Finding God Seeking the Truth Personal Statement

Finding God Seeking the Truth - Personal Statement Example Let me elaborate my understandings by touching on the point that God wanted to establish personal relations with his special creation, the humans. The Genesis clearly manifests how a loving God created all things. But whether the detail of such creation is clearly portrayed or not in the texts doesn't matter. What matters is the reason why man was created in His likeness. He made us special because he needed a special bond with the works of His hands and this could be achieved through following His well, to obey Him, and live forever with Him. But sin had changed all these. Nevertheless, in spite of the sins of Adam, he gave him a chance because he didn't want this bond to be broken. Regardless of the sinfulness of all the people in Noah's time God redeemed his family from the great flood, because God needed to preserve the connection. He called Abraham from among the rest of the people to establish an intimate attachment with God and human. When Sodom and Gomorrah was rained with fi re he saved Lot again to preserve the link. Yet now, upon pondering this important truth I have found, it's never too late for everyone to have a special relationship with God. I realized and I am convinced that no amount of religion can reinforce such personal relationship with God but we ourselves alone. How then can we show that God is reigning in us The second apprehension I have mentioned is respect for oneself which is one of the signs I realized than can prove it. God created our body as a temple of the Spirit he gave us. I had been taught from my Catholic teachings that humans have the breath of life, the soul that instituted the direct bond to our God. I held on to this conviction and continue to understand that a part of us is immortal and would come out at the right time laid in our fate by God. The body served as the temple of the soul that needs to be nurtured. A clean body would mean a clean soul. I recalled that time when I usually recharge myself in the quiet and calm place where I can make connection with nature. Oh, what a refreshing experience it was when you sense the spirit of God hovering in nature making connection with your inner soul! But meditation is just one expression in our struggle to respect our own body. Respect for self requires both physical and spiritual nurturing. Doing away with sinful acts that ruin not only the flesh but also the soul is one way. Immoral sex, alcoholism, and other forms of wicked acts corrupt the body and weaken the bond with God. The values taught in the Kabbalah are essential ideals and guidance to make the flesh clean. Following the teaching of good values and the way to righteousness is the ultimate show of deference for oneself. The ultimate proof of a strong bond with God and respect for the self could be shown by how we deal with others. I considered this third point as strongly reinforced by the texts I have encountered. Our behaviors towards ourselves are less pronounced than our business with others. How we greet the persons next us, how we mingle wit our peers, how we act in public are greatly seen by others and are judged by them. Every individual have their own standards as far as judging other behaviors are concerned. A good attitude to one can be normal for others. A bad habit could even be worse in another's perspective. But most often the limitations of our actions are governed by human laws. There are absurd things that could be socially

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hinduism - Essay Example However, this is depended on the moral quality of the actions in the previous life. According to the reincarnation beliefs, people take one form of life before taking a different form in another life (Somer and CarmitOr-Chen 460). As such, life does not stop at any particular time; rather, life is a process that keeps on evolving continuously. According to their beliefs, argues Burch (76), when one dies as a human being, he could take the form of an animal, which when dies may take the form of an insect. After the insect dies, it may assume the form of a carrot and later a human being again. There is thus no particular time when the life of one particular generation would ever end, concludes Davidson (123). Unlike other religions such as Islam and Christianity, which believe in the end of life after the death of a person, Hinduism holds different views. However, a person does not emerge in the next life as the previous life; he or she assumes this form as a spirit, and as such, point out Hui and Peter (453), people have hope that they will not entirely vanish from the world. Thus, a man who dies before the birth of his daughter could re-emerge in the daughter buy his spirit entering in the daughter. The belief tries to explain the similarities in people’s characteristics, behaviorisms, and mannerisms. Living people could possess characteristics of a long dead person, and thus, Hindus belief that the spirit of the long dead person reincarnated in the new person. Some Hindu cultures, due to the reincarnation belief, do not eat particular kinds of animals or plant’s (Waterhouse 97). To them, these are spiritual, and are the very kinds that people assume through their reincarnation process. Thus, eating such plants and animals would be killing a person. However, even if I were to believe in re incarnation, I would not agree with the argument that some of the animals having a higher likelihood of people reincarnating through them than others. I would a rgue that all animals and plants, just as if they have equal opportunities of life, have equal opportunities of taking part in the reincarnation process. After all, they all will die at some point, and are too have to reincarnate to one particular form. Although the belief has widely spread in other religions and cultural practices, initially, reincarnation was an eastern religions belief, especially within the Hinduism religion (McClelland 15). However, currently, philosophies such as dianetics and channeling appear to embrace the concepts of reincarnation. In the past, the eastern religions did not consider reincarnation as a good thing; instead, to them it was a bad thing. The ancient belief, assuming the state of nirvana in essence, to them was an escape from the wheel of rebirth. Further, the beliefs held that while reincarnating, when the metaphysical devotion of a soul enters the body of a person was an impure rite of passage. Although conceptually closely related to reincarn ation (Almeder 81), I think the new age religions belief in being born again is a mirror concept to reincarnation. To these religion though, being born again is a good thing rather than a bad thing. Being born again, having a perverse goal differentiates it from the original meaning of reincarnation. Being born again prepares a person to what exactly one

Red Bull Company Description Commerce Essay

Red Bull Company Description Commerce Essay An Austrian Company created Red Bull back in 1987. Red Bull is an energy drink and is also the worlds most popular energy drink, having sold 4.6 billion cans in 2011. The drink was first sold in Thailand and then modified to suit the tastes of people in the United States. A single can of Red Bull has the same amount of as a cup of coffee. Depending on the country, the level of caffeine in a can of Red Bill can vary, as some countries have restrictions on how much caffeine is allowed in drinks. The product is marketed through advertising events such as sport team ownerships, celebrity endorsements, and music. Unfortunately, Red Bull is not market approved in France, Denmark, and Norway. But Red Bull is legal in 164 countries around the world. Due to the potential health risks associated with the drink, Red Bull has been heavily criticized. We will further discuss in detail the health risks associated with the energy drink in the contents of our paper (redbull.com). Mission Statement According to Red Bull, [Their] mission is to be the premier marketer and supplier of Red Bull in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the globe. [They] will achieve this mission by building long-term relationships with the people who can make it become a reality (redbull.com). The company also has a vision statement that focuses on 5 aspects of their company values: People, Portfolio, Partners, Profit, and Productivity. Red Bull wants to be a great place to work; where people are inspired to be the best they can be. They want to bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverages that anticipate and satisfy peoples desires and needs. Red Bull wants to nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers; together we create value. They want to maximize a long-term return to shareowners while being mindful of [their] overall responsibilities. Red Bull also wants to be a highly effective, lean, and fast-moving organization (redbull.com). Situation Analysis Industry Analysis Trends In the drink market, energy drinks are arguably the fastest growing and most creative group. Since 2004, the mar has annually increased volume growth by about 14 %. Geographically, the most consumers are in Asia, followed by North America and Western Europe. According to the 2010 Global Energy Drinks Report, Australia and Latin America are two regions that have recorded strong double-digit growth in energy drink volumes. Availability is the key drive of sales and energy shots are quickly becoming the next fab (rcciinsight.com). Competitors In the energy drink market there are numerous companies and a select few vying for Red Bulls top spot. Rockstar, Monster, 5-hour energy, full Throttle, NOS, Pepsi Co., and Coca-Cola Co. are the main competitors. Monster energy drink with the logo of three claws in the shape of a M is distributed by Hansen Natural Corporation in Corona, California. With a fairly tolerable taste, this drink sparks you up and packs quite a vicious punch. Rockstar was formulated in 2001 and is one of the fastest growing drinks in the market. This brand also has products that figure in the list of energy drinks with alcohol. Full Throttle is produced by the Coca-Cola Company and debuted in late 2004. They are well-known for their great flavors (buzzle.com). Consumer Profile Demographic shifts, as well as changing consumer attitudes, will also have an impact on energy drink sales. Younger consumers have been the primary consumers due to their taste and image characteristics. From a consumption standpoint, energy drinks have benefited from their use as a mixer with spirits. However, promoting the use of an energy drink to younger consumers or as a mixer has led to negative publicity for some energy drink brands. According to Mintel principal trends analyst Richard Cope, People are working longer into retirement and there is a greater need for products geared towards vitality and health in the senior workforce. At the moment energy drinks are marketed towards the youth market, he said, but they will become more about getting people through the day at an older age (rcciinsight.com). Technology Technology, or more specifically the internet, has created another link between Red Bull and consumers. When visiting their website, people are able to view various aspects of the company. There are links for: products and company, videos, photos, music tracks, just epic, games, ted bulletin, redbull.tv, and red bull signature series. This technology does an excellent job of promoting the brand in many different ways (redbull.com). SWOT Analysis Strengths Red Bull has numerous strengths. The company was founded in 1984 and by 1987 it launched its first product in a completely new category of drinks. Today Red Bull is sold in 164 countries around the world. Since its debut 25 years ago, Red Bull has sold 30 billion cans, with more than 4.5 billion last year. Due to their success both domestically and internationally, the company has expanded to over 8,000 employees worldwide (redbull.com). Their leadership within the energy drinks market is sub-none. They are by far the most popular company. Top-seller Red Bull posted $2.3 billion in sales, which is a 14.3 percent increase, according to Symphony IRI data (bevindustry.com). According to Red Bull, Numerous scientific studies on the product and the individual ingredients prove that Red Bull Energy Drink: increases performance, increases concentration and reaction speed, improves vigilance, stimulates metabolism, and makes you feel more energetic and thus improves you overall well-being (redbull.com). Weaknesses Despite having numerous strengths and worldwide popularity, Red Bull still has a few weaknesses. To begin with, Red Bull is in the above average price range of the energy drink market. Secondly, there is a substantial lack of innovation. Red Bull only offers a few products where as some of their competitors offer more. Third, Red Bulls recipe is not patented. This could potentially lead to another company producing a very similar or exact product with just a different name. Fourth, Red Bull is not yet a large corporation as they still have less than 10,000 employees (Tyagi). Threats The biggest threat to Red Bull is Red Bull itself. The ingredient mix that their products contain is not FDA approved. On top that, government and scientists are finding that high amounts of caffeine, sugar, and taurine are extremely unhealthy and potential fatal. France and Denmark have gone to such measures as to ban Red Bull as a cocktail of death. High amounts of sugar have been found to cause serious health problems. A small amount of taurine, which is still a vastly unknown ingredient, is thought to be beneficial, but scientists are beginning to find health risks it causes. Red Bull energy drinks also contain a highly dangerous chemical called Glucuronolactone. The US Department of Defense developed this product during the Vietnam War as a hallucinogenic drug to stimulate troops morale. According to reports, their effects in the organism were so devastating, that is was discontinued of the high index of cases of migraines, cerebral tumors, and liver diseases that occurred in th e soldiers who consumed it (Helmi). Red Bull must carefully watch its larger competitors, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, who would like nothing more than to obtain Red Bulls consumers. Also, healthy organic energy drinks are starting to enter and become competitive in the market (Tyagi). Opportunities Red Bulls greatest potential lies in its opportunities. Sales of energy drinks have taken on the energy of its products compared to a year ago. The energy drinks category increased 15.7 percent for $6.9 billion in sales, according to Symphony IRI Group, Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 15 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart (bevindustry.com).To begin with, since they only have a few products, Red Bull has the opportunity to create new products. Second, they have an unlimited ability to advertise and promote their brand. Currently, Red Bull is the major player in the action and outdoor sports advertising. However, if they were to continue doing that, but also enter into another market such as UFC, boxing, or even mainstream sports such as football or baseball, this would create a potentially exponential consumer base. Third, if Red Bull could partner with a popular company such as Facebook or Apple, this wo uld create more everyday exposure via social media (Tyagi). Marketing Objectives A marketing objective is a statement of what is to be accomplished through marketing activities. The goal of Red Bull is obviously increasing sales more than last year. Red Bull leads an energy drink industry so far; however, Monster has been catching up greatly in the past a few years. Therefore, they need to have a good marketing objective to keep the position of number one seller in an energy drink industry and increasing their sales. In order to accomplish their marketing plan, they need to cover several criteria of marketing objective such as realistic, measurable, time-specific, and compared to a benchmark (redbull.com). Red Bull refused to publish their earnings, profits and specific marketing goal; however, increasing their profit than past years is clear and accurate their goal of every year. They also compute their annual profit end of a year every year. In 2011, Red Bull sold 4.631 billion cans worldwide. It represents an increase of 11.4% against 2010. Company turnover increased by 12.4%, from 3.785 billion Euros to 4.253 billion Euros. Therefore, their key areas such as revenues, sales, productivity, operating profit, and the figures recorded were the best in the history of the company so far. According to industry marketing reports, The main reason for such progressive figures include exceptional sales, especially in key markets such as the USA (+11%) and Germany (+10%) and also in other markets such as Turkey (+86%), Japan (62%), France (+35%), and Scandinavia (+34%) combined with efficient cost management and ongoing brand investment. The result of these figures indicate Red Bull continue i ncreasing sales and accomplishing the goal. Red Bull is successfully growth because of their marketing plan that increasing their profit than past years and computing their annual profit end of a year are realistic, and time-specific (redbull.com). In order to increase a profit of the company, advertisement is one of very important elements. Red Bull builds up unique marketing campaigns and many different kind of activities such as mountain biking, snowboarding surfing, skateboarding, freestyle motocross, and Formula 1 racing. They just succeeded in the marketing campaign Red Bull Stratos. Felix Baumgartner jumped at 128,000 feet above the Earth that reached a high speed of 833.9 miles per hour. People cannot get a picture of Felix without the Red Bull logo and that is their marketing strategy. Red Bull considers that marketing is not just department (Chun). Their extreme sports activities contents represent the symbol of their brand; therefore, they launched Red Bull Media House service. Red Bull Media House is a multi-platform media company with a focus on sports, culture and lifestyle. They provide and distribute the videos, which are precious, cool, and adventurous; therefore, people are able to get thrills from the movies. The marketing plan of Red Bull Media House is making profit from its services. They also expect the service serve a function as an advertisement and help to increase sales of Red Bull. According to Red Bull founder and CEO Dietrich Mateschitz, he states, In long term, we expect that Red Bull Media House to be profitable. Therefore, their marketing objective of Red Bull media House is not clear. There is a realistic to achieve their goal when they consider long term to get profits from its Red bull media house services because especially the attentions from young people to extreme sports are increasing. Red Bull Me dia House also needs to become more popular to be profitable. Their goal is not measurable and time-specific because Dietrich just mentions Red Bull Media House will be profitable in the future. Their plan is too vague and they do not determine the date of their achievement such as December 31, 2015. However, at the same, they also consider Red Bull Media House is part of marketing content and desire that the services and the video of Red Bull Media House assist sales of Red Bull. Therefore, we can see the logotype of Red Bull on the players helmets, caps, and shirts in the movies from Red Bull Media House. They are excited to launch Red Bull Media House and provide the services; even though, they might not be able to make profits the first a few years because they tend to consider the loss of profits as expenditure of marketing (Iezzi). Marketing Strategy Target Marketing Strategy A target market is a group of individuals that is most likely to buy a firms product based on similar characteristics, preferences, and lifestyles. From the beginning, Red Bull has set out to associate itself with youth culture and extreme, adventure-related sports. Red Bulls target market is mainly Generation Y, aged anywhere between 18-35, who enjoy extreme sports and an active nightlife. This active group of individuals does not respond well to the typical, classic marketing strategies of most companies. Red Bull relies heavily on a strategy that has become known as viral marketing, or word-of-mouth, to spread the popularity of the drink, rather than traditional methods. Red Bull is trying to be as close as possible to its consumers in its distribution strategy and likewise in its promotion strategy by having a street marketing strategy. They have put themselves in the center of their target market and made themselves an icon in a wide variety of sports such as mountain biking, mo tocross, BMX, windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, cliff-diving, surfing, rally, Formula 1 racing, NASCAR, desert racing, and even breakdancing. This may be a wide selection, but it is great for Red Bull because each sport is focused around Generation Y, which gives them a broad fan base. Marketing Mix Product Red Bull is arguably one of the most publicized and well-known organizations in the action sports community, which is phenomenal considering they essentially only have one product. This one product was the first energy drink of its kind, and has basically remained the same ever since. They have added a few variations of the original, Sugar Free and Total Zero, along with Red Bull Editions that give a slight variety of flavor. Red Bull was developed specifically to increase mental and physical exertion, increase performance and concentration during times of stress, and improve reaction speed, which is where their slogan Gives You Wings started (redbull.com). Place/Distribution Red Bull distributes their product through a few different distribution channels. The first is the Direct Channel where the producer interacts with the consumer. They set up booths or have the Wings Team drive their Red Bull cars to events and hand out their product to consumers first hand. The other distribution channel is the wholesaler channel in which Red Bull sells their product to a wholesaler, who then sells it to a retailer such as gas stations and convenience stores, who then sell it to the consumer. Red Bull is also involved in the bar scene and has strict rules about mixing the right drink and a bar. The barmen are instructed to give what remains in the can to the consumer to further Red Bulls visibility of the product (Louvet). Promotion Red Bulls promotion strategy began with the Wings Team, who were attractive female students, whose role was to establish a relationship with the consumers, to have them discover the product, and see what consumer opinion was. Red Bulls first target was college campuses, because this is where they felt they could make the biggest impact, on students who were seeking an extra boost of energy. Red Bull would consult with the Student Brand Manager at school to ensure that Red Bull was present at every strategic moment on the social calendar such as sporting events and big parties. The strength of Red Bull is an ability to instill a genuine passion for the brand in the Wings Team and the Student Brand Managers. Thus, these committed people are more likely to promote a good image of the brand and to have a greater positive impact on targeted consumers (Louvet). Since this, Red Bull has expanded drastically and changed their promotion strategy. Red Bull explicitly states that they do not involve themselves in print advertising such as newspapers and magazines; instead, they rely on television, social media, and outdoor media to advertise. Since 1992, Red Bull has created cheap cartoons with simple but recognizable drawings, telling funny and simple stories. These were a huge benefit for them because they were easily adaptable to markets all across the globe. Red Bull also displays outdoor media at every even possible with huge tents and exhibits, inflatable cans and arches; as well as custom painted helmets, racecars, helicopters, and airplanes for all of their athletes. Social media has become Red Bulls best way of advertising. It is an easy way to get one simple picture, video, or message around the globe in less than a few seconds. They are famous for their viral videos, which are spread entirely by fans and followers. Red Bull currently has 34.5 million likes on Facebook, 480 thousand followers on Instagram, 843 thousan d followers on Twitter. With all the advances in Internet and social media Red Bull has found a perfect niche market where the consumer spreads the word faster than the producer (redbull.com). Price Red Bull sees themselves as a high quality company that offers a high quality product, which is why they have a strict pricing policy. Their product is the most expensive amongst competitors because they are prestigious and have customer loyalty (redbull.com). Implementation, Evaluation, and Control Marketing Research Red Bull has managed to revolutionize the world of energy drinks. It has permeated globally and hopes to expand into even more countries. Their success can be traced to a well-established marketing plan. Since their inception into the market, Red Bull has relied on their research to follow a successful path. According to Lamb, marketing research can help managers in several ways, it improves the quality of decision making and helps managers trace problems (pg. 292). By having a well-established marketing strategy a company can be very profitable. Red Bull has chosen to reposition themselves by targeting a specific market. They opt for targeting younger individuals involved in action sports and with a very active lifestyle. Red Bull has a very unorthodox way of marketing; they rely heavily on buzz marketing or word of mouth. It is amazing that a world renowned company reached such success simply with an effective marketing strategy and by word of mouth advertising. Another concept ent ailed in marketing research is, the ability to understand the ever changing marketplace. This is another factor that has contributed to their success because they are aware of the changing trends, especially amongst the younger population or in other words, generation Y (redbull.com). Organizational Structure and Plan According to Lamb, many of the historic sources of competitive advantage-technology, innovation, economies of scale-allowed companies to focus their efforts internally and prosper (pg. 7). In other words, Red Bull has been able to become successful because it has followed through the many factors that instill competitive advantage amongst other brands in the market share. Red Bull really takes into consideration the three factors that allow for a proficient organizational focus. These are customer value, customer satisfaction, and building relationships. Firstly, customer satisfaction is customers evaluation of a good or service in terms of weather it has met their needs and expectations (Lamb, pg 9). Customers that purchase Red Bull already have an opinion and know what to expect from the product. Secondly, building relationships, which is attracting new customers or maintain its current customers. Companies can expand market share in three ways: attracting new customers, increasing business with existing customers, and retaining current customers (Lamb, pg. 9). Thirdly, relationship marketing, as a strategy that focuses on keeping and improving relationships with current customers. All these components contribute to customer relationship management. In which, the company designs a business model to reduce costs and increase profitability by strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty. Red Bull does a great job of implementing all of the three components in maintaining a good relationship with its customers. For example, a young person who is interested in extreme sports has loyalty to the product, because Red Bull is associated with the sport and it probably sponsors the popular athletes (redbull.com). Financial Projections Red Bull has made a few projections regarding its finances and advertising strategies. One of their strategies was to become more aggressive in their strategies, some were introduced at the end of the 2011 fiscal year. According to their website, In 2011, 4.631 billion cans were sold worldwide. That is an increase of 11.4% since 2010. In all key areas such as sales, revenues, productivity and operating profit, the figures recorded were the best in the companys history so far (redbull.com). In other words, as of the end of 2011, Red Bull employed 8,294 people in 164 countries. The companys marketing plan for 2012 stated that, Market Share Red Bull anticipates through the following year to be able to increase its market share by 10%, raising it to 58% of the market share. Through various media channel , Red Bull has set a goal to set itself further ahead from all competitors and build an undeniable brand loyalty among a different demographic (redbull.com). Implementation Timetable In this section, the company implements the marketing strategy and establishes company goals. As explained previously, Red Bull hopes to generate more sales resulting from their new marketing plan. The company plans to advertise, on the web, trial, sponsorship, promotion, viral and on television. However, for the years to come they hope to shift their target market from young individuals to 35-65 year olds. The company also stated some goals for this year. They want to increase revenue by, the following year, Red Bull has set a goal to increase revenue by 20% $6.22 billion . By gaining customers in a new demographic, as well as releasing a revamped campaign, Red Bull believes this is possible (redbull.com). This is to say that, the company has established goals that can be attained if their marketing plan is successful. It is very likely that it can accomplish those goals, simply because even after many years, it remains the top name in energy drinks. Positives, Negatives, and Recommendations Positives The worlds most recognizable and profitable energy drink Red Bull posted revenue of more than $5.1 billion in 2010, and sales of the product are continuing to increase each year. Red Bull spends an unbelievable 30-40% of their revenue on marketing. The majority of Red Bull energy drinkers are between the ages of 18-34 year old males. The drink grabbed the attention of their target user and flawlessly grew, and become the brand marketing strategy that translated into We are with you and one of you. The recent 2011-2012 focus of Red Bull energy drink is trying to increase awareness among the 35-65 crowds, both male and female. The reason for Red Bulls remarkable marketing strategy relies solemnly on the following four concepts (Andy): 1. Consumer engagement through sportsmanship 2. Videos of extreme athletic accomplishments posted on YouTube that go viral. 3. Brand recognition through logo saturation. 4. Attainment of widespread brand recognition and loyalty first among a core demographic, then building a credible bridge to achieve it. Because Red Bulls targeting audience is the Y Generations, the company has developed a Wings Team to develop and establish a relationship with the consumers and to discuss with consumers about their appreciation or dissatisfaction of the product. One of Red Bulls strategies is to be present at school events, big parties, sporting events, and school/social calendars. One of the many strengths of Red Bull is their genuine passion for their brand and consumers who are committed to their energy drinks. These committed people are likely to promote a good image of the brand and have a greater impact on targeted consumers (Louvet). Negatives Even though Red Bulls marketing strategy is proven to be the best, they are facing a negative publicity about the health risks that the drink leads to. Because of the many health risks associated with the energy drink, countries such as Denmark and France have banned the drink from their markets. The energy drink contains high level of sugar and caffeine and taurine, therefore causing a variety of health risks such as heart problems, vertigo, hallucinations, damaged tooth enamel, and other permanent problems. Some studies that were conducted showed that the product is linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, the product has not been thoroughly clinically tested as of yet. A disadvantage of Red Bull is that the product is expensive compared to other caffeinated beverages. Due to these issues, Red Bull has recently developed Red Bull Cola, which is an all-natural, containing no synthetic preservatives or flavors energy drink (Louvet). Recommendations As a group, we concluded that Red Bull should try to decrease their pricing in order to maintain their target market of the young generation. If the energy drink continues to increase in price, it might push the product out of its prestige position in the market. Red Bull is known for campaigning at school events, extreme sporting events, etc. but this must be kept unchanged if the product wants to continue their strategic marketing plan. For the long run of Red Bull, the company should be thinking about some ethical aspects of the product, such as the negative health risk associated with the drink.

Cultural Analysis of The Coldest Winter Ever Essay -- essays research

The Coldest Winter Ever   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born Lisa Williamson in 1964, Sister Souljah is a hip-hop artist that burst to the forefront of mainstream media in 1992 when she was criticized by then Presidential candidate Bill Clinton for saying â€Å"If Black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?† Clinton was trying to prove to other Democrats that he did not sympathize with the organization that Souljah was a member of. She basically said Bill Clinton and went on to sign music and publishing contracts. She has become one of the more passionate and articulate voices to emerge speaking for young African Americans in the United States. She has written and published to works: No Disrespect, and autobiographical account of Souljah’s life, and The Coldest Winter Ever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Coldest Winter Ever tells of the story of a young woman named Winter. She was born into a family drug operation. Her father was a drug kingpin. Winter never knew about struggles in life. She always had the best of the best; everyone wanted to be like her. This was all taken away when her father’s operation is busted and he goes to jail for the rest of his life. Winter, who has never known poverty, is faced with trying to survive while attempting to continue living in the extravagance to which she has become accustomed. The story follows Winter from the time she is fifteen until she is about twenty-five, in prison serving time for a crime for possessing drugs that belonged to her boyfriend. The story ends with Winter still in jail, not the usual happy ending that accompanies fictional novels. This real life ending is the most important aspect of this novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl Marx argues in The German Ideology that material allows for more culture. Material is the road to true humanity. These materials are not only those things that we possess, such as cars, clothes, and houses, but also material that we gain through life experience itself. Winter defines her life by material. For her, money is God. She begins referencing her material items at once, from the diamond ring set in 24-karat gold she received the day she was born, to the diamond tennis bracelet she received on her sixteenth birthday, to the designer clothes she wore that no one else had or could afford. Even after she has no money because of he... .... International Publishers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2004. Rosteck, Thomas. â€Å"Subject Positions as a Site of Rhetorical Struggle: Representing African   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans.† At the Intersection: Cultural Studies and Rhetorical Studies. The Guilford   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Press. New York. 1999. Sheldon, Randall G. â€Å"The History of Criminal Justice from a Critical Perspective.† Controlling   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the Dangerous Classes: A Critical Introduction to the History of Criminal Justice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sister Souljah. The Coldest Winter Ever. Pocket Books, a Division of Simon and Schuster Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americas, NY. 1999. Sister Souljah. No Disrespect. Vintage Books, a Division of Random House. New York. 1994. Storey, John. â€Å"Fiction.† Cultural Studies and the Study of Popluar Culture second edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Athens, Georgia. University of Georgia Press. 2003. Woodson, Carter G. The Mis-Education of the Negro. Trenton, NJ. Africa World Press, Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March 1998.

Autism Research Paper

1 Autism is a social, mental, and physical condition that affects children and adults every year. Many families have dealt and are dealing with the struggles that accompany this disease. Autism can affect a person in various ways, and there are many different forms that can range from mild to severe. Autism stays with a person throughout their whole life. It is believed that two to six of every thousand people on the Earth suffer from autism. American psychiatrist Leo Kanner came up with the name Autism in the 1940’s from the Greek word for self. Chez, 20) There is no known cause or treatment for this disease as of today, but researchers are learning more every day. One parent described her child, saying, â€Å"There was no joy, no sadness, no curiosity, no connection, nothing. † (Seroussi, 28) There are many symptoms of Autism. These symptoms can be displayed as early as birth, or as late as adulthood, but most cases appear in young children. These symptoms can also ra nge in severity. Some cases are undiagnosed because of the subtleness of the symptoms, while others make it impossible for a person to function on their own.Some of these symptoms can be mental, but most of the recognized signs of Autism are physical. There are also many different kinds of Autism. There is Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger's syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD). Each of these come with their own set of symptoms, and affect a person differently. Most people just clump all of these conditions together as Autism, but the â€Å"scientific† term for these syndromes is â€Å"Autism Spectrum Disorders† or â€Å"Pervasive Developmental Disorders. † 2The symptoms of Autism can be mental or physical. The mental aspect of Autism can hinder a child from being able to communicate and interact with others. There are many combinations of the symptoms that can change a way a child intera cts in many different forms. There are three main parts of a child’s social life that Autism can affect. Autism can cause abnormal social interactions, abnormal communication, and/or restrictive or repetitive interests and behaviors. (Chez, 32) Abnormal social interaction comes in a variety of forms. There could be a failure to seek comfort in ones parent or a lack of eye contact.Some children won’t respond to their name being called or won’t want to play with other children. Most Autistic children don’t understand social behaviors necessary to interact safely and normally with others. This tends to lead the children into isolation. There is also a sense of abnormal communication linked to Autism. Most Autistic children don’t develop their language as early as normal children would. Some children wont ever develop any type of verbal language. They will learn sign language, or other forms of hand gestures. They use facial expressions to communicate with others.Some children will talk endlessly about one subject, going on for hours and hours about the same thing. Autistic children tend to take words literally and speak very precisely. Some suffer from echolalia, which is repeating what is said but not actually replying or responding to a question or statement. Finally, Autism can present with restrictive or repetitive interests or behaviors. Some children will find an interest in one certain thing or subject. One child might have an obsession with clocks, another with airplanes, and another with calendars.A child could find an interest in 3 anything you could possibly imagine. They usually spend all of their time nurturing this interest, and don’t think much about anything else. They will also isolate themselves in that way. Some children suffer from repetitive movements such as hand flapping, rocking, or head banging. Some suffer from OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. They will do things such as placing all their t oys in a row instead of playing with them, or organizing things to such an extent that some would find it unnecessary.Most Autistic children insist on everything being the same, and don’t know how to react to any type of change. One parent described her child, saying, â€Å"His screams sounded like a foreign language. † (Seroussi, 25) She also said her child suffered from obsessive clapping, patting his head, and touching the table constantly. Another child would sit and watch the family fishes for hours a day and would just walk back and forth on the gravel in the driveway. He sat and screamed for hours also. He also suffered from a lack of communication. He could never say what he wanted.He just pointed and screamed. Another child cried constantly. He would cry when he didn’t get his bottle. But that wasn’t all. He would cry the second he woke up every single morning. He could cry for at least half an hour after every single nap he took, and nothing see med to help ever. Any parent of an Autistic child can relate to these stories. The symptoms of this disease can also be physical. Some children can suffer from various conditions such as reflux, insomnia, or ear infections. Few children will suffer 4 from â€Å"glue ear† which is an inflammation in the middle section of the ear.There is usually fluid build up that may or may not be infected. This can cause an excruciating earache. Some children will suffer from eczema, high fevers, or seizures. Others can have chronic nonspecific diarrhea or a language delay. It is believed that 40-50% of children suffering from autism also suffer from gastrointestinal reflux. Some may also suffer from chronic constipation. Some children may have constantly shaking limbs. It has been seen that some children will get autoimmune diseases. As you can see, there is an array of other symptoms that can accompany Autism.Some children can experience most of these, while others will experience barely any. Each case is different, and each family has their own way of dealing with these symptoms. There are many things that are believed to be causes of Autism, and many different types of Autism. Three main things that are believed to cause Autism are environmental factors, dietary deficiencies, and genetics. There is an abnormality in the development of the brain in Autistic children. All of the symptoms are too complex for one part of the brain to be able to cause them all though.It has been discovered that there are lower numbers of Purkinje cells in the brains of Autistic children. These cells are very important and vital to coordination of movement. This discovery may suggest that these cells may play a role in the planning or function part of ones brain. Scientists are currently trying to find out what part of the reduction of these cells causes all of Autisms many symptoms. Usually children with Autism are born with a smaller head 5 than normal, and experience great growth in their first year. This is believed to be an environmental cause of Autism.Some scientists think that if a pregnant woman is exposed to rubella (German measles) or other drugs it can cause a child to develop Autism. Some people would believe that since most Autistic children have trouble learning, they could receive a simple diagnosis of mental retardation. But this is not so. Children who are mentally retarded usually present with a smaller brain size than normal. But most children with Autism have a larger brain than others. This suggests that even though Autism and mental retardation sometimes present together, the causes of both are completely different from one another.There are many different difficulties with diagnosing Autism. Some parents are believed to have a mental disorder, or their doctors don’t believe them. They think they are overreacting to what is a normal childhood. But these parents know that there is something wrong with their child. Some parents will los e sleep and seem very anxious, leading the doctors to believe there is something wrong with them and not the child. One mother even suffered flashbacks. One parent said â€Å"You cant compare him to Laura- she was so precocious. Boys talk later than girls do. He’s had so many ear infections.Alan didn’t talk until he was three. My next-door neighbors son didn’t talk until he was four. †(source 2 p 23) There are many different factors in the diagnosis process that can hinder a family or doctor from getting the correct diagnosis. 6 Once a child has received the diagnosis of Autism, doctors still have to sort through all of the different types of Autism. Some children will suffer from Aspergers syndrome. They are characterized as being very fluent in language. They tend to have anxiety or seek attention. Some children can suffer from OCD or spelling of phonic issues.There can also be sleep dysfunction or epilepsy in these children. Most children will present with social awkwardness, anger issues or violence, or appear lost. Some will have a sensitivity to touch or noise. Children with Rett syndrome tend to present with breathing problems. These can be very difficult for a parent to watch. Some will present with apraxia, floppy looking arms or legs, or bluish arms or legs caused by poor circulation. Children with PDD-NOS tend to seem eager to make friends, but may not act normally around others. They tend to end up being very close with their parents.Most PDD-NOS children cannot read facial expressions or interpret the feelings of others. They also tend to have delayed speech. CDD is characterized by at least two years of normal development, followed by loss of language, social skills, and motor skills before age ten. It is important to note that every case is different, and some children can present with none of these symptoms, while others will seem to have all of them. There are many different ways to â€Å"treat† Autism. Some families will try to restrict a childs diet or change the types of activities they take part in.Others will try therapy. There is no known cure for Autism as of today, but researchers are working together to attempt at finding a way to get rid of this life changing disease. A child with Autism has several doctors. Most children will have a regular pediatrician, a pyschatrist, 7 a neurologist, a diatrician, and a developmental pediatrician. (Chez, 54) Each of these doctors plays a very important role in the treatment and management of Autism. One form of treatment for some families is diet. Some families will try to exclude certain foods or food groups from a childs diet.One mother said that even though she knew her son loved milk and cheese, she deicided to exclude any and all dairy products from his diet. These effects can be positive or negative. One family noted that when there was no dairy in their childs diet, they saw an improvement in eye contact. Another family saw that when they switched their child to pure cows milk, things took a turn for the worse. Another family noticed that their child craved wheat constantly. They decided to limit his amount of it, and noticed a slight improvement.Removal of gluten (a protein found in barley, rye, oats, and wheat) and casein (a protein found in dairy products), is what is known as a Gluten Free, Casein Free diet, or GFCF. There is no scientific research behind the hypothesis of GFCF, but many families have noted that it has regulated many of the habitual behaviors. Some families believe that diet can be a main cause of Autism, and changing their child’s eating habits can help to change their symptoms. The other option of treatment is to try some kind of therapy. Most families will try therapy at one point or another.Some will try behavioral intervention, where a child is rewarded for â€Å"normal† behaviors. There is also the option of behavioral analysis, where a doctor or therapist will observe a child and try to â€Å"fix† some abnormal behaviors. Some families will turn to drug therapy, which has been reported to reduce 8 some repetitive behaviors. Some children will be put on a regimen of antipsychotics, mood stabilizing meds, and/or stimulants or non-stimulants. Some families will try to cure their child through various immunizations. There have been immunizations of brain fluid and spinal tissue in the past.Sometimes serum samples can be used. There are a variety of treatments, but one thing is very important to realize. One type of treatment could work wonders for one child, but have no affect on another. Each child is different, and each case varies. â€Å"Would I do anything for my child? What would I risk to save a stranger’s child? Will I fight this thing, beat it down until it exists no more to torture innocent families? This goal will become part of my life, my daily purpose, my reason for living. I have no choice. I will be driven in a way that I never dreamed I could, and I will not rest until the beast has been slain. (Seroussi, 61) This quote shows how any family would do anything for their child. Autism is a social disease that affects hundreds of thousands. The affects of Autism aren’t seen in just the child though, as you can see. A family will also suffer. They will deal with the stress and difficulty of raising a child who at times cannot communicate, and will have many health issues. A family can be torn apart by this, or come closer together. In the end, it’s all about the love that said family shares for one another, and their precious child.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: Women’s Roles in Umuofian Society

Literature and Liberation- Prof. Sicari December 3rd, 2012 Women’s Role in Umuofian Society Chinua Achebe’s â€Å"Things Fall Apart† depicts the downfall of the once great tribe of Umuofia at the hands of imperialistic European white men. However the downfall of this advanced tribe would come to be inevitable due to its numerous flaws, in terms of their â€Å"justice† system, extreme religious interpretations of the Oracle and perhaps most heavily because of their intensely misogynistic views.Umuofia’s harsh and brutal treatment of women in their society reveal the fact that women are not acknowledged to even be human, much rather they are treated as possessions – as property. Men believe women to be powerless, defenseless and ultimately useless but this ignorant belief proves to have detrimental consequences. These misogynistic views in turn become the very foundation upon which this society will unravel. With imperialistic missionaries arri ving with the tempting offer of a different and more appealing lifestyle, the once united Umuofia will wither away.Umuofia is a tribe located in Nigeria, Africa coming from humble beginnings, the means of success in this tribe come through hard manual labor such as farming. Having to start from scratch several times many men have solidified their status because of their persistence, earning themselves many titles. However, a man who earns no titles is referred to as an â€Å"agbala† (p. 13) – which also means women, but when used to refer to a male it is an insult. This exposes to the reader the fact that the word failure is synonymous with women, they are interchangeable, having the same meaning.In â€Å"women† being the choice word to insult a man it also paints the picture under which light women are viewed by men, to be a woman is to be unsuccessful and to carry no value. Another manner in which a man further reinforces his titles is in acquiring several wiv es. The number of wives a man has affects his social status, exemplifying that women are possessions of men. It’s a numbers game with men, using women as their pawns so they can further embody the â€Å"true meaning† of what it is to be a man Further exemplifying the misogynistic views of this society is demonstrated in the domestic abuse females face at the hands of their spouse.Okonkwo, an aggressive being by nature is no different towards his wives. In Chapter 4, Okonkwo violently beats his third and youngest wife, Ojiugo, â€Å"And when she returned he beat her very heavily† (p. 29) because when he arrived home food was not yet prepared and she instead of having a hot meal waiting for him went to get her hair braided. Okonkwo blind in his rage beats her brutally claiming negligence, completely forgetting the fact that it was the sacred Week of Peace – â€Å"His two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week† (p. 9). For beating his wife during the Week of Peace, Okonkwo is punished, the priest demands that Okonkwo sacrifice a nanny goat and a hen and pay a fine of one length of cloth and one hundred cowries. This scene reveals just how corrupt the Umuofian justice system is, Okonkwo is punished not because he laid his hands on his wife but because of the time in which he did it. It is not frowned down on when a male hits a female, in fact it is encouraged and Okonkwo from time to time threatens to kill his wives.It is not viewed as monstrous when a male beats a female in this society and is applauded, they feel as though women must be kept in line and know their duties as well as complete them fully anything less is negligence and physical abuse is their wake up call. Adding to the fact that men can get away with hitting their wives, the very few times in which this justice system does side with women it is very partial – with men relatively receiving a slap on the wrist. This is sho wn in Chapter 10, a dispute that comes before the egwugwu (the clan’s ancestral spirits) that involves a husband and wife.The husband, Uzowulu, states that the three brothers of his wife, Mgbafo, beat him and took her and the children from his hut but would not return her bride-price. The woman’s brothers justify their actions in stating that Uzowulu beat their sister mercilessly. They state that Uzowulu’s punishment if Mgbafo returns with him will be that his genitals be cut off if he ever beats her again. Uzowulu claims that he sees no wrong in his ways, â€Å"I married her with my money and my yams, I owe them no cocoyams† (p. 90) is his defense. He feels as though he owes his in laws no explanation and how he treats his wife is no ones oncern. This statement proves that he views his wife as just another possession of his, he paid the price and he can do as he pleases with her from that point forward. The egwugwu decide in favor of Mgbafo, telling Uzow ulu to take a pot of wine to his in-laws. One village elder complains that such a minimal matter should not be brought before them, again exposing the fact that domestic abuse is not seen as an issue in this society. In Umuofia, there are two types of crimes that can be committed, feminine crimes and masculine crimes.Okonkwo accidentally kills a clansman during a funeral, this crime falls under the category of feminine because it wasn’t a killing on purpose – â€Å"Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. † (p. 124). In categorizing crimes under these two types the reader receives insight as to what characteristics pertain to each gender in the eyes of this society. Feminine crimes are accidental, without intent, inadvertent – these characteristics all associate with the way that men view females, carrying negative connotations that make it seem as though women don’t have strength.Masculine crimes on the other hand lie on the other side of the spectrum; these crimes consist of blunt, direct acts with an intent or purpose to be completed. These characteristics are some of the many males wish to possess in their attempt to fulfill what it is to be a man. Men are strong with a sense of direction and purpose and so are these crimes. Okonkwo agrees with the society’s interpretation of genders, primarily in his wishing that his daughter, Ezinma, were a boy.Ezinma, is Okonkwo’s favorite child, he loves her very much but does not show affection towards her due to his fear of being viewed as weak by the men of his tribe. Any emotion other than anger is a feminine emotion in the opinion of Okonkwo. Multiple times throughout the novel Okonkwo catches himself wishing that Ezinma were a boy, â€Å"If Ezinma had been a boy I would have been happier. She has the right spirit† (p. 66). Okonkwo claims that she would have been the ideal son, strikingly similar in their nature and mindset, Ezinma f ulfills all the qualities her father desires in his children- except for one.As she is a woman all of these talents and qualities will go on unexplored and unused. Society feels as though it is the duty of a woman to bear sons, â€Å"prosperous men and great warriors your daughter will bear us sons like you† (p. 117). Ezinma has proven herself time and time again but will always fail in the eyes of Okonkwo, through the love and fondness he has for her she will never be able to change the fact that she is a female and he will never be able to change his misogynistic views.Okonkwo is very capable of feeling feminine emotions but as for exposing and expressing them he is blind in his immense resentment towards his father, Unoka, and everything he represented. These misogynistic views take a toll on the tribe and prove to become their undoing. Christian missionaries soon arrive to the tribe with the intent of converting as many of the tribe members as possible, presenting them wi th a tempting offer that proves to entice one too many for the liking of Okonkwo.On the surface Okonkwo resist the implementation of Christianity because it is not â€Å"manly† enough, but frankly it is the deep rooted fear of losing societal status that prevents him from embracing this religion. His sense of self-worth is solely based on the traditional standards by which society judges him. The system of evaluation that the Christians introduce causes many of the tribe members embrace Christianity; the evaluation of self, not possessions is what composed one’s worth.Those who were once outcasted, scorned and belittled found value in Christianity. In their new community, these converts enjoy a more elevated status – no longer being the underdog was a more then welcomed change, the biggest underdog of them all being women. Presently, Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print. Denny, Frederick Mathewson, Carlos M. N. Eire, Marti n S. Jaffee, and John Corrigan. Jews, Christians, Muslims: A Comparative Introduction to Monotheistic Religions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.