Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Essay on The relationship between prints and painting on copper

Article on The connection among prints and painting on copper Article on The connection among prints and painting on copper Article on The connection among prints and painting on copperThe rise of oil copper painting and copper printing added to steady changes in the visual workmanship. Simultaneously, copper painting and copper printing rose as two unique branches in the improvement of the visual craftsmanship, in spite of the fact that they had comparable roots and utilized copper as the center of the strategy utilized in painting and imprinting on copper. In this manner, the presentation of copper in the visual craftsmanship added to the rise of oil copper painting first and afterward invigorated the advancement of copper prints.â â â â â â â â â â â The presentation of copper in the visual workmanship was a development that had considerably affected the further improvement of the visual craftsmanship. Craftsmen had begun to utilize copper in their artistic creations to make them increasingly sturdy since existing materials utilized in works of art didn't give the durable impacts. The custo mary canvas utilized in painting before long brought about the loss of shading and unavoidable changes that prompted the quick demolition of canvases and loss of artistic creations. In such manner, the utilization of copper added to reliable changes in the solidness of artistic creations with the utilization of copper.â Moreover, they acquired extensive changes the brilliance and sparkle of hues. Subsequently, works of art with the utilization of copper turned out to be progressively alluring for specialists since they could make hues more brilliant and they were all the more sparkling, though artistic creations turned out to be increasingly sturdy contrasted with regular canvases.â â â â â â â â â â â simultaneously, the fruitful utilization of copper in painting added to additionally explores in the utilization of copper in prints. Indeed, the utilization of copper in prints was the characteristic result of utilizing copper in painting since prints were considerably more reasonable for utilizing copper than painting. To put it all the more decisively, prints permitted more extensive creation of works of art dependent on the utilization of copper. They turned out to be increasingly reasonable, sparkling and alluring for purchasers. Therefore, specialists utilized copper prints to make their masterpieces increasingly appealing and sensible. Likewise, copper prints turned out to be very well known in light of the fact that they were anything but difficult to make and opened the route for the large scale manufacturing. In such a manner, the advancement of copper printing invigorated the further advancement of printing and analyses including copper and other materials.â â â â â â â â â â â However, it is likewise worth referencing the way that the rise of both copper painting and printing got conceivable because of the advancement of copper creation innovation and adjustment of copper to utilize inâ painting. For instance, the utilizat ion of copper in painting required the creation of the copper powder. Furthermore, the copper plates utilized for copper prints required the high caliber of copper creation to limit deformities of copper that weakened the general nature of copper prints making them difficult to use for the production of fine arts. In such a manner, the turn of events and improvement of the copper creation innovation and the advancement of painting opened the path for the development of copper painting.â â â â â â â â â â â Thus, trials of craftsmen in the field of visual workmanship added to the presence of new methods of painting. In such manner, copper painting got one of the most significant strides toward the further advancement of visual expressions and presence of solid artistic creation, which utilized new sparkling and brilliant hues, while the presence of copper painting invigorated the presence of copper printing.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1988 Essays - India

THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1988 Essays - India THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1988 Articulation of Objects and Reasons added to the Constitution (Sixty-second Amendment) Bill, 1988 (Bill No. 129 of 1988) which was sanctioned as THE CONSTITUTION ( Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1988 Articulation OF OBJECTS AND REASONS Article 326 of the Constitution gives that the races to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assembly of each State will be based on grown-up testimonial, in other words, an individual ought not be under 21 years old. It has been discovered that a considerable lot of the nations have determined 18 years as the democratic age. In our nation a portion of the State Governments have received 18 years old for decisions to the nearby specialists. The present-day youth are proficient and edified and the bringing down of the democratic age would give to the unrepresented youth of the nation a chance to offer vent to their sentiments and assist them with turning into a piece of the political procedure. The present-day youth are especially politically cognizant. It is, along these lines, proposed to lessen the democratic age from 21 years to 18 years. 2. The Bill tries to accomplish the above item. NEW DELHI; B SHANKARANAND. The ninth December, 1988. THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1988 [28th March, 1989.] An Act further to change the Constitution of India. BE it instituted by Parliament in the Thirty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 1. Short title.- This Act might be known as the Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1988. 2. Change of article 326.- In article 326 of the Constitution, for the words twenty-one years, the words eighteen years will be subbed.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Coping With Subthreshold PTSD

Coping With Subthreshold PTSD PTSD Print Coping With Subthreshold PTSD When Youre Not Quite Meeting a PTSD Diagnosis By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Updated on January 29, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children Arief Juwono / Moment / Getty Images Subthreshold PTSD refers to the experiencing of some post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after a traumatic event, but not quite enough to meet criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. Subthreshold PTSD can be associated with distress and impairment consistent with what is seen among people with a PTSD diagnosis. To officially have a diagnosis of PTSD, you need to have a certain number of re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms. PTSD Symptoms PTSD symptoms can begin up to three months after a traumatic event, but sometimes do not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships. PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, or changes in emotional reactions. Intrusive Memories Symptoms of intrusive memories may include: Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic eventReliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)Upsetting dreams about the traumatic eventSevere emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the event Avoidance Symptoms of avoidance may include: Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic eventAvoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include: Negative feelings about yourself or other peopleInability to experience positive emotionsFeeling emotionally numbLack of interest in activities you once enjoyedHopelessness about the futureMemory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic eventDifficulty maintaining close relationships Changes in Emotional Reactions Symptoms of changes in emotional reactions (also called arousal symptoms) may include: Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behaviorAlways being on guard for dangerOverwhelming guilt or shameSelf-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fastTrouble concentratingTrouble sleepingBeing easily startled or frightened Intensity of Symptoms You may have more PTSD symptoms when youre stressed in general, or when you run into reminders of what you went through. For example, you may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences. Or you may see a report on the news about a sexual assault and feel overcome by memories of your own assault. PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. When to See a Doctor According to the Mayo Clinic, if you have disturbing thoughts and feelings about a traumatic event for more than a month, if theyre severe, or if you feel youre having trouble getting your life back under control, talk to your healthcare professional. Get treatment as soon as possible to help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse. If You Have Suicidal Thoughts If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away through one or more of these resources: Reach out to a close friend or loved one.Contact a minister, a spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.Call a suicide hotline numberâ€"in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.Make an appointment with your doctor, mental health provider or other healthcare professional.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Past Subjunctive in English Definition and Examples

Past subjunctive is a term in traditional grammar for the use of were in a clause that expresses an unreal or hypothetical condition in present, past, or future time (for example, If I were you . . .). Also known as the were-subjunctive and the irrealis were, the past subjunctive differs from the past indicative only in the first- and third-person singular of the past tense of be. The past subjunctive is primarily used in subordinate clauses that begin with (as) if or though. Examples and Observations [Her eye] was prominent, and showed a great deal of the white, and looked as steadily, as unwinkingly, at you as if it were a steel ball soldered in her head.(Charlotte Brontà «, Shirley, 1849)If she were truly sorry or even not sure she was right, she might apologize, but in this case shed be lying.(Cliff Coon, The Mending String, 2004)How can a person start off from Grand Isle to Mexico at a moments notice, as if he were going over to Kleins or to the wharf or down to the beach?(Kate Chopin, The Awakening, 1899)I always feel a little uneasy when Im with Marie Strickland, though not uncomfortable enough to wish she werent here.(P.D. James, The Murder Room, 2003)Suppose he were to come back to Paris and challenge Bunny to a duel?(Upton Sinclair, Oil! 1927)O would that she were here,That fair and gentle thing,Whose words are musical as strainsBreathed by the wind-harps string.(G.P. Morris, Lines for Music) An Untensed Form The meaning of the past subjunctive is not factual but counterfactual (e.g. [ I wish] he were here; If I were you . . .) or tentative (e.g. I would be surprised if he were to do that). . . .[T]he subjunctive were is not a relative tense form. Since, obviously, it is not an absolute tense form either (i.e. it does not relate its situation to the temporal zero-point), it can only be treated as an untensed form. In this respect, it resembles nonfinite verb forms, i.e. infinitives, participles, and gerunds. (Renaat Declerck, Susan Reed, and Bert Cappelle, The Grammar of the English Tense System: A Comprehensive Analysis. Mouton de Gruyter, 2006) Formal Usage When the past subjunctive is used, a reference to a hypothetical or to a counterfactual situation is made, which may lie in the present, the past or the future (Example 10): (9) you could read page one-twenty-four, as if it were all simple past, right?(MICASE LEL300SU076)(10) [...] Jimmie wishes/wished/will wish his girlfriend were with him.(example by Depraetere Reed 2006: 271) The form were is used especially following constructions that express volition, such as the verbs wish and suppose (I wish he were here), the conjunctions as if, if only, as, though, whether (if I were you . . .), and the phrases would rather and would that (would that he were still alive). In non-formal contexts, however, the past form is often replaced by the past indicative was (I wish he was here) (Huddleston Pullum 2002: 86-89; Quirk et al. 1985: 148; 1013), i.e. modal preterite. So the past subjunctive counts as the more formal variant. (Alexander Bergs and Lena Heine, Mood in English. Mood in the Languages of Europe, ed. by Bjà ¶rn Rothstein and Rolf Thieroff. John Benjamins, 2010) Correctness and Acceptability Acceptability is not absolute, but is a matter of degree; one expression may be more or less acceptable than another. If I were in your shoes may be judged more acceptable than If I was in your shoes, but both are considerably more acceptable than If we was in your shoes. Moreover, acceptability is not abstract, but is related to some group of people whose response it reflects. (John Algeo and Thomas Pyles, The Origins and Development of the English Language, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2010)

Saturday, May 9, 2020

The Upside to Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids

The Upside to Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids What You Must Know About Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids You might also find the descriptive essay. You've got a guide and get ideas about what to do with your essay. Before writing a comparative essay, you should first arm yourself with the information which you need. To write this kind of essay is quiet hard thing and it ought to be carried out responsibly. You might take a look at our Essay Outline Template to find the structures that you could use in writing informative essays and other types of pieces. Thus, you must be quite careful whilst crafting your compare and contrast an essay. Writing is a skill that someone can learn. You might also be assigned with writing about many other distinctive topics. There are several essay writing services that think they're the very best, and therefore don't be cheated and check the legitimate collection of the very best. What you aspire to teach your reader will find out the sort of your essay. Whether there are words you don't know, grab a dictionary. An instance of the type of essay that lots of students would rather not need to write is a compare contrast essay. The Supreme Approach for Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids In both instances, the outcome is a finished essay. What remains unchecked ought to be handled in the contrast paragraphs. The conclusion is the simplest part. It seals the comparison essay and tries to close the issue. It truly is simple, because all you need to do is simply find facts and compare them! Below you'll find specific instructions about how to compose a comparison essay on any topic, which is well written and are going to have fantastic opportunity to acquire a high grade. Regardless of what topic you're working on, you must try and understand it before you search for essay examples! First you discuss the very first subject. Creating an outline is a significant portion of writing. You could also enjoy the outline examples. You might also enjoy the outline templates. You can also understand the evaluation essay templates. For example if you're comparing or contrasting orcas and dolphins it is possible to observe that both are cetaceous and reside in water. Your capability to produce a great paper is dependent on structuring an ideal outline. Another point to take into account is the sharpness and contrast that every lens produces in and about the flared areas. You may choose to try out two or three unique formats for your topic as a way to choose which best suits your subject. On-line learning offers a whole lot more flexibility. There are various terms that are utilised to for computers. When you receive the title and aspects to compare but without a definite number of criteria to cover similarities and differences, you've got to brainstorm. It's possible to discover some info about various formats of accounts. What You Should Do to Find Out About Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids Before You're Left Behind Comparable to the manner of the paper itself, the tutorial is going to be listed so as to reproduce it. You're not a computer and won't ever remember your thoughts if you don't write them down. The Tried and True Method for Compare and Contrast Essay Samples for Kids in Step by Step Detail Just follow courses with high ratings and many chances you'll wind up happy with results. If you would like to acquire high excellent research and thesis papers punctually and for a fair price, you should probably attempt using EssaySupply.com. Bas ed on the sort of work you're citing, you might have to include extra info. Also, there's a lot of helpful info on the website. The computer software may be used as additional essay help. You will discover information and a URL to a membership application. The classes are offered on a per diem basis, so there is not any demand for a month-to-month subscription or membership fee.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Describe the ways in which play is said to promote children’s development Free Essays

Introduction Play is an integral part of child development throughout the early years of every child’s life. This is because it permits children to practice their imagination while developing their mind, agility, bodily, cognitive, and expressive strength. Play is important to on-going healthy brain development. We will write a custom essay sample on Describe the ways in which play is said to promote children’s development or any similar topic only for you Order Now Children are known to use play at the early stages of life to interact and make sense of the world around them. As they master their world, play assists children progress onto innovative abilities that lead to enriched self-confidence and the resiliency they will need to deal with challenges they may come across in the future.2 Above all, many believe that play is a simple yet effective enjoyment that is cherished as part of being a child. There are two categories of play that have been identified; Undirected play which is when children are allowed to play on their own, and directed play which is stimulated play through adult supervision or help. Undirected play lets children learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate by building their communication skills, to resolve encounters, and to learn self-advocacy skills.3,4 When play is allowed to be child driven, children practice decision-making skills, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and finally participate completely in the desires they wish to follow.3,4 Rather, much of play encompasses adults, but when play is organised by adults, children comply to adult instructions and apprehensions and lose some of the advantages play offers them, particularly in developing creativity, leadership, and group skills.5 In contrast to submissive amusement, play shapes active, fit physiques. In fact, it has been proposed that inspiring unstructured play may be an excellent way to increase physical activity levels in children, which is one vital approach in the resolution of the obesity epidemic.6,7 Furthermore, the act of playing is fundamental to the academic setting. It safeguards that the school setting attends to the social and emotional growth of children as well as their cognitive development. It has been shown to help children adjust to the school setting and even to enhance children’s learning readiness, learning behaviours, and problem-solving skills.8 Social-emotional familiarity is best combined with school learning; it is worrying if some of the forces that enhance children’s ability to learn are elevated at the expense of others. Play and unscheduled time that allow for peer interactions are imperative constituents of social-emotional development. There are particular attributes that are developed in children through the activity of play which is why it is so highly regarded in the early years of the academic syllabus. The well-known psychologist, Piaget, identified play and imitation as an integral part of learning and development and outlined the benefits a child got from playing. He said play was used as a vehicle for overcoming egocentrism. This refers to the pre-school child’s inability to grasp another’s point of view by empathising. By socialising through play and social interaction, other individuals needs can become a focus for the child and therefore develop their cognition further from their own needs. Secondly, he has mentioned that it can be used as a means of accommodating and assimilating reality. Accommodating is when the child takes material into their cognition from the environment, which may mean changing the evidence of their senses to make it fit. Thus accommodating is a result of assimilatio n for the child as they ‘accommodate’ their senses through play to make them fit. Piaget had come up with the notion that play is almost pure assimilation without the need to acquaint one’s self with external realism. For example a child who plays â€Å"airplane† with a rectangular block is usually unconcerned about the requirement of certain essential design to overcome gravity or to make use of air pressure. The child is merely assimilating the wooden block into existing schemata of airplanes. The opposite of this almost pure assimilation is imitation, or the child’s serious attempt to accommodate to outer reality. For example if an ambulance arrives outside the school due to a child falling over. A couple of days after the incident the children were playing in the playground. A child acts this out and has an accident. The children took the roles of the paramedics and the people caught in the injured child. As they play this situation through, they were making a serious attempt to accommodate the reality which they had seen and heard about. Assimilation and accommodation are both included in the interaction which unites the individual child to the environment and the child’s reality. The give and take in play and imitation is one way that the child learns about the child’s world. Piaget’s theory on play goes on to develop these terms further by theorising that in both play and deferred imitation, the child is learning about symbols, or he is learning that one thing can stand for something else. A child puts on a hat and becomes a police man or a cowboy. The hat is the symbol for the role. Play itself is a symbolic representation of the child’s own inner world. Last but not least Piaget supports his developmental stages through play. His preoperational stage which is when the child uses its senses to discover the world is achieved through the act of playing. The child learns through first-hand experiences by touching, tasting, smelling and later through actual hands on experiences with material, equipment and ideas. Play provides the child with real experiences to try out and develop cognition and physicality. As shown above through much research and Piaget’s own research and theories, that play is a much needed part of children’s development and growing up. They are able to discover all sorts of ideas, objects, concepts and experiences through the act of playing. Playing in conclusion will always be regarded as a vital concept of life as it is taken seriously in academic situations as well as in the homes with the child’s parents. References 1, Shonkoff JP, Phillips DA, eds. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2000 2, Erickson RJ. Play contributes to the full emotional development of the child. Education.1985;105 :26 3, Pellegrini AD, Smith PK. The development of play during childhood: forms and possible functions. Child Psychol Psychiatry Rev.1998;3 :51– 57 4, McElwain EL, Volling BL. Preschool children’s interactions with friends and older siblings: relationship specificity and joint contributions to problem behaviors. J Fam Psychol.2005;19 :486– 496 5, MacDonald KB. Parent-Child Play: Descriptions and Implications.Albany, NY: State University of New York Press; 1993 6, Burdette HL, Whitaker RC. Resurrecting free play in young children: looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.2005;159 :46– 50 7, American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Council on School Health. Active healthy living: prevention of childhood obesity through increased physical activity.Pediatrics.2006:117 :1834– 1842 8, Coolahan K, Fantuzzo J, Mendez J, McDermott P. Preschool peer interactions and readiness to learn: relationships between classroom peer play and learning behaviors and conduct. J Educ Psychol.2000;92 :458– 465 Accessed 08/08/12 How to cite Describe the ways in which play is said to promote children’s development, Essay examples

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Value Chain of the United Postal Services (UPS)

Introduction Today, the business environment is characterized by intensifying market entrants, rapid business environment dynamics, and technological innovations. This situation has continued to render the orthodox business models obsolete.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Value Chain of the United Postal Services (UPS) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizations that offer mailing and tracking services have experienced numerous challenges as they are a required to change their strategies periodically to align them with new technological means. Establishing a robust value chain guides the organization in integrating its primary and support activities to enhance customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. To achieve this strategic goal, organizations have embraced the use of integrated systems for both core and support activities. This paper presents the value chain analysis of the United States Postal Servic es by providing an in-depth analysis of its information systems used in the realization of its strategy. Value Chain Analysis Value chain analysis entails evaluating the contribution of each business activity that underpins the creation of product and service value in the organization (Laudon Laudon, 2010). According to Porter, there is a distinction between the primary and support activities of the organization. The primary activities encompass inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing, and sales. On the other hand, the support services facilitate the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the primary services. They entail procurement, technology, human resource management, and infrastructure development (Laudon Laudon, 2010). In a bid to execute the primary and support activities seamlessly, there is a need to employ integrated information systems that link the different activities together with a view of promoting the creation of value for product s and services. Primary Activities for UPS and Systems used The primary activities of the UPS comprise the core involvement in transforming the raw materials into the desired finished products and services. Inbound logistics entails material handling and warehousing. Operations include the manufacturing processes that entail turning inputs into outputs (Rapp Subramanian, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Outbound logistics is concerned with the processing of customer orders and distribution of the ordered finished products to the customers. Marketing and sales activities encompass the dissemination of information to the customers. Such information concerns the product and service promotions, pricing, and channel management. Services include various installations, repairs, and accessories. The UPS’s inbound and outbound logistics include the packaging of the cust omers’ mails, dropping, and delivery (Rapp Subramanian, 2010). The primary operation of the UPS entails planning various schedules including routes, courier requirements, time, and safe delivery of the mails to the customers. The marketing function of the UPS involves frequent customer deals and aggressive branding. The company prints logos on their trucking vehicles and uniforms for the mail delivery staff as a part of the marketing campaign. Additionally, it undertakes both electronic and outdoor advertising. Additional customer services include online interactions to take care of complaints, follow-ups, repairs, and suggestions (Rapp Subramanian, 2010). Support Activities for the UPS According to Rapp and Subramanian (2010), the support activities offered by the UPS include firm infrastructure, human resource management, technology development, and procurement. Porter posits that the support activities are meant for complementing the core activities of the organization. The infrastructure activities handle matters relating to finance, accounts preparation, and social affairs. The human resource (HR) for the UPS entails training, recruitment, and performance appraisal to promote a positive corporate culture of value creation and dedication. The UPS uses information technology (IT) to offer different delivery choices for the customers as a part of its prime competencies for developing a competitive edge against its rivals such as FedEx and the US Postal Services. The company’s information technology is integrated into its various segments including air, water, and land delivery services to provide reliable and timely distribution of packages.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Value Chain of the United Postal Services (UPS) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Information Systems for Primary and Support Activities The chief operations of the UPS include package delivery. To ensur e an improved delivery of products and services, the company utilizes an end-to-end tracking system that involves more than ten scan events on shipments from pickup to delivery. In addition, the company has proactive information systems that provide customers with real-time status of their deliveries (Rapp Subramanian, 2010). Customers also get text alerts concerning the routes, shipment status, and timeline of the progress of their packages. They can select the type of alerts that provide enough information about the status of their deliveries. Moreover, the United Postal Service provides various information systems to improve its value chain including the Delivery Sequence File (CDS), Electronic Verification System (eVS), Carrier Route Information System File, Bar-coding and Address Standardization (BAS), Delivery Point Validation (DVP), and Enhanced Line of Travel (eLOT) among others (Rapp Subramanian, 2010). For the support activities, the UPS has embraced a robust education s ystem to provide training for its workforce whose tasks entail mail handling, packaging, and distribution. The educational system seeks to instill skills to improve customer delivery services and provide optimum management training for effective practice (Laudon Laudon, 2010). Alignment of the Information Systems with the UPS Strategy The mission and vision statements guide the strategic goals and objectives of the United Postal Services. They outline the company’s goals of developing core competencies with a view of building competitive approaches to catapult the organization to success and customer value creation. The integrated systems embraced by the UPS align with its strategic objectives. The tracking information system seeks to attain particular goals including customer communication concerning the delivery status of their packages, mode of payment, and shipment schedules among others. The educational system provides relevant training for the UPS personnel in a bid to map the way towards establishing core competencies in product and service delivery. Training provides the employees with knowledge that upgrades their skills to remain abreast with the ever-changing industrial landscape due to shifts in technology and customer behavior (Laudon Laudon, 2010) Conclusion The essay has discussed the core and secondary activities that constitute the business of the United Postal Services. The nature of the business has posed a major challenge to the company owing to the ever-advancing, proactive, and innovative culture.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the advancement of the Internet has rendered most postal services obsolete. In light of e-transformation, the United States Postal Services has embraced technology to diversify and enhance its operations in a bid to meet new customer needs. To execute its package handling and delivery services among other services efficiently, the UPS has adopted a tech-savvy information system that conveys real-time information to its customers. This situation enables the customers gain access to the delivery status information about their shipments packages, schedules, and routes. The UPS also has an educational system that offers relevant training to upgrade its staff’s skills. The practice promotes relevance and competence among its workforce. These systems correspond to the company’s strategic objectives. Reference List Laudon, K., Laudon, J. (2010). Information Systems, Organizations, and Strategy. Web. Rapp, W., Subramanian, H. (2010). Leveraging IT as a core com petency to enter new businesses: The UPS case. New Jersey, NJ: New Jersey Institute of Technology. This essay on Value Chain of the United Postal Services (UPS) was written and submitted by user Luciano O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Farming and Industry essays

Farming and Industry essays It is virtually impossible to answer the question of whether Americas farmers or industrial workers had it worse in the period 1865 through 1916, because issues of gender, culture, and race make it difficult, if not impossible, to generalize about people in either occupation. Furthermore, regional differences exacerbated the differences in how each group was treated. Therefore, instead of ignoring these differences, this paper will concentrate on how gender, cultural, and race impacted each occupation, and then attempt to determine which group, as a whole, lived under worse working conditions. Any discussion of American history that begins in 1865 has to, by necessity; discuss the tremendous social changes caused by the U.S. Civil War. First, the Civil War helped highlight regional differences in the United States; the North was linked with industry and the South with agriculture. Furthermore, after the Civil War there was no incentive for the United States government to push for industrialization in the South. On the contrary, preventing the South from becoming industrialized was a way for the North to make sure that the South would not be able to secede from the Union. Second, the Civil War was responsible for the deaths of nearly a million Americans, from injuries and disease. As with most wars, the majority of those deaths occurred in young, working age males. Therefore, the Civil War left a gap in the labor force, and also forced many women and children to work because they had no husband or father to provide financial support. Furthermore, the end of the Civ il War led to a tremendous change in financial status for many Americans. Reconstruction led to a restructuring of the economy of the South; and the defeat of the Confederate Army left millions destitute. Of course, the most significant political and social change following the end of the Civil War was the end of legalized slavery. The best-understood ty...

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

The 49 Cheapest Colleges in California

The 49 Cheapest Colleges in California SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College is expensive, so it's prudent to consider how much you're going to have to pay before you decide to attend a particular school- especially if you live in California. While cost shouldn't be the sole determining factor in your college decision, it's definitely an important one. In this article, I'll give you a list of the cheapest colleges in California. Furthermore, I'll provide you with the prices of the top public and private colleges in California, explain college costs, and go over how finances should influence your college decision. Average College Costs in the US Before I give you the list of the most affordable colleges in California, allow me to explain average college costs so that you can compare the costs of California schools with the national averages. In its most recent survey of college pricing, the College Board (the creator of the SAT) reported that for the 2018-19 academic year the average annual total cost for an in-state public college is $25,890, and the average annual total cost for a private college is $52,500. Total cost combines the following four items: Tuition and fees Housing and meals Books and school supplies Personal and transportation expenses #1: Tuition and Fees Colleges often charge mandatory fees for services such as the on-campus library, transportation, athletic facilities, and student activities. Many colleges report a combined tuition and fees figure. According to the College Board, the average costs of tuition and fees for the 2018-19 school year are as follows: $10,230 for in-state students at public universities $26,290 for out-of-state students at public universities $35,830 for students at private nonprofit universities For state residents at California public universities in 2018-19, the average cost of tuition and fees is $9,870. #2: Housing and Meals The College Board reports that the average cost of room and board ranges from $11,140 at four-year public schools to $12,680 at four-year private schools. However, note that the cost of room and board can vary depending on the campus housing and meal plans you choose. Colleges also usually provide room and board estimates for those living off-campus based on typical student costs. #3: Books and School Supplies Most colleges estimate the average costs for required learning materials. Some colleges even include the cost of a computer and computer accessories. The College Board reports that the average cost of books and supplies for the 2017-18 school year is $1,240 for both public and private universities. #4: Personal and Transportation Expenses Colleges sometimes estimate expenses they don't actually bill you for; these include transportation costs to and from school as well as expenses for personal things such as clothing, entertainment, etc. According to the College Board, average transportation and personal expenses for 2017-18 ran from $2,750 at private universities to $3,280 at public universities. (Note that this is the only area for which the estimated cost is more expensive for those attending public schools than it is for those attending private schools.) College isn't cheap. (Refracted Moments/Flickr) Why Do Cheap Colleges in California Cost Less? The cheapest colleges in California are public colleges that are subsidized by the Californian government. California public universities are separated into two categories: California State University (CSU) schools University of California (UC) schools These schools cost substantially less for California residents. CSU schools are cheaper than UC schools; however, as a whole, UC schools are more selective and prestigious. Keep in mind that there isn't necessarily a direct relationship between the quality of a school and its cost. You can get an outstanding education at a relatively cheap school. In fact, many UC schools are considered some of the top research universities in the world. The Cheapest Colleges in California Below is the ranking list of the cheapest colleges in California. I ranked the following schools by their cost of attendance for California residents who live on-campus. All of these numbers come from College Navigator, which is part of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). I also created separate tables for CSU schools, UC schools, and private schools. Private colleges are typically more expensive than CSU and UC schools, but some offer very generous financial aid. California State University Schools CSU schools are the cheapest colleges in California. I've listed the costs of attendance for state residents who live on-campus and for those who live off-campus with their families. If you live off-campus with your family, you’ll save substantially on room and board costs. I also listed the costs of attendance for out-of-state students who live on-campus and the average net price of each school. Average net price is determined by subtracting the average amount of financial aid (for students who receive aid) from the total cost of attendance. Net price can give you a general idea of the cost of attendance after you get financial aid. As most government and institutional aid is based on demonstrated financial need, students whose families have lower incomes and fewer assets will receive more aid. The cost of attendance data is from the 2018-19 school year and the average net prices are from the 2017-18 school year. Generally, the cost of attendance goes up about 1-2% annually. Schools are listed in order of their in-state, on-campus costs (from lowest to highest): School In-State, On-Campus In-State, Off-Campus w/ Family Out-of-State, On-Campus Avg Net Price (In-State) 1. CSU Fresno $21,418 $11,093 $33,928 $6,587 2. CSU Stanislaus $21,886 $11,302 $32,434 $6,930 3. CSU Northridge $22,969 $11,961 $34,849 $8,549 4. CSU Monterey Bay $23,564 $12,087 $35,444 $13,155 5. Cal Maritime $27,350 $15,282 $39,230 $19,965 6. CSU Dominguez Hills $23,722 $11,862 $35,602 $4,533 7. CSU Long Beach $24,738 $11,866 $36,618 $9,477 8. CSU San Bernardino $23,878 $11,428 $35,758 $8,586 9. CSU Chico $24,624 $12,074 $36,504 $14,156 10. Humboldt State $24,811 $11,941 $36,691 $14,506 11. $26,139 $11,743 $38,019 $4,403 12. CSU East Bay $25,143 $11,313 $37,023 $11,422 13. CSU Sacramento $26,454 $11,816 $38,334 $9,885 14. Sonoma State $26,626 $12,780 $38,506 $16,119 15. San Francisco State $27,480 $12,220 $39,360 $14,964 16. Cal Poly Pomona $28,891 $11,935 $40,771 $12,744 17. CSU Bakersfield $26,009 $12,377 $37,889 $6,025 18. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo $28,302 $14,532 $40,182 $20,036 19. San Diego State $29,318 $12,476 $41,170 $14,568 20. $25,325 $12,761 $37,205 $12,614 21. CSU Fullerton $27,739 $11,912 $39,618 $8,274 22. San Jose State $29,193 $12,865 $41,073 $14,519 23. CSU Channel Islands $25,517 $11,885 $37,387 $15,780 Happy grads of CSU Monterey Bay (CSU Monterey Bay/Flickr) University of California Schools In this table, I ranked the UC schools by their costs of attendance for in-state students who live on-campus. I have provided all the same statistics offered for the CSU schools above. As you’ll see, UC schools are substantially more expensive than CSU schools, but their average net prices are comparable to those of some CSU schools. Again, all expenses are for the 2018-19 school year, while all average net prices are for the 2017-18 school year. School In-State, On-Campus In-State, Off-Campus w/ Family Out-of-State, On-Campus Avg Net Price (In-State) 1. UC San Diego $32,838 $26,687 $61,830 $13,452 2. UC Irvine $34,261 $26,266 $65,253 $15,014 3. UCLA $34,620 $26,349 $63,612 $15,002 4. UC Riverside $35,242 $26,483 $64,234 $12,890 5. UC Davis $35,177 $27,271 $61,649 $16,039 6. UC Santa Barbara $35,172 $27,269 $64,169 $15,724 7. UC Santa Cruz $36,217 $27,231 $65,209 $17,266 8. UC Merced $35,663 $26,239 $64,655 $12,390 9. UC Berkeley $38,066 $27,474 $67,058 $17,862 The Geisl Library at UCSD (O Palsson/Flickr) Private Colleges in California In this section, I've provided the costs of 17 top private colleges in California. For each school, I've listed the total cost of attendance for students who live on-campus and the average net price. In-state and out-of-state students pay the same price. While private colleges are far more expensive than both CSU and UC schools, some offer fairly generous financial aid packages. The following schools are organized by cost of attendance (from lowest to highest). School Cost of Attendance (2018-19) Net Price (2017-18) 1. Soka University of America $48,996 $14,739 2. Loyola Marymount University $67,369 $43,779 3. Mills College $47,784 $24,900 4. University of San Diego $67,498 $35,931 5. University of San Francisco $68,296 $34,475 6. Santa Clara University $71,778 $41,545 7. Chapman University $73,182 $41,463 8. Stanford University $71,587 $17,271 9. California Institute of Technology $72,084 $26,361 10. Pomona College $71,996 $16,988 11. Pitzer College $72,900 $30,013 12. Pepperdine University $73,002 $40,941 13. Scripps $73,756 $39,070 14. Claremont McKenna College $73,810 $26,512 15. Occidental College $74,132 $37,173 16. University of Southern California $74,825 $36,191 17. Harvey Mudd College $76,947 $38,768 Founders Hall at Soka University (Beyond My Ken/Wikimedia Commons) How to Use These Lists of California College Expenses By looking at the three lists above, you can get an idea of the costs of different types of four-year universities in California and compare the costs of specific California schools. Furthermore, you can add one of the cheaper colleges to your list of schools if cost is a concern for you. Remember that cost should only be a single factor- not the overall deciding factor- in your college decision. I advise you to extensively research colleges so you can find the college that’s best for you. When Should Cost Be a Consideration in Your College Choice? Ideally, you wouldn't have to consider cost when choosing a school, and college would be affordable for everyone. Unfortunately, in reality, cost is often a significant factor. Therefore, it's a good idea to apply to at least one or two more affordable safety schools, especially if cost is a major concern for you and your family. Keep in mind that you won't know exactly how much a certain school will cost until you've gotten accepted and received a financial aid letter, so don’t let the sticker price prevent you from applying. Most financial aid is awarded after you’ve been accepted but before you commit to the school. Many of the most selective colleges claim to meet 100% of a student's financial need through a combination of school, state, and/or federal aid. Once you get your financial aid package, it's time to determine out-of-pocket expenses and how much you would need to take out in loans. Be sure to also weigh the financial burden of attending a particular school against factors such as its quality of education, how badly you want to attend, and its expected financial return. Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine how much debt is worth it. What's Next? If you're worried about college costs and are interested in a school outside California, check out the cheapest colleges in the United States. Regardless of the school you attend, it's a good idea to learn how to pay for college so you can maximize your academic experience and save as much money as possible. After you familiarize yourself with the financial aid process, see whether you qualify for any of these awesome full-ride scholarships! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sunday, February 16, 2020

White privileges in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

White privileges in America - Essay Example The society of the United States of America inherently is a country of the whites. The American society has been structured by racial discrimination profoundly and racism has lastingly marked the society of the country as concluded by the report of the United Nations Human Council for the year 2009. However the racism affects the white population of the country as well, as they are from birth always been isolated from the people of color in the daily life. That is how racism is experienced by the white population of the society. (Lund and Colin, p 8: Wise, p viii) Racism and the privileges for the white thus hurt the living of the people of color and to some extent affect the white as well. 1. The White Privilege The roots of the society of America are permeated by the factor of racism which gets reflected in each and every institutions of the society. It get resembles in the culture of the society, in the society’s character as well as in its structure. There are several boun daries in the social lives set by the majority of the white population of the country for the people of the different skin color.... Whiteness and non whiteness stratified the society of the United States of America. In the society of America real situations are defined by Whiteness and it also impose real consequences.(Guess, 650; Lund and Colin, 8) According to Wise the society of the United States of America always bestowed some advantages to the individual born white in the society. These are the advantages from which the people of color are deliberately withheld. Whiteness which may have different meaning in different time and places, however in the United States of America being white entitles some common experience based upon the advantages and privileges from the people of color along with belongings. The racialization of a subordinate group also brings with it the racialization of the super ordinate group as they enjoy the position of dominance in the society and added to their advantages (Wise, viii, 3: Guess, 651) In the words of Wise, white privilege is enjoying every kinds of social, political economi cal as well as educational benefits along with facilities in health care services that an individual requires for earning prosperity, social security and respect for himself over the other classes of the society. According to him in short white privilege is the root of problems existing in a society that is not a meritocracy. (This is your nation on White Privilege) 2. Privileges enjoyed by the white population of the country According to the reports of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the year 2009 and the United States Census Bureau for 2006, the total percentage of the white population of the society is 73.9 percent that experienced the unemployment rate

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Capital Crime in an Incident of Mass Shooting Essay

Capital Crime in an Incident of Mass Shooting - Essay Example It was broadly anticipated that his attorneys would try defending him by entering a diminished capacity plea. However, in the preliminary hearing, they said they needed more time because they were not yet ready to enter such a plea yet (Ingold 2). A plea of diminished capacity is a defense excuse in which the accused agrees to have broken the law but argues that they cannot be fully liable of the crime due to compromised, diminished or impaired mental functionality (Mandery 45). According to Bronner (1), Holmes’ attorneys said in the preliminary hearing that they required more time to review and peruse the huge pile of documentation regarding the case. The presiding Judge in the preliminaries, William Blair Sylvester of Colorado State District Court, also wary of moving the case too fast due to the possibility of eventual appeal that could gather its support from the manner in which the case was handled agreed to a later date rather than proceeding with the arraignment. After the attorney of the accused claimed that Holm was unprepared to enter any plea on March 12, 2013, the Colorado judge entered the not guilty plea (Ingold 2). According to Ingold (2), two weeks later on March 12, the accused attorneys communicated their intention of pleading guilty in order to avoid the death penalty. On the next day, the prosecutors said that they would not accept that offer. Therefore, on 2013 June 4, Holmes pleaded not guilty on the grounds of insanity. The judg e accepted this plea thereafter scheduling the trial for 2014 October. Considering the whole matter from Holmes’ attorney point of perception there are two options for his defendant. His client may plead diminished capacity or he may plead insanity, which he already has. Diminished capacity, which was a possibility in the early stages of the case is now not an option for the defense team.  

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Brand Equity of HP Laptops

Brand Equity of HP Laptops Introduction As the lifestyle is changing, needs of people are changing accordingly from more technology prone to advancement in electronic devices usage. People want faster paced life, leading to endless dreams to be fulfilled. Desire to achieve excellence in all departments of life makes life more interesting and increases the positive vibrance. Belonging to this information technology era, life without laptops is unimaginable. Laptop sales in India are at an all time high, due to the growth of a new breed of technology conscious IT users. There has been a drastic shift in working environments coupled with a lifestyle which is always on the move. Besides the work-related market, various other segments are capitalizing on these handy portable computers. A large number of households and students are using these portable PCs for entertainment and study purposes respectively. Industry Background Laptops are popularly used in India more for their portability rather than mobility. Portability has become the number one factor as to why more Indians are buying these portable PCs. The laptop market in 2009 saw a significant growth. Seen as just the right size to fit on someones lap, laptops are taking the Indian market by storm and are certainly giving desktop computers a run for their money. The laptop market in India recorded sales of 7.7 lakh units, growing at 13% in the first half of 2009-10. The major players in the Indian market are HP, Compaq, Dell, Lenovo, Apple and Acer. Quarterly notebook PC shipment and forecast report stated that 31 million units were shipped in the first quarter of 2009, noting that the notebook PC market shrank 6% on quarter, but increased 35% on year during the period. HP remained in the lead for seven consecutive quarters with a shipment around two million units over number two Dell in the first quarter of 2009-10. HPs market share was over 20% for six consecutive quarters. The most popular panel size and resolution was still 15.4-inch with a resolution of 1280ÃÆ'-800, which accounted for almost 50% of all notebook PCs shipped in the quarter, while the 14.1-inch segment with a 1280ÃÆ'-800 resolution trailed behind with a 22% share. The general features that people look for while making a decision on the laptop are: Processing Speed of Laptops The laptops processing speed depends on the usage. Consumers generally go for Intel Core Duo processors or Athlon. If the requirement is a high end laptop, then consumers can opt for Core 2 Duo or Quad Core processors. Operating System At present Windows Vista is the operating system in the laptop market. Recently Windows 7 has been launched and laptop vendors are slowly shifting to the latest operating system. Other Operating Systems like Linux can be got on request. Screen Screen size is usually 14.1 or 15.4. But consumers are going for bigger screen sizes also. The 17 laptop sales have increased in the recent months, but still is not very high. Hard Drives 160 GB hard disks is the usual attachment in most of the laptops. These are the features which one should consider before buying laptops. Searching laptops in Indian market will be easy as all the information is available online. Company Background HP is a technology company that operates in more than 170 countries around the world. They explore how technology and services can help people and companies address their problems and challenges, and realize their possibilities, aspirations and dreams. HP applies new thinking and ideas to create more simple, valuable and trusted experiences with technology, continuously improving the way our customers live and work. No other company offers as complete a technology product portfolio as HP. They provide infrastructure and business offerings that span from handheld devices to some of the worlds most powerful supercomputer installations. They offer consumers a wide range of products and services from digital photography to digital entertainment and from computing to home printing. This comprehensive portfolio helps them match the right products, services and solutions to their customers specific needs. HP India, established in the year 1988, holds the distinction of being one of the first technology companies to set up a base in India. HP in India is one of the largest and most diverse sites for HP outside of the US. HP started its India Software Operations (ISO) in 1989 at Bangalore to deliver enterprise software solutions, product and RD services to HP customers worldwide. Over the past year, HPs presence and product portfolio has expanded to mirror almost every activity the company undertakes, be it software engineering, IT services, RD, BPOs among others. HP India became a billion dollar company in 2005 and continues to expand its presence. HP is the leader in the laptop market in India. HP laptops feature powerful performance and attractive designs and this is the reason they are the number 1 selling brand in India. Need for the Study There are a lot of new brands of laptops available in the market. Many international players are entering the Indian market to try and capture a chunk of this huge market. We would like ascertain whether HP brand, which is currently doing well, will continue to do well in the future also or does it need to change any of its approach with respect to its brand performance. This project is restricted to the brand equity only. Objectives of the Study To measure brand equity of HP laptops Conceptual Framework Brand Equity Brand equity refers to the marketing effects or outcomes that accrue to a product with its brand name compared with those that would accrue if the same product did not have the brand name. And, at the root of these marketing effects is consumers knowledge. In other words, consumers knowledge about a brand makes manufacturers/advertisers respond differently or adopt appropriately adept measures for the marketing of the brand. The study of brand equity is increasingly popular as some marketing researchers have concluded that brands are one of the most valuable assets that a company has. Brand equity is one of the factors which can increase the financial value of a brand to the brand owner, although not the only one. Brand equity is measured as a combination of the following five factors: Brand Awareness Brand Loyalty Perceived Quality Brand Association Other Proprietary Assets Brand Awareness Brand awareness is a marketing concept that measures consumers knowledge of a brands existence. At the aggregate (brand) level, it refers to the proportion of consumers who know of the brand. It can measured using the following measures: Aided Recall Either the brand name or both the brand name and category name are presented to respondents. Unaided Recall The product category name is given to respondents who are asked to recall as many brands as possible that are members of the category. Top of Mind Recall The first brand that comes to the mind of customers is recorded. Brand Loyalty Brand loyalty consists of a consumers commitment to repurchase or otherwise continue using the brand and can be demonstrated by repeated buying of a product or service or other positive behaviors such as word of mouth advocacy. The various measures for calculating brand loyalty are: Switching Cost Liking Satisfaction Waiting Time Shopping Effort Willingness to Bear Additional Cost Perceived Quality Perceived quality is defined as the customers perception of the overall quality or superiority of a product or service with respect to its intended purpose relative to alternatives. We have measured the perceived quality of the overall brand under the following measures: Performance Features Conformance with Specifications Reliability Durability Fit and Finish Serviceability Brand Association A key to building brand is to strengthen the associations. A brand association is anything, i.e. a word, a picture, a person, etc. related to a brand. The association not only exists but also has strength, uniqueness to the brand and favorability in the minds of the consumers. Other Proprietary Assets The three most important proprietary assets are: Name Logo Slogan Methodology Sample Size We have taken a sample size of 15 respondents. It consisted of 12 males and 3 females of varying ages, across the country. Data Collection analysis Methods The following tools were used to collect data: Focus group discussions (FGDs) Questionnaires Data Analysis Tools SPSS 16.0 for Windows, MS Excel Brand Awareness Brand Awareness is the extent to which a brand is recognized by potential customers, and is correctly associated with a particular product. It is usually expressed as a percentage of target market. Brand awareness is the primary goal of advertising. Brand awareness conveys the intensity of knowledge and understanding that a consumer has about a product or brand. This is usually measured through the three measures Top of Mind Recall, Unaided Recall Aided Recall. Unaided recall Top of Mind Recall Unaided Recall is a market research technique used to test the effectiveness of brands, advertisements and commercials in which respondents are asked certain questions to learn whether they are familiar with a particular company, brand, slogan, product or service. In our survey the respondent was asked to mention the names of laptops they know or have heard about. Out of the unaided recalled brands, the first brand that the respondent mentions is the top of mind recall. Top of mind awareness is there when people can easily recall a brands name. Top of mind reacall usually is associated with the brand being in the short term memory. Top of mind awareness is very desirable in target prospects who are likely to buy because it is when they are considering buying an item you really want them to remember a particular brand. The responses obtained are indicated in the table below. In the calculations for the brand equity score, top of mind being an important parameter was given 100 points. To calculate the top of mind score for a particular brand, the percentage of people who mentioned the particular brand in their top of mind recall was calculated out of total respondents. Thus HP laptops got a score of 47 or 47% which is 7 as a percentage of 15. The maximum score for unaided recall was fixed at 70. The brand with the highest frequency was given a score of 70 and the brands that followed were given scores of 60 50 each. Interpretation Out of 15 respondents, HP brand had the highest top of mind recall, followed by Compaq, Lenovo Dell, which had equal responses. This shows that the investments by HP in their advertisement / marketing communications have been relatively effective. But still considering that only 47% respondents recollected HP from the top of mind, HP should consider investing more in their advertisement campaigns. Top of Mind recall happens with higher repetitions and exposure to advertisements. Advertisements emphasizing the brand HP have to be repeated. This will also help because HP has a wide product assortment. In case of unaided recall, HP Dell were leading with very high scores, followed by Compaq, Lenovo and Toshiba. This shows that people know these brands as laptop brands. The objective of this measurement is to measure the extent to which respondents remembered the brand when the actual brand name is prompted. A list of laptop brands was given to the respondent and they were asked to select the brands they were aware of. We deliberately included a couple of brands which did not have laptops. Surprisingly people who selected these brands were very less and there seems to be a very high level of awareness about laptop brands. The response obtained is indicated in the table alongside. Interpretation HP, Dell, Compaq Lenovo had 100% awareness or all respondents who participated in the survey were aware about these brands as a laptop brand. Aided awareness was scored out of 50 and the brands with maximum awareness were given a score of 50, second best as 40 etc. We do not need to do anything on this front to increase awareness about HP as a laptop brand. 2. Brand loyalty Brand loyalty of the customer is often the core of a brands equity. It reflects how likely a customer will be able to switch to another brand. Brand loyalty is closely tied to experience and is different from other major dimensions of brand equity. The following scores were obtained by the brands against the four factors associated with Loyalty. Cross Tabs: The cross tabulation was done to see how many people from the group of 15 conform to various parameters. The various cross tabulation are shown as under: PreferredBrand * PurchasedBrand The first cross tabulation was done to find out number of people among the group who have purchased the brand which they prefered. So the cross tabulation was done between the prefered brand and the purchased brand. The results of the same are shown below. The above table and the graph below show that only 2 people have purchased HP out of the 6 people who prefered the brand HP, for Compaq it was 2 out of 2 and none for Compaq. RecommendBrand * PurchasedBrand This cross tabulation was done to see how many people would recommend the brand who have purchased the brand. The table shows 60 % people who have purchased the Compaq would recommend the brand to people, 100% who have purchased the HP would recommend HP and 80% who have purchased the Lenovo would recommend Lenovo. Perceived quality Perceived quality is defined as the customers perception of the overall quality or the superiority of a product or service with respect to its intended purpose relative to alternatives. It is also a measure of goodness that spreads over all elements of the brand. It is elevated to the status of the brand asset is helps business to gain financial advantage and gives a strategic thrust which in turn drives how the other aspects of brand is looked. We conducted two focussed group discussions (FGD) to find out the factors which customers perceive as important for accessing the quality of the laptops. The FGDs resulted in 9 factors which were then cross verified through secondary research study. Three factors Battery Life and Time to Charge had to be removed because of the lack of the suitability in terms of quality image. The rest six factors were taken into account while deciding the perception of the quality of the laptops. Thus, the seven factors used for assessing the perceived quality for calculating the final brand equity score are: Performance Features Conformance to specifications Reliability Durability Fit and finish Serviceability The users of the brands HP, Lenovo and Compaq were asked to rate the above attributes on a scale of 1 to 10 (10-Excellent, 1-Poor). In the following explanation of the different factors, the aggregate score is the sum of the score given by all the 15 respondents and the average reflects the aggregate score divided by the number of respondents (15 in our case). The maximum points allotted to each of the factors is100. So the score of each of the factors is then calculated based on the average score. Performance The performance of the laptops is an important factor as it is critical for the overall perception of the customer in terms of quality of the laptop. The performance is compared across the brands having the same features so that there is no bias and the comparison in not done for two extremely different series laptops. As it came out in FGDs, this is also related to how the laptop performs like no crash, no hangs, smooth operation and other similar sub attributes. The performance score of the three brands is shown in the table below: HP scores highest with an average score of 8 followed by Lenovo with 6.93 and Compaq at last with a score of 6.87. Interpretation The customers have a favourable perception for HP in terms of performance of the laptops. The Lenovo and Compaq are close together with almost same perception for performance. The HP laptops outscore both of the other brands by almost 10 points. The same perception had also been received in the FGDs and so there is no difference of perceptions between the surveys and FGDs. Features The customers today look for the customization and so crave for the number of features available for the different laptops. The range of features and the depth under each component become important now because they affect the customer perception for the quality and affect the buying favourability for a brand. HP again scored highest in this category with an average score of 8.27 followed by Compaq with an average of 7 and at last Lenovo with a score of 6.8. Interpretation The customers feel that the feature loaded laptops are of good quality and as most of the HP laptops are feature loaded, they are rated higher in terms of the features. The Lenovo and Compaq laptops come with some standard specifications which mostly are basic ones. Though they can be customised as per needs but the number of options available for different components (depth) are still limited. This doesnt go favourable with the customers and it is reflected in the score given by them to Lenovo and Compaq laptops as compared to HP which scores higher. Conformance to Specifications Customers choose the features and specification to get the laptops which conform to them and perform accordingly. So conformance to the specifications becomes an important factor here. The table below shows the score obtained by the three brands on this parameter. HP stands at top with an average of 7.73 followed by Lenovo at 6.93 and then Compaq with 6.8. Interpretation: HP has a favourable impression in the minds of the customers as they feel that HP conforms to the specifications and this makes them give it the highest score. The other brands of laptops are not far behind which shows that there is not much different in the perception of these brands as far as the conformance to the specifications is concerned. All three adhere to the specifications and even the fact that HP has highest score cant be considered as a great differentiator in terms of perceived quality. Reliability Score The perception about reliability of a product directly contributes to the brand equity for a mobile device like laptop which is employed for multiple uses. The surveys FGDs we conducted indicated how reliability as an important component of perceived quality. Respondents wanted their laptops for mobile needs, especially students for project works executives who had to do presentations on the go. More than anything, reliability was connected to loss of data due to laptop related malfunctioning  which could never be compensated.   The reliability scores obtained by the brands are indicated in the table above. Each respondent was asked to rate the three laptop brands on their perception about reliability of the brand. The final reliability score was found by aggregating the scores given by all respondents and then finding the average. Interpretation The results indicated that HP Lenovo scored 75 out of 100 for reliability, followed by Compaq with a score of 66. This is inline with the two brands various marketing communications that emphasise on reliability. Lenovo the erstwhile IBM Thinkpad always portrayed a sturdy image, with protections even against accidental drops and first of its kind features like locking hard disk during a fall. HP also proposes its high reliability through marketing communications. Compaq, a value brand from the HP stable is perceived to be less reliable compared to the parent brand HP. The perception about durability of a product directly contributes to the brand equity especially when it is an expensive to own item like a laptop. Our survey told that a normal customer tends to consider using a laptop for atleast 3 4 years and minimise the cost on the equipment. Also the FGDs indicated that laptops are very expensive to maintain and replacements of parts are a very expensive business. Thus durability was used as an element to compute brand equity score. The brand scores on the parameter durability was again calculated by aggregating scores given by individual respondents on perceived durability of the three brands. The average was found and a percentage of the maximum score of 10 was found to provide the brands score on durability. Interpretation The table indicates that HP Lenovo are perceived to be of nearly the same durability (Lenovo a little more). But Compaq lags heavily in the perception about durability. This could be due to the positioning of HP Lenovo as premium brands, while Compaq is always positioned as a low price, value based product. Another inference we may take from this could be that price and premiumness can cause a difference in perception of quality in the minds of customers. A customer may be ready to pay more for a product considering that durability is directly related to the price of the product. In the FGDs conducted, we got views that the laptop a person carries communicates a lot about his personality. Hence the fit finish is given a lot of importance during laptop purchases. We had included fit finish as a component of perceived quality and gave equal importance to this parameter with a maximum score of 100 associated to it. The above table indicates the scores obtained by the brands for fit finish parameter. The respondents were asked to rate the three laptops on a maximum score of 10 points. The aggregate score was calculated and average was obtained for the 15 respondents. This was then transformed to a score of maximum score of 100. Interpretation It was found that HP had the highest score on the parameter fit finish. HP laptops have always been famous for their stylish designs, and designer exteriors. HP frequently comes up with limited editions, with specially designed exteriors, giving rich look to the laptop. Compaq was rated as the next best. Compaq, being a product targeted at the value segment, has always designed its laptop in a simple and elegant manner in contrast to the bold and stylish designs of HP. We can see that Lenovo lags heavily in this parameter. Lenovo retained the original IBM Thinkpad designs. Lenovo gives lesser importance to external visual appeal focussing more on ergonomics, robustness and reliability. This was also indicated in the FGDs where Lenovo laptops were criticised for the dull exteriors. Most respondents admitted they were not satisfied with the looks and they modified the looks by applying laptop skins available in the market. Serviceability refers to the ability of technical support personnel to install, configure, and monitor laptop products, identify exceptions or faults, debug or isolate faults to perform root cause analysis, and provide hardware or software maintenance in pursuit of solving a problem and restoring the product into service. Incorporating serviceability facilitating features typically results in more efficient product maintenance and increases value for the brand in the minds of the customer. During the FGDs, many participants shared the various faults that their laptops had generated and how easy or difficult they found it to get it serviced at an authorized centre. The following table lists the scores for serviceability for the different laptop brands out of a maximum of 100. The respondents were asked to rate the three laptops on a maximum score of 10 points. The aggregate score was calculated and average was obtained for the 15 respondents. This was then transformed to a score of maximum score of 100. Interpretation HP was rated the best serviceable laptop followed by Compaq and Lenovo. HP service centres or HP-authorized service centres are available all over India. Therefore customers find it very easy to simply carry their laptops to the nearest service centre and get it serviced. Compaq laptops are also serviced by HP service centres. Since exclusive Compaq service centres are not widespread, people still perceive that the serviceability is not very high for Compaq, while in reality it should equal that of HP. Lenovo has mainly authorised service centres and its not as widespread as compared to the other two brands. Therefore, it has got a low score for serviceability. Having exclusive Lenovo service centers in all major cities in India may help in improving the perception of the customers. Brand Association The FGDs were conducted to get the exhaustive list of the possible associations for the three brands- HP, Lenovo and Compaq. The associations were then used in the questionnaire to select the top two associations from the respondents for each of the three brands. The surveyed people were then asked to rate (5-highest, 1-lowest) the two associations selected by them. The tables below show the scores obtained by each of the associations under different categories. The top two associations were then converted into the score for the three parameters- Strength of Association, Favourability and Attitude. The Business and the Performance came out to be the top two associations with the HP laptops. When converted to score it comes out to be as follows: The brand celebrity association for HP is also seen as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who justifies the Business and Performance score too. The animal association for the brand HP also comes out to be Tiger and Lion in equal numbers of 4 each. So the animal association for HP is the Big Cat Family Animals. This can be because the people relate these animals for the performance and focussed attitude like in business. The Tough/Robust and Features came out to be the top two associations with the Lenovo laptops. When converted to score it comes out to be as follows: The brand celebrity association for Lenovo is also seen as Mr. Saif Ali Khan who justifies the Tough/ Robust and Feature rich image of the brand Lenovo. This association may be because he is also a brand ambassador for Lenovo. The animal association for the brand Lenovo is Dog as seen from the responses of the people who responded to the survey. Six people out of 15 said Dog as the animal which should be associated with the Lenovo laptops. This brings out the features of the laptop which shows they are trustworthy, robust and extremely rich in features. The brand celebrity association for Compaq is seen as Mr. Shahrukh Khan who justifies the Affordability and Service image of the brand Compaq. This association may be because he is also a brand ambassador for Compaq. The animal association of Compaq comes out to be Cat which sort of justifies the affordability part. 5.Other proprietary Assets The three proprietary assets studied in this survey were Name, Logo Slogan. This was important as any marketing communication will be using the three assets and the impact these makes will determine the brand equity and hence the consumption of a brand. The respondents were asked to rate the three brands for the three assets on the basis of the three factors Attractiveness, Effectiveness, Uniqueness For example, the respondent was asked about how attractive, effective and unique the name of HP laptop is, followed by the logo and slogan of HP. The scores for each factor was calculated by finding the aggregate score given by all the respondents and then the average. The final score of each brand against each of the assets were found by multiplying the score of the asset against the three factors. Name It was found that name HP had a very high score in all the three dimensions and has the highest score of 49 among the three brands. Compaq follows HP and the name Lenovo was found to have scored the least and was found to score the least among the three brands in each of the dimensions except uniqueness, where it stands second. Interpretation The name of HP was found to score an average of 7.8 out of 10 for uniqueness, 8 for effectiveness and 7.8 for attractiveness. This indicates that the name HP is contributing to the brand equity. But in the case of Lenovo, we see that the name scores very low in terms of attractiveness and effectiveness. Such brands may consider re-launching products under different brand names or a brand like Lenovo can for brand extensions with more attractive names 2. SLOGAN The above table indicates the ratings for slogan of the three brands on the dimensions of attractiveness, effectiveness and uniqueness. The slogans were given to the respondents namely HP Laptops are Personal Again, Compaq Inspiration Technology, Lenovo New World. New Thinking Interpretation We can observe that HP scores highest for slogan, followed by Lenovo and Compaq. Though the slogan for HP scores highest relatively, the score seems to be low. This could be because the respondents are not able to relate the slogan to the product or because they are not able to associate it with themselves. This could be because HP used this slogan initially for desktops when it came up with the slogan Computers are personal again. But laptops are always personal equipments for self usage and saying Laptops are Personal Again does not make any more impact. Looking at the other two brands, Lenovo and Compaq lag heavily and needs considerable improvement in their slogan. This could even be due to lack of sufficient exposure of the slogan to customers or again inability of the customers to relate slogan with themselves or the product. 3. LoGo The above table indicates the ratings for logo of the three brands on the three dimensions. The respondents were shown the different logos of the three brands and asked them to rate them against attractiveness, effectiveness uniqueness. As we can see, HP scored the highest for the logo, followed by Compaq and Lenovo. Interpretation HP has a very high score for brand logo, with very high score in each of the dimensions Attractiveness, effectiveness and uniqueness. Compaq follows and Lenovo was found to lag heavily in this dimension too The above table indicates the brand equity score of the three brands. We can find that the brand under study HP has scored the highest score of 1405 out of 1920. It clearly indicates why HP is the market leader in this range of laptops. Compaq from the HP stable is the second valued brand. We have seen the brands under the individual dimensions in the previous sections. We can see that HP leads the other brands in every dimension. The strategies adopted so far has been satisfactory. Suggestions for further Improvement Improving Brand Awareness From the brand equity table, we can see that HP scores full against unaided recall aided recall.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Good Education

Advantages of a Good Education What is a good education? Some say a good education consists of going to a good school, and getting a degree. Yes, acquiring a degree is important, but what good is it if it does not leads to good morals. A person can be the smartest person in the world, but if the person’s behavior is bad, the â€Å"good education† never existed. For an education to be deemed â€Å"good†, it has to promote good morals. The good morals are gotten from God’s instructions. A good education is also an education that teaches responsibility.It makes one accountable for the things that happen in their life. It gives one a mindset that he/she does not have to rely on anybody. A good education involves getting a degree and at the same time learning what is morally right in God’s eyes. Advantages of good education include one being able to take care of his family, being able to communicate effectively and respectively, and also it reduces the n umber of birth rates. A good education gives someone the ability to take care of their family.Due to the fact that getting a degree increases the chance for someone to get a high paying job, people do it for the wrong motives. Some people get a good education so that they can be selfish with the money they get with their degree. On the other hand, someone educated to behave morally right would care to take care of the family that they have, and not just him. Even if the job is not high paying, a good education teaches one to show generosity at all time. Another advantage of a good education is that it also gives one the ability to talk effectively and respectively.To have a degree one must have taken English and communication courses that are helpful in improving one’s grammar and communication skills. What good is one’s grammar he cannot hold a conversation with others? A good education makes one able to convey his opinion in an understandable manner. Most people who get their degrees still act disrespectful. These people graduate from colleges that are said to be good, and still use foul language. Is this kind of education â€Å"good†? A good education teaches people to talk to people around them with respect.People with good educations learn of the dangers in using abusive languages at people. A God that is perfectly righteous would not support disrespect in any form. His (God’s) word says in Ephesians 4::29,†Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear†. Since a good education involves teaching what is morally right in God’s eyes, a person with a good education would not try his best to control his language from being abusive.The final advantage of a good education is that it reduces the number of birth rates. Uneducated men and women are one of the main causes the high numbers in birth rate. These unedu cated people cause unwanted births because they are not aware of the danger of sex. Sex is not morally bad, but if it is not with a spouse it is a sin. A good education, since it goes according to the word of God, gives people the awareness that sex before marriage is a sin. The bible tells us that God will judge those who are sexually immoral.A good education therefore In conclusion, all these advantages to a good education can all be taught through the word of God (Bible). In addition, knowing all these actions mean nothing if they are not practiced. A person can know that they should take care of their families, talk respectively, and abstain from sexual immorality, but it does not mean the person will do these things. Someone might want to do this, but human nature makes the person do otherwise. A good education gives knowledge, but one is in charge of being practically wise.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

How Far Does Diplomatic Immunity Go

Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law that provides foreign diplomats with a degree of protection from criminal or civil prosecution under the laws of the countries hosting them. Often criticized as a â€Å"get away with murder† policy, does diplomatic immunity really give diplomats carte blanche to break the law? While the concept and custom are known to date back over 100,000 years, modern diplomatic immunity was codified by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in 1961. Today, many of the principles of diplomatic immunity are treated as customary under international law. The stated purpose of diplomatic immunity is to facilitate safe passage of diplomats and promote amicable foreign relations between governments, particularly during times of disagreement or armed conflict. The Vienna Convention, which has been agreed to by 187 countries, states that all â€Å"diplomatic agents† including â€Å"the members of the diplomatic staff, and of the administrative and technical staff and of the service staff of the mission† should be granted â€Å"immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving [S]tate.† They are also granted immunity from civil lawsuits unless the case involves funds or property not related to diplomatic assignments. Upon being formally recognized by the hosting government, foreign diplomats are granted certain immunities and privileges based on the understanding that similar immunities and privileges will be granted on a reciprocal basis. Under the Vienna Convention, individuals acting for their governments are granted diplomatic immunity depending on their rank and need to carry out their diplomatic mission without fear of becoming entangled in personal legal issues. While diplomats granted immunity are ensured safe unfettered travel and are generally not susceptible to lawsuits or criminal prosecution under the laws of the host country, they can still be expelled from the host country. Waiver of Immunity Diplomatic immunity can be waived only by the government of the official’s home country. In most cases, this happens only when the official commits or witnesses a serious crime not related to their diplomatic role. Many countries are hesitant or refuse to waive immunity, and individuals cannot—except in cases of defection—waive their own immunity. If a government waives immunity to allow the prosecution of one of its diplomats or their family members, the crime must be serious enough to make prosecution in the public interest. For example, in 2002, the Colombian government waived the diplomatic immunity of one of its diplomats in London so he could be prosecuted for manslaughter. Diplomatic Immunity in the United States Based on the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the rules for diplomatic immunity in the United States are established by the U.S. Diplomatic Relations Act of 1978. In the United States, the federal government may grant foreign diplomats several levels of immunity based on their rank and task. At the highest level, actual Diplomatic Agents and their immediate families are considered immune from criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. Top-level ambassadors and their immediate deputies can commit crimes — from littering to murder — and remain immune from prosecution in the U.S. courts. In addition, they cannot be arrested or compelled to testify in court. At the lower levels, employees of foreign embassies are granted immunity only from acts related to their official duties. For example, they cannot be forced to testify in U.S. courts about the actions of their employers or their government. As a diplomatic strategy of U.S. foreign policy, the United States tends to be â€Å"friendlier† or more generous in granting legal immunity to foreign diplomats due to the comparatively large number of U.S. diplomats serving in countries that tend to restrict the individual rights of their own citizens. Should the U.S. accuse or prosecute one of their diplomats without sufficient grounds, the governments of such countries might harshly retaliate against visiting U.S. diplomats. Once again, reciprocity of treatment is the goal. How the US Deals With Wrongdoing Diplomats Whenever a visiting diplomat or other person granted diplomatic immunity living in the United States is accused of committing a crime or faces a civil lawsuit, the U.S. Department of State may take the following actions: The State Department notifies the individual’s government of the details surrounding the criminal charges or civil suit.The State Department may ask the individual’s government to voluntarily waive their diplomatic immunity, thus allowing the case to be handled in a U.S. court. In actual practice, foreign governments typically agree to waive diplomatic immunity only when their representative has been charged with a serious crime not connected to their diplomatic duties, or has been subpoenaed to testify as a witness to a serious crime. Except in rare cases — such as defections — individuals are not allowed to waive their own immunity. Alternatively, the accused individual’s government may choose to prosecute them in its own courts. If the foreign government refuses to waive their representative’s diplomatic immunity, the prosecution in a U.S. court cannot proceed. However, the U.S. government still has options: The State Department can formally ask the individual to withdraw from his or her diplomatic post and leave the United States.In addition, the State Department often cancels the diplomat’s visa, barring them and their families from returning to the United States. Crimes committed by members of a diplomat’s family or staff may also result in the diplomat’s expulsion from the United States. But, Get Away With Murder? No, foreign diplomats do not have a â€Å"license to kill.† The U.S. government can declare diplomats and their family members â€Å"persona non grata† and send them home for any reason at any time. In addition, the diplomat’s home country can recall them and try them in local courts. In cases of serious crimes, the diplomat’s country can waive immunity, allowing them to be tried in a U.S. court. In one high-profile example, when the deputy ambassador to the United States from the Republic of Georgia killed a 16-year-old girl from Maryland while driving drunk in 1997, Georgia waived his immunity. Tried and convicted of manslaughter, the diplomat served three years in a North Carolina prison before returning to Georgia. Criminal Abuse of Diplomatic Immunity Probably as old as the policy itself, abuse of diplomatic immunity ranges from non-payment of traffic fines to serious felonies like rape, domestic abuse, and murder. In 2014, New York City police estimated that diplomats from more than 180 countries owed the city over $16 million in unpaid parking tickets. With the United Nations housed in the city, it’s an old problem. In 1995, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani forgave over $800,000 in parking fines rung up by foreign diplomats. While possibly meant as a gesture of international goodwill designed to encourage favorable treatment of U.S. diplomats abroad, many Americans — having been forced to pay their own parking tickets — did not see it that way. On the more serious end of the crime spectrum, a foreign diplomat’s son in New York City was named by police as the prime suspect in the commission of 15 separate rapes. When the young man’s family claimed diplomatic immunity, he was allowed to leave the United States without being prosecuted. Civil Abuse of Diplomatic Immunity Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations grants diplomats immunity from all civil lawsuits except for those that involve â€Å"private immovable property.† This means that U.S. citizens and corporations are often unable to collect unpaid debts owed by visiting diplomats, like rent, child support, and alimony. Some U.S. financial institutions refuse to make loans or open lines of credit to diplomats or their family members because they have no legal means of ensuring the debts will be repaid. Diplomatic debts in unpaid rent alone can exceed $1 million. The diplomats and the offices they work in are referred to as foreign â€Å"missions.† The individual missions cannot be sued to collect overdue rent. In addition, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act bars creditors from evicting diplomats due to unpaid rent. Specifically, Section 1609 of the act states that â€Å"the property in the United States of a foreign state shall be immune from attachment, arrest, and execution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In some cases, in fact, the U.S. Department of Justice has actually defended foreign diplomatic missions against rent collection lawsuits based on their diplomatic immunity. The problem of diplomats using their immunity to avoid paying child support and alimony became so serious that the 1995 U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing took up the issue. As a result, in September 1995, the head of Legal Affairs for the United Nations stated that diplomats had a moral and legal obligation to take at least some personal responsibility in family disputes.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Using the Spanish Preposition Desde

Desde is one of the most common Spanish prepositions. Typically translated as since or from, it usually indicates some sort of a motion in either time or space from a certain point. Like other prepositions, desde is usually followed by a noun. However, it occasionally is followed by other types of words or phrases. How to Use Desde Here are some of the most common uses of desde: Followed by a noun, to indicate when an action begins: Desde nià ±o fue su pasià ³n y su anhelo ser un cantante. (Since he was a child it was his passion and longing to be a singer.) Desde estudiante se destacà ³ por su perseverancia y su espà ­ritu perfeccionista. (Since she was a student she stood out for her perseverance and her perfectionistic spirit.) Desde bebà ©, tiene una identidad propia. (Since he was a baby, he has had his own identity.) Note that sentences such as these typically arent translated word for word into English.Followed by a time, to indicate when an action begins: Desde 1900 hasta 1945, las exportaciones netas se encontraban cercanas a cero. (From 1900 to 1945, net exports were found to be close to zero.) Carlos es desde esta tarde el nuevo presidente. (Since this afternoon, Carlos has been the new president.)  ¿Desde cuà ¡ndo lo sabes? (Since when have you known that? For how long have you known that?)Followed by a phrase, to indicate when an action begins: No habrà ¡ agua desde antes del mediodà ­a hasta despuà ©s de las ocho. (There will not be water from before noon until after 8.) Vivo en Espaà ±a desde hace 3 aà ±os. (I have lived in Spain since three years ago.)To mean from when indicating where an action originates: Hay vuelos especiales a Roma desde Madrid. (There are special flights to Rome from Madrid.) Puedes enviar un mensaje de texto a un celular desde aquà ­. (You can send a text message to a cellular phone from here.) Murià ³ un hombre al tirarse desde la Torre Eiffel y no abrirse el paracaà ­das. (A man died after jumping from the Eiffel Tower when his parachute didnt open.) Se ve la casa desde la calle. (The house can be seen from the street.) A note about verb tense: You may notice that verb tenses used with desde arent always what you would expect, and they may even be inconsistent. Note this sentence in the present tense: No te veo desde hace mucho tiempo. (I have not seen you for a long time.) It is also possible to use a perfect tense, as is done in English: No te he visto hace mucho tiempo. You may encounter both of these usages in everyday speech and writing, depending on the region youre in and the context of the remarks.