Finals Week, from my perspective

Finals Week, from my perspective Its over. Dear god, that was rough. Seriously. Freshman year I thought MIT was tough, and it was. But thats all it was, it was tough. It required some extra work, some time management, and it was different than I was used to. I complained about drinking from the fire hose since thats what everybody else was doing. Im doing it! I thought, Im doing MIT! Its hard but totally doable! I could actually be ok in this place! I was wrong. Well, not about doing ok, because MIT hasnt completely broken me yet, but this last semester was when I realized that MIT actually was hard. Were talking miserable hard. It was a test of will, to be sure. For example, on my first test of the year I got two standard deviations below average (7/20). Thats bad. Thats solid F territory. My second test wasnt much better (9/20) but was within a point of average. Third test? 10/30, 1.5 standard deviations below. Third test? 9.5/20, half a standard deviation below. I didnt actually score average on a test until late November, my very last test of the semester. Its one thing to say that MIT is hard and that bad test scores will happen, but having to actually try to recover from bad test scores and working at it all semester actually wears on you. Really wears on you. Ask anybody who knows me, I came out of the summer all happy from working at Hasbro and building toys all summer and within a two weeks I was run ragged. Add compounded failed tests and you had a pretty rough semester. My demon was 2.005, Thermal Fluids. That class is the most information intensive class Ive ever seen in my life. Seriously, you cant imagine the amount of material they expect you to absorb, and not just that but also the extent to which they expect you to be able to use and manipulate it. Its one of the (if not the) most failed class in Course 2 (Mechanical Engineering). After my first test I was pretty screwed, its hard to recover from two standard deviations below average. After that moment it was just a constant struggle for life. That struggle for life culminated on Wednesday last week with a 3 hour, Katy bar the door, hold me tightly sweet Jesus, weep for me, *sob* final that could be equated to being repeatedly paddled in the face. Honestly, nobody walked out of that exam feeling good. I dont think anybody actually solved any of the questions on the last page. Honestly, it was bad. Its not like I wasnt prepared, I worked my butt of studying for that final. I locked myself away for entire days to study, but there was just SO MUCH to study. Oh, wait, quick sidetrack. On the first day of finals (Monday) I was heading to a lecture hall early to study all day and lo and behold, a hack! I didnt have my camera (I was going to study, no distractions) so the pictures here arent actually ones I took, but check it out! Barrel of Monkeys hanging from the Lobby 7 skylight! Complete with barrel Apparently I was one of the lucky few who saw it because by 8 oclock AM it had been taken down. This is one of my favorite pictures (as sad as it may be) of the monkeys. Its very foreboding. Anywho, 2.005. I walked out of the final at 4:30 PM on Wednesday and went straight back to the dorm for a nap. I slept until 8 oclock and then packed up to study for my next final. You see, I had one more final and I hadnt even begun studying for it yet. I was so focused on 2.005 that I neglected almost everything else. The plan was to study from 9 PM all the way to 9 AM, which is when my next final (2.003) started. I threw up a quick blog entry at the start of the study marathon, and then set to work. I was actually very productive. 12 hours is a surprisingly useful chunk of time. NEVER do it, its miserable, but I did learn a lot! The only issue was that at about 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning I was absolutely exhausted. Were talking tired. It was really miserable there towards the end, but I kept studying, and then it was time for my last final. I took it and felt quite good about it (not 100% definitely class average). After that I was done. Done. Done with the hardest class of my life (unless I had to retake it, a very likely situation) and done with 2.003. I didnt quite know what to do, so my body just gave up, caved in, and I fell asleep. I woke up later, watched Flash Gordon, and then passed out on the couch. My body had simply given up, I had expended every ounce of everything (something that you will do if you go here). Today some grades were published. I got As in Digital Poetry and Advanced Toy Design. I got a B- in my HASS class, Forms of Western Narrative, which Im totally cool with because I actually enjoyed the class. It was a lot of reading and a lot of writing, but it was good, I learned a lot. Then they published the 2.005 scores. I got a B. I freaked out. Honestly, getting B in that class was just about as exciting/unexpected as getting into MIT (I know what it feels like, Im allowed to compare the two). I didnt fail, and not only didnt I fail but I also got a B! Oh my god! I did better in 2.005 than I did in my HASS class! That B has made the last, oh, 16 hours Ive been spending in this airport TOTALLY worth it. So now Im waiting. My flight leaves at 6:00 AM (Ive already been on two canceled flights, Im hoping this one doesnt get canceled. If it does then I may be stuck in Boston for Christmas because the airport Im trying to fly into is about to get buried in the worst snow since 2003. Heres hoping I make it back. So thats it, I survived. Im still waiting for my 2.003 grade, but Im not nearly as scared of that class. Next semester Ill do it all over again and the year after that and the year after that. So, if youll excuse me, Im going to try to get a quick nap in before my flight. Ciao!

The Supreme Court Case Loving V. Virginia - 1609 Words

On June 2, 1958 Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving went to Washington D.C. to get married and they went back to Virginia a few days later. But because Mildred was of African-American and Native American decent, and Richard was white they were arrested for violating the state law that prohibits interracial marriage. At the time, Virginia was one of 17 states, including Texas and Alabama, that had laws prohibiting interracial marriage (Wolfe). The Supreme Court Case Loving v. Virginia is an important of part of American history that has had a huge impact on racial equality and has helped change the definition of marriage in the United States forever. After their arrest, Richard was released after only one night with a $1000 bond. Mildred was released a few days later into the care of her father. In the trial in October 1958, they pleaded not guilty and waived a jury trial. However, they changed their pleas to guilty at the end of their arguments. and on January 6, 1959 they were sentenced to one year in prison (Wolfe). However, Judge Leon Bazile suspended the sentence under the condition that they do not return to the state together for 25 years. The sentence allowed them to return individually (Wolfe). So they paid their court fees of $36.29 each and they lived to Washington D.C. to live with Mildred’s cousin and his wife, but they still wanted to move back to Virginia so they could be with their families (Martin). In 1963 Mildred wrote a letter to Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S.Show MoreRelatedThe Supreme Court Case Loving V. Virginia1815 Words   |  8 PagesIt is hard to believe that it has only been 48 years since the land mark 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, where the court unanimously declared Virginia s Racial Integrity Act of 1924 unconstitutional and ended all race-based marriage bans in the U.S. When I chose this topic for my assignment, I don’t know if it was the lack of knowledge or denial that led me to believe it was longer than 48 years ago. To me, it felt like it was not a long time ago, and it was mindboggling because thatRead MoreLoving V. Virginia, Introduction, Facts, Legal Background1567 Words   |  7 PagesLoving v. Virginia Interracial marriage: Respecting the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. I. INTRODUCTION This case note will examine the 1967 landmark Supreme Court case of Loving v. Virginia. The Loving v. Virginia case touched on constitutional principles including equality, federalism, and liberty. Just over 30 years ago, it was a crime for interracial couples in Virginia to marry, or to live as husband and wife. Prior to the 1967 case of Loving v. VirginiaRead MoreLoving vs. The Commonwealth of Virginia: Significance in Marriage Law1174 Words   |  5 PagesLoving v. Virginia Significance in Marriage Law A case is said to be landmark when it produces a precedent that is regarded as law by jurists during other cases. These cases are seen as such, generally, because they change the direction of the people making the laws and sitting on the courts, and forge a new path for justice which is more often than not seen as a perfection of the law. One such case occurred in Loving v. The Commonwealth of Virginia in 1967. The original complaint was made inRead MoreThe Supreme Court and Civil Rights Essay991 Words   |  4 Pagesagainst actions of the state governments in a series of cases decide by the Supreme Court,† Dawood stated. In previous years (1790-1803), the Supreme Court had little say in decisions being made by government. As time went on the Supreme Court took on more responsibility and started making additional decisions, which in time helped minorities gain their civil rights. It took a couple of years, as a matter of fact till the 1900’s for the Supreme Court to ge t out of the â€Å"ideology of white supremacy andRead MoreRichard Loving, A White Man And Mildred Jeter913 Words   |  4 Pages1958, in the District of Columbia, Richard Loving, a white man and Mildred Jeter, a black woman was married. Shortly after the marriage the Loving’s returned to Virginia. Upon returning to Virginia the couple was charged with violating Virginia’s Anti-miscegenation Statue. That bans inter-racial marriages. The Loving’s were found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail but the judge offered to suspend their sentence if the Loving’s were to leave Virginia and not return for 25 years. ï‚› Racial integrityRead MoreThe Statutes Pave V. Alabama Loving V. Virginia Essay1364 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 2: The Statutes- Pace v. Alabama Loving v. Virginia Ashlee R. Hall PAD 525: Constitution Administrative Law Dr. Lee January 29, 2012 Was there ever a period in history where interracial marriages and sex among people of different races was considered illegal? As absurd as this idea sounds, the answer is yes. Astonishingly, less than 40 years ago marrying someone of a different race was considered illegal. Black people could not be with white people- it justRead MoreThe Debate Over The Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage1264 Words   |  6 Pagesexamples of this is the ongoing debate over the legalization of same-sex marriage within America. In the article â€Å"Supreme Court should make gay marriage a national right† by the editorial staff at the Boston Globe, the importance of the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage was stressed because it is a topic that has been dodged thus far. While numerous federal circuit courts have ruled on this issue, some in favor and some opposed, the legal dispute of whether the decision should be leftRead MoreThe Case : Great Promise And Its Impact On The Future 1269 Words   |  6 PagesBetween the cases many comparisons are to be made about both trials. The decisions of the cases showed premises, in that both trials were on the subject of marriage equality. The fact that this trial went in favor of the plaintiff showed forthcoming. As the legal establishment shown from the trials gave validity to their marriage and similar ones that are to follow. So, by referencing, or even with knowledge of the case going in favor of the plaintiff, the case shows great promise and has an extremeRead MoreCivil Liberties And Civil Rights1500 Words   |  6 PagesLiberties v. Civil Rights Linsey (Lins) Morgan - Student ID: 3104067 GOVT - 2305 - 71063 Northlake College Had I been born a mere 60 years earlier, I would likely be in jail. Before discussing the U.S. Supreme Court decision which has preserved my freedom, I would like to examine the nature of civil rights and civil liberties. Next, we will look at some of the historical context which would have found me jailed. Lastly, we will conclude by looking at the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court s landmarkRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Should be Legal Essay1535 Words   |  7 Pagescrossed state borders to be wed in Washington, D.C.. Virginia natives, Richard and Mildred Loving fled their home state to seek a marriage license in a D.C. courthouse due to Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act, which criminalized any marriage between a white and a non-white. Richard Loving was white. Mildred was of mixed race. Five weeks after returning home, they were arrested in their own bedroom by raiding policemen and put on trial. The Lovings pleaded guilty, were sentenced to one year in a state

Schizophrenia And Its Effects On Society - 1195 Words

Schizophrenia is a considered a severely chronic, disabling brain disease. Sufferers that have schizophrenia tend to experience hallucinations, delusions and sometimes distorted reality. When an individual is diagnosed with schizophrenia, they are physically inept to acting out â€Å"everyday functions†. With careful research, it is now known nearly one percent of the American population develops schizophrenia. Unfortunately, that portion is about two million american citizens and the numbers are slowly growing. Schizophrenia affects men and women equally, the disorder often appears in men earlier, usually in the late teens or early thirties (Barbour 14). Behavioral syndromes that parallel schizophrenia appear in records from as early as†¦show more content†¦About ten percent if in the case of a brother or sister having schizophrenia may develop. It is fifty percent probable with an identical twin. Although, genes are not the only way to have the disease. Substance abuse is a key factor in developing the disease. Taking mind-altering drugs in teen years and young adulthood could potentially dramatically increase the risk of developing the disease. Smoking marijuana may lead to the increased risk of psychotic convulsions and a risk of continuous psychotic incidences - smoking marijuana earlier can lead to a larger risk and the more frequent the use, can greater the risk of developing schizophrenia earlier on. It maybe difficult to detect the signs of schizophrenia in teens, as the symptoms and types are a multitude of variety. This is because the first signs can include a change of friends, a drop in grades, sleep insomnia , and irritability, although these are all signs and symptoms of developing into a young adult, which makes it hard to diagnose this in teens. Other factors include isolating oneself and withdrawing from family and friends, a dramatic increase in abnormal thoughts, and along with a genetic line of psychosis. In young adultolescence who develop schizophrenia, this stage of the disorder is called the â€Å"prodromal† stage (NAMI). There are four types of schizophrenia. TheseShow MoreRelatedSchizophrenia And Its Effects On Society1819 Words   |  8 PagesSchizophrenia is a severe brain disorder in which it is hard to distinguish the difference between what is real and what is not. Schizophrenia has been found throughout recorded history but was not considered a worthy medical condition until the eighteenth century. It is also considered today a leading public health problem that has enormous personal and economic costs worldwide. Schizophrenia involves a disturbance of thou ght, perception, emotion, movement, and behavior. The symptoms vary acrossRead MoreSchizophrenia And Its Effects On Society1739 Words   |  7 Pages Abstract Schizophrenia is one of the largest most delirious disorders that affect individuals all over the world. An individual diagnosed with schizophrenia loses touch of reality, confused by the world within their head and the outside world a.k.a. reality. If left untreated schizophrenia could have a largely negative impact on the individual and others around them. Because of this it is highly important that schizophrenics get the treatment they need, such as antipsychotic drugs, to get backRead MoreSchizophrenia And Its Effects On Society1464 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to World Health Organization schizophrenia is listed as the second highest contributor to overall burden of diseases. Schizophrenia is one of the most tragic diseases a human being can be afflicted with. The disorder involves disturbances in perception, thought, behavior, language, emotion and communication. The onset of symptoms begins most commonly in people who fall in the category of late teens to early twenties. In the United States alone one half to two and a half percent of the populationRead MoreTreatments For Schizophrenia And Its Effects On Society1028 Words   |  5 Pages Treatments for Schizophrenia M. Arah Enoh Southwestern Oklahoma State University Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe brain disorder which causes people to have odd thoughts, disturbed emotions and motor abnormalities (Carpenter, 2015). It is usually followed by psychosis, disconnecting from reality. People sometimes hear thoughts; some may think others are plotting against them. Even though individuals with schizophrenia have split personalities, it does not mean they are violent orRead MoreJohn Forbes Nash, Jr.1739 Words   |  7 PagesPrize in Economic Sciences. In 1959, while he was teaching at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he displayed some symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia. He suffered from hallucinations and delusions. Once he said that he has encrypted messages from outer space. People thought it was a joke, but they didn t know that he was suffering from Schizophrenia. After his illness, he resigned from MIT and went to Europe. When he came back, he mostly hanged around Princeton campus and wrote about himselfRead MoreSocial Stigma Associa ted With Mental Illnesses1725 Words   |  7 Pagespeople with schizophrenia by heavily sedating them with meds humane, and does it give them a fair shot at life? I believe that in today’s day and age in society, there is a negative social stigma associated with mental illnesses, specifically Schizophrenia, and that not a lot of time, thought, or effort goes into getting these people the help they so desperately need, to ensure that they can still live a healthy life. When it comes to the treatment options for people with Schizophrenia, there areRead MoreA Brief Description of Schizophrenia1135 Words   |  5 Pagesschizophrenia.com schizophrenia is a complex, debilitating mental disorder that 1-2% of the world population experience. It is a disorder of the brain that affects how people think, feel, and perceive. The purpose of this paper is to explore schizophrenia, in particular its signs, symptoms, etiology and pathophysiology, and then examine drug treatment and their mechanism of action. This will be followed by the prognosis for people with schizophrenia. Signs and Symptoms Early signs of schizophrenia includeRead MoreSchizophrenia Case Study1627 Words   |  7 Pageswith schizophrenia compared with second year students although 38.7 % of the sixth-year students still perceived individuals with schizophrenia as being dangerous. Recently, Danaci and colleagues (32) recruited 106 freshman medical school students, who did not receive any theoretical or practical training on psychiatry. After 5 years, students who completed their psychiatry internship were recruited again. Their results revealed that students’ attitudes toward individuals with schizophrenia changedRead MoreSeizures and the Brain1084 Words   |  4 Pagescomponent in the biological paradigm for treatment of schizophrenia. At this early stage of understanding schizophrenia’s pathology, it was believed these chemicals were imbalanced and shocking the brain would force a rebalance of these vital chemicals. Once rebalanced, it was hypothesized the patient would no longer suffer f rom schizophrenia (Tharyan, 2005). The insight into treating neurotransmitter imbalances in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia began the treatment path to present day antipsychoticRead MoreSarah and Angela The Many Misconceptions and Misunderstandings of Schizophrenia Misunderstood with1200 Words   |  5 PagesAngela The Many Misconceptions and Misunderstandings of Schizophrenia Misunderstood with the assistance of popular stigmas and stereotypes, schizophrenia and its severity is often degraded and overlooked by the public. Wrongly feared and shunned, individuals with schizophrenia have too commonly been judged throughout human history and even today. Many aspects of the disease are failed to be truly understood and represented, from the effects of the disease to the availability of treatment. Favored

Do You Have Stress Problem Free Essays

Argumentative Essay: Do You Have Stress Problems? Name: Marguerite ID Number: 1130400040 Class Name: Grand Canyon According to the book called Stress Consequences edited by George Fink (2010), it says â€Å"Approximately 90% of suicide victims have a psychiatric illness at the time of their death. † Some people think psychiatric illness is generated by stress. Although they deem stress bad, other people claim that stress is beneficial. We will write a custom essay sample on Do You Have Stress Problem or any similar topic only for you Order Now Actually the fact is that humans benefit a lot from stress. Because stress can promote blood circulation, motivate individual potential and enhance efficiency. Opponents of this idea assert that people become anxious when they face stress for a long time, and with anxiety accumulating day by day, people become fragile and weak. The other people claim that not all people are under stress everyday, since they can do something else to be happy. Furthermore, mild stress can promote blood circulation so that the capacity of people for handling stress is greater. Nowadays, people have to try something new and learn more skills, but all of these increase the burden on people. The stress makes people lose their confidence and be nervous to face life. Those who disagree with the idea maintain that stress can help people improve themselves since stress can motivate the individual potential when they are trying new things, even more, their confidence can be increased. Opponents have the idea that stress makes people lose their enthusiasms for work and study so that they are inefficient. To a certain extent what they indicate is right. But on the other hand, appropriate stress can enhance their attention and capacity, thereby, the efficiency can be increased. In conclusion, appropriate stress is â€Å"†¦there is now convincing evidence that people often experience benefits following stress and trauma, these benefits have been various labeled adversarial growth, benefit finding†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Stress Consequence, George Fink, 2010). As the book says, people can benefit from stress. How to cite Do You Have Stress Problem, Essay examples

who is rasta Essays - Rastafari Movement, Rastafari, Haile Selassie

What is a Rastafarian? It has been established that Rastafari is the fasted growing social and religious movement in the world, since its inception in Jamaica in the 1930?s. The Rastasfarian movement began with the teachings of Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940), founder of the Back to Africa movement. He envisioned the return of black Jamaicans to their homeland Africa. Black Jamaicans, like the children of Israel, were captives in the white man?s land, and it was Gods will that they experience exodus ?movement of the people.? He taught that Africans were the true Israelites and have been exiled to Jamaica and other parts of the world as a divine punishment. He believed in political readjustment of the world meaning this- that every race must find a home; hence Blacks are raising a cry of Africa for the Africans,? those at home and those abroad?. The only wise thing for us as ambitious Blacks to do, is to organize the world over and build up for the race a mighty nation of our own in Africa.? Garvey encoura ged pride in being black and worked to reverse the mindset of inferiority that centuries of enslavement had been ingrained on the minds of blacks. It is clear that Rastafari was a direct response to poverty, unemployment, economical derivation, cultural alienation, racism, class discrimination and the colonial way of life in Jamaica. Rasta was developed in the slums of ghettos of Kingston, in the 1920?s and 1930?s. at the time, a handful of white people gave the orders and ran the country?s affairs with the help and power, enforced by the police. And when Howell Leonard, the first Rastafarian preacher, called on the Jamaican to aid Haile Selassie, he was arrested by the Jamaican government in 1933 for his loyalty to the Ethiopian emperor over King George V and tossed in prison for two years. Lij Tafari (Selassie I), was born on july 23rd, 1892 in Harror, Ethiopian. Before his birth chaplains and astrologers had been foretelling the infant?s birth. The planets Neptune and Pluto had started moving slowly towards each other in 1399 along the heliocentric line, taking four- hundred and ninety-three (493) years to intersect. At that precise time Lij Tafari was born. This was the first day of the zodiac sign, Leo, an event that would later help to prove his title at his coronation. On November 2nd, 1930 prince regent Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned emperor of Ethiopia. At his coronation he took the name Haile Selassie, which meant ?Mighty of the Trinity.? The coronation also indicated that the divine punishment was completed and the return to Africa would commence. Rastafarians named their movement for Ras Tafari and regarded the emperor as the physical presence of God (Jah) on earth. Selassie also took the titles, ?Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of Kings of Ethiopia.? These titles were traditionally given to Ethiopian Kings and reflect the Old Testament emphasis of Ethiopian Christianity for Rastafarians. Selassie?s coronation was a clear fulfillment of Revelation 5:5, Ezekiel 28:25 and by Marcus Garvey?s prophecy. On April 21st, 1966 Haile Selassie visited Jamaica. Rita Marley, Bob Marley?s wife, converted to the Rastafarian faith after seeing the King of Kings. She said she saw stigmata appear on him and was instantly convinced of his divinity. Others became believers when a serious drought ened with rain upon his arrival. The Rastas are very conscious of their black history. They think that without their existence, black people in general would not be conscious of their history; believing that Haile Selassie is the reincarnation of Christ. They also believe that the blacks would never receive justice in the countries that are predominantly white. They believe that the black people suffered a lot of propaganda from certain white races. Rastafari based a great deal of their teachings about the Messiah and themselves on the Bible. They believed that the Bible was written by black people about black people. The Rastas also found more conclusive evidence in the Bible?s Song of Solomon (1:5-6) that their messiah is black: ?I am Black, and comely, o ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon

Evaluation of the Companys Current Marketing Strategy Essays

Evaluation of the Companys Current Marketing Strategy Essays Evaluation of the Companys Current Marketing Strategy Essay Evaluation of the Companys Current Marketing Strategy Essay Cable TV segments their market by customers interest and need. They provide wide variety of TV plans to customers according to their interests. In short, Cable TV adopts the psychographic segmentation which divides buyers into different groups based on social class, lifestyle or personality characteristics. Variety of TV programs to suit different lifestyle and personality. For example, financial channel broadcasts up-to-date financial news is of investor typical interest. National Geographic and Discovery channels provide natural and geographic news to target on audience who like to acquire knowledge by watching TV. And most people watching Cable TV are on the purpose of entertainment only. So this is the largest and biggest segment. Also, Cable TV divides buyers into active buyer and passive buyer. It segments the market by imposing different price strategy in these two groups. For example, the price is cheaper if the sales are conducted by road show or outbound calls which they are segmented as passive buyers. In contrast, active buyers have to bear the basic price which is slightly higher then special price if it the customers directly contact Cable TV to apply for pay TV service. Targeting Cable TV mainly targets on the customers who are interested in the news, movies and sports. Nowadays, as there are an increasing number of customer demands for the informative programs, and a large number of male customers would acquire cable TV because of the broadcasting of live-sport programs while female customers would like to acquire it due to the 24 hours non-stop broadcasting of more up-dated movies and all these explain why cable would have such targeting. Product Positioning Cable TV positions its service as Pay TV equals to Cable TV. When people think of pay TV service, they would immediately think of Cable TV. To broadcast largest number of TV programs, it maintains as an industry leader in Hong Kong. Moreover, Cable TV positions its service as the best home entertainment to encourage more families to subscribe Cable TV. Marketing Mix Product The main advantage of Cable TV is provide consumer friendly service. It provides 67 24-hours non-stop broadcasting and less advertisement shown. Various channels are provided to suit different needs of users. The channels can be divided into several categories and basic and premium channels. (Exhibit 2)The main categories are sports, news and movies. Other fields include entertainment program, documentary, adventure program, adult program, and composite program for different countries. The variety programs can initiate people to acquire Cable TV service. Cable TV offers different plans for users. They are Cable TV Basic Package, Super Family Pack, Super Movie Pack, Super News Pack, We-Wet Entertainment Pack, Discovery Mega Pack, International Pack, Zee Pack and CAT6 pack. (Exhibit 3)However, these plans are not flexible and consumers cannot their favorite programs only. News channels are popular and can retain many current users due to its continuous updating and broadcasting. These news channels provide latest news and financial information in many countries. The updated information provided is extremely useful in nowadays world because of the increasing importance of service and information industry. Movies channels broadcast local and international movies. These movies are comparability new and they can satisfy many people who like watching movie. Cable TV wants to target on people who are interested in sports. It has many sports channels showing different sports events all over the world. The most attractive part of the sports channels is live and exclusive football matches of the four biggest soccer leagues in the world to satisfy users interests. Besides these three aspects, Cable TV notices people tend to know more about other countries, it introduces many international channels in recent years. There are 2 types of converters, analogue and digital converters. The rental fee is for both is the same but some of the channels can only be watched with the use of the digital converter. The variety of channels can satisfy consumer but the inefficient hotline dissatisfies consumers as it is very difficult to have direct connection to the customer service representative. Price Cable-TV offers a special monthly price for users if they prepaid one-year fee. And it offers discount to the Basic Package users to acquire other packages and premium channels. Larger discount is offered for first time users to attract them to try. For example, new users only pay $198 instead of $298 for the Basic Package in the first year of service. For different packages, they are with different prices. (Exhibit 3)However, the price of the packages is too high and this will discourage lower income group to install Cable TV. Besides the package fee, new customers need to pay rental fee of $30 for the converter. Customers can pay extra to watch the premium channels. If customers want to have one more Cable TV in their home, they need to pay extra fee for this additional outlet. The amounts of charges paid depend on the package used by customers. They need to pay extra half of the original price if they are using Basic Pack, Zee Pack, International Pack and all premium channels. They need to pay double if they use other packages. If customers want to terminate the service, Cable TV will offer a discount to attract them not to do so. This is useful as many consumers are concern with price. Promotion Booths Cable TV sets up a lot of temporary booths on new residential area to attract new customers. Very often, plans promoted from the booths are with a promotional discount, as an attraction. Owing to the large promotion coverage of the booths in Hong Kong, this promotion channel could impress consumer most. Unlike promotions on media, booths could actively reach consumers and wont be bound by media constraints. The performance of booths is fair. Although some consumers are attracted to the promotion or discount provided by these booths and initiate them to acquire Cable TV, some consumers have negative feelings toward them. Sometimes consumer may think that salesperson is annoying, as there are too much salespersons approach them in a short distance. Some say that the salespersons are immoral, they boost sales by providing untrue information induce consumer to purchase which in turn avoid consumers from renewing the contract. Door to door Promotion It is an active promotion launched occasionally in residential area, especially before big events like World Cup and Olympics. Each successful visit last around 15 to 30 minutes. It allows salesperson to have a better communication and contact with consumers, enable them to understand consumer better and take appropriate promotion words. It also enables cable TV to target those families who are not using cable TV according to the customer record. This is more cost and time effective, as only people who are interested would let salesperson to have a further conversation with them. Door to door promotion also allows information approach and stimulates consumers need at the right time. Before World Cup and Olympic, many consumers have the short-term need of getting cable TV. In addition, in home, consumer would have a better sense of security and would be more open and comfortable which constitutes a good environment for them to listen and talk to the salespersons. However, the coverage of this method is rather small, and the time cost is very high. Advertisement on Media Advertisement on media is a passive promotion. Consumers could select what they want to pay attention to and what they want to avoid. Several creative TV ads could successfully impress consumers. One interviewee could memorize the TV ads with a man singing Free Super Offer which is one year ago. Distribution Channel The distribute procedure is the consumer register first. Then salespersons will help consumer to call for installation and delivery of necessary devices. There are four ways of acquiring the service: Phone More than half of the interviewees acquire Cable TV actively by phone. Consumers reflect that the procedure is generally smooth, except they could not be directed to customer service officer when they make the call. Online download of form In Cable TV website, application form is in PDF form. Consumers could only print out the form and sent or fax back to Cable TV. This is not a user-friendly channel. Booths Except promotion, booths on street are also act as a distribution channel. As mentioned in the promotion, quality and quantity of booths should be controlled and adjusted. Door-to-door promotion Like booths on street, if the salesperson could successfully initiate consumer to acquire service through visiting their homes, they distribute the product. Recommendations Immediate actions: To increase its market shares in the industry, some strategies are applied in order to attract potential customers. Potential customers: Online Application This kind of application is very convenient and easy for the customers to use which would increase the sale by attracting more customers to apply for the services. In addition, the cost of this kind of distribution channel is also very low. But the problem is that, some strategies should be used to motivate the customers to apply Cable TV online. Promotions which can initiate consumption decision According to the survey, most of the users consider the variety of programs offered and price are the most important factors for their buying decision. As a result, it can stress on these aspects when launching promotions. Moreover, special discount period should be provided to an extent that above Just Noticeable Difference so that potential customers intention to acquire Cable TV will be increased. However, providing discounts will lead to decrease in profits and so it cannot be used as long-term strategies. Upgrade to digital converter This can help Cable TV prevent unauthorized user to free ride the pay TV service. There are some unlicensed TV converters that enable to watch Cable TV illegally. It is because the use of unlicensed TV converter will decrease current user or decrease customer intention to acquire Cable TV service. Current customers It is far more easy and profitable to retain current customers than attracting new customers. As a result, achieving customer satisfaction is very important. To achieve this, react to customer needs and so following recommendations are advised. Improve customer service As the majority of the customers dissatisfy with the customer service according to the findings. It is suggested that the number of staffs answering for phones should be increased and more training should be provided to staff to fasten the serving time and be consumer friendly. Introduce paid local film channel The findings show that the local movie channels are criticized as out-dated and repeated too frequently. However, providing latest film is costly, so it is suggested to introduce paid channel to satisfy consumer need and balance the costs. However, it has the direct competitors such as cinemas, which can give the audience better atmosphere. In addition, VCD is also anther competitor and it is very cheap and the latest films are also available. Yet, by introducing local film channel, it has the competitive advantages of convenience as the audience can just stay at home and enjoy the movie. The time and cost of searching information of customers reduces. Change to digital converter Analogue converters cannot watch some of the programs in basic plan nowadays which will dissatisfy current customers. Nevertheless, changing all converters is quite expensive and not all the users are willing to pay for the charge. Quantity of advertisements From the survey, most of the users thought that one of the advantages of Cable TV less advertisements. However, the amount of advertisements about Cable TV is increasing within the channels. It should pay attention to the quantity of advertisements to retain the customers. Launch female-favored channel Cable TV should launch a new channel targeting on the female. Programs that suit female include local shopping discount guidelines, or beauty news should be broadcasted. Long term Directions: In long run, Cable TV should improve its overall service include: Provide video-on-demand (VOD) service Video-on-demand service is a system based service that audiences can select watching any programs in any time. The new service can allow customers to enjoy a variety of programs on the interactive platform by offering more interactive application channels. The advantage of this service is that it can eliminate the restriction on the time schedule of different programs, thus it can satisfy audience instant gratification of specific TV program and they need not to wait for any time slot. In Hong Kong, people have an instant- need noodle culture which means that they demand instant food fulfillment with minimum cooking time. As the rhythm of their lifestyle is very fast, they are impatient to wait for a TV program on schedule. The disadvantage of this action is that it requires a higher cost to develop and apply this technology and Cable TV also need the technical support by other countries such as Japan and US. Channel based selection plan Consumers can acquire particular channels instead of paying a lump sum fee for a basic plan which included many channels. Base on the research, as many current basic plan users only watch a few channels and hence they would like to complain for pay the lump-sum fee. If Cable TV charges their price by the number of channels watched, people from lower income group would also apply for pay TV service due to the lower fee charged. As there are more combinations of customer to choose, Cable TV consumption plan become more flexible and consequently their market share in the pay TV service would be enlarged. However, as Cable TV provide many channels with different TV programs; consumer may not have a better understand of the nature content of that channel. So it requires more promotion effort to introduce to customer. For example, they can adopt a trail one time policy to let the potential consumer to try Cable TV service. Develop High Definition TV (HDTV) High Definition TV (HDTV) provides high quality TV picture. Now, the picture of Cable TV is restricted to 480I resolution. They can increase to 1080I resolution which is just the standard of TV resolution in Japan. Include more exclusive programs Cable TV should buy more patent from foreign TV channels and productions. To remain their high competitiveness and uniqueness, they need to provide more exclusive channels and productions which can not be broadcasted by their other direct competitors. Conclusion Cable TV, having the largest market share of pay TV service in Hong Kong, is facing increasingly keen competition since the introduction of Now Broadband TV. The main competitors changed from free TV service in the past to the broadband and other pay-TV services now. By our in-depth interview and literature review, pay TV users has an interesting characteristics and behaviours which enable us to base on the findings to suggest recommendations to help Cable TV fight against other pay TV service companies. Many competitors build up their marketing strategies from the aspects that Cable TV underperformed. Therefore, Cable TV has to revise its current marketing strategies and implements short term and long term actions that are recommended in order to maintain the market share and to the industry leader.

Pelican Facts

Pelican Facts There are eight living species of pelicans (Pelecanus species) on our planet, all of which are water birds and water carnivores that feed on live fish in coastal regions and/or interior lakes and rivers. The most common in the United States are the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and the Great White (P. anocratalus). Pelicans are members of Pelecaniformes, a group of birds that also includes the blue-footed booby, tropicbirds, cormorants, gannets, and the great frigate bird. Pelicans and their relatives have webbed feet and are well adapted to catching fish, their primary food source. Many species dive or swim underwater to capture their prey. Fast Facts: Pelicans Scientific Name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, P. occidentalis, P. thagus, P. onocrotalu, P. conspicullatus, P. rufescens, P. crispus, and P.philippensisCommon Names: American white pelican, brown pelican, Peruvian pelican, great white pelican, Australian pelican, pink-backed pelican, Dalmatian pelican and spot-billed pelicanBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Length: 4.3–6.2 feet; wingspan: 6.6-11.2 feetWeight: 8–26 poundsLifespan: 15–25 years in the wildDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Found on all continents except Antarctica, near coastlines or large inland waterwaysPopulation: Estimates only available for two near-threatened species: Spot-billed, (8700–12,000) and Dalmation (11,400–13,400)Conservation Status: Dalmatian, spot-billed, and Peruvian pelicans are classed as Near-Threatened; all other species are Least Concern Description All pelicans have two webbed feet with four toes, all of which are connected by the web (known as the totipalmate foot). All of them have large bills with an obvious gular pouch (throat pouch) which they use for catching fish and draining water. Gular sacs are also used for mating displays and regulating body temperature. Pelicans have large wingspans- some over 11 feet- and are masters in the air and on the water.   A great white pelican uses its gular pouch to capture a fish. Michael Allen Siebold / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution   Pelicans are found on all of the continents of the world except Antarctica. DNA studies have shown that pelicans can be grouped into three branches: Old World (spot-billed, pink-backed, and Australian pelicans), New World (brown, American White, and Peruvian); and the Great White. The American white is restricted to interior parts of Canada; the brown pelican is found along the western coast and Florida coasts of the United States and northern South America. The Peruvian pelican clings to the Pacific coastlines of Peru and Chile. They are fish eaters that thrive near rivers, lakes, deltas, and estuaries; some are confined to coastal regions while others range near large interior lakes.   Diet and Behavior   All pelicans eat fish, and they hunt for them singly or in groups. They scoop up fish in their beaks and then drain the water from their pouches before swallowing their prey- which is when gulls and terns attempt to steal the fish from their beaks. They can also dive into the water at great speed to capture their prey. Some of the pelicans migrate large distances, others are mostly sedentary.   Pelicans are social creatures who nest in colonies, sometimes as many as thousands of pairs. The largest of the species- the largest ones, Great White, American White, Australian, and Dalmation- build nests on the ground while the smaller ones nest in trees or shrubs or on cliff ledges. The nests vary in size and complexity.   Pelicans Diving for fish. Jean-Yves Bruel / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring   Pelican breeding schedules vary with the species. Breeding may occur annually or every two years; some occur in specific seasons or occur year round. The eggs vary in coloration by species from chalky white to reddish to pale green or blue. Mother pelicans lay eggs in clutches that vary with the species, from one to six at once; and the eggs incubate for a period between 24 and 57 days.   Both parents take a role in feeding and tending the chicks, feeding them regurgitated fish. Many of the species have post-fledgling care that can last as long as 18 months. Pelicans take between three and five years to reach sexual maturity.   Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) can be found in Okavango Delta, Botswana. Dave Hamman / Getty Images Conservation Status   The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers most pelican species of least concern. Population estimates are available for two near-threatened species: In 2018, the spot-billed pelican was estimated by the IUCN as between 8700 and 12,000 individuals), and the Dalmatian pelican at between 11,400 and13,400. Currently, the American white and Peruvian are known to be increasing in population while the spot-billed and Dalmatian are decreasing, and the Australian and pink-backed are stable. The Great White Pelican has not been counted recently. Although brown pelicans were listed as endangered during the 1970s and 1980s because of pesticides that had entered their food chains, the populations have recovered and they are no longer considered endangered. Evolutionary History The eight living pelicans belong to the order Pelecaniformes. Members of the Order Pelecaniformes include pelicans, tropicbirds, boobies, darters, gannets, cormorants, and frigate birds. There are six families and about 65 species in the Order Pelecaniformes. Early Pelecaniformes appeared during the end of the Cretaceous period. There is some controversy whether or not Pelecaniformes all share common descent. Recent studies suggest that some shared characteristics among the various pelecaniform subgroups are the result of convergent evolution. Sources Brown pelican. National Wildlife Federation, Wildlife Guide, Birds.Pelicans. IUCN Red List.  Kennedy, Martyn, Hamish G. Spencer, and Russell D. Gray. Hop, Step and Gape: Do the Social Displays of the Pelecaniformes Reflect Phylogeny? Animal Behaviour 51.2 (1996): 273-91. Print.Kennedy, Martyn, et al. The Phylogenetic Relationships of the Extant Pelicans Inferred from DNA Sequence Data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66.1 (2013): 215-22. Print.Patterson, S.A., J.A. Morris-Pocock, and V. L. Friesen. A Multilocus Phylogeny of the Sulidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58.2 (2011): 181-91. Print.