Tuesday, August 25, 2020

African American Literature Essay Example for Free

African American Literature Essay African American writing has a solid profoundly established foundation throughout the entire existence of America, along these lines giving the journalists ordered in this classification a solid message to pass on in any story they decided to tell. From sad life minutes to glad life minutes, the journalists can recount to their story in an assortment of strategies. This standard of writing fills in as a journal for the African American people group. The entirety of the artistic works that order this sort mirror the numerous exciting bends in the road an aggregate gathering of people must suffer while attempting to accomplish a spot ever. The accompanying conversation of three generally critical African American stories mirrors the battles one race of people needed to suffer on their excursion all through different timeframes in America. The Short Stories In the short story, My White Folks Treated us Good by Mariah Hines the writer depicts in first individual record of a circumstance when African American slaves were dealt with well in contrast with the narratives of misuse, assault, and disregard most people are habituate to perusing from this time. The slaves never went hungry, consistently had garments to wear, had the option to work under their own agreement, consistently approached with deference, and were advised to take Sundays off while likewise being urged to go to chapel on Sundays. The slaves were in actuality rewarded so well that when they were allowed to leave, they decide to stay at their previous master’s ranch and kept working for him. Hines finished up the Master kept on supporting his previous slaves. Hines expressed â€Å"Master helped us much as he could. A few of us he gave a bovine or donkey or anything he could extra to support us (p. 34). † Pushing ahead in time, the short story Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston portrays a circumstance of residential maltreatment in a drawn out connection between a spouse, Delia Jones, and her significant other, Sykes Jones. Sykes delighted in tormenting Delia, he would discover approaches to make her activity as a washwoman progressively troublesome by kicking the garments over the room or by terrifying her with ways identified with her dread of snakes. Sykes appreciated battling; he in actuality delighted in it to such an extent that he provoked Delia. This kind of torment stressed their union with the purpose of close to quiet regularly. Sykes believed it to be a smart thought to bring a diamondback into their home. The poisonous snake got lose in the home, Delia had the option to get outside the home yet Sykes stayed in the home and was assaulted in their room. Sykes hollered to Delia for help and solace, yet she couldn't come to him identified with dread. Delia at last strolled to the entryway, yet because of the idea of his wounds and the separation to the specialist she comprehended he would not endure this assault, consequently she permitted him to go in their terrace. â€Å"She could hardly arrive at the chinaberry tree, where she held up in the developing warmth while inside she realized the chilly waterway was crawling up and up to douse that eye which much known at this point she knew (p. 108). † This story shows how the individuals who decide to manhandle others generally pay for those activities at long last. Alice Walker composed the story Nineteen Fifty-Five, about a youthful white artist, Traynor, who bought a tune from a youthful African American lady, Gracie Mae, and proceeded to get acclaimed in the wake of recording and discharging his own form. His form of Gracie Mae’s melody kept on consuming Gracie Mae for an incredible remainder. It didn't have a similar importance, nor was it adored by his fans for similar reasons she trusted it would be. The fans adored Traynor, not the tune. Traynor kept on staying in touch with Gracie Mae all through his time in the military, visiting, relationships, and separations. At that point towards after numerous years, contact brought and Traynor was found to an abrupt halt after 15 spouses and a grieved street at long last. Gracie Mae lived vicariously through Traynor and his depiction of her melody. Gracie Mae herself lived cheerfully through the introduction of numerous kids, the separation or potentially demise of three spouses, the showering of endowments from Traynor, and his definitive passing. Gracie Mae had an association with Traynor that streamed further than her tune. â€Å"One night I imagined Traynor has separated with his fifteenth spouse p. 297). † Due to the generalizations and biases of this timespan Gracie Mae and Traynor were always unable to communicate the enthusiastic association they felt between one another. Basic Literary Conventions Literary shows and subjects were comparable in the tales; implications, culture, connotations, and primary characters were indistinguishable. The three stories were written in first individual and depicted an individual battle suffered by every principle character. The fundamental character was consistently female, solid, and free in various way. The tales range three unique timeframes, yet as yet reflecting comparable battles in altogether different settings. These shows are significant while associating the messages of these accounts. Each has an account of battle, some are inside while others are outward, and every lady must discover internal solidarity to change or adapt to their circumstances. Starting with My White Folks Treated us Good, this story was verifiably significant comparable to passing on the bliss that could be found in such a desperate circumstance as subjugation. Hines demonstrated not all servitude conditions were antagonistic or injurious; there was as yet the chance of appreciating life, and picking up autonomy by getting the break required, for example, the liberating all things considered, to improve one’s own life. In Sweat, Hurstson was capable compose an anecdote about a lady ready to continue on in a shocking circumstance of both mental and physical maltreatment. During this time ever, ladies couldn't be autonomous and frank because of a dread of judgment or expanded maltreatment. Delia was allowed to be liberated from the maltreatment of Sykes and took that risk by permitting him to kick the bucket from his wounds, in this manner bringing about her opportunity. Following in a similar suit, Nineteen Fifty-Five communicated the inner battle of a woman’s want to be comprehended and autonomous. Gracie Mae needed to sing her own melody and carry on with her own life, without association with an adaptation of her tune that didn't speak to the first expectation. Gracie Mae was content with her life, however was never liberated from what the arrival of her tune brought to her life. End Culturally, these accounts are essential to all American’s. The recorded noteworthiness of these accounts and the accentuation on equity puts a meaning of acknowledgment and accessibility of equivalent chance to all people paying little mind to shading, social class, age, race, sex, or individual circumstance. African Americans can recount to their own accounts of battles and triumphs through writing. This writing is an important device for all people needing to instruct themselves about huge occasions in American history. References Young, A. (1996). African American Literature: A concise Introduction and Anthology. New York, New York: HarperCollins College Publishers.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Searles Speech Acts An Analysis

Searles Speech Acts An Analysis Talk about Searles Speech Acts (incorporate Felicity Conditions and Performatives) Searle adopted a way of thinking of language strategy to discourse acts trying to give rationally brightening portrayal of general highlights of language He meant to address different inquiry in his methodology; What is the distinction between saying something and importance it? How does the listener comprehend what is implied? (Searle,1969). The term discourse acts is utilized to characterize an expression that has performative capacity in language and correspondence (Searle 1969) and was initially utilized by his tutor J.L. Austin in his hypothesis of lectionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary acts. Drawing on these etymological acts of Austin, Searle utilized his system to base his own postulation that talking is performing acts as indicated by rules. In the following areas I will allude to Searles primary extent of discourse acts as far as phonetic order and a standard administered language. With regards to clarifying discourse acts Searle proposes three unique ideas; rules, relational words and importance. He was especially intrigued by the illocutionary demonstration of promising performatives thus set out to portray these ideas dependent on the states of this exhibition of promising. As a component of his hypothesis of a standard administered language Searle made a differentiation among regulative and constitutive principles. In his book A paper of theory of language he expresses that regulative guidelines direct autonomously existing types of behaviour㠢â‚ ¬Ã¢ ¦ yet constitutive principles don't simply manage, they make or characterize new type of conduct (Searle,1969). For instance, take the principles of American football; the touchdown rule is constitutive versus the no insulting guideline which is regulative. A subsequent idea, relational words, give the substance of the illocutionary demonstration which can be utilized in various sorts of acts. For instance , Lucy will you plunk down Lucy, sit would you plunk down Lucy? all give the equivalent prepositional substance despite the fact that they are various types of illocutionary acts. As far as importance, Searle amended the thoughts of Grice and proposed change in demanding that not exclusively is significance established in the speakers aims yet in addition by a matter of show (Searle,1969). In view of his thoughts one can say that the speaker at first plans for the listener to perceive his/her goal to create that lectionary influence and also, he/she expects this is shown by the listeners comprehension of the importance words utilized in the context.ã‚â These expectations can just act together with shows of words for full of feeling correspondence (Elswyk,2014). The idea of promising is an activity alluded to as a performative. Searles hypothesis of performatives is that some illocutionary demonstrations can be performed by articulating a sentence containing an articulation that names the kind of discourse act these are called performative expressions. He demanded the significance of recognizing various types of performatives; articulations, action words and sentences. For Searle, performatives can be utilized in various ways, one can utilize it to state or make a revelation. For a discourse demonstration to accomplish its motivation the right conditions must be set up, these conditions are called felicity conditions. Along these lines, a sentence must be linguistic and well suited to be performed accurately. Initially an idea by Austin, there are 3 sorts of felicity conditions; preliminary conditions, a truthfulness condition and a satisfaction condition. Searle later refined this changing the satisfaction condition to basic condition and presented a fourth condition called the propositional content condition. Consider this example:ã‚â I tongue in cheek say to companions I know articulate you man and spouse I have not really hitched them since I don't have the power to these words to have the right illocutionary power hence the discourse demonstration comes up short. The felicity states of wedding couples depend on the legitimate situation of the speaker (Hogan, 2000). Searle offered portrayals of semantic components in endeavor to give an away from of the contrast between one illocutionary power and another. There had been past endeavors by Austin to recognize such components in which he set up five fundamental acts; Verdictives, exercitives, commissives, expositives, behavitives. Searle eventually accepted that the scientific classification should be genuinely changed in light of the fact that it contains a few shortcomings. One significant shortcoming being that Austin didn't decide an away from or set of standards on which the scientific classification depended on and along these lines there was cover between classes (Searle,1976). In this way, another rundown of new classifications he viewed as the nuts and bolts of illocutionary acts were shaped. Right off the bat; (1) announcements which impact prompt changes in the institutional situation, I swear; (2) expressives which express a mental state and how the speaker feels, for example praising; (3) commissives which is a demonstration of getting the speaker to accomplish something you require, for example undermining or promising; (4) orders which are endeavor to get the recipient to accomplish something, for example requesting. At last; (5) assertives which speak to the condition of the circumstance, for example depicting (Searle,1972). To sum up, Searles logical way to deal with discourse acts recommends that communicating in a language is a conduct controlled by constitutive guidelines. He further suggests that one plays out an illocutionary demonstration by promising, coordinating and addressing and perlocutionary acts are full of feeling on the off chance that it has the right impact on the listener. These demonstrations are administered by semantic ideas and rules and effective correspondence can possibly happen if these are set up. Searle creates Austins thoughts in a manner that gives a more clear and top to bottom comprehension of various types of discourse acts and the job they play in talking.

Monday, August 10, 2020

If I Try Really Hard, I Can Resemble Ernest Borgnine

If I Try Really Hard, I Can Resemble Ernest Borgnine Sort of. Do you remember the nursery rhyme about the London Bridge falling down? It really was sinking into the River Thames, so in 1968, the city of London put it up for sale to make way for a new bridge. Oil and chainsaw magnate Robert McCulloch submitted the winning bid of $2,460,000, and the London Bridge was dismantled block by block and moved to remote Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where it was reconstructed atop a man-made channel. Within a few years, the London Bridge became Arizonas second-biggest tourist attraction after the Grand Canyon. Designed by Disneyland planner C.V. Wood, Lake Havasu City is now home to nearly 50,000 people. Stranger things have happened! (photo from Wikipedia) Anyway, here are some photos from the first stop on my trip London. Check back soon for the next installment! Typical London row houses When youre in London, eating fish and chips is sort of a requirement. Traditional English breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms Yes, the phone booths really are red. London taxis pass the front entrance to Buckingham Palace A city government building that looked really cool Westminster Palace on the River Thames Westminster Palace and St. Stephens Tower (host of clock bell Big Ben) St. Stephens Tower Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square whats wrong with this picture? The artist of the statue had never seen a lion before, so he used his pet dog as a model. Trafalgar Square statue of Lord Nelson The Savoy Theatre, on The Strand The Royal Courts of Justice Entering the Tower Bridge The Thames, from the Tower Bridge Piccadilly Circus is home to the London Pavilion (now the Trocadero) and an Underground station Piccadilly Circus: Its really just an intersection with a couple landmarks ;-) The British Airways London Eye, the worlds largest observation wheel The London Eye: you board a pod and the ride lasts a half-hour A long way up! Its yours truly ;-) A view from the top Big Ben friends A commanding view of the Thames The new London Bridge is so boring, I couldnt bear to show you more. The (much more interesting) Tower Bridge, for comparison A rather progressive afternoon tea in the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church Sauntering around Hyde Park Where does the road go? The Chunnel train to Paris!

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Stevensons Representation of Evil in Dr Jekyll and Mr...

Stevensons Representation of Evil in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a classic novel telling the story of the struggle between good and evil. The good being shown in the form of a well-respected Doctor Henry Jekyll and the evil being released from a lengthy repression in the form of Mr Edward Hyde. In my essay I will be concentrating on the influences of the Victorian age and how Stevenson involved aspects of his own life into the writing of the book. The 64 years from 1837 to 1901, which was the Victorian age, was a repressive society to live in. There were strict codes of morality, which meant that everyone had to look, sound and more importantly act in a certain way.†¦show more content†¦Nurse Cunningham talked a lot to Stevenson about her views on what Hell is like and how if you do one wrong thing in your life you will go there and suffers, she believed that there were only good people and bad people and no-one had both good and bad in them. Stevensons own lifestyle and the novel of Jekyll and Hyde seem to contradict Alison Cunninghams views and beliefs. Stevensons student life is thought to have influenced him in the writing of the novel, by day he was a well-educated student at Edinburgh University and by night he would visit the old town, go out drinking and have fun. From a young age Stevenson enjoyed reading and even when at University he would find time between studying and going out to enjoy a good novel. He was influenced by many writers such as William Hazlitt, Sir Thomas Browne, Charles Lamp, Michel de Montaigne and Daniel Defoe and is thought to have tried to mimic their ways of writing in his own novels. A superb role model was Daniel Defoe who is said, by some, to have been one of the initial founders of the English novel, as before his work most fiction was written in plays or poems. Stevenson brought about the notion of duality through the character of Dr Jekyll and his evil side, Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll was a middle classShow MoreRelated The Representation of Evil in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe Representation of Evil in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde This essay will show how evil is represented in Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is about evil and the duality of peoples personalities. To show this I will focus on Stevensons use of characterization, setting, historical, social and cultural context, settings, symbols and language. Robert Stevenson lived in the Victorian era, this was a very repressiveRead MoreStevensons Representation of Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1522 Words   |  7 PagesStevensons Representation of Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In this piece of coursework, I am asked to first of all, discuss how the novel is mainly concerned with the struggle between good and evil. 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In this story many readers are intrigued by the psychological depth that Stevenson puts into the duo of Dr. Jekyll and his alternate personality Mr. Hyde, and even today the names of this alternating couple have become a kind of parable for any â€Å"devil in disguise†. The theme of dualisms main role is proven in this story as the theme when Jekyll undergoes radicalRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1012 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson’s â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† is a classic Victorian tale of good and evil. The novel tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected scientist who so desperately needs to separate his morality from his self-indulgence. Aware of the evil side of his own being, he seeks to be free of it through scientific experiments resulting into the â€Å"bestial† Mr. Hyde. It’s a simple tale about the good and evil that exist in all of us. Through his brilliance, StevensonRead More Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2544 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† is a gothic horror novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson in the Victorian era. The novella follows a well-respected doctor - Henry Jekyll - and his struggle between good and evil when he takes a potion and becomes Mr Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson - the author of the novella â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde†- was born in Edinburgh in 1850 and died at the young age of forty-four. He wrote the book in 1886. As a child he was very closeRead MoreTheme Of Innocence And Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1054 Words   |  5 PagesExperience, by Blake, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Stevenson, are two stories, which present a case of duality. At the beginning of each of these novels, the author presents two different extremes: Blake presents innocence and experience and Stevenson presents good and evil. In both of these novels, as the story progresses, their two extremes struggle to coexist and one ultimately dominates over the other. Both Songs of Innocence Songs of Experience and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde understand duality as

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Vip Ltd. Industry Moulded Luggage Free Essays

JV CAPITAL SERVICES PVT. LTD www. sharetrading. We will write a custom essay sample on Vip Ltd. Industry : Moulded Luggage or any similar topic only for you Order Now in VIP LTD. INDUSTRY : MOULDED LUGGAGE NSE Symbol : VIPIND CMP 115 RISK PROFILE: MEDIUM BUY TARGET 210 Key Data : 52 week H/L : Market Cap (Rs Cr. ) : Face Value : Beta : P/E : Div % : BV : PBV : (Source : Company) 294/32 314 10 0. 92 26 0. 87 48. 9 2. 3 VIP Industries is engaged in the travel product business. The Company operates in two business segments: luggage accessories and furniture. The products manufactured by the Company includes plastic moulded suitcase, plastic moulded briefcase and vanity case. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes V. I. P. , Carlton, Delsey, Footloose, Alfa, Aristocrat and Skybags. The Company’s subsidiaries include Carlton Travel Goods Ltd. and Blow Plast Retail Ltd. INVESTMENT RATIONALE Despite the slowdown in the global trends of economy, the luggage markets performed flat. VIP Industries is the largest player in Indian luggage market. One of the large segment of Indian luggage market is the canteen Store Department (CSD). VIP luggage continues to enjoy a prominent position and is one of the most respected brands in CSD. Apart from the domestic market, the company also exports sizeable quantity of luggage to Europe gulf and has presence in Africa many other countries. With a view to expand and to access the international markets, the company during FY09 has set up a wholly owned subsidiary in UK. The company has also acquired the well known international luggage brand ‘CARLTON’. These developments are expected to augment export sales of the company significantly. The company has been focusing on creating exclusive outlets to increase market share. Share Holding Pattern (%): 35. 73 % 43. 44 % VALUATION: 12. 90 % 0. 97% 6. 96% Promoters DIIs Others FIIs corporates Relative Performance Analysis: SENSEX VIP IND We are cautiously optimistic for the moulded furniture segment of the company. In case of luggage segment the management of VIP is very positive. The product portfolio of the company has been widened by introducing new products which offers good growth prospects. In FY08, earnings of the company have decreased. Revenues reflect a decrease in income from operation. Net loss reflects higher administrative, selling and other expenses with increased extraordinary items expenses. Currently the company is trading at a P/E 14. 14x of CY09 EPS. Albeit the price earning ratio of the company is high, we maintain a ‘BUY’ on the stock as it is in an expansion mode with a promising business model. (Rs cr) Financial Summary Year Net Sales Total Expenses PAT EPS FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 (Source : JVCS RESEARCH) 297 329 557 544 272 303 404 504 7. 27 7. 9 22 14 4. 73 4. 94 5. 20 6. 60 SEPTEMBER 02’2009 JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. INDUSTRY PROFILE Indian Luggage industry is currently undergoing a consolidation phase. The luggage market comprises of three segments: the premium segment with 15% of total market share, the popular segment and the standard segment. VIP Industries is the most dominant player in the premium segment with a market share of 44% in popular segment The luggage market is dominated by the unorganized sector with 5% market share. Northern western India are the biggest markets in the industry. The organized sector (8%) is growing at lesser pace when compared to the unorganized sector (25%) 50 200 150 100 50 0 I nde x e d Sa l e s Tr e nds BUSINESS UPDATES: In the moulded furniture segment, VIP industries enjoys a small market share, where the company has a huge potential to grow in this business. The company is now able to get the orders from Pune and is able to successfully execute the same in time. During the year, VIP industries has strengthened its distribution hold by significantly increasing its market presence through opening of new shops for Aristocrat Alfa Brands across the countries. This will significantly contribute in the balance sheets of the company. J u n – 08 M a r – 08 D e c – 08 M a r – 09 S e p – 08 J u n – 09 FINANCIAL FORECAST: (Rs cr) Earning Estimates Particulars Mar ‘09 June’09 117 118 8. 5 3. 6 4. 30 -0. 3 1. 0 0. 34 205 172 32 4. 2 29. 9 5. 6 20. 1 7. 10 Sep’09E 112 102 11 4. 0 10 -. 7 4. 9 1. 6 Dec’09E 151 129 24 3. 0 25 4. 8 12. 8 5. 1 25 20 15 10 5 0 I nd e x e d Pr o fi t Tr e nds Net Sales Total Expenditure PBIDT Depreciation PBT 08 08 ar -0 -0 ar -0 n- p- D ec Ju M Se M Ju n- 09 -5 Tax PAT EPS (Source : JVCS RESEARCH) 8 20 10 0 8 9 †¢ 08 08 ar -0 -0 ar -0 n- p- D ec Ju Se Ju n- 09 – 10 8 8 9 In Q1FY10, the company has posted a turnaround result for the quarter. Net profit for the quarter under review clocked at Rs20cr compared to Rs 1cr only. Healthy performance was due to spurted growth in operating profit by 640bps to 10. 4% % 33% fall in interest cost. During H1CY09, the company has launched school bags section priced range between Rs 300 Rs 900 and it aims to sell 70000 bags by the end of FY10. The company is planning to expand its retail network in FY10 as the rentals have touched almost bottom. To grab the change in consumer trend, the company has launched two models with different ranges in hard luggage system. VIP has slashed prices following the decline in prices of raw materials. †¢ Operating Margin Net Margin M M JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. OUTLOOK The luggage industry is expected to grow in the current scenario with the factors like: †¢ †¢ Improved travels on month on month basis, passengers carried by various domestic airlines grew by 27% Introduction of new lighter hard luggage with using polycarbonate as basic input. RISK CONCERNS A major area of concern for the company is its dependence on China to produce most of the soft luggage. The recent changes in the economic scenario in the world along with the new labour regulations in China and the slowdown of production in China poses a mix of opportunity in terms of reduction of rates but also the threat of rate increases. For hard luggage, the prices of major raw materials have come down in the last quarter thereby the company may get the cost advantage with more scope of better margins. RECOMMENDATION: Currently the stock is trading at a P/E of 14. 9x with an EPS of 8. 10, we maintain a buy on the stock. EPS for CY09 is expected to Rs 14. 19 as company returns back to profitability. Taking the historical P/E of 15x, we arrive at a price target of Rs 212 for a time horizon of 610 months. The price volume trend analysis depicts that the stock is moving in some strong hands. Increasing volumes by major institutional investors gives a clean picture of their keen int erest in VIP Industries hence we expect the stock to give handsome returns of more than 80% in next 6 months. JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. Research Desk Sajiv Dhawan Ashit Suri Sanjeev Kapoor Narendra Singh Rajeev Kumar Satyendra Singh Bijaya Swain General Enquiries Managing Director Head of Research Trading Desk Trading Desk Trading Desk Back Office Accounts Dept Tel: 011- 41654860 sajiv@jvfinancial. com ashit@jvfinancial. com 011-41654860 011-41654861 011-41654862 backoffice@jvfinancial. com 011-41654874 / 75 support@jvfinancial. com RISK PROFILE: Low Risk: Fundamentally Sound companies, with low beta. Expected market out-performance is 0—10% Medium Risk: Expected market out-performance is 10-20%. Preferably for the Investors with a maximum time frame of 6 months. High Risk: High Beta Stocks, expected market out-performance is more than 20%, Preferably for the investors willing to take advantage of market momentum and are aggressive in nature. Disclaimer Appendix This document has been prepared by the Research Desk of M/s JV Capital Services Pvt. Ltd and is meant for use of the recipient Ltd. only and is not for circulation. This document is not to be reported or copied or made available to others. It should not be considered to be taken as an offer to sell or a solicitation to support any security. The information contained herein is obtained and collated from sources believed reliable and we do not represent it as accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. The opinion expressed or estimates made are as per the best judgment as applicable at that point of time and are subject to change without any notice. JVCS Pvt. Ltd. along with its associated companies/ officers/employees may or may not, have positions in, or support and sell securities referred to herein. Investors are advised to maintain strict stop loss. JV CAPITAL SERVICES How to cite Vip Ltd. Industry : Moulded Luggage, Papers

Vip Ltd. Industry Moulded Luggage Free Essays

JV CAPITAL SERVICES PVT. LTD www. sharetrading. We will write a custom essay sample on Vip Ltd. Industry : Moulded Luggage or any similar topic only for you Order Now in VIP LTD. INDUSTRY : MOULDED LUGGAGE NSE Symbol : VIPIND CMP 115 RISK PROFILE: MEDIUM BUY TARGET 210 Key Data : 52 week H/L : Market Cap (Rs Cr. ) : Face Value : Beta : P/E : Div % : BV : PBV : (Source : Company) 294/32 314 10 0. 92 26 0. 87 48. 9 2. 3 VIP Industries is engaged in the travel product business. The Company operates in two business segments: luggage accessories and furniture. The products manufactured by the Company includes plastic moulded suitcase, plastic moulded briefcase and vanity case. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes V. I. P. , Carlton, Delsey, Footloose, Alfa, Aristocrat and Skybags. The Company’s subsidiaries include Carlton Travel Goods Ltd. and Blow Plast Retail Ltd. INVESTMENT RATIONALE Despite the slowdown in the global trends of economy, the luggage markets performed flat. VIP Industries is the largest player in Indian luggage market. One of the large segment of Indian luggage market is the canteen Store Department (CSD). VIP luggage continues to enjoy a prominent position and is one of the most respected brands in CSD. Apart from the domestic market, the company also exports sizeable quantity of luggage to Europe gulf and has presence in Africa many other countries. With a view to expand and to access the international markets, the company during FY09 has set up a wholly owned subsidiary in UK. The company has also acquired the well known international luggage brand ‘CARLTON’. These developments are expected to augment export sales of the company significantly. The company has been focusing on creating exclusive outlets to increase market share. Share Holding Pattern (%): 35. 73 % 43. 44 % VALUATION: 12. 90 % 0. 97% 6. 96% Promoters DIIs Others FIIs corporates Relative Performance Analysis: SENSEX VIP IND We are cautiously optimistic for the moulded furniture segment of the company. In case of luggage segment the management of VIP is very positive. The product portfolio of the company has been widened by introducing new products which offers good growth prospects. In FY08, earnings of the company have decreased. Revenues reflect a decrease in income from operation. Net loss reflects higher administrative, selling and other expenses with increased extraordinary items expenses. Currently the company is trading at a P/E 14. 14x of CY09 EPS. Albeit the price earning ratio of the company is high, we maintain a ‘BUY’ on the stock as it is in an expansion mode with a promising business model. (Rs cr) Financial Summary Year Net Sales Total Expenses PAT EPS FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 (Source : JVCS RESEARCH) 297 329 557 544 272 303 404 504 7. 27 7. 9 22 14 4. 73 4. 94 5. 20 6. 60 SEPTEMBER 02’2009 JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. INDUSTRY PROFILE Indian Luggage industry is currently undergoing a consolidation phase. The luggage market comprises of three segments: the premium segment with 15% of total market share, the popular segment and the standard segment. VIP Industries is the most dominant player in the premium segment with a market share of 44% in popular segment The luggage market is dominated by the unorganized sector with 5% market share. Northern western India are the biggest markets in the industry. The organized sector (8%) is growing at lesser pace when compared to the unorganized sector (25%) 50 200 150 100 50 0 I nde x e d Sa l e s Tr e nds BUSINESS UPDATES: In the moulded furniture segment, VIP industries enjoys a small market share, where the company has a huge potential to grow in this business. The company is now able to get the orders from Pune and is able to successfully execute the same in time. During the year, VIP industries has strengthened its distribution hold by significantly increasing its market presence through opening of new shops for Aristocrat Alfa Brands across the countries. This will significantly contribute in the balance sheets of the company. J u n – 08 M a r – 08 D e c – 08 M a r – 09 S e p – 08 J u n – 09 FINANCIAL FORECAST: (Rs cr) Earning Estimates Particulars Mar ‘09 June’09 117 118 8. 5 3. 6 4. 30 -0. 3 1. 0 0. 34 205 172 32 4. 2 29. 9 5. 6 20. 1 7. 10 Sep’09E 112 102 11 4. 0 10 -. 7 4. 9 1. 6 Dec’09E 151 129 24 3. 0 25 4. 8 12. 8 5. 1 25 20 15 10 5 0 I nd e x e d Pr o fi t Tr e nds Net Sales Total Expenditure PBIDT Depreciation PBT 08 08 ar -0 -0 ar -0 n- p- D ec Ju M Se M Ju n- 09 -5 Tax PAT EPS (Source : JVCS RESEARCH) 8 20 10 0 8 9 †¢ 08 08 ar -0 -0 ar -0 n- p- D ec Ju Se Ju n- 09 – 10 8 8 9 In Q1FY10, the company has posted a turnaround result for the quarter. Net profit for the quarter under review clocked at Rs20cr compared to Rs 1cr only. Healthy performance was due to spurted growth in operating profit by 640bps to 10. 4% % 33% fall in interest cost. During H1CY09, the company has launched school bags section priced range between Rs 300 Rs 900 and it aims to sell 70000 bags by the end of FY10. The company is planning to expand its retail network in FY10 as the rentals have touched almost bottom. To grab the change in consumer trend, the company has launched two models with different ranges in hard luggage system. VIP has slashed prices following the decline in prices of raw materials. †¢ Operating Margin Net Margin M M JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. OUTLOOK The luggage industry is expected to grow in the current scenario with the factors like: †¢ †¢ Improved travels on month on month basis, passengers carried by various domestic airlines grew by 27% Introduction of new lighter hard luggage with using polycarbonate as basic input. RISK CONCERNS A major area of concern for the company is its dependence on China to produce most of the soft luggage. The recent changes in the economic scenario in the world along with the new labour regulations in China and the slowdown of production in China poses a mix of opportunity in terms of reduction of rates but also the threat of rate increases. For hard luggage, the prices of major raw materials have come down in the last quarter thereby the company may get the cost advantage with more scope of better margins. RECOMMENDATION: Currently the stock is trading at a P/E of 14. 9x with an EPS of 8. 10, we maintain a buy on the stock. EPS for CY09 is expected to Rs 14. 19 as company returns back to profitability. Taking the historical P/E of 15x, we arrive at a price target of Rs 212 for a time horizon of 610 months. The price volume trend analysis depicts that the stock is moving in some strong hands. Increasing volumes by major institutional investors gives a clean picture of their keen int erest in VIP Industries hence we expect the stock to give handsome returns of more than 80% in next 6 months. JV CAPITAL SERVICES VIP LTD. Research Desk Sajiv Dhawan Ashit Suri Sanjeev Kapoor Narendra Singh Rajeev Kumar Satyendra Singh Bijaya Swain General Enquiries Managing Director Head of Research Trading Desk Trading Desk Trading Desk Back Office Accounts Dept Tel: 011- 41654860 sajiv@jvfinancial. com ashit@jvfinancial. com 011-41654860 011-41654861 011-41654862 backoffice@jvfinancial. com 011-41654874 / 75 support@jvfinancial. com RISK PROFILE: Low Risk: Fundamentally Sound companies, with low beta. Expected market out-performance is 0—10% Medium Risk: Expected market out-performance is 10-20%. Preferably for the Investors with a maximum time frame of 6 months. High Risk: High Beta Stocks, expected market out-performance is more than 20%, Preferably for the investors willing to take advantage of market momentum and are aggressive in nature. Disclaimer Appendix This document has been prepared by the Research Desk of M/s JV Capital Services Pvt. Ltd and is meant for use of the recipient Ltd. only and is not for circulation. This document is not to be reported or copied or made available to others. It should not be considered to be taken as an offer to sell or a solicitation to support any security. The information contained herein is obtained and collated from sources believed reliable and we do not represent it as accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. The opinion expressed or estimates made are as per the best judgment as applicable at that point of time and are subject to change without any notice. JVCS Pvt. Ltd. along with its associated companies/ officers/employees may or may not, have positions in, or support and sell securities referred to herein. Investors are advised to maintain strict stop loss. JV CAPITAL SERVICES How to cite Vip Ltd. Industry : Moulded Luggage, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Strategic Human Resource Management Small Business

Question: Can employee recruitment, training and promotion strategies provide a sustainable competitive advantage? Answer: Wal-Mart serves more than 245 million customers through their 11,000 offline stores in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 2015). The giant supermarket employs around 2.2 million associates worldwide and considers them as the most precious assets of the company. Wal-Mart has well-define recruitment and selection processes in place and make huge investment in the training and development of their employees(Armstrong, 2011). They have effective promotion strategies and succession planning processes in place that help them in advancing internal employees to leadership roles. In todays dynamic business environment where needs and wants of customers change rapidly and in a very unpredictable manner, apart from financial resources and technological resources that once served as main sources of competitive advantage human capital today is also serve as an important source in the development of a sustainable competitive advantage (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). The overall performance of an organisation greatly depends on the attitudes, skills and competencies of its employees; their ability to generate trust and commitment, work in presence of complex relationships and communicate aspirations. A firm is said to have a competitive advantage when it is able to implement a value creating strategy which cannot be imitated and implemented by current or potential customers (Cooper Burke, 2011). Recruitment and selection process help ensuring talent needs of the organisation are met (Bhatia, 2007). It helps ensuring that right people, with right skills and expertise are available to perform the right task at right time. Recruitment is defined as process of generating a pool of capable people for applying to various employment positions in an organisation (Bhatia, 2007). Selection is the process that follows recruitment and helps managers in choosing the most suitable person from the pool of applicants using specific instruments (Bhatia, 2007). A well-defined recruitment process in place help ensuring that human capital needs of the organisation is be recognised immediately and is fulfilled with best options. This process involves creating awareness for the need of skilled employees in market and presenting the organisation and related roles and responsibilities in a way that help attracting talented professional (Crawley, et al., 2013). It involves the process of head huntin g through various search engines and professional networking sites in order to identify the most suitable person who best fits in the role and strategy of the organisation. In this process employees are screened to evaluate their skills and capabilities and job is offered to the most suited applicant. In today competitive marketplace owing to the rapid advancement in technology and management techniques it is very important to ensure that the skills and competencies of the employees are upgraded from time to time in order to meet the demand of the market (Bhatia, 2007). It is very important to ensure that the learning needs of employees are met through effective training and development programs in place. Training not only helps in enhancing the knowledge base of employees and upgrading their skills but also in increasing their creativity which serves as a base for innovation(Ehnert, 2009). Innovation is the key to survival in todays dynamic marketplace and it can only be achieved with the help of creative employees. Training programs should be designed in a ways that not only educate employees with concepts but also provide them opportunity to transfer their learning to real life workplace scenarios. Effective training and development programs help minimising the gap between exis ting employee competencies and desired employee competencies. Every individual work to achieve their goals and objectives, employees tend to deliver high performance when they feel their needs are being satisfied. According to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory every individual has complex set of needs which can be arranged in a hierarchy such that it resembles a pyramid (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). The second highest need in the pyramid is the need for esteem and affiliation. This need expresses an individuals desire for promotion, recognition and career advancement. This need when satisfied helps increasing employee motivation which in turn inspires them to display high performance. Thus, effective promotion strategies help organisations in increasing employee motivation and commitment. Through promotion strategies and succession planning process organisations can ensure their employee that they do not need to look for other career options in order to satisfy their higher level needs for affiliation and advancement (Ehnert, 2009). Highly skilled and experienced employees help smoothening the path of innovation and sever as a source for competitive advantage for organisations. Thus, well-defined recruitment, training and promotion strategies help organisations like Wal-Mart in attracting and retaining highly skilled employee how serve as a source of sustainable competitive advantage for the company. References: Armstrong, M., (2011) Armstrong's Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Armstrong, M. Taylor, S., (2014) Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Bhatia, S., (2007) Strategic Human Resource Management : Winning Through People. New Delhi: Deep and Deep Publications. Cooper, C. L. Burke, R. J., (2011) Human Resource Management in Small Business: Achieving Peak Performance. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. Crawley, E., Swailes, S. Walsh, D., (2013) Introduction to International Human Resource Managemen. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ehnert, I., (2009) Sustainable Human Resource Management: A conceptual and exploratory analysis from a paradox perspective. Hamburg: Springer Science Business Media. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (2015) Walmart. [Online] Available at: https://corporate.walmart.com/ [Accessed 2015].

Friday, March 6, 2020

The Effect of Pollution on Mount Everest Essays

The Effect of Pollution on Mount Everest Essays The Effect of Pollution on Mount Everest Paper The Effect of Pollution on Mount Everest Paper Nepal is the small, one of the poorest country of the world. Yet it is very rich in natural resources and scenic beauty including highest ranges of Himalayas. Nepal is the home of the eight highest mountains out of ten in the world. Mountaineers, trekkers and skilled professionals regularly visit to scale the Mountains in Nepal, which has increased the number of tourist in Nepal. In the last decade, peoples attraction toward the mountaineering has increased a lot, by which number of climbers visiting Mount Everest has also been increased. Due to the increasing number of climbers in the Everest, pollution n and around the Everest has increased and it needs a special attention to prevent from the pollution. Everest attracts people of all around the world. In the past only few climbers who know well about the mountains used to come but today most of the interested people who have enough economic sources visit Himalayas to climb the mountain. According to Nor Sharpe, a mountain tourist guide, people come to climb Everest as they want to be famous scaling the tallest mountain in the world (Everywhere). In the early asses the number of tourist arriving to Nepal was around 400,000 but in last woo years people flowing to Nepal has increased rapidly reaching around 900,000 nearly triple of starting asses as per the statistics given by the Nepal Tourism Statistics in 2012 (Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation As the numbers of climbers has increased, pollution in the highest portion of the peaks has been increased. Pollution in the Everest includes foods, plastics, cans, gas tanks, papers, climbers equipment, human excreta, and also dead bodies of climbers. According to Nor Sharpe in the article, A Conversation with: Mountain Guide Nor Sharpe, if the flow of the climbers is frequent, ore and more waste is created (Everywhere). The article Everest Maxed Out published on June 2013 in National Geographic Magazine by Mark Jean skins provides information about his climbing on Everest and the flow of climbers he saw near camp Ill and pollution in the Everest. Jenkins says, The two standard routes, the Northeast Ridge and the Southeast Ridge, are not only dangerously crowded but also disgustingly polluted, with garbage leaking out of the glaciers and pyramids of human excrement befouling the high camps. And then there are the deaths. Pollution due to death of climbers happens especially due to certain change in weather and climbers who is less experienced or trained. Despite of being polluted, Everest fascinates and attracts the climbers toward it every year. As the increasing numbers of trekkers and climbers in the Everest has led to the pollution, government should try to clean up all the wastes in the Everest utilizing the revenue they had earned from the tourism industry. Nor says, the government earnings through tourism has not been utilize in mountains nor for benefit of Sharper (Everywhere). Government would make strict rules and laws to punish the people who makes pollution in the Everest. If the Climbers did not bring back their all used equipments and the trash from Everest they should lose their deposit money and Sharper should be rewarded if they brought wastes to the lower base of Everest. And also government, mountaineering agencies should limit the number of people climbing the mountain in every season or month which will not only helps to control pollution but also maintains the traffic jams in Everest. All the climbers, guides and Sharper should be provided trainings to handle the ever weather condition in mountain so that deaths in the mountains decrease. Decreasing the number of deaths and limiting the number of climbers on Everest pollution will be controlled and also government needs to be aware about the pollution on Everest and utilize their revenue for reducing pollution in mountains. Everest is one of the main factor that world recognizes Nepal, so every concerned individual as well as government and agencies should control pollution. Controlling pollution it will not only preserve the beauty of Everest but also more people can have the glory to scale the Everest in future.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Community nurse assigned to the Bright family Essay

Community nurse assigned to the Bright family - Essay Example Mitchell, the youngest sibling attends a primary school. Though his performance had always been commendable at the class but it deteriorated noticeably is the past few days. His attendance record has degraded accordingly. He has indulged in several clashes with fellow classmates which marks his corrosion in conduct. It has seemed an alarming situation to the school and the authority has expressed concern about the child. Susan’s family stays away from them but they are in stable and sound physical a well as economical condition. But Bruce’s parents split from each other years back and his mother Maureen moved away from the house; though she kept in touch with Bruce and his family. Now Royce, Bruce’s father is 73 years old and he is residing just two streets away from Bruce. But he is going through certain problems and he is unable to eat properly or maintain his house. Memory loss is another effect of age that has become fatal for him. Quite recently Royce underw ent certain minor accidents. His living room caught fire when he left an electric heater on. A community nurse assigned to the Bright family is the in charge of making decisions about which support services are to be provided to them in order to resolve their problems permanently. The Bright family is in dire need of some sort of health and old age care services so that Royce, the 73 year old father gets to lead a peaceful life. He is suffering from health as well as psychological problems like Dementia caused by aging and these need immediate attention. The Aged care services decided by â€Å"Assessment for Aged Care† would be the best option for Royce as his son and daughter-in-law are both tied up with their stringent family condition. The kids are either busy working or too young to take sufficient care of their grand father. At the same time the Bright family needs continuous inspiration and aid to cope up with the taut economical condition. The young kid Mitchell needs attention so

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Hinduism Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hinduism Paper - Essay Example The definition of Indian Supreme Court about Hinduism is elucidated as well. It also presents the services of Mahatma Gandhi in spreading Hinduism and his views regarding caste system in the religion. The theme of the paper is to give a hawk eye review about Hinduism as a religion. Maya has huge significance in Hinduism and it basically means illusion. The term moves around the conception that this world is not actually real and the environment around us is an illusion. The things we experience are not authentic but are in fact depiction of ourselves. Every human being lies somewhere like a drop of water in an ocean. The perception of eternity is the premise of Maya. The term can be more explicated that this universe and creatures living in it are fake; actual human live lie somewhere else. The people which we observe around us actually belong to someplace else (Klostermaier, 2007). Fuller (2004) demonstrated that in Hinduism it is believed that the teachings of Vedanta are ultimate truth and an ordinary human mind cannot go deep into the wordily meaning of Maya. Karma and Ahamkara are the forces which make Maya. The Brahman caste of Hindu’s can understand the meaning and true notion of Maya. To produce conclusive arguments; verses of Bhagavad Gita are presented by Hindu Scholars to strengthen the concept of Maya. The essence of this theory is principally that world is a fake place and our souls lie somewhere else (Klostermaier, 2007). The Supreme Court of India defines Hinduism that it is nothing more than a way of life. It does not believe in a single god, one prophet or single philosophical concept and it does not persuade towards religious traditions. Hinduism is the way people live their lives in a cultured and tailored manner. This idea of Hinduism was defined by Chief Justice of Indian Supreme Court, P. B. Gajendragadkar in 1995. Most of the Hindu’s believe in this definition of the court but

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Cuisine Iran Cultural

Cuisine Iran Cultural The cuisine of Iran is diverse, with each province featuring dishes, as well as culinary traditions and styles, distinct to their regions. It includes a wide variety of foods ranging from chelow kabab (barg, koobideh, joojeh, shishleek, soltani, chenjeh), khoresht (stew that is served with white Basmati or Persian rice: ghormeh sabzi, gheimeh, and others), aash (a thick soup), kookoo (vegetable omellettes), pollo (white rice alone or with addition of meat and/or vegetables and herbs, including loobia pollo, albaloo pollo, zereshk pollo, and others), and a diverse variety of salads, pastries, and drinks specific to different parts of Iran. The list of Persian recipes, appetizers and desserts is extensive. Herbs are used a lot, as is fruit from plums and pomegranates to quince, prunes, apricots, and raisins. The main Persian cuisines are combinations of rice with meat, chicken or fish and some onion, vegetables, nuts, and herbs. To achieve a balanced taste, characteristic Persian spices such as saffron, diced limes, cinnamon, and parsley are mixed delicately and used in some special dishes. Rice It is believed that rice (berenj in Persian) was brought to Iran from southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent in ancient times. Varieties of rice in Iran include champa, rasmi, anbarbu, mowlai, sadri, khanjari, shekari, doodi, and others. Basmati rice from India is very similar to these Persian varieties and is also readily available in Iran. Traditionally, rice was most prevalent as a major staple item in northern Iran, while in the rest of the country bread was the dominant staple. Methods of cooking rice There are four primary methods of cooking rice in Iran: Chelow: rice that is carefully prepared through soaking and parboiling, at which point the water is drained and the rice is steamed. This method results in an exceptionally fluffy rice with the grains separated, and not sticky, and also results in a golden rice crust at the bottom of the pot called tah-deeg (literally bottom of the pot). Pollo: rice that is cooked exactly the same as chelow, with the exception that after draining the rice, other ingredients are added in layers or sections of the rice, and then steamed together. Kateh: rice that is cooked until the water is absorbed. This is also the traditional dish of Gilan (described in detail below). Damy: cooked almost the same as kateh, except that the heat is reduced just before boiling and a towel is placed between the lid and the pot to prevent steam from escaping. Damy literally means simmered. Lunch and dinner (naahaar or shaam) Traditional Persian cooking is done in stages, at times needing hours of preparation and attention. The outcome is a well-balanced mixture of herbs, meat, beans, dairy products, and vegetables. Major staples of Iranian food that are usually eaten with every meal include rice, various herbs (mint, basil, dill, parsley), cheese (feta or Persian panir, derived from goat or sheeps milk, and sometimes cows milk), a variety of flat breads, and some type of meat (usually poultry, beef, lamb, or fish). Stew over rice is by far the most popular dish, and the constitution of these vary by region. Tea (chai) is the drink of choice on nearly every occasion, and is usually served with dried fruit, pastries, or sweets. You can usually find tea brewing throughout the day in most Iranian homes. Doogh, a yogurt drink, is also quite popular. One of the oldest recipes, which can trace its existence back to the time of Persian empire, is khoresht-e-fesenjan, consisting of duck or sometimes chicken in a rich pomegranate-and-walnut sauce that yields a distinctive brown color, most often served with white rice. Chelow kabab (Persian: چلوÚ ©Ã˜ ¨Ã˜ §Ã˜ ¨) is a national dish of Iran. The meal is simple, consisting of steamed, saffroned basmati or Persian rice (chelow) and kabab, of which there are several distinct Persian varieties. This dish is served everywhere throughout Iran today, but traditionally was most closely associated with the northern part of the country. It is served with the basic Iranian meal accompaniments, in addition to grilled tomatoes on the side of the rice, and butter on top of the rice. It is an old northern tradition (probably originating in Tehran) that a raw egg yolk should be placed on top of the rice as well, though this is strictly optional, and most restaurants will not serve the rice this way unless it is specifically requested. Somogh (powdered sumac) is also made available, and if desired, only a dash should be sprinkled upon the rice. In the old bazaar tradition, the rice (which is covered with a tin lid) and accompaniments are served first, immediately followed by the kababs, which are brought to the table by the waiter, who holds several skewers in his left hand, and a piece of flat bread (typically nan-e lavash) in his right. A skewer is placed directly on the rice and while holding the kabab down on the rice with the bread, the skewer is quickly pulled out. With the two most common kababs, barg and koobideh, two skewers are always served. In general, bazaar kabab restaurants only serve these two varieties, though there are exceptions. The traditional beverage of choice to accompany chelow kabab is doogh, a Persian sour yogurt drink, flavored with salt and mint, and sometimes made with carbonated mineral water. KabÄ b-e Barg (Persian: Ú ©Ã˜ ¨Ã˜ §Ã˜ ¨ Ø ¨Ã˜ ±Ãš ¯) is a Persian style barbecued lamb or beef kebab. The main ingredients of Kabab Barg are fillets of beef tenderloin, onion and olive oil. KÃ… «bide (Persian: Ú ©Ã™Ë†Ã˜ ¨Ã›Å'Ø ¯Ã™â€¡) is an Iranian minced lamb kebab/kabab which is made from ground beef (usually sirloin), often mixed with parsley and chopped onions. To cook Koobideh, first the meat is minced finely, then onion, salt, and pepper is added. These ingredients should be mixed well together for 15 minutes until the mixture become smooth and sticky. By keeping hands wet, indentations all the way down the skewer are made. At both ends should be pressed firmly to the skewer. The kebabs should be 20 cm (7-8 in) long Khoresht (Persian: Ø ®Ã™Ë†Ã˜ ±Ã˜ ´Ã˜ ª), also called Khoresh (Persian: Ø ®Ã™Ë†Ã˜ ±Ã˜ ´), is the common name of different stews in Persian cuisine which is typically served beside Polow (rice dish). In Persian cuisines there are lots of different Khoreshs based on the different ingredients which are used. In comparison with Kebabs, typically it takes more time to prepare one of these Khoreshs and for most of them, the key components are their vegetables and not their meat, therefore they can be cooked for the vegetarian people also. Persian Khoreshs have some similarities with typical Indian curries, in terms of prepartion. Iranian stews are different in that they use liberal amounts of saffron to give a very unique and fragrant taste. The most popular Khoreshs are Khoresh Gheymeh, Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi and Khoresh Fesenjaan.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Socio-Cultural Influences on Sexuality

â€Å"Sexuality is an important part of our lives†(King, 2012, p.1), and a reoccurring theme throughout our development. The role that sexuality plays in each of our lives is so important that we see its influence through multiple sources in life, including media and social culture. No matter where you look in society some sort of sexuality is present; whether walking in the mall, observing the family life, or watching teens socialize. What is it though that makes a sexually relationship healthy? Is it attraction, intimacy, love, or interactions with each other? Through this paper we will discuss all the aspects of socio-cultural influences on sexuality, as well as the healthy relationship. It was Rathus (1993) who told us â€Å"human sexuality is the way in which we experience and express ourselves as sexual beings.† It only makes sense that through our environment we learn what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior, even when talking about sex. History is flourished with studies on the affects of sexual experiences, and cultural influences. It was Freud who taught us that we begin our exploration of sex at an early age through psuedosexual stages (Rana, 1977). His second essay on Infantile Sexuality discussed the early childhood stages and perversions that affect all.(Rana, 1977) During this controversial time it is the parents who show young children how to act. Therefore, in a family that hugs and touches each other lovingly we should expect to see the children to do so as well. Children are known for mimicking or â€Å"parroting † behavior in which they attempt to learn the societal norms. With this as the basis of a child's development as a sexual being they should be off to a good start. Media Motivators and Sexual Education Unfortunately, parents are not the only influence on a child's development in sexuality. From magazine articles to movies we are surrounded by relationships, some are healthy and some are not. Sex†¦it sells! Or so the media likes to tell us. They post beautiful women half naked on every magazine add, television show, or movie; but it is not just the men who are targeted by such adds. Young girls want to be these women, because they are popular and what society tells us is beautiful. The headlines associated with these beautiful photos read â€Å"How to Make Him Want More Sex†Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"How to Make Him Orgasm†Ã¢â‚¬ , and lets not forget â€Å"A Newer, Sexier You for the New Year†.† Is this really how we want our children to learn about sex? Unfortunately, within American culture we see girls younger and younger having children, indicating sexual behavior before marriage. From these indications it is clear that media has the primary influence of sexual culture. Schools offer sexual education often at the young age of middle school in order to assist parents with this large task to right media's wrongs. Although schools focus their education on abstinence rather the safe sex and sexual diseases, some education is better then none or so they tell us. Smith et al.(2003, para 4) results showed that children's knowledge of sexual risks was low, especially in areas of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. A sexual risk that controversially has received no attention is the psychological risk that sex can have on one. Without a healthy relationship a person often is left with guilty feelings, regret, and low self worth. This is definitely not the message portrayed through magazine articles. According to Okazaki (Feb. 2002, para 1), the Asian American population is not influenced highly by media motivators. Through her study of this ethnic group she found that because the Asian American population is characterized primarily through their cultural characteristics based on family, collective goals of individual wishes, emphasis on propriety and social codes; sex is reserved for marriage. Through their influences based on modesty there is an exceptional difference in premarital sex. However, her results also show that the more the Asian American culture comes acclimated to our society the more sexual behavior they exhibit. Sexual Gender Theories and Gender Roles Many of the sexual influenced are biased toward gender roles, a set of culturally specific norms concerning expected behaviors and attitudes based on sexual identity of male or female (King, 2012, p. 198). As Okazaki pointed out, in Asian American culture it is still viewed as acceptable for those of the male gender to experiment sexually before marriage, but females are considered delicate flowers not allowed to completely bloomed until matched in a marital pair (2002, para 2). Within the American culture our roles have relaxed some to allow females to experiment, but not until they are a ripe legal age. We allow our men to experiment early through touch (masturbation) and view it as acceptable, yet when little girls play with their bodies it nearly devastates us. Through our harsh reactions we teach the young to feel guilty and wrong about sexual explorations. Many gender roles of our time allow women to work and seek education before or during their motherhood years; changes from our earlier history of the American women. Although a woman may take on these â€Å"extracurricular activities† they are still expected to carry on the traditional chores of housework and child rearing. Men have less responsibility to be the primary breadwinner, yet this is traditionally still their main societal focus. Smith et al. (2003, para 4) research transcripts also put light to the different sexual roles for males and females. It showed females should be more culturally restrained, and males as less abstinent. Both sexes adolescents had strong views towards family importance in the influence of sexual behavior, something congruent across cultural barriers. Part of these gender roles associated with sex pertains to the two gender theories. The first gender theory is that of the sociocultural theory in which the differences are based on the culture in which they are raised; something that we discussed throughout the previous paragraphs. The evolutionary role puts the behavioral difference based on the pressures each sex deals with daily. For women it is that sex is for reproduction, so they seek out the optimal mate in which to love and settle down with. For men it is the attraction, risk taking, and competitiveness that draw them towards multiple mates. In this theory we see more of a discussion on the relationship view of sex, in which we discuss love, attraction, and intimacy. Young women are given pretty pictures of love associated with sex and happy ever after; however, as adults through experience we learn this is not the truth. Healthy relationships are those in which we can say at the end of the day that all experiences including sexual ones are positive (King, 2012, p. 298), this should be the thought we teach our adolescents. Sexual Dysfunction and Commercialized Sex Wilhelm Reich (Demeo, 1998, para 2) believed and proved that emotions and sexuality were directly related, and that there was energy in the libido. His work proved not only that the energy existed but also that sexual dysfunction was a product of emotional detachment due to traumatic event in ones life. Essentially Reich was able to correlate how emotions could play into ones sexual disorder and relate that to sexual crimes. He brought the study of sexual humanity to light, and sought to assist in curing those with sexual ailments. These were important advancements in the study of socio-cultural influences on sexuality as they began to show how our upbringing could negatively affect our sexual views and society. Over time our society has set to life rules and laws against sexually lude behavior, in which we could negatively influence the young. Some of these laws involved diminishing prostitution, limiting access to pornographic materials, and eliminate sex trafficking. From what we do, so shall our children do (author unknown). It is evident that adolescents seek to mimic the actions they see as popular. Movies, television, and magazines teach us to go forth into sexual exploration, and not to worry. The truth is a different story, and so our society must realize the need for change. We must foster education, modesty, and healthy sexual relationships in order to teach younger generations the impact of sexual interactions. We have the option as a society full of culture to choose whether we want generations of sexual dysfunction and violence, or love and sex.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Consciousness and Its Variations

Chapter IV Consciousness and its Variations Intro: 4. 1 Consciousness Your immediate awareness of thoughts, sensations, memories, and the world around you represent the experience of consciousness. William James described consciousness as a â€Å"stream† or â€Å"river. † Although always changing, consciousness is perceived as unified and unbroken much like a stream. Because his idea of structuralism was based off of introspection, many of the leading psychologists at the turn of the twentieth century emphasized with the study of overt behavior, which could be directly observed, measured, and verified.In mid 90’s many psychologists once again turned their attention to the study of consciousness. This was due to two main reasons. First it was becoming clear that a complete understanding of behavior would not be possible unless psychologists considered the role of conscious mental processes in behavior. Second was because psychologist had devised more objective way s to stud conscious experiences. For example, they could often infer the conscious experience that seemed to be occurring by carefully observing behavior.Technological advances in studying brain activity were also producing intriguing correlations between brain activity and different states of consciousness. Different perspectives that psychologist are using to piece together a picture of consciousness are the role of psychological, physiological, social, and cultural influences. Biological and Environmental â€Å"clocks† that regulate Consciousness. Through the course of the day, there is a natural ebb and flow to consciousness. The most obvious variation of consciousness that we experience is the daily sleep-wake cycle. These daily cycles such as this are called circadian rhythms.You actually experience many different circadian rhythms that ebb and flow over the course of any given 24hr period. Normally your circadian rhythms are closely synchronized with one another. For e xample, the circadian rhythm for the release of growth hormone is synchronized with the sleep-wake circadian rhythm so that growth hormone is released only during sleep. The suprachiasmatic Nucleus: Your main circadian rhythms are controlled by a master biological clock-a tiny cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus in the brain. This tiny cluster of neurons is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, abbreviated SCN.The SCN is the internal pacemaker that governs the timing of circadian rhythms. The most important environmental time cue is bright light, especially sunlight. The light is detected by special photoreceptors in the eye and is communicated via the visual system to the SCN. As the sun sets each day, the decrease in available light is detected by the SCN, and then in turn the CN triggers an increase in the production of a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is manufactured by the pineal gland, an endocrine gland located in the brain. Increased blood levels of melatonin help make you sleepy and reduce activity levels.The levels of melatonin rise at night and peak around 0100 and 0300. Melatonin levels drop shortly before sunrises. The pineal gland stops producing melatonin, as the light from the sun is senesced by the SCN. Circadian Rhythms and Sunlight: The 24hr day Since the light from the sun helps regulate our circadian rhythm, what would happen if the external environmental factors were taken away? Well the circadian rhythm then will be referred to as a free-running condition, because the body’s internal clock runs freely and independently of external time cues.Without the external time cues researchers have found that our internal body clock drifts to its natural (or intrinsic) rhythm. They also found that our natural circadian rhythm is about 24. 2 hours, or slightly longer than a day. Also as our melatonin peaks, our body core temperature also drops to it’s lowest. But when deprived of all external environmental cues your body’s sleep-wake, body temperature, and melatonin circadian rhythms become desynchronized. This means that they no longer properly coordinate with one another. An example is being jet lagged. Your out of sync with the sun set because the time zone difference is 12 hrs.Sleep **Fun fact: over a person’s lifetime, you’ll spend approximately 22years of your life asleep. *** (Pg143) Prior to the 20th century, sleep was largely viewed as a period of restful inactivity in which dreams sometimes occurred. The Dawn of Modern Sleep Research The invention of the electroencephalograph by Hans Berger gave sleep researchers an important tool for measuring the rhythmic electrical activity of the brain. These electrical patterns were referred to as brain waves. The electroencephalograph produces a graphic record called EEG, or electroencephalogram.By studying the EEG researchers firmly established that brain-wave activity systematically changes throughout sleep. Eye movements, muscle movem ents, breathing rates, airflow, pulse, blood pressure, amount of exhaled carbon dioxide, body temperature, and breathing sounds are just some of the body’s functions that are measured in contemporary sleep research. Nathaniel Kleitman used his 8-year-old son to discover a pattern from the EEG and his son’s rapid eye movements. More of these rapid eye movements were noticed when subjects reported dreams. Today we distinguish between two basic types of sleep.REM sleep and NREM sleep. REM is often called active sleep or paradoxical sleep because it is associated with heightened body and brain activity during which dreaming consistently occurs. NREM sleep, or non-rapid eye movement sleep, is often referred to as quiet sleep because the body’s physiological functions and brain activity slow down during this period of slumber. NREM sleep is divided into four different stages. The onset of sleep and hypnagogic hallucinations Beta brain waves are produced as you prepare for bed. They are small, fast brain waves.After you’re head hits the pillow and your body begins to relax, your brain’s electrical activity gradually gears down generating slightly larger and slower alpha brain waves. During this drowsy, pre-sleep phase, you may experience odd but vividly realistic sensations. You may hear your name called or a loud crash, fell as if you’re falling or floating, flying, or see kaleidoscopic patterns or an unfolding landscape. The most common hypnagogic hallucinations are the vivid sense of falling. This hallucination is often accompanied by a myoclonic jerk-an involuntary muscle spasm of the whole body that jolts the person completely awake.The First 90 minutes of sleep and beyond Each NREM sleep stage is characterized by corresponding decreases in brain and body activity. On average the progression through the first four stages of NREM sleep occupies the first 50-70 minutes. STAGE 1 NREM As the alpha brain waves of drowsiness a re replaced by even slower tbeta brain waves, you enter the first stage of sleep, which only lasts a few minutes. Stage1 is a transitional stage during which you gradually disengage from the sensation of the surrounding world. During stage 1 you can quickly regain conscious alertness if needed.Although hypnagogic experiences can occur in stage one, less vivid mental imagery is common, such as imagining yourself engaged in some everyday activity. STAGE2 NREM Stage two represents the onset of true sleep. Stage two sleep is defined by the appearance of sleep spindles, brief bursts of brain activity that last a second or two, and K complexes, single high-voltage spikes of brain activity. Breathing becomes rhythmical, slight muscle twitches may occur, theta waves are predominant in stage two, but larger, slower brain waves, called delta brain waves, also begin to emerge.During the 15-20 minutes initially spent in stage 2, delta brain-waves activity gradually increases. STAGE 3 NREM Stage s three and four are physiologically very similar. Both are defined by the amount of delta brain-wave sleep. In combination they are sometimes reefed to as slow-wave sleep (SWS). When delta brain waves represent more than 20 percent of total brain activity, the sleeper is said to be in stage 3 NREM. When delta brain waves exceed 50% of total brain activity, the sleeper is said to be in stage 4 NREM. During the first 20-40 minutes of stage four NREM, delta waves eventually come to represent 100 percent of brain activity.At that point, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate drop to their lowest levels. In stage four the sleeper maybe totally oblivious to the world but his muscles are still capable of movement. For example, if sleepwalking occurs, it typically happens during stag 4 NREM sleep. In stage four NREM it is possible for a person to answer a ringing phone, carry on a conversation for severa minutes, and hang up without ever leaving stage 4 sleep- without remembering t he conversation the next day. At this point the sleeper is approximately 70 minutes into a typical night’s sleep and immersed in deeply relaxed stage four sleep.At this point the sequence reverses from stage 4 to 3 to 2 and then enters a dramatic new phase called REM. REM Sleep During REM sleep the brain becomes more active and generates smaller and faster brain waves. Visual and motor neurons in the brain activate repeatedly, just as they do during wakefulness. Dreams usually occur during REM sleep. Although the brain is very active, voluntary muscle activity is suppressed, which prevents the dreaming sleeper from acting out those dreams. REM sleep is accompanied by considerable physiological arousal. The sleeper’s eyes dart back and forth behind closed eyelids-the rapid eye movements.Heart rate, blood pressure, and respirations can fluctuate up and down, sometimes extremely. Muscle twitches occur. In both sexes sexual arousal may occur. The first episode of REM sleep is about 5-15 minutes. From the first stage of NREM to the completion of the first cycle of REM usually lasts about 90 minutes has elapsed all together. Beyond the first 90 minutes Throughout the rest of the night, the sleeper cycles between NREM and REM sleep. Each sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes on average, but the duration of cycles may vary from 70-120 minutes. Just and after REM sleep the sleeper changes positions.Stage 3 and 4 NREM usually occur only during the first two 90-minute cycles. As the night progresses, REM sleep episodes become increasingly longer and less time is spent in NREM. During the last two 90-minute sleep cycles before awakening, NREM sleep is composed primarily of stage two sleep and periods of REM sleep can last as long as 40 minutes. Changing sleep patterns over a lifetime During the last trimester of prenatal development, active REM and quiet NREM sleep cycles emerge. In the final weeks, REM and NREM sleep are clearly distinguishable in the fetus.Ne wborns sleep about 16 hours a day, although not all at once. Up to 8 hours or 50% of the newborn’s sleep is spent in REM sleep. The rest is spent in a quiet sleep that is very similar to NREM stages 1&2. Not until about the third month of life that the deep, slow-wave sleep of NREM stages 3&4 appear. Typically the 90-minute sleep cycle develops over the first few years of life. The infants first couple months is characterized as being a 60 minute sleep cycle, producing 13 sleep cycles per day. By the age of two the toddler is experiencing 75 minute sleep cycles.By 5 years old the typical 90 minute sleep cycles of alternating NREM and REM sleep is established. Total time spent in slow-wave sleep (SWS) and sleep time decrease over the lifespan. Do we need sleep? Sleep deprivation studies has show us that after one nights sleep deprivation, subjects develop microsleeps, which are episodes of sleep lasting only a few seconds that occur during wakefulness. People who go without sl eep for a day or more experience disruptions in mood, mental abilities, reaction time, perceptual skills, and complex motor skills.People us to thing that a person can adapt to only having 4-5 hours of sleep, but this is simply not true. Sleep deprivation can decrease concentration, vigilance, reaction time, memory skills, and the ability to gauge risks. Why do we sleep? Toblers theory of restorative theory of sleep states that NREM is vital to restore the body while REM is used to restore the brain and mental functions. Dreams and Mental Activity during sleep4. 2 By the adulthood the average person spends 2hours a night dreaming. So if you live to a ripe old age. You will have spent about six years of your life dreaming.Although dream may be the most spectacular brain production during sleep, they are not the most common. More prevalent is sleep thinking, also called sleep mentation. Sleep thinking usually occurs during NREM slow-wave sleep. Sleep thinking probably contributes to t hose times when you wake up with a solution to some vexing problem. When awakened during active REM sleep, people report a dream about 95% of the time. Early morning dreams are the longest lasting up to 40 minutes and are the most likely to be remembered by the dreamer. People usually have four or five dreams a night. Sleep and memory consolidation: let me sleep on it.Research shows that different sleep states and stages contribute to forming different kinds of memories. Evidence suggests that NREM sleep contributes to forming new episodic memories, which are memories of personally experienced events. In contrast, REM sleep and NREM stage2 sleep seem to help consolidate new procedural memories, which involve learning a new skill or task until it can be performed automatically. So how does sleep strengthen new memories? Almost a century ago John Jenkins and Karl Dallenbach showed that memories could be enhanced by sleep as compared to an equal amount of time spent awake.Their explana tion was that, compared to wakefulness, sleep kept additional information from interfering with new memories. This explanation was however wrong. The correct answer using today’s new technology is that: New memories formed during the day are reactivated during the 90-minute cycles of sleep. This process of repeatedly reactivation these newly encoded memories during sleep strengthen the neuronal connections that contribute to forming long-term memories. So after forming new memories or learning something it is best to sleep after wards. It is also important to sleep prior to learning.This has been proven to increase the chances of retaining information. Dream Themes and Imagery: Here are some patterns and themes that are well-substantiated findings on dream content. 1) Women report males and female in equal proportion as other dream story characters. 2) Men are more likely to repot other males as the dream story characters. 3) Negative feelings and events are more common than positive ones. 4) Instances of aggression are more common than are instances of friendliness. 5) Dreamers are more likely to be victims of aggression than aggressors in their dreams. ) Men are more likely than women to report dreams involving physical aggression. 7) Women are more likely than men to report emotions in their dreams. 8) Sex and sexual behaviors seldom occur as elements of the dream. 9) Apprehension or fear is the most frequently reported dream emotion for both sexes, followed by happiness and confusion. If apprehensive or fearful emotions become progressively more intense as a dream story unfolds, there person may experience a nightmare. The nightmare typically has the dreamer as being helpless or powerless in the face of being aggressively attacked or pursued.Although fear, anxiety, and even terror are the most commonly experienced emotions, some nightmares involve intense feelings of sadness, anger, disgust, or embarrassment. The Significance of Dreams Sigmund Freud â€Å"Dreams as fulfilled wishes† He was the founder of psychoanalysis. Freud believed that sexual and aggressive instincts are the motivating forces that dictate human behavior. Because these instinctual urges are so consciously unacceptable, sexual and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and wishes are pushed into the unconscious, or repressed. However, Freud believed that these repressed urges and wishes ould surface in dream imagery. Freud believed that dreams had two components. The manifest content, and the latent content. The manifest content being the dream itself and the latent content being the disguised psychological meaning of the dream. The Active-Synthesis Model of Dreaming Founded by J. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley and stated that dreaming is our subjective awareness of the brain’s internally generated signals during sleep. That the experience of dreaming sleep is due to the automatic activation of brainstem circuits at the base to the brain.So the brain stem sends electrical messages to the brain and then the brain attempts to make sense of the messages. Sleep Disorders 4. 2 According to data from National Sleep Foundation’s annual polls, 7 out of 10 people experience sleep disruptions. People with trouble sleeping usually complain about one or more of the following: Insomnia, Excessive daytime sleepiness, and Abnormal behaviors or sensations during sleep. Sleep disruptions become a sleep disorder when A) abnormal sleep patterns consistently occur, B) They cause the subject distress, and C) they interfere with a persons daytime functioning.All sleep disorders can be classified into two broad categories. First is the dyssomnias, which are sleep disorders involving disruptions in the amount, quality, or timing of sleep (insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and narcolepsy). Then there is the parasomnias, which are sleep disorders involving undesirable physical arousal, behaviors, or events during sleep transitions. People are sai d to have insomnias when they repeatedly complain about quality or duration of their sleep, have difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, or wake before it is time to get up. Transient insomnias last anywhere from about 1-2 nights to a couple weeks.Chronic insomnias last at least three nights each week that persist for a month or longer. Women are more predisposed to insomnias than men. Insomnias are also influenced by age, and gender. Most commonly insomnias can be traced to anxiety over stressful life events. Obstructive sleep apnea Sleep apnea is the second most common type of sleep disorder characterized by daytime sleepiness and excess snoring. The sleeper’s airway becomes narrowed or blocked, causing very shallow breathing or repeated pauses or stops breathing. Each time breathing stops, oxygen blood levels decrease and carbon dioxide blood levels increase.Sleep apnea tends to run in families and is more predominate in middle age males. To treat sleep apnea requires a life style change. Usually its treaded by loosing weight, avoiding alcohol, surgery to widen breathing passages, or a special mouth piece. Sever to moderate sleep apnea is treated with positive airway pressure from a CPAP. Narcolepsy People with narcolepsy experience or abundance of daytime fatigue regardless of the amount of time asleep. This uncontrollable event of a rapid onset of sleepiness is called sleep attacks or microsleeps. About 70% of people who suffer from narcolepsy experience cataplexy.Cataplexy is the sudden loss of voluntary muscle strength and control, lasting from several seconds to several minutes. People with narcolepsy also can experience sleep paralysis. Parasomnias In a parasomnias, the person’s brain is just awake enough to carryout the actions yet is still immersed in sleep that he or she has no conscious awareness or subsequent memory of having performed the action. Parasomnias occur during NREM stages 3 & 4, are more common in children and decre ase with age, occurs in multiple family member, suggest a genetic predisposition. Sleep Terrors:Also called night terrors, typically occur in the first few hours of sleep during stage 3 & 4 NREM. Physiologically, the first sign of a sleep terror is sharply increased physiological arousal, restlessness, sweating, and a racing heart rate. The difference between a sleep terror and a nightmare is as follows: Whereas nightmares involve a progressive unpleasant dream story, a sleep terror is usually accompanied by a single but terrifying sensation, such as being crushed or falling. Sleepsex Also called sexsomnia, involves abnormal sexual behaviors and experiences during sleep.Without realizing what he or she is doing, the sleeper initiates dome kind of sexual behavior, such as masturbation, sleepsex-talking, groping or fondling their bed partner’s genitals, or sexual intercourse. Sleepwalking Also called somnambulism. Sleep-Related Eating Disorders Frequent sleepwalking episodes to the kitchen, compulsive eating, and then awakening the next morning with no memory of having done so are the hallmarks of sleep-related eating disorders. The dangerous part of this is when the subject eats non-food items such as cat food, raw bacon, salt sandwiches, coffee grounds, or hand creams. Hypnosis 4. 3Hypnosis can be defined as a cooperative social interaction in which the hypnotic participant responds to suggestions made by the hypnotist. Hypnosis is characterized by highly focused attention, increased responsiveness to suggestions, vivid images and fantasies, and a willingness to accept distortions of logic or reality. Effects of Hypnosis Subjects of hypnosis may report detachment from their bodies, profound relaxation, or sensations of timelessness. Sensory and perceptual changes Sensory changes that can be induced through hypnosis include temporary blindness, deafness, or a complete loss of sensation in some part of he body.People can also experience hallucinations und er hypnosis. Hypnosis can also influence behavior outside the hypnotic state. When a posthypnotic suggestion is given. The person will carry out that specific suggestion after the hypnotic session is over. Hypnosis and memory Memory can be effected by posthypnotic amnesia, in which a subject is unable to recall specific information or events that occurred before or during hypnosis. The opposite effect is called hypermnesia, which is enhancement of memory for past events through hypnotic suggestions. Explaining HypnosisPsychologist Ernest R Hilgard believed that the hypnotize person experiences dissociation- the splitting of consciousness into two or more simultaneous streams of mental activity. This is called Hilgard’s neodissociation theory of hypnosis. Limits and applications of Hypnosis Contrary to popular belief, you cannot be hypnotized against your will. Second hypnosis cannot make you perform behaviors that are contrary to your moral and values. Third, hypnosis cannot make you stronger than your physical capabilities or bestow new talents. Hypnosis can be used to help modify problematic behaviors.Meditation Meditation refers to a group of techniques that induce an altered state fo focused attention and heightened awareness. Common to all forms of meditation is the goal of controlling or retaining attention. There are two general categories of meditation, Concentration techniques involving focusing awareness on visual image, your breathing, a word, or a phrase. When a sound is used, it is typically a short word or religious phrase, called a mantra. The second category is opening-up techniques involving a present-centered awareness of the passing moment, without mental judgment.Rather than concentrating on an object, sound, or activity, the meditator engages in quiet awareness of the â€Å"here and now† without distracting thoughts. Effects of meditation The early research on meditation focused on its use as a relaxation technique that relie ved stress and improved cardiovascular health. Numerous studies now show that practicing TM (transcendental meditation) subjects experience a state of lowered physiological arousal, including a decrease in heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and changes in brain waves. Psychoactive Drugs 4. 4Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that can alter arousal, mood, thinking, sensations, and perceptions. There are four categories of psychoactive drugs and they are depressants (drugs that depress, or inhibit, brain activity), opiates (drugs that are chemically similar to morphine and that relieve pain and produce euphoria), stimulants (drugs that stimulate, or excite, brain activity), and psychedelic drugs (drugs that distort sensory perceptions). The Depressants Alcohol, Barbiturates, Inhalants, and Tranquilizers The depressants are a class of drugs that depress or inhibit central nervous system activity.In general, depressants produce drowsiness, sedation, or sleep. Alcohol Used in sm all amount alcohol reduces tension and anxiety, along with reducing the risk of heart disease. Alcohol can also be misused and considered a dangerous drug. How does alcohol affect the body? Generally it takes about one hour to metabolize the alcohol in one drink, which is defined as 1 ounce of 80 proof whiskeys, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. Alcohol depresses the activity of neurons throughout the brain. As the blood alcohol levels rise, the more brain activity that is impaired.Because alcohol is physically addictive, the person with alcoholism who stops drining may suffer from physical withdrawal symptoms. Inhalants Inhalants are chemical substances that are inhaled to produce an alteration in consciousness. At low doses, they may cause relaxation, giddiness, and reduced inhibition. At higher doses inhalants can lead to hallucinations and a loss of consciousness. Repeatedly inhaling is a practice that increases risk of serious damage to the brain, heart, and other organs. In a study using a inhalant abuser and a cocaine addict that tested both subjects cognitive abilities.The cocaine addict actually scored higher than the inhalant abuser. Even though they both were below the norm for non-users. Barbiturates-Tranquilizers Barbiturates are powerful depressant drugs that reduce anxiety and promote sleep, which is why they are sometime called â€Å"downers. † Barbiturates depress activity in the brain center that control arousal, wakefulness, alertness, and also depress the brains respiratory centers. Low doses cause relaxation, mild euphoria, and reduced inhibitions, but larger doses produce a loss of coordination, impaired mental functioning, and depression.High doses can produce unconsciousness, coma, and death. Barbituates produce a very deep but abnormal sleep in which REM sleep is greatly reduced. Tranquilizers are depressants that relieve anxiety. Common prescribe tranquilizers are Xanax, Valium, and Ativan. The Opiates Often called narcot ics, these groups of addictive drugs relieve pain and produce feelings of euphoria (a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being some times exaggerated in pathological states as mania). Opiates produce their powerful effects by mimicking the brain’s own natural painkillers, called endorphins.Heroin, OxyContin, Demorol, Fentanyl, Percodan, and Vicodin. The Stimulants Caffeine, Nicotine, Amphetamines, and Cocaine Stimulants vary in the strength of their effects, legal status, and the manner in which they are taken. All stimulants however are at least mildly addicting, and all tend to increase brain activity. Caffeine and Nicotine Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Its found in almost everything (soda, coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola drinks). Caffeine stimulates the cerebral cortex in the brain, resulting in an increase in mental alertness and wakefulness.Nicotine, contrary to popular belief does not relax the body. Instead it stimulates it. N icotine increases neural activity in many area of the rain, including the frontal lobes, thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala. Amphetamines and Cocaine Like caffeine and nicotine, amphetamines and cocaine are addictive substances that stimulate brain activity, increasing mental alertness and reducing fatigue. Amphetamines is sometimes called â€Å"speed† or â€Å"uppers. † Amphetamines suppress appetite and were once widely prescribed as diet pills. Cocaine is an illegal stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca tree.Inhaling cocaine produces intense euphoria, mental alertness and self-confidence. A more concentrated form of cocaine is called â€Å"crack† which is smoked instead of inhaled. Prolonged use of cocaine and amphetamines can result in stimulant-induced psychosis, which have Schizophrenia-like symptoms, including hallucinations of voices and bizarrely paranoid ideas. Psychedelic Drugs Mescaline, LSD, and Marijuana This is a group of drugs that creat e profound perceptual distortions, alter mood, and affect thinking. Psychedelic literally means â€Å"mind manifesting. † Mescaline and LSD Mescaline was derived from the peyote cactus.Another psychedelic drug is psilocybin which is derived from the Psilocybin mushroom or sometimes called the â€Å"magic mushrooms† or â€Å"shrooms. † Mescaline and LSD are very similar chemically to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is involved in regulating moods and sensations. These drugs can sometime have a â€Å"bad trip† were the user doesn’t get the results the wished for but they get the opposite. Marijuana The common hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, is used to make rope and cloth. But when its leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds are dried and crushed, the mixture is called marijuana. Designer â€Å"Club† Drugs Ecstasy and dissociative anesthetic drugs