Mary Kay Ashs Essay Example for Free

Mary Kay Ashs Essay Story By phoebe Mary Kay Ash was a famous American businesswoman and the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics. She started her business with a small investment of $5000 in 1963, and soon became one of the most successful business women of her time. Mary Kay Ash was born on 12th May, 1918 in Hot Wells, Harris County, Texas. Her childhood experiences shaped the future of this visionary woman, and with a significant impact to the American history. Due to the illness of her father, her mother worked for 14 hours a day at a local food restaurant to take care of the family, while Mary Kay looked after her father along since she was young. Her mother always put the â€Å"you can do it† spirit in the young Mary’s mind. One time, Mary Kay’s mother went to work and she needed to take care of the illness father at home alone, she had to decoct medicine herbs for her father but she didn’t how to do it. So she called her mother to teach her step by step on the phone, but little Mary Kay was afraid, but her mother said to her gently †you can do it † . Finally, she did it. Since then, this sentence has inspired her when she encountered difficulties. When she was only seventeen years old, she married Ben Rogers then soon had three children, while her husband went to serve in World War II; she took the job of direct selling of books. Due to her amazing marketing skills, she earned an amazing $25,000 in just six months. While Mary Kay was enjoying her professional success, things at the personal front weren’t that smooth. Her husband was killed on the battlefield, and left her with three children. After her divorce, Mary Kay took up a job with Stanley Home Products, a direct sales firm. She became very successful in selling home care products but didn’t get enough recognition for her work. Her supervisors not only didn’t appreciate her work but also never raise her salaries. However, if a man did what she has done, somehow he can get an award. The inequality between men and women are very obvious in her workplace. So finally she resigned after worked very hard for 25 years in the firm, at the same time she learned a very important lesson of her life that men could not believe that a woman can be successful in business. Mary Kay turned her attention to writing a book, which eventually changed the course of her life and became a plan for her dream company that had innovative marketing plan for women. But her accountant said that she will close down if you start to open it. It’s impossible, She has seen many of these cases that many people went bankrupt within six month. But Mary Kay never heard of it, she believed that she can do it well. In 1963, with an investment of $5000, only a 500 sq. feet store in Dallas, Texas, Mary Kay and her nine zealous beauty consultant started the Mary Kay Cosmetics Company; it was a direct cosmetic products selling company. In the first year of operation, they made a staggering profit of $200,000. In the two years time, Mary Kay Company was selling products worth one million dollars. By this time, the company she created had become a worldwide enterprise with representatives in more than 30 markets. She applied the strategy of giving incentives over good work and started by giving pink Cadillac to the top salespersons of the year. The other incentives included diamond jewelry, bumblebee pins, and 5-star vacations. This strategy really worked and became one of the reasons for company’s success over the years. If you want, do it, you can, this is her famous wisdom and realized the dream for women and a better life of abundance with heart. She also published three best-selling books during her lifetime. Her book, â€Å"Mary Kay on People Management†, another best seller was included in the business courses at Harvard Business School. Mary Kay received many honors and awards during and after her lifetime. In 1976, she received the Hall of fame Award from Direct Selling Association. Two years after that, in 1978, she got the Cosmetic Career Woman of the Year Award from the Cosmetics Career Women, Inc. The same year she received the Horatio Alger Distinguished American Citizen Award from Horatio Alger Association and so on. Mary Kay Ash passed away on 22nd Nov, 2001. She was buried in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. She is the greatest women I paid my full respect to her. She gives women the courage to fulfill our dream not only in Mary Kay Company but also another business sectors and proved that not only men can be successful in business but also women can be. Yes, she did it. It’s a very good piece of work, the detail information are very clear. But it will be a good idea to give one or two more examples on how she relate idea of â€Å"you can do it† in her later successful business life.

Greenland Rail Company: Strategic Planning and Management

Greenland Rail Company: Strategic Planning and Management Section One In activity 1, we have discussed the initial parts of the strategic planning and analyzed in depth the current scenario of The Greenland Rail Company. To continue further into the affairs of The Greenland Rail Company, here we shall apply the business assessment tools to arrive at a viable solution and evolve a healthy strategy for it or mend where necessary. The strategic planning determines the core idea, modus operandi allocation of resources to achieve the objectives or goals set in the strategic planning. Every business has its core idea and the strategy to achieve the objectives through operational plans. However to keep the operations on track, we need to have some analytical and monitoring measures. We can call them the business (assessment) tools. The idea of having these tools is minute to minute monitoring of the operations and to see if any action is harming the business or going against the strategy laid down. Here is the list of such tools: Is the strategic planning checked or analyzed on the concept of ‘SWOT’ analysis? Are the strategy and the strategic planning documented? Is there any internal audit or the check list for the cross check of actions with the planning? Is there any effective policy and method of remedial measures stipulated? SOPs are an effective tool to keep every action on line with the planning. All above are absolutely necessary for successful running of a business and more particularly for a business of the magnitude of The Greenland Rail Company spread countrywide by its services and utility to the nation. SWOT Analysis SWOT is abbreviation of four words which in fact gives four dimensional view of any issue or idea. There is nothing new in this. Everybody thinks on the pros and cons of an idea before putting it into practical shape or taking practical step. It consists of: Strengths: Under this heading, we see what makes an idea viable if put in practical shape. It starts from the biggest advantageous point to the smallest strength that the idea may have. Weaknesses: This heading covers the flaws in the idea and whether the flaws can be covered or they will make and prove the idea not viable. Opportunities: Having seen the strengths and weaknesses, does the idea still provide us the desired opportunities or any opportunities. This may also mean whether those opportunities that we had in mind, still exist and it is worth committing the valuable resources. Threats: the last part of the analysis is to evaluate threats to the business idea or the envisaged strategy. It is to see if threats are manageable and can be neutralized with some amendment in the strategy or they are big enough to be really called threats and give strong indications of not committing the resources. Documentation Of The Strategic Planning This is an extremely important tool that will go lifelong and will keep reminding the central idea and the principles on which the business is to be run. This provides the base for generating the operational plans for any new ventures within the existing business. The need for documenting the strategic planning cannot be over emphasized. Internal Audit Or The Check List To Cross Check The Actions With The Planning Internal audit and the checklist are two different things but serve the same purpose. The internal audit is carried out by another official of the organization whether the operators are performing correct actions. The checklist provides correct sequence of actions to be done by the operator. The checklist is guiding method whereas internal audit is pointing out the mistakes. However, both have their utility and should always exist. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) SOPs are an effective tool to keep every action on line with the planning and in fact operational plan translated in simpler form so that everybody at every level can understand the right way of doing an action. SOPs tell the only way an action has to be done and thatg is the desired action according to the operational plan. Method Of Remedial Measures We can say the last in the series is description of remedial measures. If the SOPs are being followed, no remedial measures are required. They are only for emergencies and accidents. However accidents and emergencies do not occur frequently but remedies should be well thought and well planned. They should be a part of SOPs and be documented properly. In this section we shall see the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the current business strategies. The Greenland Rail Company has: Clear philosophy to provide efficient travel service to the passenger, and, To provide efficient safe and timely transportation of commercial goods. Its strategy is based on the following elements: To schedule its services on the needs of the customers To provide sufficient number of trains To provide sufficient trained staff for operating these trains To allocate sufficient resources for the above To maintain a good standard of its services to attract the major market share. Effective marketing and good customer care service All above have all the strengths and bright chances of success. Despite these strengths it has weaknesses that it lacks locomotive production facilities and expertise, both. This is one weakness that can put the entire plan at stake of failure. However this weakness can be overcome by importing the locomotives in time and by having a good repair and maintenance workshop of its own. Its strengths can be enlisted as under: It can schedule the trains on the needs of the customers It can provide sufficient number of trains It can employ sufficient staff and can train them at its own training facilities It can allocate sufficient resources It can maintain good service standard It can have effective marketing and customers care Its weaknesses can be visualized and enlisted as under: Any breakdown of locomotives can adversely affect the schedule Motivation of the staff can be doubtful and may not prove to be as efficient as ideally required. The competitors, the road transporters can also provide the same facilities with good standard and efficiency. Track needs to be maintained continuously and may not be possible to do it. It is susceptible to miscreant actions and any defect in the track can stop the movement of trains and affect the schedule very badly. The company has single track and lacks the double track facility causing unnecessary delay in allowing the crossing of other train. There can be human error that can cause severe hindrances and even accidents. Despite these weaknesses the company has been running the trains by making an intelligent time table. However the efficiency of double track cannot be achieved by single track. The major problem faced by the company has been shortage of locomotives and making no provision for timely actions. Frustration in employees has been another factor. Core Business Values And Current Objectives Core business values are efficient service for passengers and goods transportation. Safety of passengers, comfortable travel and adhering to strict time schedule are the core values in case of passenger travel service. On the other side, transportation of goods in safe and timely manner are the core values for the cargo service. Its current business objectives are still the same, I e: To operate the trains and make the company a profitable organisation. The costs have to be met under all circumstances otherwise it would not be possible to run the trains under the conditions of continuous loss. The business objectives can only be achieved if there is efficiency in service. It is a circle; efficiency will capture the market and increase the customers and volume of goods to be transported. Low efficiency will cause losses on every side. The market will slip over in the hands of competitors and there will be sharp decline in the health of the company The comparison between the values and the objectives in now lopsided and in unfavorable balance. Values alone can do nothing if not supported by the efficient service. Loss of efficiency will result in loss of customers and cargo and that will push the company towards a sad catastrophe. Presently it is not meeting its objectives and core values are left unsatisfied. Section Two Now there is a need to compare the strengths and weaknesses and develop measures to bring the company back in good health. It may need very critical decisions. It has to do thorough audit and take stock of things. It has to eliminate all negative elements, may be manpower, some trains and some services which are not allowing the company to meet its expenses. Golden handshake, laying off or compulsory retirement may have to be resorted to foe labour turnover and replacing the inefficient and dishonest with better educated, young and enthusiastic manpower. Some sections of the rail service will have to be closed temporarily till the financial conditions improve and expense of less productive trains can be borne. The goods transport service is more yielding, therefore, has to be specially taken care of. Goods trains should be given equal priority and more cargo handling services can be installed for efficient booking, transportation and delivery of the goods. There is a need of job description of each employee and then he has to be supervised appropriately for efficiency and honesty. Options For Future Strategy The Greenland Rail Company has two issues at hand: Future strategy and, Options for the future strategy. Future Strategy Basically it remains the same with slight variation. Its strategy would be: To provide good travel service to the passengers To provide good transportation for the cargo To eliminate all elements causing losses and working against the interest of the company. To evolve efficient check and balance system. To maintain technical efficiency to the state of the art level for mai8ntaining the schedule. There has to be a ruthless accountability of every employee and every system. A very system of accounting has to be implemented. Future Options The long past history of the company has a lot to teach and draw the lessons. It has been running successfully 50 years back and even 30 years back. It started deteriorating in mid 80’s. the reasons could be traced as under: In 1950 it was not in good shape and faced scarcity of resources in all directions. In 1960 it improved its service, by induction of new rolling stock and new generation of diesel electric locomotives. Till 1980 it kept progressing and introduced new services and had better arrangements. However there were major political changes in the country and affected this company also. There is another dimension to the problem as well. It had following factor to affect: In 1950 it had to cater for the needs of population of 20 million people and number of passengers was relatively small. The volume of trade was also not much; therefore it did not have that much stress on any side. In 1960, the need for goods trains increased and population had also risen to 40 million relatively increasing the number of people traveling. Still the company handled the situation in fairly good manner and situation was not that bad. By 1975, the country gone through major political disasters, many resources were lost and the political scenario changed the whole situation in sphere of life. Besides political changes, the population had increased to around 75 million and stress was felt on the rail company. The oil prices escalated and number of passengers had sizably increased and number of industries and industrial unit had also increased. The company had to run the trains under political pressure and losses started showing. Now when the population has risen to 180 million and following g major changes have taken place and all of them have hit the company very badly, sinking it day by day: Oil prices increased tremendously Wages also increased and number of employees increase under the pressure of political govt to provide employment to the people. The operation cost increased tremendously. The balance between income and expense was also lost Company’s debts also increased The condition of rolling stock deteriorated and became unserviceable. The locomotives started breaking down enroute which not only caused the delays and upset the entire schedule but also added to the cost in recovery of stuck up trains. Track needed to be maintained, doubled and new trains needed to be introduced. Cargo handling facilities also needed to be installed at prominent destinations. Nothing was and has been done. Emergence and development of road transport companies has also created lot of competition and snatched a big share of the market reducing the4 business and revenue of the rail company There is a catastrophic scenario everywhere. Some miracle or very drastic measures can only save the organization. In view of the above situation still there is a hope to rescue this great enterprise and restore it to its previous glory. It has following options for the future: Enter into a joint venture with some rail company of another country who is running the railway successfully; or else, Seek the help of govt in paying off the debts. Procure new locomotives, improve rolling stock and suspend service on all unproductive or less productive sections. Accounting system needs to be changed. No collective accounting of all the trains should be done. Each train should be treated as a separate subsidiary company and revenue and expense of each train should be accounted for separately. No loss or decrease of revenue should be shared by other trains. Separate accounting system will exactly pin point the source of loss and reason there of. Criteria For Reviewing The Options Once the options have been analyzed and selected to be implemented, they are to be monitored for strict compliance. A set of rules, and checklist points will have to be framed and made mendatory for compliance. The automatic and most obvious criteria would be results in multi directions. They can be: An increase in revenue Less reports of pilferage and misappropriations Increase in customers and volume of goods transportation. Balance in revenue and expense. The ultimate criteria for the validity of options is volume of profit earned because of the options. Section Three Now we have fair amount of information to evolve a strategic plan for The Greenland Rail Company. It should restructure its strategy on the basis of above analysis. The changes are to be made as under: The basic or the core idea remains same. New rolling stock and locomotives should be procured; or number of trains should be reduced proportionate to resources but the service should be more efficient. All stakeholders should be made aware through wide publicity ensuring a better service The difference should be visible in practical shape rather than announcements only. The increasing costs should not always be passed on to the customers. They should be absorbed by the organisation by improvement in efficiency of systems and plugging the pilferage. Resource Allocation Resource allocation should be in priority as under: In all those areas which are absolutely necessary for provision of service and increasing the clientage. All assets, particularly the rolling stock, locomotives, administrative services get the first priority. The administrative and office expenses should be the minimum. Stores inventory should be maintained at the minimum level or may even be on the principle of ‘Just In Time’ (JIT) No over staffing be allowed under any circumstances. This practice not only increases unproductive costs but also the political inductees cause frustration among the efficient employees. Initially some part of the revenue will go in paying off the debts. Strategic Plan The Greenland Rail Company has the following strategic plan: To revive the company to its previous prestigious position. To provide efficient means of travel to all the citizens with safety speed and in time. To provide efficient goods transport system to the business community. To compete with the road transport industry by efficient services and economical cast to the customers. Vision Statement The Greenland Rail Company is determined to be the market leader in transport industry by providing the best services to the customers at economical costs. We visualize satisfied clientele and satisfied employees to contribute towards betterment of the company and the nation. Our vision is on practical footing and honest effort. Schedule Of Implementation The new strategic plan needs be implemented in the following manner: All operational plans must be reviewed in the light of analysis and new strategy formulated. Overstaffing must be reduced to the right size Trains must be rescheduled keeping in view the company’s present potential and the customers’ needs. Separate accounting for each train be implemented immediately. Monitoring system should be introduced and made more effective. All excess inventory should be first segregated and noted particularly to avoid more purchase and blocking the valuable and limited resources. Start the operation on above outline with a new zeal of efficient service. Conclusion The Greenland Rail Company scenario is worst possible which has dropped from magnificent position to depth of destruction and still striving to regain its position. An analysis has been carried out giving all details and possible way out for the company. Although the difficulties seem very big but remedies are quite simple but need stern action on the part of management. Tough decisions, clear vision and honest effort are the only means available to The Greenland Rail Company. The strongest point in favour of the company is the strong base of business and need for its services. Hopefully it will survive.

Narketing in the Digital Age :: essays research papers

Marketing In The Digital Age ANSWERS Be sure to answer all parts of each question. Be sure to use complete sentences whenever appropriate. Good Luck! 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What were the four major forces that shaped the digital age? Digitalized and Connectivity Internet Explosion New type of Intermediaries Customization and Customerization 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What are the four major e-commerce domains? Business to Consumer Business to Business Consumer to Consumer Consumer to Business 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Define internet, intranet and extranet Internet: A vast public web of computer networks, which connect users off all types   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Around the world to each other and to an amazingly large information repository. Intranet: A network that connects people within a company to each other and to the Company network. Extranet: A network that connects a company with it’s suppliers and distributors. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discuss the benefits of integrating online selling with in-store selling (use examples). For example the store Game Stop and Game Stop dot com. They have an advantage on both territories and they broaden the customer base, by being available and online. You can afford to discount more sometimes online, to keep the customer shopping, and the company can make the customer service base open both online and in person, no matter how you bought the product. Also if you there was a problem with the product, you can physically take it back to the store and they can return or exchange. So the benefits are great, because the company has both markets at it’s advantage. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  E-commerce and the Internet bring many benefits to both buyers and sellers alike. Briefly discuss the benefits to both buyers and sellers. For buyers they might get the opportunity to by a mass quantity at a low price and it can keep a company’s overhead down. For a buyer, to me the main element is convenience, because you do not have to go to the actual store, you tend to get online discounts that is not available in store, and you have a better chance in obtaining your product, because you can possibly be obtaining it directly from the company. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discuss the differences between click-only companies and click-and-mortar e-marketers. Click-only companies are online only, but a click- and-mortar has both Brick and Mortar and has added an e-commerce to the company. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Define viral marketing. What is the link between viral marketing and word-of-mouth communication? Discuss the benefits of viral marketing. Viral Marketing is the internets version of word of mouth. Vial marketing involves creating an email or another marketing plan that is so infectious that it makes a person want to forward it.

Crime and Punishment Essay -- social issues

Crime and Punishment Crime for what, and punishment for whom? May happens in a park and maybe in a room! Maybe at night or afternoon, here or there or close to the moon. A man who makes a crime may be a tycoon or maybe just a vagrant without a small home. Now the problem is for what, for whom do a little vagrant or a tycoon want to be a prisoner or a dark moon? Making crimes comes as a result of many various things in life. The first and the greatest one is called money as the old expression that says â€Å"Money is the root of all evil†, As many people who are in need of money makes different types of crimes just to gain that money, however it’s coming through a wrong way. The second one and the most popular in Egypt is revenge by neglecting the police since people try to fix their problems themselves. So, despite the payer, crime is called crime but in many different ways. Poor people make some small crimes because of money. They may steal people or may do hacking on the internet to gain what they want. Some of them used to be beggars, others were workers but non of them was born as a criminal. I don’t say they have the right to do this because they were born poor, but they have to work hard to gain money and respect. Well, poor people who have aim in life could be rich without a small crime, but hard work is needed. Not only poor people make crimes, but also rich people do so. Although they are already rich, they gather money through many ways against law. They steal, murder and do many other crimes against humanity. They can make factories to gain money nonetheless they prefer to gather lots of money through some faster ways such as drugs trade. Rich people want to increase their wealth by making crimes instead of making useful projects. Crimes were extremely destructive in the middle ages due to many things. First, many people didn’t believe in God existence. Second, A huge numbers of them didn’t believe in morals at all. Third, civil wars were widespread all over the world. People in the middle ages were seeking for food and shelter. So, they did every types of crimes to get food and shelter which are the most requirements for human being. People in the middle ages were really forced to make crimes in their hard era as there was no actual existence of law. Crimes exist too during the age of the industrial revolution as people contend for man... ...nk that those persons with their dreadful crimes don’t have the right to live side to side with other peaceful people. Global crimes are considered the most destructive crimes. One of the most global crimes that all people do is increasing the ozone hole as a result of the huge amounts of toxic gazes evolving from cars and factories. Second, the coming disaster that humanity would face which is human cloning that is considered a monster trying to destroy the human species. Some great countries are trying to put an end to the first problem, but the second is still getting wider and wider without a considerable action done by the governments of those civilized countries. So, we need great punishments to put an end to those global crimes that would destroy the universe. Generally, crimes are considered the biggest problems in our daily life. All classes of people make crimes but non of them has the right to do this. Crime is a bad phenomena that appeared in all ages and till now. The punishments on these crimes are each according to its crime, in a way that makes criminals think carefully before doing crimes as they are afraid of the punishment. So, each crime has a punishment.

The Technological Tower of Babel: Electronic and Digital Tongues in Media Society :: Technology Technological Essays

The Technological Tower of Babel: Electronic and Digital Tongues in Media Society Works Cited Missing Anticipate the moment at which all your personal electronic devices - headphone audio player, cellular telephone, pager, dictaphone, camcorder, personal digital assistant (PDA), electronic stylus, radiomodem, calculator, Loran positioning system, smart spectacles, VCR remote, data glove, electronic jogging shoes that count your steps and flash warning signals at oncoming cars, medical monitoring system, pacemaker (if you are so unfortunate), and anything else that you might habitually wear or occasionally carry - can seamlessly be linked in a wireless bodynet that allows them to function as an integrated system and connects them to the worldwide digital network. (Mitchell 29) In City of Bits, from which the above quotation was taken, William Mitchell outlines a digitally integrated future which we need only optimistically anticipate. He goes on to discuss the possibility, or perhaps inevitability, of cyborg citizens where digital and electronic devices will extend and enhance human perception, efficiency and overall convenience. However, what is noticeably downplayed in the above quotation is reference to the citizen component of this technological symbiosis. Beyond the nebulous assertion that it will be "you" who will be wearing or carrying these devices, the only element that approximates the notion of a human within this mass of interconnected gadgetry is Mitchell's concept of the "bodynet". But rather than implying that the human body is at the center of a network of technology, this term appropriates a human characteristic and applies it to an inert collection of digital devices. What Mitchell inadvertently alludes to is the fact that as our cybernet ic components begin to communicate with each other, our biological half is increasingly relegated to the periphery of this communication, and by extension, of this new cybernetic existence. If technology is to play the pivotal role outlined in City of Bits, the most important development to come out of the notion of the cyborg citizen may well be the drowning out of the human voice under the increasingly boisterous voice of technology. Although Mitchell's concept of the cyborg citizen may be some years away, the groundwork for the removal of human language has already been laid. Not only does technology circumvent human language through intra-technological communication, it also devalues it as humans become more dependent on technologically mediated language transmission. The telephone, the television, and most recently the Internet and digital technologies deconstruct and then reconstitute human content at reception sites. The Technological Tower of Babel: Electronic and Digital Tongues in Media Society :: Technology Technological Essays The Technological Tower of Babel: Electronic and Digital Tongues in Media Society Works Cited Missing Anticipate the moment at which all your personal electronic devices - headphone audio player, cellular telephone, pager, dictaphone, camcorder, personal digital assistant (PDA), electronic stylus, radiomodem, calculator, Loran positioning system, smart spectacles, VCR remote, data glove, electronic jogging shoes that count your steps and flash warning signals at oncoming cars, medical monitoring system, pacemaker (if you are so unfortunate), and anything else that you might habitually wear or occasionally carry - can seamlessly be linked in a wireless bodynet that allows them to function as an integrated system and connects them to the worldwide digital network. (Mitchell 29) In City of Bits, from which the above quotation was taken, William Mitchell outlines a digitally integrated future which we need only optimistically anticipate. He goes on to discuss the possibility, or perhaps inevitability, of cyborg citizens where digital and electronic devices will extend and enhance human perception, efficiency and overall convenience. However, what is noticeably downplayed in the above quotation is reference to the citizen component of this technological symbiosis. Beyond the nebulous assertion that it will be "you" who will be wearing or carrying these devices, the only element that approximates the notion of a human within this mass of interconnected gadgetry is Mitchell's concept of the "bodynet". But rather than implying that the human body is at the center of a network of technology, this term appropriates a human characteristic and applies it to an inert collection of digital devices. What Mitchell inadvertently alludes to is the fact that as our cybernet ic components begin to communicate with each other, our biological half is increasingly relegated to the periphery of this communication, and by extension, of this new cybernetic existence. If technology is to play the pivotal role outlined in City of Bits, the most important development to come out of the notion of the cyborg citizen may well be the drowning out of the human voice under the increasingly boisterous voice of technology. Although Mitchell's concept of the cyborg citizen may be some years away, the groundwork for the removal of human language has already been laid. Not only does technology circumvent human language through intra-technological communication, it also devalues it as humans become more dependent on technologically mediated language transmission. The telephone, the television, and most recently the Internet and digital technologies deconstruct and then reconstitute human content at reception sites.

A Clinical Assessment and Management of a Patient

A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF A PATIENT WITH FACULTATIVE HYPEROPIA Prepared By: Santos, Clarence O. Abstract Ametropia is an anomaly of the refractive state of the eye in which, with relaxed accommodation, the image of objects at infinity is not formed on the retina. Thus vision may be blurred. The ametropias are: astigmatism, hyperopia (hypermetropia) and myopia. The absence of ametropia is called emmetropia. The word â€Å"ametropia† can be used interchangeably with â€Å"refractive error† or â€Å"image formation defects. Types of ametropia include myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. They are frequently categorized as spherical errors and cylindrical errors. Those who possess mild amounts of refractive error may elect to leave the condition uncorrected, particularly if the patient is asymptomatic. For those who are symptomatic, glasses, contact lenses, refractive surgery, or a combination of the three are typically used. Keywords Hyperopia, Ametropia, Facul tative Hyperopia IntroductionHyperopia, also known as farsightedness, longsightedness or hypermetropia, is a defect of vision caused by an imperfection in the eye (often when the eyeball is too short or the lens cannot become round enough), causing difficulty focusing on near objects, and in extreme cases causing a sufferer to be unable to focus on objects at any distance. As an object moves toward the eye, the eye must increase its optical power to keep the image in focus on the retina. If the power of the cornea and lens is insufficient, as in hyperopia, the image will appear blurred.The causes of hyperopia are typically genetic and involve an eye that is too short or a cornea that is too flat, so that images focus at a point behind the retina. In severe cases of hyperopia from birth, the brain has difficulty merging the images that each individual eye sees. This is because the images the brain receives from each eye are always blurred. A child with severe hyperopia has never seen objects in detail and might present with amblyopia or strabismus. If the brain never learns to see objects in detail, then there is a high chance that one eye will become dominant.The result is that the brain will block the impulses of the nondominant eye with resulting amblyopia or strabismus. Case Report Michelle Tizon, a 19 year old female had a routine eye checkup last July 23, 2012. She does not wear any corrective lenses. The patient does not report any symptoms of visual deficiencies and declares that she has clear vision at any distance. The patient claims that both of her parents are hypertensive, and likewise she is too. Clinical Findings The patient’s vision is 20/20 monocular and binocularly for both distance and near, with an interpupillary distance of 60/58mm and a pupil diameter of 4mm.All the patient’s ocular adnexae are within normal limits. Static retinoscopy reveals a gross finding of +2. 50 sph for both eyes and a net finding of +0. 50 sph. The fin dings enable her to achieve 20/20 vision. Upon refinement during subjective refraction, her final prescription is of +0. 50 sph for the right eye and +0. 25 sph for the left eye. The patient’s near point of convergence was measured at 8/13 which is within normal limits and with push-up amplitude finding of 12 cm or 8. 33 D. Corneal reflex testing showed a reflex located slightly nasally for the left eye and centered on the right eye.Upon further verification through alternate cover tests a slight amount of exophoria was revealed for both distance and near. Motility testing shows jerking in the patient’s smooth pursuit in all directions but smooth, accurate, full and extensive on saccades. Fundoscopic examination revealed that the internal eye for both eyes of the patient are well within normal limits and absent of any pathology. Phorometric testing reveals a habitual phoria for the patient measured at 2 xop for distance and 1 xop for near, with the same values for the induced phoria.The amplitude of accommodation of the patient was at 7. 75D which is a determinant that the patient does not need any correction for near vision Diagnosis: The patient has Facultative Hyperopia. Discussion: Various eye care professionals, including ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians, are involved in the treatment and management of hyperopia. At the conclusion of an eye examination, an eye doctor may provide the patient with an eyeglass prescription for corrective lenses. Minor amounts of hyperopia are sometimes left uncorrected.However, larger amounts may be corrected with convex lenses in eyeglasses or contact lenses. Convex lenses have a positive dioptric value, which causes the light to focus closer than its normal range. Management: Full prescription should be given to the patient to aide her refractive error. References: American Optometric Association. Optometric Clinical Practice Guideline: Care of the patient with hyperopia. 1997. â€Å"Eye Health: Presbyopia and Your Eyes. † WebMD. com. October, 2005. Accessed September 21, 2006. Chou B. Refractive Error and Presbyopia. † Refractive Source. com Accessed September 20, 2006. American Optometric Association. Optometric Clinical Practice Guideline: Care of the patient with presbyopia. 1998. Kazuo Tsubota, Brian S. Boxer Wacher, Dimitri T. Azar, and Douglas D. Koch, editors, , Hyperopia and Presbyopia, New York: Marcel Decker, 2003 Roque, B. Refractive errors in children. November 2, 2005. â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions: How do you measure refractive errors? â€Å". The New York Eye And Ear Infirmary. Retrieved 2006-09-13.

An Analysis of the Eight Fold Path of Buddhism

The Eightfold Path is a way that leads to the stopping of suffering and the achievement of self awakening. This instrument was brought forth through the teachings of the Buddha, Gautama Buddha. He taught his disciples how to follow this path how he did, so they may have self awakening and liberation. The eight steps in the Eightfold Path are as follows: Right belief, Right purpose, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and Right meditation or concentration. In Buddha’s time, if a potential Arahat strayed from the Eightfold Path or the Four Noble Truths, he would have to confess his sin or sins to the public. They followed it very strictly and took it very seriously for they wanted to be able to reach Nirvana. Nirvana is â€Å"the unconditioned state of liberation, release from the cycle of rebirth-redeath† (Noss, 2008, 2003: 185). In present time, we live in a very fast-paced, high-stress environment. I wonder if a present day Buddhist would be able to live life in accordance with the Eightfold Path. The first step in the Eightfold Path is Right belief. The Right belief can also be translated as â€Å"right perspective†, â€Å"right vision† or â€Å"right understanding†. It is the right way of looking at life, nature and the world as they really are. It acts as the reasoning for the practitioner to start practicing the path. It gives direction and efficacy to the other seven path factors (Encyclopedia, Aug. 2006). Another way of looking at the Right belief phrased in a contemporary form is: First you must see clearly what is wrong (Soccio, 2007: 51). The second step is Right purpose. In this step, the Arahat should constantly try to succeed at ridding themselves of whatever qualities that they know are wrong and immoral. Correct understanding of Right purpose will help the Arahat to distinguish the differences between right intention and wrong intention (Encyclopedia, Aug. 2006). A contemporary definition of Right purpose is: Next you must decide that you want to be cured (Soccio, 2007: 51). The third and fourth step, which are I found have been lumped together in all of my reading, Right speech and Right conduct. One must love all creatures with the right sort of love in word and deed (Noss, 2008: 182). When practicing steps three and four, Arahat’s must make good use of their words and train themselves to not bring harm to themselves or to others. You must act and speak so as to aim at being cured is a contemporary form on steps three and four (Soccio, 2007: 51). Right means of livelihood is the fifth step of the Eightfold Path. In this step, the Arahat’s are not to participate in occupations that can cause harm to human beings. This would include occupations that deal with weapons, the buying or selling of sex, killing animals to sell as food, and making or selling alcohol. Historian and philosopher, Gerald Heard, modified this step into a contemporary version meaning: Your livelihood must not conflict with your therapy (Soccio, 2007: 51). Right effort is the sixth step. In this step, the Saints should make a die hard effort to desert all the wrong and harmful thoughts, words, and deeds they might have. Instead they should be persevering in coming up with thoughts, words, and deeds that would be good and helpful to others and themselves (Encyclopedia, Aug. 2006). â€Å"That therapy must go forward at the â€Å"staying speed†, that is, the critical velocity† (Soccio, 2007: 51). The seventh and eighth final steps of the Eightfold Path are Right mindfulness and Right meditation or concentration. In these steps, the Arahat’s should constantly keep their mind alert to developments as they are affecting the body and mind. They should be aware and careful, making sure not to act or speak through the power of carelessness or forgetfulness. During the practice of right concentration, the practitioner will need to investigate and verify their right view; in the process right knowledge will arise and then followed by right liberation (Encyclopedia, Aug. 2006). The contemporary definition of these steps is: You must think about it incessantly and learn how to contemplate with the deep mind (Soccio, 2007: 51). Now having listed and clearly defined what each step is, I have concluded that it would be impossible for a present day Buddhist to live a life in accordance with the Eightfold Path. Even the most open-minded person would still fail at one or more of these steps. Following the Eightfold Path in today’s society would make it pretty much impossible for a person to be a productive member of the community. Just look at how choosing a college major would be affected by following the Path. If someone aspired to be a Police Officer, the Eightfold Path would prevent that due to the possibility of taking a human life. Or if a present day Buddhist wanted to become a lawyer, that would be halted since the Right Speech prohibits one from speaking in any sort of abusive or divisive manner. No one would be able to properly argue their point of view. In today’s electronic driven, media everywhere, fast-paced world I don’t see how the Eightfold Path could be a successful practice to a contemporary Buddhist. It is a very strict instrument to follow for the Path of Nirvana and I believe that at least one or more steps would be broken even by the most devout Buddhist.