness is that joy which is so strong that sometimes even hurts. However, I never remember the recipe for happiness and even if I did I do not think it would work again because one of its components is also hazard. Still, this does nt make me stop searching for it and devote it everything I do, I am and I achieve. Likewise, each person I’ve ever met, consciously or not, did the same†¦we want to get something, to become someone. Why? Not because that would make us feel miserable, but fulfilled and maybe a little bit more: happy. Hence, I strongly believe that happiness is the main purpose of our lives, the whole aim of our ephemeral existence. We are born happy and we want to die the same; this is the true ideal that we all crave for reaching. Money, wealth, knowledge mean nothing, without someone who cares about what you have achieved. Human beings, whether they like admitting it or not, need other human beings to share their secrets with, to share their joy or sorrow; as genuine joy can only become happiness if there is another person by your side. In other words, happiness is, in my opinion, the actual meaning of life; and life seems so complicated especially because we seldom get to its core, we almost never get to know what happiness feels like†¦and afterwards all that remains is an unclear memory of the moment and a wish of feeling it again.

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport A role for ataxia telangiectasia mutated in insulin-independent stimulation of glucose transport Abstract Literature reports suggest that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) can activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a protein that can stimulate glucose transport in skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), an AMPK activator, would increase glucose transport in mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in an ATM-dependent manner. AICAR-stimulated glucose transport was prevented by the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 and in ATM-deficient (ATM-/-) muscle despite normal stimulation of AMPK phosphorylation. S231 of TBC1D1 matches the sequence motif of ATM substrates, and phosphorylation of this site is known to inhibit TBC1D1 and lead to increased glucose transport. Accordingly, we assessed TBC1D1 phosphorylation and found that AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of TBC1D1 at S231did not occurin ATM-/- muscle. However, activation of ATM without activation of AMPK was insufficient to increase TBC1D1 phosphorylation.The data suggest that AT M plays a role in AICAR stimulated glucose transport downstream of AMPK. Keywords: AMP-activated protein kinase; ataxia telangiectasia mutated; TBC1D1; AICAR; glucose transport; skeletal muscle Introduction The serine-threonine kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) appears to play a role in glucose homeostasis. For example, recent genome-wide association studies have found that genetic variations near the ATM gene are related to glycemic responses to metformin [1, 2], a commonly-prescribed drug for blood glucose control. While the mechanism for metformin’s effect on blood glucose levels is under debate [3-6], it is known that metformin acutely stimulates glucose transport into skeletal muscle concomitant with activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) [7]. Activation of AMPK is sufficient to stimulate insulin-independent glucose transport into skeletal muscle [8, 9]. Intriguingly, ATM dependence has been reported for activation of AMPK in response to DNA damage or insulin-like growth factor 1 in HeLa cells and fibroblasts, exposure of lung cancer cells to ionizing radiation,exposure of lymphoblaststo H2O2, or treatment of HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts with the adenosine analog AICAR [10-14]. Despite these suggestive data on the role of ATM upstream of AMPK, the potential role of ATM in AMPK-dependent stimulation of glucose transport has not previously been investigated in skeletal muscle, the predominant whole-body storage depot for glucose. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that glucose uptake stimulated by the AMPK activator AICAR would be dependent on ATM in skeletal muscle. Methods Materials Antibodies against TBC1D1, AMPK, phosphorylated AMPKÃŽ ± T172 (P-AMPK), and phosphorylated ATM S1981 (P-ATM) were purchased from Cell Signaling Technology (Beverly, MA, USA). Antibodies against phosphorylated TBC1D1 (P-TBC1D1) S237 (S231 in mouse) were purchased from EMD Millipore Corporation (Billerica, MA, USA). Antibodies against tubulin and ATM were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (St. Louis, MO, USA). Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies were obtained from Pierce Biotechnology (Rockford, IL, USA). The ATM inhibitor KU-55933 was a generous gift from Dr. Graeme Smith (KuDOSPhramaceuticals, Cambridge, UK). The AMPK inhibitor Compound C was provided by Merck Co., Inc. (Rahway, NJ, USA). Doxorubicin was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. Radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose and mannitol were purchased from American Radiolabeled Chemicals, Inc. (St. Louis, MO, USA). Collection and Processing of Animal Muscle All procedures using live animals were approved by the Saint Louis University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Transgenic mice expressing a truncation mutation of ATM [15] were obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME, USA). Mice that were heterozygous for the transgene were used to breed wild type (ATM+/+) and ATM deficient (ATM-/) mice. After weaning, each mouse was anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine (55 mg ketamine and 5.5 mg xylazine per kg), and a tail sample was obtained for genotyping as previously described [15, 16]. Mice were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were removed and incubated in vitro as described previously [16, 17]. The incubation media for the muscle consisted of Krebs Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHB) containing 8 mM glucose and 32 mM mannitol. Vials containing EDL muscles were gassed with 95% O2 : 5% CO2 and kept gently shaking at 35 ºC. Muscles were incubated for one hour to allow recovery from dissection. Muscles were then transferred into KHB containing 32 mM mannitol and 8 mM glucose in the presence of 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide vehicle (DMSO) or 1  µM KU-55933, a concentration sufficient to inhibit ATM [18, 19] but low enough to avoid inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase [19]. After 30 minutes, muscles were incubated in KHB with 8 mM glucose and the absence or presence of 2 mM AICAR for one hour with the continued presence of DMSO or KU and 32 mM or 30 mM mannitol to keep osmolarity constant across media. At this point, some muscles were blotted and clamp-frozen with aluminum tongs cooled in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80  ºC for later western blot analysis. Other muscles were subjected to 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake assays as described below. In parallel procedures, EDL muscles from wild-type or ATM-deficient animals were allowed to recover in vitro for one hour, incubated in KHB containing mannitol as described above and in the absence or presence of 2 mM AICAR for one hour and then either clamp-frozen or subjected to 2DG uptake assays as previously reported [16, 17] and briefly described below. 2DG uptake Muscles were washed at 30  ºC in glucose-free KHB containing 40 mM mannitol in the absence or presence of KU-55933 (DMSO vehicle) or, for procedures with the ATM-/- mice, in medium containing neither KU nor DMSO. Muscles were then incubated in KHB containing 4 mM 2DG, 2  µCi/ml 3H-2DG, 36 mM mannitol, 0.3  µCi/ml 14C-mannitol, and 0.1% DMSO or 1  µM KU-55933 if they had been present in earlier incubations. Muscles were clamp-frozen and stored at -80  ºC. Muscles were then homogenized in Kontes ground glass tubes in ice-cold buffer containing protease and phosphatase inhibitors (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 2 mM Na3VO4, 150 mM NaF,10  µg/ml leupeptin, 10  µg/ml aprotinin, 0.5  µg/mL pepstatin and 1 mM phenymethylsulfonylflouride). Homogenates were centrifuged at 4  ºC for 10 minutes at 14,000Ë £g, and supernatant protein concentration was analyzed by the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) method (Pierce Protein Technologies, Rockland, IL, USA). Supernatant aliquots and aliquots of the incubation media were mixed with Ultima Gold XR scintillation fluid (Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA), and samples were assessed by scintillation counting (TriCarb 3110TR, Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA). The disintegrations per minute (DPM) of 14C-mannitol were used to measure the extracellular volume, and intracellular 2DG was calculated from 3H DPM after accounting for 3H DPM in the extracellular space. 2DG transport was expressed as nmol 2DG/mg protein/10 minutes. Western Blotting Samples were homogenized, centrifuged, assayed for protein content as described above, diluted in Laemmli sample buffer containing dithiothreitol, and boiled for 5 minutes. Samples were then analyzed using SDS-PAGE as described previously [20]. Samples were run on 4-20% Tris-HEPES gels (Pierce) and then transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes. After transfer, membranes were blocked with 5% non-fat dry milk in Tris-buffered saline containing 0.1% Tween. Proteins on the nitrocellulose membranes were probed with primary and secondary antibodies described in the Materials section and then visualized using enhanced chemiluminescence (Western Lightning; PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA, USA). Western blots were quantified using TotalLab software purchased from TotalLab Nonlinear Dynamics (Newcastle on Tyre, UK). For probing ATM and P-ATM, samples were run on 3-8% Tris-Acetate gels (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) alongside HiMark (Invitrogen) molecular weight markers. Statistics Data were analyzed by ANOVA with post hoc LSD comparisons. A level of P Results AICAR-stimulated glucose transport ATM’s role in AICAR stimulated glucose transport was assessed in isolated EDL muscle by using either ATM deficient mice or by using the specific ATM inhibitor, KU-55933. As shown in figure 1A, ATM protein was present in only background levels in EDL from ATM-/- mice. As shown in figure 1B, AICAR increased glucose transport in muscle from wild type mice(P AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK It has previously been reported that ATM plays a role in AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation in HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts [12]. Thus, we assessed phosphorylation of AMPK to determine whether ATM’s role in AICAR-stimulated glucose transport was through an influence on AMPK phosphorylation. As shown in figure 2A, AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation was normal in muscle from ATM-/- mice. Likewise, AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation was unaffected by the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 (figure 2B). Phosphorylation of TBC1D1 The RabGTPase activating protein (GAP) TBC1D1 is required for stimulation of glucose transport by AICAR [21]. Furthermore, phosphorylation of mouse TBC1D1 at S231 (corresponding to S237 of human TBC1D1) in response to AICAR occurs concomitant with an increase in glucosetransport [22-24], and S231 phosphorylation appears to be necessary to convey insulin-responsiveness to TBC1D1 [25]. Intriguingly, S231 and the surrounding amino acids (F-S-Q) match the consensushydrophobic-serine/threonine-glutamine (à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬  -S/T-Q) motif of ATM targets [26, 27]. While phosphorylation of this site is increased by the AMPK activators phenformin and AICAR [28], and the site is an in vitro target of AMPK [28], this does not rule out the possibility that another kinase could act on the site. Thus, we hypothesized that S231 phosphorylation in response to AICAR would be dependent on ATM. As shown in figure3, AICAR increased phosphorylation of TBC1D1 S231 in EDL from wild type mice (P Discussion The new information provided by this study is that AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is dependent on ATM. Additionally, this role for ATM in AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake does not involve an effect at the level of AMPK phosphorylation but instead is associated with altered phosphorylation of TBC1D1, downstream of AMPK. Based on data that the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 blunted activation of AMPK by metformin in a hepatoma cell line, Zhou et al proposed that ATM acts upstream of AMPK [2]. However, two independent groups have shown that KU-55933 prevents AMPK activation by metformin through inhibition of the cation transporter responsible for metformin uptake rather than through inhibition of ATM [3, 4]. In hepatocytes, ultraviolet light irradiation stimulated phosphorylation of the ATM target H2AX, but had no effect on AMPK activity [4]. Additionally, caffeine, which inhibits ATM,suppressed phosphorylation of H2AX but not activation of AMPK by metformin [4] . Finally, while hydrogen peroxide activated both AMPK and ATM in HEK293 cells, KU-55933 prevented ATM autophosphorylation but did not interfere with AMPK activity [4]. Together, these data [4] suggest that ATM does not act upstream of AMPK, at least in hepatocytes or HEK293 cells. While it has been reported that ATM acts upstream of AMPK inHeLa cells, lung cancer cells, fibroblasts, lymphoblasts, and embryonic fibroblasts [10-14], it seems unlikely that tissues corresponding to these cell lines would play a meaningful role in glucose homeostasis. Intriguingly, however, the increase in insulin sensitivity and a concomitant increase in autophosphorylated ATM in L6 myotubes in response to serum starvation was found to be dependent on AMPK, while inhibition of ATM prevented increased insulin action but not an increase in AMPK phosphorylation in serum starved myotubes [18]. Together, the data from serum-starved myotubes [18]suggest that ATM could act downstream of AMPK in regulation of glucose transport. The current data showing blunted glucose transport despite normal phosphorylation of AMPK in response to AICAR in ATM-deficient skeletal muscle or muscle exposed to KU-55933 are consistent with the idea of ATM acting downstream of AMPK. AMPK is a heterotrimerof ÃŽ ±, ÃŽ ², and ÃŽ ³ subunits, each with multiple isoforms [30]. The two main activating upstream kinases for AMPK are liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase ÃŽ ² [31], though there are some reports that ATM-dependent phosphorylation of AMPK does not require LKB1 [11, 32] and could indeed be through direct phosphorylation of AMPK by ATM [11]. Intriguingly, LKB1 is an in vitro substrate for ATM [33], suggesting a potential mechanism for the ATM-dependent phosphorylation of AMPK [14]. However, phosphorylation of LKB1 by ATM does not affect LKB1 activity in vitro or LKB1 localization in vivo [33], so the precise role of LKB1 phosphorylation in activation of AMPK remains uncertain. Clearly, there are cell-type differences in the role of ATM upstream of AMPK, and perhaps these are influenced by factors including the expression profile of AMPK subunit isoforms or the subcellular localizations of ATM, AMPK, and LKB1. The current study, as the first to demonstrate a role of ATM in insulin-independent glucose transport, adds to the growing body of literature suggesting a role for ATM in glucoregulation. For example, young mice that lack functional ATM are hyperglycemic compared to wild-type animals during oral glucose tolerance tests [34]. Likewise, for mice with an ApoE-/- background, animals that have only one allele ofATMthat codes for functional protein are hyperglycemic during intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests and insulin tolerance tests compared to mice with two wild-type ATM alleles [35]. Finally, inhibition of ATM decreases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in muscle-derived cell lines [16, 32], and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is blunted in L6 cells expressing kinase-dead ATM and in mouse skeletal muscle from animals deficient in ATM [16, 32]. Quite interestingly, while ATM plays a role upstream of Akt in response to insulin in some cell lines and in glycolytic skeletal muscle [ 16, 20, 36], the point of influence of ATM in insulin signaling leading to glucose transport in oxidative muscle is downstream of Akt at theRabGAP AS160/TBC1D4 [16, 20]which, like TBC1D1, acts on Rabs 2A, 8A, 8B, 10, and 14 [37]. Thus, ATM influences both insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AS160 [16, 20] and AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of TBC1D1 in skeletal muscle. In summary, this study provides the first evidence for a role of ATM in AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Thus, ATM plays key roles in both insulin-dependent [16]and insulin-independent stimulation of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, suggesting a basis for the association of ATM variants with glycemic profiles recently reported [2, 7].

Interstellar Pig :: essays research papers

Barney, a teenage boy, and his parents rent a summer cabin in Dunstable. Him and his parents are staying in a house that belonged to Captain Latham. Captain Latham had a trading ship when Dunstable was an important port. The captain’s stupid younger brother was a sailor on his ship. And he went crazy and was locked in the front bedroom where barney sleeps for 20 years. When the Captain was out in the South Pacific they picked up a shipwrecked sailor. The guy they rescued bunked with the crazy brother. And the next morning the sailor was dead the brother had strangled him. The crazy brother was sentenced to be keelhauled but he did not die was just permently brain damaged. And clawed around the windows for the rest of his life. They realize from Ted (the guy the are renting the house from) that their neighbors wanted this cabin a lot but Barney and his parents ended up getting it. When Barney meets his neighbors he thinks that they are a little bit weird but his parents don’t think that they are too bad of people in fact they sort of like them. Barney describes them as animal like the way they move and that they seem to be fasenated in the sky and water. Barney is observing the neighbors and states that they had a purplish cast in the fading light, which is strange because humans aren’t purple unless there defective. After several hours Zena knocks on the front door and barney describes her eye color as deep lavender. His neighbors also have a strange game they play that’s called Interstellar Pig. Their neighbors are about in their mid-twenties there is one girl, Zena, and two boys, Joe and Manny. Barney is rummaging threw the neighbors house when they leave to try and find out why they are so interested in the house and why they just stopped and was like in a trance when they saw the markings on the window. Barney finds some old document when he is searching threw their house and finds out that these neighbors wanted his house because there is some hidden secret in it, which Barney doesn’t have a clue what it is till he is looking at the scratch marks around the window and relies that they point to a large boulder at the southern tip of the island.

The Skeleton in the Dog Wood Essay -- Literary Analysis, Rash

The poem, â€Å"The Skeleton in the Dogwood† by Ron Rash, dramatizes the conflict between love and how easily that love can be shattered, as demonstrated by two lovers who, while taking a walk in spring, find a skeleton hanging in a dogwood tree. The lovers get the town’s sheriff, however, he cannot figure out who the person was, who killed him, or why. So the sheriff helps the lovers bury the bones and moves on. In the winter the lovers get married and on their wedding night they dream about the dead man with â€Å"spring flowers† (15) in his hand. The first stanza tells of the lovers finding the skeleton in the dogwood branches. The stanza uses the words â€Å"promised blessing† (2) to describe what a new spring, just like a new love, brings to people. However, neither spring nor love nor anything else is perfect. The skeleton is in stark contrast to the rebirth and new life that is associated with spring, but it exists just like problems will always exist in lovers’ relationships. People go looking for the beauty of spring, like lovers try their best to make their love last, but sometimes they find dead animals or, in this case, a skeleton, and sometimes love doesn’t last. Line two and three are â€Å"more than spring’s promised blessing; on new beginnings hanging†. Using the word hanging demonstrates how the promises of spring, and more importantly love, are very fragile gifts that can easily fall off the tree, that is their life, and disappear from a person forever. If lovers want their love to last they should not shake the tree, or test their love, but simply let it be. Hanging also creates a very ugly image with almost anyone, whether they think of people being hanged or meat hanging in a freezer like in Rocky, very few people can get a pos... ...you do not need to know them so you are not told them. â€Å"The Skeleton in the Dogwood† does not try to be a confusing poem. â€Å"The Skeleton in the Dogwood† starts so lovely with a couple taking a walk on a spring day. Suddenly, a mysterious skeleton creates a shift in the tone of the poem. However, the tone quickly shifts back to being pleasant when the lovers decide to treat the skeleton as one of their own and give him a funeral. For their efforts the lovers are blessed on their wedding night by the dead man. The poem goes through the same stages of a struggling relationship. At first, everything is great and new and exciting and nothing can go wrong. Eventually troubles emerge, but for the couple that puts the effort into fixing their relationship the darkness, like the dark tone of the poem, will disappear and the original wonders of the relationship will return.

Drought and Global Climate Change :: Environment, Climate Change

Drought is a multi-causal and complex environmental issue, and can have serious socioeconomic consequences. Recently, IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) concluded that South Asia and the Middle East would experience sever, prolonged droughts as a result of global climate changes, explicitly the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (IPCC, 2007). Drought is a weather-related natural disaster whose effect is aggravated by human activities. Sometime drought affects large regions and even several countries for a long period of time. Drought has a serious impact on food productivity of a land, and even on the life expectancy of inhabitants. The aftermath of drought involves in socioeconomic, ecological issues (WGA, 1996) (Jeyaseelan, 2005; Pongracza et al., 1996). Iran encompassing drylands has been periodically jeopardized by drought events, which have devastatingly affected society and environment (Shamsipour et al., 2008). Therefore, the study of drought needs several sources of datasets. In other words, the design of a planning project for a region for sustainable development, the acquisition of updated data is critical, particularly for countries with arid to semi-arid climates. The recent innovations in remote sensing methods have brought new solutions to study of environmental problems in geosciences. In the assessment of natural hazards like drought, remote sensing provides rapid, instant spatial data about the natural phenomena; they are useful in decision-makings as well as weather forecasts (Sunyurp et al., 2004). The monitoring of drought via remote sensing depends on the factors that cause drought (Jeyaseelan, 2005). Drought indicators and variables, obtained through remotely sensed data, can carry some uncertainties, which is induces by the sensitivity of factors, or their dependency to weather and environment conditions. Additionally, some non-standard algorithms might lead to wrong estimation of drought intensity. More effective methods for increase accuracy of assessment and analysis of remotely sensed data are applying models which can combine in data layers. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to combine the layers of data in the modeling of drought. Recently, space technologies, such RS and GIS, and the numerical modeling techniques have been developed as powerful tools for the ecological assessment of environment (Krivtsov, 2004; MacMillan et al., 2004; Store and Jokimà ¤ki, 2003). Utilizing these technologies not only supply a platform to support multi-level and hierarchically integrated analysis on resource and environment, but also integrate the obtained information in a comparative theoretical ecosystem analysis. Meanwhile, Plummer (2000) argued that perspectives of combining ecological models and remotely sensed data would focus on the estimation of accuracy, the issues of spatial and temporal scale, and long-term comprehensive datasets.

Cain and Abel Analysis

Cain and Abel The Graves/Jung model is an interpretative method that attempts to explain a variety of things on a variety of levels. It explains how individuals progress, how societies progress, how theories progress, how we view others, and how others view us; just to name a few. I will be applying the theory to analyze the story of Cain and Abel found in the fourth chapter of Genesis, in the Bible. I will be interpreting the three main characters to assess what level of the model they are functioning in. We meet the main characters of the story in the first two verses.Cain is Abel’s older brother and we learn of their occupations, â€Å"Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. Their nature of their occupations could already be setting up the idea that Abel is physically small and Cain is physically larger. In the Hebrew world, shepherds are historically the youngest children and often girls. Later in the Bible, there is a mirror of this in 1st Samuel. it is King David (portrayed as the smallest amongst his brothers) who is also a shepherd. Typically anyone who â€Å"works the land† is going to have to be physically fit, which leads to more capabilities of physical violence.The author may have put these important details in to start to paint the picture of â€Å"helpless innocent Abel† and â€Å"big bully Cain†. This is just the beginning of why this is a Level 3 story of competitive, survival-of-the-fittest type interactions. Even though the characters might be functioning at the level 3, I think the society they are living in is at least level four. We see this in verses three and five when the third main character is introduced, â€Å"the Lord†. The fact that Cain and Abel’s god needs a offering implies that at some point someone said or wrote that he needed one.They wouldn’t just do that if it were not made clear by society that offerings were expected. This is all fitting with Level fou r. This also implies that the god is at least a level four god. In verses six and seven the Lord states, The LORD said to Cain, â€Å"Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. † This shows that the god of this story can function on level six.He is empathizing with Cain and even offering advice, or at least his challenge to Cain without explicitly telling him to not go through with his anger. However, to get to a level six, one must come out of a level five which came out of a level four. The level four god comes out in his punishment of Cain, â€Å"And the LORD said, â€Å"What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength.You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. † He is saying by this punishment that there are rules and you broke them, a very level four statement. The god in the story of Cain and Abel when the context is not extended to the whole Bible is a level four god. Cain is a textbook level three character he gets â€Å"angry† and jealous that someone else did better and he decided to go through with level three actions in verse 8. â€Å"Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Cain essentially decided that he was bigger and stronger so he could deal with things accordingly. The problem with that is that he is on a level four society with a level four god. Level four was created to stop individuals functioning at level three and this story follows suit with the Lord’s punishment of Cain and the society carrying it out. This is seen in verse 15, Then the LORD said to him, â€Å"Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. † And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Now we also see a little bit of level two come out in Cain’s words.When the lord asks him where his brother is, Cain responds with, â€Å"I do not know; am I my brother's keeper? † This is a very mischievous thing to say because Cain knows exactly where Cain is. It is very similar to a child being asked by his parents â€Å"Where did all those cookies for the shower go? † and the child who, while knowing it was wrong, ate them responds with â€Å"well I don’t see them anywhere. † Cain is mirroring this. I find it interesting that when it comes to a conflict both the Lord and Cain begin to function in lower levels than their original state.Lastly there is Abel, since the author doesn’t give us and lines of dialogue to reference, we will use the context of the story to evalua te what level character he is. I would say because he abides by the level four standards set by society and the level four god then he is at least functioning at the level. We see this in the fact that not only was he attempting to do the societal norm in making an offering that potentially allowed him to have â€Å"regard† with the Lord but also he succeeded in that. This shows he possibly could be a higher level than four but it is hard to say since we do not know exactly how he responded to Cain’s attack.

School administrators Essay

Education plays an important role in the life of almost all individual because this is the means by which they can gain knowledge and reach their full potential. In line with this, educational institutions give due importance to their curriculum in order to make sure that they are covering all the subjects and lessons that will help their students to develop their skills and talents. In line with this, almost all educational institutions include the arts as an important part of their curriculum because of the essential skills, talents, and values that students can develop from this area of education. Dance class is one of the major parts of the arts area of education that allow students to learn body coordination, music appreciation, and also a better understanding of various cultures through the different dance genres that are being taught. However, there are problems within educational institutions that resulted for most school administrators to cut-back or even completely eliminate dance classes and other art programs. Public schools usually have the most problems when it comes to maintaining dance classes because of the lack of school budget, facilities, and other needed materials to maintain dance classes. In relation to this, public school administrators also have to deal with the limited number of educators or teachers that will instruct students about the different genres of dance. Due to the challenges that public schools have to deal with, there is a continuous debate on whether dance classes should still be included in the educational curriculum. The on-going debate about the importance and need of dance classes in education is an important topic of study because it deals with the holistic learning and development of students. A comprehensive study should be made in order to identify whether there is really a need for dance classes to be included in the curriculum of most schools or having dance classes only give unnecessary cost and further contribute to the problems of public schools. In line with this, the research study that will be conducted gives primary focus on identifying whether there is really a need for dance class in education or not. In doing so, the corresponding pros and cons about dance class in education will be given due attention and importance. Identifying the positive and negative implications about dance class in education will substantially help the stakeholders in the issue. Stakeholders will be able to properly assess whether there is really a need for dance classes to be included in the educational curriculum or not. Studying the need for dance class in education is essential because the holistic development and well-being of students are at stake in this issue. Statement of the Problem The study aims to assess on whether there is a need for dance class in education, particularly in the secondary level of education. Specifically the study intends to: †¢ Describe the commonly used educational curriculum in the secondary academic level with emphasis on arts programs, specifically dance classes. †¢ Identify the positive effects of dance classes in education, especially when it comes to the development of students and their performance at school. †¢ Identify the negative effects of dance classes in education, especially when it comes to the development of students and their performance at school. †¢ Assess the effects of dance class to students and the need on whether to include it in the educational curriculum. Justifications for the Chosen References The articles that are included in the literature review section of this paper are chosen by the researcher because these articles exemplify the corresponding implications of having dance classes in educational institutions. Most the articles that were discussed in the literature review of the paper are studies that are previously made by different researchers about dance classes in education. In line with this, there are also case studies that are part of the literature review of the study that talks about the actual situation and experiences of students in specific schools about dance classes as part of their educational curriculum. Moreover, the researchers and writers that are responsible in creating the articles that are part of the literature review of the study are respectable individuals that actually have the necessary knowledge and expertise about dance and education. Relevance of the Articles to the Research Topic The article which had been chosen for this research are all important aspects pointed out towards the connection of dance with academic and personal life of each student. The chosen articles are a representation of different sides of research which discusses the importance of dance in the life of the youth. The articles contain the positive perspectives with dance and the values which are gained throughout such activity. The values that are highlighted are not only applicable for academics but also within the personal life of each student. More so, the articles will largely support the positive effects of dancing towards the youth. On the other hand, the articles utilized were providing various kinds of perspectives from different authors which are already experienced regarding such matters. Furthermore, the discussions of the authors are true to what is seen within schools. Most of the articles present are explaining the importance of dance in the lives of each student that will lead to their growth. More so, the articles are significant to the development of the literature review as well as the other parts of the paper such that of the analysis and findings and conclusion. The articles have specific concepts and theoretical perspectives that are very efficient in attaining the proper analysis. Also, the authors that are chosen for the whole paper are well versed in the topic they have written. In the light of this, the articles shall create a path towards a clear understanding regarding the concept of dance in relation to academic perspective. Therefore, there is a need to utilize different types of materials which had created earlier studies regarding dance schools in the secondary level. Through the use of different articles, this would shed light to the aim of proving that dance lessons are needed by students in the secondary level. Literature Review Article Title: Dance Education Research: What Train Are We On? Karen Kohn Bradley, a dance educator, conducted a study regarding the role of dance classes in the educational reforms of public schools in the United States. Bradley admitted that as a dance instructor she is aware that learning through movement like dance is a powerful agent that substantially helps in the enhancement of the cognitive skills of students. In the same manner, she also pointed out that dance classes teach students the valuable lessons, especially in terms of discipline. The two aforementioned approaches of dance education often create tension, which is not realized by educators in public schools that teaches dance classes. However, the present condition of public schools requires accountability and educational reform in order to properly address the root causes of current problems. In line with this, the relevance of dance in American public schools during the time of educational reform is given more emphasis (Bradley, 2001). Bradley pointed out in her study that dance programs and classes are among the most under-represented and marginalized, and misunderstood field of education. The important role of dance classes in public schools are often taken for granted, which is why there is a big possibility that it would not achieve due recognition in the reforms that are happening in American public schools. Bradley proposed that dance educators and other stakeholders in the field of dance education should start giving more value to themselves but further mastering in their craft. Furthermore she also pointed out that dance educators and stakeholders should not give up their fight in the inclusion of dance classes in public schools, especially since they are very much aware of the benefits that it can provide to their students (Bradley, 2001). Article Title: Nurturing Excellence through the Arts In the written work of Vanessa Camilleri and Anthony D. Jackson with the title â€Å"Nurturing Excellence through the Arts† stated that it is important that art classes must be taken by different students for it is will provide a very positive effect for the students. In ATA or the Arts and Technology Academy, the students are required to have extracurricular activities in three times a week in the whole school year. Moreover, there is direct participation of various professors and parents in developing a certain program that would enhance the ability of the students in the arts. The authors were able to mention that the arts program is not only limited to dancing but to the wider variety of performing arts. The school was able to create a program where in art shall be a source of education for the students. In the light of this, it is presented that the school wanted to integrate learning from a philosophical perspective of arts. More so, it is dancing which will bring a higher development for students not only in terms of academic level but also for their personal development. In the philosophy of the school, the lessons bring the students bring artistic content and develop the emotional and social skills of children. It is mentioned that in reality, it is the computing and interpersonal skills that must be developed in order to adapt in the modern world. Therefore through the activities in the performing arts, students shall be much more able to comply to the fast paced world with fewer complications. Definitely, the techniques of teaching the children utilized in ATA is highly focused on the arts as its association the development and nourishment of students in their future lives (Camelleri & Jackson, 2005). Article Title: Performance and Motivation in Dance Education In the written work of Elizabeth Lazaraoff, it is evident that there is the need to incorporate dancing as one of the main subjects in public schools for it is one of the most effective motivational practices available in teaching. For most students get bored in schools due to their uninterested attitudes, it is dancing or the whole perspective of performing arts must be associated with the development of students and the curriculum in public schools. For most schools are focused in science and math, a new concept that is much relatable for children in the elementary level shall help motivate students in being active in school. Furthermore, the author suggests that the performing arts must be associated not only in the curriculum but also in the teaching techniques of teachers. Article Title: Gliding Glissade Not Grand Jete Elementary Classroom Teachers Teaching Dance This article presents that there is a need to create a program of dancing in the elementary level. Such levels are very fun loving and playful hence, they are needed to be stimulated through performing arts in order for them to be much motivated. However, the article created by Anne Dunkin states that the elementary level is very good in absorbing and appreciating such type of concepts. On the other hand, other levels such as the secondary and university level are less appreciative in such kind of teaching. More so, the US Department of Education pointed in their 2002 report that most secondary and elementary schools are not practicing art education. There are only one fifth of schools in the United States offer the instructions in dancing. Hence, not all students have the opportunity dancing and performing arts as a whole. Therefore, Dunkin wanted to attain a level of awareness that there is a need to incorporate dancing in the curriculum of each school in the United States. Although the goals might not be possible in the next five years of the thought of such association of dance to schools are also not impossible. The author suggests that there must be a full regarding with such type of issue. There must be a high association that would pursue the interests of students in their artistic side. With such type of organization, the possibility of attaining an artistic curriculum shall be created (Dunkin, 2004). Article Title: Dance Education in Elementary Schools Based on the research study regarding the status of K-12 dance education, two levels of implications have been observable about dance education: the first one of the practical effect while the other one involves the clarification of visions. The practical implication emphasized the need to include new requirements about dance classes with corresponding guidance and resources in order for students to effectively learn in their dance lessons. However, there is a huge gap between the requirements and the reality because extensive teacher training and the need for provision materials should be given attention, since these are the main problems that affect dance classes and programs. Moreover, teachers should not be merely regarded as technical support because it is pivotal that they are included in the decision-making process when it comes to educating students (Bresler, 1992). Article Title: K-12 Dance Education: Four Model Programs The article written by Bresler discussed dance education in elementary schools by means of narrating and assessing a particular research study about the status of dance education in elementary schools. The status of dance education was studied by means using four perspectives, namely: â€Å"musician Liora Bresler, an outsider, looks at dance programs in Illinois elementary schools† (Knowles et al. , 1992, n. p. ). In line with this, other reputable personalities also participated in the study of Bresler, such as: Susan Stinson, who represented the perspective of high school students about the value of dance; Patricia Knowles and Rona Sande presented a model dance programs in four different parts of the United States; and Peggy Schwartz is the one responsible in the creation, development and even demise of the dance certification for educators in the state of Massachusetts. The efforts made by the different important people in the study contributed in gathering the necessary data about the national trends in teacher education, requirements for certification, and the application of programs (Knowles et al. , 1992). Article Title: Dance Education in American Public Schools: Case Studies The report of Knowles and Sande are consists of four case studies that represent the results of a national survey that was conducted by the National Arts Education Research Center. The main purpose of the research is to identify and choose model schools that already have curriculum-based K-12 dance education programs. The schools that were part of the research study were: â€Å"Fillmore Arts Center (Washington, D. C. ). Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts (Buffalo, New York, Duxberry Park Arts IMPACT School (Columbus, Ohio), and Jefferson High School for the Performing Arts (Portland, Oregon). The important areas of discussion that were included in each case study are: the educators/faculty, curriculum, program objectives, facilities, and equipment. The results of the study showed that the school that were observed have several similar characteristics, namely: â€Å"strong parental and community support; mutual respect among dance faculty and a unified program philosophy; frequent communication and a positive working atmosphere; a belief in integration within content areas and in interdisciplinary work; a curriculum that excites students; and administrative confidence and support† (Knowles and Sande, 1991, n. p. ). Article Title: Revitalizing Pennsylvania through Creativity: Dance Education Giguere, a Pennsylvanian herself, wrote an article that talks about the way by which their place was able to address difficulties through the help of dance education. The author pointed out the bleak future of Pennsylvania due to the economic hardships that it is experiencing. In addition, Pennsylvania also has to deal with other problems such as: slow population growth, aging work force, and the increasing presence of suburban slumps. The aforementioned untoward situation of Pennsylvania is greatly contributing to the â€Å"brain drain† of its highly-educated and competent workers. Giguere was able to found out in her research that the reasons for the flight of most young professionals are due to the lack of arts and culture in local Pennsylvania communities. In line with this, Giguere emphasized that Pennsylvania can actually make its situation better by means of improving its arts and culture by establishing and improving dance classes. The author strongly believes that the strength of Pennsylvania is not found in technology but rather in enriching its arts and culture. (Giguere, 2005). Analysis All the articles have each own relevance in terms of providing information that would help people in attaining the importance of education and dance. Some articles provide different kinds of perspectives in the current development of the association of dance and education. There are articles where in the authors provide the significance and reasons for the need of dance and performing arts in education. Most of the authors mention that dance in the academic setting motivates the students in going to school and it further helps students in attaining a much balanced lifestyle. In addition to this, the authors chosen for this study strongly believes in the concept of dance as the major influence for students in building their social, emotional and personal progress as a individual in the society. The performing arts is not simply a hobby for students but a much enjoyable training ground for students as a preparation for their future in the modern world. Due to the points mentioned by the authors utilized in this study, the researcher chose to view the question of: â€Å"Is there a need for dance education in the secondary level of education. † This research question shall be the main query that will be utilized in the different sections of the study. Therefore, this question shall be provided with accurate data in order to attain the proper response. Conclusion In conclusion, education is the most important aspect in the lives of different individuals for it provides development. More so, education must also develop in association to the development of the modern life. In the current era, people are highly associating themselves with culture and the arts. Therefore, there is a new perspective which is evidently seen in the boom of artistic interests of the current age. Hence, in order to nurture such type of the perspective, there are authors to which believe in the concept of associating education and dancing to comply with the current era. In the section of the literature review, it is clear that most authors see that the association of dance and education is a positive and possible development in the United States. Furthermore, the authors see that such belief is effective for the students due to the variety of values and skills they are able to attain. Moreover, students have a much developed interpersonal skills that are highly important in the work place. In addition to this, the students become confident of what they have for they have developed a unique skill. Therefore, the authors encourage that dancing and the whole selection of performing arts should be associated in the curriculum and also within the teaching technique of teachers. In relation to this, students become more appreciative of the arts most especially with their social and emotional feelings. Due to the fast life and societal norms present in the society. Most students only become nurtured through their science and math skills but in reality, students must be able to link their emotional and social skills to attain their best abilities. The expansive abilities developed in students could not be denied for the results are very evident in the studies created by the authors. More so, this research aims to provide information that through dancing and education, students shall be able to contribute more to the future society not only in the economic view but also in the societal view. References Bradley, K. K. (2001). Dance education Research: What Train Are We On? National Dance Education Organization, 103, 31-35. Bresler, L. (1992). Dance Education in Elementary Schools. Design for Arts in Education, 93, 5. Camilleri, V. & Jackson, A. (2005). Nurturing Excellence through the Arts. Educational Leadership, 60-64. Dunkin, A. (2004). Gliding Glissade Not Grand Jete Elementary Classroom Teachers Teaching Dance. Arts Education Policy Review, 105, 23-29. Giguere, M. (2005). Revitalizing Pennsylvania through Creativity: Dance in Education. Arts Education Policy Review, 106, 34-39. Knowles, P. , and Sande, R. (1991). Dance Education in American Public Schools: Case Studies. Illinois: Council for Research in Music Education, School of Music, University of Illinois. Knowles, P. , & Sanders, R. (1992). K-12 Dance Education: Four Model Programs. Design for Arts in Education, 93, 5. Lazaroff, E. (2001). Performance and Motivation in Dance Education. Arts Education and Policy Review, 103, 23-29.