John Gast s American Progress - 1450 Words

John Gast’s â€Å"American Progress† and the cartoon â€Å"Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler† both present several key ideas and events regarding American expansion and slavery during the mid-nineteenth century. Throughout this period many believed that expanding America’s territory westward was key to the growth of the nation, a belief coined â€Å"Manifest Destiny†. However, there was a stark contrast between the North and the South regarding what role slavery played in American expansion. A large number of people in the North and the West believed that settling the new territory was meant for free men and that the institution of slavery had no place there, clearly illustrated in â€Å"American Progress†. In the South, many politicians argued for instituting slavery in Western territories to create more slave states in order to increase Southern political influence. These conflicting beliefs resulted in intense political dispu tes that in many cases turned newly settled lands into battlefields. This clash of differing views regarding American expansion is captured in â€Å"Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler†. The themes and historical events presented in these artistic depictions reveal how â€Å"Manifest Destiny† further intensified the racial crisis that the country was facing and served as a catalyst for the Civil War. Many citizens of the North and a large number of Western settlers believed that slavery had no place in the new territory America was settling. WhetherShow MoreRelatedPainting Is American Progress By John Gast847 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Fine art is knowledge made visible.† American Progress by John Gast, 1872 At first glance, the painting above may seem very odd. There is a woman flying above what appears to be settlers on the open plains. However, after examining this image closely it begins to make more sense. The title of this painting is American Progress by John Gast. The title of this painting goes along with the painting itself very well as this painting depicts American progress. The painting above is from the era ofRead MoreThe Expansion Of The United States1078 Words   |  5 Pagesnation with a great deal of $15 million from France. While, American development was influenced by westward expansion, the purchasing of more land created controversy. Many disagreed with the idea of expanding and taking over land because Indians who already occupied the land wasn’t included in the agreement that was made and the Constitution did not have any thing that supported this idea. Although, the Louisiana Purchase showed Jefferson s ability to make a logical political decision, it was opposedRead MoreThe United States Of The World War II1296 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Abraham Lincoln once said, â€Å"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man s character, give him power† (1). Power can be used to fight for civil liberties, but the abuse of it can lead to holocausts. Throughout history, power has often been put into the wrong han ds, which has resulted in genocides, holocausts, and massacres. The responsibility associated with power is unfathomable. The United States of America has fought against power and has successfully maintainedRead MoreAmerican Character - Then and Now2118 Words   |  9 PagesAmerican Character - Then and Now A notion that still holds strong today, Fredrick Jackson Turners idea of American character was one based on trials and experiences. Unlike Crevecour, Turner believed that American character was not simply a product of English character transported to America, but rather another idea altogether (Faragher 63). He expressed this opinion the best when he said, In the crucible of the frontier the immigrants were Americanized, liberated, and fused into a mixedRead MoreA Popular American Topic On The 19th Century2982 Words   |  12 PagesA popular American topic taking place in the nineteenth century has been seen as the story of the young nation and its settlement along with its expansion. This tale is often generates a bit of controversy because it was at the expense of the Native Americans lives that this young American nation was able to expand its wings, flourish its economy and set its self-up as the hegemon country in years that would follow. With the increase of population, p eople saw the need to expand their own personal

Medical Use of Psilocybin Essay - 1095 Words

During a visit to Mexico, Gordon Wasson, a mycologist, discovered the use of psilocybin mushroom in spiritual ceremonies by Indian tribes. Upon experiencing the spiritual and hallucinatory effects of the mushroom, Wasson returned to the area accompanied by an experienced mycologist, Roger Heim, who managed to cultivate the mushroom once in France and send samples of it to the scientist who had discovered lysergic acid, Albert Hoffman. From the mushrooms, Hoffman successfully isolated two compounds which he further named psilocybin and psilocin. Analogs of these compounds were further synthesized and were employed mainly for psychotherapeutic uses. Many tests on psilocybin were made at Harvard University in the early 1960’s. However,†¦show more content†¦Once in the stomach, due to the highly acidic environment, psilocybin undergoes a removal of its phosphate group, and is converted into psilocin. This process is called dephosphorylation. Aqueous solutions of psiloc ybin are very sensitive to light and rapidly oxidize in its presence. A great variety of analytical methods can be used for psilocybin identification and evaluation. Amongst them are thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography used along with mass spectrometry , infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. Treatment Although prescribed use of psilocybin is rare nowadays for medicinal purposes; many tests have been done on its medicinal uses in patients with personality disorders. Some tests have shown a noticeable reduction in obsessive compulsive disorder as a result of psilocybin use. Psilocybin has also been tested and is sometimes administered to cancer patients and has been proven to ease mental stress and the emotional baggage caused by cancer by changing the patient’s perspective on his/her situation and life in general. This compound has also been proven to reduce the pain resulting from cluster headaches in 85 % of patients tested and distanced the frequency of the attacks in 96% of patients. Facts on benefits and risks According to scientific studies, the risks and benefits associated with psilocybin are rather psychological and not physical. Test subjectsShow MoreRelatedDrug Abuse of Hallucinogens Essay1530 Words   |  7 PagesCommonly known Hallucinogen drugs are LSD, also known as acid or mellow yellow; PCP, also known as angel dust, tic tac, super grass, or rocket fuel; Psilocybin also known as â€Å"shrooms† or magic mushrooms; DMT; and Peyote. Hallucinogen drugs alter human perception and mood by changing the user’s sense of reality. Effects of hallucinogenic drug abuse are unpredictable and the intensity varies on the dose amount. Common effects of abuse include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, feelings ofRead MorePsychedelic Mushrooms1200 Words   |  5 Pagesmushrooms is psilocybin, which is hallucinogenic. The mushrooms can be eaten either fresh or dried. They can also be used to make a tea(Drugs p.24). Either way will make the user hallucinate or trip. As f resh mushrooms, they are sticky, with a conical shape. Almost all have a brown or yellowish cap, which sets atop the stalk/stem, with brownish gills underneath (the bottom of the cap). The stalk is thick and whitish, covered with small, whitish fibers. This description is a Potent Psilocybin mushroomRead MoreEssay What are Hallucinogens and What Happens?995 Words   |  4 Pagesthe â€Å"signals† that are being sent to the synapses. This can be very harmful to your body and your brain. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and abovetheinfluence.com verify that LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide), Peyote cactus or Mescaline, Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine), and PCP (phencyclidine) are the drugs in the hallucinogens category. What are other names for these drugs? All of the hallucinogens have different â€Å"street names.† Street names are names that peopleRead MoreMind Over Matter: Psychedelic Drugs Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pagesperception of reality. L.S.D, MDMA, and psilocybin are three of the main types of psychedelics on the drug market, all three of which are listed as schedule 1 by the DEA. A schedule 1 drug is considered to have a high addiction risk, has no medical value whatsoever, and is illegal to have in your possession. A schedule 2 drug is considered to have the potential for both medical purposes, and abuse. A schedule 3 drug is considered safe for medical use and can only be prescribed by a doctor. IRead MoreHallucinogens as Medicine Essay example1228 Words   |  5 Pages Hallucinogens as Medicine 2 Abstract The article discusses research on the use of hallucinogens for medical therapies applicable to cancer, drug addiction, and psychological problems. Studies being undertaken at Johns Hopkins University are discussed. Johns Hopkins research on hallucinogens includes assessment of the drugs psychospiritual effects among volunteers and its use in easing psychiatric and behavioral disorders in those so affected. Hallucinogens as MedicineRead MoreHallucinogens in History Essay993 Words   |  4 Pagesaccess repressed emotions. Other uses considered for early hallucinogens included ingestion by doctors to better understand schizophrenic patients, and as an antibiotic. Their recreational use peaked in the 1960s, but began to decline after they were declared illegal in 1966, except in Native American churches where hallucinogens continued to be used as a spiritual tool. Though their popularity is not as prevalent as it had been in the â€Å"hippie movement†, their use continues to be recorded within aRead MoreTaking a Look Inside Hallucinogens Essay950 Words   |  4 PagesMexican religious ceremonies, but spread quickly to North American tribes. In 1620, the use of peyote was banned by the Spanish Inquisition. Peyote received an even more negative view in the 1960s, when it began being used by the â€Å"hippie counterculture†. Its use was again banned in the Drug Abuse Control A mendment in 1965. It seems as though drugs go through cycles of legality and return to being banned from use. But how do hallucinogens actually affect the brain? This particular type of narcoticRead MoreEssay about Psychoactive Drugs and Their Effect on Consciousness989 Words   |  4 Pageshappened by chance and made it to where we are through evolution, or maybe even something else. Whatever the case may be, humans have always been curious and wondered about our existence and consciousness. Along with these age old questions, also came the use of psychoactive drugs and other mind altering substances. In order to try to understand these questions, humans have experimented with drugs that alter their state of consciousness. Psychoactive drugs are defined as chemical substances that affectRead MoreHallucinogens2190 Words   |  9 Pagesway. Hallucinogen is a class of drugs which affects an individual’s perception, sensation, and emotions by disrupting the regular operation of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. While the use of Hallucinogens a form of therapy is a controversial topic and it does have it merits this paper examines the use of hallucinogens in psychiatric research its effectiveness as a form of therapy and the risks associated with uncontrolled usage of hallucinogens. Hallucinogens are derived from both naturalRead MoreThe United States Food And Drug Administration2428 Words   |  10 PagesThe United States Food and Drug Administration, also known as the FDA, is the government agency â€Å"responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological product, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and product that emit radiation.† It is â€Å"also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines more effective, safer, and more affordable. Created under the Theodore

Drug Overdose in Central Ma free essay sample

Over the past few years the drug overdoses in Central Massachusetts has skyrocketed immensely. In 2014 there were 712 overdoses in the city, 25 of them resulting in death. â€Å"In my mind, 2014 became a beacon as far as awareness on the issue.† Said my father Derek Brindisi, who was the Director of Public Health in the heart of the issue. The Worcester police department reports that opioids were the leading cause of overdose ranging from prescription drugs like oxycodone, and harder drugs like heroine. The most common drug that has resulted in overdoses is heroin. There is no telling on how pure the batch of heroin that users are consuming, what we do know is that by the time it gets from its home country drug dealers and middle men cut it. Cutting the drug makes it less pure and dealers to middle men mix it with other agents to make the weight of it the same but cheaper for street buying at a lower cost. Heroin can be cut with agents such as chalk, talcum powder, powdered milk, and caffeine. Other impurities that dealers mix into the batches are other opioids. The addition of other opioids and chemicals to the powder imply the addiction affect into drug using. Dealers add these so that users will come back for more and they make more money off the drug using public because if the harsh addiction. More than half of the incarcerated individuals in jail are non-violent offenders with an addiction, says State Representative Jim O’Day. What we can do is give them the proper treatment they deserve. Some people, they commit a crime, yes, but they commit a crime because theyre addicted. Opioids have a harsh and sometimes deadly effect on the body. The chemicals when taken in a manner that is more than what has been prescribed can slow the breathing to the point of death. The â€Å"opiate overdose triad† is the combination of three symptoms that show signs of an overdose. The three are respiratory depression, unconsciousness, and pin point pupils. Researchers have also found that respiratory depression can cause long-term affects on the brain. A condition called Hypoxia is the amount of oxygen that the brain is receiving and long-term respiratory depression can end up causing permanent brain damage and even coma. What opiates are meant for is to block the pain (opioid) receptors in the body, which are usually found in the brain spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract. The state is implementing many factors on how they can help this epidemic. One of the ways they are working on the overdose responsiveness is by outfitting the police department with Naloxone more commonly knows as Narcan. Narcan is an opioid reversal drug that has saved many lives since the allowance of it to be carried by first responders was passed in 2013. Narcan prevents or reverses the effects of opioids including respiratory depression, sedation and hypotension from drug use. It is administered by either sterile intravenous, intramuscular or by subcutaneous (nasal spray). The Worcester Police Department (WPD) and Fire Department (WFD) have been trained and started carrying the nasal spray since the rapid increase of overdoses in the city. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is conducting a pilot program that allows the public to be able to have access to Narcan. The program is also offering training to opioid users and families, on how to prevent and recognize the signs of an overdose. The training shows people how to revive the respiratory system, when to call 9-1-1 and how to administer Narcan. How Narcan works is that it restores the normal breathing levels when sprayed into the nose. So far in Massachusetts there are more than forty distribution centers for this live saving drug. They can be found in many of the states major cities and towns where opioid overdose is on the rise The Massachusetts Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative (MOAPC) grant was received from the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. This grant is being used to promote four main strategies to educate the public on opioid abuse. The first topic is to promote the best practices in prescribing the medications, second is to promote proper use and storage, this topic focuses on keeping the drugs out of the reach of children and people who might be tempted to take the medication. The third strategy is to promote proper disposal including local disposal boxes and take back events, which I will talk more on throughout the paper. Fourth and finally is the education and training on overdose protection and response. The state is offering private classes to educate the public and officials on the dangers and safety precautions that need to be taken on opiate overdosing. The city of Worcester Health Department along with other state agencies are doing to stop the rise of drug overdose related deaths in the city is implementing â€Å"take back† programs. The concept of these programs is to have the public bring in any unused, unwanted, or confiscated drugs such as opiates to places like WPD, DPH and Red Cross centers. The idea is to take, as many unneeded drugs off the streets where it could potentially cause more harm to the public unlike what they are prescribed for. Another initiative that the city is taking is to place â€Å"needle drop boxes† in public bathrooms since public bathrooms are a common place where addicts go to get high. There were ten overdoses at the Worcester Public Library in 2014, and twelve at Worcester Union Station. This will help because now maintenance crews, police and first responders wont have to clean up the blood and needles off the bathroom floors, which could cause the risk of an accidental needle stick and blood disease exposure. In all I believe over the next decade, the drug overdoses and deaths related to them will decrease. This will only happen if the public helps out and realize the epidemic that is happening in our city. The City officials along with the Department of Public health are taking the right measures to ensure that we are all informed and well educated on the matter. The CDC’s grants that they gifted the state will also help prolong this take back of our city, state and its citizens, also creating the proper mindset for the future; so a relapse of drug overdose outbursts does not occur again.

Strategic Planning free essay sample

The A-Team was contracted by Cango to provide recommendations for the management team to help improve their operations so the company can continue its success. During the initial analysis of CanGo’s operations it is evident the company is facing a series of deficiencies translating to the difficulties in maintaining a stable operating environment. CanGo’s small business mentality is getting the best you. There are several strategic recommendations we can provide CanGo that must be addressed immediately to assure its success. Most of CanGo’s success has simply happened by chance and no formal analysis has been conducted of the business which should be performed to point out certain aspects that may not be apparent to you. CanGo has no strategic plan to clearly identify what exactly your market will be, who your clientele base is and how to go about being a leader in their industry. A strategic plan is nothing more than a structured process that organizes and coordinates the activities of the managers who do the planning (hbr, 2012) and it encourages CanGo to answer the fundamental questions: Where do we plan to be X years from now, how to get there, what the cost will be? In thinking of the future, CanGo is at a crossroads and needs to understand the importance of creating a strategic plan for the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Planning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Elizabeth should meet with the board of directors to discuss their thoughts as to the company’s objectives and strategy. As previously mentioned and a key component of formulating a strategic plan includes the need for both a Mission and a Vision statement. The mission statement should clearly define the company’s purpose and objective. It provides everyone the opportunity of knowing what the company is about and helps pull the company together towards a cohesive goal. Furthermore, the strategic planning process enhances the company’s understanding of who their clients are. Being that CanGo has an extensive customer list, CanGo can request your customers to participate in a brief questionnaire to collect such demographic information as age, race, gender, education, income and other pertinent information CanGo would like to know to gain a better understanding of their clients’ and their needs. Additionally, a SWOT analysis will help even further by providing its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in its industry. This will give CanGo a clearer insight of how to achieve becoming an industry leader by learning more about yourself. The objective is to determine a strategy for the future and to improve the company’s overall performance. Strategic Planning free essay sample This write-up attempts to review what authors have written specifically on strategic marketing process; particularly their approach and personal philosophy vis-agrave;-vis this concept. Within the various approaches, it looks at the respective purpose and structure. Then onwards provide an analytical perspective on the SWOT analysis which seemingly, marketing gurus and authors embrace in their strategic plan in todays market environment. Review: Strategic Marketing Plan Doyle explains strategic marketing plan is concerned with adapting the organisation to a changing environment more effectively than their competitors. Organisation succeeds when they meet the needs of customers more effectively than their competitors (Doyle 2002, p. 92). The markets drivers for change (Drummond, Ensor 2003), some of which are far beyond the organisations sphere of control. Adaptability becomes an inextricable phenomenon in mainstream marketing environment. The organisation has to monitor key macroenvironmental variables (demographic, economic, technological, political, and socio-cultural) and microenvironment variables (customers, competitors, distributors, suppliers) that affect its ability to retain customers (Kotler, P. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Planning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2003). In order for it to achieve and enjoy a comparative advantage, the organisation executes a careful strategic planning, and using marketing strategies to achieve this aim (Dibb et al 2001). Hence, the notion of strategic marketing plan. Doyle advanced that a well defined strategy would incorporate the following: Scope of business; Objectives; Strategic business unit (SBU) identification; Resource allocation; Deeping sustainable advantage; Effective functional strategies (positioning, product line, price, promotion and distribution; synergy. The elements of synergy and SBU identification underlined by Doyle prove relevant to large organisations with diverse business units, products and target segments. It would serve a right purpose for management to be clear and exact about their choice of product, what business are they in,nand what business do they want to be. He supports his approach with the following diagram. According to Doyle, strategic focus looks at product profitability either by increasing productivity or increasing volume by market expansion and penetration as an objective for an organisation to pursue; a marketing strategy that have seen most UK supermarkets and departmental stores adopting in South East London, for instant the ASDA supermarket. Dibb et al posits the strategic marketing process is based on the establishment of organisational goals and must stay within the bounds of organisational opportunities and resources. They highlight a complex set of externalities including; political, legal, regulatory, societal and green, economic and competitive, and technological forces that border around the all popular notion of PEST (political, economic, social technological) analysis. The relationship between market opportunities and organisations goals and the availability of resources to match them in relation external forces is captured below in the diagram provided by Dibb et al (2001). The aforementioned understanding relates with that of Drummond and Ensor who also agree that the external analysis is the initial step in the process of establishing the key issues facing an organisation (2003, p. 34). Given that businesses operate in hostile and increasingly complex environment, it makes sense to try to bring some order to this chaos by understanding the commercial environment and bringing some strategic sense to the process of marketing products and services (Riley, J. G. 2005). Another distinctive element of the Dibb et al model is the focus on organisational opportunities and resources, which Doyle (2003) also highlights in his approach. A proper strategic marketing planning process would seek to identify the organisations opportunities that would be matched by the necessary and available resources. For instant a company willing to enter into a large buying consumer market like the United States of America would to seek competitive advantage over its competitors by matching adequate technological, economic, management resources. More so, Dibb et al further clarifying a major confusion over the misuse of termsstrategic marketing plan and marketing plan amongst students and marketing managers: Strategic marketing plan is a plan of all aspects of an organisations strategy in the market place marketing deals primarily with implementing marketing strategy as it relates to target markets and marketing mix (2001, p. 656). Brassington and Pettitt reiterate this distinction; strategic marketing plan deals with the total strategy in a market linking customers, competitors and organisational capability while the marketing plan is an operational element dealing with the marketing mix strategy that will be used to gained leverage in the market place (2003). Brassington and Pettitt model. The leverage in the market place is what Drummond and Ensor underline on their approach in the strategic marketing planning process as it: involves achieving a superior competitive position within a defined market. Essentially, it involves segmentation, targeting and positioning. This must address customers, competitors and internal corporate factors (2003, p. 14). Drummond and Ensor stress a strategic marketing plan should be relevant and sustainable (2003); an argument also adhered to and phrased by Doyle (2002) as sustainable differential advantage. In order for that to happen, the organisation must be competitive now and in the future and be able to accept change as an integral part of strategy (Drummond and Ensor 2003). Hiebaun (1997) underlines the fact that the strategy marketing plan demands a methodology to be followed and should begin with the companys forecast and objectives . According to him, forecast consists in answering the following question: If our market and environment tendency stays the same and continues, what will be our situation in the short, medium, and long term? We have to ask ourselves: Where is the company at right now? Where are we going? Where do we want to go? However, McDonalds (2003) cautions about the using of the forecasting system as they tend to project a current business into the future, which can work if the future is going to be the same as the present or the past; if not the business would result to lost opportunities for profit, unrealistic  objectives, wasted promotional expenditure, management frustration, growing vulnerability to changes in the business environment, just to name this few. Another drawback is that Hiebauns strategic marketing model assumes a fairly accurate forecasting, and does not take in to account unexpected events. In an uncertain world, long-term forecasts cannot relied upon with a high level of confidence; many firms would have to rely on scenario planning as a tool for dealing with multiple contingencies . Whereas the marketing planning process embodies a series of managerial steps, is not simply a series of action steps; it also embodies a set of values and assumptions which, while not being explicit, are nevertheless an integral part of the whole process (McDonald 1996, p. 11). He observes that an organisation would not change its value system or culture unless something very significant take place to make such a change worthwhile. Lancaster and Waddelow (1998) explore this lagging phenomenon of organisations to embrace the tenets of the all acclaimed strategic marketing plan in their study of small-to-medium-size-enterprises. They observe that the strategic scope of a marketing plan is a daunting task which creates two major barriers of perceptions in the minds of managing directors in small-to-medium-size-enterprises. It would take too much time to complete (providing poor return for the effort expended); it will be out of date by the time it is completed (wasting precious resources) (1998, p. 2). They advanced a new methodology for small-to-medium-size-enterprises that must motivate managing directors towards planning and provide for any lapses in their will and knowledge. Such a process should be simple and appropriate; a content that has meaning and resonance; a basis of continuous development and learning (Lancaster and Waddelow 1998). Whereas the representation of strategic marketing planning process proves useful in the world of academics, it is not necessarily the straightforward, linear sequential operation (McDonald 1996). SWOT ANALYSIS Definition SWOT is the acronym of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats; simply is an effective way of identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses, and of examining the Opportunities and Threats you face . It is a summary of the audit under the headings, internal strengths and weaknesses as they relate to external opportunities and threats (McDonald 2003, p. 48). Basically, a straightforward model that provides direction and serves as a basis for the development of marketing plans. This is accomplished by assessing an organizations strengths (what an organization can do) and weaknesses (what an organization cannot do) in addition to opportunities (potential favourable conditions for an organization) and threats (potential unfavourable conditions for an organization) . David Jobber sees it as a structured approach to evaluating the strategic position of a business by identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat of the marketing audit (2004, p. 44). Strengths and weaknesses are essentially associated with the audit of the internal company whereas opportunities and threats stem primarily from the external environment (Lancaster, Massingham, Ashford 2002, p. 374). Purpose of the SWOT Analysis The purpose of strategy is to be really clear before you take the direction. The point of a SWOT analysis is to have the best shot at a grounded plan, says Rashi Glazer, co-director of the Centre for Marketing and Technology at the University of California at Berkeley . SWOT analysis provides the basis upon which later stages in the strategic marketing plan depend and be used to generate thoughts for clear problem definition (Lancaster, Massingham, Ashford 2002). It provides strong evidence about what the company should and should not try to set as marketing objectives (McDonald 2003). A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. It provides information that is helpful in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates . That information would provide indicators that will assist the firm in accomplishing its objectives (a strength or opportunity), or if it indicates an obstacle that must be overcome or minimized to achieve desired results (weakness or threat) (Danca). The information that is used in a SWOT analysis exercise must be current and relevant to the firm; it should ensure that the following is completed : For strengths All strengths should be recognized and validated on a regular basis. The information can originate from internal evaluations by top management. A firms strengths are its resources and capabilities that can be used as a basis for developing a competitive advantage including; patents, strong brand names, good reputation amongst customers, cost advantage from proprietary know-how, exclusive access to high grade natural resources, favourable access to distribution networks (quickmba, online). For weaknesses A weakness could be lack of marketing expertise, undifferentiated products or services (i. e.  in relation to your competitors), location of your business, poor quality goods or services, or damaged reputation. For opportunities Track what is being published in press releases, magazines, and market research reports for the industry. Any mention of growth or continuous trends should be noted. An opportunity could be developing market such as the Internet, mergers, joint ventures or strategic alliances, moving into new market segments that offer impr oved profits, a new international market, a market vacated by an ineffective competitor. For threats Closely monitor press releases of competitors. The press releases can reveal what competitors are currently doing to be competitive in the industry. A threat could be: a new competitor in your home market, price wars with competitors, a competitor has a new, innovative product or service, competitors have superior access to channels of distribution or taxation is introduced on your product or service Davis (2004) suggests that information needed to conduct a proper analysis should be verified and updated before being sent to executives. Data that will be used for the analysis must reflect the current status of the industry. If the method of collecting information is flawed, the results of the analysis will be incorrect and hence provide an assessment that can be poor and lack the proper insight to make the right decisions. Cautioning Overtime, market experts have warned about the seemingly over simplistic approached usually incorporated into the strategic marketing planning. Jobber noted strengths such as I have an old established firm, We are a larger supplier, We are technologically advanced should be questioned for their impact on customer satisfaction (2004, p. 44). A considerable improvement is needed in the way SWOT framework is understood, and used, by many organizations . Koch (2000) further suggests that in appraising effects of opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses, emphasis should be put on their combined effects, rather than on the effects of individual factors in isolation from one another. Appropriate rules must be developed and observed in every SWOT analysis if it is to produce reliable inputs into strategy generation. Koch developed what he referred as the SECURE model (shown below) aimed at circumventing what he described as various SWOT malpractices. The following explanation about the SECURE model as advanced by Koch (2000): The first rule is that boundaries and structure of the market, and their anticipated changes, should be well defined. The second rule demands that all changes in the companys environment capable of influencing this company future performance be included in its SWOT analysis. One should stress here that a multiple-scenario approach to strategic planning would require a multiple SWOT inventory development at each, or at least some, organizational levels. The third rule, trends in the companys external and internal environments should be presented clearly. If, for instance, the long-term survival of the automotive industry depends on its adoption of a new propelling system for a future car, a system that would be more environmentally friendly, and increasingly based on renewable, or more abounding, sources of energy, a superior ability of car-making companies to make progress in this direction would be of critical strategic importance today. The fourth rule, companys competitive environments, their structure, forms, scope and intensity of competition should be properly examined and presented. Again, one should aim for precision of reference in all these respects. For instance, referring broadly to a company as one involved in telecommunication may be quite inadequate, while referring to it as involved in facilitating transmission of certain kind of data to certain categories of customers in certain geographic regions will make it possible to ascertain, and name, all possible opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses. Aiming for a high level of precision in making ones reference sufficiently specific should not come, however, at the cost of blurring the big picture of the market. One should always try and make sure that strategic analysts overlook neither trees nor woods. The fifth rule, a clear reference to an anticipated state of the future company internal and external environment should be made. If SWOT analysis is done in absence of such a background, the verification of claims concerning individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats can be either difficult or virtually impossible. Thus, organizations need to formulate their possible future scenarios clearly and completely. Analysis of the potential significance of the various organization strengths and weaknesses in various possible future situations is obviously capable of enhancing SWOT analysis quite considerably. The sixth rule, a clear reference to future strategic objectives and strategies is required in every SWOT analysis. Failure to do so will make the evaluation of scenario-specific relative importance of individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats quite perplexing and much harder, if at all feasible. One should acknowledge that their significance depends, among other things, on what strategies are going to be implemented by the company. SWOT-TOWS PARADIGM IN ACTION Once a SWOT analysis has been completed, thought can be driven to how to turn weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities. For example, a perceived weakness in customer care might call for staff training to create a new strength. Also, a threat posed by a new entrant might call for a strategic alliance to combine the strengths of both parties to exploit a new opportunity. By dint of the fact that these activities are designed to convert weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities, they are called conversion strategies (Jobber 2004, p. 44). Jobber also suggests that another way to use a SWOT analysis is to match strength with opportunities; a strategy which he termed matching strategies (2004). The diagram below illustrates both strategic phenomena. A similar illustration is that presented by in an online article as shown below. The S-O Strategies pursue opportunities that are good to fit to the companys strengths. W-O Strategies overcome weaknesses to pursue opportunities. Strategies identify ways the firm can use its strengths to reduce its vulnerability to external threats. W-T Strategies establish a defensive plan to prevent firms weaknesses from making its highly susceptible to external threats. An example of how the strengths can be used to exploit new opportunities is the move by Dixons into internet service provision (Jobber 2004). Two of Dixons strengths were its credibility as a supplier of PCs and its larger customer base. Dixons leveraged these strengths to exploit the growth in internet usage by creating a free internet portal, Freeserve. There was no need to advertise its service at a huge expense because a large traffic of PC users already passed through its stores. All Dixons had to do was stick up posters in its stores and handout a free CD-ROM to anyone who was interested. The SWOT analysis would vary from company to another, nonetheless in formulating marketing strategies, it should provide answers to such questions as what do customers need, how do they buy, what our competitors are doing, and how well we are performing against customer needs. McDonald provides some pertinent guidelines for completing the SWOT analysis of major products or market that would serve to generate good marketing objectives and strategies: Critical Success Factors Critical success factors as referred to by McDonald are such factors as product performance, breadth of services, speed of service, low cost just to name this few, are often the most important factors that should be looked at. Besides, identify other suppliers to the same segment, and provide answers as to why the company can succeed. It would result to some key issues to be included in the marketing objectives. Summary of Opportunities and Threats A statement how environmental influencers such as the PEST (Political, Economic, Social Technological) have affected the targeting segment. Key Issues to Address Having done the foregoing, some key issues to be addressed would emerge. Assumptions, Marketing Objectives, Marketing Strategies Assumptions relating to each particular product or market segment under consideration can now be made and objectives set. Competitor Analysis The findings from the audit become relevant at this stage. Each competitor sales and share for the market or product under consideration should be indicated. The company should be able to measure the business strategies and directions of its competitors. Whatever the companys strategic marketing and objectives are, Hiebaun (1997) postulates, they should be measurable qualitatively and quantitatively; reachable; perfectly described and accepted by the people involved. Strategic planning free essay sample Strategic planning is an important and vital part in running an organization for a variety of reasons. Strategic planning provides structure for all of the benefiting parties, whether it is the shareholders, executives, upper management or part time employees. Strategic planning allows everyone to be on the same page as far as where the organization is headed, it also helps employees understand the overall direction the organization. Part of the strategic planning process is utilizing all the tools necessary to make informed and educated decisions. At â€Å"Spot Fix†, we plan on taking advantage of all the tools necessary to run a business. Using these tools, Spot Fix plans on taking the automotive repair industry by storm by providing a service that has never been offered before. The vision statement for Spot Fix focuses not only on the future of the company, but the future of the automotive repair industry as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic planning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The vision statement of Spot Fix is as follows, â€Å"Within the next 5 years, Spot Fix will be the leading automotive repair company, bringing annual revenues to 10 million and will become nationally known as the most trustworthy and efficient auto repair organization. Having this big picture goal displayed in every office will help keep the employees motivated in their day to day endeavors. The mission statement is also another tool used in the beginning of the strategic plan to guide the activities of Spot Fix, explain the complete goal of the organization and provide a clear view of where the company wants to be. It is the mission of Spot Fix to provide consumers the best possible automotive repair service possible. With the expertise of our staff, we look to educate the consumer on our procedures in order to gain their trust and their future business. Our fast and friendly service will be unmatched by our competitors. We ensure this by having an extensive background check and testing for all of our employees. Organizations values are also an important aspect of the strategic plan. When the values of Spot Fix are clearly represented by the employee, it makes it easier for the consumer to give Spot Fix their business. Gaining the trust of the community is just one of the many steps for a successful company. Spot Fix plans on getting involved in the community by sponsoring charity events, scholarships to local students and other things of that nature. Spot Fix also demonstrates its values by taking care of their employees as well. Taking a genuine interest in the employee’s welfare will ultimately bring in more business. Happy employee’s is a high priority for Spot Fix. Another important tool to use is called a SWOTT analysis. .SWOTT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats and Trends. Specifically, SWOT is a basic, straightforward model that assesses what an organization can and cannot do as well as its potential opportunities and threats. The method of SWOT analysis is to take the information from an environmental analysis and separate it into internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external issues (opportunities and threats). Once this is completed, SWOT analysis determines what may assist the firm in accomplishing its objectives, and what obstacles must be overcome or minimized to achieve desired results. (Investopedia, 2012) Below is a SWOTT analysis for Spot Fix. As you can see, the tables presented provide the internal strengths and weaknesses for Spot Fix, as well as the external threats, opportunities and trends. Within each table, a detailed outline is given describing specific items corresponding with the title of the table. For example, a potential weakness within Spot Fix will be finding dependable employees that possess certain qualifications. Alternatively, a strength within Spot Fix is the convenience that is given to the customer because of the nature of the industry. A SWOTT analysis helps benefiting parties to overcome obstacles and capitalize on the organizations strengths.

Disneys Animation Evolution Essay Example

Disneys Animation Evolution Essay Ever since Disney started animating full length feature films there has been a common trend in their choice of lead characters. These characters have been young women or girls, and are often royalty. These characters have served as role models for many generations of young women, and have been continuously evolving over the years. This paper will examine the evolution of Disney’s heroines by examining past and present heroines, as well as speculate on what type of heroines Disney’s future projects may feature. This exploration will involve examining two heroines that are often termed to be â€Å"classic† and a two that are often termed to be â€Å"modern†. We will explore these characters styles of animation, physical appearance and temperaments, personal goals and situations and how these characteristics have affected or could effect viewers. The two â€Å"classical† heroines discussed in this paper are Snow White and Aurora, otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty or Briar Rose. The animators who developed the physical appearance of these two characters used professional dancers as models for their characters. Snow White and Aurora both display similarities in their life situations and personality traits. They are featured as the main character in their respective stories and they are both princesses who are victimized. They are caucasian, young and beautiful, and naive. They both wait for their â€Å"true love†, to come and save them from their crisis. Their â€Å"true love†, in both stories, are mysterious and heroic princes who, among other admirable qualities, are avid horse riders. The feature film â€Å"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs† that was released in 1937. We will write a custom essay sample on Disneys Animation Evolution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Disneys Animation Evolution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Disneys Animation Evolution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As the very first Disney princess and being the lead heroine in the first full length feature by Walt Disney, Snow White became the base mold for all of Disney’s future heroines. Being the first princess meant she was also basically a rough sketch that would be improved upon with each new heroine. Modeled after the dancer Marge Champion (birth name: Marjorie Belcher), Snow White’s face is a bit rounded, she has a small nose, full lips, rosy cheeks and porcelain pale skin (John Grant, 1993). However she differs from heroines that come after her by having somewhat smaller eyes, which did not allow for more expressive emotions. Snow White’s appearance was modeled after a dancer with the intention to make her appear dainty and graceful. When she walks and runs it seems as if she is dancing, and when she actually does dance (as she does at scene 54:00-56:30) in the cottage she performs choreographed dance steps. Executing them perfectly just as Champion danced them with an ethereal dreamlike quality. Her voice was recorded by Adriana Caselotti, a young opera singer to emphasize Snow White’s youth, innocence and naivete. Snow Whites story is a simple one. Snow White is declared as the â€Å"fairest of them all† by a magic mirror owned by her stepmother, the queen. A huntsmen, at the command of Snow White’s jealous stepmother sets out to kill Snow White. The huntsmen shows Snow White mercy and allows her to run away. Snow White befriends cute and friendly woodland creatures and seven dwarfs in her attempts to hide from the queen. The queen continues to pursue Snow White and succeeds in putting Snow White in a coma-like sleep by feeding her a poisoned apple. Snow White’s true love, the prince searches through the forest to save her and awakens her with â€Å"true love’s kiss†. Snow White’s character in this movie is passive. After running away from danger she spends the remainder of the movie waiting to be rescued. She does not take any positive action to change her fate. The decisions made that drive the procession of events are made by other characters, leaving Snow White only able to react. Aurora is the least developed character in all of Disneys movies, only actually appearing for roughly 18 minutes throughout the entire film, yet she is considered to be the lead character. Aurora’s appearance was modeled after actress and dancer Helen Stanley (John Grant, 1993)22. She was drawn to be much thinner than Snow White and featured bigger more expressive eyes. When an evil fairy Malificent curses baby Aurora, Aurora’s parents send her into the woods to be raised by good fairies in order to protect her from the curse. Malificent searches for Aurora as she grows up as Briar Rose, unaware of her royal status and her looming fate. The evil fairy finally finds her and the curse is carried out: Aurora pricks her finger on a loom and falls into a deep sleep. Malificent captures Prince Philip to prevent him form saving the princess but he escapes. Prince Philip finds Aurora, kisses her and awakens her from her sleep. Aurora is like Snow White in that all decisions about her life are made by the people around her. She is given away at birth to be raised by the good fairies, and once she meets her true love, she is informed that she is actually betrothed to the prince. Of course her true love and the prince are one and the same, but she is still not given any choice in the matter. Although in the end everything works out, but it seems more like pure luck than anything. The two â€Å"modern† heroines discussed in this paper are Mulan and Tiana. Both Mulan and Tiana display similarities in their life situations and personality traits. They are featured as the main characters in their respective stories and are both members of minorities and have different cultural backgrounds. They are not born princesses and instead of being victimized are faced with challenges, that they must overcome themselves. Mulan is the tomboy out of Disney’s heroines, and although considered to be one of Disney’s princesses she is in fact not a princess, nor does she become one. Mulan is exotic looking with large saucer almond shaped eyes and pouty lips. Her tomboyish look is not only perceived because of her actual cross dressing but more on her character. Her body, though thin is not waif like, she is somewhat stockier overall than past heroines. There is no clear record of who she was modeled after, her speaking voice is done by Ming-Na, an actress from Hong Kong, and her singing voice was recorded by Lea Salonga. Both her speaking voice and singing voice are strong and sure, they do not waver or portray innocence and naivety. When China goes to war with the Huns, one man from every family is called to arms including Mulans father, who is already injured from the last war. Mulan switches places with her father, going undercover as a man to save her families honor. She trains to become as strong as the rest of the real men in the army and fights alongside them. She is accompanied by Mushu the dragon, a fallen family protector and a lucky cricket. Unlike most of the classical heroines the animals are not woodland characters, nor do they flock to Mulan when she is singing. They are part of her journey and aid her by providing strength and encouragement. Mulan manages to save China and the emporer from the Huns, earning both her families honor and honor of her own. Of course the story would not be complete without a little bit of love. Mulan falls in love with her companies captain, and in the end he appears to have fallen for her as well. He is not a prince though and seems to merely compliment her life instead of wanting to rule her life. Tiana is the princess from the movie â€Å"The Princess and the Frog† that was released in 2009. This is the most recent Disney movie with a female heroine. Tiana is the first african american heroine, and unfortunately she spends the majority of the story in frog form. Now the main difference of course between Tiana and past heroines is that she is african american, she has the typical saucer eyes and oval face. Her nose is a little wider than most of the heroines and her lips are much fuller. Her body is thin for the most part, but she seems to have wider hips and slightly larger legs and calves, while still appearing slim overall. Tiana’s voice is done by Anika Noni Rose, and while it is not specified anywhere, it appears as if she was modeled after her too. Her voice is strong and proud, with a little bit of spice to it, meaning that her attitude comes through when she speaks. Disney’s princess and the frog is a bit of a twist on the original tale, of course it is due to a little mishap, with Tiana not actually being a princess. Tiana is girl with a goal, dreaming of owning her own restaurant. She is unlike all the past heroines in the case that she has an actual paying job, two in fact, barely sleeping and collecting tips so that one day she can afford her dream location. She passes up frivolity and doesn’t put any stock into love, fashion or anything else that would give her something in common with any of the past female leads. Once she is turned into a frog she learns that maybe shutting the possibility of love out of her life was hastey, and she falls for the prince although they are both frogs. The rest of the movie revolves around their quest to become human again, ending in their marriage, while still in frog form. This marriage makes her a princess and thus their first wedded kiss turns them both back. The prince helps her to open her dream restaurant and appears to convert to a life of the normal instead of a life of royalty. For the last section of the paper we will theorize on the possible direction that future disney princesses and heroines might take. One would hope that Disney would continue on with the image of strong, empowered, positive female characters that they have been portraying in the past fifteen years. Because these characters are seen as such a strong influence on most young girls, it is important to keep these characteristics as well as to maybe modernize them even more. Today young women in americanized cultures are empowered to have rights, be independent, fend for themselves and to make their own paths in life. Tiana, from â€Å"The princess and the frog†, as discussed in the prior section of the paper, mostly fits this description. However it still ends with her finding her prince and living happily ever after. Now not to say that the heroines to come shouldn’t live happily ever after but who says they need a prince or man anymore. Lets be realistic here, women today pave their own way and while finding love is usually not completely crossed off anyones list it is not usually their main goal. Goals of heroines and princesses to come could involve a princess going to university, starting her own business like Tiana, or having some sort of job. Who says the princess needs to fall in love, get married and make babies. Disney is often controversial dealing with things that may not immediately be accepted, like when they introduced exotic characters of different races. Maybe Disney will push the envelope and make a lesbian heroine or princess, that would be different although possibly too different. As discussed earlier all of Disney’s main leading women, are slender, small waisted and of nice if not perfect proportions. Women come in all shapes and sizes and Disney would be smart to incorporate these aspects into characters to come. The characters would be more realistic and maybe even more relatable for young girls. A larger heroine with thicker legs and larger proportions overall would help counter the images most young girls are subjected to by the media today, and the images that are portrayed in past Disney films. Disney’s heroines have been evolving continuously from the very beginning. Starting with shy, naive waif like girls and proceeding to include different cultures and personality types. Tiana is the start of the future for Disney, and if you compare her to Snow White you can see how far these heroines have come, while still managing to be part of a fairytale. We remain hopeful that Disney will continue to progress and evolve their heroines further, pushing boundaries and setting better examples for young girls. Bibliography John Grant, 1993. Encyclopedia of Walt Disney animated characters. Hyperion: New York Leonard Mosley, 1985. Disney’s World: a biography. Stein and Day: New York Christopher Finch, 1973. Walt Disney: From mickey mouse to the magic Kingdoms. Harry N. Abrams, Inc: New York Walt Disney, David hand. (1937) Snow White and the Seven dwarfs. United States: Buena Vista Distribution Walt Disney, Clyde Geronimi. (1959) Sleeping Beauty. United States: Buena Vista Distribution Pam Coate, Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook. (1998) Mulan. United States: Walt Disney Pictures Peter Del Vecho, Ron Clements and John Musker. (2009) The princes and the frog. United States: Walt Disney Pictures

The 4 Best ACT Apps (and How to Use Them in Your Prep)

The 4 Best ACT Apps (and How to Use Them in Your Prep) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You can use apps to order food, watch sports, keep up with friends, and even study for the ACT. ACT apps are a somewhat recent phenomenon, but they're pretty appealing. After all, studying on your phone sounds like way more funthan studying from a book. Unfortunately, apps aren't enough to prepare you for the test on their own, but they can be a helpful resource. In this article, I'll explain what ACT prep apps are, list the best ACT apps (most of which are free!), andoffer tips on how to use them effectively. ACT Apps: An Overview As mobile apps have become more popular, a number of ACT prep apps have been created to help students prepare for the ACT. Those who have created them are trying to capitalize on the popularity of mobile apps, and they want to make ACT prep material more accessible for students. If you have an ACT prep app on your phone or tablet, you'll be able to study for the ACT wherever you’re at, whether you’re at home, school, or on a plane. Also, studying on an app is more enjoyable and interactive for some students than using an ACT prep book. Most ACT prep apps are free, but there are some that cost money to purchase. Why ACT Apps Are Not Enough ACT apps can be a good study tool, but you probably won’t be able to solely rely on them to reach your target score. They're helpful, but it takes more than just a piece of technology to to get a killer score on the ACT!You should check out our articles on how to get a perfect score on the ACT and the best ways to study for the ACTfor the best tips and tricks to getting a great score. Additionally, most of the apps don't have sufficient practice questions. There are either too few of them, or they're not representative of the questions you'll get on the ACT. You may need more real ACT questions or realistic practice questions to test your knowledge and improve your content weaknesses. Also, the apps don’t teach you ACT test-taking strategies that can help you. Most of the apps don’t cover test-taking strategies like how to read the ACT Reading and English passages. Furthermore, the majority of the apps aren’t customized to your skill level. To improve your ACT score, you need to focus your time on improving your weaknesses. You may need to get better with your time management on the Science section. Or you may need help with trigonometry. Most of these apps aren’t effective at determining where you’re weak, and they’re not designed to help you focus on the areas in which your skills need to improve. Identify your weaknesses What Makes a Good ACT App? There are specific qualities you should look for in an SAT app. #1: Tons of Realistic Practice Questions The best ACT apps will offer hundreds of practice questions for you to hone your skills. The questions should be presented in the same format as the questions that appear on the ACT, and they should be roughly as difficult as the questions on the official ACT practice tests. Each question should provide a thorough explanation, so you’re able to understand how to correctly answer all of the practice questions. #2: Good User Experience The app should be easy to navigate and use. On some of the apps, the text is hard to read, or the setup of the app makes it difficult to identify the functions and navigate between them. #3: Thorough Content Instruction A good ACT prep app should clearly teach you the content you need to know to excel on the ACT. After reading a lesson or answer explanation, you shouldn’t have any lingering confusion about the topic. A quality app will break down the topic and thoroughly explain it. You should be able to start with limited knowledge of the topic, but then understand it well enough to correctly answer related ACT questions after using the app. A bad app will provide more brief instruction and leave you uncomfortable with a content area you are unsure about. If you have unanswered questions about the topic, you'll need more content instruction. #4: Questions and Lessons Divided by Specific Topics A good app will divide practice questions and content instruction by more specific topics than just Reading, English, Science, and Math. If you know the topics on which you need extra help, you should know exactly where to go. If you need more help with pronoun agreement, you should be able to easily find instruction or practice questions to help you with your knowledge of pronoun agreement. The 4 Best ACT Apps If you want to use ACT apps in your studying, here are four that can provide some benefit to you. All are free of charge, except the official ACT app. Many of the other ACT apps that I’m not mentioning offer an unhelpful basic version, and then you have to pay to upgrade to the â€Å"premium† version for more practice questions and content instruction. #1: ACT Online Prep iTunes|Google Play This is the ACT’s official prep app, and it advertises itself as the only app that can help you accurately predict your ACT score. It’s definitely helpful, but it costs $39.95 and comes as part of thepurchase of the ACT's online prep program. It’s customized to your skill level, it has practice questions and a test with real ACT questions, and it offers thorough content review. Also, there are gaming features that allow you to test your knowledge and compete with your friends. That's not to mention the fact that this app isofficial,so you know you're getting the best information possible. Honestly, the biggest drawbackto this app is the price. #2: Ready4 ACT iTunes |Google Play This app offers 60 lessons, 1,000 virtual flashcards that provide explanations to example questions, and 1,000 practice questions. Initially, you take a diagnostic test of eight questions and the app will customize a course of instruction for you. Because there aren’t many questions on the diagnostic, the app may not accurately determine your current skill level. This app is definitely one of the better free ACT prep apps. It offers content instruction, you can take a mock ACT with up to 100 questions, it offers many good realistic practice questions, and the explanations to the questions are complete. It’s still not perfect, though. The content instruction it provides is pretty brief, so it may not be enough if you’re struggling with a topic. Also, the user experience isn't ideal. For the Reading and English questions, the passages and questions are on different screens, and it was a little difficult for me to find the underlined portion of the passage for the English questions. #3: ACT: Practice, Prep, Flashcards iTunes |Google Play This app, which was designed by the tutoring company Varsity Tutors, has a ton of features. Itincludes practice tests, single-section diagnostic tests, questions of the day, and flashcards with practice questions and explanations. You can also make your own flashcards and find a tutor via the app. You’ll have to pay for the tutor, though, and the prices for one-on-one tutoring aren't clearly listed. The app's major benefit is its wealth of practicequestions, and since they're divided by topic, you can drill your specific weaknesses. Unfortunately,there’s no mention of test-taking strategies nor anycontent instruction other than explanations of the practice questions. But for a free app, you can't beat the amount of information! #4: ACT Prep Coach Practice Test iTunes | Google Play On the upshot, this test prep app by Magoosh (which updates regularly!) gives users a lot to love. The app combines study tips, helpful articles, and test practice questions, and it even offers users a practice test. The free tier is pretty robust in that you can access all the most recent articles along with 100 video lessons and 63 practice questions. I think the free trial gives you enough good information to get started. The premium version of this app boasts tons more content, including nearly 700 practice questions and more than double the video content. But the pricing model for premium isn't clear. Is it a one-time purchase or a subscription? How much does premium cost? All of this information- which is pretty important- seems to be hidden from users, so it's hard to know whether a premium subscription is really worth it. How to Use ACT Apps in Your Studying As I previously mentioned, ACT apps can be a good resource, but you shouldn’t rely solely on them in your ACT prep. Here’s are a few tips on howto useapps effectively, rather than as a way to avoid more productive study methods. #1: For Additional Practice Questions For ACT practice questions, focus on the official released ACTs. These questions will most closely resemble the questions you’ll find on your ACT. Also, you can get the Official ACT Prep Guide, which has three official tests with answer explanations. The ACT prep apps are a good supplement to these resources, and they provide a ton of questions for you to continue to drill and test your knowledge. #2: To Improve Your Weaknesses If you know the types of questions on which you struggle, you can use apps to do more questions related to those topics or get more content instruction. Use the apps that divide questions by specific topics, and you should focus on the topics with which you need the most help.Don’t just dogeometryquestions if you’re already getting all of those questions right. #3: To Change Up Your Study Routine If you’re always using the same book or website to study, then you can use an ACT app to alter your normal routine. Sometimes, changing your regular routine can energize you and give you additional motivation to study. FinalRecommendations ACT apps can help you in your ACT preparation, if you use them in conjunction with other resources. The apps work best once you already have a solid foundation, namely if you'refamiliar with all the content on the ACT and aware ofyour current weaknesses. Also, keep in mind that you’ll have to learn test-taking strategies elsewhere. If you want needa free resource to learn ACT content and strategies, I'd recommendchecking outthe articles on this blog! What's Next? Are you trying to improve your ACT score? Learn how to study for and ace the ACT. Is your ACT coming up very soon and you haven't adequately prepared? Read our guide to cramming for the ACT. What score should you be aiming for on the ACT? We've got an article that coverswhat exactly a "good" score looks like, along with tips on how to get there. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Analysis of the Movie The Gladiator Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of the The Gladiator - Movie Review Example The movie review "Analysis of the Movie The Gladiator" presents the overview of the film "The Gladiator" plot, its main heroes, and techniques used in the production of this movie. The plot of the film is brought out in an overwhelmingly exciting manner with scenes unfolding like in a real-life scene. Maximus is preferred by Commodus father to inherit the throne, something which Commodus disputes strongly. Commodus then resorts to murder his father and forcefully inherits the throne. He reduces Maximus to being a slave and severely destroys his family. To save himself from the chains of slavery, Maximus opts to become a gladiator on a new land after being saved by slave traders- a very low position in society. Using his brains and tactics, he plans to take revenge on Commodus so that he can be reunited happily with his family. In spite of all the challenges he faced, he was able to go through with his revenge. The movie is built around three act structures; bringing Maximus down from a warrior to slave and finally to gladiator. There is nothing complex in this film as it is not realistic but rather an attempt to create a myth. The three acts are brought out in a dizzyingly exciting manner. Scott employs simple digital effects of reconstructing the whole Ancient Rome world on a film. He presents breathtaking scenes like the intact Coliseum shots flooded by crowds of spectators. Furthermore, on watching the film, there are scenes when the screen is filled with action series of tigers, chariots, and swords.