Marketing and Marketing Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing and Marketing Strategy - Coursework Example The first product that I choose was an automobile. This was a high involvement purchase. This is because the product was expensive and would have a significant impact on my life. Moreover, this was a product that I had to spend a considerable amount of time and also effort searching for. This was also so because there were significant differences between the brands that were available at the time in terms of their performance and quality ("Indmedica - CyberLectures - High Involvement Purchase Decisions", n.d., p. 2). However, the second product that I chose, newspaper, was a low involvement purchase since the product was that which is habitually purchased and therefore the decision of choosing it required very little effort. It was also a low involvement purchase because the newspaper had insignificant effect on my lifestyle and was not that an important investment. 1st Product: Automobile The following are the 5 buying decision process that I followed in buying this product. a) Prob lem recognition This is the stage I realized that I actually needed a car. I would want to conveniently travel to my job place every morning but could not do so as I did not have a convenient means of transport. b) Information search This is where I started looking for what could solve my transport problem. I looked for information on the convenient means that I could use to travel to my workplace and concluded on buying a car. c) Evaluation of alternatives Here, I took into consideration all the car models that were available and which one of them would best fit my needs. I also considered the alternatives that were available for me including their prices and the shops selling them. d) Purchase decision After all the considerations and consultations, I decided to buy a model of my choice. This is where I also walked to the shop that I had chosen and actually paid for the car. e) Post-Purchase evaluation This I did after the purchase. I evaluated the car that I had bought; its impor tance and how convenient having it would be. I also confirmed that I had made the right choice. 2nd Product: Newspaper I only followed two processes for my second low involvement purchase. a) Problem recognition This is where I discovered my need for the newspaper and decided to buy one. b) Purchase evaluation Here, I went straight to the nearest and easily accessible shop and bought the newspaper that I wanted. Question 2 My first purchase was a high involvement purchase and this meant that I had to follow all the processes of consumer purchase. I had to make sure that I had put into consideration all the facts and information concerning the product that would make me chooses the right one. Unlike the first one, the automobile was very expensive and therefore there was no room for mistake in my purchase. This required me to carefully evaluate all the then available alternatives and make a solid decision based on facts considerations. In buying this high involvement product, automob ile, I had to first look for information after identifying my problem. I also had to evaluate all the possible alternatives before making my final purchase. Contrary to this, for the second low involvement purchase, newspaper, I did not have to do a lot. This was a product that I usually bought so I knew what I needed. The only thing that I wanted was a shop that was nearby and a place where I could easily; conveniently and quickly buy the newspaper. For these reasons, unlike

Measles, Mumps And Rubella

Measles, Mumps And Rubella Measles, mumps and rubella are three of the most highly and commonly acquired infectious diseases in children; however, they can affect people of all ages. These viruses occur throughout the world and are highly communicable airborne pathogens which can spread by close contact with an infected person. Although still a problem in many developing countries, thanks to immunization programs around the world these viruses are much less common now. Efficient and early vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella are highly successful at preventing the diseases and most children who receive their shots are being not only protected during childhood, but generally have a life long immunity. The measles virus (MV), a member of the Morbillivirus genus in the Paramyxovirus family, is a 100-300 nm enveloped virus that contains a single-strand, negative-sense RNA genome in a helical nucleocapsid which encodes for six structural proteins and two others which are involved in viral entry. The F (fusion) and the H (hemagglutinin) proteins are important in pathogenesis since together they facilitate receptor biding, fusion of the viral membrane, and cellular entry of into the epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract of the host [*,*]. Measles is highly infectious and once infected an individual can experience clinical features such as fever, maculopapular rash, cough, coryza (runny nose), conjunctivitis, and the pathognomonic Koplik spots ( punctuate blue-white spots which appear in the buccal and lower labial mucosa) which generally occur 1-2 days before the rash[ ]. In some cases complications such as diarrhea, otitis media, pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness, and second ary infections by common bacteria and viruses may arise. In some extreme cases subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare degenerative disease of the brain which generally emerges six to eight years after a primary measles virus infection, may also onset. Measles is typically an infection of childhood and protective immunity is life-long, such that a second case of measles in a child or adult would be highly unusual. Before the widespread vaccination efforts against measles in the 1960s the virus had a case-fatality ratio of about 5% in children, which was higher for children and infants in developing countries, where even today a fatality rate of up to 20% can occur. A highly effective live- attenuated vaccine for measles has contributed to the low incidence levels compare to the pre-vaccine era and even some regions of the world have documented its complete eradication. Measles is commonly diagnosed based on its distinctive symptoms, hence why laboratory diagnosis is rarely use. However, given the success of the vaccination campaigns, physicians in low measles prevalence areas may become less familiar with the disease and accurate diagnoses may become challenging in the future. Mumps Virus, like measles, also belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae, but its genus is Rubulavirus. Akin to measles, mumps is a 150-200 nm enveloped spherical virus with surface spikes projecting from the envelope. Inside the envelope, a large helically arranged nucleocapsid encloses negatively stranded RNA whose genome contains about 16,000 nucleotides. Clinical Symptoms of mumps include mild fever, anorexia, malaise, headaches and acute onset of unilateral or bilateral parotitis. Parotitis tends to take place within the first couple of days of the infection and may first be expressed through earache and tenderness of the swollen parotid or salivary gland. Mumps is highly contagious, and 90% of those that are susceptible and are exposed to the infection will themselves become infected. However, 30-40% of those with the infection are actually asymptomatic (Rubin and Farber, 1994). Complications can include meningoencephalitis, orchitis in males or oophoritis in females, as well as p ancreatitis. The live-attenuated mumps vaccine is often given along with measles and rubella in the MMR vaccine. The diagnosis of mumps is usually done based on the expression of the clinical features, in particular the presence of parotitis. There are unique challenges for the laboratory diagnosis of mumps in previously immunized individuals whose immunity may have diminished either in the absence of a second booster dose of vaccine or in areas where mumps disease, and thus exposure, is minimal. However, It has been concluded that the most rapid and sensitive diagnosis of mumps can be acquire by ELISA (Enzyme- linked Immunisorbent Assay) method. Rubella virus, commonly known as German measles, belongs to the family Togavirida, genus Rubivirus. Rubella virions, although enveloped like measles and mumps, are much smaller, approximately 60-70 nm in diameter and contain approximately 10,000 nucleotides in a single-stranded, non-segmented, positive-sense RNA genome inside a semi-spherical nucleocapsid. Rubella is usually a mild disease and is characterized by a low fever and a generalized maculopapular rash. Other symptoms may include lympadenopathy, conjunctivitis, and sore throat. Symptoms of acquired rubella are often mild and in up to 50% of cases asymptomatic. Complications are not common in rubella patients, but generally occur more often in adults than in children. Arthralgia and arthritis are common complications among 70% of infected adult women. Other complications such as encephalitis and hemorrhagic manifestations can also be experience, but these are generally rare. Although a relatively mild disease rubella can be q uiet serious if acquire by pregnant women. Pathogenesis Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious viral illnesses that can be transmitted by aerosol generated when an infected person expels saliva through coughing or sneezing, or by direct contact with respiratory secretions. Following infection of a vulnerable host, all three pathogens begin replication in the respiratory tract where they initially target the respiratory ephatelium of the nasopharynx and continue onto the regional lymph nodes. This localized replication phase is followed by a viremia in which the viruses spread onto multiple other organs. In the case of measles, a primary viremia where the virus moves onto other lymphoid tissue takes place 2-3 days after infection. Around days 5-7, the virus spreads to multiple other organs such as the kidney, liver, and skin through a secondary viremia. In mumps, after 12 to 25 days of exposure a viremia arises which lasts from 3 to 5 days. This viremia allows the virus to spread to multiple tissues which include the meninges, a nd glands such as the salivary, pancreas, testes, and ovaries. Inflammation of the infected tissues causes the hallmark symptoms of the disease, parotitis and aseptic meningitis. Akin to the mumps and measles, rubella after 5-7 days of replication in the nasopharynx area follows a viremia which spreads to the lymphatic system and establishes a systematic infection. Clinical signs and symptoms for measles, mumps, and rubella occur after an incubation period of about 10-12, 14-18, and 12-23 days respectively. For measles, a prodromal period of 2-4 days marks the beginning of the clinical stage of the infection. Here, thin epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and the conjunctive began to be broken down by the virus leading to an inflammatory reaction, also a characteristic symptom of the disease. Thicker mucosal surfaces of the buccal cavity are then affected given rise to the Kopliks spots. The appearance of the spots marks the start to a delayed-type hypersensitive reaction (DTH) which gives rise to the rash. The primary antiviral immune responses to MV coincides with the appearance of the rash, and is here when the presence of IgM antibodies and of CD4+Â  and CD8+Â  T cells in areas of MV-infected epithelial cells takes place. Following this, neutralizing IgG antibodies are also introduced and in conjunction all four immune responses are completely effective in controlling viral replication and concluding the infectious process. Viral antigen is absent from skin lesions and the virus is not shed from this surface, however shedding of the virus occurs from the nasopharynx from the beginning of the prodrome until 3-4 days after the rash emerges. As mentioned, measles is a typical self-limiting infection, and can be resolved by an efficient immune response; however patients with T-cells deficiencies, unable to develop a rash, commonly experience complications such as SSPE. Several months following an acute MV infection, a prolonged state of immunosuppression, which frequently predisposes patients to many secondary bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, ensues. Mumps virus (MuV), similar to measles, causes non-specific prodromal symptoms such as mild fever and malaise during its incubation period. Upon viral entry, replication primarily takes place in the nasal mucosa and the epithelial layer of the upper respiratory track, which progressively moves on to penetrating the draining lymph nodes. From here, the viremia spreads the virus onto the parotid glands, kidney, pancreas, and central nervous system (CNS). Infection in the salivary glands produces parotitis-inflammation of the parotid glands-the most common clinical manifestation of mumps. Inflammation and swelling of the glands, visible during the first two days of infection in 30-40% of patients, is due to tissue damage and a subsequent immune response prompted by viral replication. Additionally, propagation into the kidneys can extend the infection and cause viruria. Potentially infectious virus is excreted in the urine for a period of two weeks following onset of the disease. Nonethel ess 1/3 of infections are subclinical, this being more common among adults than children. About eleven days after exposure, humoral immune response is established and the presence of neutralizing antibodies such as IgG (immunoglobulin G), IgM and IgA emerges. These antibodies help terminate the viremia and in the case of IgA it stops secretion of infectious mumps virus in the saliva. Virus shedding into the saliva begins a couple of days before the onset of clinical parotitis and ends about 8 days later. Parotid swelling culminated after 4-7 days. Although the most common expression of mumps leads to parotitis, it is important to note that the clinical course of mumps is extremely variable. Diseases such as meningitis and orchitis, commonly regarded as complications, could instead be seen as systemic manifestations of mumps. Meningitis is a common course of mumps and is characterized by inflammatory cells in the cerebrospinal fluid of the patient. This development is common in 15% of the patients and normally resolves within 3-10 days without secondary consequence. Orchitis-testicular inflammation-is the most common complication among post-pubertal male patients occurring in as many as 50% of cases. Ochitis usually follows parotitis, with an abrupt onset of testicular swelling, tenderness, nausea, and fever; pain and swelling generally only last 1 week, although tenderness may last longer. The rubella virus (RV), like mumps and measles, replicates around the epithelium of the buccal mucosa and the nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue. Contrary to Mv and MuV, after its incubation period and the subsequent viremia, rubella symptoms abruptly appear in children with the emergence of a rash. Prodromal symptoms are only mildly observed in adults 1-5 days before the appearance of the rash. This rash may last up to three days, starting as distinct pink maculopapules on the face, moving onto the truck and following to the extremities. Patients are most infectious immediately prior to the rash and throughout its duration. Viremia ends with the onset of rubella-specific and IgM antibodies shortly after the rash phase, which is about 2-3 week after initial exposure. Chronic enlargement of lymph nodes-Lymphadenopathy-may also take place up to a week before the emergence of the rash and last up to 10-14 days after it. Cervical and occipital lymph are frequently affected. Rubella is usuall y mild in childhood and early adulthood, with up to 50% of cases being asymptomatic, however rubella presents a bigger threat when acquired during pregnancy, especially if infection is in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Congenital acquire rubella virus infections in pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy can result in severe congenital abnormalities in the children (Congenital rubella syndrome, CRS) including deafness, cataracts, glaucoma, cardiovascular abnormalities, and mental retardation. Other outcomes of congenital rubella can lead to premature delivery and even fetal death. In 85% of cases of pregnant women who were infected during their first trimester, the babies were prematurely harmed. It is suggested that the rubella virus enter the fetus through the mothers blood stream. Since the developing fetus is especially vulnerable to illness because its immune system is not yet strong enough to permanently fight off infection, the virus remains in the body, and can leads to CRS. Concisely, while all three infections have a similar infection patterns, only measles and rubella virus are viral infections which affect the respiratory tract, whereas mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands that causes swelling. Also all three diseases are relatively mild and in many cases asymptomatic. Nonetheless rubella, although a milder infection of the respiratory tract than measles when developed by a pregnant woman, it may lead to birth defects in the infant which the other two dont generally cause. Therapeutic strategies Currently there is no cure or treatment for measles, mumps, and rubella, efforts are generally focused on relieving symptoms until the bodys immune system manages to fight off the infection. However preventive measures such as attenuated live vaccines have been developed for all three pathogens and are currently being administered to children and adults around the world in a trivalent form known as the Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or MMR. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is used to protect children, as well as adults from acquiring the disease. The administration of the vaccine provides with lifelong immunity to all three diseases and has a 95% efficacy. It is highly recommended that children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine, the first being administered between 12-15 months of age and the second at ages 4-6, commonly right before the child begins kindergarten or first grade. The vaccine is also recommended for adults who have not been previously immunized against any of the thr ee viruses or are at a higher risk of exposure such as health care providers, international traveler, and university students. It is important to note that there are also contraindications to the vaccine and some people should no use it. Those who have preciously experience severe allergic reactions to one or more of the vaccine components or to a prior dose of MMR should not be vaccinated. Pregnant women should not be administered MMR or any of its components. Additionally, women attempting to become pregnant should avoid pregnancy for at least 30 days after vaccination with measles or mumps vaccines and for 3 months after administration of MMR or other rubella-containing vaccine because the risk to the fetus from the administration of these live virus vaccines cannot be excluded. Following the publication of a paper by British researcher Andrew Wakerfield in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998, huge controversy surrounded the idea of whether or not the MMR vaccine might cause autism. In his paper Wakerfield reported that MMR vaccine caused intestinal inflammation that led to translocation of nonpermeable peptides to the bloodstream and, subsequently, to the brain, where they affected development. In his report, the cases of eight children who developed autism and intestinal problems after receiving the MMR vaccine were discussed. However, to determined if these suspicions were correct, researchers preformed a series of studies in which they compared hundreds of children who had received the MMR vaccine with hundreds who had never received the vaccine. They found that the risk of autism was the same in both groups, thus agreeing that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism. Some parents wary of the safety of the MMR vaccine stopped getting their children immu nized although no data supporting an association between MMR vaccine and autism existed and a plausible biological mechanism is lacking which has cause immunization rates to dropped, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, given way to the outbreaks of measles and mumps led to hospitalizations and deaths that could have been prevented. Rubin and Farber, 1994. Pathology. J. B. Lippincott Company. 227 East Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Racism Essay -- essays research papers

Discrimination - Racism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racism, the belief that one race possesses inherent traits that make that particular race superior, or racial prejudice. Discrimination has always been an issue globally, and within our nation. While it was more commonly accepted and practiced decades ago, it is still quite prominent in the hearts of many people worldwide and is demonstrated through their behavior. It was common practice to keep slaves, or people who submit entirely to another’s will, for work, and other duties. Slaveholding was allowed in the United States until 1865, when Amendment XIII was ratified. The date June 19th, 1865 is when the last slaves were said to be freed. Human Rights are basic fundamental rights, such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, or execution, which should be granted to all peoples. Civil Rights are mainly nonpolitical rights, such as personal liberties, that are included in the amendments to the US Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Segregation is the s eparation of different races/groups in living arrangement, social situations, and educational facilities, or other areas open for discrimination. The United States made the first step towards desegregation in 1954 with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education. That case overturned the previous pro-segregation decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, and stated that separate but equal educational facilities were not, in fact, equal, and o...

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 23

We hailed a carriage heading uptown – Lexi told me I needed to save my strength for whatever came next – and got out without bothering to pay. This was what life was like for one such as Lexi, powerful and simple in her wants and desires. She didn't need any intricate, crazy plans for amassing wealth. She could compel anyone to do anything she asked, and life was incredibly easy. It was tempting, especially the aspect that was nonviolent. No one was hurt in any of her activities, except financially. Lexi must have read my thoughts because she grinned at me and waggled her eyebrows. â€Å"You should stick with me, my friend. Life like this can be sweet, not a curse,† she offered. I shook my head, smiling. â€Å"Thanks, but as you keep saying, I have my own path.† By the time we made it to the Sutherland mansion, its windows were dark and already draped in festoons of black crepe. In the strange half-light of the early hour, dew sparkled eerily off the matte cloth. The house was cordoned off. I gently forced the lock. Neither Lexi nor I made any noise until we came into the living room, when she gave a gasp. The coroners had removed the bodies but not done any cleanup work. The vast amounts of blood from their ripped-up bodies had seeped into the carpet and stained the marble floors beneath. Dark black splatters of dried blood covered the walls, matching the crepe outside. â€Å"My god,† Lexi whispered. â€Å"He massacred them.† I fell back into a chair, overwhelmed with guilt. It hadn't been long since I had discovered the poor family here, their bodies still warm with rapidly fleeting life. Backward and backward my thoughts ran, remembering the things I had done wrong, all of which had led up to this sad climax. If I hadn't run away from the reception†¦ If hadn't gone along with my brother's plans to begin with†¦ If I hadn't saved Bridget†¦ If I hadn't fled to New York†¦ If I hadn't made Damon drink blood to complete his transformation†¦ â€Å"This is my fault,† I moaned. I put my head in my hands. The trail of blood and death that wasn't even of my own devising followed me like a curse. â€Å"No, it's Damon's,† Lexi corrected promptly. â€Å"And Klaus's.† â€Å"I should never have come here†¦. I should have stayed as far away from humans as possible.† â€Å"Hey.† Lexi walked over to me, kneeling down and looking up into my face. She put a hand on my chin, forcing me to look back at her. â€Å"You didn't do this. Klaus did – he ordered this. And you had no intention of marrying into this family. That was Damon's idea. You told me yourself – he threatened to kill that roomful of people if you didn't go along. I would have killed him at that point, but he's not my brother.† I gazed into her dark eyes. â€Å"I've done so much wrong.† She bit her lower lip. â€Å"You made mistakes in the past. Bad ones. But you know that, and were doing your best to correct them, or at least avoid them in the future. That's why I am here, Stefan. You're worth saving.† A pain that had nothing to do with thirst made my throat ache. â€Å"Lexi, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can see into your heart, Stefan,† she said softly. â€Å"I don't just appear out of the blue to save any vampire. You're different. And someday, maybe, you'll know that. And part of your curse will be over.† She leaned forward and pressed her lips against my cheek. I could feel the soft flutter of her eyelashes as she closed her eyes against my face. â€Å"Come on,† she said, backing up and chucking me under the chin. â€Å"We have work to do. I'll look around down here. You go get whatever things of yours the police haven't confiscated. I think you're moving out of this town for a while.† Between one breath and the next, between a trick of the light and the deepest shadow, she had changed. Sunny, friendly Lexi now had bloodred eyes and black veins around her face. Fangs glistened in what little light there was. She was in full predator mode, hunting for the slightest sign of the vampire. Even though she was just an older version of what I was, seeing her that way still sent a chill down my body. Lurking just beneath our skin, the monster was always ready to come out. With a heavy heart I plodded up the grand, dark wood staircase. There was no need to be completely silent; the few servants who remained were in their quarters in a distant wing, far away from the death and mess. I could hear their overloud voices, their discussions of prospects and other households – all desperate attempts to fend off the darkness that their employers had slipped into so suddenly. I wondered what Margaret was doing, vowing to get word to her about Klaus and his vendetta. She was probably in her own home with her husband, mourning her sisters and parents. Which was harder? To be dead, or to live with the memory of the dead? As a vampire, I would never know the former, but always experience the latter. I soon reached my room, where a night ago Bridget had thrown herself at me. I smelled traces of the violet perfume she had doused herself with. It had infiltrated my pillow and sheets. So much more childish than Katherine's scent, the subtle, alluring, complicated mix of citrus and spice†¦. I took a valise – another gift from Winfield, planning for our honeymoon, I suppose – and threw the few things I considered mine into it. My old clothes, some spare change, my journal. I flipped to an old page where I'd written about Katherine. September 8, 1864 She is not who she seems. Should I be surprised? Terrified? Hurt? It's as if everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've believed in my past seventeen years is wrong. I can still feel where she kissed me, where her fingers grasped my hands. I still yearn for her, and yet the voice of reason is screaming in my ears: you cannot love a vampire! If I had one of her daisies, I could pluck the leaves and let the flower choose for me. I love her†¦ I love her not†¦ I†¦ I love her. I do. No matter the consequences. Is this what following your heart is? I wish there was a map or a compass to help me find my way. But she has my heart and that above all else is my North Star†¦ and that will have to be enough. I snapped the book shut, curling my lip at my foolishness. Downstairs was the present reality and thinking about the past did no good. I threw the book into the valise and went downstairs. But instead of finding Lexi there to greet me, there was emptiness and a horrible, familiar scent. Death and decay. A faint breeze whistled through broken wood; the back door was left wide open. I shivered despite myself. The silence, Lexi's absence, howled like a banshee. A single piece of paper, the size of a ticket, fluttered on the floor. I picked it up, feeling dread prickle my skin. All it said was: PAYMENT NUMBER TWO – LUCIUS.

Relations Between Teenagers And Adults Essay

A common phrase that adults can testify to hearing from any given teenager is, â€Å"You don’t understand!† This proves a struggle between the youth and the adults that quite possibly is never-ending. Adults make assumptions about kids, based on the way they dress, which pushes kids further and further away. In the essay, â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† by Thomas Hine (2001), he emphasizes the beliefs that adults began the idea of youth alienation from older societies and the teenagers keep it that way. Donna Gaine’s (2001) essay, â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† discusses four teenagers who were mocked and misunderstood by adults and reporters alike. Jon Katz (2001) lets the kids explain themselves about their seclusion from society and the misconceptions about them in his column, â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† The fear that elders show towards young people is merely a fear of the unknown. Adults are worried about the younger ge nerations because of their misunderstandings of the youth culture, their failure to accept youth into the adult society, and the instigation provoked from young people. Misunderstanding of youth creates the gap between adults and teenagers. Many teenagers spend their whole teen experience searching for someone to just understand them. A lot of them do not even make it through this experience because they give up feeling that no one knows what they are going through. Parents also fear for their kids because they do not understand them. A boy named Evan best explains this in â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† He says, â€Å"People fear what they don’t understand, and let’s face it, the world . . . isn’t something most people can understand . . .† (Katz, 2001, p.81). I can remember going through hard times of changing schools so frequently and my parents thinking it was so easy for me. When in reality, it was the hardest thing to do. It is hard on a kid to have to make friends, move, and then start all over again. When I tried to talk to them about it, they could never see where I was coming from or my point of view on anything. There is nothing that can be done for adults to be able to fully understand the younger generation. It is just a gap that is placed there by human nature and this generation gap can never be fully understood. Regarding my experience mentioned earlier, I noticed that my parents made no effort to understand what I was feeling and how their decisions would affect  me. That is what separated me from them, the fear of the unknown. The fact that the majority of adults make no effort to accept young people into their world is no alien idea. The teenagers from â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† were not accepted by adults simply for the reason that the teens dressed differently from what was considered to be normal dress. â€Å"They [adults] confuse thrashers with metalheads and goths because they all wear black. Then they assume that they’re all taking drugs and worshipping Satan† (Hine, 2001, p.71). Adults do not understand that teenagers are constantly searching to define themselves as individuals. Expression through clothing is a form of that. Yet, Hine’s article is not about merely how the teenagers dressed differently to express themselves, â€Å"It is about the ali enation of teenagers from adult society, and equally about the alienation of that society from its teenagers. The mere presence of teenagers threatens us [adults]† (p. 69). Is it the idea that this young generation of gothic-dressed supposed losers will be replacing the elders when their time is up that is so scary? Or are the youth of today causing this boundary that is formed by instigating the adults with things that they know scare them? The fault of the misunderstanding between youth and elders is not all due to the close-mindedness of adults. Young people draw adults to see them as irresponsible and immature by the way they act and carry themselves. It is almost as if they are purposely trying to show the world that they are independent, young, and can do whatever they please. The body alterations that young people use to assert that they are no longer children successfully frighten grown-ups, but they also convince them these weird creatures are well short of being adults. The ring through the lip or the nipple merely seems to demonstrate that they are not ready for adult responsibility. What they provoke is not respect but restrictions. (Hine, 2 001, p. 71) By showing off their ability to create their own identity, they are causing trouble for themselves. They should be able to express themselves freely, but instead they are left with no choice but to keep in and guard their emotions. Yet, by guarding their emotions by putting on these facades, they are â€Å"actively guarding their psychic space because the adults controlled everything else† (Gaines, 2001, p.66). Another thing that sometimes can separate youth from their adults is their inability to speak up. They are afraid that if they say what is on their mind or how they  are feeling that it could be used against them. According to Donna Gaines’ â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† â€Å"Like any other alienated youth . . ., they don’t like to talk to adults† (p. 65). By talking to adults, they are giving themselves away and â€Å"whatever you [they] say can be held against you [them]† (p. 65). Their deepest and darkest secrets should only be shared with someone who understands them. This game of misunderstanding played between adults and youth has been going on since the beginning of time. They are considered to be in two different societies and it will be like that until the end of time. Adults do not completely understand teenagers and they never will. It is just the truth of being either an adult or a teenager. No one can understand both. Adults refuse to accept youth inside of their world and youth refuse to be a part of their elder’s world. It is a vicious cycle. Adults have to learn to let teenagers live their lives; even when they feel like protecting their children. References Gaines, Donna. (2001). Teenage Wasteland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 63-66). New York: Longman. Hine, Thomas. (2001). Goths in Tomorrowland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 68-73). New York: Longman.. Katz, Jon. (2001). More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp 78-83). New York: Longman.

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction Over the entire 4.6 billion year history of the Earth, there have been five major mass extinction events. These catastrophic events completely wiped out large percentages of all of the life around at the time of the mass extinction event. These mass extinction events shaped how the living things that did survive evolve and new species appear. Some scientists also believe we are currently in the middle of the sixth mass extinction event that could last for a million years or more. The Fourth Major Extinction The fourth major mass extinction event happened around 200 million years ago at the end of the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era to usher in the Jurassic Period. This mass extinction event was actually a combination of smaller mass extinction periods that happened over the final 18 million years or so of the Triassic Period. Over the course of this extinction event, it is estimated more than half of the known living species at the time completely died out. This allowed dinosaurs to thrive and take over some of the niches left open due to the extinction of species that had previously held those types of roles in the ecosystem. What Ended the Triassic Period? There are several different hypotheses on what caused this particular mass extinction at the end of the Triassic Period. Since the third major mass extinction actually is thought to have occurred in several small waves of extinctions, it is entirely possible that all of these hypotheses, along with others that may not be as popular or thought of as of yet, could have caused the overall mass extinction event. There is evidence for all of the causes proposed. Volcanic Activity:Â  One possible explanation for this catastrophic mass extinction event is unusually high levels of volcanic activity. It is known that large numbers of flood basalts around the Central America region occurred around the time of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event. These enormous volcano eruptions are thought to have expelled huge amounts of greenhouse gases like sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide that would quickly and devastatingly increase the global climate. Other scientists believe it would have aerosols expelled from these volcanic eruptions that would actually do the opposite of the greenhouse gases and end up cooling the climate significantly. Climate Change:Â  Other scientists believe it was more of a gradual climate change issue that spanned the majority of the 18 million year time span attributed to the end of the Triassic mass extinction. This would have led to changing sea levels and even possibly a change in the acidity within the oceans that would have affected species living there. Meteor Impact: A less likely cause of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event may be attributed to asteroid or meteor impact, much like what is thought to have caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction (also known as the K-T Mass Extinction) when the dinosaurs all went extinct. However, this is not a very likely reason for the third mass extinction event because there has been no crater found that would indicate it could create devastation of this magnitude. There was a meteor strike that dates to about this time period, but it was rather small and is not thought to have been able to cause a mass extinction event that is thought to have wiped out more than half of all living species on both land and in the oceans. However, the asteroid impact may have very well caused a local mass extinction that is now attributed to the overall major mass extinction that ended the Triassic Period and ushered in the beginning of the Jurassic Period.

The Collapse of Gupta India

The Collapse of Gupta India The Gupta Empire may have lasted only about 230 years, but it was characterized by a sophisticated culture with innovative advances in literature, arts, and sciences. Its influence continues to be felt in art, dance, mathematics, and many other fields today, not just in India but across Asia and around the world. Called Indias Golden Age by most scholars, the Gupta Empire was likely founded by a member of a lower Hindu caste called Sri Gupta. He came from the Vaishya or farmer caste and founded the new dynasty in reaction to abuses by previous princely rulers. The Gupta were ardent Vaishnavas, devotees of Vishnu and they ruled as traditional Hindu monarchs. Advances of the Golden Age of Classical India During this Golden Age, India was part of an international trade network which also included other great classical empires of the day, the Han Dynasty in China to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. The famed Chinese pilgrim to India, Fa Hsien (Faxien) noted that Gupta law was exceptionally generous; crimes were punished only with fines. The rulers sponsored advances in science, painting, textiles, architecture, and literature. Gupta artists created marvelous sculptures and paintings, perhaps including the Ajanta caves. The surviving architecture includes palaces and purpose-built temples for both Hindu and Buddhist religions, such as the Parvati Temple at Nachana Kuthara and the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh in Madhya Pradesh. New forms of music and dance, some of which are still performed today, flourished under Gupta patronage. The emperors also founded free hospitals for their citizens, as well as monasteries and universities. The classical Sanskrit language reached its apogee during this period as well, with poets such as Kalidasa and Dandi. The ancient texts of the Mahabharata and Ramayana were converted into sacred texts and the Vau and Matsya Puranas were composed. Scientific and mathematical advances include the invention of the number zero, Aryabhatas astonishingly accurate calculation of pi as 3.1416, and his equally amazing calculation that the solar year is 365.358 days long. Establishing the Gupta Dynasty In about 320 CE, the chief of a small kingdom called Magadha in southeastern India set out to conquer the neighboring kingdoms of Prayaga and Saketa. He used a combination of military might and marriage alliances to expand his kingdom into an empire. His name was Chandragupta I and through his conquests he formed the Gupta Empire. Many scholars believe that Chandraguptas family was from the Vaishya caste, which was the third tier out of four in the traditional Hindu caste system. If so, this was a major departure from Hindu tradition, in which the Brahmin priestly caste and the Kshatriya warrior/princely class generally held religious and secular power over the lower castes. In any case, Chandragupta rose from relative obscurity to reunite much of the Indian subcontinent, which had fragmented five centuries earlier after the fall of the Mauryan Empire in 185 BCE. Rulers of the Gupta Dynasty Chandraguptas son, Samudragupta (ruled 335–380 CE), was a brilliant warrior and statesman, sometimes called the Napoleon of India. Samudragupta, however, never faced a Waterloo, and was able to pass on a greatly expanded Gupta Empire to his sons. He extended the empire to the Deccan Plateau in the south, Punjab in the north, and Assam in the east. Samudragupta also was a talented poet and musician. His successor was Ramagupta, an ineffectual ruler, who was soon deposed and assassinated by his brother, Chandragupta II. Chandragupta II (r. 380–415 CE) expanded the empire still further, to its greatest extent. He conquered much of Gujarat in western India. Like his grandfather, Chandragupta II also used marriage alliances to expand the empire, marrying into control of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and adding the rich provinces of Punjab, Malwa, Rajputana, Saurashtra, and Gujarat. The city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh became a second capital for the Gupta Empire, which was based at Pataliputra in the north. Kumaragupta I succeeded his father in 415 and ruled for 40 years. His son, Skandagupta (r. 455–467 CE), is considered the last of the great Gupta rulers. During his reign, the Gupta Empire first faced incursions by the Huns, who would eventually bring down the empire. After him, lesser emperors, including Narasimha Gupta, Kumaragupta II, Buddhagupta, and Vishnugupta, ruled over the decline of the Gupta Empire. Although the late Gupta ruler Narasimhagupta managed to drive the Huns out of northern India in 528 CE, the effort and expense doomed the dynasty. The last recognized emperor of the Gupta Empire was Vishnugupta, who ruled from about 540 until the empire collapsed around 550 CE. Decline and Fall of the Gupta Empire As with the collapses of other classical political systems, the Gupta Empire crumbled under both internal and external pressures. Internally, the Gupta Dynasty grew weak from a number of succession disputes. As the emperors lost power, regional lords gained increasing autonomy. In a sprawling empire with weak leadership, it was easy for rebellions in Gujarat or Bengal to break out, and difficult for the Gupta emperors to put such uprisings down. By 500 CE, many regional princes were declaring their independence and refusing to pay taxes to the central Gupta state. These included the Maukhari Dynasty, who ruled over Uttar Pradesh and Magadha. By the later Gupta era, the government was having trouble collecting enough taxes to fund both its hugely complex bureaucracy and constant wars against foreign invaders like the Pushyamitras and the Huns. In part, this was due to the common peoples dislike of the meddlesome and unwieldy bureaucracy. Even those who felt a personal loyalty to the Gupta Emperor generally disliked his government and were happy to avoid paying for it if they could. Another factor, of course, was the near-constant rebellions among different provinces of the empire. Invasions In addition to internal disputes, the Gupta Empire faced constant threats of invasion from the north. The cost of fighting off these invasions drained the Gupta treasury, and the government had difficulty refilling the coffers. Among the most troublesome of the invaders were the White Huns (or Hunas), who conquered much of the northwestern section of Gupta territory by 500 CE. The Huns initial raids into India were led by a man who is called Toramana or Toraraya in Gupta records; these documents show that his troops began to pick off feudatory states from the Gupta domains around the year 500. In 510 CE, Toramana swooped down into central India and inflicted a decisive defeat at Eran on the Ganges river. The End of the Dynasty The records indicate that Toramanas reputation was strong enough that some princes voluntarily submitted to his rule. However, the records do not specify why the princes submitted: whether it was because he had a reputation as a great military strategist, was a blood-thirsty tyrant, was a better ruler than the Gupta alternatives, or something else. Eventually, this branch of the Huns adopted Hinduism and was assimilated into Indian society. Although none of the invading groups managed to completely overrun the Gupta Empire, the financial hardship of the battles helped hasten the end of the dynasty. Almost unbelievably, the Huns, or their direct ancestors the Xiongnu, had the same effect on two of the other great classical civilizations in earlier centuries: Han China, which collapsed in 221 CE and the Roman Empire, which fell in 476 CE. Sources Agrawal, Ashvini. Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989. Chaurasia, Radhey Sham. History of Ancient India. Atlantic Publishers, 2002.Dwivedi, Gautam N. The Western Limits of the Gupta Empire. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 34, 1973, pp. 76-79.Goyal, Shankar. Historiography of the Imperial Guptas: Old and New. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 77.1/4, 1996, pp. 1–33.Mookerji, Radhakumud. The Gupta Empire. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989.Prakash, Budha. Last Days of the Gupta Empire. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 27.1/2, 1946, pp. 124-41. Vajpeyi, Raghavendra. A Critique of the Huna Invasion Theory. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 39, 1978, pp. 62-66.