Comments

• 

  Christopher Anosike August 6, 2024 at 6:02pm

  

  There are many reasons why college education is important. The reasons are: the experience, skills, learning, and competition. In general, your experiences have awarded you a different perspective on the way you should behave or act in various situations. Experiences that you have endured have made you become wiser. Through experience, you discover things about yourself and others. In college, you attain skills that may not have acquired from home. For example, communication skills are skills that you have extracted from taking classes that required me to work in groups. You gain these skills unknowingly by interacting with people who you would not normally speak to or have conversations with. Your journey through college shows evidence of these specific capabilities. For instance, you meet people who are less fortunate but more motivated to succeed. Essentially, you acquire knowledge about how to accept other people who come from different cultures and/or have dissimilar personalities. Moreover, you come away learn about survival techniques. These techniques have make you more independent. For example, in dorms, you have to figure out how to compromise and work in accordance with my roommates. In another light, college is a source for competition. The Darwinism effect applies to college because only the mentally strong and motivated survive. Since today’s market is a dog-eat-dog world college weans out those individuals that are not focused. Individuals who attend college have personal satisfaction.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 2, 2024 at 3:42am

  

  Christopher Anosike
  
  Dictionary Definition=
  According to Harvard University, the word "torture" means to force someone to do something that is "illegal" or "uninhibited." Torture is commonly known as any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of an official or other person acting in an official's capacity.
  
  My definition of torture=
  To me, torture is physical, emotional and mental suffering in exchange for an output or reaction. I believe it is pain and suffering combined.
  -Torture can be considered one of the causes of homicide and suicide.
  -Torture is also one of the causes of depression and anxiety.
  -Torture is not inborn but has a long-lasting effect upon people in today’s society.
  -Criminals cause torture to their targets/victims.
  -Torture can cause mental problems.
  -Torture can cause people to generalize and become narrow-minded
  -Some people who are tortured become sexual and mental abusers and drug addicts.
  
  My example of torture: The Iraq was one of the most recent events related to torture. The Iraq war began in 2003. President Bush initially ordered 21,500 US troops to be deployed to Iraq. During this war, The US and its allies invaded Iraq due to his belief that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, to adopt a system of democracy in Iraq and to put an end to human rights abuses. The invasion of Iraq led to the eventual capture and execution of President Saddam Hussein. Violence against coalition forces led to the Iraq conflicts and rivalry between many Sunni and Shia Iraqi groups, and al-Qaeda friction in Iraq. According to CNN, there were 4,237 coalition deaths including 3,931 Americans, 2 Australians, 174 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, 1 Czech, 7 Danes, 2 Dutch, 2 Estonians, 1 Fijian, 1 Hungarian, 33 Italians, 1 Kazakh, 1 Korean, 3 Latvian, 22 Poles, 3 Romanians, 5 Salvadoran, 4 Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, 2 Thai and 18 Ukrainians. Early in 2009, President Obama announced a new 18-month withdrawal window for & combat forces with approximately 50,000 troops remaining in the country & to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to provide intelligence and surveillance. While Britain withdrew from interference with Iraq in April of 2009, General Ray Odierno, the top US military commander in Iraq, said “I believe that all US troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011”.
  
  CLOSING
  Torture is present in most people’s lives. Whether you are alive and well or sick and rusty everyone is tortured in some sort of way, even if they don’t believe that they have.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 2, 2024 at 3:28am

  

  EJobs essay:
  There internet became most popular during the 1900s. It was a major invention that
  helped improved communication lines through various channels. In the early 90′s, the
  internet was set up through dial up phone connections then later become most notable
  through WiFi connections. In particular, the internet has played an integral part in my
  education. I have used the internet to share knowledge, to spread awareness about
  today’s issues, to communicate with those who are not near, and to become informed
  through various forms of media.
  Firstly, I have used the internet to share knowledge. In other words, the internet
  facilitates the passing on of information from generation to generation. For example, I
  have passed on information I learned from school to foreign exchange students.
  Sharing knowledge helps me gain suggestions about dilemmas. When I filled out my
  application to attend college in 2012, I received suggestions about where to attend
  college, through a website called College Prowler. Also, sharing knowledge allows me to
  generate new ideas from previous projects. This allows me to create contact through a
  collaborative effort. The result of a collaborating is that it inspires teamwork, which gets
  work completed more quickly.
  Secondly, I have used the internet to spread awareness about today’s issues. I use the
  internet to leverage myself through blogging. Blogging allows me to understand and
  respect different prospective and stimulates constructive criticism and offers debates
  that need to be discussed. Spreading awareness sparks conversation about taboos and
  societal norms.
  Thirdly, I have used the internet to communicate with those who are not near. Tools
  like Skype and Google plus make it convenient to speak to those abroad. Professors
  that I have had use Skype to hold review sessions. Additionally, I have, personally,
  used Google plus to conduct interviews to chat with professors through days when the
  weather has been nasty and during days where my professors have been sick. Using
  the internet to communicate with those that are far in proximity to me is a quick way to
  keep in touch with someone.
  Fourthly, I have used the internet to become informed through various forms of social
  media. As a business major, I have learned ways to market oneself through websites
  like Facebook and LinkedIn. I have understood that I need to use the internet to create
  visuals for employers to envision how I would fit within their respective companies.
  Also, I have used twitter to keep myself in the loop about disputes, and generate
  information about tragedies. This has made me more knowledgeable about so I can
  compete better when asked about specific issues. Employers want candidates that are
  well-versed and understand the logistics of issues that affect companies both internally
  and externally. Being informed through various forms of social media has made me
  
  stand out and helps me give sensible feedback during discussions with professors, other
  students and prospective employers.
  In large, the internet has shaped the world we live in today. It has remained popular
  due to its many functions. Evidently, it plays a very important role in education. The
  internet has given me the privilege to share knowledge, to spread awareness about
  today’s issues, to communicate with those who are not near, and to become informed
  through various forms of media.
  EJobs= what I will use the money for?
  I will use the money to invest in getting my certification in a financial markets program
  at my local community college.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 3:44pm

  CULTURE RESEARCH
  PAPER
  A Comparison of the Traditional and
  Contemporary Igbo Culture
  Christopher Anosike
  
  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  My parents’ culture in their generation is not easily comparable to the culture of my
  generation. However, there is a connection from my parents’ culture as Igbo, Nigerians to
  the cultural system I was brought up with. This connection is seen in the similarities in
  the traditional upbringing and value system of both generations. To provide a full context
  for comparison, I will explain the past and present day and then analyze the similarities of
  each. It should be noted that although there are differences between the cultures of my
  parents’ generation and my own, most of the main constructs of our cultures has not
  changed.
  
  TRADITIONAL CULTURE
  
  From a religious standpoint, it was studied as a requirement in schools. Catholicism was
  the most dominant religion in West Africa, and more especially, Nigeria.  Specifically,
  most of the Igbo tribe was Catholic. The Igbos were and still are one of the few Catholic
  tribes of Nigeria.
  
  The educational system consisted of a system similar to that of one present in the US
  today. Students attended primary school, secondary school, and then college. This was
  the equivalent of attending junior and senior high school. Some of the difference is seen
  in the teachers and attitudes of the students. Teachers were considered strict by today’s
  standards. They were allowed to discipline students at their discretion.  Because of this
  strict enforcement, dropping out of school was not heard of.  Thus, children were more
  focused on getting good grades, getting into college, and scholastic achievement. 
  
  The requirements of traditional and spousal relationships included marrying a Nigerian
  man/woman, professional success was expected after many years of education; having
  some religious upbringing; being familiar/fluent with the native language. By in large,
  this was determined through personal evaluation and also the reputation of the family.
  
  My parents like to laude the fact that the food was more natural. For breakfast, a family
  would go to the nearest palm or banana tree and pick the fruit. (Nigerian Culture,
  http://webinstituteforteachers.org/~esohes/africa/culture.html). There were no harsh
  chemicals applied and much of the food was organic. Many of the dishes were starch
  heavy foods like yam, cassava, and potatoes. These were then made into the staple dishes,
  which included foo-foo, and garee. In both dishes, the starch portion of the meal was
  mixed with water to form a very sticky and hardened oatmeal-like base. This was then
  used to dip into a vegetable soup. As people were poorer, starch-heavy allowed people to
  go long periods without meals. 
  
  In my parents’ generation, women were expected to cook for their children and husband
  in the household. They stayed home and watched their children while men worked during
  the day. Women were viewed as the primary caretakers of the family. If the woman was
  sick or away, the duties were passed on to the eldest daughter or local female relative. 
  Men were, at best, unfamiliar with the duties of the house. The distinct roles of men and
  women were most apparent in the courting process.
  
  The first step in the courting process was to search for a husband/wife via social events,
  word of mouth and or through a relative’s recommendation. This initial screening
  ensured that the candidate was at least worth the time and effort. It was seen as an
  
  effective way to reduce the time and energy in finding the right person. After the courting
  had taken its route, consent from family members and close friends was essential. The
  immediate family had to approve of the relationship for women and men because it was
  seen as a union of two families. The screening process places a high emphasis on having
  a good upbringing, morals, and beliefs. Before each parent granted final approval, the
  third step was to send kola nut and wine as an official proposition. The final step
  involved the settling of dowry from the man to the family of the women, which can be in
  the form of money or gifts. This was given as a way to make of for the lost labor the
  family would experience by losing the second housekeeper. A native/traditional wedding
  rounded out the entire process where the entire village was invited and left gifts with the
  couple.
  
  Attendees wore traditional attire, as they did with formal events. The most common
  elements of this were dashikis for men and a vibrantly decorated head and body wrap for
  women. 
  
  PRESENT-DAY CULTURE
  
  In the present day, many Igbos are still Christian but other denominations that have become
  more include Anglican, Baptism, Protestantism and Evangelism. 
  
  For example, Nigerian children do not have the desire to become better than another in
  the workplace. Children have a strong interest in education relative to American society,
  but it is not seen as mandatory for success. For instance, while education is seen as
  
  important for success, it is not viewed as mandatory due to alternative means available to
  achieve success.
  
  Time spent with family is important as well, however; children tend to have a sense
  that parents do not fully understand the lives of their lives as Nigerians and Americans.
  
  As for language, many children are not brought up to be fluent in the Igbo (Anosike, E.
  interview, 2009). In relation to food in past-day culture, there is less focus on survival
  food.  In addition to this, there is a Western influence on the food and diet of younger adults
  and even parents who have immigrated here. In many households, traditional dishes are
  still served however there is a more diverse selection available.
  
  Marriage customs in the present day are relatively similar to traditional practice.  There
  are chains of events that typically occur. First, one has to search for a wife/husband
  through social events/word of mouth/relative recommendation. During this courting
  stage, no serious due diligence is done on the person being courted. There is an
  understanding that there might not be a need to involve family and friends to further
  evaluate the person. If there is a strong interest in the person, a person would usually gain
  consent or approval by family members and close friends. The basis is fairly similar to
  the traditional metrics. The person must have good upbringing, morals, and beliefs. As
  far as the wedding itself, a person would typically have a church wedding in addition to
  the traditional wedding in Nigeria.
  
  Recently, gender roles have become less defined. Where women used to be the
  subservient in the household, they now are seen as the backbone in many US
  
  households.  They have their own jobs and, in many cases, are highly successful (Qualls,
  Alyssa. Women in Nigeria Today,
  http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/contwomen.html).  They are not bound by the
  traditional rules that had them cooking and cleaning, though many still engage in this.
  
  Siblings also share a different relationship in present times. In the past, older siblings
  were seen as the second in command to parents. Today, this view is not as widely held.
  Siblings still respect each other but require more space. The expression of love for one
  another is also less explicit than it was in the past. Today, Siblings tend to call each other
  regularly, and visit each other regularly. The extended family also plays a less significant
  role in the upbringing of children and grandchildren (Ajomale, Olayinka, Country
  Report: Ageing in Nigeria).  In the past it was often said, “it takes a village to raise a
  child”. With family more spread apart, this does not hold the same weight.  
  
  As an individual’s fashion and attire is more shaped by his/her immediate surroundings,
  there is a heavy Western influence on the clothing of first generation Igbo-Americans.
  Traditional African attire is mostly worn during parties on special cultural occasions.
  
  A lot can be said about the culture of my parents generation compared to the culture of
  my generation. Some aspects of culture have stayed the same and other aspects of culture
  have been manipulated or changed. These changes in culture have affected my generation
  just as generations prior to my parents have affected their culture. While it is safe to say
  that Nigerian culture has evolved over the years, there are still similarities that each
  generation shares.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 3:41pm

  Christopher Anosike
   
  ABSTRACT:
  In the continent of Africa, migrant children are facing severe hardships, such as hunger,
  homelessness, violence, both internal and external conflicts. Some documented records
  have also shown that Morocco has about the worst record on child abuse. Similar reports
  from Spain are showing that migrant children are in need of legal aid. These children are
  exposed to danger, which may eventually lead to their deaths. Unfortunately, in China
  also, many migrant children lack both parental care and some basic education. Human
  rights organizations continue to struggle to put an end to these hardships that have
  become epidemic worldwide. One real solution could be that aid groups will need to put
  in place immediately some effective procedures that will benefit migrant children if their
  future existence has to be guaranteed.
  
  FORMAL OUTLINE:
  Topic:  Migrant children
  Focus question: What are the problems that migrant children face in Africa, Morocco,
  Spain and China?  
  Statement of purpose: The purpose of the paper is to explain the problems that migrant
  children endure throughout their lifetime.
  Thesis Sentence: Migrant children are faced with many hardships, which lead to
  exploitation.
  Struggles of Migrant children
   (What are the problems that migrant children face?)  
  I. Migrant children in Africa
  A. Migrant Children in Guinea
  -They suffer from psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. (hrw)
  -They are denied an education.
  B. Migrant children in South Africa
  
  -Migrants from Mozambique flee to South Africa (ebscohost- Devon Haynie)
  -They need stable shelters./They are dealing with homelessness.
  -They don’t have food to eat.
  -Migrant children don’t get the right nutrition, which may lead to death.
  C. Migrant Children in Nigeria, Congo, Zimbabwe and Rwanda
  -They flee to Ireland due to conflict and violence. (ebscohost)
  D. Migrant children in Senegal.
  -They are subject to violence and ill-treatment.
  II. Migrant children in Morocco
  -Migrant children need to be protected from the abuses. (unicef)
  -Migrant children are faced with poverty.
   -They suffer from mental health problems.
   -Migrant children need to be screened and treated for infectious diseases.
   -Migrant children with disabilities need to be cared for.
  III. Migrant children in Spain
    -Migrant children face cultural and language problems. (unicef/ebscohost-Sarah Miller)
   -They are mixed in with other children and suffer from abuses because of this.
    -They need legal officers to protect their rights. (hrw)
  IV. Migrant children in China
   -They suffer as classrooms become overcrowded.. (unicef)
   -They don’t have the funds to go to school.
  -They don’t have access to social services.
  
  International migration has increased in past decades due to various reasons including
  demographic imbalances between rich and poor countries. Hundreds of millions of children
  across the world suffer from severe exploitation and discrimination making them “invisible”
  to the world (UNICEF, 2005). Majority of these children are victims of poverty who migrate
  to other countries for a variety of reasons. Factors causing migration of children include
  parental loss from diseases such as HIV/AIDS, civil disturbances that result to violence and
  loss of resources, and natural disasters that disrupts habitats and community living. In
  addition, migrant children tend to lack official birth records predisposing them to a range of
  problems including pedophile abuse and slavery. In a report released by UNICEF in 2005,
  an estimated 1.8 million children work in the sex industry, 5.7 million are sold into slavery,
  and 1.2 million are trafficked each year. The purpose of the paper is to explore the problems
  facing migrant children in select countries of the world including Spain, China and in the
  continent of Africa where migrant children appear to be affected the most.  
  The 2000 Census statistics in China showed that the number of migrant children
  reached 19.81 million, accounting for 19.4 percent of the migrant population (China Daily,
  Dec 17 2005). The same source reports that an estimated 140 million people including
  children lack health care, proper education, and basic human rights protection. The lack of
  official registration and the discrimination that migrant children face account for the
  majority of reasons why they are not accorded appropriate education, health care, and other
  human rights protection (UNICEF, July 13, 2006). Although China ’s government gives
  tuition waivers to school-going children, children in big cities struggle to find a school.
  Nearly 80% of China ’s migrant children do not attend middle school. Chinese migrant
  children struggle as classrooms become overcrowded. Due to this, migrant children are
  
  forced to enroll in unlicensed schools, which may expose them to unsafe conditions. This
  has been suggested as the reason why 10% of China ’s migrant children drop out of school.
  Also, migrant children in China are employed in hazardous jobs with no security and little
  or no pay and don't receive health care. Fortunately, the Shanghai government has stepped in to
  improve the public health care system in the city. According to UNICEF, new rules and
  policies have been ineffective in calling for and end to the unsuccessful nature of human
  rights laws due to the growing number of migrant children in China.
  Child migration in the Kingdom of Spain is just as problematic if not worse than
  other countries of the world. Confronted with an unemployment rate of 10.4% among other
  social issues, Spain has become overwhelmed with domestic issues and the widespread
  social changes including child migration.  According to a news report in June 2008, there
  are approximately 3,000-5,000 unaccompanied migrant children currently in Spain,
  including an estimated 1,000 unaccompanied children have arrived by boat in the Canary
  Islands since 2006 alone. The children are coming from Sub-Saharan countries and
  Morocco. Although the human rights protection law in Spain calls for the protection of these
  children, the children have virtually been dumped at government facilities. Migrant children
  in Spain are housed in the so-called emergency care centers in the Canary Islands. In a
  Human Rights Watch report titled “Unwelcome Responsibilities: Spain’s Failure to Protect
  the Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the Canary Islands”, a series of violations
    of the children’s rights were documented and include:
          Ill-treatment of children by the emergency care center staff.
          Children housed over one year period in overcrowded, unsafe and substandard
  facilities.
  
          Children detained by police upon arrival in poor environmental conditions.
          Children not receiving appropriate migration documentation upon arrival and
  subsequently falling into the category of undocumented migrants on their 18 th
  birthday. 
  Although there have been some improvement in the Spanish government efforts to
  rectify this problem, the system’s shortcoming continuous as migrant children continue to
  suffer.  The Human Rights Watch researchers investigated the treatment of unaccompanied
  children in Spain and Morocco and confirmed the report of ill treatment of the children.
  Unaccompanied children were reported as beaten, clubbed, and kicked by Spanish police
  during forced expulsions to Morocco, and then beaten and detailed in unsafe conditions by
  police officials in Morocco.
              Child migration occurs in the traditional form that is referred to as child fostering in
  addition to the types that is seen in other countries. Through child fostering, parents may
  send their children to their relatives, friends, acquaintances, and other informal networks.
  Poverty and lack of family planning access predispose people to have many children beyond
  their ability. Girls are typically expected to perform domestic work and marry at a very early
  age. Parent with many children often send some of their children to others who reside in
  larger cities in the belief that the larger cites have better educational facilities and better
  employment opportunities. In addition the standard of health care, education and even
  nutrition is higher in larger cities than in rural areas. Parents who are unable to support large
  number of children often end up sending some of the children off to relatives in larger cities.
  Unfortunately, it is not unusual for children who have been sent away by their parents for a
  better standard of living to be exploited and abused. 
  
  In Guinea for instance, girls are recruited for prostitution for little or no pay. While
  recruited, the girls are exposed to many adverse conditions including domestic abuse and
  rape. Boys are forced into child labor and slavery. Another form of child migration occurs
  through child trafficking. Reports of child trafficking in Guinea and the neighboring
  countries of Mali, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire are not uncommon.  
  In South Africa, migrants from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique migrant
  children from the neighboring countries also face exploitation and abuse while they seek
  food and shelter. Limited resources in some areas of South Africa leave the children with no
  choice than to use police stations for shelter. Although they came to South Africa looking
  for work, they end up in the poorest living conditions. Children and adolescents from
  countries with civil unrest such a Congo, Zimbabwe and Rwanda are known to migrate to
  neighboring countries like Nigeria in an effort to stay away from civil conflicts that leads to
  violence and mass killing of the people.  
  The problem of child migration has become pervasive and complex. Although many
  local and international aid groups struggle to find new ways of help migrant children, the
  majority of entities who could help tend to shy away from the problem. Rectifying the issue
  of child migration would require the collaboration and cooperation of the international
  communities as it has become obvious that any social and economic problem of that
  overwhelms one part of the world and would eventually become a global problem. 
  WORKS CITED
  1) http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/edu/hedcew6-61.000/hedcew6-61.htm
  2) http://www.euromedrights.net/pages/549/news/focus/62401
  3) http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8820602.html
  4) http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8841617.html
  5) http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/10/17/spain-give-migrant-children-l...
  6) http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/directions/08.htm
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 5:32am

  QUESTION #1= Is an insurance company more concerned about fixed capital or working capital? Does this make it easier or harder to finance rapid growth?
  ANSWER #1= Fixed-capital investments are typically depreciated on the company's accounting statements over a long period of time, up to 20 years or more. Examples include factories, office buildings, computer servers, insurance policies, legal contracts and manufacturing equipment – anything that is not continually purchased in the course of production of a good or service. Fixed-capital investments typically don't depreciate in the even way that is shown on income statements. Some devalue quite quickly, while others have nearly infinite "usable" lives. But the depreciation method allows investors to see a rough estimate of how much value fixed-capital investments are contributing to the current performance of the company.
  QUESTION #2= Why did hospitals borrow so much and load up their balance sheets with debt during the 1980s?
  QUESTION #2= The state is on the hook for up to a half billion dollars to cover bonds from a 1980s-era bailout of private hospitals in New York State, including one that shut its doors two years ago. While the state budget division projects its burden to be only $3 million in the coming fiscal year, the debt service the state expects to pay for eight struggling hospitals and one that has already closed will rise to $32 million in 2014 and $39 million annually starting in 2015.
  No one knows how long the hospitals can keep paying back their debt. The governor’s financial plan notes that of the eight hospitals that remain open, “several are experiencing significant operating losses that are likely to impair their ability to remain current on their loan agreements.”
  The consequences for taxpayers are spelled out in the state’s financial plan: “In the event there are shortfalls in revenues… the State is liable for the debt service.” That obligation is spelled out in contracts with each of the hospitals. The legislature has no choice but to budget the funds: if it didn’t, the state’s creditworthiness would crumble.
  The state faces two options in Brooklyn. It can allow the medical institutions to shut down and pay off much of the debt through sale of the hospitals’ assets, or it can keep bailing out the bailout. Health care workers and local leaders warn that if the state allows the hospitals to fail, the communities will pay dearly.
  QUESTION #3= Have government payments and regulations raised or lowered the quality of care?
  ANSWER #3= Government payments and regulations could lower quality of care because such payments make service at average level. As long as customers do not pay by themselves they could not ask for high quality. Government payments provide basic level of quality.
  QUESTION #4= Does financial innovation in health care improve productivity and consumer welfare the way technological innovation does?
  ANSWER #4= Financial innovations in health do not usually have the same impact as technological innovations do. They are targeted more on financial part of treatment as long as main target of technological innovations is to improve healthcare process.
  QUESTION #5= What are the major financial risks facing an insurance company?
  ANSWER #5= Financial risk is any risk of financial loss. Such a definition of financial risk is extremely broad, and under it you can attach any sphere of human activity that has the cash equivalent. At its core, the closest to this type of insurance are: credit insurance; investment insurance; insurance and guarantees. The limitations of the above list do not exclude that if needed, almost any type of insurance can be represented as insurance financial risk. Unlike most traditional risks which contents are generally basic and cannot be decomposed into simpler components, financial risks are complex and consist of a simple risk that may have mutual communication complicating risk properties in general. One of the most important components of the financial risk is the human factor, which is an unpredictable effect on the level of risk.
  QUESTION #6= Which faces greater risk of bankruptcy: a nursing home company or a pharmaceutical company? Which has the more diversified “portfolio” of assets?
  ANSWER #6= Pharmaceutical company has more diversified “portfolio” of assets. It has different consumers. Private households, hospitals, government centers etc. A nursing home company has only one consumer of its service – private household.
  QUESTION #7= Do changes in Medicare change the value of hospitals? Do they change the value of the hospitals’ bonds?
  ANSWER #7= Medicare is changing the way it pays hospitals for services provided to people with Medicare. Instead of only paying for the number of services a hospital provides, Medicare is also paying hospitals for providing high quality services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that runs Medicare, is changing the way Medicare pays for hospital care by rewarding hospitals for delivering services of higher quality and higher value.
  The convergence of three major factors brought hospitals to the fore for everyone from the late 1950s onward. First, aggressive medical and surgical treatments—such as chemotherapy regimens, extended cou==rses of IV antibiotics, and increasingly invasive surgeries for breast cancer began going mainstream. By the late 1960s intensive-care technologies were becoming common, and patients and physicians wanted more of them. Congress, the executive branch, and state legislatures obliged with expanded federal subsidies for hospital-building programs and tax-exempt bonds.
  What cemented the centrality of hospitals was the passage of Medicare and Medicaid (Public Law 89-97) in 1965. By 1966, more than 19 million individuals ages 65 and older were enrolled. Premiums were modest: in 1970, Medicare Part A, which covered hospitalizations, had a deductible of $52 per year, and Part B (supplemental medical insurance) charged a monthly premium of $4. Nonetheless, for hospitals, especially urban ones, Medicare and Medicaid caused a sea change. What had been for centuries their most problematic service group—the elderly indigent—in a trice had become, now that their care was monetized, desirable. So, we can state, that changes in Medicare change the value of hospitals.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 5:08am

  Interoffice Memorandum
  
  To: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
  
  From: Christopher Anosike, Business Analyst at Apple
  
  Subject: New possible Strategy for Apple
  
  Executive Summary
  
  The strategy we recommend for implementation is to create market demand for Apple products through differentiation, which entails making Apple products unique and attractive to consumers. The main problem is that if we continue with the current product line with minimal improvements, Apple’s market share will in turn decrease. The other option is to license Apple’s iOS systems to more cell phone manufacturers to increase market share as well as invest more in R&D and the innovation of Apple’s next big product. Our first step will be increasing R&D, in 1997 our R&D investment was 12% of sales, which turned into the iPod 3 years later. Since 2010, we have invested 2.6% of sales into R&D and have decreasing numbers in customer satisfaction to show for it as well as no new products. Great ideas come from great investments and a great amount of time put towards a project. Which is why we must allow the expansion of iOS to other cell phone manufacturers as well as take the decrease in profit margin that come with the increase in R&D investment. For the profit margins, they will greatly increase in the long term when Apple introduces its next revolutionary product.
  
  Table of Analyses / Implications / Options
  
  Analysis Implications Options
  
  SWOT= Apple has many strengths as well as threats coming from competitors in a very cutthroat industry, but Apple still has the opportunity to grow. Apple could put in place a differentiation strategy to counteract the threats it is facing.
  
  Five Forces Model= Apple is a fierce market leader with little threat of new entrants. Apple also has the upper hand when it comes to bargaining power with its suppliers and customers. The downside to this market is the immense competition and the number of substitutes available. Apple has the ability to use its bargaining power and position within the market to expand the innovation of products and reach a wide number of loyal Apple consumers with the new products.
  
  Financial Analysis As the information in the financial exhibits show, Apple is a very profitable company who continues to grow each year. However, Apple has some issues with particular products that continue to decrease in sales and profitability each year. With the certain products that are not producing for Apple, the company should cut the costs by cutting product production or adapt the product to what customers want to increase sale and profitability on these products.
  
  Competitor
  
  Analysis As Apple continues to grow, its competitor numbers will become larger as well. As many of Apple’s competitors adopt the same products and applications. However, Apple’s largest competitor would be Samsung who has an overall very stable and profitable corporation. Given Apple’s large number of competitors, it should adopt a defender strategy which will help improve products on a more narrow product line, creating better products in a more narrow segment which will ultimately increase consumers need for Apple products.
  
  Statement of the problem & Analysis of the company
  
  Since the death of Steve Jobs, and as Apple’s new CEO, you are facing the extraordinary challenge of how to sustain Apple’s current success in computers, MP3 players, phones, and tablets while taking Apple to the next level. By being Apple’s new CEO, you are in a great position to make your own distinctive mark on Apple and help the company continue its growth, but the question is how. Here is an analysis of Apple from different frameworks (Porter 5 Forces, SWOT Analysis, Financial Analysis, and Competitor Analysis). This analysis will give you a better insight on the work that needs to be done in order to continue to meet consumers’ expectations and needs in an efficient way.
  
  Porter 5 Forces Framework (See Table 1)
  
  Threat of New Entrants
  
  The threat of new entrants in the industry is low. The high capital expenditures on plant, property, equipment, inventory, and research and development for a new entrant make it difficult to enter the industry. Apple has captured the market with its products that focus on sleek design. Any new company that wishes to enter the market needs to match the quality and standard that Apple has set.
  
  Threat of Substitute Products or Services
  
  The threat of substitutes is high for Apple. Consumers have numerous options when it comes to smartphones, tablets, MP3s, and computers. The innovation that Apple used to single-handedly dominate has filtered through the industry to companies like Samsung, LG, Dell, Microsoft, and many more. On the MP3 side, companies like Pandora and Spotify have created an easier and cheaper way to listen to music by utilizing the computer or smartphone.
  
  Bargaining Power of Buyers
  
  The bargaining power of buyers for Apple is low. Apple has a loyal customer base that is willing to pay more money on what they believe to be superior products. For example, 10 million iPhone 6S (with a base price of $199) were sold in the first week of launch. However, consumers have the power to go to a competitor such as Samsung or HTC if they are not satisfied with an Apple product, or if the price is too important for them, but they do not have the power to shape the price or design of a product.
  
  Bargaining Power of Suppliers
  
  Apple’s supplier power is low. Apple has engineered its supply chain to cut redundancies and costs. Because of this, the company has created an efficient system that eliminates power from the supplier. Apple determines the quantity needed and the suppliers must deliver.
  
  Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
  
  The competitive rivalry is high for Apple. Companies like Samsung, LG, Microsoft, Dell, and others are constantly developing products that showcase innovations that Apple products do not have. In an industry like this, the goal is to be two steps ahead of the competition and this requires more capital, which makes each product’s success extremely important.
  
  STRATEGIC IMPLICATION
  
  Conclusion: The analysis shows that the most threatening factors are the potential substitutes and the competitive rivalry.
  
  Possible New Strategy: This suggests that Apple should adopt a prospector strategy and exhibit continual innovation by finding and capitalizing on new product and market opportunities.
  
  Rationale: This will allow the firm to differentiate even more and counteract the high threat for
  product substitutes and competitive rivalry.
  
  SWOT Analysis(See Table 2)
  
  Apple’s Strengths
  
  Apple has several strengths that help promote its success with the strongest one being its price differentiation from competitors. While other competitors focus their efforts on marketing to a wider range of customers through cheaper prices, Apple creates sales by selling their products at a premium to a more specific customer base. This strategy works because Apple updates its products frequently enough to always be ahead of the industry in terms of innovation.
  
  Another important strength that Apple has is its brand loyalty. Regardless of the product that is being released, hundreds of consumers will line up at each location to be the first ones to get it. This strength relates to the previous one because by having a loyal customer base, Apple can constantly increase prices and not worry about sales dropping. It is likely that someone who owns an iPhone also has at least one other Apple product.
  
  Finally, Apple products are easy of use. Steve Job’s mission was to “bring an easy-to-use computer to the market.” Apple products are user friendly and the designs are pleasant and upscale. Today, Apple has tremendous marketing and advertising capabilities that allow the company to advertise around the world; thus, differentiate itself from its competitors.
  
  Apple’s Weaknesses
  
  Apple’s main weakness is that it uses a closed operation system. As a result, iPhones, iPods, and iPads can be synchronized only through the Apple Store and iTunes. On the other hand, Android has a large distribution channel since it is an open and free platform developed by Google. Android serves different companies unlike Apple’s iOS system that operates only for Apple products.
  
  Another point that could be considered a weakness for Apple is the fact that its products are priced at a premium. This limits the number of potential customers. Apple attempted to solve this issue with the release of the iPhone 5C, but the results were not favorable since Apple products are perceived as being high-end products.
  
  Apple’s Opportunities
  
  Apple’s greatest opportunity is that the corporation always has the ability to acquire companies due to the consequent reserve of cash that it has on hand. Instead of taking the time to develop the next great idea, Apple can purchase a company who is years ahead with research. Apple has used this strategy in the past when it acquired the company that developed Siri and Apple was able to successfully incorporate that into its products.
  
  Apple’s Threats
  
  The main threat for Apple is the competition. In the mobile electronics industry, competition is fierce with everyone trying to establish the next innovative product. Microsoft has been making a huge push with the Surface Pro 3 by trying to show that its capabilities render a MacBook inadequate. On the smartphone side, Samsung is leading the charge against Apple by releasing a multitude of phones that directly challenge the innovation of the iPhone and cater to a wide range of consumers. Lastly, the Android platform controls more of the market than iOS due to Google allowing any smartphone manufacturer to utilize it. The threat of competition will be continual for Apple and it is a direct by-product of the industry.
  
  STRATEGIC IMPLICATION
  
  Conclusion: The analysis shows that Apple is a powerful company but has many threats that could negatively impact the business.
  
  Possible New Strategy: This suggests that Apple should adopt a differentiation strategy to
  
  counteract the threats.
  
  Rationale: This will allow the firm to differentiate even more and increase profits.
  
  Financial Analysis
  
  Apple is one of the rare companies who was able to reinvent itself after entering the declining phase of the company life cycle. Now, Apple could be considered to be in the growth phase or just recently entering the mature phase. In any case, a thorough examination of the company’s financials will highlight why Apple has proven to be so successful and if it will continue in the future.
  
  Starting with Exhibit 1a, mostly every number from the selected financial information indicates growth. Sales more than doubled from 2010 to 2012, while gross margins are nearly 50% as of 2012. The source of this cost cutting may stem from the reductions of SG&A costs in relation to Sales. That percentage has been decreasing ever since 2002 and it is now down to just 6%. Other notable numbers include the net income, which also more than doubled from 2010 to 2012. Return on assets and return on sales have both been increasing at a rapid pace. The one set of numbers that are concerning in regards to the future of the company is R&D in relation to sales. In 2002, it was 8%, but now it has fallen to only 2%. For a company that needs to lead the pack in innovation, it is alarming to see that they are not devoting as much money towards developing new technology.
  
  Moving ahead to Exhibit 1b, it is clear that the iPhone is currently Apple’s best product. From 2010 to 2012, net sales nearly tripled, placing it miles ahead of the next closest product, the iPad. Another interesting note is that desktop sales seem to have grown stagnant. This could be attributed to the growing trend of laptops, tablets, or consumers abandoning computers completely. It is worth noting that Apple’s gross margins among PC manufacturers, at 41%, is nearly double Hewlett-Packard, which is sitting at 23% (Exhibit 5). This shows how severely Apple has been able to cut costs within its supply chain. Jumping ahead to Exhibit 8, even though the sales of iPhones are stunning, Android still dominates the market by having 46.4% of sales to end users based on operating system. The iOS platform only accounts for 18.9%. This percentage could change drastically if Apple allowed other companies to utilize its operating system.
  
  STRATEGIC IMPLICATION
  Conclusion: The analysis shows that Apple reinvented itself and became extremely profitable by driving down costs.
  Possible New Strategy: This suggests that Apple needs to re-focus on R&D and consider
  expanding the use of iOS, so Apple should adopt a focus strategy.
  Rationale: The information supplied indicates the success of adopting this focus strategy.
  Competitor Analysis (See Table 3)
  Apple has several competitors. Since the company produces a large variety of products and features, the competitors are different. We will study the different competitors for iTunes, the App Store, the iPad, the iPhone, and the Mac / PC.
  iTunes
  Apple has some competitors for iTunes since other music stores such as Amazon, Napster, and Wal-Mart offer the possibility to download songs at discounted prices or competitive prices. Other competitors such as Spotify or Pandora offer free streaming music on smartphones and computers. This competition could negatively impact the
  future demand for iPods, since consumers can listen to free music online. Recently, Apple introduced iTunes Radio as a response to Pandora, but the response was lukewarm.
  App Store
  The biggest competition here comes from Android which is an open and free platform developed by Google. When more manufacturers entered the market, innovation on the Android platform exploded. In addition, Android has a larger distribution and serves different companies unlike Apple’s operating system.
  iPad
  The greatest competitor here is Android again. Android-based tablets were introduced to the market in 2010, and by 2011 Android held a 38% share. Apple has several important competitors for tablets. First are the manufacturers using Google’s version of Android. Samsung led the charge by selling 5 million tablets in 2011. The issue is that Android lacked the applications and ease of use of an iPad. Next are the Microsoft-based tablets. The Surface Pro 3 has recently launched a campaign attempting to prove how versatile their tablet is compared to the MacBook. Lastly, Amazon had a different strategy for competing with Apple by launching the Kindle Fire. Apple’s focus was to make money on hardware, and Amazon on software, applications, and content. As a result, Amazon was able to increase to 14% market share in the fourth quarter of 2011.
  iPhone
  By creating the iPhone, Steve Jobs’ goal was to “reinvent the phone.” Apple’s entrance on the mobile phone industry could have been a risky bet for Apple since Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung dominated the industry. These three brands owned approximately 60% of the market share. The most direct and threatening competitor for Apple would be Samsung. Samsung produces an incredible amount of phones that appeal to all types of consumers, but at some point Samsung will stretch itself too thin by having too many products available.
  PC / Mac
  Since approximately 1992, the PC market share for Apple did not stop decreasing, going from approximately 9% of the market share in 1992, to approximately 4% in 2007 (see Exhibit 3a). Some of Apple’s main competitors concerning the PC are Hewlett-Packard,
  Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and Toshiba. Interestingly, among all these competitors, Apple has the least market share with 4.7% in 2011 against 17.7% for the market leader, Hewlett-Packard. However, in Exhibit 3a and 3b the overall trend for PCs are decreasing over time. We can conclude that there is a shift in emphasis and that computers are not at the center of attention for Apple any more.
  STRATEGIC IMPLICATION
  Conclusion: The analysis shows the industry has a large amount of competitors, which can be threatening for Apple.
  Possible New Strategy: This suggests that Apple should adopt a defender strategy by searching
  for market stability and production of only a limited product line directed to a narrow market
  segment, focusing on protecting the established territory.
  Rationale: This will allow the firm to effectively fight and counteract competitors by
  increasing the consumers’ needs for Apple products.
  Potential Options=
  Options/Pros/Cons
  Option 1: Market stability and production of only a limited product line directed to a narrow segment. This means adopting a defender strategy.
  Refer to the Competitor Analysis
  -Can help build a better reputation -Increase customer loyalty (retain consumers) -Can pursue a focused strategy by catering to a specific niche (gage preferences) which may help induce revenue -Able to customize products to consumers needs (i.e., create apps that consumers enjoy) -able to spend money on products like Ipo which have higher demand -Adaptation required due to technological advances -Free digital usage/content -May cause costs to increase -May cause a loss of revenue if Apple focuses on a limited product line
  Option 2: Broaden its market segment
  This means adopting a -Opportunity to gain more market share -More able to build customer -Reliance on other suppliers for certain features/issues with compliance
  prospector strategy and exhibiting continual innovation by finding and exploiting new product and market opportunities Refer to the Porter 5 Forces Analysis -Place a licensing mandate on running Apple Hardware for Mac OS and iOS base -Might help Apple increase sales of the iPhone -Less risk of failure to induce revenue -Existence of imitators -High competition for PCs (which includes HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba)
  Option 3: Differentiate by price
  This means adopting a differentiation strategy
  Refer to the SWOT Analysis
  -consumers may be more price sensitive to products or services they don’t necessarily have a need for (i.e. People need PCS because they are a necessity as opposed to Iphones).
  -Spread out product line by introducing other products with lower price levels
  -different stores can offer discounts on products for loyal customers
  -Already established brand -Able to compete based on price
  -Will give Apple a competitive advantage -Chance to achieve more rapid growth
  -Have to invest in R&D -Additional costs to add or create new products
  -Might have a resurgence in competition because quality may play a role in customer buying habits
  -Might be too much of a gamble to have too many products like the PCs, iPhone, iPad (might suffer a loss in revenue)
  Review of Options
  Option 1= Cater to niche markets (create a product line that serves consumers with specific needs and wants) adopting a defender strategy; Pros= can build customer base; can build a reputation through word of mouth; Cons= adaptation stemming from technological advances; could cause a loss of revenue if consumers don't buy their products
  Option 2= Broaden its market segment (adopt a prospector strategy) Pros= better chance to gain more market share; can build up a solid customer base; will help Apple increase sales of the iPhone; Cons= Reliance on other suppliers for certain features/issues with compliance like AT&T and Verizon; increased level of competition from other PC carries like Lenovo, Dell and Toshiba; growth of imitators, technological advances
  Option 3= Differentiate by price, customers may be price sensitive to to things that they may not need or demand as much. This means adopting a differentiation strategy; spread out product line by introducing other products with lower price levels; Pros= able to compete based on price; may give Apple Inc a competitive advantage over other companies like Microsoft; there is a better chance to achieve more rapid growth in the market
  Recommendation=
  Our final recommendation is to go with Option 2. Apple has proven numerous times that it is capable of introducing the next great technological advancement for consumers. In order to do this, we suggest that Apple license out iOS to other phone manufacturers to chip away at the market share of Android. In recent years, Apple has loosened up and made the iPhone available through AT&T, Verizon, and others, and it should continue doing this with all the prominent carriers.
  As noted earlier, Apple should consider investing more into R&D. It is difficult to be innovative without having a significant amount of cash dedicated to the development of new technologies. By focusing its efforts on adapting one to three great ideas into actual products, Apple could broaden its market segment. At this point, it seems to be Apple’s greatest hindrance in succeeding with this strategy.
  Option 1 is closely related to Apple’s current strategy and while it has proved to be wildly successful, there is only so long that Apple can prosper utilizing that strategy. Eventually sales will flatten out with the products or consumers will tire of the yearly grind of having to up
  Numerous companies have fallen into the trap of believing that their current product line was sufficient to carry them into the future (most notably Blackberry) and many did not have a bright future.
  Option 3 is an interesting choice, but not the best. Apple seemed to have tried this in the past with old PC models and more recently with the iPhone 5C. Each attempt was meant with some success, but nothing close to the usual success that Apple finds with new product reveals. Option 3 would be the best choice if consumers were not flocking in droves to get their hands on each new iPhone or iPad model and be willing to pay more for each new version. At this point, rather than spend time developing a product that is cheaper, Apple should just continue to refine its current products.
  
  Implementation=
  
  The process that we are suggesting for Apple to take is one that you should be familiar with as being the CEO of the company. We want Apple to increase R&D to a percentage similar to what it was back in the early 2000s. From all that research, the iPhone was developed, the MacBook was drastically improved, and Apple began to implement synchronization between all Apple products. There has not been any true innovation from Apple since the introduction of the iPad. The watch, which comes out next year, has not gotten many people excited considering that it is not a new concept. Needless to say, there are steps in order for Apple to succeed with this.
  
  First and foremost, Apple needs to begin investing heavily again in research and development. This does not have to be done all in one year, so over the next five years, we suggest increasing R&D by 1% relative to sales. Apple has more than enough cash on hand to easily do this, so funds should not be an issue.
  
  Next, Apple should start to dedicate small groups of people to developing these ideas. Apple can begin hiring to bring in the best talents or they can promote an environment that rewards ideas, similar to what Google does. Steve Jobs was big on having employees solely dedicated to working on creating new technology. This idea should not alter the organization structure in any way. There would be no need for the company to change the way that it manages employees.
  
  In order for this option to truly prosper within the business, Apple will need to get something as revolutionary as the iPhone out into the market within three years. Samsung, Microsoft, Google, and many other technology companies will start to make a strong push to show that Apple products are not as innovative as they once were, but Apple has the ability to stop it.
  
  APPENDIX
  Table 1 – Apple’s Porter 5 Forces
  Table 2 – Apple’s SWOT Analysis
  Table 3 – Apple’s Financial Analysis
  Table 4 – Apple’s Competitor Analysis
  Works Cited
  Apple. (2014). Retrieved October 06, 2014, from Apple : https://www.apple.com/
  Apple v. Samsung. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from CNET : http://www.cnet.com/apple-v-samsung/
  Arnold, N. (2013, August 05). Who are Apple's 3 Biggest Competitors? Retrieved October 08, 2014, from Wall St Cheat Sheet: http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/3-of-apples-competitors.html/?a=...
  Chernev, A. (2007). The Framework For Marketing Analysis. In Strategic Marketing Analysis. Brighstar Media Inc.
  David B. Yoffie, Penelope Rossano. (2012, August 14). Apple Inc. in 2012. Retrieved October 05, 2014, from Harvard Business School.
  Orville C. Walker Jr, John W. Mullins (2011). Business Strategies and Their Marketing Implications. In Marketing Strategy. McGraw-Hill Irwin.
• 

  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 3:51am

  A 1. There are several themes presented in the poem Gilgamesh. These themes are codependence, karma, dreams, and pathways. The co-dependence of Gilgamesh towards Enkidu signifies the Enkidu’s importance to Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh loses a sense of civility and balance when Enkidu dies. Gilgamesh tore out his curly hair in clumps and “ripped off his finery.” (Gilgamesh, p 64 line 63-64) Karma in the poem deals with how input can determine output. In other words, you get what you receive whether it is good or bad. Enkidu and Gilgamesh set out to kill Humbaba and in the end his action foreshadowed Enkidu’s downfall, which was his death. Dreams hold a substantial amount of significance to both Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Enkidu wakes up from a nightmare he had whereby the gods were angry with him and Gilgamesh and met to decide their fate. Enkidu says to Gilgamesh, “My brother, this night what a dream [I dreamed!] (Gilgamesh p 55 line 4-5)Enkidu tells Gilgamesh about the dream and the two of them continue to roam the forest. Enlil The dream proves valid when Enkidu becomes sick. The dream forecasts that Gilgamesh would have . Enkidu’s view of King Etana among the dead is significant because the dream symbolizes that death it is bound to happen to everyone in real life. Besides the theme of dreams, there is a presence of pathways, which signify that journeys are not all well paved. The pathways trigger a journey that leads to a resolution whereby the characters learn a lesson or moral. Gilgamesh learns the lesson that no one is
  
  exempt from dying. The greatest lesson Gilgamesh learns is not to take life for granted because there is a beginning and end to life. Gilgamesh was angry that only the gods have everlasting life, which he declared in his fight with Humbaba when Enkidu gives him a warning of the truth that nearly everyone dies except the Gods. The two warriors, Enkidu and Gilgamesh, come to the realization that ‘Life is short’, when they take a trip to the Cedar Forest. The lesson that is gathered from the trip is that the only thing that lasts is fame. At the time Enkidu is cursed with a shameful and painful death, their bravado rings hollow. Shamash, the sun god, tries to comfort Enkidu by reminding him how much blessings he has received, how plentiful his life has been and how grateful he should be for living as long as he did.
  
  B 2. Based upon the criteria of the Heroic Code, I believe that Sunjata was a hero. A hero is characterized by their purpose and performance of a deed for a society, which gives him or her a sense of belonging or meaning through a struggle or obstacle. Sunjata endured a journey of trials and tribulations from being crippled through different stages. Despite the opposition he faced from others, including Sumaworo, he showed that he was courageous which made him a hero. When Sunjata and his family were placed in the exile. He demonstrated that he was a hero when he killed the buffalo woman. It was necessary because the woman “spoke abusively to them. She said, “Eh!”” (Sunjata p 30 line 811-812) She was plaguing the community with
  
  her rudeness and sarcastic remarks. She informed Sunjata that she would give him her life because she felt that he mastered her mind games. Additionally, she instructed Sunjata to do three things which consisted of: a) not go to town immediately and come to the hamlet cut down a toro tree with an axe and lay her body in the grave; b) anyone who kills her will present three sets of girls from Do ni Kiri, and the one selected by that individual will become his wife; c) and when the buffalo is killed the carcass must not be taken to the town. Sunjata further displays that he is a hero by his generous deeds. In the poem, he helped some witches helped in the reincarnation of his friend, Tabon Wana Faran Kamara who was the ruler of Tabon. Not to mention, he served as a hero to the wild animals by teaching them how to gather firewood, despite previously slaying some animals. Another way Sunjata showed he was a hero was evident in his relentless respect for his elders, which is an important part of being a hero. In the Mali tradition, it is known that the children are seeds of their mother and therefore the child does not hold more value than his her mother. This applies to Sunjata, because his upbringing made him the person he was and became. Also, his values and beliefs shaped his social perception and legacy in Mali. It is important to note that having a legacy like Sunjata’s made him memorable which is a big portion of being a hero. Another key element of being a hero is patience in both fate and making assessment of others. Even though the witches first treated Sunjata wickedly and cruel, they spared him. The witches declared, “We are with you to the death. Even a female ant will never sting you.” (p 81 line 2283-2284). The witches grew respect and an appreciation for him because he was a tolerant individual and a Good Samaritan. To me, Sunjata was a hero because committed self-less acts by helping the animals and the witches, which demonstrated that he was a
  
  compassionate and considerate individual. In essence, Sunjata can be viewed as a hero because showed leadership in the face of adversity, now matter who he was surrounded by. exemplified a hero because his message of respect, persistence and tolerance is one that resonated with his community and taught many lessons that will always be remembered and never forgotten.
  
  C 1. The poems Gilgamesh and Sunjata bear many similarities and differences. One of the major similarities is the epic journey that Gilgamesh and Sunjata experience. The journey that they experience involves others that help them come to a resolution in which both of them learn a lesson. Another similarity that is emphasized is the journey. The journey deals with the events that Gilgamesh and Sunjata experienced which contributed to their niche within their respective societies, which provided them with a sense of belonging made or purpose in the world as a whole. These two characters did not allow their journeys to make them who they became in the future. In Sunjata, the journey consists of the exile which helps him grow as a hero. Likewise, the journey in Gilgamesh involves the passing of Enkidu allows him to become a hero. Although Sunjata and his family went into exile, Sunjata was occasionally treated with appreciation. However, more frequently he treated with animosity from others. Sassouma set out to kill Manding Bory, his counterpart, in order to upset Sunjata. Another similarity is the companionship that Gilgamesh and Sunjata form with others. The companionship in Gilgamesh involves his friendship with Enkidu, which assumes the role of his partner, brother and right hand man. Besides the companionship and journey, there is a significance of females’ position
  
  in the society. In Sunjata, Sunjata’s mother Sogolon, assumed the role of caretaker and vows to support him no matter what whereas Ishtar stands in the shadow of Gilgamesh. After Ishtar proposes to Gilgamesh, she pursues the role of his wife. Once they get married, Gilgamesh foreshadows what she might expect to experience in relation to what she endured from past encounters with men. Ironically, she convinces her father to provide her with the bull of heaven so she would be able to kill Gilgamesh. Savagery is another crucial theme in the poem. The idea of savagery gives us insight into the motives of the characters by representing that everyone possesses an inner evil whether it is miniscule or large. With Gilgamesh the evil source comes from Humbaba and from Sunjata the evil source was the old witch. For instance, in Sunjata, “Do Kamissa and the genies were also attacking the people of Do ni Kiri.” (Sunjata p 35 line 934) There are a number of differences between the poems Sunjata and Gilgamesh. In contrast to Gilgamesh, Sunjata displays more maturity in his actions. Sunjata shows maturity when he cut his strips of calf off to help feed his friend Bala. Gilgamesh acted out of fear. He said, “I am afraid of death, so I wander the wild.” (Gilgamesh, p 70 line 5) Gilgamesh represents himself as a person with a lot of strength and power while Sunjata represents himself as more humble. This is shown as Sunjata lets fights find him whereas Gilgamesh goes looking for a fight, especially with Humbaba. Different from Gilgamesh, Sunjata is born a cripple and only gets stronger as time passes. Moreover, Gilgamesh starts out strong and later becomes weakened when his friend, Enkidu, is killed. All in all, it is quite evident that Gilgamesh and Sunjata are both similar and different in many ways.
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  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 3:48am

  Humans occupied part of the Western Hemisphere thousands of years before the European “discovery” of America (Crosby, 1972) The Mayans, Toltecs, and Aztecs in Central and South America created societies as complex as European societies along the Atlantic Coast, Native Americans formed diverse and mobile communities of hunters and gatherers. Powerful evidence of the cultural and social achievements of native peoples lies before European contact, though many of them, especially in the Southwest and the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys in North America (Jones, 2014), had disappeared just before the arrival of the Europeans. Archeological data of the Anasazi culture that was concentrated in Chaco Canyon on the San Juan River in present-day New Mexico reveals a highly developed society had a complex highway system, a technologically sophisticated network of irrigation canals, and complex apartment-like housing structures. During the sixteenth century the Spanish, French, and English explored the Americas, displaced Native American cultures, and established colonies in the Western Hemisphere. These transformative impacts endured through exchanges of cultures forced the Europeans and Native Americans to adapt and change, even though Native American cultures endured hardships predominantly during the initial stages of the exchanges. Specifically, Native Americans had harsh interactions with the extremely powerful conquistadors who were, Spanish men, motivated by their desire for personal glory and gain and their loyalty to God and Spain; the French welcomed the Native Americans as they looked for ways to survive; the English had an understanding with the Native Americans until they became more eager to conquer new lands.
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  Christopher Anosike August 1, 2024 at 3:46am

  I want to pursue an M.S. in Strategic Advertising and Marketing so I can become a brand ambassador---- a vehicle for social perception within strategic advertising and marketing in the media. Strategic Advertising is promoting a product through film, radio, tv and news whereas Strategic Marketing is selling a product-----virtual and/or experiential. They both utilize propaganda, a tool that is intended to alter an individual’s perspective on the media.
  
  Strategic Advertising and Marketing are important aspects for the success of every organization. A career in strategic advertising and marketing is gaining popularity and I would want to pursue my career in this industry because of the following reasons:
  
  1. Stronger job prospects
  
  2. Improving other disciplines
  
  3. Personal development
  
  4. Provide a new set of avenues for providing information
  
  In today's world, advertising and marketing are the most important elements of promotion in the success of every business. Every organization tends to gain a large share in the market and earn a decent amount of profits through efficient advertising and marketing strategies only. Advertising is one of the key components of marketing that includes promoting and providing information about the product and its target customers. A career in strategic advertising and marketing is gaining popularity because of the following reasons:
  
  1. Stronger job prospects: Pursuing a career in marketing will include creating and developing new products according to customer's demand, designing and packaging to attract more customers and gain an edge over the competitor's products, developing public relations and promoting the product through various advertising strategies and providing after-sale services. One of the reasons why I want to pursue a career in this industry is the prestige it offers to work with big brands prevailing in the market such as Coca-Cola, Loreal, Samsung, etc.
  
  2. Improving other disciplines: Working in the advertising and marketing sector also provides a number of opportunities to gain expertise in various disciplines such as researching, direct marketing, developing and maintaining public relations, and advertising.
  
  3. Personal Development: Pursuing a career in strategic advertising and marketing is very much stimulating as it provides the scope and opportunity to be creative. In marketing, a person has to interact with a number of people and may find a chance to work with a number of interesting people on various enthusiastic projects which will help out in overall personality development.
  
  4. Provide a new set of avenues to provide information: 21st-century marketing landscape includes online marketing, using mobile apps and social media marketing, affiliate marketing, branding, viral marketing, blogs, and emails. Organizations and marketers learn about new methods of providing information through marketing. It helps to learn a new approach towards providing information rather than old days methods such as radio and tv ads.