The limitations in Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer Essays

The limitations in Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer Essays The limitations in Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer Essay The limitations in Diagnosing Colorectal Cancer Essay Colon malignant neoplastic disease is the 2nd prima cause of malignant neoplastic disease decease. Most of the instances are sporadic but several familial familial syndromes account for around 5 % of all colorectal malignant neoplastic diseases ( CRC ) . The most common of these syndromes are familial adenomatous polyposis ( FAP ) and familial non-polyposis colon malignant neoplastic disease ( HNPCC ) which is besides known as Lynch syndrome. These make up 3 % of the familial syndromes. Other syndromes include Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and Juvenile polyposis syndrome. This essay will concentrate on the most common familial CRC s. The cistrons that are involved in FAP and HNPCC have been identified. Therefore familial testing can be offered to test for bearer position in these syndromes. Designation of persons who have a sensitivity to CRC is of import to be able to offer them adequate testing to observe tumors at an early phase. FAP FAP is dominantly inherited and is extremely acute demoing a perpendicular transmittal through a household lineage. Its classical phenotype involves the growing of 100s of adenomatous polyps along the colonic mucous membrane. If the polyps are non removed there is near a 100 % opportunity of colon malignant neoplastic disease. The mean age of polyp development and colon malignance is 16 and 39 old ages severally. FAP is found in ~1 per 7-10,000 births in the United States population and histories for less than 1 % of all CRC ( Davidson, 2007 ) . FAP is a monogenetic disease and is caused by the mutant or omission of the adenomatous polyposis coli ( APC ) cistron which is found on chromosome 5. 95 % of APC mutants that lead to FAP is either bunk ( 28 % ) or truncating frameshift ( 67 % ) ( Burt and Neklason, 2005 ) . The staying 5 % is caused by big omissions or rearrangements. The APC cistron is a tumour-suppressor cistron and the APC protein is portion of the Wnt-signalling tract, involved in cell growing control ( Burt and Neklason, 2005 ) . Mutants in the APC cistron hence cause activation of the Wnt-signalling tract and uncontrolled cell growing. There is another discrepancy of FAP known as Attenuated signifier of FAP ( AFAP ) , it has a ulterior age on oncoming ( gt ; 40 ) , less adenomatous polyps ( A ; lt ; 50 ) and a lower hazard of CRC. Some of these patients will hold a mutant in the extreme of the 3 or 5 terminal of the APC cistron compared to those who have extreme polyposis where mutants tend to be in the mid-portion of exon 15. It is of import to be able to separate between the types of FAP to cognize where to test for mutants and how to handle the status. It is besides of import to see a patient s nationality when they present to clinic. This can find their heritage hazard and aid to turn up the mutant. For illustration Ashkanazi Jews have a high prevalence of the I1307K mutant ensuing in a life-time hazard of CRC between 10-20 % . Diagnosis Familial testing is of import in households who are at hazard of FAP due the dominant and high penetrance phenotype. As there is a classical phenotype, FAP is easier to name in clinic. In FAP about all mutants consist of shortnesss of the APC protein. This occurs by point mutants, doing either a frameshift by an interpolation or omission, or a nonsensical codon. Familial Testing for FAP is done by bespeaking the presence of a disease doing mutant by a Protein Truncation Test ( PTT ) . Then the location of the mutant on the APC cistron is found by Conformation-Specific Gel Electrophoresis ( CSGE ) , Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism ( SSCP ) or Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ( DGGE ) . Once the location of the mutant is localised the APC cistron is sequenced to place the disease-causing mutant. For those big omissions and rearrangements, Southern Blotting, Array CGH and MLPA can be used for designation. If all of these methods fail to place the mutant, linkage proving to the APC cistron can be done. As it has become cheaper to sequence the APC cistron late many clinics skip the procedure of turn uping the country of mutant and sequence the whole cistron. Deductions The APC cistron is big and the mutants spread along it. This can do it hard to turn up the mutant. As many households have alone mutants it may be hard to make up ones mind if the mutant found is really infective. In fact in patients showing with phenotypical classical FAP, known infective mutants are merely found in 85 % of them. The remainder, although they may hold alterations in the APC cistron it is unknown what these alterations mean. As this information is uninformative it is non possible to give patients a hazard of acquiring CRC or to test their households to be able to except those who are non at hazard. All of the molecular trials used for FAP have their advantages and disadvantages. PTT fails to observe shortnesss that occur at the very terminal or beginning of a cistron and big mutants. Additionally it can non observe missense mutants. However, if it does happen a mutant it is ever disease doing. CSGE does observe more than 90 % of mutants present. SSCP detect s between 60 % -95 % of mutants and DGGE can observe up to 90 % of sequence alterations. Array CGH will lose little omissions and MLPA can non observe balanced translocations and is sensitive to drosss. Therefore some mutants are being missed. Linkage analysis can be between 90 % -95 % effectual in households that have multiple members affected by the disease. The consequences of linkage give symptomless household members the hazard they have of transporting the mutant. However, if these hazards are non below 5 % or above 95 % they are non really utile in clinic. Furthermore non all households will hold multiple affected members to be able to transport out linkage. Additionally decreased protein look may give rise to disease but causative mutants can be really hard to happen because they may be in regulative countries ( Burt and Neklason, 2005 ) . If a patient presented to clinic with FAP phenotype but when tested no mutant could be found on the APC cistron it is deserving proving the MYH cistron for mutants. The phenotype of MYH-associated polyposis ( MAP ) is similar but less terrible than FAP and it is inherited recessively. It is of import to separate between these different types so that the mutants can be identified so other members of the household can be screened. It is besides of import to handle the patient accurately. 25 % of instances of FAP arise as self-generated APC mutants ( Davidson, 2007 ) . Merely kids of these patients would be at hazard of being a bearer of the mutant. However as these patients will hold no household history an inexperient clinician may non recognize the status as being FAP. HNPCC Persons with HNPCC have an increased hazard of developing CRC. It is the most common signifier of familial CRC accounting for between 3-5 % of all instances ( Davidson, 2007 ) . It is an autosomal dominant status and people who inherit the status have early oncoming of colon malignant neoplastic disease ( A ; lt ; 40years ) . Tumours develop chiefly in proximal colon and a individual affected often has household history of colon malignant neoplastic disease or other associated malignant neoplastic diseases such as endometrial, ovarian, encephalon, little intestinal, pancreatic and urinary piece of land ( Davidson, 2007 ) . However there is no typical signifier of phenotype for HNPCC. It is of import though, due to the higher life-time hazard of developing these malignant neoplastic diseases, to name households affected, so that preventive showing can be offered. Diagnosis The first measure to name HNPCC is when a patient nowadayss in clinic. A standard known as the Amsterdam standards was devised over 15 old ages ago which must be met for an person to be clinically diagnosed. This method has been criticised as being excessively stiff. There are now adopted versions of this standard, such as the Modified Amsterdam and Modified Bethesda. These other standards are more inclusive but less specific for HNPPC. When a household is identified as potentially holding HNPCC, they are eligible for diagnostic showing. HNPCC causes a higher hazard of CRC due to a germline mutant of a mismatch fix ( MMR ) cistron. The cell is so unable to treat DNA fix. Mutation bearers exhibit a characteristic phenotype termed microsatellite instability, characterised by enlargement or contraction of short repetition sequences of Deoxyribonucleic acid at multiple venue ( Syngal et al, 1999 ) . Pathogenic mutants have been found at four mismatch fix cistrons ( MSH2, MHL1, PMS2 and MSH6 ) , but so far most HNPCC instances are caused by mutants in either MLH1 or MSH2 ( Muller et al. , 2004 ) . High microsatellite instability is a signal that the MMR cistron is lacking. A tumor is considered MSI high or unstable if more than 40 % of the venue show instability ( Burt and Neklason, 2005 ) . If an MMR-high reading is found, a farther diagnostic trial, Immunohistochemical staining can be used to place which cistron is most likely to be mutated. This looks for the MMR proteins MSH2, MLH1 and MSH6 in the tumour tissue. In 50 % -70 % of instances, mutants in mismatch fix cistrons can be found by DNA sequencing and the larger omissions and rearrangements which tend to be common in HNPCC can be found by Southern Blotting. Southern Blotting will happen the mutant in a farther 10 % -20 % of people, where sequencing could non. Deductions In clinic a diagnosing is dependent on a patient s household history. If the household history fits the Amsterdam or any of the modified standards so they can be identified as potentially holding HNPPC. However this method of naming has possible defects. A elaborate household history may non be given by the patient as they may non be in contact with other household members or they may go forth out information that they do non believe is critical, such as endometrial malignant neoplastic disease. The sensitiveness of the Amsterdam standards is between 54 % -91 % and the specificity is between 62 % -84 % . This means that a significant figure of HNPCC households could be excluded from proving and testing. The sensitiveness of MSI trials are 62 % . Therefore excess cautiousness should be used when construing consequences, particularly negative consequences. In 15 % of sporadic instances of CRC, MSI can be detected. This occurs due to methylation of the 5CpG island in the boos ter part ( Muller et al. , 2004 ) . The consequence of this trial may take you to believe that the proband has HNPPC and therefore them and their households would be at higher hazard of developing CRC. However this is non caused by a heritable mutant in the germline. In add-on this phenomenon exposes a corresponding restriction in the usage of IHC because MLH1 protein look is lost in tumor every bit good ( Lynch et al. , 2007 ) Additionally, dependable consequences for MSI can merely be obtained if adequate cells are right amplified to look at the microsatellite venue. These trials do non pick up all instances of HNPCC as approximately 10 % of IHC trials will be falsely negative, i.e. protein discoloration is present even though the related cistron is mutationally inactivated ( Burt and Neklason, 2005 ) . This could take to the bar of early sensing. Diagnostic intervention can besides give false positive consequences ; this can take to people having testing that do non necessitat e it and this may take to unneeded psychological emphasis. MSI and IHC trials complement each other and therefore both should ever be taken into history. When the cistron is identified that is likely to be mutated, sequence analysis or Southern Blotting can be performed to place the mutant. However this consequence is non ever informative for households as it can be hard to clearly specify a infective mutant. This means that it is non possible to test other household members for a known mutant. Besides in up to 10 % of people a mutant may non be found. Finally when taking an index instance to look for the mutant, the youngest affected individual should be chose. The older a patient is the more likely their malignant neoplastic disease is sporadic. However in a household the youngest affected individual may non hold to be tested. This leaves it harder to accomplish the consequences wanted. Decision The most hard portion of proving for CRC is cognizing who to prove. In FAP there is a clear phenotype but there are discrepancies such as AFAP and MAP. These besides benefit from proving. HNCPP has no clear phenotype and is much harder to estimate who would profit from proving. There are standards set in topographic point to assist this procedure but as mentioned some people are over looked. For both conditions no individual trial is sufficient to place the mutant. Some mutants may non even be identified and therefore it is of import that a adviser non merely measure the patient on their trial consequences but besides on their clinical diagnosing. Trial consequences are non required for disease direction but are helpful for placing other household members who are at hazard. Mentions Burt, R. A ; Neklason, D. , W. ( 2005 ) . Familial Testing for Inherited Colon Cancer.Gastroenterology128: 1696-1716 Davidson, N. , O. ( 2007 ) . Familial testing in colorectal malignant neoplastic disease: who, when, how and why.Keio Journal of Medicine56 ( 1 ) : 14-20 Lynch, P. , M. ( 2007 ) . New Issues in Genetic Counseling of Hereditary Colon Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 13: 6857s-6861s Muller, A. , Giuffre, G. , Edmonston, T. , B. , Heinmoller, E. , Brodegger, T. , Tuccari, G. , Mangold, E. , Buettner, R. , A ; Ruschoff, J. ( 2004 ) . Challenges and Pitfalls in HNPCC Screening by Microsatellite Analysis and Immunohistochemistry.Journal of Molecular Nosologies6 ( 4 ) : 308-315 Syngal, S. , Fox, E. , A. , Li, C. , Dovidio, M. , Eng, C. , Kolondner, R. , D. , A ; Garber, J. , E. ( 1999 ) . Interpretation of Familial Test Results for Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer: Deductions for Clinical Predisposition Testing.Journel of the American Medical Association282 ( 3 ) : 247-253 Bibliography Boultwood, J. A ; Fidler, C. ( 2002 ) .Molecular Analysis of Cancer, Humana Press, New Jersey. Chen, S. , Watson, P. A ; Parmigiani, G. ( 2005 ) . Accuracy of MSI Testing in Predicting Germline mutants of MSH2 and MLH1: a instance survey in Bayesian meta-analysis of diagnostic trials without a god criterion.Biometricss6 ( 3 ) : 450-464 Kerr, D. , J. , Young, A. , M. A ; Hobbs, F. , D. , R. ( 2002 ) .ABC of Colorectal Cancer, BMJ, London. Taylor, I. , Garcia-Aguilar, J. A ; Goldberg, S. , M. ( 2002 ) .Colorectal Cancer 2nd edition, Health Press, London Tomlinson, I. , Ilyas, M. A ; Novelli, M. ( 1997 ) .Molecular Geneticss of Colon Cancer. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 16: 67-69 Walther, A. , Johnstone, E. , Swanton, C. , Midgley, R. , Tomlison, I. and Kerr, D. ( 2009 ) . Familial Prognostic and Predictive Markers in Colorectal Cancer.Nature Reviews 9: 489-499

Understanding the Appeal to Force Fallacy

Understanding the Appeal to Force Fallacy The appeal to force fallacy is a rhetorical fallacy that relies on force or intimidation (scare tactics) to persuade an audience to accept a proposition or take a particular course of action. Understanding the Fallacy In Latin, the appeal to force fallacy is referred to as argumentum ad baculum, or, literally, argument to the cudgel. Its also sometimes referred to as the appeal to fear fallacy. Essentially, the argument appeals to the possibility of undesired, negative consequences that are often - though not always - tied to some sort of frightening or violent outcome that listeners will wish to avoid. In arguments that utilize this fallacy, the logic is not sound, nor is it the sole basis of the argument. Instead, there is an appeal to negative emotions and possibilities that have not been proven. Fear and logic become tied together in the argument. The fallacy occurs when a negative consequence is assumed without definitive proof; instead, an appeal is made to the possibility of the consequence and a false or exaggerated assumption is made. This fallacious argument may be made whether or not the person making the argument truly subscribes to their own argument. For instance, consider two factions at war. The leader of Faction A sends a message to their counterpart in Faction B, requesting a parlay to discuss the possibility of negotiating peace. During the war so far, Faction A has treated captives from Faction B reasonably well. Leader B, however, tells their second-in-command that they must not meet with Leader A because Faction A will turn around and brutally kill them all. Here, the evidence is that Faction A conducts themselves with honor and would not break the terms of the temporary truce, but Leader B discredits this because he is afraid of being killed. Instead, he appeals to that shared fear to convince the rest of Faction B that he is correct, despite the fact that his belief and current evidence are in conflict with each other. There is a non-fallacious variation of this argument, however. Lets say that Person X, who is a member of Group Y, lives under an oppressive regime. X knows that, if the regime discovers they are a member of Group Y, they will be put to death. X wants to live. Therefore, X will claim to not be a member of Group Y. This is not a fallacious conclusion, since it only says that X will claim to not be part of Y, not that X is not part of Y. Examples and Observations This kind of appeal is undoubtedly persuasive in certain circumstances. The robber who threatens a persons life will probably win the argument. But there are more subtle appeals to force such as the veiled threat that ones job is on the line.(Winifred Bryan Horner, Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition, St. Martins, 1988)The most obvious sort of force is the physical threat of violence or harm. The argument distracts us from a critical review and evaluation of its premises and conclusion by putting us into a defensive position. . . .But appeals to force are not always physical threats. Appeals to psychological, financial, and social harm can be no less threatening and distracting. (Jon Stratton, Critical Thinking for College Students, Rowman Littlefield, 1999)If the Iraqi regime is able to produce, buy, or steal an amount of highly-enriched uranium a little larger than a single softball, it could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year.And if we allow that to happen, a terrible line would be crossed. Saddam Hussein would be in a position to blackmail anyone who opposes his aggression. He would be in a position to dominate the Middle East. He would be in a position to threaten America. And Saddam Hussein would be in a position to pass nuclear technology to terrorists. . . .Knowing these realities, America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof - the smoking gun - that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.(President George W. Bush, October 8, 2002)

(Risk Management -Global Perspectives on Risk) Q- Globalisation has Coursework

(Risk Management -Global Perspectives on Risk) Q- Globalisation has led to a significant degree of convergence in markets and in - Coursework Example "Globalization" is understood as a source to bring in major increases in the world trade along with trade exchanges within an open, integrated economy that would span across borders. Remarkable growth has been observed in such form of trade or exchanges that had been observed not only within the traditional international trade of goods and services, but was also observed in the exchanges of country currencies, in various capital movements and many more. One aspect featuring the extent in globalization has been the volume in international financial transactions that peaks over $1.2 trillion every day as per the New York currency markets (Intriligator, 2003, p.4). Globalization has also led to greater openness within the international economies resulting in integration across worldwide markets. A second aspect of globalization has been the liberalization of trade and other different forms in economic liberalization. This has resulted in reductions in the trade protection norms thus est ablishing a more free world trading system (Intriligator, 2003, p.5). The third aspect of globalization has been the changes as seen in the institutions where the organizations had wider reach apart from the technological advancements and the wider horizons for the managers that were facilitated by the advances made in communications (Intriligator, 2003, p.6). ... d trend in bringing together the lower economies of the world by increasing world trade would contribute in capital mobility as well as the global operations in the multinational companies that would propel technological changes, even out the wage and productivity differences across economies. The term â€Å"convergence† has been found to have an ambiguous definition. As had been mentioned by Daniel Drezner â€Å"the scholarly work on this subject is spread across multiple disciplines, including law, economics, political science and sociology. The problem leads to a certain redundancy in theory building, as disciplinary boundaries prevent ideas from spreading across fields† (GAHAN, et al. p.8). The increase in the imports and the exports seen in the overall output level provides a clear picture of the extent the globalization has spread across the goods markets. Foreign goods are now available in all countries today than was not seen previously. This was the proof for t he product market expansions due to globalization. Though globalization has led to an integration of the global markets and reducing labor costs, it is also believed in some literature that that globalization had increased the unemployment situation and widened the levels of income disparity (Slaughter & Swagel, 1997, p.6). An important trend that has been observed in the labor markets present in the advanced countries has been the rapid shift in the demand moving from less skilled workers to the better skilled ones. This trend had led to a dramatic increase in wages and the income inequality observed between the two sets of workers found in some country, along with the unemployment levels as amongst the less skilled workers in different countries. What explains the differences in outcomes for wages and

The Democratic Republic of Congo Research Paper

The Democratic Republic of Congo - Research Paper Example This paper is a critical evaluation of the country’s history, specifically, of the armed conflict which occurred between 1998 and 2003, as well as of the two most recent general elections that have been conducted in the country. The Second Congo War (1998-2003) The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country which has had a share of civil conflicts, most importantly, the Second Congo War. This is a war that started in August 1998 and ended in 2003, and at which more than 5 million people lost their lives (Prunier, 2008). It is believed that a significant number of these victims died as a result of hunger and malnutrition as well as of diseases such as malaria and diarrhea among others. Some sources term this war as the African World War based on the fact that the fighting was not exclusively among the Congo people. It may be important to state that other countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Sudan, Chad and Namibia were actively involved in this conflict, hen ce the reason why some refer it to as the African World War in comparison to WW1 and WW2 whereby different countries formed coalitions to support each other (Prunier, 2008). The root causes of this war were largely based on the events of the first Congo war (Turner, 2007). Zaire, as the country was previously called, was under the authoritarian rule of Mobutu Seseseko for the period between 1965 and 1997, and this had motivated the formation of rebel groups with the intent of overthrowing Mobutu. During this period, too, Rwanda, a neighboring country, experienced a genocide which resulted in the fleeing of members of the Hutu community into the then Zaire, who resided in refugee camps. These people were the prime targets of violence orchestrated by the Tutsis and after fleeing into Zaire, they formed rebel groups, especially Interahamwe, which continued to level attacks on Tutsis in Rwanda. Later, the Zairian forces joined hands with these militia groups to attack Tutsis in Zaire, a nd this compelled the Rwandan government to provide military aid to the antigovernment forces in Zaire in order to remove Mobutu from power, after which someone friendly to them would be installed as president so as to be able to crush the rebel groups (Prunier, 2008). This person happened to be Laurent Kabila, who had been in the forefront for a long time in the fight to remove Mobutu from power. On the other hand, Uganda was interested in the vast resources present in the country and therefore, they also wanted Mobutu to be out of the picture and to achieve this, they joined rebel forces and other politicians in a military campaign to overthrow the then government whose popularity, in the region, was dwindling day after day (Clark, 2002). In May 1997, Mobutu lost the battle and fled the country, after which Laurent Kabila declared himself as president and changed the country’s name from Zaire to DRC. However, after the successful removal of Mobutu from power, the Rwandan an d Ugandan forces remained in the country, which made it difficult for Kabila to exercise authority as president. This was made worse by the fact that Kabila’s government was full of Tutsis, whom he had appointed to senior positions such as the chief of staff, his personal secretary, and minister for foreign affairs among others. Due to internal pressure and his suspicion that the Rwandan gover

Human Trafficking in Houston Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking in Houston Essay Texans and Americans alike need to be aware of ongoing human slavery that tarnished the I-10 freeway and they need to know how they can stop the plague of Human Trafficking on Houston Texas. This past January, President Barack Obama recognized Human Trafficking Awareness month. In a published statement the President said he wanted to, â€Å"recognize the people, organizations and government entities that are working to combat human trafficking,† and â€Å"recommit to bringing an end to this inexcusable human rights abuse. † According to the U.S. Department of Justice human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries, with 14,500-17,500 individuals trafficked in the United States each year and 800,000 globally. With a number of contributing factors, including a diverse immigrant population and major roads for domestic and international travel, Houston is a hotspot for human trafficking in the U.S. According to Religion Link, â€Å"Nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits are now enlisting the aid of religious groups in the fight against human trafficking.† In Houston, organizations like the YMCA, the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, Free the Captives and Redeemed Ministries are all part of an entrenched alliance of non-profits, both secular and religious, fighting human trafficking in Houston. Constance Rossiter of the YMCA said, â€Å"These partnerships with religious organizations and other non-profits are essential to combatting human trafficking.† â€Å"There are many levels, it’s like a puzzle,† she said, â€Å"fighting human trafficking takes a community of partners including non-profits, churches, synagogues and law enforcement.† Each entity has its role to play, whether it be prevention, lobbying for legislation, advocation, awareness or enforcement, said Rossiter. Free the Captives, a Houston based Christian non-profit, does it all. Having long been involved in education and counseling for at-risk teenagers and potential pimps, Free the Captives is also active in trying to go after suppliers an d buyers in the human trafficking market. Working with attorneys, Free the Captives seeks to shut down trafficking locations by using nuisance abatement laws and other tactics. Taking the fight one step further, the organization recently began lobbying the Houston mayor’s office and local and federal law enforcement to focus on the demand side of the trafficking trade. Calling it the â€Å"Reduce the Demand Campaign,† the non-profit believes it is the primary solution in ending human trafficking. â€Å"To make an impact on domestic sex trafficking you have to go after the buyers,† said a representative from Free the Captives, whose identity is protected due to recent threats made by traffickers. â€Å"It does not matter how many pimps and landlords there are if the buyers are still willing to pay and there is money to be made,† said the anonymous source, â€Å"other pimps and landlords will pop up. You can’t stem the tide without going after the source.† For their part, the Mayor’s Office and the Houston Police Department believe that human trafficking is a major problem and are sincere in enforcing existing laws. In a letter from 2010, Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged the growing problem and said, â€Å"Houston is a hub for Human Trafficking where approximately twenty percent of all human trafficking victims will pass through our city at some point of their enslavement.† The Mayor’s Office recently reiterated the importance of fighting human trafficking and in a response to Free the Captives said, â€Å"Controlling sex trafficking remains of great concern. The governmental focus on landlords and illegal business has brought results. In the last year and a half the Houston Police Department has recovered 73 juveniles, arrested 21 pimps and two â€Å"Johns,† or buyers,† said Lieutenant Andy Lahaye. To do more the police are training their patrol offices to identify trafficking situations and be able to respond or pass on a tip for the vice department to investigate. However, Lahaye commented that it is difficult to go after the buyers and said, â€Å"It’s an underground world, we can’t just put an undercover officer out there as a decoy to catch a ‘John.’† â€Å"It’s all very subsurface, so we are going after what is out there for us to see, even though we want to cut it off at the source. That’s the struggle we are battling.† Free the Captives continues to demand the focus be shifted to the buyers. Although, many of the domestic victims in the world are not being pimped out in spaces that need landlords. While the mayor and law enforcement focuses on landlords they are almost entirely missing vulnerable American teens in private locales. They remain in bondage. Prevention is a key component to the fight against human trafficking and more organizations, not just faith based organizations like Free the Captives, need to focus their energies on prevention and curbing the supply of victims being exploited. In addition to existing enforcement the lobbying efforts of everyday citizens are paying dividends. While there are some great efforts to end human trafficking in Houston, organizations cannot function without active members. There is always something to help with.

Essay --

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY Patient Confidentiality is where a patient's medical information should be kept confidential. This concept can even be dated back to the Hippocratic Oath. When a patient goes to see his or her doctor, that patient expects to have his or her information kept confidential. They trust the medical practitioner to keep the information between them and related medical practitioners. For instance, you do not want people to find out about a disease you have and you to be affected by their knowledge of this.This establishment of trust along with medical ethical guidelines dictates this to be a duty for the doctors. Also, a person’s medical laws are meant to be kept confidential and not to be shared with anyone as dictated by law. This law is known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). There are many instances where a medical practitioner can release this information without your consent, but none of these reasons should benefit the physician in any way. When you buy health insurance, you need to authorize the release of medical records to the...

Evil Lives are meaningless lives? Essay

Profound though it may seem we often ask this very basic question:   What is the meaning of our life? This is one question that has existed for a long as humanity has.   It is one mystery that has fascinated many of the great philosophers.   Although many will find it absurd, pretentious even, that we want to answer this question, Julian Baggini thought otherwise. This is proven by his treatise in the book entitled What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indeed, while many people will shy away from bursting forward with this question, Mr. Baggini was brave enough to try to answer it. He attempted to break down several issues plaguing people – some of which are helping others, serving humanity, being happy, becoming triumphant – and successfully delivered his views without making his ideas sound so ostentatious and metaphysical.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The essential issue in the book actually deals with the question of whether there is a profound and mysterious meaning to life.   It also asks what the ultimate purpose of our existence is. Mr. Baggini argues that there really is no single meaning to our existence. He says that every little thing that we do has meaning in itself so it is pointless to look for one whole package of meaning.   Indeed, the first-two chapters examine if and why the existence of God should make a difference into determining the meaning of our life. The remaining chapters then evaluate the claims of some people as to what they find significant in their life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By planting his feet firmly on the ground and dealing with specific issues, I think that Mr. Baggini effectively shows us that the quest for the meaning of our existence is right here with us everyday.   We don’t need to travel to far places to look for it.   We don’t need to serve in the UNICEF to render ourselves useful to humanity.   Most importantly, we don’t need legislation to render ourselves empowered.   The answer we have always been looking for in our life is in our own hands.   It is how we cope with our everyday existence that will truly define the life that we have lived.   The outside forces are just mere accompaniment, whereas our actions and reactions are the essential factors that will judge us in the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corollary to this, the meaning of our life cannot be found in books and idealistic treatise. We don’t need to look for its meaning in our neighbor’s house; it is right at the tip of our nose. Mr. Baggini shows us that we can value happiness even as we accept that it is not everything. We can see the value of success without drowning ourselves in it.   We can even shout â€Å"Carpe Diem† to the whole world even as we help others lead fruitful lives.   In the end, it is still love that powerfully motivates us all. Indeed, Mr. Baggini shows us that the search for meaning is very personal and within our power to find. He supports his stand by drawing from actual experiences drawn from real life of real people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In many ways, those who have read this book will deduce that Mr. Baggini qualifies himself as a modern-day heir of Bertrand Russel. In his own way, he shows us that we can find the meaning of life if we can only be more philosophical and rational.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Chapter 4 of the book subtitled Here to help, Mr. Baggini discusses the proper place of altruism if we are to pursue meaningful lives.   â€Å"If the meaning of life is to help others, then only those doing the helping can lead meaningful life.   The people being helped are thus mere instruments to the end of giving purpose to the altruists.† (65)   Of course, Mr. Baggini does not brush off altruism as a useless virtue. It is still needed if we have to co-exist peacefully with others.   However, he emphasizes that altruism should be put in its proper perspective and that people should make sense in defending values which go beyond itself. Altruism in itself is a virtue but it should not used to define one’s life.   It is just but one part of our existence, not the whole of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chapter 7 subtitled Becoming a contender, Mr. Baggini writes â€Å"To raise a happy family, or live your life pursuing your passion, no matter which recognition you get, should be seen as a success.†(123) This in itself shows the kind of philosophical sense that Mr. Baggini follows in this book.   He does not aim for huge successes but makes one feel that no matter how small the achievement is, it is still worth noting because it has helped one become the kind of person that he is today. It is therefore important for us to do our best in every thing we do because these small things can also enrich our life.   Indeed, it does not matter whether the good deeds we have done are great or small.   The most important is we did it.   This is what life should be all about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chapter 9 subtitled Lose yourself, Mr. Baggini emphasizes that we don’t need a Maya Angelou or a Deepak Chopra to lead us to the real meaning of our life.   He strongly criticizes the promises of religious and ideological beliefs; consequently convincing us that we really don’t need vast esoteric knowledge or a time-tested guru to find the meaning of our life. Here, Mr. Baggini argues that we just have to look into our self and we will find everything that we have always been looking for. Resorting to ideological beliefs may only pose greater danger of losing one’s proper perspective, thus, this is highly discouraged.   Apparently, Mr. Baggini believes that each person is unique and lessons learned from one’s experiences may not be uniform for everyone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Baggini’s main purpose for writing this book is actually to show us that philosophy – rather than our average New Age psychobabble — is a better tool to analyze life’s little mysteries with. This is the reason why he purposely puts forward a largely down-to-earth approach to the issues being raised in the book. In a world where existentialism has morphed into an alienated version of the â€Å"I and me† culture, utilitarianism offers rational discourses where once we had heaven for guarantor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like the movie Dead Poets Society, Mr. Baggini encourages us to seize the day. Each day is a chance for us to define the life we lead.   It is therefore essential that we have to live our life to the fullest everyday.   Of course, he admits that defining our life this way is not an easy task but there is nothing impossible if we only go back to our very selves. In this aspect, Mr. Baggini dislikes paradox and hyperbole and anything too extreme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of Life ends up being a rational and secular inquiry into the meaning of life. Although it is obviously a prà ©cis of Mr. Baggini’s personal views on life, he hopes that this is something many philosophers would mostly agree. Several times in the book he would refer to past experiences as he draws lessons from them. In spite of his bold statements, however, Mr. Baggini takes a cautious approach.   This stance disappoints because at the end of the book, there is little to disagree with. His supposition that the meaning of life is really â€Å"quite humdrum† only sums up his attitude to the question.   In this aspect, he shows that life is just a mirror that reflects back the image of whoever seeks its meaning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To his credit, Mr. Baggini tries to sum up the meaning of life in fewer than 200 pages – a big achievement in itself.   However, it is also because of this that his argument suffers greatly; being that its supporting discourses have been so squeezed together. This problem is apparent in the chapter on the loss of selfhood, where he points out that New Age ideas are quite â€Å"nonsense.†Ã‚   He says that anyone who professes to lose his ego during meditation is being self-righteous.  Ã‚   Anyone who professes to lose his ego during meditation is being smug and self-righteous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Baggini then saves the best for last when he declares that â€Å"we should forget about the meaning of life and just get on with it.†Ã‚   The analysis made on life stems from a rationalist and humanist perspective. As I said earlier, he proceeds to his main thesis with utmost caution even as he answers each question thrown his way with distinctive directness.   The outcome of this is that the readers are left to form their own conclusion based on the framework that Mr. Baggini has constructed.   Each reader will be able to form his own meaning to life – one that will be personal, more meaningful and sociologically moral.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If a reader has majored in philosophy, this book will be viewed as a bit simplistic.   However, for ordinary readers like me, it makes for an easy comparison of the various isms in life. Sure, it does not dole out definitive answers to specific questions. Still, it’s a good read for someone who is literally searching for a meaning of his existence. For me, Mr. Baggini’s insistence that our life should be led on an everyday basis is congruent to the fact that we should live it in peaceful co-existence with our neighbors.   Doing otherwise (or by being evil) will render our life meaningless.   In a nutshell, Mr. Baggini offers us ideas about life that are balanced, good and practical. The bottom line here is that living itself, for its own sake, is what truly the only thing that gives life meaning.   All the other ascriptions are, at best, plain spices to make the journey fun and enjoyable.    References: Baggini, Julian. (2005) What’s It All About: Philosophy and the Meaning of Life. Granta Publishers, Inc. Williams, Peter. (2003) Sorting the wheat from the chaff http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=5&id=319

Euthanasia: One’s Choice of Life or Death Essay

In recent years euthanasia has become a heated debate. Euthanasia has Greek roots as a â€Å"good death.† Euthanasia has many definitions. Euthanasia is considered to be voluntary when it takes place in accordance with the wishes of a competent individual. Nonvoluntary euthanasia is done without knowledge of the patients’ wishes either because the patient has always been incompetent, is now incompetent, or has left no Advanced Directive. Involuntary euthanasia is done against the wishes of the competent individual or against the wishes expressed in a valid Advanced Directive. Assisted suicide is usually defined as a specific situation in which there is a suicide, that is, an act of killing oneself intentionally. Physician assisted suicide is when the individual is given a lethal drug which they can use to kill themselves whenever they choose. Although the definitions may seem clear, there is much confusion about the words used to describe euthanasia and other actions that result in hastening death. Three states, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, have legalized euthanasia. My argument is euthanasia should be legalized in all fifty states. One point of the heated debate is the slippery slope that could possibly occur if euthanasia was legalized. Professor Phil D. Frey states that â€Å"We need the evidence that shows that horrible slope consequences might occur, as noted earlier, does not constitute such evidence.† In other words Phil D. Frey is saying it is possible that slippery slope effect can occur, but nothing shows that it is likely to happen. In Oregon, there are many steps before one can qualify for euthanasia. These steps ensure that no slippery slope can occur. In Andrew Walters view, â€Å"The Oregon Death with Dignity Act† has served as a model statue in other state attempts to pass assisted suicide legislation. The act has several important provisions, read altogether, provide safeguard for the terminally ill, the physicians that diagnose their terminal illness and the pharmacist that prescribes the lethal drugs.† The essence of Andrew Walters argument is that The Oregon Death with Dignity Act was a strong first step towards the legalization of euthanasia around the world. It shows that the legalization if euthanasia would not cause a slippery slope. The  act has many safeguards and provisions to prevent slippery slope. In 2006 Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act. To request a prescription for lethal medications the Death with Dignity Act requires: †¢ 18 years or older  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Resident of Oregon  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Capable and able to make and communicate health care decisions †¢ Diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death in 6 months Once meeting the above requirements, the following are some of the steps that need to be followed in requesting a lethal medication: †¢ The patient must make two oral requests to the physical separated by at least 15 days †¢ The patient must provide a written request to the physician signed in the presence of two witnesses †¢ The prescribing physician must inform the patient of feasible alternatives to assisted suicide, including comfort care, hospice care and pain control. Those who oppose euthanasia argue that slippery slope is most likely to happen. Most opponents will tell you that euthanasia is a step towards the legalization of murder. They argue people will end their lives because they are tired of living or see no worth in it. The opponents argue that the poor, minorities, the mentally ill, and the physically challenged will be some of the targeted groups of euthanasia. I argue the opponents are mistaken because they overlook the provisions and safeguards of the â€Å"Death with Dignity Act.† Another issue is the human right to life and self-determination. According to Walter Andrew, â€Å"Assisted suicide places the individual in control of his or her future allowing the individual to decide how, when and where they die.† Practical concerns also face the dying. After a terminally ill person watches his savings plummet while his medical costs and insurance premiums increase rapidly. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boiled down to an individual’s right to determine their end of life decisions. The United States Constitution protects our right to life and liberty. Opponents argue that the human right to die is not a fundamental liberty interest protected by the due process  clause and that physicians are bound by the Hippocratic Oath, â€Å"First, do no harm.† I argue that physicians are not doing harm to patients. If a patient is in unbearable pain the physician is helping the patient by taking him out of his misery. If a competent individual is terminally ill, he should be able to control his destiny. If he cannot tolerate the pain, the pain cannot be managed by pain medication or he feels that he is a burden on family/community/society, it is the person’s right to determine if he wants to live. This right is consistent with the values of the human right to life and right of self-determination. One short but important fact is that if euthanasia were made legal, the patient would have had to have received the best medical care and pain management possible. This could reduce the chances of a slippery slope. It can also create healthier doctor-patient relationships by removing the fear of overtreatment. Euthanasia can be necessary for the distribution of health resources. Around the world and especially in America there is a shortage of health resources. Some patients who are ill and can be cured are not able to get speedy access to the facilities they require for treatment. Also, health resources are being used on people who cannot be cured and those who would prefer to die. Allowing those committed to euthanasia would not only let them have what they want, but will free valuable resources to treat people who want to live. Allowing the person who wants to die to initiate the process would prevent abuse. Those who oppose this will argue because they believe that such a proposal wide open to abuse and will ultimately lead to involuntary euthanasia because of the shortage of health resources. I argue that euthanasia is a good way to free up resources for those who need the care and want to live, instead of using it on those that want to die. In conclusion, the debate about the legalization of euthanasia will continue for years to come, but I believe that the arguments for legalizing euthanasia overpower the arguments against it. Assisted suicide is a quick and painless death, instead of going through months of pain; the patient can end their life on their own terms. The Death with Dignity Act ensures that the slippery slope will not happen. To preserve the dignity of human life, it is important that the remaining states and the federal government  legalize euthanasia to provide a safe and dignified way for terminally ill individuals to end their suffering. Works Cited â€Å"Arguments in Favour of Euthanasia.† BBC.com. 14 Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. . â€Å"Arguments Against Euthanasia.† BBC.com. 12 Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. . â€Å"Encyclopedia of Death and Dying.† Euthanasia. N.p., 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. . Gorosh, David J. † .† Oakland Free Press [Oakland] 20 Mar. 1999: n. pag. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. Honan, Mathew. â€Å"Legalize Assisted Suicide.† Wired 17.10 (2009): 110. Science Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 1 Apr. 2010. Stokely, Anne. â€Å"Counter Point: The Right To Assisted Suicide. â€Å" Points of View: Assisted Suicide (2009): 6. Points of View Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 1Apr. 2012. Walter, Andrew. â€Å"Point: Euthanasia Should Be Legal.† Points of View: Euthanasia (2009): 2. Points of View Reference. EBSCO. Web. 1 Apr. 2010.

Marketing strategy of Rolex

Marketing strategy of Rolex Introduction Marketing strategy of a company, in practice and theory, is often replete with gaps. Often, marketers have deviated from the theoretical principles to develop their own set of rules that they have dubbed more useful in marketing and selling their product. This paper is a case study analysis of Rolex.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing strategy of Rolex specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main objective of the paper is to ascertain the gap in the marketing strategy and principles adopted by Rolex with that of the theoretical marketing framework presented by McDonald in his ten world class marketing principles (WCM). Further analysis of the marketing practices of the company and a comparative case analysis are presented in the paper. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the company background. Rolex – Company Background Hans Wilsdorf founded the Rolex Company in the early twentieth ce ntury. The company was registered in the name of Rolex in 1908. The watches made by the company were well known for their accuracy, durability, and dearness. The company hails from Switzerland. It has often been credited for making wristwatches a popular fashion. Rolex is also the company that is credited for making the first dustproof, airtight, and waterproof watches. The company is often associated with their luxury branded watches and are sold only through authorized retail stores. The watches are found in gold, silver, and platinum and are often studded with diamond or other precious stones. They also make other kinds of timepieces like clocks, stopwatches, and pocket watches. Today Rolex is the largest luxury watchmaker in the world. The company was formerly known as Montres Rolex S.A and is based in Geneva, Switzerland . With this background of the company, we move further on to the present state of the company. In the next section, we will discuss the financial and marketing strategy of the company in brief before discussing them in detail. The financial data of the company is not publicly available for Rolex as it is a privately owned company. However, the other aspect of the company i.e. marketing aspect can be discussed in details. Marketing of Rolex Rolex is a luxury watchmaker. The products that are made and sold by Rolex are Rolex and Tudor. Rolex markets its watches as luxury brands. The company is well known for its unique targeting, segmenting, and positioning of their product, which many believe has helped them to maintain their position as a leader over such as long period.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, with the change in the generations and ushering of the new generation who is more inclined towards new fast moving technology than a timeless timepiece, Rolex faces a challenge as to how they can attract these new emerging customers. In this section, we will first discuss the marketing strategy of Rolex before moving on to enumerate the differences they have with the world class marketing principles of McDonald . Marketing Mix of Rolex The marketing efforts of the company demonstrate the kid of customers the products are aimed at. The marketing strategy helps companies identify the customer needs and helps firms formulate strategy to satisfy them. The marketing success of a company lies in its success in identifying the customer needs. Usually understanding customer needs and tapping on them usually takes painstaking planning and strategy formulation. Usually companies carry out extensive research and analysis before formulating the four Ps of marketing – price, promotion strategy, place, and product. A careful analysis of the marketing mix of the company enables us to determine the market that the company is trying to pursue. Similarly, we undertake a thorough research of the marketi ng strategy and mix of Rolex. The target of Rolex is both men and women. Rolex makes watches to suit the taste of both men and women and are preferred by both the sexes. The market segment that the company has placed its product in is the luxury market, and the prices are high as they are placed in the luxury market. In order to maintain their status related to the four Ps, the company has positioned its product as a luxury item and for this specific reason, they have strove to maintain a very high quality for their products. The accuracy of the Rolex watches is one area that puts them ahead of any other watchmaker. Before positioning the product, the first analysis the company does is to identify the characters of its products that makes it stand apart. Creating a group of target audience is the key to creating the target audience. Brand positioning, as any practitioner and academician would know, is based on the perception of the customer.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing strategy of Rolex specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More First, the company decides the kind of customers they want to address i.e. identifying their base customers. In case of Rolex, it is clearly a luxury product targeted the affluent economic strata of the society. Consequently, the advertisements and the events, which are sponsored by the product, are those that are usually associated with the rich. The target customers for Rolex are both male and female. Targeting both the demographic section is advantageous and helps the company to spread its market. Rolex’s advertising strategy entails celebrity endorsements. Rolex advertises its products with both male and female endorsements. Rolex positions its products as a symbol of excellence and passion. Therefore, most of the advertisements that are shown by Rolex usually feature sports personalities like Tiger Woods or Roger Federer who are the best in their respec tive sports. In addition, the advertisements with women in them feature sports women or actors like Ana Ivanovic. Further, in order to cater to a certain economic class the company meticulously positions itself targeting the rich and the ones who crave for â€Å"class† rather than â€Å"beauty† this is evident from the taglines used in previous Rolex advertisements such as â€Å"Class is forever†, â€Å"Some people want more than just a pretty face† or â€Å"Live for Greatness†. These taglines demonstrate that the appeal that the company makes for its brands ensures that the products are sold to those who strive not only for beauty of the product, which even a fake Rolex watch can deliver, but rather the pristine class of wearing a watch that is hand crafted. The company strives to make Rolex a symbol of excellence. For instance older advertisement campaigns of the company had tag lines like â€Å"If you were looking for lost empires here tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex†, or â€Å"If you were flying the Concord tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex† or â€Å"If you were sailing alone round Cape Horn tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex† . In another landmark tagline for a Rolex advertisement, the positioning is made further clear, â€Å"A Rolex will never change the world. We leave that to the people who wear them.† Thus, the positioning of Rolex is clearly represented through the advertisements that they promote.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The tag used in their website to describe the products of Rolex is resonant of the positioning approach of the company. It describes Rolex watches as â€Å"Symbols of excellence, performance, prestige, and innovation† . Therefore, the positioning strategy of the company is to project the product as luxury brand that strived for excellence. Products The products that are presently marketed by Rolex can be broadly divided into three collections – Oyster collection, new 2013 collection, and Cellini Collection. The oyster collection boasts of â€Å"elegance and prestige† and has twenty models in the collection. The description of the product states that the products are â€Å"Crafted from the finest raw materials and assembled with scrupulous attention to detail† . This clearly demonstrates the attention to quality that the company has on each product it makes. Then the description moves on to describe the latest technology that is added to the age-old class of Rolex – â€Å"Oyster Perpetual watches benefit from Rolexs cutting-edge technology and extensive expertise. In addition, each individual Rolex watch undergoes stringent examination and testing.† The repeated stress on quality and style enhances the brand value of the product and helps positioning the product as luxury brand. The oyster perpetual watches are made in oyster cases, and the bracelet is made of silver, oyster, and gold. The second collection is the new 2013 collection of Rolex is a new collection of chronometers with cutting age technology instilled in them to attract the new generations and retaining their old classiness. This collection has just six models and each are designed depicting a different style and taste. Mostly these watches are fitted with precious gems and stones and others are crafted in platinum and oyster. The raw material used in designing the models makes them so valuable. The third collection is the Cellini collection. The collectio n named after the Renaissance sculptor and artist Benvenuto Cellini aims at demonstrating â€Å"quintessence of elegance† . Masters of various arts sculpted each timepiece and each come in gold or platinum cases and dials of sapphire or mother of pearl . The products of Rolex truly demonstrate the positioning of the product being successful, as they have loaded their products with beautiful and expensive metals, and stones to carve out the perfect watch. Rolex watches, truly, are a blend of art and technology. Price The watches sold by Rolex are priced high. The pricing strategy goes with their promotion and positioning strategy. Further, as their products are made with very expensive raw material and they happen to be fitted with the best quality technology. The high price is equivalent to the positioning of the product as a luxury item. Promotion Promotion plays an important role in describing the product. It is almost a means by which one can delineate to the customers wha t the product has to offer. What they must understand by the product and they are to expect when they buy the product. Therefore, it helps in setting a mood of expectation and anticipation apart from creating a space in the mind of the customers for the product. Promotions help companies to familiarize their products to the customers. However, what is promotion to a luxury brand like Rolex? Obviously, customers are aware of the brand – Rolex and the rich history of the company’s past. The promotional strategy of Rolex is to sell the idea of the class that Rolex attaches to itself. Rolex is not promoted as just a brand, but as a way of life, as class, as society. For instance, the Oyster models of Rolex was first introduced in 1926 as the first waterproof watches and since then has clad the wrists of many famous personalities but as timeless is the brand the essence of the clean, utilitarian design of Rolex has not lost its edge . Many believe that Rolex need not have p osted any more advertisements to educate its customers for they are already advertisement with the many utilities and preciousness of the watch. This is a very true observation. Hence, Rolex has shifted its promotional strategy from educating to creating an image of luxury, class, and sophistication around its brand. Rolex is no longer just a luxury watch but a product that is timeless. Hence, they have started projecting their products more in line of diamond (as done by DeBeers for diamonds) and not as any other products. Further, Rolex categorically targets the sports or trade they want to target and have the best in the class to endorse their products. For instance, Rolex associates itself with sports like tennis, golf, yachting, mountaineers, diving, etc. In other forms of occupation, Rolex has endorsers who are actors, artists, dramatists, dancers, etc. The promotional strategy of Rolex can be categorized into following classes – Advertisements in televisions Print adv ertisements in magazines and newspapers. Sponsors of gaming events like Wimbledon Embedded advertisements in movies like those of James Bond The television advertisements where the advertisements are placed are usually lifestyle channels or sports channels showing major sporting events like tennis and golf. Usually Rolex advertisements accompany airing of James Bond movies. Hence, the promotions are placed in such a way that they reach the target customers. Further, print advertisements of Rolex can be seen in major business magazines, newspapers, sports magazines, and high-end luxury and lifestyle magazines. This also demonstrates that Rolex sticks to the target customer and promotes their products accordingly. Further, Rolex sponsors gaming events like, golf and tennis, which easily makes it, attract the target customers. The association of the brand with the James Bond franchise has helped the company to create a character for the brand as dashing and adventurous despite being c lassy and sophisticated. The question that arises is why does Rolex follow a niche promotional strategy? The answer to the question is simple – Rolex’s product and positioning does not support and/or demand a mass-marketing strategy. Niche promotional strategy is apt for a brand like Rolex that sells only luxury items and that too, to a niche target market. Clearly, the promotional strategy for Rolex has worked so far, as it has tried to approach to a niche set of customer base and the promotional strategy they have employed has successfully helped them to reach to that group. The constant message that is ever-present in Rolex’s promotional campaigns is that of high-achieving, aspiring, luxury product that is crafted for few who are successful. The watches are projected for those who are achievers and consequently rich and therefore the target and positioning of the product are clearly depicted in the advertisements of Rolex. The understanding of the marketing m ix of Rolex helped us to appreciate that marketing strategy the company has employed so far. In the next section, we will try to delineate how the marketing strategy of Rolex adheres to or does not adhere to the 10-point model of McDonald. WCM This analysis is done using the 10 points of world class marketing developed by Malcolm McDonald. The first point shows the market orientation of the company. The first point entails that it is the work of the company. It is the job of the top management to instill among its employees the ideal of customer orientation. In other words, customer orientation has to be enhanced in order to ensure greater possibility of creating products that would satisfy the customers. In case of Rolex, the company has historically paid a lot of attention to the product that they create. As the company sells luxury product, it makes sure that all the qualities of luxury are presented in the watches crafted by the company. Further, the customers should be made a v ehicle for promotion. This can be attained only by making high quality products. A high quality product that satisfies the customers exceedingly would ensure that he/she promotes it to his/her peers. Rolex has achieved this through its quality and brand name. The name of Rolex is associated with luxury and precision of technology and therefore, the brand no longer requires educating its customers of its worth. It has created itself as a sign of prestige and position to own a Rolex watch. Thus, the first point of McDonald has been satisfied by Rolex’s marketing strategy. The second point as enumerated by McDonald is to understand the sources of competitive advantage for the brand. McDonald has segregated this into three categories – superior position, skills, and resources. Superior position entails niche products with high degree of differentiation and concentration on pricing. Superior skill involves quality of product, specialized knowledge, technical expertise, and flexible organization. superior resources implies advantages pertaining to economies of scale, financial structure, global reach, etc. in case of Rolex, the company follows a superior position strategy. The products are positioned in a niche market as luxury brand with high pricing. They are not considered as products with superior skill as they do not offer a product that is unique to the brand. The competition that Rolex faces in the luxury watch market has become stiff with other companies like Omega, Longines, Cartier, Chanel, Patek Philippe, etc. Therefore, in such a competitive market to have competitive advantage in technical skill is difficult as all these product similar quality of products. In case of Rolex, it has to be done in terms of the positioning. Understanding the environment of the company has a specific implication on the marketing strategy of the company. An analysis of the macro and the microenvironment helps to ascertain the threats and opportunities that are present for the brand in the market. In case of Rolex, the threat is the aging demographics of the target market of the brand. With aging population, the taste and preference of people are changing considerably, which has inculcated a threat to the organization’s product demand . Thus, the aim of Rolex should be to target younger target market However, there remains a ray of opportunity for the product. Luxury brands have swept over to the emerging economies. All marketers of different luxury items from automobiles to wristwatches have started targeting the developing, emerging market of the Asian giants like China and India . According to the predictions of analysts by 2018, Asia Pacific will be biggest market for luxury goods . This presents a unique opportunity for luxury watch brands with a long-standing brand name to make its presence felt in the emerging economies. The fourth point that is enumerated is to understand one’s competition. The company should categori cally understand who the direct and potential competitors are. Further, they should also be aware of the substitutes, backward and forwards integration competitions, and be aware of the competitor’s strength and weaknesses. The major potential of Rolex is that it is in the luxury brand market, which is highly driven by brand loyalty and recognition. The direct competitors of Rolex are other brands like Omega, Longines, Cartier, Chanel, Patek Philippe, etc. the potential competitors are other fashion brands that have started making accessories and watches like Tag Heuer, Breitling, Panerai, Tissot etc. Further, Rolex faces the threat of fake products in the market. This provides a stiff competition in price sensitive Asian markets. The fifth is to understand the market segment. The market segment that the company has placed its product in is the luxury market, and the prices are high as they are placed in the luxury market. In order to maintain their status related to the four Ps, the company has positioned its product as a luxury item and for this specific reason, they have strove to maintain a very high quality for their products. The accuracy of the Rolex watches is one area that puts them ahead of any other watchmaker. Before positioning the product, the first analysis the company does is to identify the characters of its products that makes it stand apart. The market segment that the brand targets are clear; it caters in the luxury market for watches. Hence, the positioning of the product is unambiguous. The company strives to make Rolex a symbol of excellence. For instance older advertisement campaigns of the company had tag lines like â€Å"If you were looking for lost empires here tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex†, or â€Å"If you were flying the Concord tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex† or â€Å"If you were sailing alone round Cape Horn tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex† . The positioning of the products is that of exce llence and symbol of success. The sixth point is ascertaining the strength and weakness of the brand. In this case, Rolex’s strength is its unique style and product positioning. The weakness of the brand is its present appeal to the older target customers, and inability to target newer generations. The seventh point is to understand the dynamic market for the product, i.e. to conduct a life cycle analysis. Life cycle analysis helps in ascertaining the position in the life cycle where the product lies. In case of Rolex it is clear that the product is in its mature stage but without any further impetus to the marketing strategy, the sale of the product my fall down. The eighth point suggested by McDonald is to have a strong portfolio of products. The products that are offered by Rolex are unique and timeless. Their appeal is great as each are made differently with different features and crafted in different styles. The ninth point shows that a company should formulate a strateg ic marketing policy and stick to it. In case of Rolex, the company has adhered to its niche marketing strategy since the beginning and therefore its charm and demand has not faltered. The last point presented appeals to the companies to maintain a professional attitude in promoting and marketing its products. It is important for the company to understand all the above marketing tools and continually evaluate its products using these tools in order to make predictions of any impending changes in future. References Forster, J 2012, The Rolex Problem, forbes.com/sites/jackforster/2012/09/03/the-rolex-problem-a-semi-rational-look-at-the-worlds-most-recognized-watch/. Hodinkee 2013, A Quick Look At The New Rolex Ad Campaign: Highlighting Innovators And Rolex Wearers, hodinkee.com/blog/a-quick-look-at-the-new-rolex-ad-campaign-highlighting-innovators-and-rolex-wearers. Klara, R 2013, How Rolex Runs on Autopilot Educating is no longer necessary, adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/how-rol ex-runs-autopilot-148233. McDonald, MHB, Chernatony, LD Harris, F 2001, Corporate marketing and service brands Moving beyond the fast-moving consumer goods model, European Journal of Marketing, vol 35, no. 3/4, pp. 335 352. McDonald, M Wilson, H 2011, Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them, John Wiley Sons, London. Onofrei, I 2012, How Rolex could become a prisoner of its own strategy, branditmagazine.co.uk/rolex/. OyesterInfo 2013, Rolex Advertisments, oysterinfo.de/en/werbung/index.php. Rolex 2013, About Rolex, rolex.com/about-rolex/rolex-history/1905-1919.html. Wall Street Week 2013, Emerging Markets Drive Luxury Goods, wallstreetweek.com/emerging-markets-drive-luxury-goods/. Wang, L 2013, Luxury Sales to Exceed $318 Billion, Driven by Emerging Markets and ‘Affordable Luxury’, businessoffashion.com/2013/10/euromonitor-coach-michael-kors-louis-vuitton-versace-fflur-roberts.html.

15 Major Career Lessons to Learn When Youre Starting Out

15 Major Career Lessons to Learn When Youre Starting Out If done right, a career is a long string of learning opportunities. No one knows everything (despite what they may think or tell you), and the people who are best at what they do understand that there is always something new to be learned- about the job, about the field, about the people. Much of this knowledge is something you have to learn as you go. But there are also a number of realities and hard-fought realizations from others that can make your work life easier as you move through it. 1. Grab opportunities as they come.This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it can be hard to spot opportunities in the wild. It can be harder still to sacrifice a stable status quo to go for one. If you come across a job opening that would be great, if only the timing weren’t a little off, or you meet someone who would be a great network member, if only you had time to grab that drink with them- try not to let those slip by. Inertia can be a choice too (albeit a default one), and you shou ld try to make as many active choices as possible. Your career is yours, and yours alone. Nothing will happen unless you put in the effort to find and take advantage of potential stepping stones.2. Don’t worry about the small stuff.If you’re holding people’s lives in your hands as a healthcare provider or crossing guard, then yes- sweat the small stuff. But if you’re like many of us who have careers that do not directly impact anyone else’s safety, obsessing over small details and mistakes is unlikely to have a major impact. Do the best job you can do, and move on- obsessing over minutiae can distract you from what you really need to be accomplishing.3. Life is short.Wednesdays or staff meetings may seem awfully long sometimes, but in the grand scheme of things, they are not especially long-lasting. It’s important to keep in mind that sticking around around in a bad or unfulfilling work situation (or life situation, for that matter) is not i n your best interest, because it’s time you could have spent being happier and more productive.4. Look away from the screens.Technology is fantastic, and has made virtually every aspect of our lives easier in some respects. That doesn’t mean we don’t need breaks from our many screens every day. Build time into your workday to talk with colleagues about a project instead of emailing, or get away from your desk for a bit. Your eyes- and your stress level- will thank you.5. Make genuine connections.Sites like LinkedIn and other career networking sites are fantastic- they keep us posted on professional development opportunities, and what our networks are up to. However, these digital connections shouldn’t be mistaken for the real thing. Whenever you can, set up time with key members of your network, just to grab a coffee and talk. Even an email can work if they’re not local, as long as it’s personal, individual outreach.6. Challenge yourself.We all have comfort zones: areas of things we know we do well, and feel comfortable doing. Doing things well is going to be an asset to your career, obviously, but you should also not be afraid to experiment with new things that aren’t in that comfort zone. Take on side projects that need you to stretch your skills a little. Take a class in something you never even considered learning before. And if you find yourself saying â€Å"no† to something, ask yourself why, and maybe reconsider.7. Success is not overnight.Especially when you’re just starting out, not having a lot of tangible success up front can be frustrating. But remember: very few people (some Silicon Valley startup wizards aside) see success right away. Career success almost always = hard work + time.8. Neglected networks are not networks.If you just hit someone up when you need job leads, that’s not much of a relationship. Make sure your network is current. Let people know what you’re up to, and ask what they’re up to as well. Engage by sharing articles or information about your field. Send out holiday cards once a year (digital or analog ones) to stay on people’s radar. If you’re just a faceless connection on a website, how useful is that to you or anyone else?9. Your job is not worth your health.Stress can have very real, very unfortunate effects on your health can well-being, like depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, and any number of small issues that can be swept away or dismissed until they’re severe. If you’re sick more often than you used to be, or find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. panicking about whether you sent that email or not, that is not a good situation. Similarly, if you find that your job is taking necessary time away from your family, or making it so that you have very little down time, it may be time to look for something more friendly to creating a work-life balance.10. Advocate for yourself.Learning how to nego tiate is one of the most important things you can do for your career. You are truly your own best advocate, because you know your interests best. Knowing how to negotiate for raises, promotions, or salary will help you take control over your career.11. Failure isn’t forever.Mistakes suck, and they can be humiliating- especially if they lead to losing your job, or other major consequences. But no matter what happened, you can bounce back if you don’t get stuck in the mindset of branding yourself as a â€Å"failure.† Learning from past mistakes, and making changes so that those mistakes don’t get repeated, are actually leadership skills. But you don’t have to take my word for it: plenty of big names have suffered significant failures, and bounced back.12. Diversify yourself.You don’t have to be expert at everything, but try to be good at a lot of different things. That can mean taking classes to build some skills you’ll need to level up at work, or finding a new hobby that lets you build up skills outside of work. The goal is to become someone who can apply skills across a number of different disciplines. Now, more than ever, companies are looking for flexible employees who can solve problems in many different areas.13. Don’t be a lone wolf.Being a good team member is one of the top things hiring managers and recruiters look for in a job candidate. Someone can have all the awesome job skills and experience in the world, but still be a horror show to work with. Companies are looking for people who fit in harmoniously, because conflict is usually a drain on employee productivity, morale, and all the other factors that companies rely on to keep their business moving.14. Make time for things that make you happy.This doesn’t mean playing Candy Crush in the middle of the work day, or quitting your job to follow your favorite band on their European tour. It does mean finding a work-life balance where you ha ve time to volunteer instead of answering emails after hours, or work on creative projects that you just haven’t had the time to do lately. Having outlets other than work can not only help your stress levels, but can also help you become more creative about professional matters while your brain is busy thinking of other things.15. Tearing others down won’t build you up.So when people ask what my favorite movie is, I usually say Caslablanca or another Official Classic. Off the record, my favorite movie is Mean Girls. Why? Because Tina Fey’s truth bomb of a movie held a lot of wisdom about how we interact with people, and how we navigate relationships at all stages of life, not just high school. One of my biggest takeaways from the movie was that your own success and peace of mind are our own, and aren’t helped along by being vicious to others out of a sense of competition. Your colleagues are your team members, they’re not standing in the way of you r success. So it’s important to make sure that you’re not trying to get ahead by slagging others, or making them feel bad. Being a positive team member will get you much further than being the one who throws everyone under the bus.If you’ve found any other bits of wisdom on your career journey, we’d love to hear about it!

American Criminal Justice and Terrorists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Criminal Justice and Terrorists - Essay Example This has gathered momentum and sanctity after the declaration of the global war against terror. The law does not allow physical power to force a terrorist to give out the secrets that he or she might be withholding. Whether it is the special purpose jails like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba or some many others elsewhere, it has been held invalid by various courts simply because no charges were filed on many of them. If the cases were to go to Military tribunals, violence could become the way of life. On 29 June 2006, the US Supreme Court4 ruled that the Guantanamo prisoners can not be tried by military tribunals. This was a land mark judgment and a major setback to the Bush Government. This also upholds the fact that the courts are having a different idea when it comes to trying the terrorists or as the US Government calls them, 'unlawful combatants'. And the courts find it 'hurting their conscience' when confessions are taken from people unethically, using torture which is either locally manufactured or outsourced.